Thursday, February 26, 2009

The day the world ends....

Well yeah... it happens for us girls every month!!!! An excruciating week and then the world rights itself once again.

Yes, everything does go topsy turvy... its been years... and am still not used to it!! I dread it... I hate it.. but cant ignore it!!!! Happens at the most god awful times it could possibly happen... a big presentation... traveling long distance by train... a trip that you looked forward to all your life...your best friends wedding... your own wedding... oh man!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeh kabhi peecha kyon nahi chodta...

Well whatever it is, it is that one thing that unites all women universally!!!!!! You will find women gleefully discussing the pain aspect in detail!!!!! And no, we are not trying to be one up on one another... its the pain that binds us all... that omnipresent pain that only a woman.. ONLY A WOMAN can understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You wait for it... the way you wait for an honoured guest... wishing, hoping .. oh god please let it happen now and not then.. not when i am traveling!!!! When it comes, you hate from very core of your heart!!! And as it is getting over... the smiles are back in place.. the gloom has lifted.. and you start looking forward to your life again!!!!

Some home truths...

1) Well, it does pain a lot you know.. earth shattering, mind numbing continuous pain.. you cannot eat.. cannot sleep... and definitely cannot work... for all those of you who say.. "dont take any medicine, you know its not good for you".. well why dont you suffer once and see!!!!!!! Phat jayegi!!!! Really!

2) Mood swings happen! We do get temperamental... well bear it!!! Think of the scene from Casino Royale wherein James Bond is butchered continuously through the night... yes thats what happens.. and there is no respite!!!!!!! So there are going to be mood swings.. at times we will like something and the very next instant we will hate the very thing... accept it...it is only going to be extremes.. too bad!!!!!

3) There are other symptoms associated with it.. yes, back ache, head ache, body ache, nausea etc everything happens.. and yes all this along with the pain... this is something i figured when i did this study on menstrual cycle (as in it happens to other women too and as badly as some of us)!!! It was quite amazing to meet / know .. or read the data of about 1000 women !!!!

4) Any other pain is also magnified!!! So keep away.

5) Need a lot of pampering. Without any questions asked!!! :)

6) Cheery. gloomy.. gloomy cheery.. one can be both.. didnt i already cover this point.. but so what .. re iteration is good!!!!

7) PMS exists!!!!!! The above mentioned starts happening a few days before... and we do not realise it, recognise it many a times!!! But others should!!!

Oh well... basically a little sensitivity goes a long way.. let me rephrase that.. a little sensitivity EVERY MONTH goes a long way!!!!!

And whoever from Whisper coined the phrase.. have a happy period.. should go jump into the well!!!!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Post 30 workouts pain!!!!

Life is tough!!!! Last 2 days - yesterday and today i.e. have bee really tough in terms of working out!!

Maybe because there has been no change in me... all the happiness that woman talked about at seeing the "small change and be happy" philosophy has gone out of the window. They made me workout 1.5 hrs yesterday and today too!!!!!

My brain was anyway fried at work today....none of my limbs are under my control now!!! Each step taken seems like a victory!!!

Gosh life is tough. Maybe i should have said i am very happy with whatever they said the change was!!!!!!! Gawwwwwddd its so strenous!!! My legs are vibrating with pain.. vibrating.. or pulsating.. oh well, whatever!!!!!!!!!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Delhi 6 and Valkyrie - back to back

But before I start on that…. I am so excited!!!! The most fabulous thing in the world .. the most brilliant thing– AR Rahman and Gulzar winning an Oscar…. However, why didn’t Rahman mention Gulzar in his speech… but never mind!!!!

So back to Delhi 6 and Valkyrie… I love watching back to back movies. The thought when one movie is about to end.. hey I am going to watching another movie after this.. so its not really coming to an end!!! Though it didn’t happen that way this time…

Delhi 6

It started off on a good note. I liked the sights and sounds of Delhi.. was looking for it keenly .. found it the various characters.. the glimpses of food they show and of course the Ram Leela … It was nice .. well at first… and then…

Abhishek Bachchan is accompanying his grandma to Delhi (from US)… he has this accent which is quite nice.. doesn’t look fake.. he actually looks like an Indian dude America returned… who expresses astonishment at everything that happens here.. right from traffic.. to cows giving birth on the road (really?)… a politician barging into a ramleela and giving a speech… some things are deliberately ostensibly made to be delhi.. cow giving birth on the road… oh well!!!!

So anyway, here they are .. in old Delhi… the bylanes of old Delhi… which has been shown / built very nicely.. then come this bevy of characters .. a laala and his young wife.. 2 brothers who have fought and put a wall in between the house… a jamadaar.. a shopkeeper, a photographer.. all of them of various castes/ religions living together.. this togetherness emphasized by everyone running to rush the grandma to the hospital!! This part you can identify with.. I guess anyone can because it is true of any city in India!!!

And then comes the Black Monkey.. which has been used as a .. I cant say a metaphor.. used as a.. as a .. ok I am not getting the word for it.. but basically the story revolves around these characters .. and how the black monkey weaves in and out of each of their stories.. now again this is something a delhi-ite will identify with… many many years ago, there was this rumour of there being a “monkeyman”.. towards east delhi / north delhi side…and the news channels were interviewing people wherein the people said all kinds of things .. showing scars and scratches that the monkey had made.. saying its a giant monkey etc.. … of course it was not as sensationalized as it would have been in the present context!! But yeah I remember it very well!!!

Everyone takes support of Black Monkey for their own purpose.. one guy to flee.. one woman to hide her affair.. kids to hide their mischief.. and of course it becomes religious / political.. with people saying monkey is muslim / hindu…and politicians jumping into the jambouree!!!!

I really liked the concept!! How this “Black Monkey” incident has been used to reflect on insecurities.. and how it totally becomes something else all together…

What I didn’t like was that the movie becomes too preachy in the 2nd half!!! A scene where Abhishek Bachchan talks about how there is god in each one of us… RDB sent a strong message but without being preachy!!! And the heaven scene wherein Abhishek Bachchan is with his Grandfather (Amitabh Bachchan) is a bit too much!!!!!

So the movie was ok.. not that great… the concept was really nice though!! But you end up feeling strange when the movie gets over!!!

ps : The music is most awesome!!!

Valkyrie

After Delhi 6 got over, we thought of watching Valkyrie.. but we had not booked the tickets.. the deal hatched with my husband right then being we will watch it only if we get the back row seats… so I fought, clawed my way through the ticket counter.. and actually got the "2nd row from back" tickets.. I really wanted to watch another movie.. so we got the tickets and we were back in the theatre.. the person at the snack bar asking us.. weren’t you here a while back??Believe me… it a joy to be back inside the theatre within 5 mins of a movie ending!!!

So Valkyrie is based upon a real incident (which incidentally I had heard about ) .. in the sense that .. I had watched a series on discovery/ NGC on all the failed attempts made on Hitler.. there were 15. This was the last I think.. and a few months after this incident Hitler committed suicide.

Tom Cruise plays the role of the protagonist, Col. Stauffenberg who is recruited into a team of people trying to kill Hitler and take over Germany. He looks extremely strange .. he shouldn’t be … right???? Esp being Tom Cruise.. I think it’s the hair style!!!!

So anyway, the entire movie revolves around this plot.. how they plan and try to assassinate Hitler and take over Germany irrespective of the assassination!!! They fail and are all killed.

That is essence of the story. I liked it .. though I wont call it riveting! It was nice and crisp!!! Yeah.. good to watch!!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

People full of gas

Well, i am strongly motivated to write on this topic.. i saw Scarlett's bitchy post!!!! And i decided to supplement it with my own .. i find myself writing about this person i met a few days back.

Every statement of his starts with an "I".. i doubt if there is a "we" in the dictionary!!!

God forbid if you ever are in a discussion with a third person (along with him).. if you have bad throat or are bored of talking.. then definitely the right person to be along with!!!

If you ever say anything negative about this person... well you don't need to really worry.. he will never hear it... because he is so full of himself.. so he will see you lips moving.. you might be saying "you are such a sadistic ..." and he would probably construe that as " you are the best person in the world"... he doesn't ever stop praising himself..

Will take credit even for the earth rotating if possible!!!

Wish i could prick them to let out all the hot air!!!!

Have a happy weekend!!! :)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

30 workouts and counting

I completed 30 days of workout!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No wonder I am feeling totally drained and exhausted!!! :)

So post the 30 day workout they take measurements.. to check if you have met or started meeting your objectives or not!!!

There is absolutely no change in me after 30 days of working!!!! No change in the inches.. not lost inches across various body parts... except for like 1/3rd 1/4th of an inch in a place or two!!! And if anything, i have gained 500 gms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

So i asked her... this is not good right? AT least somehting should have changed.. for the better or worse.. but a change nevertheless... She tries to console me .. " you see your muscles are developing, thats why the gain.. " and after sometime "you see, different people have different objectives.. for me i would be happy with the your result" To which i replied " hahahahahahahahahahahaha.."

But it is really strange... how is it possible.. that a person who doesnt exercise at all... post 30 days of working out is exactly the same!!!

I keep telling myself and all others around me.. I am feeling really fresh.. (the first line is meant to be funny).. i am feeling fresh.. more flexible..

Hmm...the things we say /do to ease our mind!!! :) No no, i am feeling more flexible, definitely !!

One of my aunts... on meeting us exclaimed..

Aunt: you have lost weight.. no not you.. you (husband)..
Me: dont you mean me?
Aunt: you (me)?? Not you .. him... you look exactly the same.. he looks as if he has lost 2 kgs..

So much for gymming!!!
Though i am not trying to lose weight.. i wish people could just say something like.. oh you look fit etc etc

I wonder in such cases who would be more frustrated.. people like me (if they exist) or the instructors (why the hell am i wasting my time with this woman kind of a frustration)... i guess people like me because we have paid!!!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

New Vodafone commercials

Ok.. this is going to be a small post.. trying to catch a movie.. Three Kings.. Saw half earlier.. saw the first half again today.. the minute we got to second half.. i got a call (this always happens to me without fail) .. was catching up with an old friend... did see glimpses of the movie.. Mark Wahlberg being made to drink oil , tortured etc etc... but i still want to know what happens in the end.. posting during the commercial break!!!

Many minutes later....
Saw the movie.. got the basic gist.. i think i should watch it again... its a good movie!!!

So, the vodafone campaign.. very very cute.. esp the.. no wait.. that one.. all of them.. yeah!!! All of them.. whichever i can remember.. there is this boy-girl one which i find amazingly cute.. she sms's "dhal gaya din" and the boy types "tak" and so on.. they complete the badminton song!! Another one was 2 friends smsing random stuff!!!

I am definitely the TG for this campaign.. i sms a lot..
Hang on... most of my messages are STD .. i think the campaign talks about local smsing... whatever!!!

The campaign reminds me of myself!!!!! The days i used to sms my husband when we were dating!!! I meant in terms of the number of messages exchanged.. and yeah, the small aaltu faaltu messages you do tend to exchange during that stage of life!!!

Even now many a days.... i exchange about 50-60 sms's with close friends of mine... I remember once when we were in Bombay one evening exchanged about 70 odd messages about various TV shows that me and my friend were watching at the same time!!!!!

Its good fun!!!! I really look forward to my phone pinging to show that i have received an sms!!! And most of the times i am happy to receive it too!!!! :) That secret smile on the face when you receive an sms... that you dont want to share with anyone!! Hmmmm :) Its nice!!!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Yeh dilli hai mere yaar.. bas ishq, mohabbat, pyar..

The subject line is obviously borrowed from the title track of Dilli 6!!! They are playing it quite a lot on the radio.. and its kind of stuck in my head!!!! So today its going to be all about delhi!!! My favourite favourite city ... have been there most of my life.. also been in Bombay, Bangalore now.. oh and also Goa... Why do i love delhi so much -

In random order -

1) Delhi has seasons... actually!!!! There is a winter, summer, monsoon, spring, autumn... everything!!!! Its fun to be in a place where you can actually experience different seasons!!! And there are loos (i mean hindi ones.. i.e. sandstorm / duststorm) and then hailstorm!!!!! You get a chance to wear all these fancy sweaters / jackets...

2) Wide roads - delhi is a pleasure to drive in.. roads are really wide!!!! 4 times that of Bombay!! Even though i used to drive about 60kms everyday to work.. i used to love it... driving was my way of easing stress!!!! Increase the volume, roll up your windows and sing along... or better still roll down your windows when raining or during winters.. and drive on these wide roads.. fantastic.. you can actually feel fresh air on your face as opposed to smoke!!!!

3) Space - while we did in live in a small house in Delhi.. actually i should say small by Delhi standards... and medium by Bombay.. in Bombay same place would invite an astronomical rent!!!! Our society was huge!!!! Each flat could park 2,3,4 cars or more if they wanted.. we had 3 gardens within the society itself!!!!! In Bombay, one needs to take permission and you are allotted a parking space!!!

4) Every house has a balcony!!!! No matter how small... no space etc etc... every place has a balcony!!!!!!!!!!!

5) Parks - there are many many parks in Delhi... every mile you would find one park at least!!!

6) Flyovers... there are now i have heard more than 40 flyovers in Delhi!!! Have you seen the Medical one? Quite amazing!!! I wonder how Delhi progresses so much.. other places like Bangalore, Bombay still the same. And the flyovers are really wide and actually do ease traffic!!!!!

7) Metro - i guess once the metro is up and running, the same will be true for all the places... but until then, Delhi metro rocks!!! Used to travel by Metro earlier.. extremely convenient and it has AC too!!!!! But i have heard that now its extremely crowded!! Though it sure beats traveling by non AC bus!!! BTW DTC also has an AC?

8) Delhi people - whatever you may say about them... they maybe loud, raucous, aggressive.. i still like them!!! Very generous set!!! Though if you by any chance bump into a car by accident, you have had it!!!! Delhi does make you quite street smart!!

9) Salwaar Kameez shopping / tailors - the most awesome salwaar kameez material you get there.. go to a punjabi heartland.. like rajouri garden in delhi.. and you will get the most awesome stuff!!!! Never ever seen such stuff anywhere... i switched to readymades now for the want of such material and of course for the want of a tailor... delhi tailors were brilliant.. they understand shape, size, design very well.... bombay tailors were always busy.. and blore tailors.. well!!!!! The less said the better!!!

10) CP / SN/ India gate - love these places - have been my favourite haunt.... the circles in delhi.. or roundabouts.. very cute and love them!!! The history of the city... at anytime given point in time, you will actually be passing by some historical monument or the other!!!!

11) Delhi is quite clean as compared to all the cities i have visited.. surprising but true!

12) How can i not talk about food. I kept it for the last as there is a lot to talk about!!! Lip smacking, droolworthy etc etc (am already drooling)
  • Chole bhature - never ever had anything better anywhere.. a long time back one colleague in Bombay told me that there is this brilliant chole bhature guy.. try him.. the chole was thin and watery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since then i have kept away from it in bombay / blore.. though now i have been told again to try this place in Blore which apparently serves good stuff.. as it has been recommended by a delhi-ite, i am willing to consider it!!!
  • Chaats / Tikki - In Bombay once i fought with this guy.. who sold me cold chaat.. i was so annoyed.. alu chaat has to be hot dude!!!! And served with this green chutney
  • Parathas - Please go to Qutub Institutional Area to have hot parathas - if you ask for butter.. they will give you this huge chunk of butter on a fork... with red chutney, green chutney and achaar!!! With tea during winters - awesome!!! I always would have more than i could... like they say pet bhara neeyat nahi bhari!!!!!
  • Rajma chawal - am missing it .. sniff sniff .. so dreadful :(
  • Chole kulche - It only costs 5 bucks.. can you beat that.. was my lunch many a days !!!
  • Chowmein - Never had such a mean chowmein anywhere but CP - Shankar market
  • Gol Gappe - please, its called Gol gappe not puchka / paani puri etc!!!! Gol Gappe sounds so much better!!!! Gol Gappe everywhere has been decent.. the tastes have been different though!!!
  • Other nick nacks - black chana boiled with lime/ onion and loads of green chillies - we identified a candy man nearby to enable us to have this!!! Boiled chole, similar preparation as above- yummy!!! Mooli (Radish) / Kheera (Cucumber) / Kakadi (dont know whats it called) with masala... ganne (cut sugarcane).. salted ber..boiled egg with onions/tomatoes put on top... oh good lord there are too many things!!!!
  • And of course Kaake da dhaba - when you order from there, you need to keep an extra bowl/katori with you, so that you can separate the ghee/oil from the gravy.. but tastes phenomenal!!! All the other dhabas too!!! Maa ki daal is quite amazing!!!
  • And all of the above in winters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just imagine!!!!!!!!!!! Hot Jalebis.... hmmmmmm

There are many other things but i am literally drooling all over the comp!!!! So i will stop now!!!

Need to have dinner.. my appetite has just shot up!!!! :)

ps : i like bombay/ banaglore too!!! No offence meant :p

Monday, February 16, 2009

The kaajal post

I am calling it the kaajal post... as my husband says that i cannot possibly call it the V Day post.. at all!!!! So as the story goes..

Last couple of weeks i have been enamoured of Kaajal or eye liner.. i use it only during weekends when going out!! My make up is very very simple... i love the eye make up some women do at work.. not make up, make up.. just the eye liner.. it makes their eyes look so very beautiful!!! So finally i asked my colleague on how to go about it!!

I do use kaajal.. its the thick normal one that has been there in the market for donkey's years!!! I use it (as it used to be used) on my inner eye line.. i dont know what else to call it.. it looks pretty but goes off in a couple of hours!! The way my colleagues wear it.. not only does it stay.. their eyes look gorgeous!!! So finally i figured how to wear it by asking this colleague!! And realised you need a thin pencil not thick...

Even then, i so wanted to experiment .. that i tried it on Saturday with the thick pencil.. and figured out this girl's number (which was apparently wrong).. and messaged someone telling him/her that i experimented and that i was looking diseased!!! Wonder which poor soul got my sms.. but whatever!!!

The context here is.. in between all the kaajal try outs.. was the V day.. and off we went to a place called Kuteeram next to Protima Bedi's dance institute.. And all the way to this place.. at the place.. in the afternoon, evening, night.. i didnt miss a chance to a) preen at every opportunity b) ask my husband if he can notice an change.. options being - is it the same as before or different.. if different then better or worse!!! I am researcher.. cant help it!!!!

Of course it was very very romantic and all that!!! A chat under the star lit sky.. ghazals in the background.. magic show (weeeellllll yeah!!!!)... it was fun.. and the place had turkey.. geese and hen roaming around.. alive!!!! We played carom and i lost :( but never mind we girls routed the boys at Chiplun!!! So, its cool... sat and swung on a hammock too!!! Was really really fun!! I was narrating all the hilarious incidents in my life.. there are very many many such cases!!! We had a jolly good time!

The kaajal tryout happened the next day as well.... and the preening.. and the posturing.. i checked side profile, front profile.. i did say kaajal!!!! :)

And then i finally bought a thin pencil.. 2 of them actually.. one grey.. which i again applied after reaching home.. batting my eyes this way and that.. i know you cant.. you can only bat them straight but what the heck!!!

Yeah!!! Had a fun weekend.... i think my husband only remembers the kaajal bit now!!!!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Wearing a skirt is liberating!!!!!

Well... I will be.. there sure has been a change that has come over me in the last many years!!!When i was a kid, my mom used to make me wear these cute knee length skirts.. and i would be like.. please not skirts!!!!!!!!! Actually frankly i never commented on dressing.. it used to be the farthest thing from my mind.. and my old pics show it!!!!!

There was a time when i used to be attracted to salwaar kameez... with dupatta!!!! Dupatta was really really important!!! Only kurta salwaar.. uhuh.. not happening!!! I guess that was the time, or thereabouts, that i discovered the feel of chiffon on skin!!! :)

And now that i am old.. about to turn 30... things are going in reverse.. i like wearing kurtas w/o dupattas..capris.. shorts..though i do draw a line at wearing a pair of jeans with colourful designs or patches (as we used to wear earlier)...

There is nothing more pleasurable that i can think of than wearing a knee length skirt!!! You might think if i like it so much, i must be wearing it every other day!! Not true really.. there are a lot of things that you need to ensure before you can decide on wearing a skirt!!!!

1) Your legs need to be nice and shiny and hairless as opposed to dry with hair/without hair!!!
2) Your face needs to be equally nice/ shiny!!! You need to look at least bright (read bleached) and nice (read eyebrows done)!!!
3) State of arms... same as point 1

Point 2/3 are not a precondition to wearing a skirt! But then whats the point of wearing a skirt and looking dull and oily!!! I tried my bit to explain this to my husband today in the morning ( I wore a skirt today) ... he didn't get the connection between skirt and face at all!!!!! His expression said it all... an expression which said "what????????????????????????????? (question marks raised to power infinity)".

So the point being - wearing a skirt makes you extremely feminine.. flouncy in your gait...petite.. slim... cheerful and bright.. and you cant help but feel good!!! And no one / not a thing in the world can then make you feel anything but whatever i just said earlier!! So if you are bored an depressed.. wear a skirt and see how the sun shines upon your day!!!

Any doubt as to why it makes you feel liberated?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

How do you smell

Yesterday when leaving the gym.. a gentleman came and stood next to me waiting for the lift.. he was also coming from the gym.. boy oh boy.. i dont wanna sound nasty but when i lift came i just pretended to read some posters on the wall.. and took the lift in the next round.. it was terrible!!! I think i would have gagged in the confined space... its embarrasing to admit it.. but i just couldnt help my reaction.. i know many people suffer from BO.. but still.. anyway while i was waiting for the rick.. this guy too waited.. a nice guy really, he offered me the use of the first rick that stopped!!!

All of us have some kind of an odour.. i dont mean in an offensive way.. all of us just smell differently!!!! This gets accentuated in the ladies washroom... again halt your thoughts.. dont mean what you are thinking... its just that its a confined space.. and when one visits the washroom.. they leave their BO behind.. I did mean BO!!!! All pervasive... some too strong.. some mild.. some fresh.. some flowery...

That smell / odour surrounds you.. its like an aura.. a shadow.. which keeps pace with you no matter what you do!!!

For some people.. you just need to take a step back.. away from their circle .. about half an arm length i think it would be!!

Which gets me thinking... I am quite curious.. does it change by day / evening/night.. stronger at some parts of the day... or change with emotion... what actually makes it up... why does everyone have their own distinct BO...

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Bored today

Extremely boring day today... woke up late.. at 9.15am and ran to work.. i think it started from there!! Bored at work.. bored at the gym..bored at home.. bored watchign Tv.. bored eating..boring conversations... i think when you are bored, the entire universe conspires to make it all the more boring!!!!! I dont know people say "how can you be bored.. there are so many things to do".. yeah right!!!!!

Monday, February 9, 2009

DevD

Utterly utterly fabulous movie!!! Its nothing short of brilliant!!

Of course i went with a positive bias towards the movie.. afterall it got 5 stars in the Times of India review!! Had to be at least good if not brilliant!!

What a movie!!! And you would admire the movie so much more in case you have seen Devdas, the SRK one.. which is not even one tenth.. or one twentieth.. one hundreth of what Dev D is!!!! It gives you all the more reason to cheer... to be astonished at what the director has been able to achieve over here!!!

An amazing story - you think you know what Devdas is about... there will be a Devdas and a Paro and a Chandramukhi.. yes they are all there.. but you will still be surprised!!! Its as if a new story which you vaguely may have heard about but still wonder is it the same story and in the end shake your head wondering more and finally decide yes its the same story actually, is unfolding in front of you!!!

So this Dev D is Devender Singh Dhillon... a strapping young lad who calls his father by name.. and is sent off to london to study... he likes his father's managers girl, Parminder or Paro .. and within the first 10 mins of the movie he is asking Paro " do you touch yourself" and wants to see a nude pic of hers!!!! Not a movie for kids that for sure!!!

They break up over some silly thing.. and Paro gets married to some other guy!! Enter Chandramukhi aka Chanda aka Lenny... she is a school kid who gets caught in the MMS scandal and is sent off to the west... comes to back to India...and gets into "CSW" trade.. that was Commercial Sex Worker which they kindly enlighten us during the movie!! They do not, thankfully, show her dancing and singing... they actually show her cavorting around.. doing role plays pretty much in line with the "realism" shown in the movie!!

Rest of the story follows... Dev lands up with Chanda.. drinks.. is a druggie.. runs over people.

There is a twist in the end which was quite an unexpected but pleasant surprise!!! That i wont reveal, not to worry!!! :)

The people in the movie are all real.. like anyone you might meet on the road as a part of your everyday life... they talk normally.. all dialogues peppered with the F word!!!

The actors are brilliant.. Abhay Deol was fantastic!! He is really good.. and like i said in one of my previous posts.. completely unlike the lineage he belongs too!!! Very refreshing this guy.. i quite like him!!!!! A punjabi lad with his punjabi ways as Dev but who breaks into perfect English time and again (having studied in London)... it is so real!!! And can i just say once again he is brilliant!!!!

Paro and Chanda - fantabulous!!! You couldn't get them more real than this... they definitely are not the prim petite heroines you see in movies.. they give or gave as many gaalis as Dev did!!! And the two women were once again.. brilliant.. i am running short of words really!!! I absolutely adored the girl who played Chanda... what attitude man!!!

Oh and the music, pretty much like the movie - right in your face!!!

The verdict - refreshingly different.. and so totally "now".. definitely worth 5 stars!!! A must watch!!!

And for all you non believers.. well, Indians can make brilliant movies!!!!! A cheap dig, but couldn't resist :)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Rice eating inclinations!

I love rice!!!

When i was a kid, we used to always cook rice at home as dad liked rice.. rotis would be a weekend / winter or something like that phenomena.. actually it was not that infrequent ... at least a once in 2 days affair (we at times had roti subji for breakfast) but as compared to the frequency of rice consumption.. there existed a big gap!!!

So when growing up, i used to look forward to eating rotis!!! Used to love it!! Till i went to a hostel!!!

It was then that i developed, rather discovered this hidden intense longing for rice... My south indian blood coming to the core ...

And when i started working, initially i used to carry a tiffin box which my mom used to pack for me.. i used to take rotis.. it didn't help that rotis would become soggy, just limp... and then i told my mom to pack rice for me and life limped back to normal.. in fact i became very popular during lunchtime... as everyone would be fascinated with what i got.. south indian gravies.. many of them are quite cooling.. esp in the Delhi heat..

So somehow, i started loving rice.. in winters its amazing.. in summers too you can have lukewarm rice with something or maybe just curd rice and feel great.. you basically do not need hot rice!!!

And of course after marriage my tendency is to make and eat rice... at least i do not need to slave over a stove!!! Making rotis for me is a project.. which i execute over weekends (not every.. sometimes) .. because it takes me quite some time to knead the dough and make shapeless rotis.. very talented at it.. shapeless comes naturally to me!!!!

Also you need to chew more in a roti... and fresh rotis taste good.. not pre made.. even heating pre made rotis doesn't make it totally fresh and hot!!! Heating it just makes it crispy.. it can be broken into pieces!!! Cold rotis sit like a lump in your stomach (actually so does cold rice ..nevertheless)... Rotis are dry and at times its difficult to ease it down your throat...

And of course.... with rice.. the mix of gravy / subji is perfect.. you can mix it till you attain perfection.. with rotis.. tough...

But everything said and done.. theres nothing like hot rotis drizzled with ghee.. overflowing with ghee .. during winters.. to make you feel content!!!! :)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Bell bajao campaign

This new campaign has been on air for last couple of weeks or maybe more but i have seen it only recently!!! A brilliant brilliant campaign!!!

I have seen 3 executions - one with Boman Irani who rings the bell to make a telephone call, a guy who asks for milk and kids who want their ball back... the entire concept is based on prevention of domestic violence... its a beautiful ad.. very impactful.. i hope its as effective.. i mean that the idea is quite effective but i hope that people do do that!!

Many many years ago, when we used to be in delhi... our neighbours were really nice but at times prone to violence.... once he was hitting his wife.. and just wouldnt stop.. finally my mom ran in to their house.. to their bedroom... and it stopped because she was there!!!! She didnt have to say or do anything at all!!!

This campaign captures it so well!!! Its really brilliant!!! And i do truly believe that a simple act of ringing the bell can save many women from the torture that they have to undergo!!! And this ad shows men intervening to prevent violence!! I loved the communication!! If only we all could be a little alert.. a little attuned to these things that happen around us!!!

This campaign has been developed by O&M for an NGO called breakthrough.. they even have a site.. bellbajao.org !!!!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Falling in... so hard on the knees!!!

At the gym , if i run, my knees, rather my left knee specifically hurts!! BTW i run only for a few mins!! Which got me thinking about all the (un) graceful falls i have had till now!!! They have been really ungraceful.... what else would you expect with a Klutz!!! I am very very very clumsy.. i have butter fingers.. butter legs too!!!:)

One of my first accidents i remember... i was really young and had just learnt cycling.. and the first time my dad left the cycle after giving it a nice push.. i was so excited that i turned back to wave and immediately climbed on to someone's veda (dunno what its called.. that little raised portion in the front of a house) and fell!!!

Another one was when playing gallery... i was guarding one stretch.. we were not supposed to allow anyone to cross.. the leader of my team could guard from anywhere.. she had freedom of movement while we could only move inone direction... so to stop someone from crossing, i ran at full speed and so did she and wham.....we ran into each other.. she on top of me .. and of course it didn't help that she was quite heavy.. i fell on the road on my side.. couldn't smile for days!!!!!!

As an adult too, i have had these "accidents"... was in college first year when i fractured my hand.. a hairline fracture.. doing what.. playing chain with friends at India Gate.. the doctors would first ask me.. which class/ school do you study in.. when i told them i was in college.. the next question used to be how did you manage to do this.. and i would be like.... errrr.. playing....

Once i started working.. i had a muscle tear ... i used to roam around wearing a knee pad... how did i fall.... i fell off a chair!!!!

And last year.. i fell inside a chair and scraped my shins... still have the scar to show!!! Its so embarrassing to tell anyone .... i mean. falling off chairs and tearing muscle.. it looks so much better if i could say i was playing tennis or something and hurt myself!!

And of course i keep walking into doors / glass/ table etc etc .. name it , i walk into it!!!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Hullo I am back

Back from Kerala... take a wild guess on what this post is gonna be about... well... tick tick 1.. tick tick 2.... tick tick 3... A post about Kerala!!!!!!!!!! SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!! :)

Ok.. ok.. so i am zonked out.. a little.. just a wee bit.. please excuse me :)

Kerala was quite amazing.. the train journey.. oh well... hmmm.. ah... hmmm.. ok.. some part of the long journey rescued by husband.. we did a lot of tp!!! The first night was ok.. the next day we were up at 7am.. to kabza karo the bathroom before people start using it!!! 7am-12.30pm is a long time when you are in the train.. you can only do so much tp.. and moreover they were not serving any tea.. my lifeline!!!! They were only serving horrible coffee.. i mean i am ok with coffee but what they served was horrible!!!

But this entire 7am-12.30pm length of time was forgotten when we stepped into heaven (read Taj Green Cove, Kovalam).. FANTABULOUS PLACE!!!!!! A must go place for couples.. utterly romantic.. they have these cottages (no rooms).. very very charming cottages.. surrounded by trees.. and each a bit further from the other.. which gives you a feeling of seclusion!!!! A very beautiful place..

We were to go to the Padmanabhapuram palace (quite a mouthful .. try pronouncing) .. but were advised against traveling that day as it was already late!! So we stayed put at the hotel.. spent some time on the beach.. sat on the swing (remember the olden days swing with a wooden fatta) and swung on the beach.. did a bit of boating for free in their lagoon.. also , hold your breath, did archery!!!!! And i won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (applause, applause!!!) I scored 22 points.. many of my bows did go above the bullseye board and landed in some trees.. was worried about having hit some human being.. to which i was told i might have hit some crows .. thats about it... in jest of course!!! The people we played with were from haryana.. and asked us if we were on our honeymoon!!!! :)

A little more timepass later.. we dined on the beach.. extremely extremely romantic.. candlelit dinner below the stars and by the sea!

Next day was the wedding.. We reached the venue at around 10.30-10.40... and like any mallu wedding, it was over and done with by 11.15!! The funny part was.. i know i have talked about this earlier too.. but everytime is see it, its just so weird that i need to tell someone... like all mallu weddings.. the wedding was just about getting over when the door to the lunchroom opened.. and suddenly everyone stood up and just streamed into the dining area!!!! Till then everyone was sitting quite peacefully!!! And this happens without fail at every mallu wedding... hosted in kerala... like you remove a plug from the basin or the bathtub and the water immediately gushes out and drains out.. very similar to that!!! And then post lunch.. people wish the bride/groom.. and leave immediately.. so by 1pm only close family were present in the hall!!! I am always amazed at this!!!! Maybe people are hungry or they want to sleep.. lunch was quite good.. a full sadya (feast).. was in a stupor after that.. so maybe it is about sleeping!!!

Post wedding, we roamed around Trivandrum a little with my parents... went to a place called Velli and did a spot of boating (motor boat) in backwaters.. and then Shankhmugham beach.. an extremely pretty beach.. met some old family friends and our day was over..

Next day back in the train.. chugging along to our hectic life and work ..:( ... reached today early morning only.. there was this family in the next compartment.. grandparents (really old and coughing throughout).. parents.. 2 kids (one of the 2 a small baby).. with tons of luggage.. dont know how they managed.. with the baby wailing throughout the night.. and luggage coming apart.. carrying all baby stuff.. very tough it must be!!!!! To get everyone off at the platform with all the luggage.. it took them about 5 full mins!!!!!!! Life is tough!!!

Anyway, next is what ( i mean trip) is the question .. and we have already been issued another wedding invite for september!!! :)