DIWALI

Diwali is known as the Festival of lights and I believe that it catches everyone’s fancy, because even if it is only for a few moments, the bright lights emanating from fireworks lights up everybody’s night and manages to mesmerize even the most reluctant one of all! I bet it has something to do with psychology and remotely relates to conquer of good over evil and all that. However what surprises me the most is its lasting effect... of a shower of lights, the warm glow of diyas and the twinkle of ‘torans’! Maybe over the years, our brains have been hard wired to associate all those things with festivals and family and warmth which spin a web of excitement and fun. Yes ofcourse the monumental amount of goodies and comfort food does nothing to diminish this lasting feeling that leaves us in a state of bliss and contentment. Hope you had a happy diwali folks! And now let’s look forward to tequila shots at new years!

Fight!

When Spielberg lends his name to a movie, you just know to expect the best! Real Steel is set in the future, and centers around the sport of boxing in which giant computerized robots have replaced humans. At the heart of the story are a retired boxer (Charlie played by Jack) and his alienated son who share an interest in boxing. After his mother’s death, the son moves in with Charlie who takes him in only as a part his business deal. As the movie progresses, the father-son duo bond over their mutual love for boxing. After losing all his assets, including his last robot, Charlie unwillingly takes his son and his outdated robot to a fight. As the son controls his outdated robot, with Charlie’s aid and wins, the duo realize the worth of their partnership and train the robot together. What follows next is a series of wins as the robot finally makes it to the championship circle.

Boxing as a sport is violent even when a bunch of metal and screws go up against each ot

her. However, some endearing moments more than made up for the metal grating violence. Seeing the son yearn for his father’s approval and attention, Charlie’s love for boxing, the son’s dance moves as he enters the arena, all together gave the otherwise action packed movie a softer tone. It was a Thursday night on the 4th week of showing and still about 20 of us turned up for the 11 pm show. As the final round began everyone shared the excitement as the underdog robot-Adam faced the All Time Champion-Zeus! As both the robots switched to manual mode, the underdog robot (mimicking Charlie’s moves, a boxer himself) won hands down to the sleek and equally terrifying challenger’s robot (being manually controlled by his genius creator). All of us silently cheered as the underdog faltered but stood upright till the end!

Mausam!

Words may never do justice to emotion. More often that not we see that the beauty of certain emotions is lost in translation as at times there just isn’t a word (in the translated language) that is capable of grasping the entire spectrum of emotions. Mausam is one such word. It loosely translates to weather or climate. But in urdu, it implies much more. In context of this movie, it t implies the moment two people meet, time when love blooms, time of separation and most importantly the test of time that their true love stands. The director has managed to capture some of the rare moments of love oozing from stolen glances and silent exchanges. Everyday stories picturized are not far from reality and capture some strong emotions. However in today’s day and age of internet, it is difficult to accept that contacting people or staying in touch can be such a challenge despite what subterfuges were made by ill-wishers.. It would have been more realistic had they not chosen such a broad timeline or browsed only through riots and instead had included other happier life changing moments. Overall, I liked the movie for the principled main leads and their lifestyle and would definitely recommend it to those viewers who enjoy the beauty in simplicity and relish idealism and wholesomeness of love.

A Day without Cell Phones!

Getting over addiction is serious work. And a bunch of us attempted to do just that this last weekend! In fact, we truly didn’t know it was so easy to let go of our cell phone addiction. No 12 step program was needed. Like Kids all we needed was a distraction and our juvenile minds blissfully unwound itself and were rejuvenated.

After 24 hours of waterslides, ping-pong, cycling, nature trails, photo session, badminton, cards, food and delightful company, we trotted out of the country club feeling liberated and drained. Who knew laughter and merriment was the simple remedy for our weary souls!

When it rains, it sure does Pour!

Friday is possibly the most popular day of the week that dawns with promises of leisureliness layered with lazy lamhes and late nights! This particular Friday however put a dampener on things when the rain Gods chastised us with torrential rain and poor visibility that resulted in water logging and took me almost 2 hours to get to work. But no harm done, radio mirchi kept me company as I hummed along gyrating in my seat as my fellow drivers grinned and ogled at me. My shy alter ego (lets call her Avroop) sobered up immediately. So with Avroop in command, my mind drifted and I began fantasizing of ways to get me out of there. If only my little car could transform to a boat and whiz past the water logged areas and then perhaps into a sleek Harley till I escape to the sanctity of my office parking lot!

My obvious fascination and love of the movie transformers was instrumental for this reverie as I sincerely longed for my Chevrolet Beat to be one of those dynamic twins (ice-cream truck in Transformer 2)! Check out the green Chevrolet Beat in the picture below! That one is mine! Oh but I still LOVE loyal, honest and loving Bumblebee(the yellow Camaro) :)

More Monsoon Madness

Focus on God's extremely predictable and twisted sense of humor. You are going out for the weekend and just when you are standing at the bus stop, the heavens begin their downpour. Then when you are about to quit waiting for the damned bus which is more than an hour late and you cannot find a cab to get back home, the bus rumbles down the road to a halt and you are forced to get into it just to shield yourself from the rain. Then on your way to your destination you hit the mother lode of all traffic jams and are stuck in the middle of it when you realize you need to answer nature’s call! Tired and weary you reach your destination in one piece when it suddenly begins to pour again and you have to trek for 10 minutes in the rain with just one umbrella, two bags and an extremely aggravated mother in tow! And if you are still smiling at the end of it thinking, atleast the rain cooled everything…. You are a true monsoon lover! ;) :P

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLING

Whoever said the following is a genius…. And I sincerely apologize for not believing them before:

1.) Main cause of hair loss and thinning hair – Poor and unbalanced diet.

This is not a myth folks, please, please believe this. I have seen results in as little as 2 months.

2.) Exercising everyday increases stamina…

Most def does… from barely being able to run for one minute non-stop, I can now easily run for 17 mins (little more than 2 kms)… again in less than 2 months.

3.) Diet and Exercise works… Period

I haven’t lost any weight, but I guess the key word is “healthy”!

4.) There is no substitute for hard work

Truly.

5.) Being close to nature is heavenly!

I went trekking and visited wind farms, people this is true beyond the shadow of a doubt.

6.) Spend some time with children below the age of 5 and adults over 70.

Perspective people, right from the careless, trusting innocence to pearls of wisdom… forms the complete diet for mind, sprit and soul.

7.) Best sleeping pill = work day spent well + a calm mind.

Reading before bed will do the same to you.

8.) Experience is the best teacher.

Don’t we know it all?

9.) Kindness is the most precious jewel

Sometime a kind word is all we need and it goes a long way.

10.) Monsoons Rock!

Don’t you dare disagree with me on this one!! :) :P ;)

A picture is worth a thousand "LAUGHS"!

Tattoo of the year!No thanks... I will hold it!

Sadistic Ba#t#@ds

Picture perfect eh?

Rangeela Rajasthan

Captivating landscapes and mystical sandy road sides make up the western most state called Rajasthan. You know you have arrived when you have granite bathrooms and marble lined walls on every other house! We landed around lunch time and were graciously welcomed with a “namashkar” as we sprung across the parking lot to our ride. Jodhpur is known as the blue city which is otherwise renowned for houses built of “red stones”. Their grandeur lies in their elegant stone carvings, large arches and ornate structures. The same afternoon we drove west towards Jaisalmer - a tourist hostpost, home to spectacular sand dunes, majestic hotels and heritage structures built entirely of “golden stones”. As we approached Jaisalmer, the countryside grew sandier with sudden spurts of vegetation - a vestige of previous monsoons.
Everything in Rajasthan is exquisite and royal. Be its local bird the very elegant “peacock”, the rich heritage, local cuisine, vibrant clothing or the large hearted people of Rajasthan!
Peacock is possibly the only bird species of which the males are prettier than their female counterparts. Peacocks seem oblivious of their own beauty as they occasionally strut across the roadside with surprising speed with their glorious tails threatening to slow them down. People completely ignored this gorgeous creature. Infact a sure shot way of distinguishing between the locals and tourists is the amount of attention they pay to these delightful creatures.
Our hotel in Jaisalmer was a majestic ‘haveli’ with a nice size pool which served as a bird bath. Each morning, I woke up to soothing music played by the hotel's flute wielding watchman. After a wonderful breakfast we set off into the desert, squinting in the sunlight. The desert has its own charm with miles of land and sparse vegetation and people. And yet every once in a while the desert managed to amaze us with patches of greenery and flower bearing cactuses.
After spending 3 days in the blinding sunlight and scorching heat of the desert, I could relate to people’s experiences of a ‘mirage’. The absence of a sea was sorely felt, especially next to masses of sand covering every inch of the land! In stark contrast late evenings and mornings were pleasant and almost compensated for the impossible hot day times that left us shrivelled and tanned making Rajasthan a sun bather’s paradise!

WOO..HOO...

WE DID IT!

WORLD WIDE CUP

Yesterday was a good day! India smashed Pak to return tomorrow to our beloved Bombay! The entire city was electrified. Fireworks lit up the sky and people drove around screaming at the top of their lungs! India is a staunchly religious country. Be it Hinduism, Islam, Christianity or any other ... we take our religion very seriously. And yesterday, cricket was a religion that everyone followed for the day. Did not matter whether they were hardcore fans or not. Yesterday was not about cricket. It was something else all together… losing was not an option!

The match started around 2pm and the roads were deserted! It took me 10 minutes to get home (one-third my normal travel time). It was crazy and fun and we are all charged up for Saturday. Go India! Incredible India Indeed!

Home sweet home and the chai drama.

The early morning breeze tickles my skin as I leave for work and yet feels warm after braving the cold gusts of NYC. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss the NYC skyline as it hid in the mist at dawn, glowing in neon lights and the reflected lights of Times Square... what a sight indeed! But the promise of driving to work to Radio mirchi (pending my license..Don’t ask) is such a refreshing change.

Warm friendly faces welcome me at work as they pause to share the morning quota of gossip. Then comes the longest wait ever for the chai-wala.
The slight clinging of tea cups signals his approach as he bustles by the desk and slams my cuppa tea with an acknowledging nod.. he leaves quickly embarrassed at my gracious ‘thank you’! This ‘at the desk service’ of strong tea has only fed my tea-mania which is becoming somewhat of an addiction. My otherwise healthy eating lifestyle has managed to thwart my “potato chips” cravings. (Paro I miss u!)
The delightful aroma wishes me a good morning and a second round at 3 jostles me after lunch! Unfortunately, I have gone from a cup of tea/day to 3 cups/day! And yes, I do add generous portions of sugar to it..such that no amount of crunches can undo the damage. Sigh!

At the end of the day, the familiar raucous of overflowing streets disgusts me as I wait wearily for the rickshaw to drop me back home to another cup of hot tea and “nashta” that my dearest nani lovingly makes! Home certainly is, where the heart is... and a cup of tea doesn’t hurt either!

My Furry Little Friend?

Squirrels are known for their stripped backs and affable temperaments in our mythological stories (Lord Rama’s pet) and current day society alike. My maid even pets two of these creatures. However when these potential pets feel trapped in our homes, where they accidentally venture into, they panic and their razor sharp claws come out. Today, one such little fella scampered into my bedroom and created havoc as it ran in circles desperately trying to find a way out. As I gingerly stepped in attempting to quietly steal my stuff out on my way to work, it saw me and panicked. Unwilling to harm it even in self defense its terror infected me and I screamed violently which remained my only form of self defense. Chaos reigned as the melodramatic pair of us scampered in the same direction out of the door. In this mayhem, it managed to crawl under my foot and I felt its soft fur which only fueled my panic as I screamed louder and somehow managed to avoid trampling it! I sat pitiably trembling in the next room as my nana courageously escorted our furry visitor out. Relief was etched on my mind as I tiptoed out unwilling to chance any more encounters with him!

A very Orange House

Work took me to this cozy coastal town of Manglore which is adorned by coconut trees and enchanting beaches. There is something more than just the sea and the undulating countryside that made me feel like I belonged to this place. I wonder if it is because of its spectacular cuisine or its warm people or the muggy climate, but the X-factor generated a captivating charm that has me hooked to this city. This is perhaps one of the greenest cities I have been to in India with quaint little homes that make a perfect picture. There has to be something magical about Mangalore’s soil and waters to explain the lush greenery. People here are unimaginably sweet and have an air of content which is missing in our Mumbaikar’s lives.

The best part of this town is its vibrant coloured homes and their attached gardens that sport wondrous flowers. It’s a treat to watch them as they line the countryside, waiting to be captured onto a post card. The sandy beaches were spotless and the waters clear. On the brink of one such beach stood an orange coloured house sporting a sandy backyard that held my unwavering attention. I marched along its perimeter and relished the soft feel of the sand as it slipped away under my weight. The landlady watched me with suspicious eyes as I clicked away, capturing that house from all possible angles.

We moved to a guest house on the second day that had trees of every kind. The next day, we managed to visit a majestic temple that could have easily housed two city blocks. After a very long day, we rushed to the shore and relished our “ice golas” as the sun set in the deep waters.

Mumbai...Your place in my heart as one of the top places to live, now has a strong contender. Watch out! J Love you Manglore J

Monkey Business

Quit ‘monkeying around’ has a new meaning in my neighbourhood which is currently in combat with rogue primates. These mischief makers are considerably wiser than their caged colleagues as they make it on their own in our concrete jungle. These new age ‘junglees’ invade people’s homes and steal food and sometimes lipstick even (I swear I am not making this up)!

On one such lazy afternoon, while we were lounging in the living room, one of these creatures managed to squeeze in through the window bars and grabbed a banana crashing the fruit basket in the process. Startled by the sound, my grandma hurried to the kitchen and screamed in horror as the hairy creature unabashedly skittered out of the window snarling at her instead! On a separate occasion, another one of its ‘buddies’ managed to scare a worker half to death as he dangled precariously at the side of our building where he was trying to do some plaster work. I presume the monkey was feeling rather possessive of his precious coconut trees that hug our building and are his main source of livelihood.

They have managed to ruin our garden so much that no one bothers to plant saplings any more. It is pointless to put in that effort when these crazy creatures make breakfast of them. I am not heartless, I don’t mind when they devour all the fruits and flowers in our garden, and it is kind of gratifying to see our garden being appreciated, but to destroy little plants in the process seems cruel!

Today we ran out of water, because these mean creatures managed to turn the terrace tap on and they left it on for a day or two which exhausted our overhead water supply tank. It sure gets annoying when you have to run down to the pump room early in the morning even before brushing your teeth.

Enough monkeying around I say or the residents of Mithaghar Road may have to unite to form a Quit M Road movement against these irksome invaders!

hell hath no fury...?

Is murder a pardonable offense? Ofcourse not.

Yet, I am against the death penalty.

Some may disagree, especially for those individuals who deliberately commit the unspeakable and fail to show any remorse for their pre-meditated actions. If we do not have the power to create life, do we really have the right to take it away? Should economics (the jail budget) rule who gets to live as well? These concerns will find their way to another post, in the meantime, for people who do believe in the death penalty, Suzzane’s character (out of Saat Khoon Maaf) who killed out of spite, jealousy and self righteousness would qualify for the lethal injection.

In 7 khoon maaf, we are introduced to a stunning woman, who is somewhat of an executioner herself. She takes it upon herself to right all wrongs in her life by denying her criminals life itself without so much as batting an eyelid. What makes her exponentially more dangerous is that she used her devoted domestic help’s allegiance to her to commit these heinous crimes. This devious woman had the capability and will to convert her closest aides into killers and liars who did not stop, even when the justice system finally catches up with her. Suzanne spends her entire life falling in “love” with one man after the other. She leads a rather frivolous life and disregards her husbands' rights to live when she disapproves of their choices and moral standards. What made it worse is that Suzzane came from a wealthy household and HAD the means to live life on her own terms as opposed to the “Provoked”'s protagonist, whose pitiable state led to the discovery of “battered woman’s syndrome” and the enactment of the subsequent law. Despite having such a controversial main lead, I LOVED this movie, because Suzzane loved life endlessly. She stood up for herself and believed in love even when she was proved wrong time and again. These are the makings of a strong woman, maybe a little malicious and one with a rather questionable moral compass who ran her own court! If only she knew how much more ignorance hurt than murder, she would have had a better life… less satiating indeed, but guilt free one at the very least!

At the end of the movie, whether she is reformed or not, is immaterial and since she proved herself to be a serial killer she should have been isolated from the society before she fell prey to her whims again.

All in all a dark movie, a black comedy even, that has seen Ms Chopra grow as a splendid actor. This movie is featured over 20 years and the makeup crew has done a spectacular job of subtly aging her. So over 150 minutes, the audience initially falls prey to this temptress as she wins over her husband and then are amused as she flits from one relationship to another and then finally has nothing but contempt for her, as she kills her 6th husband, as though out of practice! The story ends as she confesses her crimes to the parishioner. As for the medical examiner who loved her unconditionally... who also covered up when her closest aide faked her death... shame on him..even love has its limits.

The best features of this movie are Ms Chopra’s, Neil Nitin Mukesh's and Mr. N Shah's effortless acting and ofcourse the number - Darrrling… which adds the much needed warmth to the movie! Don’t miss this one folks.

I do?

See what inflation has done to the common man's psyche