Breaking Wind

I’m substituting in a class. Most of them kids are busy, studying for their forthcoming tests. Suddenly two boys start laughing. I give them an enquiring look. “Ma’am, he farted.” “Errm, it's called 'breaking wind'"I correct him hastily. “Wind?” asks the boy, “he can break the wall with that tornado!”

Swine flew!!

My class invents a swine flu hug, a swine flu high-five and a swine flu handshake!!!

Mumbai Terror Strike

Mumbai is under terrorist attack once again. This time high profile hotels and restaurants are under fire. Oberoi Hotel, Taj Hotel, and Leopold’s in Colaba have been targeted. There’s news about a hostage situation in the Taj. Reports of shooting in hospitals and some hotels in Juhu are coming even as I’m writing this post. I wonder what Mumbai will wake up to tomorrow morning.

Is the 'common man' now off the terrorist radar??

Pay Attention!

An unusual thirst!

So I’m at the only South Indian restaurant in a city in Gujarat (yeah! I work there now) waiting for my bisi bele huli anna. My colleague-friend is on the phone and I’m left to my own devices. I take a quick look around at the people engrossed with their food. Bored, I watch the goings-on outside the restaurant. Bang opposite the restaurant is a roadside stall serving Chinese food. What it lacks in ambience, it makes up for in speedy service. A group of people enter the restaurant and occupy the table next to ours. After deliberating on what to order, they start chatting not bothering to keep their voices down. Darn! Where’s my food!! My friend’s still busy with her phone. I focus on mine and work on Feng Shuing (read-uncluttering) my inbox ever bursting its seams with text messages. Food's served now, finally. Suddenly I hear a woman’s voice loud and clear, “I don't know about you, but I cannot resist Cock.” I wheel around to see who is so bold enough to air her sexual preferences in public, just in time to see the woman sip out of her favourite soft drink bottle! And almost deep-throat a spoonful of bisi bele huli anna.

Quotable quotes

"I like being a mess, its who I am."

- Ally McBeal

Chak De!

As usual, my friend Nilesh Rane has beaten me to writing the review of Chak De! So here goes : )

Chak De India!

This one is must watch. “Chak De India’, in a way, symbolizes a resurgent India, breaking free from the shackles of the past and looking ahead for a glorious future.

A film, which I am sure, has touched a chord (or two), in every person, who has seen the movie.

It’s the story of ‘ Kabir Khan’ ( played by a subdued SRK), who is a committed captain of the Indian hockey team, which, loses to Pakistan in the final of the World Cup. Kabir, who takes the last penalty shot, miscues it and is ostracized by the country, with allegations on having ‘sold’ the country for the sake of money.

Kabir, then disappears in the oblivion, only to reappear after 7 years, to exorcise the demons of the past, by coaching a team of 16 girls, which, the Indian sports bureaucracy has written off even before they leave for the world championship.

The movie revolves around the grooming of this ‘underdog of underdogs’ team into a world-beating outfit. The grueling training that their coach puts them through, the sense of self – belief that he instills in them, the camaraderie that he builds in them and ‘can-do’ spirit that he puts in them.

The movie touches upon the sorry state of affairs of women’s sport in the country and the chauvinism, which is omnipresent, even 60 years after India gained her Independence.

The movie has its poignant moments and for once, King Khan has let the limelight shine of this bunch of young girls and a sport, which even the men’s team has very few takers in this country of Cricket lovers.

The Director has kept the pace of the movie even and there isn’t one lax moment. The portrayal is realistic and the characters, very life-like and very believable. The movie does make you sit up and take notice and it involves the audience, in this women’s team tryst with destiny.

You feel a wave of patriotism run through you, as this team, manages to surge ahead, in spite of all odds, and beating some of the top teams of the world. And even as you walk out the theater, you will still find yourself basking in the after-glow of the ‘cinematic’ victory of ‘our’ girls!!

This is a must-watch for every movie-lover, and not just for the joy of watching a good movie, but also, to reaffirm the film industry’s faith in this so called ‘off-beat’ cinema, which also make commercial sense.

The audience is waiting to lap up and endorse good cinema and the powers-that-be of Bollywood better take cognizance of this fact and encourage and support fresh talent, with ideas, which may not be main-stream, but are very refreshing and saleable.

Nilesh Rane

Cat(s)naps3!

Cat(s)naps2!

Cat(s)naps!