H2-Oh?

The Oscar night is one day away and the big buzz on most Indian news sites is around the possibility of 'Water' winning an Oscar for the best foreign language film; never mind that it is not actually an Indian film, but a Canadian movie. I have seen Water and I have to confess I wasn’t so impressed with it. Besides the really good music (courtesy Rehman who must have relished the freedom) and the good cinematography, I was not impressed with it a whole lot. Not the acting from Lisa and John, neither by the often melodramatic treatment or the not-so-subtle demonification of Indian society in the 1930s. I had enjoyed Deepa Mehta’s treatment of Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy man (or was it Cracking India) as she made Earth, heightened by Aamir’s negative turn. I was wondering if this movie really got selected because it’s "made" for the West. I mean, movies that depict the squalor (Salaam Bombay, City of Joy) and social angst (Bandit Queen, Water) of third world countries seem to find better acceptance abroad. Once in a while, a rare Lagaan comes through, and that is the kind of cinema I champion. I want better cinema to win, and it won’t be a big surprise to me if Water doesn’t, even though I have not seen any of the other contenders in the category. Water failed to impress me in a way a movie like Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi did. The treatment seemed more balanced to me, or maybe it’s an inherent bias coming across. Am I alone in thinking that way? Your thoughts are welcome.

I Can't Think Of A Witty Title

Film Unfair Awards
The nominations for the filmfare awards have come out recently. There have been aberrations in the past where the Madan Mohans of the world have won nothing, Mughal-E-Azam lost to Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi, Amitabh didn't win any awards in a year where Deewar and Sholay released simultaneously, not to mention that the only award that Sholay won was for Best Editing. But by and large the awards have been fair until the last few years. This year's nominations leave me saddened. Sample this:
1. Omkara finds no place in the Best Movie department
2. Kareena is nominated for Best Heroine for Omkara though her role was miniscule
3. John Abraham gets nominated for Babul, but not Shreyas Talpade for Dor
4. Omkara finds no nomimation for best music
5. Sunidhi Chauhan gets nominated for Aa Aa Aashiqui Mein from 36 China Town
6. Rekha gets nominated for Krrishh
7. Dhoom 2 is nominated for best music, but Umrao Jaan is not (the latter definitely had better music than the former)
8. Aishwarya gets nominated for Dhoom 2
And the controversial ...
9. Aamir Khan gets nominated for Best Actor for RDB. Shouldn't that be for a supporting role?

I think with the Hindi film industry breaking away from the stereotypes in many ways, there is a distinct need for Filmfare to honour that rather than being populist. What has frustrated me in the past is the inherent acknowledgement of the populism by giving critics awards to those who can't win the popular awards. Other than Filmfare, there are at least 5-6 other major awards that are completely meaningless since the same people end up winning there too anyway, so Filmfare still remains the one I will memorize for trivia purposes :-) I just hope that among the nominations, at least the more deserving win.

Blogger Hacks
Does anyone who uses blogger know of a hack to find out how to get all the queries leading to that blog? I am looking for something similar to this. I have looked around without much luck. I wouldn't be surprised if that is something blogger can't do, but if anyone does know a way, I'd be happy to hear

Amnesia
In the movie Salaam-E-Ishq which I recently saw, one of the stories revolved around Vidya Balan losing her memory in an accident. She stumbles and fumbles through the other three hours trying to remember a single thing, but can't succeed. Akshaye Khanna comes to her rescue by ramming a car straight into her, thus causing her to suffer another accident. At this point, my hopes went up. I was sure she'd get her memory back. But she doesn't :-( It is critical to understand that this is a significant contribution to medical science from Bollywood. Hit me once, I lose my memory. Hit me the same way again, it will come back. The new breed of directors seem to be taking away hope from the hapless millions who can't remember what movie they went in for three hours into it. On a similar note, here's another brilliant life-saving tactic. Tumors in the brain can be cured if a bullet passes through it. Of course, don't you expect that it will take the tumor out with it?

Currently ...
Reading
My name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. Brilliant narrative.

Listening to
Rozana sung by Amitabh in the movie Nishabd. I have never heard the man sounding better. Listen to the song, you'll get hooked to it. While at it, the songs of Just Married are also good, especially the lyrics by Gulzar.

Happy
At the return back to form of God. I mean Sachin Tendulkar.

Wondering
What's going on in the ghazal world? Any new albums anyone wants to point me to?

Luck By Chance

"You are kind-hearted and hospitable, cheerful and well liked "
At my bright prospects today, I smiled in delight
Other people seemed to wander, and in their own despair, drown
A pity there aren’t more of the same fortune cookies around

P.S> The title isn't original. It was a movie that Meghana Gulzar was supposed to direct.

Hindi Film Songs: Best of 2006

Continuing an annual tradition (2004 and 2005), I am back with the list of Hindi film songs from the year. Reiterating the disclaimers:

1. The songs aren't listed in any particular order. I have just listed them in the order in which I remembered them.
2. I try to listen to each new album that comes out at least once. However, there are simply too many new movies and too many songs to follow. It is possible that some may have been omitted
3. Some of the movies will be releasing next year (eg. Salaam-e-ishq and Guru) but since their songs have released this year, I am including them. Similarly, movies that released in 2006 were covered in the 2005 list if their music was out then (eg. Rang De Basanti)
4. There are some songs that I like, but maybe not enough to make it to this list. There are some that I like enough, but have kept it to keep the list size in check.

I am open to suggestions on songs that you think should be on the list but are missing.

Song : Saiyyan Re
Movie : Salaam-e-ishq
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Shankar Mahadevan, Shilpa, Loy Mendonca
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Very catchy number, and a good job done at not making another Kajra Re out of it. The newcomer Shilpa is impressive.

Song : Dil Kya Kare
Movie : Salaam-e-ishq
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Adnan Sami
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Adnan infuses a lot of personality in this song. Fresh sounding composition from the trio.

Song : Signal
Movie : Bhaagam Bhaag
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Remo Fernandes, Suzanne
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : You feel as if you are in a carnival. Perfect song for Remo to sing. What is tough to imagine is Remo singing for Govinda.

Song : Maula Mere
Movie : Anwar
Music Director : Mithoon
Singer : Roop Kumar Rathod
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : The moment the chanting of Maula Mere starts in the background, you are hooked to the track. Beautiful amalgamation of Sufi style music with the robust singing of Roop Kumar Rathod. The climax of the song will refuse to leave your head. Mithoon is a talent to watch out for. BTW, he is all of 21.

Song : Javeda Zindagi (Tose Naina Lagey)
Movie : Anwar
Music Director : Mithoon
Singer : Kshitij,Shipa Rao
Lyricist: Hasan Kamaal
Why is it on the list? : This was a surprise package towards the end of the year. Very neatly arranged song, the two new singers take the lyrics to new heights. And yes, before you ask the question, 'javeda' means immortal.

Song : Tera Bina
Movie : Guru
Music Director : A R Rehman
Singer : A R Rehman, Chinmayee
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : Despite the criticism earlier on my blog about how I was a tad disappointed with the score, this song scores. The new voice of Chinmayee is good. Husky female singers seem to be the order of the way. I still hold that Rehman is an ordinary singer and should employ better singers to render these really good compositions. To give him the benefit of the doubt this time, he recorded the song in the voice of Qadir Khan (his voice along with Murtaza Khan is used in the background rhythm). Last piece of trivia: this song was composed by Rehman as a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Song : Ai Hairate Aashiqui
Movie : Guru
Music Director : A R Rehman
Singer : Hariharan, Alka Yagnik
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : This song immediately stuck in my mind when it came up. Hariharan and Alka Yagnik are rarely heard together and the combination did a fabulous job to render this song. They bring out the romance and fun in the song very well to the fore, and the composition is excellent. The lyrics are well, Gulzar.

Song : Jaage Hain
Movie : Guru
Music Director : A R Rehman
Singer : A R Rehman, Chitra, Madras Chorale Group
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : This song is the perfect way to cap off the album. Rarely do you get a symphony being used in an Indian movie setup. The crescendo is excellent, and I am very eager to see this used well in the movie.

Song : Baawri Piya Ki
Movie : Baabul
Music Director : Aadesh Shrivastava
Singer : Sonu Nigam
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Sonu Nigam had a given a glimpse of his prowess with classical songs with the song 'Tujh sang baandhi dor' in Dev. This one goes down the path. Superbly rendered byt this singer who seems to be steering clearing of his competition by the day.

Song : Crazy Kiya Re
Movie : Dhoom 2
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Sunidhi Chauhan
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : The lyrics are stupid, the choreography stale, but damn, I can't get it out of my head. Here's one from the biggest hit of the year. Interestingly, with this movie, the lyricist makes it into the Yash Chopra camp.

Song : Jaane Kya Chahe
Movie : Pyaar Ke Side Effects
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Zubin Garg
Lyricist: Mayur Puri
Why is it on the list? : This is a beautiful composition that starts with a female voice over in English and continues on with an Indian classical bent. Zubin does a really good job, and the music is good too.

Song : Dil Mein Baji Guitar
Movie : Apna Sapna Money Money
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Amit Kumar
Lyricist: Shabbir Ahmed
Why is it on the list? : This one's for all the Ganpati celebrations the next year. This is a throwback to the Anil Kapoor style songs in the early 90s. There is another version by the infamous Mika, but I like the Amit Kumar version better.

Song : Milan Abhi Aadha Adhura Hai
Movie : Vivaah
Music Director : Ravindra Jain
Singer : Udit Narayan, Shreya Ghoshal
Lyricist: Ravindra Jain
Why is it on the list? : The music of this movie reminded you of the days of Chitchor. While there's no harm in having that kind of music, the quality was definitely lacking. This is the only song that really caught my fancy.

Song : Salaam
Movie : Umrao Jaan
Music Director : Anu Malik
Singer : Alka Yagnik
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : I have expressed disappointment at the quality of the music in this movie too. Yet, it is definitely good enough to make it to this list. The Anu Malik-JP Dutta combo has been really good in the past, and I thought with this subject they could outdo Refugee. This still doesn't take away from the fact that the compositions are good.

Song : Behka Diya Hamein
Movie : Umrao Jaan
Music Director : Anu Malik
Singer : Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : Have you noticed it is actually set to the beat of waltz? Sonu and Alka team up for a good rendition.

Song : Ajnabi Shehar
Movie : Jaan-E-Mann
Music Director : Anu Malik
Singer : Sonu Nigam
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : One of the best songs of the year. Anu Malik shows us that he is an excellent composer. My general complaint has been that he composes his mukhdas better than his antaras. I think he did well here. Sonu's the man, and Gulzar shines in this song.

Song : Sau Dard Hai
Movie : Jaan-E-Mann
Music Director : Anu Malik
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Suzanne
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : This song is especially there for the lyrics and the fact that I am fond of such compositions.

Song : Yeh Honsla
Movie : Dor
Music Director : Salim-Suleiman
Singer : Shafqat Amanat Ali
Lyricist: Mir Ali Husain
Why is it on the list? A very well written and composed song, Shafqat Amanat Ali shows how his strength in classical music translates to a powerful rendition. The music of this movie was a surprise coming from Salim-Suleiman, given that their first attempt at music in Hindi films was Kaal followed by Neal N Nikki.

Song : Kesariya Baalma
Movie : Dor
Music Director : Salim-Suleiman
Singer : Karsan Sargathia
Lyricist: Mir Ali Husain
Why is it on the list?: I believe that this is the state song of Rajasthan. I was very impressed with how the beats were rearranged for this song, and also by the choice of signers. This is a very different song from Lata's rendition in Lekin.

Song : Expression of Love
Movie : Dor
Music Director : Salim-Suleiman, Trilok Gurtu
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan, Shobha Gurtu
Lyricist: Mir Ali Husain
Why is it on the list?: This is an unexpected bonus from the master percussionist Trilok Gurtu. I can't remember having heard Shobha Gurtu sing in a Hindi film before. The percussion at the end of the song is mind-blowing. The piece has been taken from Gurtu's album "Remembrance".

Song : Main Hoon Don
Movie : Don – The Chase Begins
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Shaan
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : Everything about this movie was open to flak, including the music. I had seen the original well enough to recognize how superbly the theme music from the original had been woven into this song. Shaan does a very good job.

Song : Aaj Ki Raat
Movie : Don – The Chase Begins
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Sonu Nigam, Alisha Chinoy, Mahalaxmi
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : A brilliant throwback to the 'Raat Baaki Baat Baaki' kind of songs, I liked how they kept the singing low-key to let the beats and the music take over. The best song of the movie for me.

Song : Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai
Movie : Who Lamhe
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Kay Kay
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : This song is lifted, but I'll keep it on here for Kay Kay's spirited rendition and the fact that Pritam does do a good job of sourcing his material from which he copies.

Song : Chal Chale
Movie : Who Lamhe
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : James
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : The singing isn't brilliant, but there is something about the lead singer's voice that hooks you. Good lyrics and composition too.

Song : Tere Bin
Movie : Bas Ek Pal
Music Director : Mithoon
Singer : Atif Aslam
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : The credit for this song should be shared by the singer and the composer equally. I think Mithoon uses Atif Aslam's voice very well to compose a song that carries a lot of emotion effortlessly.

Song : Zindagi Hosh Mein
Movie : Bas Ek Pal
Music Director : Vivek Philips
Singer : Zubin, Kay Kay
Lyricist: Amitabh Verma
Why is it on the list? : This is a situational song, but is well written and well rendered.

Song : Aap Ki Khaatir
Movie : Aap Ki Khaatir
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Ok. The man makes his entry. It's a challenge to decide how much of Himesh to have on this list. This one makes its entry because he proves that he doesn't have to sing with a nasal twang to make a song sound nice. Good composition, good lyrics. Don't trash him all the time without reason.

Song : Pal pal har pal
Movie : Lage Raho Munnabhai
Music Director : Shantanu Moitra
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list? : Shantanu Moitra is not an original composer at all times by any stretch of imagination. This one is a copy too, as was 'Kaisi Paheli Zindagani'. But the song has been sung with saccharine sweetness the two lead singers.

Song : Afsana Bana Ke Bhool Na Jana
Movie : Dil Diya Hai
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya, Tulsi Kumar
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : The nasal twang is back, but the tune is fairly catchy. I like the rhythm to which the song has been set.

Song : Beedi
Movie : Omkara
Music Director : Vishal Bharadwaj
Singer : Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : The anthem of the nation. Could you have imagined a more rustic song making it into discotheques? Need I say more.

Song : O Saathi Re
Movie : Omkara
Music Director : Vishal Bharadwaj
Singer : Vishal Bharadwaj, Shreya Ghoshal
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : Great composition, great lyrics and Vishal can sing too!

Song : Namak
Movie : Omkara
Music Director : Vishal Bharadwaj
Singer : Rekha Bharadwaj
Lyricist: Gulzar
Why is it on the list? : Rekha Bharadway is outstanding in this song. Written and composed and sung brilliantly again. Its tough to keep any track from Omkara out of this list.

Song : Ishq Kiya Kiya
Movie : Anthony Kaun Hai
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Tour de force from Himesh.

Song : Golmaal
Movie : Golmaal
Music Director : Vishal-Shekhar
Singer : Anusha Manchanda, Vishal Dadlani
Lyricist: Vishal Dadlani, Kumaar
Why is it on the list? : Anusha Manchanda is a former member of the band Viva. She lends her viva-cious singing voice to this song. Vishal-Shekhar know how to use hip-hop beats effectively and the song is really catchy.

Song : Ahista Ahista
Movie : Ahista Ahista
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Irshad Kaamil
Why is it on the list? : Beautiful rhythm and well sung by Himesh.

Song : Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna
Movie : Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : The movie and the music had sky high expectations, especially from the title song since: (a) the title song of Kal Ho Na Ho was such a big hit. (b) a song by the same lyrics was a huge hit from yesteryears. I think the music directors over came that challenge to give us a new tune loaded with emotion. They had the best combination at hand to deliver that and they did deliver.

Song : Mitwa
Movie : Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Singers : Shafqat Amanat Ali
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : Though Shafqat Amanat Ali was made to sound like Shankar Mahadevan, his rendition was good and the lyrics were well written too. A composition with a lot of depth.

Song : Lamha Lamha Zindagi Hai
Movie : Corporate
Music Director : Shamir Tandon
Singer : Asha Bhosle
Lyricist: Sandeep Nath
Why is it on the list? : Asha takes over from Lata's 'Kitne Ajeeb Rishtey Hain' and does a fine job of it.

Song : Ai Meri Zohra Jabeen
Movie : Phir Hera Pheri
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Blasphemy to associate Ai Meri Zohra Jabeen with anyone other than Manna Dey. Himesh's take of course does not compare, but the Indo-Western fusion of music is fairly catchy.

Song : Koi Tumsa Nahin
Movie : Krrish
Music Director : Rajesh Roshan
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Lyricist: Nasir Faraaz
Why is it on the list? : Slow, melodious. Typical of Rajesh Roshan. I like the Big Band mix version of this as well.

Song : Chaand Sifarish
Movie : Fanaa
Music Director : Jatin Lalit
Singer : Shaan, Kailash Kher
Lyricist: Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Shaan's ticket to the big league. His songs for Aamir and SRK this year have been big hits, off which, this is the big one. My first reaction to this song was that Udit should have sung it, but over time I have grown to accept Shaan's rendition and like it. Jatin-Lalit's composition was arranged by Salim-Sulaiman and so you'd be forgiven if you thought there was a bit of Rehman in Kailash's 'Subhan Allah's' and the heavy guitar through the song.

Song : Mere Haath Mein
Movie : Fanaa
Music Director : Jatin Lalit
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan
Lyricist: Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Sonu and Sunidhi team up really well here for this well composed song. Prasoon Joshi does a good job with the lyrics.

Song : Bheegi Bheegi
Movie : Gangster
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : James
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : This song will stick in your head and never leave. Awesome song to hear at a very loud volume in your car. Obviously, I have done it.

Song : Ya Ali
Movie : Gangster
Music Director : Pritam
Singer : Zubin
Lyricist: Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list? : The best song of the movie. Would you qualify this genre as Sufi-rock? Zubin soars in this composition and the rhythm keeps you riveted.

Song : Tuteya na tuteya
Movie : Shaadi Se Pehla
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Daler Mehndi
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Daler singing for Himesh? Interesting combo, and while the song is slow, I do the like the mukhda and the odd pairing.

Song : Humko Deewana Kar Gaye
Movie : Humko Deewana Kar Gaye
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : Though the music of the movie was scored by Anu, Himesh had an alternate version of the title song which turned out to be really popular.

Song : Bombai Nagariya
Movie : Taxi No 9211
Music Director : Vishal-Shekhar
Singer : Bhappi Lahiri
Lyricist: Dev Kohli
Why is it on the list? : Whoever thought of the idea of getting Bhappi Da, hats off to him. This song works and how. A tribute to the great city with the trademark Bhappi Da inflections and pronunciations.

Song : Meter Down
Movie : Taxi No 9211
Music Director : Vishal-Shekhar
Singer : Adnan Sami
Lyricist: Dev Kohli
Why is it on the list? : Sung with a lot of enthusiasm by Adnan.

Song : Jhalak Dikhlaja
Movie : Aksar
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyricist: Sameer
Why is it on the list? : This song can invoke ghosts. Given that it is endowed with supernatural powers, I shouldn't offend it by leaving it out.

Deathly Halo?

Today morning, I woke up to an extremely important piece of news. The title of the seventh and final Harry Potter novel has been announced as 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. That is bloody brilliant, as Ron might exclaim, but I do have some questions and comments on the same.

1. Harry must die?
The title is sinister. Is that a setup for Harry Potter to die? I think not. Keeping up with her tradition of bumping off characters in the past few books, I think she'd need book 8 to do so. Reason: people being killed are getting closer layer by layer to Harry. However, Harry's inner circle is Ron and Hermoine and neither of them have been bumped off. By Hindi movie logic, I'd have to bump either of them before bumping off Harry.

2. No change in title?
You mean, the title doesn't change in the US? No hyphenations and word-susbtitutions? Didn't they misspell Halo? They are going to regret this.

3. Horror-cruxed
I have lost count. How many did he have? How many did he need? Is one within Harry? Is that the key to the series? It reminds me of air hockey games. Whoever gets to seven wins first.

4. Hogwash
No school this year for Harry. I bet all that he did in six was to make sure he didn't have to go back to school to slog it out. I mean, I understand. We all remember our twelth exams, don't we?

5. Main tera unicorn juice pee jaoonga
What Harry needs is a little bit of Dharam Paaji! I see him straining his sinews and simmering in anger when everyone around him drops dead, presumably because of him. But he ain't intimidating Voldermort that way. Maybe even Sunny's roar will work better than the Patronus charm when it comes to Dementors.

6. Return of the he-who-must-not-be-named
I am not talking about Voldermort (don't gasp). I am talking of the character who had a mysterious demise at the end of the sixth book. For fear of spoiling anyone's suspense, I shall not reveal the name of that character. Needless to say, he will rise from the ashes.

7. Let me tell you how the book ends
It ends with the word "car". I think. I remember reading it somewhere. Or did one crazy fan tell me? Experts, tell me. Oh, and yes, Voldermort will be dead. Rowling will be filthy rich and will buy Tunisia or Manchester United, whichever is on a deal. She won't write anything for the next few years. Her next book will be about Muggles and will have wizards who don't know of their existence.

Your thoughts requested. By comments on the blog. Don't howler with an owl-er.

Gone With The Wind

What happens when winds blowing upto 80 mph lash against a region full of tall trees? The question was answered this weekend when the worst windstorm in more than a decade knocked out power to more than 1.5 million homes and businesses. It all started Thursday evening when the winds started picking up and in a couple of hours of madness, the Pacific Northwest was blown away, literally. We struggled home late night on Thursday through pitch darkness and debris of trees all over the place. Oh, I forgot to mention the temperature. Hovering around the low 30s or around 0 degrees in Celcius, it can be classified as a temperature you don’t want to have when the heating in the house does not work. Thursday night was a throwback to all the Ramsay movies where the bhoots and the shaitans and Kaali maa all need noisy winds to surround them as they do their supernatural deeds. The sounds were loud and it was tough to concentrate on sleeping when you heard what you thought was a tree breaking. By next morning, we woke up groggy eyed to a calmer day with no power still and mobile phones non-operational due to lack of signal. Calls from the landline to friends brought in news of horror stories. A huge tree lying in the middle of a cul-de-sac, a house saved by a chimney that bore the brunt of a coniferous tree that would have otherwise split the house in two. With no internet connection at home and the house beginning to get colder, we headed to work in the hope that things would be better here. The drive to work gave a good idea of the carnage with trees lying across the road, hanging precariously on the power lines. Work was a disappointment as there was only basic power available. Internet was down, so were the cafeterias. After scratching around for a few hours, we headed home. It isn’t a lot of fun driving through areas with a lot of traffic lights and each one prompting a stop and go from every single car. What made it worse was the roads blocked all over the place and the circuitous routes we had to take to get home. To complete an 11 mile distance, we had to drive 30 miles over two hours, while thinking of food all the time. To our advantage, our house has gas cooking ranges and a gas fireplace. That opened the possibility of food being cooked and all our friends converged at our place to kick off a weekend of great company and a discovery of ways to keep one entertained when there is no light after four in the afternoon. When night descended, the sight of eight adults huddled in a line next to the gas fireplace, in an attempt to sleep with a hint of warmth was mildly amusing. The next day saw us heading out to areas that we knew had power and spend time in malls and restaurants to stay warm. The highlight of the day was heading back to office and playing cards in a conference room and spending time watching pictures of new trips and old weddings. Going back home at three in the night brought the full impact of the black-out to us and the house greeted us with extreme chill as whatever heat the house had retained earlier was lost. It took until 1 pm on Sunday, after three nights and two days of frustration that power finally returned. The banal sounds of television sounded sweet, not having to wear a sweater inside the house felt great and being able to use the microwave seemed like a blessing.

The experience was instructive. You almost take for granted that a first world country should be able to handle disasters more efficiently. But this was a major letdown. Three days without power? We know friends with little kids who had to check into hotels in Seattle. I can only imagine the plight of the victims of Katrina. It also goes to emphasize that hours spent in India without electricity were a piece of cake compared to this. Life is back to normal today, and I am thankful for that. The one thing that I was desperate to know in all the three days of not having internet access: what’s the score in the Test match? The desperation was well rewarded.

Death Wish

It happened on the thirty-fifth day of summer
A rosebud came to life, albeit stealthily
Propped by thorns, bent by its weight
It blossomed, sheltering dew on its red petals

Sixty five hours of its exuberant life
Brought along a sinking feeling of death
As a petal broke slowly, and slid to the ground

Panicking, it bloomed bright and fragrant
And called out to everyone who looked at it
Save me, from being forgotten

Three boys ran past it, so did some retired gentlemen
And none touched the rose
In due reverence of the sign, “Don’t pluck”,

It was left to a bloke reading poetry.
Stumbling along the path, he absent-mindedly
plucked the rose and spread its petals,
to bookmark a poem titled, ‘An immortal rose’

2 hr 11 min 35 sec

I have completed the first half-marathon of my life. Through the blisters on my feet and the extreme pain in the knees while climbing down stairs and the walk of a geriatric; the unchanging, invariate and triumphant news is that I prevailed and completed the Seattle half-marathon in the aforementioned time.

Some highlights of the race:
1. Made infinitely worse the by the one thing you definitely don't want to see the morning of a marathon, especially when it happens once a year in Seattle: snow!!
2. Made fractionally easier and more irritating by the rain that the snow trascended into and which remained from the start of the race to the end. Made tougher by the fact that there are uphills and more uphills in the course making it tough tough tough. A stretch of flat land was like an oasis in a desert.
3. Made interesting by the 7000 people who ran and warmed up the place by their competitiveness and enthusiasm. At no stage of the race was I running alone. There was a crowd to wade through and I was grateful for that.
4. Made uplifiting by people who came out on the streets to cheer the runners through the cold. The best exhorting statement came from the lady who said:"This run is your bitch" :-)
5. Made possible by the mad rush I had in the last three miles, which were run on pure adrenalin and reserves of energy I did not know existed. In the last mile, I gave it everything I had and overtook 30-40 people. Discovered that pain has its own beauty and is as pure as love can be. Through the excruciating pain came the urge to overcome it and get to the finish line as soon as I could.
6. Made quirkier by thoughts like: this is easy; there are only 5 miles to go; what about a full marathon?
7. Made beautiful by running by the waterfront and through different vistas from which the beauty of Seattle was revealed. Passed by the house of Cobain and wondered why he would need to kill himself when he could be running up and down the stretch all the time.
8. Made raising my arms at the finishing line a very deserving and satisfying action. Then the arms fell down to the ground and so did I.

There I have it: my first prize in athletics in my life, a medal for completing the race, the tag of being a half-marathoner.

Rounding Up The Usual Suspects

I was late on posting my review of Casino Royale. There was so much to say about the Bond movie and my experiences as a Bond fan while growing up, but I just lost the enthusiasm to go ahead with that after reading a few other blog posts on the same. Clearly, being first to market has its advantage. Nonetheless, here are some things that come to my mind right now which I haven't read about recently in other blogs, so here goes:

1. Dhoom again?
I saw the D2 movie first day first show today (ya, baby - Thursday 3 pm show). I actually thought it was decent. Hrithik stole the thunder, and made Abhishek look inept in the looks, dance and fights department. The women in the movie were a study in contrast too, with Aishwarya 'like' (you'll get this joke when you see the move) getting to the nerves. At least, Bipasha mainly concentrated on looking good, and did well at that. The story had not much to offer and one could see traces of Ocean's twelve and Bourne identity. The music was a step down from the original Dhoom. I actually thought that the background music too could have been used better. The action was neat in parts, and Hrithik's get ups were pretty cool. Aah, and one more point: the last bastion of Indian conversatism in movies fell. Aishwarya kissed!! After going on in interviews and articles about how Indians don't kiss and she won't kiss, she went ahead anyway (for those willing to debate, the kiss in kyon ho gaya na was a camera trick). Is this the setup for the Hollywood career? In any case, she couldn't pull off all the skimpy clothes in her quota. Desi clothes for her please.

2. Guru no more?
Dil Se was the seminal work of Rehman. I didn't think highly of the music of Roja (again, debaters welcome) and the music of Bombay was also not the making of Rehman (kuchi kuchi rakkama brought it down). Dil Se was pathbreaking, in the sounds and the compositions and the moods. And a big big factor were the lyrics, by Gulzar. After Saathiya being another fine hit, I was waiting to see how they'd team up here. Results are mixed and I am suffering for my own high expectations. The one song that stays in the head though is Ai Hairat-e-aashiqui. The album, as one reviewer mentioned, is typical Rehman. Jaage Hain reminds me of the same music arrangement as So gaye hain from Zubeida. There are numerous such similarities that can be pointed out. Yet, good music overall. Just not what I was looking for. On a side note, what is Gulzar upto? I still can't get over his trite lyrics: "mom maani nahin, dad naraaz tha" from Jaan-e-man. I was dying to get hold of the new Jaggu-Gulzar album online and when I did, I really wasn't impacted as much. Is it just too much to ask for repeat successes?

3. Prote-ass?
We got a drubbing in the first ODI. All out for 91. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise. The problem isn't that we are a good team. I think we are off on our selection lately. It happened in champions trophy and it has happened again. No surprise that barring Tendulkar and to an extent Dravid, no one really settled in. Tendulkar has now been warned. At the fag end of their careers, the Lara vs. Tendulkar battle is in full flow. Lara has thrown the gauntlet, and Tendulkar has to respond. Ponting will in due time overtake them both. It does look very possible the way he is batting right now. But Ponting is just a great batsman, not a genius. Plus, he doesn't have to face the Australian attack :-) I am looking forward to some significant contributions from Tendulkar for the rest of this trip, and of course the world cup.

4. No inheritance lost?
I got a chance to read the Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. I booked it in the library the day the news of her Booker victory came out, and so didn't have to wait too long to get it. I liked the book. At least more than I did reading Arundhati Roy's work. I like her sense of prose, and the insights that pop out of her writing on an average once every chapter. On the flipside, can't Indian authors provide anything other than immigrant stories? How about a story set in Texas with cowboys and no trace of Asians?

5. Maha-thorn?
Some of you may have read a blog post long ago about running a 5 mile race. I had hinted at the possibility of madness taking over and considering running a half-marathon. 13.1 miles of it. Well, I am happy to tell you that I have gone insane, at least in that matter. I am gunning for this run this weekend. Been training for it for a month or more, and while not complete in my preparations, am willing to bet limb and well, more limbs for it. Look at the bright side. They give you a medal for just finishing the race :-) Look at the flip side. That's the distance from Andheri to Churchgate if I were to run on the railway tracks. Wish me luck.

The Protagonist

The city is me, he thought, and nodded as if affirming that thought. Vibrant yet composed, changing yet constant, and occasionally man enough to live upto the accusations that fly its way. There’s also something about that glass of smoothie he just drank. Something about looking askance and slurping the last two sips, even though there would be a noise that could not be kept down. There’s something about the smile at that little triumph, an act so public, a thought so private. As the face contorts with wrinkles, the smile still remains. The same smile, he reminisced, that came to him when finishing up the cream on the biscuit and throwing the rest away. And never getting caught. Triumph. He jogged through the rain with that little smile of his. Next to him on the bus, someone was carrying ‘The brief history of time’. What about the protracted histories of mankind, he thought? The million universes that exist simultaneously within each second? Like a star born, to die. What about them? What about the little triumphs, and the smiles and the strange sensations that would fill up those universes? What about the music we create and the songs we write, all contributing to the symphony that would never be heard? Every man is a universe by himself. Every man's life is a full length stage production, with all the drama and the music and the tragedy that Shakespeare could never imagine. This is a blockbuster that unfurls every second. And you are a part of it. You are a part of my drama, pretending not to follow the plot at times. But there you are, reading a book next to me, staring out the window, cajoling your kid, eyeing the pretty girl next to you. Your life is a subplot of mine. Look, we even have theories like six degrees of separation to give you hints that in fact, we are connected. So, thank you for playing your part, even though I can’t tell you in as many words and you will never understand if I did. The smile plastered to his face, the superstar got up and exited the bus to a downpour. Life is one long ‘take’, he thought, till the director gives the command to ‘cut’ the scene. In that moment that he saw the whole universe revolve around him, he spread his arms and let the drops envelope him, sheathing him in reflections and refractions. A spotlight, if there was one. Then, with a mix of humility and pride, he bowed.

Air-born?

The voices sound altered
Like in the commercials
A bit too happy, a bit too loud
Resonating to a constant hum

A child wails in his mother’s arm
Solitaire being played on a work laptop
Plastic smiles on the face of the hostess
A Sudoku puzzle someone abandoned midway

The microcosm travels with its inmates
On two wings and jet fuel
Six hundred and thirty eight
Frequent flier miles away

Same-pose-ium?

So, its not utterly accurate. But I saw the Umrao Jaan photo (latter) and somehow it reminded me of the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam poster (former). Photos courtesy the two sites who have their names spread all over them. Thought I should blog the useless noting of coincidence. More useful would be a blog that has all my favorite Aishwarya Rai posters. At least she can't giggle incessantly in photographs :-)

The music for the movie is out and the movie is a week away from release. I like the music. Its not bad, but Anu Malik has let himself down. Most compositions are inspired by songs I have heard before and Alka is not Asha. Anu Malik had a great chance to outdo his work in Refugee, but he has missed the bus. Yet, it remains one of the better music scores of a year filled with dissapointing music overall.

The Truth Is Out There

Shipped it! Internet Explorer 7 is out the door, and I am mighty thrilled. Worked on the product since its inception to delivery and its been a fun and challenging ride. If you are a Microsoft-basher, or inclined to go for other products simply because they are non-Microsoft, this blog ain't the place today. Today's the day to bask and relax for me.

You can download it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx The site does a good job of explaining the new goodness we have brought to the browser, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Maybe you can install IE 7 and use it to subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog. :-) Note that I don't generally talk about my work, and this is an exception. I considered it reason enough. The next such post that comes out will happen when Vista ships. I felt it necessary to post this because it is easy to lose sight of the impact that your work can have. Without a browser, you'd be surfing your hard drive :-) In case of the product I work on, that'd be most people on the planet who surf the internet.

Go IE!

Ekta Kapoor For President

I have been on the wagon as far as Indian channels is concerned for the past few months. My parents came to visit me and gave the perfect excuse to get Zee TV and Sony TV back on my viewing radar (no Star TV here). From the brilliant news that Zee TV produces (every news item starts and ends with, ‘wahaan ka mahaul kaisa hai?’) to the ads of Ajmeri Baba and Peer Syed Sahib that promise to end my life’s problems in 72 hours, or my money back, these channels bring a different world to my living room. Don’t get me wrong. I am more desi than pardesi. I read at least four Indian newspapers every day, I watch practically all the movies that are released, I hear more music than most people would spend time on, but television has always been out of scope. Every visit to India though is punctuated with a day or two spent in watching everything that my Mom watches (I have seen Indian men scurry out of the room when Kyonki … starts). I believe Ekta Kapoor must be one of the most influential people of our generation. Flash-forwards, flash-backwards, her serials are larger than movies. Almost like an entire nation is hypnotized.

The serials are absolutely brilliant and very enjoyable if you watch it with the right frame of mind. Sample this. In ‘Kasamh Se’ (no, I didn’t misspell it), the heroine Baani (Ekta Kapoor’s favorite 18 year old Prachi Desai) has just seen her husband, whom she calls Mr. Walia for the entire length of the serial that I have followed, possibly shoot someone. The person with the revolver in his hand has his back to her and when he turns around and turns out to be Mr. Walia, the camera comes crashing down. Not only crashing down, it does about 15 different movements, ranging from left-right, right-left to south-west->south-east. Every jerk is emphasized by an absolutely blank look from Baani (no, she isn’t acting, that is exactly how she looks in every scene) and a whooshy music score. After about a minute of all the camera movements, the dialog starts. There’s disbelief, sindoor and bewafaai thrown in the picture. Mr. Walia tries hard to convince her he is innocent, but she refuses to believe him. And then, the twist. Mr. Walia tells his wife, ”Hilna Mat”. Turns out she has strategically placed herself over a time bomb. If she moves, the bomb explodes now, else it will explode in six minutes anyway. The bland faced heroine balks, then quizzes her husband about a secret, something that happened six years ago, that he never confessed. She says that while she is on her way up, at least she should go with that knowledge. Noble. Nobler Mr. Walia instead pushes her off in one swift motion steps on the plate-bomb, thus maintaining the pre-condition that the bad lighting on the set has to be focused on someone, also ensuring that the bomb does not explode. At least not for the next four minutes. I am on the edge of my sofa now. What next? Mr. Walia, who thinks that acting means blinking in slow motion, then starts a monologue. “I want to tell you what happened six years ago. I want to get it off my chest while I have …. (then stares down) three minutes left”. By now, I am ready to throw the pillow on the TV. What happened next made me throw myself at the TV. A song started. A full fledged song. From Kalyug “Jiya dhadak dhadak jaye”. For God’s sake Mr. Walia, you have only .. (I looked at MY watch) three minutes left before today’s episode ends. But the song continues. The wind keeps blowing, the camera moves in slow motion focusing on the two actors. Sanguine, relaxed, they have obviously forgotten that they have limited time, a six-year old secret to share and a bomb to diffuse. And then, the song ends. Mr. Walia looks like he is going to talk. My salvation is near. He will tell his secret and my life can go on. And he starts:”Bani”. And the credits roll. Someone died that evening. It was probably me.

Postscript: I never found out the secret or how Mr. Walia escaped the bomb. I led my hollow existence, away from the vagaries and struggles of their lives. But I have caught up a few episodes later. I would like to reassure everyone that they are safe and sound, and apparently divorcing each other. Kasamh Se, no life without desi TV. I can barely thank Ekta Kapoor for the great television she brings into our lives. Come to think of it, I don’t even see her flagship serials on Star TV. Ekta ji, well done. Just make sure Mr. Walia spills the beans sometime. Even if the serial jumps thirty years.

Rain In Spain

Who said Zeus is dead?
Watch him, wave his hand
Over the planet and command
Sun, clouds, showers, snow

And speak with foreboding
The west shall drench, the east shall freeze
And the south, I bless you with sunshine

Who said Zeus is dead?
He who knows the weather a week in advance
And prophesizes in front of a green screen
Adjusting his tie and beaming his smile

A New Normal

I exit out the door
and look up, you know, like Sachin
when he enters the ground
at the heavens, examining, absorbing
sunlight, or the beaming halogens

Anyway, I look up and find
very few beams of sunshine
Gray, dark, low-hanging clouds
splatter my spectacles with shards of water

I quicken my step
to my destination, across the campus
constructing my frown
and folding my hands

Ten steps into the walk,
the frown dissolves into a smile
as hints of my favorite season
show up all around me
from a distant land

Another ten steps and a new instinct:
I tug at my jacket
and almost pull the zip up
but resist (freeze unless you absolutely can't take it)

The weather though has made its point
Winter is upon us.
Let the sunshine within prevail.

Bombay Dreams

I finally saw the Broadway musical on a non-broadway street in Seattle (the company is touring the city for 20 odd days). I found the show fairly enjoyable, once you are prepared to overlook the terrible clichés. What's the deal with untouchables in slums and kissing in Hindi movies and the other pre-historic notions that are sprayed across the production with gay abandon? Aah, but we are catering to a Western audience. Silly of me. A little criticism of India and Mumbai and the workings of the Indian film industry is ok, but the insinuations are pointless at times. The best part and the saving grace was the music. It was fun to hear all the known compositions being done in a live format. The percussionists especially were excellent. Overall, worth a watch for the fancy and the energy and the music and choreography, but I hope they follow it up with a more realistic depiction of India.

P.S> Been trying to upload a poster of Bombay Dreams, but it keeps bailing on me. Shall try again later. Till then, here's the link

Homo Erectus

Those tender limbs: All grace, no stability
Seven hundred and thirty days into his life
Crawling on all fours was his only independence

Held each step by his parents
The center of all attraction
Needing a good center of gravity

And then it happened one day
He got up and didn’t fall down

Standing on his own feet
For a period greater than two seconds,
He announced

His foray into human society
His first nod towards success
His first step towards failure
Himself

Slower than his steps
Slower than his bemusement
Came shock, to his parents
Then realization

Overwhelmed, excited, perplexed
They watched the kid with his outstretched arms
Waiting to be lifted, to be celebrated

They scuttled, as if escaping bombs
One for the camera, one for the video recorder
Leaving behind

A pair of outstretched arms
And a little boy collapsing on the ground
Down on all fours

P.S> I saw this happen in real life. The only twist here is my interpretation. Just read it, don’t read too much into it.

Legocy

I'd reckon most kids in middle class background who have had a relative/neighbour/acquaintance visit 'phoren' sometime around the time I was a kid has a 20% chance of having played with Lego sets. I remember my first (and only) Lego set. Our neighboring uncle had visited Australia and had brought back a Lego set for me. This one involved an American astronaut and a moon rover. Marveling at the preciseness and alienness of the small structures, I spent hours creating and recreating them (my other favorite was playing with ‘Hot Wheels’ cars). Eons have passed since. Playing with Lego seems like a thing of the past, and the only set of Hot Wheels are on my 2003 Passat. Just when I had forgotten the phenomenon, a colleague at work popped up one day with a constructed Lego set. A full blown adult with a full blown Lego set. And here’s the bright part: he designed it himself. You can take basic lego parts and construct your design online or buy someone else’s design. Apparently, Lego has moved forward while I have gone nowhere in that world. One look at the Lego site told me how out of touch I was. Gone are the US astronauts. Now you have everything from Batman to Harry Potter to Star Wars. I think that’s smart progress. In the age of the Nintendo DS and other handheld games, you have to work extra hard to maintain your clientele. Anyone else with a Lego story to share or am I the only one here?

P.S> The music of ‘Don’ is out. Anyone familiar with old movie will appreciate the subtleties including the use of the theme music in the title song. Heard it a couple of times. Hasn’t caught on fully yet, but I am sure it will. D2 music should be coming out soon too, followed by Salaam-e-ishq and Umrao Jaan and Guru among others. Can’t remember any recent year with so many big budget movies cramped together.

While the world churned

Well, it actually turned too, but the dynamism of this planet is enthralling. Here’s a summary of what’s happening around the world recently that immediately comes to my pop-culturish, politically churlish and sportingly bent mind.

1. No Paris for Parsis
Actually, no Paris for any Indians living in India. Paris Hilton’s debut album was to be promoted with a video for the song ‘Stars are blind’. But it has been banned in India for being too racy. India, rejoice. You have been saved. There is no escaping Paris ‘That's hot’ Hilton here, but this is a blessing in disguise. You don’t have to hear Paris sing. Your tragedy is to keep watching Rakhi Sawant. By the way, I have seen the banned video and Rakhi Sawant might just beat Paris Hilton hands down in raciness. Perhaps, someone on the censor board dislikes Paris Hilton for all the right reasons too.

2. Pluto planet na rahaa
Pluto has been demoted. From the big boys club to the dwarfs ensemble. The emasculated little fellow is now going to be called a dwarf planet. There are several thrills people are getting out of this. One friend referred to the event with the exclamation: “Now there is no planet left discovered by an American”. Imagine what this changes: navagrahas are ashtagrahas now. The ninth rock from the sun has rocked the third rock from the sun

3. North by North-West
Brown is the color of paranoia, especially if it happens to be on your skin. Perhaps the terrorists have already won. One plane diversion a week is a victory for the schism driving scum. A Northwest flight to Mumbai was diverted back to Amsterdam on suspicious behavior by some passengers. The passengers were Indians and were treated very badly. The Dutch government has issued an apology. Not a good time to be a brown man. Pertinent question raised by someone in an article I read someplace: “What if the twelve people were Europeans?”. Really, what if?

4. Are we there yet?
The South African cricket team ran home. There’s no other way to describe it. Perhaps the previous point and this one is tied in. What is it about teams like NZ, Aus, England and SA and their willingness to take the first flight home even when a firecracker is burst? This particular exit pissed me off no end. LTTE has not targeted foreigners, the SA team was given presidential level of security, the other two teams were willing to stay back. I am sorry, but they are wrong. The game has been skewed for the past century, with the sub-contintental teams and management has always suffered from an inferiority complex. They are ever willing to listen to their colonial masters, bend over backwards, allowed to be treated as some sort of undecipherable threat that they will always be vary about. This has to change. We control the game today. I may dislike Dalmiya for a lot of reasons, but I like the fact that he has brought about the balance of power. Penalize SA, don’t bring them to the subcontinent henceforth. Let them learn a lesson on being a decent cricketing citizen. For they are not.

5. Hair-rising issue
While I am sufficiently upset, let me go all the way. This post is turning out to be a comment on the clash of civilizations. This example perhaps the most fitting. Darrell ‘no-ball’ Hair, the man who declared that the Pakistanis had tampered the ball without providing adequate proof, the man who deliberately handled the situation harshly even though he could have done otherwise, has finally told ICC: give me $500k and I shall leave. Brilliant. This episode was a classic case of rant no. 4 showing up in a repressed sub-continental team. When the two W’s invented the reverse swing in the early 90’s, they were labeled cheats. The fact that they were from a sub-contintental team and the accusations came from the fair-skinned masters gave it legitimacy. A decade down the line, nothing has changed. Maybe the Pakistanis did actually tamper the ball. But they have been labeled guilty even without a trial. In the minds of people. Inzi over-reacted, yes. But what caused the over-reaction? The pent up feeling of being run down and being targeted because of past history. Perhaps both Inzi and Hair will be punished. Perhaps Hair did what he had to do. But my sympathies cannot lie with him. There’s too much history to reckon with. Mike Denness anyone?

Ok, agitated rant over. Taking deep breaths. Ok, here’s a moderate level rant to finish it off.

6. Yun hota to kya hota
Naseerudin Shah is a fine actor. Given. What he has is an attitude problem where he keeps blasting Bollywood produce. All the time. He still acts in it, but keeps calling it crap. What next? He gets a chance to prove that he can make the ‘non-trash’ by directing a movie himself. So he makes Yun Hota to Kya Hota. A movie technique about strangers in a common situation: tried before. The treatment is fair, and I wouldn’t call this movie crap, I like it in parts. But then I am just a poor Bollywood movie fanatic. My tolerance is much higher than Mr. Shah. Back to the movie: this is a plot that he has mangled so badly that the script writer has an open letter on his website to Naseer asking him to take his name off because the script is no longer his. Read here. Sorry Naseer bhai, walk the line, or keep your comments in check. You did act in movies like Daava and Takkar.

Finally. Done. Zen-like work shall follow.