India @ the World Cup

Once again a World Cup is just around the corner and the whole nation is praying for India to regain the cup that she won 24 years ago on a summer at the Lords.Much water has gone under the bridge after THAT day when Kapil’s Devil’s did the unimaginable to the invincible Windies. Balwinder Sandhu’s off cutter to take Gordon Greenidge and Kapil’s awesome catch to dismiss Richards are some of the images that would give goosebumps to any Indian. (Normalcy was restored after the World Cup when Windies thrashed India in Tests after the World Cup)In 1992, we beat Pakistan who were the eventual World Champions. Javed Miandad jumping up and down like a monkey to mock Kiran More was one of the funny sights of 1992.In 1996, India was done in by a Jayasurya blitzkrieg in the league matches. A match that saw a poor Manoj Prabhakar bowl spin and marked the end of his career. India progressed to the Semi’s but Aravinda de Silva was India’s tormentor and soon the Kolkotta crowd found India’s spineless performance too difficult to digest and the match was awarded to the Lankans when India were 120-8. A crying Vinod Kambli walking back at the Eden Gardens was in the front pages of every newspaper the next day.In 1999, Zimbabwe led by Olonga upset the Indians in the league matches. And in the Supersixes the Aussies beat us thanks to an opening spell from Mcgrath. Jadeja scored a ton (and hit a pigeon during the knock) even though it was in a losing cause. This was the same World cup when Sachin Tendulkar came back to do team duty before even the embers of his father’s pyre had died. A masterful 140 albeit against the Kenyans with bat pointed skywards was a very poignant moment. This was also the World Cup where India took Lanka (Vaas, Murali & co) to the cleaners when Dravid and Ganguly took India to a mammoth 376 @ Taunton. Ganguly scored a massive 183.In 2003, we reached South Africa with our confidence at its nadir. India had just lost an ODI series 5-2 in New Zealand. Not a lot of people gave India a chance. India’s match with Holland proved the players still rusty.England came and Ashish Nehra swung his way to the record books with a superb spell of 6-23 – the best spell in a World cup. (Few days later Mcgrath rewrote the record books against Namibia.). India took sweet revenge on the Kiwis by keeping them to 147 and reaching the target with many an over to spare. Once again India thrashed Lanka and progressed to the Semis where Ganguly’s ton helped India overcome Kenya. The final approached and the expectations were predictably gargantuan considering the fact that India had defeated Australia couple of times. The first over of Zaheer Khan was a sign of things to come. 19 runs leaked. Hayden and Gilchrist took the attack to Srinath and co. Harbhajan briefly disrupted the Aussies. Enter Ponting and Martyn. They thrashed all the bowlers to all parts of the park. Srinath and Zaheer resembled club bowlers. Result – Aussies made a mammoth 359. During the drinks break, Farooq Engineer mentioned that this could be the day when Sachin Tendulkar might put score a double hundred. Wishful thinking it proved when he got out for a low score. 360 was always going to be too much with Mcgrath at his best. Sehwag saved India the blushes and India ended the match with a respectable 232 but with their egos and morale badly thrashed. The thumping took away the sheen of India’s final entry.2003 also marked the entry of cricket entertainment of another kind - Sony MAX unleashed a bomb. Mandira Bawdy in her noodle straps and peek-a-boo sarees wowed the Indian men (for obvious reasons) and brought more women tin front of the Idiot Box.Next: India's chances on this years World Cup

Notebook - The Review

Udyananu Tharam was Roshshaan Andrews' debut in Malayalam cinema. The story of the trials and tribulations of an aspiring film director was beautifully brought out by Roshshaan and Sreenivasan's sharp script poking fun at the Malayalam film industry helped the move in a becoming a monster hit. The movie brought Roshshaan into the limelight and huge hopes were pinned on him when he announced his next movie Notebook. Contrary to the flow prevalent in any movie industry to sustain his market with formulaic movies, Roshshaan dared to experiment. The theme was totally novel and the cast were all new and young.Notebook starts with the midnight mass on New Years Eve at a posh Ooty school. Three girls jump the mass and escape the principal's roving eyes to plant a sapling in the school to mark their friendship. The trio Saira, Sree and Anna are best friends. Saira, the blodest and liveliest amongst the three, comes from a broken family - mom (Aishwarya) is a busy doctor in Bombay. Dad (Suresh Gopi) is an army man. Sree comes from a loving family (mother Sukanya). Thesegirls help each other in the time of need - an example being when Saira persuades classmate Suraj to buy sanitary napkins when Sree has "chums". The confused look on Suraj's face when he is asked to buy the napkins is quite funny. Another of their classmates is Feroze, the buddding musical genius - who is a poor student otherwise. Feroze is accused of copying in exams and the principal, (aptly nicknamed Dracula) , dismisses him from the School. Meanwhile Suraj falls in love with Sree and their relationship reaches a new level when he gets Sree pregnant. The girls are totally flummoxed as to how to confont this problem. Things start moving at a fast pace from then on.Notebook dwells on the problems faced by today's teenagers and how they try to tackle problems by themselves when all it requires is an understanding parent to step in. It emphasizes the need for sex education at school. (For us malayalis, it is sad that sex is synonymous only with Shakeela.). The movie conveys a strong message that children do need to open up with their parents and discuss their problems. Notebook also conveys the hypocrisy of convent schools who go to any extent to have their names untarnished. (Having studied in a convent school myself, I have seen several instances where this sort of hypocrisy hashappened).The script by Bobby-Sanjay is quite good. Saira is easily the best of the three and has delivered a superb performance considering that shes a debutante. She conveys a lot through her expressive eyes. Suresh Gopi steals the scene at the climax.All the songs are of a high quality. Majo Joseph, another debutant (he also comes as Feroze in the movie), has come up with the perfect music for the movie. The "As you all know" song reminds you of 'Barbie Girl' song from Aqua. The other melodious song "Hridayavum" is also brilliant. Some of the songs are picturised similar to the "Ennum orkkunvo" song in Udayaanu Thaaram.Overall Notebook is a beautiful movie and conevys a strong message to the teenagers and their parents. It is unfair to compare it with Udyaananu Thaaram as both are as different as chalk and cheese. Way to go Roshshaan!

American Travails - Part I

On the "auspicious" day of 09/11, I became yet another Indian stepping into the land of opportunities, the land of power and the land of Bush.Stepping out of the aircraft into the tarmac of the Wayne County International Airport in Detroit, after a journey that took me to Bombay and then Amsterdam, the bleary-eyed me sleep walked to the nearest Immigration Counter at a furious pace to beat the rush of people. As always the americans had one Queue and us"Non resident aliens" another. Fortunately I managed to reach the front of the Alien queue in no time and I found myself standing before the Immigration counter inhabiting a monstrous looking Lady resembling a gargoyle and who looked warily at me. I tried to put my best smile and my best manners before her. [I had learnt that having to smile, a few extra sorries, please and thank you had a remarkable effect on people]. My paperes were in order and asked how long i intended to stay in her land. She did not even bother to listen to my answer and merely tossed my passport to the next gargoyle who asked if i hadany forex and if i carried any explosive material [did I look like it?] . I said No. She nodded and nonchantly wished "Welcome to America" as if she weredoing me a favour. Nevertheless i was relieved.I was finally in America. Not that it was a dream. Still..

History in the Bullring

India created history by thumping Saffers by 123 runs a the Bullring aka the Wanderers- Laxman and Ganguly with their batting, Zaheer, VRV Singh and Kumble with their bowling and Sehwag with his fielding. But the wrecker-in-chief was our own Sreesanth.The best part of the match was when Sreesanth hit Nel for a SIX and gave back some of his own treatment.Here's a link of the video. Watch it with the sound on. It has the Dhoom2 song as the BG http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3454538612898135067&q=sreesanth

On Long Queues and Onam Releases

Watching movies, after standing for long periods in the sweltering sun, in queues snaking their way to the mainroads, is indeed an exhilirating experience for some (read ME). When you reach the front of the queue and look back, it gives you immense satisfaction and you feel you are on top of the world!.I used to watch many a movie in Trivandrum in this manner. After getting up in the morning and swallowing a cup of tea and without even brushing my teeth, many a time I have caught a KSRTC bus to Thampanoor to watch the latest release. More often than not, that "release" would have Mohan Lal - the undisputed king of Ananthapuri and the darling of many, including yours truly.It goes without saying that Lalettan movies open big in Trivandrum. Kalapani which was released in the early 90's had queues starting from Sreekumar (where it was shown) to as far as SMV School. (For those not familiar with the Trivandrum topography, SMV is about little less than a kilometer from Sreekumar.). Even Lalettan's worst movies like Thandavam and Praja have resulted in mini stampedes in Trivandrum.Being home for a sufficiently long period (> 3 days), I decided to "queue" up in front of a theatre - Kripa - to watch our Megastar Mammotty's Onam release this time - Bhargava Charitham Moonnam Khandam. I watched it more for Sreenivasan than Mammukka. I was also extremely hopeful that it would prove to be a BIG HIT, as its original "Analyze This" was a comedy. Alas Bhargava Charitham proved to be a major let-down.And I chided myself for not watching Keerthichakra or Vettayadu Vilayadu, the other movies at that time. I consoled myself thinking - Ella police-ukaranum oru abadham pattumello!.BELATED ONAM WISHES TO ALL.

On Long Queues and Onam Releases

Watching movies, after standing for long periods in the sweltering sun, in queues snaking their way to the mainroads, is indeed an exhilirating experience for some (read ME). When you reach the front of the queue and look back, it gives you immense satisfaction and you feel you are on top of the world!.I used to watch many a movie in Trivandrum in this manner. After getting up in the morning and swallowing a cup of tea and without even brushing my teeth, many a time I have caught a KSRTC bus to Thampanoor to watch the latest release. More often than not, that "release" would have Mohan Lal - the undisputed king of Ananthapuri and the darling of many, including yours truly.It goes without saying that Lalettan movies open big in Trivandrum. Kalapani which was released in the early 90's had queues starting from Sreekumar (where it was shown) to as far as SMV School. (For those not familiar with the Trivandrum topography, SMV is about little less than a kilometer from Sreekumar.). Even Lalettan's worst movies like Thandavam and Praja have resulted in mini stampedes in Trivandrum.Being home for a sufficiently long period (> 3 days), I decided to "queue" up in front of a theatre - Kripa - to watch our Megastar Mammotty's Onam release this time - Bhargava Charitham Moonnam Khandam. I watched it more for Sreenivasan than Mammukka. I was also extremely hopeful that it would prove to be a BIG HIT, as its original "Analyze This" was a comedy. Alas Bhargava Charitham proved to be a major let-down.And I chided myself for not watching Keerthichakra or Vettayadu Vilayadu, the other movies at that time. I consoled myself thinking - Ella police-ukaranum oru abadham pattumello!.BELATED ONAM WISHES TO ALL.

K(R)ANK-y Thoughts

Happenned to see the much hyped Kabhia Alvida Na Kehna (KANK) at Sathyam Cinemas, Chennai. A few thoughts -Abhishek Bachchan maye be one of the leading stars in Bollywood but he cannot afford a razor or a buttonned up shirtIf India had at least 1 footballer like Dev Saran we would have made it to the FIFA World Cup. Also Roman Abramovich would have signed him up for Chelsea (5 million USD is a lot of money you know)Railway Stations in New York are places where you can go and cry your heart out. Nobody bothers.Shah Rukh "THRILLS" Karan Johar and Karan Johar "DRESSES" shah Rukh.Teachers in New York earn a hefty pay and do not need to take classes. All they need to do is roam around the BIG APPLE in designer clothes.48 states remain for Karan Johar to take future movies. In KANK, he has utilized only New York, Connecticut and Philly.Even "villians" need to get a life of their own.Amitabh Bachchan, nearing 70, is hotter than his offspring who is 30.Move over "Cosmopolitan" and "Vanity Fair"; "Diva" is here.Brides-to-be in New York sit on benches on vast gardens before their marriage, when they should be in their mandap.