This is definitely the movie of the year. Although, it may not have the big names, it has just the right "partners" that succeed in making this 35% to 200% story very believable.
Ranbir Kapoor is amazing as HP Singh Bedi in this career defining movie. He gets into character so effortlessly, it's difficult to imagine the Ranbir of Wake Up Sid, or Ajab Prem.... or even Bachna Ae Haseeno. Most importantly he plays a honest goody goody, utopian guy without irritating even a tad bit. Shahrukh Khan can't do such a good job...man this guy is here to stay.
And all the others with maybe the exception of his "easy to fall for the surd" girl friend play an equally amazing hand in this "team work" of a movie. Special mention to the porn loving engineer, the sales manageresque receptionist, the shaana sales manager and the PC assembling chaiwalla cum peon. Even Prem Chopra on his seemingly tottering last legs does a commendable job. HP's friends are practical (unlike his wake up sid friends) and resemble people like you and me and try their best to keep him on his two feet.
There is a lot of honesty in this movie, no double meaning jokes, no unnecessary sound effects to make you laugh, no marginalizing of any community, no terrorism, no bombs, a movie that I can relate with...and maybe you too can.
Pocket main rocket hain...pocket main
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Kurbaan ko Kuro ban
The only thing this movie has going for it is its so bad, it made me feel like writing a blog. I mean I have watched a few dumbass movies in my life, and Kaminey was one such recent movie. But none of them were this bad.....
I don't know where to start.
First of all this movie by Rensil produced by Karan Johar doesn't know where it stands.
If its trying to be pro Islam and peace...it makes such a hash of it...
If its trying to portray life from the other side.... it's made an equal hash of it too....
If its trying to be all post modern and yuppie, well it sucks there too... there are so many inconsistencies and gaping idiocies.... man are we seriously catering to a dumb Indian audience...
the same audience that knows how tough it is to get an American resident visa...let alone a job at NYU.... Saif manages to do that so easily
the same audience that knows to call 100 in India and 911 in America in case there is a threat to life.... The smart Kareena that gets called back to NYU and teaches at DU can't string these 3 digits together when in danger
the same audience that is very much aware of 11/26..and is tired of pro or anti terrorist movies... tired of watching train stations blown up by blind fanatics....stop giving them any propaganda...good or bad.... terrorists are inhuman and have no religion. And they kill only innocent people....
When will our film makers realize that there is no other side to this story... at least none that we want to listen to.
Why do our film makers talk about all this oppression for a certain religion, when almost every Asian undergoes the same oppression. And is turning to terrorism the only answer to combat this oppression? At least that's what the director has tried to justify. Mumbai has been under attack since 1992. Do you see Mumbaiikars turn to terrorism? Should they? Aren't there any other topics left to discuss under the sun?
The movie shows women as mere puppets and child making machines. Seriously? You want us to believe that, something you could easily overlook, while you were making your movie "techincally" strong.
At the end of the day, I believe the director should go back and watch his own movie and see if this is really what he set out to make. The actors should go back and see if they really want to be asociated with such crap. And most importantly the reviewers, whom a lot of people blindly follow, should check if this is the very movie they reviewed.
Kurbaan ko Kuro Ban!!!!!
I don't know where to start.
First of all this movie by Rensil produced by Karan Johar doesn't know where it stands.
If its trying to be pro Islam and peace...it makes such a hash of it...
If its trying to portray life from the other side.... it's made an equal hash of it too....
If its trying to be all post modern and yuppie, well it sucks there too... there are so many inconsistencies and gaping idiocies.... man are we seriously catering to a dumb Indian audience...
the same audience that knows how tough it is to get an American resident visa...let alone a job at NYU.... Saif manages to do that so easily
the same audience that knows to call 100 in India and 911 in America in case there is a threat to life.... The smart Kareena that gets called back to NYU and teaches at DU can't string these 3 digits together when in danger
the same audience that is very much aware of 11/26..and is tired of pro or anti terrorist movies... tired of watching train stations blown up by blind fanatics....stop giving them any propaganda...good or bad.... terrorists are inhuman and have no religion. And they kill only innocent people....
When will our film makers realize that there is no other side to this story... at least none that we want to listen to.
Why do our film makers talk about all this oppression for a certain religion, when almost every Asian undergoes the same oppression. And is turning to terrorism the only answer to combat this oppression? At least that's what the director has tried to justify. Mumbai has been under attack since 1992. Do you see Mumbaiikars turn to terrorism? Should they? Aren't there any other topics left to discuss under the sun?
The movie shows women as mere puppets and child making machines. Seriously? You want us to believe that, something you could easily overlook, while you were making your movie "techincally" strong.
At the end of the day, I believe the director should go back and watch his own movie and see if this is really what he set out to make. The actors should go back and see if they really want to be asociated with such crap. And most importantly the reviewers, whom a lot of people blindly follow, should check if this is the very movie they reviewed.
Kurbaan ko Kuro Ban!!!!!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Chinese Bell Pepper and Corn or Chinese Chilli Corn
I've always wanted to post about my culinary exploits... I must admit that I'm extremely fascinated by the folks at the numerous cooking blogs like Aayi's recipes, Dalitoy, as well as youtube channels such as Show me the curry and Wah re wah.
This post is kinda like a tribute to them...
I have learned cooking mainly by observing my mom and the rekdiwaalah's of Mumbai. Although I had never cooked a lot as a kid, or even when I started working, it came to me quite naturally when I tried it for the first time after coming to the US for my graduate studies. I would just try standard stuff initially, like chhole, pav bhaji, daal rice, batata bhaaji, rajma... the works... The problem however, was it tasted the same day in day out.... and when you are with a group of boys...also cooking for the first time.... u get the same stuff week in week out....
So I started experimenting.... most of my initial experiments failed.... but the few that succeeded were extremely tasty... (tasty, by my definition is something I would love to have a second helping of.... and I do not crave for everyone to find it tasty, if I like it.... that's all that matters)
To cut a long story short... some of my experiments became crowd pleasers.... and that inspired me to learn more from the cooking blogs and the video shows...
The following is a dish that all the vegetarians in my family love...
I've tried it about 10 times now... and can now make a "tasty" side dish that tastes like indian chinese :P
Chinese Chilli Corn/ Chinese Bell Pepper and Corn
Serves 4 (as a side dish)
Ingredients
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell pepper
(Note that this is just the current avatar of this dish... and it tastes yum... although you can substitute with green bell peppers/capsicum)
1 11 oz can of Green Giant corn niblets (You get it in bulk at costco... and other places too, I'm sure)
3 pinches of ajinomoto (absolutely essential to make Indian chinese)
5-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped (You can add more, another indian chinese essential)
2-3 chillies (cut along their length)
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp of green chilli sauce (I use Chings' Secret)
2 tsp of soy sauce
a dab of tomato ketchup
a dab of sriracha sauce
The above sauces are as per taste, I personally do not make any strict measurements.
1-2 tbsp cooking oil (vary based on how health /taste conscious u r)
Fresh coriander (for garnishing)
Preparation
Heat the oil in a wok... you can use any non stick pan, with enough volume to cook one can of corn with 2 bell peppers, without spilling.
Put 1-2 pieces of garlic in the oil, when they start turning brown, the oil is ready, add the remaining garlic and chillies and stir-fry.
When the garlic is fried nicely (it turns brown), add the bell peppers, stir-fry
Based on how you like ur bell pepper (over cooked or slightly crisp) stir-fry for 4-6 minutes on a medium flame.
It will reduce a lot in volume, losing the water it naturally contains...
To hasten this process, add a bit of salt and 2 pinches of ajinomoto. Mix thoroughly.
When the bell peppers are cooked as per ur liking, add the sauces (chilli, soy, tomato and sriracha).Add red chilli powder and some more salt. Stir-fry
When the sauces are evenly mixed, add the corn (you may or may not add the water in the can, which is sweet. Adding the water (stock) makes the dish less spicy).
Let the corn cook for sometime on a high flame, this will evaporate any water and the sauces and stock will combine to make a glue like gravy(sauce). Reduce the flame to medium and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add one more pinch of ajinomoto. Stir-fry.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
And Chinese Chilli Corn is ready...best served when hot, as a side dish, with fried rice or noodles... or as an appetizer.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bubble Bath
It's been a long time....But I don't want to talk about that in this post
Ever since I was a kid, I had this strange fascination for bubble baths and bath tubs... Maybe the effect of TV... Maybe I saw the tub at someone's place... I don't exactly know... but I would crave that someday I will have a house big enough... so that the bath room will be big enough to have a bath tub... strange ambition right? But I think, as a kid I thought of having a bath tub as a status symbol (by the above train of thought)....
As a kid... I used to play in this small tub.... u know it was so small I don't think all my dinner plates would fit into them now...but when I was a kid... I could sit in it... cross legged... and have water come up to my waist... and if I bent over I could get my head in too... I must have been 3 or 4 years then....but that was a cool activity :)...
...That and a hose pipe... (which we employed to fill a big tank, the municipality water in Mumbai being as fickle as it is....) dark green in color... it often became symbolic of summer....
Now, I suffered from asthma as a kid... and somehow my parents would always worry that I'd catch a chill, if I took a cold water bath... so it was warm water day in day out....
But summer would change the rules... it was so warm outside... and we, my sis and I would need a wash every evening, after play time.... and the hose pipe was a double-whammy... more fun after play.....Isn't it strange... that as kids... small utensil tub and a simple hose pipe... can bring us so much fun.... and now... as grownups we need a million diversions to give us a semblance of happiness...
When I first came to the US, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bath tub in every apartment I stayed (except when I was at Google)... but I would somehow never take a bubble bath... maybe because I was sharing my apartment with roommates... maybe coz... I felt it to would be perceived as slightly panzoid to harbour such wants....
nevertheless, when I moved into my own apartment in San Jose, I made it a point to take a bubble bath at least once a week... (usually on the weekend...) listening to some soothing lounge music...During this time...I had stocked up several "Bath and Body Works" samplers... as well as some aroma therapy ones....
As I soak myself in a warm, sweet smelling bubbly bath, my mind clears up, I lose most of the stress of the previous week, and I'm both calm and energized to take on the world for one more week...
But I guess...more than all that.. it kind of brings back a lot of childhood memories... and a sense of satisfaction and achievement.
I'll end with one of my favorite PJs on this topic...
For his final project in a statistics class, a student decided to conduct a
Survey. So it wouldn't be a boring project, he chose to find out peoples'
Favourite pastimes.
The teacher required that he sample at least 100 people, so he started out
His project visiting a fairly large apartment building near the university.
He knocked on the first door and a man answered. "Sir, what is your name
?" asked the student "John", replied the man.
"Sir, I'm doing a school study and would like to know what is your
Favourite pastime ?"
"Watching bubbles in the bath," came the reply.
He liked the esoterical answer and continued down the hall, until he came
To the next door, when he asked again. "Sir, what is your name?"
"Jeff !", said the second man.
"Sir, Would you please tell me your favourite pastime?"
"Watching bubbles in the bath,! " was the answer.
Quite amused and confused he went on to ask a good number of people in the
Building and all of them had the same pastime "watching bubbles in the
Bath".
He left the building and walked across the street where there were several
Row houses to continue the survey.
At the first house, he knocks and an attractive college girl opens the
Door. Our surveyor starts again - "What is your name?"
"Bubbles"
Ever since I was a kid, I had this strange fascination for bubble baths and bath tubs... Maybe the effect of TV... Maybe I saw the tub at someone's place... I don't exactly know... but I would crave that someday I will have a house big enough... so that the bath room will be big enough to have a bath tub... strange ambition right? But I think, as a kid I thought of having a bath tub as a status symbol (by the above train of thought)....
As a kid... I used to play in this small tub.... u know it was so small I don't think all my dinner plates would fit into them now...but when I was a kid... I could sit in it... cross legged... and have water come up to my waist... and if I bent over I could get my head in too... I must have been 3 or 4 years then....but that was a cool activity :)...
...That and a hose pipe... (which we employed to fill a big tank, the municipality water in Mumbai being as fickle as it is....) dark green in color... it often became symbolic of summer....
Now, I suffered from asthma as a kid... and somehow my parents would always worry that I'd catch a chill, if I took a cold water bath... so it was warm water day in day out....
But summer would change the rules... it was so warm outside... and we, my sis and I would need a wash every evening, after play time.... and the hose pipe was a double-whammy... more fun after play.....Isn't it strange... that as kids... small utensil tub and a simple hose pipe... can bring us so much fun.... and now... as grownups we need a million diversions to give us a semblance of happiness...
When I first came to the US, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bath tub in every apartment I stayed (except when I was at Google)... but I would somehow never take a bubble bath... maybe because I was sharing my apartment with roommates... maybe coz... I felt it to would be perceived as slightly panzoid to harbour such wants....
nevertheless, when I moved into my own apartment in San Jose, I made it a point to take a bubble bath at least once a week... (usually on the weekend...) listening to some soothing lounge music...During this time...I had stocked up several "Bath and Body Works" samplers... as well as some aroma therapy ones....
As I soak myself in a warm, sweet smelling bubbly bath, my mind clears up, I lose most of the stress of the previous week, and I'm both calm and energized to take on the world for one more week...
But I guess...more than all that.. it kind of brings back a lot of childhood memories... and a sense of satisfaction and achievement.
I'll end with one of my favorite PJs on this topic...
For his final project in a statistics class, a student decided to conduct a
Survey. So it wouldn't be a boring project, he chose to find out peoples'
Favourite pastimes.
The teacher required that he sample at least 100 people, so he started out
His project visiting a fairly large apartment building near the university.
He knocked on the first door and a man answered. "Sir, what is your name
?" asked the student "John", replied the man.
"Sir, I'm doing a school study and would like to know what is your
Favourite pastime ?"
"Watching bubbles in the bath," came the reply.
He liked the esoterical answer and continued down the hall, until he came
To the next door, when he asked again. "Sir, what is your name?"
"Jeff !", said the second man.
"Sir, Would you please tell me your favourite pastime?"
"Watching bubbles in the bath,! " was the answer.
Quite amused and confused he went on to ask a good number of people in the
Building and all of them had the same pastime "watching bubbles in the
Bath".
He left the building and walked across the street where there were several
Row houses to continue the survey.
At the first house, he knocks and an attractive college girl opens the
Door. Our surveyor starts again - "What is your name?"
"Bubbles"
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Price of Donuts
The most recent time I had a donut was at CS Tea Time: A weekly gettogether of fellow CS nerds at the department of Computer Sciences at UT Austin. Surprisingly this is one of the few times when the samosa is valued more than a donut. Although unverified, a samosa may be bartered for as much as 2 or 3 chocolate and cheese filled donuts. Not that I am any different, I am one of the first to grab a samosa, then one for Priyanka.... but then while I wait for a second round of samosas, I do justice to the donuts, pick a glazed one up, and relish it reminiscing the days when that very bite was the best thing in the world....
My first memories of eating a donut was the "Monginis Doughnut" that amma would get. Amma would get it for chai naashta almost every Saturday, on her way back from work.. along with some veg puff pattice/chicken puff pattice.... I would wait with great anticipation....and after finishing off my share of chicken pattices, would relish the doughnut... telling amma how much I love them...
She would often tell stories of her first job, when the doughnut was her favorite snack... a means of celebrating the little joys of life... a commendation by her superiors... a small raise... a totaling error found.... Amma would spend about a rupee a day on traveling and food... The train and bus tickets would cost maybe 50 paise and she would spend the remaining 50 paise on donuts sometimes... it was a great luxury in those days for her... and she would enjoy every bite of that subtly sweetened cream in between the softest of O shaped bread, pretty much my reaction as a kid.
I remember buying donuts as a 10 year old kid... for about Rs. 5 and then later as a college kid for about Rs 8, which was about 16% of my Rs 50 daily allowance. As I've grown up, I have picked up a lot of my parents' traits... cherishing food and using it as a form of celebration...
The donuts we get here in Austin cost between 50 cents and a dollar (about 25-40 INR)... the prices have come a long way for me... but donuts are and always will remain special... One high calorie bite... and I'm that kid again...waiting for my hardworking mom to return from work, on a warm Saturday afternoon. Now can there be any high-enough price for that?
My first memories of eating a donut was the "Monginis Doughnut" that amma would get. Amma would get it for chai naashta almost every Saturday, on her way back from work.. along with some veg puff pattice/chicken puff pattice.... I would wait with great anticipation....and after finishing off my share of chicken pattices, would relish the doughnut... telling amma how much I love them...
She would often tell stories of her first job, when the doughnut was her favorite snack... a means of celebrating the little joys of life... a commendation by her superiors... a small raise... a totaling error found.... Amma would spend about a rupee a day on traveling and food... The train and bus tickets would cost maybe 50 paise and she would spend the remaining 50 paise on donuts sometimes... it was a great luxury in those days for her... and she would enjoy every bite of that subtly sweetened cream in between the softest of O shaped bread, pretty much my reaction as a kid.
I remember buying donuts as a 10 year old kid... for about Rs. 5 and then later as a college kid for about Rs 8, which was about 16% of my Rs 50 daily allowance. As I've grown up, I have picked up a lot of my parents' traits... cherishing food and using it as a form of celebration...
The donuts we get here in Austin cost between 50 cents and a dollar (about 25-40 INR)... the prices have come a long way for me... but donuts are and always will remain special... One high calorie bite... and I'm that kid again...waiting for my hardworking mom to return from work, on a warm Saturday afternoon. Now can there be any high-enough price for that?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Inactivity
Not much to do
Rather haven't done much
Over the last few days
Happens with me
Around the time I take a holiday
The days before and after
Are just filled with inactivity
So I think, is this idling
Due to peace of mind, or contentment
Maybe I have done enough work already
Maybe I'm going too fast and need to rest a bit
Before I go any further
Inhale the temporary serenity
Breathe in and revisit
What I need to do
What I must do
What I want
Strange
But shouldn't all those be the same?
Maybe inactivity and procrastination
Is not so bad
Maybe its the design phase
Before we actually code
Maybe its where the plot
Is put in place
Most of all
It makes me think
From a different perspective
And remind myself
Of my insignificant role
In the scheme of things
That is this universe
And that takes a whole load off
Of me
And makes me happy
In spite of everything
Now isn't that a good thing to have
Maybe that's what they teach you in meditation school
To let go
Or rather to remind you
That you can
Rather haven't done much
Over the last few days
Happens with me
Around the time I take a holiday
The days before and after
Are just filled with inactivity
So I think, is this idling
Due to peace of mind, or contentment
Maybe I have done enough work already
Maybe I'm going too fast and need to rest a bit
Before I go any further
Inhale the temporary serenity
Breathe in and revisit
What I need to do
What I must do
What I want
Strange
But shouldn't all those be the same?
Maybe inactivity and procrastination
Is not so bad
Maybe its the design phase
Before we actually code
Maybe its where the plot
Is put in place
Most of all
It makes me think
From a different perspective
And remind myself
Of my insignificant role
In the scheme of things
That is this universe
And that takes a whole load off
Of me
And makes me happy
In spite of everything
Now isn't that a good thing to have
Maybe that's what they teach you in meditation school
To let go
Or rather to remind you
That you can
Till Kingdom Come
This song is just amazing. Its strange, how many times a song can say exactly what one feels.
Till Kingdom Come
Still my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time
My time has come
Let me in
Unlock the door
I never felt this way before
And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know which way I’ve come
Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears
For you I’ve waited all these years
For you I’d wait till kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
In your tears and in your blood
In your fire and in your flood
I hear you laugh, I heard you sing
I wouldn’t change a single thing
And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummers begin to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know what I’ve become
For you I’d wait till kingdom come
Until my days, my days are done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Coldplay
Till Kingdom Come
Still my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time
My time has come
Let me in
Unlock the door
I never felt this way before
And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know which way I’ve come
Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears
For you I’ve waited all these years
For you I’d wait till kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
In your tears and in your blood
In your fire and in your flood
I hear you laugh, I heard you sing
I wouldn’t change a single thing
And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummers begin to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know what I’ve become
For you I’d wait till kingdom come
Until my days, my days are done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Coldplay
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