Hi Friends,
Its been sometime since i have posted anything and now that i do its to request you all to visit my new venture @ http://www.tia-kuwai.blogspot.com/
Hope to see you all there!
Regards
Gandhi - My Father
Watched a movie after couple of weeks. Gandhi - My Father …its thought provoking. Though it made me think all things wild!
Not sure if it was the hall/screening or its really so dark. The scenes dont blend into one from another but end in a dark screen which stays for about 3 seconds and then the new scene unfolds. I found that a bit annoying after the initial impact.
All the three major characters were very well enacted. The makeup was also pretty cool. The story seemed to be a collection of events, its consists of the major incidents in Harilal’s and Bapu’s life during the span of their life. A touch of stream of consciousness style - a bit jarring for me.
It tells the tale of a young boy who grows up under the shadow of his fathers name, fame and discipline. The young mind rebels, loses focus and ends up getting lost in time.
The few things which struck me in the movie:
Kasturba Gandhi came across as a stronger character than any other…including Gandhi ji.
The children if not given proper attention, time and love grow up into disturbed individuals.
Probably Gandhi ji planned to become the person who he was…as a character in the movie says “he is a politician trying to be a saint”
On the funnier side:
As the movie progressess Gandhi ji kept loosing pieces of clothing!
I wans’t aware previously that Gandhi ji and Kasturba?called each other as “ba” and “bapu” 
Advice to viewers: Go and watch it…worth spending an evening. But remember its a serious movie so better switch off all the singing cell phones.
Posted in My-view.
– August 6, 2007
Anniversary!
Last weekend we celebrated one year of blessed married life
Both of us wanted this day to be special and memorable, wanted this day to be completely different from how we celebrated special ocassions previously in life…so we thought of doing something, which both wished to do but could never realise it.
The day was unusually cool in Chennai with a hint of rain in the sky. Both lazy bums spent the day lazying around and surfing thru the various channels on TV and attending calls from near and dear ones…and ocassionally reminding the forgetful ones of our special day :-p
With the evening growing on us, we started for the place we wanted to be. On the way we picked up some sweets and sharp at 7 reached Anbagam-CSI Home for the Aged. The matron had taken care of the preparations and the dinner had already arrived. A prayer was going on in the church. We spoke to the warden about the people living there till the prayer was over. She told us about the people who made constant donations, arranged for lunch or dinner. She told us stories which brought out tears and we were ashamed of the way children treated their parents.
There was a mother who had two sons, both dutifully came to see her each month…on the day she received her pension! There was another mother whose children came to see her while she was in hospital but didnt bother to pay for her medication or to take her home to care for her. There was another whose son came to pick up her dead body a day after she expired….and so many similar incidents. Almost evey face in the home had a sad story to tell.
However, when we went with the staff to distribute dinner, all the mothers/fathers blessed us with all their heart. Having received so much pain from their children they didnt feel any bitterness for us - who represent the same generation. They accepted us and blessed us and prayed for us as they would for any of their children. It was a very touching evening for both of us.
After coming out of the home we called our parents and spoke to them…an assurance that our heart was full of love and respect for what they have been to our lives…our way of thanking them for being there!
The memory of that evening is etched in our minds forever…we plan to go and meet them again…soon.
Posted in Celebration.
– July 25, 2007
Loo-Logic!
I don’t understand why everyone is so obsessed with the western commode- the one with a ’seat’ and ‘cover’ (lets call it ‘wc’ here)! Whats so great about it anyways?
My office is nine floors tall with 450 people in each floor. There are 7 loo for females on each floor and all have wc. - No idea about the guys side though 
And cleanliness in India at least is questionable. Now of that 450 at least 80 or 100 would be females. Even though some people argue in favour of wc that its good for health/easy to use etc…how is wc more hygenic! Can anyone tell me from which angle? Is hygene not important in loo?
Leave alone office the scene is the same in shopping malls, movie theatres, star or roadside hotels, railway waiting rooms or airport lounges! Well..no idea about the road side public conveyances…anyone? Even the new residential flats with two toilets have wc in each!
What is most interesting is the fact that in almost all the places mentioned above the targetted place of use is often the floor! That of course leaves the wc clean [I have seen this in Taj Lounge in Chennai airport]
Now my question is…why are we obsessed with wc? Is it really good for us? Or its just another blind imitation of the west?
Posted in Thought Gallery.
– July 20, 2007
Aap Ka Suroor aka AKS
This time it was mentally noted that we are going to watch a bad movie with bad actors etc. So firm was that determination that in reality the movie came across as not so bad after all!!
Notwithstanding the various reviews it has got so far, I would still give the movie a fair chance since the actors are all first-timers.
Well, we haven’t seen many great singer-cum-actors in Bollywood- be it Shaan, Sonu or the latest in line HR. So we cant really complain about this guy. The leading lady…well she is pretty…same as Katrina…so why not give Hansika another chance? There is a little fight for the best actor between Mallika Sherawat and Shravan - HR’s sidekick.
So far as the movie is concerned they tried to keep it very close to reality so quite a few of the actors retain their real name. The mystery is nicely woven but sadly falls flat when it unfurls.
HR cracked a couple of jokes on his two most prominant features - nose and cap 
and laughed aloud - must see this part.
Story: I would say a good try in putting the songs together and weaving a story around that. They could have given a little different explanation to the mystery at the end though…Well i have one in mind actually 
Music: some good numbers from HR again but its the usual stuff…but good
Advice to viewers: You can watch it when it is aired on TV.
Question to the makers: What was the mehbooba song for? After showing the undying love for Riya why go dancing with Ruby???
Posted in My-view.
– July 4, 2007
Jhum Barabar Jhum
AB jr in one of the promo interview said ” we had a blast while shooting this and you can see it on screen” — yes we only wish there were a ’blast’ in the real sense of the term and we would have been spared!
Story: could have been…high potential…but didnt materialize
Music: some good numbers from the SEL factory…very much in line with what they have been giving us since sometime
Advice to viewers: Dont watch it when it is “premiered” on TV touted as a blockbuster
Request to Yash Raj Films: Please spare us and make some ‘MOVIE’
And one last question: What was AB sr doing in the film?
Posted in My-view.
– June 28, 2007
Train Vs Flight
cooooo….jhik jhik….the sound brings along desires to run away from the rigmarole to some distant unknown beautiful land and get lost! Coming face to face with reality however, zooming thru the sky makes a lot more sense.
The constant search for ‘more’ time has made fights the best travelling option for many young (and old) professionals who have to balance the puny leaves at work with the wide spectrum of traveling dreams. Add to that the attractive air fares. Travelling in train seems like a royal treat in itself 
Two weeks back we visited Kolkata and after about two years of continuous air travel thought of taking the train. This decision of ours was met with such criticism from all around. A colleague of mine said “what? travelling by train? you will loose four whole days up-down!” friends asked “what time is your flight?” or “which airline are you flying with?” On knowing that we chose to travel by train instead all were surprised!!
However, we started our journey one sat morning. It was the usual hustle bustle at the station. The scene was so familiar. The sounds, the smell everything reminded of the days gone by when traveling in train was luxury!
Thanks to Laloo ji Coromondel express was very neat and tidy and had water throughout the journey. The food was ok…with the chef’s recommended ‘chicken curry’….
On the whole it was a good journey and we reached Kolkata almost on time [late just by 20 mins or so]
Posted in Thought Gallery.
– June 27, 2007
World Music Day - 21st June
Today is world music day!
The entire world celebrates the beauty, strength and power of music together. Music is one language that is understood by one and all anywhere in the world…the physical divides of country or continent falls apart and one united understanding descends.
Let us all salute Music and drench ourselves in its pleasant shower.
Best wishes on this special day…
Posted in Celebration.
– June 21, 2007
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge???
The other day my cousins-in-law came home with their cute little daughter - Gudiya. Gudiya’s dad was singing songs to her, the lyrics of which went something like “when will Gudiya be going to the in-laws place?”
Right after a daughter is born the parents start dreding the day when their loved angel will go away to another house to make it her own. In almost all the societies this is the norm.
When I was much younger and people used to talk to me about my wedding I used to say out loud “I will get a ghar-jamai and be at my home, why should the girl always leave her house”!! But alas I moved out to my in-laws after marriage…Since then I have thought about the statements I used to make and how it never seemed a possibility (even though I refuse to admit it).
Post marriage I have realised that this norm exists in the society because its the woman who are capable of adapting to the changing situations in life. The working woman adapt to the double burden of work and home. The mother adapts to the work load and the kid. The wife adapts to the parents and in-laws. And all this she does with utmost ease as if this is what she has been doing throughout her life!
Men find it extremely difficult to adapt to situations, they cannot feel comfortable at alien situations and take ages to adjust to certain changes.
Probably this is why since ages its the women who are handed out the task of setting up a new world with new people around them.
Posted in Thought Gallery.
– June 4, 2007
FOUND!! Cure for Cold
For a cup of Miracle Tea:-
Ingredients:
1. One cup of water
2. 4-5 black pepper (grounded)
3. half inch ginger (chopped or smashed)
4. 1 tsp honey
5. 2-3 basil leaves (since i didnt have any at home i had skipped it but the tea still worked)
6. 1/4 tsp tea leaves
7. 1 tsp sugar/sweetner (to taste)
Method:
Bring to boil the water and add items 2 till 5. Boil for a minute add 6 and 7.
Drink it hot and feel the relief!!
Posted in KrazyKooking!!.
– May 28, 2007
