My cauldron of creativity

How to travel from Mumbai to Pune

2012-02-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Mumbai- Pune made easy

A visit to a Metro for a new comer is usually a drain on his pockets as he gets repeatedly cheated by Autowallahs and Taxi operators who take him for ride due to the ignorance.

Well, I have travelled to Mumbai several times but never did I have to travel to Lonavala from my city. My plan however will hold good even for Mumbai-Pune travellers.

When you have to visit any place that lies in the area between Pune and Mumbai, the following are the options.

1. If you fly down.

Both Mumbai and Pune have an airport and you can decide upon the connectivity/ work enroute, where you want to land. Suppose you choose to land at Mumbai and Lonavala is where you have to go, then the best means would be as follows:-

Land at Mumbai Domestic Terminal – Take a auto (Rs 25 to be fair) or just walk down from the airport to the Expressway(500m) and catch a transport – Options are Indica, Volvo, Innova – I’d suggest book Volvo online(Neeta/Purple Volvo Price-Rs 300) – The bus will drop you to any place enroute to Pune (ranging from Lonavala to Pune city)

2. If you come my express train.

If you come to Mumbai by an express train and need to go to Lonavala/another place on Pune highway.

Option (a) – If your train is coming via Panvel(outskirts of Mumbai), alight at Panvel and catch a bus to Pune/Lonavala (plenty are available)

Option (b) – If your train’s last station is Kurla/ CST via another route, take a local train from Kurla/CST for Vashi (travel time 20 mins/45 mins). From Vashi station take an auto to Express point (under Vashi Flyover) and catch a Volvo (Neeta/Purple)

-Again workout your timeline and carry out online booking. Online booking is available for the same day.

Note:-

1. If you follow my instructions given above, you’ll reach Pune in an expense not exceeding Rupees 350/- .

2. For more detailed knowledge on Mumbai Locals google Mumbai local and find out more details.

A nymphomaniac's megalomania

2011-12-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dad, remember the night shift
I wouldn't tell you about
My long journey down the lift
my boss and I would make out

We would jump the office hit the pub
fall back at his place after the grub
Footsie followed in the bath tub
we played in water like pigs in mud

I got all my money and the rise
A healthy position for a small price
Fun in the office, a f**k to follow
He usually preferred me to swallow

From a secretary to junior manager in jiffy
I made him go mad like a hippy
I reported late all the time
but got paid till the last dime

My perks as good, my life 5 star
A flat for free and nice long car
All I gave in return was my sorry ass
so what I was called a 'libertine lass'

He passed me around to his pals as well
did I mind to make more loins swell
Debauched were they to do it together
Leaving me wet with all the lather

Chill dear dad, take the Merc n be merry
All I lost for it is my little cherry
I do not under valuate, best bidder gets me
I am still clean, in mud only till the knee

Review of Ghost Protocol MI 4

2011-12-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

Agent Eathen Hunt takes us on glob trotting journey across 4 continents with a stopover at India. It’s non-stop edge of the seat action interspersed with that human touch just enough to make it a notch above super slick and over the top action movies such as ‘Salt’, ‘Red’ and ‘From Paris with Love’. If you liked the 1st edition of this franchise, chances are that this one will win you over as well.

The film follows plot similar to earlier episodes of this franchise wherein it’s all about accomplishing the stated Mission which is delivered to the agents via a module, a cell phone or a random phone booth. In a film, when one knows the brass tacks of the plot, it’s the execution that becomes the moot point and MI-4 doesn’t disappoint on that count.

The sequences are innovative and delightfully filmed. The film is almost flawless till the producers decide to include Mumbai in the plot. The climax has been supposedly shot in India (which I have my doubts on) and it surely doesn’t do justice to the chaos of this country. As an Indian audience, you feel a little fake when multi-story automatic car parking is the host of climatic sequence.

The film’s journey from Budapest to Mumbai via Moscow and Dubai steers clear of unnecessary clutter through slick editing thus keeping it all very simple. Unlike some of the earlier films, a re-run of the plot is exposited by Agent Hunt on couple of occasions. I felt that was a necessity imposed by an Asian audience and thus convey the growing clout of Asia as a market for Hollywood.

The plot is about 5-6 sequences which have each been done in a never-before seen manner. The politics of power has been not even scratched as true to an agent’s world view, it’s the man on field who gets the coverage here and we are spared long speeches or condescending press conference from the White house spokesperson.
Well, I would give the first half of the film, which packs a huge punch 5 star and lower the rating of 4 for the second half where things get a wee bit slower. So the film is 4.5 STARS for me.

Review of 'Real Steel'

2011-10-13T07:16:00.001-07:00

I reluctantly went to watch this one as the trailers almost dare you to dislike it. The story seems far fetched and anachronistic till you set your foot in the hall. But once there, It’s a real revelation. With no ado, the premise of it being set in near future is spelt upfront. There are no gimmicks put in to make it overly sci-fi and you can very much relate to the scenario. The film rightly extrapolates the trajectory that video gaming is likely to take. With that being a futuristic premise, it however at heart remains a tale of emotions, relations, defeat, victory and redemption. It is also an underdog story and delights you with a grounded narrative. Very much watchable 3.5 STARS

Review of 'Saheb Biwi aur Gangster'

2011-10-13T07:15:00.001-07:00

‘Saheb Biwi aur Gangster’ is set in a part of rural Uttar Pradesh, which hangs onto its colonial roots and hence erstwhile title of 'Saheb' has been maintained albeit with waning respect of people.
The male protagonist is less of a Raja and more of a local don, and constantly short of money to maintain his lavish haveli and royal tastes. The local politics and his royal step mother are his only source of income. His wife(Biwi) is confined to her house and has to encumber the overbearing responsibility of the title despite a philandering husband and boring life.

The film is about the Sahib’s scheming enemy planting a mole(Gangster) in his house and the resulting melee which has to do with the gangsters ever increasing ambitions, the Biwi's search for justice and carnal pleasures and Saheb's desire to eke out his lavish lifestyle. The film meanders along unpredictability through fine writing, slick editing and wry humour. It keeps the viewer interested and engages myriad emotions.

Alas, the noir theme and serious tone with only smattering of situational humour will kill this film in the relatively juvenile Bollywood audience. It's a must watch for any cinema lover but for those looking for cheap thrills and laughs, it might disappoint.

Polaroid Sunglasses - The best for me

2011-10-13T07:14:00.001-07:00

Back in 2006, as I began earning a decent salary, I decided that it was time to overcome the perpetual squint that I used to wear on my face since childhood due to the unforgiving Indian Sun. It was time to buy a pair of sunglasses.
I have always believed in deriving value for my money and hence wanted to go for a reputed brand. I checked out the West Side in Spenser Plaza, Chennai which was selling a number of brands of which only two were familiar to me viz. Ray Ban and Polaroid.
While Polaroid couldn’t match up to the glamour quotient of Ray Ban, I had to settle for it due the large price difference. For Rs 3000/- I had a nice looking shade that became a part of my dress code every time I went out. It was tinted brown which made it conducive even in places with mild shade.
My Polaroid has been my loyal buddy since then. Its reddish tint lets me wear it late till the sunset time when it isn’t very bright anymore. Also since it was my first Shade, I took care to ensure that it was absolutely fitting my face and so I never go out without wearing this one. So resplendent and bright is the tropical sun that constant squinting had resulted in crow’s feet around my eyes in my teen years itself. The Polaroid has helped me lose some of them.
Over the years I spent lot of money on fashionable gadgets and mobile phones ranging from Rs 3000 to Rs 20000. Most of those gadgets are obsolete and have already been discarded. When I now look back at that investment of just three grand I made to procure this lovely pair of glasses, I can’t pat myself on the back enough for this decision. It turned out to be one of my best investments.
Over the years, the lens developed few scratches due to mishandling but so perfect is the design and optics that i can still wear it for hours together without any headache.
My respect for Polaroid Company and love for my shades has increased every passing year with the knowledge of its reliability and longevity. When I acquired my car two years ago, I realised that the shades made my life a lot comfortable on the steering wheel. That is when I stopped going out without the Polaroid. Driving around with the glare becomes a lot for tedious and i advise every person owing a car to buy polarised glasses and preferably a Polaroid.
My love for my Polaroid went a few notches up recently after I finally purchased a Ray Ban for 5.5 grand. Buying the Ray Ban was a spur of the moment decision. Invariably I began to compare my two sets of shades. The complete review of the Ray Ban will follow in due course of time but my initial verdict is that Polaroid is surely better as far as the optics and value for money is concerned.
If you want to buy a shade which is reasonably priced with high quality eye protection, go for Polaroid.

Murder 2 - Review

2011-07-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

Murder 2 is a completely new film and has no connection with the previous edition. The film is set in Goa and the climax of the story is a culmination of three angles of the protagonist’s life viz. The death of the agnostic in him, the resurgence of the Policeman cap he had abdicated, and reciprocation of love to a deserving girl - all with this one single Murder.

The film is about an ex-Cop turned drug racketeer, who gets embroiled in a case of missing call girls and for once the mercenary in him is replaced by the Human being, as he goes about trying to undo an inadvertent blunder.

The good thing about the movie is attention to details, underplaying the sex scenes and most importantly treating human life in a egalitarian way. The film carefully avoids becoming a happy ending film where the hero saves the day for his loved ones despite the rest of the world falling apart. Thus the film becomes more than just the story of one man’s happiness. It reflects the contemporary world without sounding preachy.

The violence makes you cringe as it should and the seriousness of the plot ever gets ludicrous. While the ending surely has been lifted out of a Brad Pitt starrer, the overall treatment of the film is for a mature audience. Surely worth a watch.

Lethargic bent- The Govt. Servant

2011-06-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

Everyday I wake up with energy anew
I begin my day with a positive hue
My mornings are fresh like the wet dew
The vision so clear and problems are few

As the day goes on, I tend to slow down
The smile soon replaced by an ugly frown
The work is not what bites me the most
It is to the ‘lethargy bug’ that become the host

The tea-break at best, a whiff of air
as the zest is by now a historical affair
The heavy lunch is the last nail on coffin
as sincerity is soon a matter for laughing

Post lunch, I hit the bench post-haste
and a nap to follow, some time to waste
The afternoon roll-call now plays in my dream
and work is best a swim upstream

My eyes on the clock wait for it to tick away
as occasionally with slumber my head sways
The timers are set on the clock and the phone
My batteries charge up on the alarm ring-tone

The thoughts of home turn me on
And the evening soiree I have to storm
I wonder where this new energy came from
As I throb in the lights and dance to the drum

Strange Weather in Vizag

2011-05-19T21:38:00.000-07:00

Strange Weather in Vizag

It has been sweltering for the past couple of weeks. And any outdoor activity in such weather almost soaks you bone-dry of your energy. I am sure that whosoever came up with the saying, "The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war" didn't exactly cater for Indian weather. One doesn't actually have to move his lazy arse to sweat in this country, if he can't afford an AC.

Well,this morning held a surprise for me. Having shifted to Vizag recently, my body clock is still adjusting to the early sun rise and day break. I have begun waking up at 7AM which is at least 45 minutes before my time in mumbai. Now for the uniniated mumbai is about 10-12 deg west of vizag. The earth moves a degree in 4 minutes. 12 degree west means that the sun rises about 48 minutes later in mumbai.

So I have pretty much adjusted my body clock to the new city. So when I woke up at 7.30 and expected the sun to be brightly shining on my face from the east facing window, it wasn't the case. IN fact, it seemed all dark. I walked up the window to double check if I had not slept less or it wasn't a dream. The visage outside was dystopic, gloomy clouds covered the otherwise uncomfortably bright sky and it could have passed off as late twilight hour. Closer view revealed, low height clouds billowing at about 200 feet. When I stepped outside to feel this unique weather, it dawned on me that this was no hill station weather as soon my eyes began to hurt from the iron ore, sulphur and smoke that was part of the flow. At the horizon, I could see the heaps of coal dust ready for shipping, being blown away by the non-seasonal wind.

It was bitter sweet feeling as the heat had been beaten but the dust would soon corrode every metallic object in the undulating landscape of city on the east coast. So much for development in the sunshine city!

Program on NDTV Imagine/Zoom tv

2011-04-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Talk about blatant lies on national television? You need to go no further than two of popular TV channels (NDTV Imagine and ZOOM). Come 11 Pm and both the channels air a program(the name of which is unclear) in which a picture is flashed on screen and viewers are asked to call an 8 digit number flashing below to win large sums of money. So far it all appears innocuous and healthy way to quiz people and generate some revenue. The real extent of the wanton act of cheating that the channels are indulging in is apparent if a sane headed man spends few minutes watching the program or is lured into the trap(as i was the 1st time). Now, there are two good looking anchors exhorting you to pick up the mobile phone and call the number and win insane amount of money easily as the puzzle which is usually a combination of two famous actors morphed together is solvable even by a blind man. The anchors receive calls every few minutes and to my surprise, the caller gives most ludicrous of replies but never the right one. I for one was curious to know as to what this was all about and hence called the number. When you call the number, you are put on hold while a recorded voice keeps saying that you are lucky and you are on wait. I waited for over three minutes but to no avail and then decided to disconnect. I was shocked when I received a message from the mobile service provider that Rs 36/- had been deducted from my account. I was stupefied. I didn't make an ISD call, did I? Then I saw the fine print on the TV screen which in the tiniest of fonts says, that special call rates apply here which is Rs 12/- per min. I felt cheated and upset in the way I was. I decided to watch the program intently and find out if there was any truth in it at all. The following emerged:- 1. The caller never gives the right answer despite it being as clear as elbow and the Anchor’s arse. 2. The exhortations of anchors are so shallow and you can almost read on their faces that they are lying through their teeth. 3. The callers who supposedly get though, I believe are fakes as they never have TV background disturbing their calls and are never surprised to have got through. 4. In essence, the modus-operandi of the channel is to fool the viewer into making the expensive call and thus make a killing. 5. The correct answer is always found by a viewer calling at the end of the program. But it's a call as brief as it can be and no details of the viewer/winner are announced. Clearly, like everything else about the program, this is stage-managed too. In our country there is no dearth of first time viewers who are lured into the trap of making the call without reading the subtext being flashed intermittently that keeps them legally safe. So the onus of preventing such blatant acts of cheating should rest with the govt which should audit such malfeasance periodically. My advice, avoid these programs/channels by a mile.

Review of 'Tanu weds Manu'

2011-03-22T18:43:00.001-07:00

‘Tanu weds Manu’ marks the resurgence of smaller production houses. The film also, akin to 7KM, a film essentially around the central character of a woman played by Kangana Ranaut. I am greatly pleased to see the small town hogging the centre stage in many of recent films, most of which have done well. This in essence marks the resurgence of the middle India in the collective psyche and the growing self-confidence in all of us to accept who we essentially are.
Without digressing any further and revealing no plot here, the film is about how the leading lady, who is facetious with the idea of love and sex and carries no baggage of middle class morality, gets embroiled in a two way love. The denouement of the plot is the reasonably gripping resolution of the triangle in the end.
The movie is set in tier III India and moves from one small town in UP to another in Punjab. Refreshingly, there's no superficial gloss of typical bollywood while portraying middle class households and the mood is conveyed without embarrassing the audience with any overdone scene. While the character of eastern Uttar Pradesh has been toned down and Punjab has been only barely touched, the canvas on which the film is played is detailed. The editing is slick and movie in the first half is fast paced.
The film as several critiques have pointed out, does give one a sense of deja-vu with some of the recent bollywood films. But the way the smaller roles in the film have been played salvage the film and keep it floating. It’s worth a watch.

Review of 'Ong Bak 3'

2011-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

The film is releasing today and the viewer should be prepared to expect the unexpected. I watched the DVD version last year and the film could be summarised in four words- Anachronistic, Bemusing, Convoluted and Disjointed. I was emotionally let down by this trash in form of his disasterous third edition from Tony Jaa. While the first one had prosaic production values, it charmed the viewer with the sheer novelty of the fight sequences and stunts along with the underdog storyline. The second edition buttressed the production values a little bit and maintained the fantastic fights with the best fight sequence i have ever seen during the finale. The third edition of Ong Bak almost damages the reputation of this franchise. I hope we do get to see Ong Bak 4 as a redemption for Tony Jaa and entertainment at it's vintage best for the viewer.

Review of 'Dil toh Bachcha hai ji'

2011-03-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

We all know that Madhur Bhandarkar is a creative genius when it comes to exposing the underbelly of urban society with deft display of irony with a dash of sly humour, which has come to become his trademark over the years. What we didn’t know is that he had the capability to extend himself to the comedy genre.

‘Dil to bachha hai ji’ is a departure from the mindless comedy that has become the USP of most bollywood directors. While it does remain a comedy, it does not ask you to leave your thinking cap at home. The film explores the range of man-woman relationships that mark modern urban existence and presents them in this film with three relatively extreme cases in point.

The film meanders along with the three concomitant stories and tries to relate them with the one word; love, and a common house. There are plenty of risqué and humorous moments along the way, many of which appear natural and hence make it a sit-com rather than a slapstick affair.

Marked by good performances by most of the actors, supported by crisp writing and barring the one odd inconsistency, the film appears credible and well worth the money. The even distribution of screen time between the actors and the one odd hummable tune keep up the tempo and make it a funny film. 3.5 STARS

Review of 'Dhobi Ghat'

2011-03-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Having read the mixed bag of reviews of this film, I had decided to give it a miss. But Aamir had ensured that no other big releases affected chances of his better half's magnum opus and hence I had to grudgingly make it to watch this one.

Right from the outset as the credits rolled in, the movie painted itself with a poignant palette creating a fresh fresco. The parallel stories began scene after scene to stitch themselves in a telling manner as the film progressed. The characters while could have been etched better, still grow on you and soon one is absorbed in the film enough to overlook the shortfalls and be consumed by the brilliance of their screen presence.

Calling the movie subtle would be stating the obvious. The film is another in the numerous odes that the city of Mumbai has received. However, the film does that without being loud or overly partisan in its portrayal of the grime and grit of the metropolis. Technically flawless, the film plays itself out like a slow and painful melody that just manages to touch your heart. For me, it's a 4 STAR effort.

Review of '127 Hours'

2011-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Reputation clearly seems to have preceded Danny Boyle at the Oscars with his ‘127 hours’ receiving four* nominations including the best actor. The film about a real life adventurer’s survival tale has been suitably humanised to avoid making it another episode of ‘Man vs Wild’.

Reality Tv and Adventure channels where the situation, however untamed, is often controlled and hence gives one the comforting knowledge that all is going to be well. The film is a departure from the stage-managed precision of these TV shows. It gets into the head of the penitent adventurer when he battles weather, fatigue and reflects upon his life’s follies as a gloomy end stares back at him from the craggy creeks.

The first half of the film gets where it is aimed at; giving the viewer the creeps, but the second half has moments of humour that are protracted a wee bit and hence let the audience heave a sigh of relief, something that has the unintended effect of driving them back into the comfort of their seats. The gory ending might be discomforting to some. The music by AR Rahman is largely on mark but some of the scenes would have been better off without music to make the setting chillingly real. Over all an outdoor adventure, that keeps the adrenalin pumping. 4.0 STARS

The Ailing Male- A tribute to brave parents

2011-03-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hale and hearty he is born
the title of heir he does adorn
the Indian male is a prince at berth
his gender decides his perceived worth

Fed well and tended by one and all
A deluge of nannies at his every call
He’s the apple of everyone's eye
and so he remains till the day he dies

Fortunes set aside, to succour him in need
treated like a darling even if he's a weed
Getting undue credit for his every pull
He’s the glass that’s always half-full

The breadwinner according to social norms
the shape of family, on him it forms
Domestic life soon plays before him
the social vortex repeats the story grim

Having a baby-girl here comes at a price
and hence for a Boy, he goes for the vice
Sucked into the circle where he got his life
for a male heir, he commits a foeticide

Another male, hale and hearty is born
Slow and steady, the social fabric is torn
His inequity with this oft repeated tale
I prefer to call him the 'ailing male'

©amit Khanduri

Antithesis – The two cities

2011-03-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

Our neat city is dotted by eyesores
Slums adjacent to the golf course
With dust covering their every pore
they come hankering to every door

The rag picker, cleaner and the mason
The hoards of urchins at the station
Systematically killing this global centre
every day in thousands this city they enter

Wish we could clean up this mess
this city would do better with some people less
Root of all crimes, they symbolise pettiness
Behaving just the way they tend to dress

****
Save your rupee, not for me
for I work for the smallest fee
Dust on my face and my hands muddy
I live in the hutment by the scree

My wage is only worth your new bag
your new suit can buy me several rags
yet I see you haggle even for the national flag
while spending a fortune for a shag?

I am ashamed to see you denounce
the ragpicker when he cheats you an ounce
your morality to him you announce
and preach him the honesty that counts?

****
Country rat or the randy savage
working here for a pittance wage
Cloistered in his dirty cage
Shouldn’t his life turn a new page?

He deserves a timely raise
and needs to overcome this phase
Earn in his country his rightful place
before this jury thus, I put-up his case

in his own country yet is in alien lands
building the city with his bare hands
Away from home, he trundles on
awaiting a new life and a new dawn

Review of '7 Khoon Maaf'

2011-03-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Vishal Bhardwaj has for sure made a mark in the mind of the average movie goer with his unique cinematic brilliance. His works are all pieces of art and he is in a way a national treasure. The latest offering from his coveted stable is a screen adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s book, Sussana’s seven husbands. The film turns out to be another unputdownable offering.

Ruskin Bond, a Briton and an indophile has won our hearts with his unique perspective and storytelling ability but all that remains of him in my mind is faint memory of the telling effect his stories used to have when I was a child. Adapting a book from almost half a century ago to fit to contemporary times will inevitably call for some creative liberties to avoid becoming an anachronism.

7 Khoon Maaf, as promos clearly reveal, is a story about a woman and her seven husbands and how she gets rid of them. The levity in the story ends just there- in the title. The film is a portrayal of the excesses a woman, Sussana, faces from her several husbands in her adult life- a period spanning almost three decades. The film is in more ways than one is Priyanka Chopra’s apotheosis as an actor. She does live up to her credo and delivers a power packed performance. The story is dark predominantly and unhurried at places, which often gets disconcerting and towards the end one almost wishes it ended sooner as it merely becomes a case of proving a point. It wouldn’t have made a difference if it were ‘4 Khoon Maaf’. This is essentially the film’s undoing, wherein the end becomes inconsequential.

The film is a technical masterpiece. The director gets the historical facts and feel of the period bang on. The characters are several and the director does complete justice to all of them. It is sheer delight to watch the Hunky John turn into a famished drug junkie. The paradox in the personalities of Irrfan khan and Nassuridin Shah send a chuckle or two before they turn painful. Niel Nitin Mukesh as Army officer does well and the polyglot Russian spy is cast perfectly.

In essence, the film is a display of cinematic brilliance that Indian directors are capable of. The film while perfect on technical counts does get tedious and hence remains a work of art. And no one says art is always entertaining. The film shall not leave my memory for a long time and shall set new bench marks in technical departments of cinema making. Worth a watch for its production qualities.

Review of 'Phas Gaye re Obama'

2011-03-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

PGRO is well written, well executed, intelligent comedy. It is a light hearted take on Underworld and 'business' of extortion rife in rural Hindi heartland. The composition makes for an intelligent comedy by bringing an NRI into the equation thus making the multiplex audience relate to the plot as well. The characters are consistent and variegated thus making it a wholesome ploy. The gamut of characters range from a illiterate thug to the state ministry. They are well etched and backed by good research. The film cleverly avoids showing gory scenes while retaining the local lingo and thus lending credence to the plot. The comedy is situational rather than slapstick. It's a pleasant departure from the glossy slapstick fare that is served with unwelcome regularity by the industry. Over all, a good film. 4 STAR

The dead Flyer

2011-02-05T00:38:00.001-08:00

Manning our 'Birds', day and night
Risking it all, in every flight
Armed with wings made of gold
shining now is that star in the night

Men who flew, flew far and wide
Men who flew, did that with pride
In peace and war, they made us proud
and made us cry, when they died

Review of SANCTUM

2011-02-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

3D has become such a clichéd feature these days that I had decided to give every 3D film a miss, primarily due to the manner in which the technology is used purely as a tool to accessorize the film rather than really add any cinematic value to it. But when it’s the iconic James Cameroon who’s involved in a project, could I say no.

First of all, a film about diving can only be appreciated by a layman, if a brief introduction is given about the entire process. Despite being familiar with diving, I found the initial part of the film difficult to follow due to the needlessly cheeky dialogues and lack of emphasis on essential exposition.

The 3D feature is well used in several sections in the film and one is exposed to the world of cave diving and the dangers involved therein. But when a film is supposed to celebrate human spirit and endurance, it should be more than just a one dimensional visual spectacle. This is where the film loses out. The characters are sketchy and behave in strange whimsical manner. You could have well been playing a 3D video game or watching a B grade action affair, as often key moments in the film are bereft of any real emotion. There is little empathy one feels for the cast when they are faced with life and death situations. The moments that give you the creep come far and few between. The chemistry between the various actors seems as shallow as the story itself.

In the end, one leaves the theatre with not one enduring memory of this rather emotionally bland affair. This is accentuated when one compares it to a similar film on outdoors, 127 hours, released two weeks ago. 3.0 STARS

Review of 'Dil to Bachcha hai ji'

2011-01-31T02:47:00.000-08:00

Review of the movie '127 Hours'

2011-01-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

Review of Dhobi Ghat(Mumbai dairies)

2011-01-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

Udaan-Review

2010-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

I watched Udaan yesterday was touched by the brilliance of this film. The film is technically sound and absolutely honest with the plot. The actors do a brilliant job bringing home remarkably consistent performances. Movies like Udaan make me wonder, when will we Indians get over the over prized, over hyped stars and promote beautiful works like Udaan. I had a mixture of mild smile and explicable tension though out the film as the unpredictable narrative meandered beautifully to a heartwarming and unprecedented finale. Kudos to team Udaan.

Vote for a Change

2009-04-10T22:59:00.001-07:00

Vote for a Change

Righteousness based on what is fake
Forcing you till you can't anymore take
You wished you turned back into an ape
For the beginners, that's Indian red tape

Country's scourge, a community's bake
All for the social animal's sake
Hope like an islet between a lake
i give you on it my humble take

This is a call for you to awake
All for you mate! For your sake
Hard for one, where ever you rake
No easy answer this, not a easy cake

Scrap it, with every push a new flake
Expose the rot, shine the strake
Whatever you do, what ever you make
Don’t for once think my effort is fake

Serpentine queues, a lifelong wait
Underhand deals, the commonest bait
Democracy came to us quite late
It is now ours and it's our fate

The protectors we have come to hate
They fleece us at every gate
We run in circles for our date
Be it the court or for the tax rebate

A ray of hope, a form to create
To find in crowd, a noble prelate
He is answer to the debate
A rejoinder to the puzzle first rate

That’s me you should choose to quote
I am your man and i need your vote
Repeat with me, Amit should be your rote
I will uphold promises, the crowd I’ll dote

The future's bright with me, it’s not a tote
I’ll rule just, and save this sinking boat
i am after egalitarianism, not the note
All I ask from you simpletons is a small little vote

I’ll be the leader you ask me to be
That all ends well, a promise I shall see
He who vouches for me, my friend he'll be
And who doesn’t my wrath he shall see

The Voting lines are open in 5 ,4, 3, 2, 1, 0 secs…..Call now!

Should Indian women be allowed in combat roles in Military?

2009-01-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

A touchy issue.

A 'No' would have the pseudo feminists in arms while a 'Yes' would burden the vast majority of women who wouldn't even know of this debate brewing with the onerous task of living up to the impractical demands of a Military combat job.

So i would go on to state the reason for my NO. I would be talking about my country's armed forces and not US's. Ours is a developing country with ethos entrenched in cryptic corners of our minds and weather one likes it or not, the men folk here end up looking at the women with gaze that's a mixture of condescending and lecherous designs.

I speak here about the very highly educated who hold the reigns of higher echelons and not the undereducated Man of the ranks. And the situations as you would guess gets worse as the dealings get murkier in the quagmire of ground level situations.

While i do believe that there exist women out there who can put the fittest of men to shame with their level of fitness, such cases are far and few between and are merely exceptions rather than the rule. And mind you, being a fit women doesn't immunise her from the meaningful gazes she has to learn living with to earn a living.

Well, gloomy as it may sound, It's as true as the hypocrite in you wanting to peg me down for my rather politically incorrect view.

(AS posted in another blog)

has your life changed post Mumbai attacks?

2008-12-20T06:22:00.000-08:00

Being a part of the security agencies and a non mumbaikar does provide me with another perspective.
Life surely hasn't changed as much as it ought to have. The public outrage while unprecedented, has lacked adequate focus despite the efforts of the few TV news channels we have, who have gone out of their way to propagate public outrage at the cost of being viewed as subjective.
The reason we have all given such attention to the Mumbai terror attack is because it has happened at the doorsteps of the country's elite. It has affected the best in the business and hit the dream city which also has a small place in every Indian's heart.
I hope this attack is a wake up call for all of us in the administration and security agencies. It ought to rouse our self centered politicians and amalgamate this nation of over a billion into a force to reckon with.
We ask for change. And the best place to begin it will be at one's own level. can we sustain the movement. Can we question our own actions. In the continuum of hectic life will we take time out for introspection. These are the pillars of change-a positive one, that our country needs and can have.
I beseech all muslims to consider themselves Indians first and muslims second like i ask all hindus to call themselves Indians first. The terrorists wanted India to target their own muslims and that should set things straight to all the naive and gullible youth.
I hope we all rise and shine.
Amen.

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN- REVIEW

2008-09-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

I have always liked Adam sandler movies. He has a innocence about him that is only rivalled by his comic timing. Detractors might point out his relatively modest budgets and limited cast. The promos got me to the theater on a weekend and alone.

The film is about Zohan, a unbelievably gifted Israeli solider, with immense physical strength (The special effects are good). He is bored with the unending low intensity operations that he has been carrying out for the Army and wants to follow his dream of becoming a hair dresser in America.

The movie is about how he fools army into believing he is dead, leaves for America and his making it big in America- in his own inmitable ways. The film is laced with lots of sex jokes, ribaldry of the highest order, pokes fun at the Arab Israeli dynamics and then puts it in perspective with them being similer immigrants in America. While the film seems to play on a simplistic solution to a very complex problem, it makes a hilarious proposition to moviegoers. If you are a woman, be willing to shed some delicacy back home and come prepared for some in your face crude gimmicks.

CAUTION: Middle aged women are goign to laugh their guts out, so wear a garb to hide your identity.

WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR -Review

2008-09-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

Pardon me for any oversights that might occur by virtue of my having watched the movie over seven days back. The tickets were bought by a friend of mine and i did manage to reach just in time for the show. The knowledge that the film is by Shyam Benegal did surprise me. The narrative is through the eyes of a villager who completed his education before returning to the village. No, he did not get educated in some swanky college of Mumbai but a near by town in the hindi heartland. The language has a tinge of bhojpuri but makes perspicuous understanding. The first half of movie is entirely about weaving the pastoral lifestyle and the rustic ways of indian villages. A love story or two take birth with the depravity of changing social mores contributing to their hues. The sequences almost seems repetitive and one almost wants to jump into a break. And it does happen.
The second half gets more intense with political rallying, a murder here, a heart break there, some sacrifice and then it heads towards a relatively unimpressive ending.
I expected more from the film but having said that the film is dotted with some flawless performances most notably being the role of Shreyas Talpade. Every one else contributes well enough. watch the movie if you have nothing else to do on the weekend.

Stinking 'Sreedhar Theatre'

2008-09-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

I am not too much of a historian. Nor am I a social scientist or someone with a degree in demographic and social studies. But I do take the credit for having a cosmopolitan view by virtue of having spent most of my younger days in south India despite being from far reaches of the young fold Himalayas.

Kerala has been a place with tremendous ironies for me. While I admire the cavernous houses for their spaciousness, the unique greenery of this state that evinces awe and envy to an outsider, I am also put off by the overly irascible demeanour of the shopkeepers here. I have been to several small restaurants and found them to be very neat and clean. The tinted glass doors and the stainless steel paraphernalia of the kitchen are as inviting as poker faced waiters are uninviting. It however is, in many way, a welcome change from what we are treated in most parts of the rest of the country. It is this fact that has forced me to write about the piteous state of the Sreedhar theatre in Cochin.

Cochin is the biggest city of Kerala and poised to become a tier II IT hub in the near future. Real estate prices are sky rocketing to dizzying heights as is the urban landscape of this city with high rises along the Cochin channel. This scenario makes the absence of a multiplex that much more pronounced. I wonder where all the keralites go to entertain themselves. While it is not unusual to see the higher end luxury cars frequent the roads of this city I am often forced to mull over the supposed destinations these belles attired in gracious sequins.

Now with out digressing any further, I would like to stake my claim for the crux of the matter here. I was out the other day to see a movie at the famous Sreedhar theatre which is situated at a prime location of the city next to the famous GCDA complex. While getting a ticket was not too difficult, the random way of allotting seats in the theatre did surprise me to no end. I found a couple of the couples in fact lying to people about the seats next to them saying that their friends were expected which in fact never happened till the end. I have watched movies in much smaller towns and much less civilized areas but never have I come across such organised chaos as was being displayed at what is arguably Cochin’s best theatre. Well, the worst was yet to come.

As the movie interrupted for a godsend break and I found my way to the toilet to relieve myself, it turned out my date with a horror of a bathroom. The stench welcomed me over twenty yards away and as I went closer the urge to pee seemed to subside in the fetid milieu. It truly was a toilet that should make any well meaning malyali put his head down in shame. If there was a foreigner in the theatre that day, I would have turned red with embarrassment. I am sure this in not the kind of toilets that we would like to see in the ‘God’s own land’. The kind of people who visit this theatre often drive in Pajeros and Skodas to the tiny parking space that exists outside it. A look around the ticketing area and you would spot at least a dozen millionaires. The people who come often come sporting ‘Police’ glasses and attired in luxury brands. And this is what they put up with.

How much does it cost to build good toilet in the land where the numbers of cars on road exceeds the number of two wheelers? Would it mean an increase in ticket prices by five rupees? So be it. Show me the toilet of the house I want to rent and I will know how the rest of the house is likely to look.

I am terribly disappointed with the governance of the Sreedhar theatre and the average Cochin Movie goer. I wish communism meant more the just strikes and bandhs. I have known malyalis for their pride and self respect. This toilet seems to tell me the other side of the story.

PS: I have steered clear of other topics such as Crowd behaviour in the theatre

Review of the Film "Rock On(Hindi)”

2008-09-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

Cast: Farhan Akhatar, Arjun Rampal among others

Co Directed and produced by Farhan Akhatar

The film begins with a Hinglish rock song and begins creating the picture the director envisaged. The opening scene is well crafted. As the film progresses we come to know of lives that four men who seem to be socio-economically apart but are on a similar plane as far as their personal lives are concerned. While one is living a limited marriage, another is living on his wife's pay, the third is inefficient at his father’s enterprise while the fourth is doing nothing and seems to be in the most unenviable state. Two of the four are married and one has a kid as well. The film creates two parallel sequence of events which are temporally 10 years apart. While the style is catchy, the plot gets slow as the film approaches the one hour mark. From then on, the movie gets slower and the whiff of freshness that it began with, begins to wear away and you suddenly are looking forward to the intermission.

The film picks up pace in the second half as the reviews that got me to the theatre seem to vindicate themselves. The ensuing hour manages to snatch back a lot of grace. Almost all the scenes are flawless; the one that seems out of place is where Mascaranes and co hop across Mumbai in half a minute.

Do go for the movie, if you like good individual performances and flowing screenplay. But avoid it if you are looking for a gung ho, upbeat party time movie. This one's more intense that you would have thought.

Kudos to all the actors for a good job done.

The message is loud and clear- CHINA's OLYMPICS

2008-08-30T04:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,Having read your views, I thought i should express mine as well. First of all, I must tell you that I am an Indian and we as indians look at the chinese with suspicion. They have given us a bloody nose in the war of 1962 and we can never forget that. Now this background should lend credibility what i am about to say.In the past few years, China , as a subject of my intrest has amazed me to no end. I have been a staunch critique in public while have privately admired them. But all that has changed now. I have come to respect the chinese as a race, as people , and as human beings for their pride, for their dedication and their commitment. If i were to wager today as to who would rule to world 50 years hence, I would emphatically say, if it has to be someone, it would be China. They have been steadfast and at the same time adapatable. Their foriegn policies have been subject to widespread criticism but that too would die down nice and slow as China grows from strength to strength. The hyper critical western media doesn't even realise that the might of China is not the present, It is the future itself. The grandiose opening ceremony was a message to the entire world, that China has arrived. The grandeur and pomp of that evening could bring a dead man alive, It sure sent a chill down my spine. The military precision that was a hallmark of each of their activity was a showcase that shall be unmatched for it's human element. The months of training and sweat and blood that went into making that flawless show can evince nothing but admiration from a perverse critic. The smiles on the faces of the people who performed was a sign of the change that China wants the world to see and also was a subtle way to calm the nerves of all the military thinkers worldwide.It was perfection at it's very best. It was symbolism that was well made use of. It was a sign to things to come. It was China all the way. The Medal tally was only a translation of their message so that all your simpletons can read it clearly as I have.
Thank You. amit2992@yahoo.com (as posted in another blog)

My frustration..

2008-08-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

The most frustrating thing for me is the knowledge that I am a part of a country that has bred ignorance, bigotry and hypocrisy. I am frustrated by the fact that our rulers are the worst leaders this country ever had. I am despondent at the knowledge that we elect as our representatives, people who can buy, sell and kill to get there.

I am frustrated at the thought that I am tiny drop in this ocean of ever growing humanity that symbolizes nothing more than lack of planning and bereavement of the will to work at the highest level.

I am deeply pained at the knowledge that so many of our sons and daughters have bled at our borders to protect us from outsiders while the worst of evil rules us from our very own Vidhan sabhas.

It frustrates me to think that, as we, the lucky and suave deliberate here for no rime or reason in a forum that shall have nothing to do with our nation, there is a man out there in the dark knee deep in his trench, keeping a vigil, there is woman out there who is doing the late shift with the worry that she has to get back safely to her house with a narrow alley on the way to cross, that there is a man out there working hard unconcerned of supervision and working for his pride.

It frustrates me to know that a nation of over a billion doesn't have the spine to stand up put a claim for a medal at the most of noble of duels..on the sports field.

The awareness that I am born in a race that excels at nothing but pulling each other down, a race that can do no good to itself or the world, a race of people who have no regard for basic humane principle of work ethics, a race that is prudish in public and prurient in private, a race that is weak physically and deranged mentally and a race that in unwilling to look in the mirror and call spade a spade frustrates me to no end.

The walk

2008-07-12T06:58:00.001-07:00

As pregnant clouds loom above
I hope they are filled with love
I march ahead to the beats
To a place where the sky and earth meet

Sounds of birds, music to my ears
A pat on the back, admiration from peers
These are the thoughts that float in my mind
Soaking in sweat, a product of the grind

Of the millions of them made worldwide
Stacked a few are in the pack on my side
Each of them created to fight of my safety
In a hope that the enemy doesn’t have one for me

Every step I take in the walk ahead
Takes me closer to the goal at the end
Yet, I am as good as I was then
A part of the crowd I was when

I walk and I walk, aware and alert
Fighting the bushes, clearing the dirt
The long trudge is for my cup of gold
The paradise beyond the horizon, I am told

My experience on the Volvo-10 Jun 08

2008-06-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Volvo bus is a monster of the road. it is the veritable tiger of the Indian road. The other buses with similar build albeit of far inferior material and finish seem clones from a different era. It seems to be the Sachin Tendulkar of the roads while the other vehicles seem a school boys’ cricket team. It devours every vehicle in a jiffy. The effortless ease with which it accelerates leaving behind not only the Tatas and Marutis but also the Hondas and Toyotas is a sight to behold.

As it bides its time behind a slower vehicle to avoid the oncoming traffic on a narrow road, it resembles a tiger ready to pounce on a rabbit. The effortless ease with which it accelerates past the vanquished is a sight to behold. The overtaking is more like a Pulsar overtaking a TVS 50 or a more apt comparison would be a Hayabusa taking on a Pulsar, only in this case with out breaking a sweat. It's amazing to see a bus with such incredible power yet such noiseless demeanour. The only time it seems to make a wee bit of ruffle is when it breaks to stop. Such is the magnificence of the air suspension that the bus on stopping swings like a pendulum with series of dampening oscillations thus ensuring complete comfort to the passenger.

The passengers inside are supremely comfortable. This is taking luxury to new heights. Others on the road only watch in awe as this monster takes on the shameful Indian roads. Such is the comfort level of the driver that he streaks past the traffic with ridiculous ease. The bumpy road can make all but a little ruffle in a faint corner of the driver's mind as he can seldom feel any of those unruly undulations. This is really the cutting edge of bus technology

The bus has been furnished with 44 world class seats which can be reclined. It has a plasma TV snugly fitted and two light screens avoid any back scatter to disturb the driver. The seats are a wee bit closer and I suspect that it's an Indian custom made design and hence the sleeping comfort is slightly suspect. There exists ample space for the baggage underneath the passenger cabin. The elevated passenger cabin results in expedient space for luggage which also contributed to the overall stability of the bus. There also exists a sun roof in the centreline alley and would double as an escape hatch should this incredible controllable, remarkably cutting edge and amazingly safe machine suffer the misfortune of an accident.

This bus takes the on road experience to another plane. Come on all you friends, you are invited to the party.

My good Angel

2008-04-17T13:48:00.002-07:00

The world was a very sad place
Covered with darkness, laced with haze
A hideous beast with an abominable face
The nightmare of every hermit, every sage

The worried gods looked to earth and said
A hell I have made, all gory and red
It reeks of fear and emanates dread
With every man baying for anothers head

The gods had to atone for the blunder done
For million misguided they had a blessed one
Spread they were evenly in earthly crowd
To guide the unholy, palliate the proud

Simple their outlook, Humility their strength
Whatever their talent, they displayed only one tenth
Smile they do, despite odds in an ominous stack
They make up by attitude, by strength what they lack

Destined I was to find one such resplendent gem
Beautiful in the skin she was a creme da la creme
A picture of simplicity, she embodied so much love
Impossible to forget her I remember her even now

In her presence she was a harbinger of light
She came, she conquered, and her every action was upright
Her absence left memories and a humongous void
Mind is a dizzy, Heart sunk and life was devoid

Time was the healer which saved me
Her memories pulled me, mired I was till the knee
A word or two from her have resuscitated life
The smiles are returning as ends the strife

..I should have been dead yesterday..

2008-04-17T13:48:00.001-07:00

Lived my way, I paid no heed
Unsolicited advices from others!
I chose to do my deed
Notwithstanding advices from brothers

Rashness has been and will be
my way it shall, come what may
A heady cocktail, yes that's me
Choosing the path were the dangers lay

I trust at will the distrust on anvil
I see no end before I make the plunge
My gut rules even when the time is still
Fear is my asset for it makes me lunge

My highs are brief, foretell they doom
I foresee the future and yet am on the move
My ebbs as brief, before I see the loom
My faith is back before I ever begin to rue

In a moment of truth, to enemy I gave the gun
Cold feel on my temple had quite a different say
From false bravery, cowardice I went to shun
Now I realise, I could have been dead yesterday

© Amit Khanduri Mar 2008

Imperfect

2008-04-17T13:47:00.001-07:00

Slitty eyes, nose that beaks
Uncontrollable hair begging tweaks
Brows pronounced and a nasal twinge
Longish fingers looking like syringe

Cindy with a difference, mole on the sole
Teeth displaced, like football goals
Ears imperfect, growing like leaves
Breasts that only get seen on a heave

Hands with muscles that just show up
A profile that's a guy's with out the cups
Gait a mixture of trot and tease
Passing year adding to my skin another crease

I am sad that am far from perfect
I have every flaw conceivable, every defect
God take me out of this hell
Where only the best products sell

Please listen to my humble plea
I do not even date the reflection of me
Every passing day I sink into deeper abyss
As around I see beautiful people in bliss

The god appeared to her heart rending appeal
With her he struck the favourable deal
He gave her ‘beauty’ to her hearts desire
Lifted her from the sadness of her quagmire

Smiles returned to her, her ‘beauty’ the talk of the town
Her hair golden and milky skin she tanned to brown
Hazel her eyes playing foil to gleaming lips
Hourglass her shape with breast complementing hips

Men came drooling, like bees to a flower
Each one with singular aim, to be her lover
Women turned green at sight of her
She basked in the glory as it sank into her

She was the cynosure, she forgot her friends of yore
As begging attention were drones at the door
Surrounded by attention from morn till night
She forgot to differentiate, wrong from right

The modesty soon gave way, arrived conceit
Immersing in arrogance was she from head to feet
Wars began in her, conscience lost every time
Tough times she forgot in favourable climes

An honest little fellow walked up to her
Conveying his appreciation with a reddish flower
Offending in the process this lovely lass
How could she stoop to such a mediocre trash?

©Amit Khanduri March 2008

Vote for a Change

2008-04-17T13:46:00.001-07:00

William of Catenberry

2008-04-17T13:43:00.002-07:00

Genes of a royalty and face of a moon
William of Catenberry was born at noon
an ounce heavier than the ordinary child
in mouth was the proverbial silver spoon

William of catenberry was a child of deeds
Spoke so less, the boy had little needs
His infancy he spent in dales of England
School and college were done at Leeds

With eyes his mom's and the height of his dad
William of catenberry grew into a handsome lad
He grew fondness for lovely little Tess
Tess loved him back and never made him sad

William of catenberry married lovely little Tess
The ceremony was opulent as was her dress
They crossed the church square hand in hand
vowing to celebrate each other's happiness

The couple became three at first anniversary
Making they were their own family tree
Things began to sour after the second child came
Tess it seemed, finally wanted to be free

The initiative was Tesss' she chose to find a lover
Europe their playground, their haunt the Eiffel tower
New love was in, life charted course of its own
An Egyptian prince was the new owner of this flower

The paparazzi chased them day and night
They were eye candies being shot at sight
A high speed chase down the French tunnel
was what brought the whole episode to light

The prince with his princess met the death this way
champions they became for the world today
In vice, death brought upon them such glory
which two lives could never have conveyed

Still Life

2008-04-17T13:43:00.001-07:00

My mind is blank like a white paper
My thoughts are empty forever
My fingers move on their own
My fingers delve on the unknown
My heart beats on one rhythm
The drum beat is always humdrum
The thread has gone threadbare
and silently it remains over there
My eyes are out of focus
They convey a story very bogus
Frays are formed at empty spaces
The wrinkles are mute on my face
The fall of raindrops makes no difference
I still see life through the opaque lens
I wait for my turn every time
Standing doesn’t make me whine
External stimuli is only an adjunct
My feelings to them are defunct
I obey my master with out question
Disobedience is out of my bastion
I seek no friend or companion
Or an yearly holiday or trip to Grand Canyon
I am content with the regular service
I am content being a dervish
I look forward to only one thing
and that is regular maintenance and my annual servicing
I am not your usual robot, sir
I belong to lineage of the great super surfer!

Conundrum of Modern Life

2008-04-17T13:42:00.001-07:00

Higher, faster, richer
We want everything so quick
Sloughing away obstacles
Our new love is grandeur and slick

Nothing succeeds like success
This defines our approach
Wealth creation is admired
A slowdown we do loathe

Slowness, patience, conscience are passé
As economic indices soar
Shahrukh and sex sell
and the economic engine roars

The Indian juggernaut rolls
and aspirations rocket sky high
The balloon blown to monstrous proportions
the tipping point is nigh

Brace yourself, invest some time
in human values endured
Returns might take a long time coming
but goodwill is assured

Afflictions of a twisted heart

2008-04-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Prolonged introspection, lengthy debates
Innards of a twisted mind are hard to decipher
Unique place this, where good and evil mate
The left verses right, death verses a lifer

Thoughts like shadows, changing with time
An urban landscape with Tumult, neighbouring serenity
Poor eyes, can only try to convey the chaos behind
yet fail repeatedly with desperate futility

A crooning mouth seldom gives away the mood
Of the pains camouflaged so carefully within
Pinnacle of sensitivity wrapped in demeanour rude
Shying away from sympathy or empathy akin

Knots of kneading twists that cannot be undone
By pulling hard or cutting the Gordian knot
A gentle blow, a listening ear yes, but never the gun
Inconsiderate recourse as indiscretion making it even taut

Incurable yet, it is not. Rose it from a broken heart
Tempering abounding, shall open the twists
The gates shall open, show a little patience at the start
Forget not, a twisted mind resulted from a twisted heart

Imperfect

2008-03-29T21:56:00.001-07:00

POEM WISHING NEW YEAR TO FLOTILLA

2008-03-29T21:54:00.001-07:00

Confounded?

2008-03-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hope you are not lost in an unprecedented trance.
Music for lost cause. A reason with out a rational.
A cul-de-sac. An unending journey to stark nothingness
Here I Expose my remarkable asset of ignorance.

The reason to end a saga of compromise. the maudlin of conspiracy.
Are you still in? Or done like the crowd of superficial fools,a bunch
of incongruous cretins in a foolish round of aimless charade!
I hopelessly pray for the non compliance of this diabolic prophesy.
A prognosis defying the pale of sanity and rebuffing prayers of goodwill.

Will all this seemingly bilge proposition undo years of desultory balderdash.
Will an era of pointless nitpicking contribute to a generation of smug nincompoops
A drove of hapless gnats,a lost cause, an act of unreasonable kindness.
Praise be thine to have understood this farcical exposition

An inexplicable tale of mindless bluster, a homily of a sanctimonious
soothsayer, a pantomime of truth, a travesty of justice. Time is right
for thine to cuss this bravado, the hellish pride of misplaced
values, the weight of ignorance, the paragon of evil, the quintessential malignance

The soul of a mangy canine, the personification of darkness,
a wicked plot and remarkable pussilanimosity. Hell truly hath no fury as yours truly scorned and your sordid presences played its spiteful part in upping the ante and raise the wordy exposition to false firmament of fame.

Undeservedly so!!

The saga of Betrayals-My soul

2008-03-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

He is epitome of sadness, pityful his eyes
Haggard; injustice to the word. From work he shies
He plays with iniquity; he is one among the clique
Every well wish of his with tongue in his cheek

He remains silent, playing with his hideous side
Investing when the bulls rule, his time he bides
With the flow he moves, the ruler of the tides
The king of hyperbole. At once Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

He roams free and at the same time cages deeds
He plays his cards right. Evil, his regular need
Sowing seeds of hatred, shutting the door of sanity
He thrives in conceit, his magnum opus is vanity

He is the one placing a choice where there's none
Cheering for profligacy, patting your back when it’s done
The motive for every crime, the profit on every dime
It is what blurs lines to accentuate the mime

The pride in a battle of deceit, that feeling 'nice'
That extra chide, when a simple word would suffice
That feeling of elation at the neighbours fall
That scorn at the destitute, and then feeling so tall

The reason for writing a sad piece of solace
Facing it myself and throwing it on the readers face
All this is it, that’s floating me, them and you too
Only caricatured here, presented with words new

Funny Flight

2008-03-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

I quit Quantas for the quantum of quality was questionable
From Honduras to Honolulu, hearsays galore, honorarium hardly any
Men with meaningful mien meddled me with masterful measure
A funny sort but fat flatulent with his filthy farts only forced the pressure

The craft relied on regular routers, rarely were there children n old
It had sportsmen of sorts, political bandits with their women in shorts
There was this scruffy temperamental Arab with a loose burnoose
The ones from South America spoke gibberish and had a short fuse

There were quirks quite many; queery quietitude hid the quiet din
There was an odd magician, his only trick to tickle the politician
Among the regulars was a self proclaimed 'champion' of tennis
Next to him sat the athlete of Venice who had the 'longest penis'

The starboard side was dominated by the goons of Columbia
They did heroin, played sudoku and again did heroin
Some of em had long beards and one called himself, Che guerra
When ever tempers flew, they kicked each other in the groin

There was a fatso, a woman with bulbous boobs belying her race
She occupied three seats and her nipples touched her face
The old man in the corner was eccentric and spooky
His totem were his proxy, his incantations meant he was no rookie

The flight attendants were in a league of their own
The tallest was 3 feet tall and had no hip bone
The chef in Ist class pantry was a spectacle to behold
He had three front teeth missing and one made of gold

The pilots were blind in one eye and team work saw them through
When they had to pee, they handed the joystick to the crew
I was the one sane person in this flight to nowhere
And here I was landing the plane as part of the captain's 'truth or dare'

A nymphomaniac's megalomania

2008-03-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

dad, remember the night shift
i wouldn't tell you about
my long journey down the lift
my boss and i would make out

we would jump the office hit the pub
fall back at his place with a thud
footsie followed in the bath tub
we played in water like pigs in mud

i got all my money and the rise
a healthy position for a small price
fun in the office, a f**k to follow
he usually preferred me to swallow

from a secretary to junior manager in jiffy
i made him go mad like a hippy
i reported late all the time
but got paid till the last dime

my perks as good, my life 5 star
a flat for free and nice long car
all i gave in return was my sorry ass
so what i was only a 'libertine lass'

he passed me around to his pals as well
did i mind to make more loins swell
Debauched were they to do it together
leaving me wet with all the lather

chill dear dad, take the merc n be merry
all i lost for it is my little cherry
i do not under valuate, best bidder gets me
i am still clean, in mud only till the knee

Is this me?

2008-03-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Life is a sine curve with highs and lows
Along with the chalice of elixir comes the cup of woes
What we do not expect we slowly learn to accept
And that we desired is undone by some worldly precept

My life has come to such unfamiliar bend
Superficial is what I feel as joys come to an end
As the popular euphemism go, just a passing phase
I disagree, this time the rot is at the base

The building blocks are weak as never before
the peripherals not the only ones, the virus is at the core
What defined me as a man, even before an officer
are things of past, by the minute I slip further and farther

The dreams of glory are now but a dream
to command a ship and become the country's cream
Neither the destroyer nor the frigate
now I am part of the dirty-job brigade

Working for the shallow, little satisfaction it proffers
while they never ride a car without a chauffer
They fill up unabashedly their unending coffers
for a jaunt across the town they seek a chopper

Unnerving at first, soon i was used to it
Slowly like a tempting sin, i was seduced bit by bit
My counter arguments- this was my sacrifice for greater good
were merely an excuse as i was colluding, albeit with a hood

The vortex that is self sustaining like a black hole
it survives on evil, its sustenance on men's souls
Reduced to a mere spectator, as i watch myself transform
the good dying painfully, my conscience cries lovelorn

myopic is what i have become, seeking gratification
ephemeral happiness, turning blind eye to ramifications
I am evil incarnate, a soul that's sans one now
Means are inconsequential to me, want to win anyhow

I reminisce of her

2008-03-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

The words you spoke
The silence I had to cope
Those eyes which spoke
Intoxication it soaked

That cream of texture
Along the emotional mixture
The thump of the heart
That broken apple cart

That victory for a second
That tortuous bend
Elation unprecedented
That closeness scented

That word- my call
That high before the fall
Smugness my nature
A folly of colossus stature

That shake of hands
Golden bits of sand
Pent up simmering feelings
Those unfortunate dealings

World crashing down
That dubious crown
Tear rolling down
Without even a frown