Golden pentagon and THE genius!

"Most of today's music is tough on the ears, there are a whole range of musical instruments, that's all..Whatever happened to the real music?!" Most(All?)of us would have heard this from our parents/grandparents..These remarks seemed outrageously cocky at the outset, but in due course have sunk in, adding another chapter to the 'Elders are almost always right' book.


Having grown up in a music loving environment, where watching Saregama on Zee TV was not scorned at even if there was an exam the next morning, I slowly began to appreciate that the bar had well and truly been raised before the 90's. An almost cherubic Sonu Nigaam singing Mohd.Rafi gems with Anil Biswas, OP Nayyar and other greats as judges is a scene most music fans would recollect vividly. The right music tutelage is important for kids, for that, helps them start the journey in the right direction. Most of us were surely lucky in this regard.

In the 90's, 'old' music was always loved..The elders seemingly liked the term evergreen.I was skeptical regarding its reach into the new millennium and beyond. Today, nearly 20 years hence, I don't see an iota of difference. Those songs are still defined as 'old' and are still endearing. The heartening aspect would be if the post-Y2K generation are provided the right inputs and continue to find these 'old' songs refreshing.

The golden pentagon I refer to in this post were a product of those times. Pretty much, pre-1980. There was no track recording at the time, there were very few instruments that could turn a non-singer into a singer. Having jammed a few numbers as a hobby, I can vouch for the difficulty of one-take-recordings. They are anachronic because there is no scope for error. I somehow feel the limitations in technology also helped these famous five become the singers they eventually did. You had to be 'tayyar', do your 'riyaaz' at 6 AM, and watch that extra scoop of ice-cream. Rafisaab, Mukesh(no suffix doesn't mean no respect), Kishoreda, Lataji and Ashaji.


Rafisaab was/is/will be India's talisman male playback singer. His versatility must have been a composer's delight. You only have to listen to the subtle variations and his soothing voice to know he was gold. Rafisaab was born to sing.

They say Mukesh's voice could speak to the mountains..You could feel the soul in his voice..I remember my cyclerickshawallah Deepak, (in Belgaum) singing "Duniya banane wale kya tere mann me samayee, kahe ko duniya banayi tune" the entire way to school. This left a lasting impression on the UKG kid that was me. Mukesh had well and truly arrived!

Kishoreda..I sometimes wonder how things can be seemingly so easy for anyone. He could act(check Half Ticket or Padosan),compose, had the eternal Madhubala as wife..But the hardwork/struggle behind his success shouldn't be forgotten. Aradhana, Kaka and Panchamda made him this gigantic figure. He had the Midas touch in the 70's. His voice in the 80's felt even richer and more 'mardaana' (Listen to Agar tum na hote title track and 'Zindagi ki yahi reet hain' from Mr.India).. An absolute God given talent.

Lataji..What does one say about India's nightingale that hasn't been said before? Lataji is the definition of the term 'singer'. Everything. Perfect. Will never be anyone like her. Ever.

Ashaji. Has been my favorite always. The typical younger kid..Rebellious,dynamic, supremely talented, lovable. And a secret,I have always preferred her over Lataji..Don't know why..Maybe I love rooting for the underdog.

This golden era couldn't have been realized with just these 5 greats. Lyricists like Javedsaab, Gulzarsaab, Anand Bakshi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Composers like Madan Mohan(a magician!) ,Shankar-Jaikishan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Ravindra Jain, SD Burman acted as the rock solid base. Not to mention other great voices like Mannadey and Mahendra Kapoor.

However, 'THE genius' I refer to was someone (atleast for me) way better than the pack. He composed stuff that most others failed to even visualize. A better composer India will never see (Rahman/SEL are real good, but RD is God!).Pancham da was a freak, creating percussion with spoon and glass (Chura liya hain tumne jo dil ko) and bringing the amazing "Monicaaa oh my darling" to life in that rough baritone..


They say "mortal does what it can,genius does what it must". Today, when I hear some horrendous remixes floating around, I smile at the fact they have recognized him at last, even while resorting to murdering his music. I still regret that Panchamda almost died in penury, but then some things are better left than analyzed.

Food for thought..Can the present generation ever match up, let alone be better, than these folks? Motivational speeches certainly think so, constantly telling you you can outdo yourself and eventually become the best. I feel that knowing what the best is, is half the battle won.

These legends were truly worthy of the honor and have left us a trail impossible to surpass and remarkably easy to admire.

This too shall pass!

Failing per se, is not bad. Failing to prepare, is. That phrase runs across my mind as I sit to analyze the misery inflicted on India in the English summer.



They say "Nihatte pe waar nahi karte" (don't attack an unarmed soul)..That is precisely how the second half of the summer panned out. A summer, which many Nostradamus' had claimed would be an Indian summer to remember. Huge claims, hollow returns..It was the heart speaking here, not the head. I for one had predicted this would be England's best chance to beat and maybe boss India. 4-0 I hadn't bargained for. 4-0 not even Andrew Strauss had bargained for. 4-0 it shouldn't have been.

April 2nd. All of us in tears of joy..The tears had barely stopped when MSD's Chennai beat Gauti's Kolkata in a close contest. An Indian generation was robbed of its chance to revel in the World Cup success. The BCCI was back to milking the cash cow that are its players. On the upside, the IPL gives mediocre players their 15 minutes of fame. Why, apparently one CSK player got his mother cured from a serious disease with an operation that cost him a fortune. But what about the Sehwags, SRTs, Laxmans and Jammies of the world. Ones with enough class to break into any Indian team at any time. And what about our Khan bhai, on whom our pulse was riding each moment of that WC campaign..If he even winced, we thought our worst fears had come true. Make no mistake, no Khan and we wouldn't have been in Mumbai on April 2nd.

The BCCI is a body which will never cleanse itself. Its coffers will never be empty, but its intentions and planning always will. That is where the players have to take up the cudgels and manage themselves. No physio knows a players niggles better than the player himself. Why does a Virender Sehwag wait till Dilli are knocked out before announcing he needs surgery on his fragile shoulder? Why does Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (of all people) play 14 meaningless games for Mumbai? Does anyone care a sh*t if Mumbai wins or Bangalore wins? It is INDIA that matters. And Khan sahab? The man is not just our champion bowler by a street, but also our bowling captain. The bowling line up was totally rudderless without him in UK. It was almost like Ishant was yearning for the big man to put a hand on his shoulder and tell him he was doing OK. Don't the players have this responsibility towards their nation? And I am not saying this because we lost 4-0. No.

All of them played every game of the IPL and then decided to conveniently skip the ensuing ODIs and t20 in the Carribean. Yes, who can charge himself up playing infront of 50 people, 10 policemen and 2 dogs? And ooh la la there is no razzmatazz. The only carrot is wearing that India shirt, one that should be the only carrot. Nobody remembers an IPL hundred with the same fondness, as say Raina's goldust runs with the tail in THAT semifinal.

Some seniors joined for the West Indies test leg. Only Dravid, Laxman made runs. Raina made some as well. Kohli failed, which gutted me. But he should have gone to UK. Not Yuvraj Singh. Yes he was the man of the tournament in the WC, but you don't pick Vishy Anand in your team for a carrom doubles match, do you? We are a country with short public memory. Suddenly Yuvraj Singh was test material again. He hasn't been since 2003, likely he never will be. Our negative approach in the 3rd test where MSD pulled the plug with 85 to get in 15 overs was a sham. One that showed the goal was to win the series not to dominate. You don't become a champion team by settling for 1-0 series wins.

We walk into Taunton and Strauss playing for Somerset was symptomatic of the desperation England felt. They wanted to win this at all costs, kind of like India at the World Cup. So the first test was close, the second one was perennial 90's problem of not finishing the tail, the third one was annihilation and the 4th one was..I don't know what it was honestly. It was a case of a beleaguered team that had enough and were looking to take that British Airways flight out of Heathrow.

OK, we played badly. That happens. But being thoroughly outclassed in the planning department stuns me and also triggers anger. But has this team become bad all of a sudden? No. Are these the best 15 players in the country? Yes, more or less. So we have the tools to succeed, not having the tools would have been a bigger worry. This implies some bold decisions by MSD are the need of the hour.

1) Relieve the batting greats in phases as soon as possible. We love Lacchu Bhai, RD and SRT. But, I would rather lose 4-0 with Badri, Kohli and Pujara. With all due respect, I feel Dravid should be the one to put his hand up first. I want RD to go out on his own terms and on a stupendous unprecedented high. He owes us that. For 15 years of unending admiration.

2) The Australia tour starts in December. Our bowling attack Ishant, Harbhajan, Sreesanth, Praveen, Ojha, Mishra MUST play Ranji trophy cricket in November (not t20 or random bilateral ODI series at home). Take the Shatabdi, play in the undistinguished centers, learn your trade. 20 wickets in Australia won't come easy.

3) MSD to have a hard look at his own batting in whites. Again, he is by far the best fit for his role and there is no replacement. But we all strive to improve, don't we?

4) MSD to make an honest call on Harbhajan Singh. I personally would stick with him for a bit more, but its a border line call purely on form. Bhaj might have to quit the shorter formats to regain his mojo. It can start by playing Ranji Trophy for Punjab.

5) Sehwag and Khan to stop playing IPL/CLT20/Big Bash/any such. "The first time you make a mistake its an accident, the second time you make the same mistake its on purpose, and the third time you make that same mistake its no longer a mistake, its a habit." Break the habit boys, your body cannot handle the rigors of India Darshan over a month and a half. Play for India, achieving legendary status is your destiny.

It is important we fans keep faith in the team at this testing juncture. Achieving instant results is not a joke. The target should be to climb back to the top in 2 years. This was one horrendous series and India’s downhill slide predicted by the pundits is as exaggerated as their claims of us being undisputed no.1 in 2010. Truth is somewhere in between.

I am confident this series, however debilitating, was one-off. This too shall pass!

BJP's travails affecting India

At my Grandpa's (called him Ajja) home in Mangalore, following Vinod Dua/Prannoy Roy all night long on Doordarshan and deciphering trends of the 1996 elections was a new beginning.Ajja was there by my side helping me make sense of the numbers and an-almost teenager nodded. Ajja was a very RSS oriented thinker and adored/respected Vajpayee. My tryst with Indian politics started with this Vajpayee "victory".


Due to his oratory skills, I was mesmerized by Atalji at the outset. In 1998, I visited Nehru Maidan to hear him speak.The pauses were unapologetically long but the material was crystal clear. He was my Prime Minister. He was my leader for the forseeable future.The rise of the BJP from 2 seats in 1984 to a 13-day-honeymoon in 1996 was heartening. It explained the significance of our great democracy.

Cut to present day India. When I hear about bomb blasts most of these days, my heart cries. As I am sure does yours. Anger is omnipresent, but it cannot soothe the hurt. I belong to a group of people who are branded "U are an NRI, u donno the ground reality so shut up". That is a myth. It is about where your heart is eventually.

When I noticed this flood of outcry on all the social networking sites, it felt as a good beginning. Most of us have a tendency to not care a damn about any event as long as it doesn't involve us. Blasts in Zaveri Bazaar today can be a blast in your area tomorrow. Only those who lost loved ones in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks know the real hurt and pain. Ask Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father and he will have a tale to tell.

In some of my conversations with well read Indians these past weeks, we agree that in India a bomb blast can happen anytime. The almost cynical and apathetic nature of educated Indians like us is difficult to fathom at the start, but not far from ground reality. For starters, are there metal detectors in malls in Bangalore or Delhi? Still better, do they work? We all know that United States has been a model example in curbing these activities post 9/11. Agreed there are eclectic means of cornering India's borders and that the humongous populace makes things almost unmanageable, but it is better to try and fail.

In the US, security folks are highly respected. If someone frisks me at Atlanta airport, I shut my trap and let him do his job. In India, we feel that the Nepali security guard is there to warm his stool/chair and feel offended and bad mouth him when he stops our car outside a plush apartment complex.

The best solution is to first acknowledge we have a problem. What is our intelligence doing? Is that word a misnomer or what? Rahul Gandhi recently said "We have averted 99% of attacks, it is not possible to avert all". This, coming from someone who tomorrow might be my Prime Minister is worrying. (My bias against the Gandhi scion and his "great" dynasty should make you look at this with a pinch of salt!). Are you telling me 99% of the attacks are averted right now? Yeah right! To make it worse, Mumbai Police were clueless for a day or two about the suspected organization responsible for 13/7.

Importantly, connecting back to my earlier BJP talk, the lack of an effective opposition at the Center is hurting India. The BJP is a shadow of the party it was in the late 90s and has ceased to be a "watchdog" the opposition should be. Vajpayee's age/health, Mahajan's death, Swaraj's constant bickerings with Jaitley, Rajnath's presidency, Advani's Jinnahisms have hit the party below the belt and right now it seems like a knock out punch with no new leaders in the horizon and no "Prime Minister material" in sight.

I am not here to provide solutions, highlighting and reporting problems is a citizen's responsibility. Look at what Nitish Kumar has done to Bihar and Narendra Modi to Gujarat. At the end of the day, your work speaks not your mouth.
Sealing your borders, governing your country as you are supposed to and trying to get your house in order before pointing a finger at others are very achievable by India. The insider help in these attacks is what concerns me the most. Selling your motherland, even to overcome poverty, is an offence like none other. Keeping Kasab hale and healthy for the past 3 years is unpardonable. I am told he is being given a fair trial. Fair trial for what? What about the clemency petitions against Afzal Guru (him of the 2001 Parliament attacks). The Central Government just doesn't want to be the party that tightened the noose and is passing the buck to short change the public.

I just pray these attacks don't happen any longer and our system becomes more vigilant. I know it is wishful thinking, but then many prayers are. It can start by both the BJP/Congress grooming a few youth leaders and booting out scions and dynasties from our sight. It can also start by our intelligence doing some justice to that word.

The World Champion feeling!!

The concentration was just not there..Logging into Facebook was only making it worse..Each friend seemed even more nervous and expectant than the other..One of those days when you just wanted to get it done with..

I was unusually confident on the eve of the World Cup Final, almost over-confident. It felt like the night before an exam you knew you could ace..The wait for 2 am, April 2nd,couldn't have been more nerve-wracking..Around 9 pm, we decided we were going to watch THE battle at a friend's place on a big screen TV and make some noise.Garlic Veggie/Paneer Tikka Pizza before the game wasn't a bad idea, we thought.

Even for my cricket fanaticism,the involvement in this tournament was intense.A month before before Cup day in mid-January, 3 friends and I discussed very animatedly about India's squad of 15. It had to culminate in a Cup win, nothing else would have given any of us even an iota of happiness. My blog before the World Cup tried to summarize the expectations in cricket-mad India. It was with such mass frenzy that MSD's team commenced the campaign.

1:20 am on THE day,we reached our destination..As I was waiting for the toss,I began to re-live the journey.Great start vs Bangladesh,shoddy bowling and fielding vs England that eventually got us a tie, sketchy performances against the Associates,making chokers look like winners in Nagpur,unconvincing win against the West Indies, hair-raising brilliance against Aussies,continuing the World Cup hegemony against Pakistan. But the feeling that all that would be wasted if we did not arrive in Mumbai, was hollow and scary..However,watching "Invictus" a day before the final, made me clearly believe that destiny was knocking our door..Clearly, MSD was our Matt Damon and SRT was our Mandela/Freeman..
As my wandering mind came back to San Jose,I was appalled by what happened at the toss.After the usual comment about Shaz being Shaz, I thought Sanga's body language did not look right(proved wrong by ESPN's analysis later,which confirmed it was 2-0 at the toss for Sanga).Anyway, batting 2nd was not a bad option I thought, provided we did not gift them 300..The 58 metre side boundary looked enticing, one that each one in our top 7 could clear with one hand..

India's bowling started well..Khan was outstanding at the start,his mastery over his art is astounding.As Shaz says, "He knows exactly what he is doing". Sreesanth looked lost, but I remembered the Mallu tea shop catch of Misbah in Jo'burg, hoped he would bring us luck and consoled myself. Munna was,well Munna..I was disappointed with MSD's flat captaincy in the middle overs and Zak's choke at the death against Perera..At half way stage,I still thought 275 was "very gettable" at Wankhede..The opinion in our room was divided..Some felt India leaked 25 too many for a massive game such as the Cup Final.

Just a 20 minute break due to India's pathetic over-rate helped settle all jangling nerves. Before the sleep deprived eyes could yearn for liberation,the chase began.It wasn't a bright one..31-2 was the only moment when negative vibes covered me for a minute..But I told myself this India was different from the earlier India..They just don't believe in the word "Loss" and don't give up. Gambhir/Kohli showed grit in fighting the occasion more than the situation..Kohli's fall led to the arrival of Yuvraj Singh. Oh wait, it was MSD!!!I instantly reckoned it was a calculated move to split the lefties and that's what it was, not daredevilry/heroism..
Highest score of 34, but "sense of occasion" I hoped.

I observed that 2-3 folks in the room slept.I wanted to crash for a while, but I couldn't imagine missing witnessing history.Each India run was being cheered even at 7 am of a sleepless night and crazy superstitions began to creep in.People wouldn't move from seats, nature's calls were being ignored, some continued sleeping even when they weren't asleep.There was too much at stake and none of us wanted to mess up.

Since it was unchartered territory, even 30 needed off 4 overs was not a cakewalk, some believed..By then, I was already thinking about the celebrations.Cockiness? No..MSD's presence was reassuring..His body language,usually great,was even better that day..He badly wanted that Cup.We badly wanted that Cup..Want is difficult to teach.

The taming of Kulasekara eased tension in the room and everyone got ready to shout their lungs out.As MSD hit THAT 6 (with the twirl),everybody began hugging each other.I saw a couple of people in the room and a few more on TV, in tears..My eyes were a touch moist,not as much as I thought.
Watching MSD lifting the Cup,SRT being chaired around his beloved Wankhede gave me goosebumps.This was THE moment of our cricketing lives.15 years of cricketing worship and we had our Laddoo in front of us..It was precious.

After a few hours,I saw Virat Kohli's interview alone at home..His line about SRT "He has carried the burden of our country for 21 years..It is about time we carried him" was apt and appropriate..It was happy tears time,for sure.We are World Champions now and no one can take it away from us for a further 4 years..2011 will be India's year at the World Cup,forever..Unprecedented high!!

Despite all criticism from rumor mongers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has firmly established himself in the pantheon of Indian greats. He, along with Kirsten, has changed the belief in the team..He might fail occasionally, but let us not doubt the man's intention/passion and keep faith..As someone said "There are captains everywhere, but MSD is not a captain..He is a LEADER".

And as Morgan Freeman said in Invictus, "This country is hungry for greatness"...

Don't jinx it!

World Cup fever is here..A week to cricket's flagship event and TV channels back home must be deep in the frenzy..A good time to be not watching them..

The knowledgeable cricket fans can take a backseat during these times, because they are usually forthright and boring.."This is the most open World cup ever..Any of 5 teams has a great chance" is a non entity as far as headlines material is concerned, compared to someone with an India tattoo on his heart shouting "India zaroor jeetega. Mujhe Bharosa hain", ending with a chest thumping roar "Indiaaaaaahh"..

These days I dread looking to the left hand side of the Times of India newspaper online..Every day, an Indian cricketer is paraded, praised to the skies and proclaimed as a world beater..For all you know, he might be one..The eye ball grabbing headlines must stop and so must the silly quotes "We will win it for Tendulkar!".What people ostensibly forget is it can only go downhill from this quote..Even a semifinals or finals finish will seem a national disaster..

The World Cup, despite all celebrations is usually a career ending event..Cricketers past the age of 35, either go out on a high or never again play for their countries..By convention, all teams decide to go into a "grooming youngsters" phase post World Cup.
Muralitharan will not play beyond WC 2011,but he already has a World Cup medal..To be honest,even if he didn't have one yet and his team don't win 2011, the Srilankan cricket public is not likely to go on an effigy burning spree..They love their drums and their drinks..It is fair to say they love the game..Passion is a step too far..

Sachin Tendulkar though, is not that privileged..He has lived 21 years of his life under intense media scrutiny...So intense that a lesser mortal would have gone into depression..So tough that he spends family vacations in London...
Since that "First to Mount Everest" double hundred in February 2010, the reference to him not having a World cup medal in an otherwise glittering career has been the "Aaj ki taaza khabar"..For once, SRT did not help matters by agreeing that winning the WC was a dream..Remarkably, during the ICC Awards in Bangalore in October 2010,he did an about turn while receiving the "Cricketer of the year"..He categorically declined to comment about the World Cup saying that the team is superstitious about it and they would prefer to perform on the field, rather than make grand statements..Bingo!

You don't need to be a pessimist to figure out that there are very few fairy tale endings in sport,if at all..Few sportsmen leave on their own terms..
In a cricket fanatic country like ours, the air of expectations usually transcends into a balloon, which then bursts if/when we lose..Illogical phrases like "Too many advertisements", "Match fixing", "Internal team politics" are injected by the cricketing illiterate and the media adds fuel to the fire by showing exhaustive and never before seen footage of players partying.This is an epidemic that must be vaccinated..Everybody plays to win..This Indian cricket team under MS Dhoni sure does..

"India will win WC 2011", "Australia has no chance this time" is all hokum..3 knock out games means that even teams like WestIndies can make the semifinals with one good day..You don't want to run into a rampaging Chris Gayle on a sultry afternoon in the Quarter Final.And from there,ability is not as important as handling the pressure..

Let us hope for a competitive and thrilling cricket World Cup 2011, one that obliterates memories of the sham and farce that was World Cup 2007..

Keep it subtle and may the best team win!!

A combination to savour

Capetown, Jan 2011..All indications point to the end of an era..The Dhoni-Kirsten combo might have played its last game for India in whites..The million dollars that come with the job and the world travel might not be as enticing as taking care of his young family for the affable family man that is Gary Kirsten...For any cricket fanatic, there would be nothing better than Tendulkar-Dravid-Laxman walking into the sunset under MSD-Kirsten in the next year or two...

After the fractious days under Greg Chappell, when the dressing room was literally a war zone, Gary has brought a lot of calmness, common sense and insight to the team now christened "Team India". All this, without being overtly pretentious and condescending..He hasn't talked to the players through the media and that is a lesson in man management that one cannot possibly better. These days, when India loses test matches, sh*t never hits the ceiling..The emphasis is less on blame game and more on how to pull up one's socks..The MSD-Kirsten combo must be credited for this wonderful work ethic..The legendary Anil Kumble under whose helm Kirsten took over as coach, deserves a word of praise too here..

In my growing up years,losing test matches abroad was the norm..Having been statistically inclined, one day to much chagrin I discovered in 2001 (before defeating Zimbabwe at Bulawayo) that India had last won a test match outside the Asian subcontinent in 1986.That to me was not a problem, it was an emergency..
Wright-Ganguly arrested the slide and worked hard to eliminate the "lambs abroad" philosophy..Refreshingly, Kirsten and MSD have taken it a rung higher. Under them winning series has been the objective and not merely winning test matches abroad.

The no.1 ICC test ranking attained in December 2009 was the fillip the team needed. They seem determined to want to hold on to the mantle for dear life. All this has provided for fascinating viewing and has whetted the appetite/creative juices of Indian cricket lovers.

Dada, for all the opinion he polarized, will unanimously be remembered as a successful skipper. He was the pioneer in abolishing nepotism in team selection..That has thankfully continued in the current team setup..Kirsten, with his no-nonsense, no baggage attitude has won hearts..You can see that the players simply adore him and can do anything for Gary.
Sometimes, not having to know the names of different states in the country can be a boon..Indianness is much beyond belonging to Mumbai,Bangalore or Delhi.

This is where Mahendra Singh Dhoni comes in..The "look-at-my-locks" Maahi that burst on the scene in 2004 seems like the current MSD's show-pony twin..He trimmed his tresses when he assumed captaincy full time in 2008, but as time progressed shockingly the demeanor has become saintly..The celebrations are restrained, the achievements are understated and victories are not coronated. The emphasis is on the next game, as it should always be.
MSD has handled sensitive issues like Yuvraj Singh wanting to become captain beautifully...It could easily have divided the team into 2. When asked how there is no team friction, despite him having 6-7 guys who debuted before him, he simply said "I don't behave with them as if I am their captain"...Such a simple thought it seems, but not many would have implemented it as impeccably as he has..You obviously handle modesty and cockiness in different ways, as seen in his superb rapports with Tendulkar and Yuvraj..

The one problem I have seen with us Indians is we don't appreciate the beauty of what we are living in and have a remarkably short memory span..RD Burman's genius was recognized by many after his death..Instead of cribbing about failure to convert 130-6 into a series win at Capetown or that we did not beat NZL hollow at home, let us be effusive when we need to..How many of us, hand-on-heart, would have given India a chance in hell to walk out 1-1, after the shellacking in Centurion??

Things will not be the same when the 3 backbones of this team walk into the sunset..These 3 are not ordinary men..They are referred to as "God", "The Wall" and "911" (emergency number that bails you out of trouble, i.e. VVS)

We should be proud to be inhabitants of what one day will be heralded as the golden generation of Indian cricket.

And somewhere along the line, the self effacing man from Cape Province and the hunk-turned-saint from Jharkand will be having a quiet, fizzy yet non-fussy beer..

NYC, babeh!!

A lovely Saturday morning..Bright and sunny with "Bangalore" weather..Not a usual occurrence for New Jersey/New York at this time of the year..The thought of catching a bus right outside my hotel doorstep in NJ and being dropped off at the Port of Authority Terminal near Times Square in New York City(NYC) was refreshing, after a week of intense work pressure..

My plan of going there with 2 friends changed (they couldn't make it) and I ended up going alone to NYC..I was apprehensive. One whole day alone at the Big Apple? Given that I prefer being around friends, this was a slightly intimidating thought..

11:40 AM, I hopped on the bus to NYC..The day started off on a usual note, with someone trying to speak to me in Spanish, "knowing" I am Mexican/Spanish and not guessing..I have stopped looking perplexed now and simply say "No Spanish"..

Plugged my iPod and let "Munni Badnaam" rip..Saw the first sight of NYC from the bus..With NYC, it was love at first sight in 2008. I was/am/will always be in awe of that place...


Got off the bus at 42nd street and wandered around confused for a few minutes, cos both sides of the road seemed inviting...I could see New York Times office and Madame Tussauds already inviting me to come have a look.. :)

The subway is the lifeline of NYC, akin to our Mumbai local trains. Took an all day pass and off I went to Central Park..The place is beautiful..It is not awe-inspiring, but it gets the job done. If you love seeing nature, Central Park offers that on a platter..Came across a really talented person dishing out melodies with guitar/vocals on the lawns and the lyrics of his songs were meaningful and soul searching..Headed to the Sheep Meadow, literally a place to rest on your back as you see huge Manhattan Skyscrapers..A place for all the romantics :)



Next stop was Ground zero and Wall street..Ground zero is peculiar..It is one of the places I can't seem to connect to, despite knowing the significance..May be I will after the memorial comes up in 2012..Right now, all I see there is rubble, construction and hoardings that salute people who left us on 9/11...RESPECT!!

Wall Street was next..Clicked pics outside the NY Stock Exchange..The "Bull" skipped my mind..Since I was alone and could do as I pleased, walked a few miles back to see the "Bull"..Feels nice to do things out of the routine :)

After listening to more music on the street, decided to go downtown to Brooklyn..Picked up a Chicken Shawarma and decided to walk on Brooklyn Bridge end to end(unlike 2008, when I just saw one part), admiring skyscrapers and observing Statue of Liberty appearing like a small toy somewhere to the right of Manhattan..

NYC is different..You notice South Asian street vendors selling mouth watering food and it is so unlike the America I know..I saw some awesomely tempting Chicken Biryani, but had to pass considering the amount of walking I had planned to cover all places in one day.. Some chicken, somewhere will pay for this :)

Got off at Grand Central Station, a very grandiose and well constructed station, which has featured in Hindi movies..It was 8 pm and I was kinda tired after walking non-stop from noon..Met an African-American officer at the Station and queried "Sir, what time does the shuttle leave to Times Square??"
He said "Shuttle? You are young..You can easily walk down my friend..It is just 8 blocks down the road" ..I felt like I had consumed a bottle of Powerade..I HAD to walk to Times Square after that and I did :)

I was waiting for light to fade and "lights" to kick in, so as to walk down Times Square..Tremendous sight is that Times Square..Cannot miss the Hard Rock Cafe building at the back and the huge Yahoo signboards along with the NASDAQ updates.. Walked to Rockefeller center and relaxed besides the fountain, clicked some cool snaps...

Then for the highlight of the day..Empire state Building under lights (I still donno which one I like better, Sears Chicago or Empire NYC!) Wow what a sight..
Sigh, the digital cameras of this age aren't good enough to capture these night views..Hope technology improves and we see clarity (without blurring effect) for night shots soon without a tripod..
Also disappointing was that I couldn't upgrade to the 102nd floor view due to a problem with the elevator..The officer dint help by saying, "Hey, till 1 hour ago people went to the 102nd floor" ..Too much information, bud :)

I then walked back to the Port of Authority terminal on 42nd street just in time for the 11:30 PM bus to Jersey...Saw a group of Desis chatting away..It was probably after 10 hours I had really heard people chatter...I was almost in a trance in NYC...

So that ended a day well spent. The next time you get a chance, quickly make a trip to NYC..Chuck the long drives, subway is the way to go..Walk down the street and "feel" New York culture first hand...

I simply love New York City...It is therapeutic..

A phenomenon...

As I sit on a looong cross country flight with nothing to do till I land in San Fran, I thought it would be apt time to pen a blog on one of my favorite cricketers..Somebody that has redefined the word rebel.

In an era where hundreds are scored everyday at the Sinhalese Sports club, with Mahela achieving a stupendous 2 tons every week and Samaraweera contributing a generous 3, Virender "Viru" Sehwag comes across as a breath of fresh air.

The pitch, the bowler, the crowds are all taken out of the equation..Agreed, bats have more wood now and pitches are made for bullies, but seeing Viru bat, the mind boggles..How can someone be so carefree, especially in a country like ours where every move of a celebrity is scrutinized every second...
It is almost as if Sehwag is spared...As if he is given a license by the mad media ready for "Sansanikhez khabar" like Sachin Tendulkar having a sore throat, or Shah Rukh Khan skipping lunch and repleneshing himself with Gatorade.
Haven't heard media persons call many Sehwag shots "reckless"..This liberty isnt given to many, but honestly, Sehwag has shut mouths...

When all your adrenaline rush fizzes out (Not Sehwag's..He seemingly has adrenaline supply for life), you realize there is a method to this madness..You cannot dominate attacks all over the world with a mad max like, almost arrogant strokeplay and a supposedly non-existent textbook technique..

Sehwag has always been an entertainer/dasher..On a green top in Bloemfontein in November 2001, Ntini and Pollock were making the ball talk, yet it was almost
impossible to seperate the novice from the veteran(A veteran who can hold a bat, by the way!!)..The frame was the same, the strokes oozed the same audacity...Agreed,its a bit exaggerated, but you get the point...

I can't help but point out a decision that changed Sehwag's life..Who else, but our adorable Dada could have made that decision...
Dada was never himself going to face up to the new ball(No chance in hell!), but his shrewdness told him that on wet English pitches, if his loose cannon fires off, the cat would be set amongst the pigeons..That hundred at Trent Bridge wasn't Sehwag's best, but it gave him self belief and touchwood, that hasn't changed till date..

The odd rush of blood apart, he settled in to the role perfectly...Another turning point was his discussion with Sunil Gavaskar in December 2003.India had
come off a superb upset win, beating the Aussies at the Adelaide Oval, thanks to a man-of-the-match performance by that hardworking, mortal-genius from Bangalore..

Sehwag and Chopra went up to Sunny and he told them about the starts they were squandering, thereby letting the team down..He opined "Give the first hour to the bowlers, the other five will be yours"...
Almost as if to impress their Sunny bhai, the two Delhites followed Sunny's word to the T...The first hour was one of total respect for the bowlers..
Sehwag is funny..He was almost waiting for the clock to tick..The same ball that was defended in the first hour, was now being dispatched with disdain..He would have had a riposte ready "Sunny bhai, ek ghanta beeth gaya"..

Observe his batting closely and you will find that whenever Gavaskar has existed within Sehwag in the first one hour, he has scored big. The Multan 309, the Chennai 319, none of them were slam-bang from ball one..

The innings that defines Sehwag is however, that 293 at the Brabourne Stadium...It was almost as if he wanted to welcome cricket at Brabourne after so many years..
Surely, the oldies wouldn't have seen this kind of audacity at a place that was the cradle of Indian cricket in the 70s...

Sehwag has now added a totally new dimension to test cricket..There are certain games that India can win only if Sehwag erases the deficit at his pace..
Take for instance, the 387 chase at Chennai..SRT and Yuvraj were amazing on Day 5, but that 83 off 67 balls on the evening of Day 4 was divine..Let this be clear, only HE could have done something like that..And he did..

I want to touch up on Sehwag's average one day/t20 record some other time, but test cricket is what makes a cricketer..21 hundreds in 79 test matches, playing like "that" is something else..I bet nobody would have put money on it in 2001.

U gotta be kidding me...U don't average 54 in test cricket with a strike rate of 81, while making massive, gargantuan scores..You just don't,unless you are Sehwag..

It has given me immense pleasure watching the great man from Dilli for 9 years now..
Here's hoping his mind remains as uncluttered as ever and that the genius of Viru Paa boggles my mind further..

Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is here!! Not that I need an occasion to tell my Mother what she means to me..Touchwood :-)

People address Mothers lovingly with all sorts of names. Maa, Amma, Mom, Mommy,Maamaa..I call mine Mummy..

I quickly decided in the evening to give Mummy a surprise by singing this song and sending it out to her..Am glad she loved it! :-)

I take this opportunity to wish Mothers all over the world a very Happy Mother's day..
All of us cannot do enough to show you how special you people are..HONEST.. :-)

Kahi to hogi woh..

A romantic number beyond compare,with a subtle sadness/poignance attached to it. A genre that appeals to many..

The song starts with hope of finding one's beloved and the protagonist explains, why she is THE one and why he cannot live without her..

The recommended way to enjoy this song would be to close one's eyes..U are sure to be transported to another world by A R Rahman..One of his more "composed with the heart" numbers..

Trivia: This is a 2 singer song (Rashid Ali and Vasundhara Das)..I had no patience to find Vasundhara before the recording and had to sing both myself! Anyway her voice is more "robust" than Rashid Ali's making it easier for me than I thought!

And it was sung from start to finish in single take.

If this song reminds you of your beloved, I will consider it to be a good attempt.. Let me know ;)

Nammuru slaaang

My favorite city. My home.There are lots of things this city means to me..This blog is a satire on Bangalore life, especially its ethereal slang..

2001 May..I relocated to Bangalore from the lovely coastal city of Mangalore..
My baptism by fire with the local lingo began when Mom sent me on an errand to get cashews.
I am particularly notorious at placing vegetable/dry fruit names in any language bar Konkani, so I was told Cashew is "Gerubeeja". "Vondu packet Gerubeeja koDi" I said at the Kaka store in typical Mangalore accent..Kaka was baffled..I then had to say "Cashew" to see a bulb glowing in his brain.. I went home surprised and told Mom "U told me Gerubeeja..But he says Godambi"..First lesson learnt in my head.."Sach,your Kannada is different from the language spoken here"...

This incident impacted me..I became unnecessarily conscious of my Kannada. Early years of engineering, I spoke to my best friends only in English..People who didn't know me might have assumed I was arrogant.."Ganchali biDu Kannada mathaDu" (Hey,leave your attitude and speak Kannada) types..But I was striving for perfection, which I also knew I wouldn't attain without fumbling a few times..A Catch 22 situation..

Luckily, things changed as I began to rapidly embrace Nammuru culture..Things especially changed when I landed in the US in end 2006 and became part of a closely knit (touchwood!) Arizona gang that was made up of hardcore Bangaloreans.Bangalore Kannada slowly, began to seem like a breeze..

The best way to become a Bangalorean,I realized in 2001, was to commute by public transport.You not only learnt the routes, but also got to feel the pulse of the land. Let us be honest, just the IT professionals don't make Bangalore..The lower strata, i.e. lower middle class and the poor form an integral part as well.

Let me list out several hilarious I-have-seen-it scenarios..These can be envisioned on any street in Bangalore..I reiterate that I have utmost respect for my folks and this is merely laughing at oneself...Here goes!

1) Mostly,when left to themselves, guys talk filth..No two thoughts and there is no exception to this rule..NONE :)
But when a girl/girlfriend is around, the language appreciably changes.So if you are seen foul mouthing your way to glory in front of a girl, be prepared to hear this from a bystander "Ree..ladies mundhe hangella mathadbeDree ree.."(Don't speak like that infront of ladies, man..mannn)..
It registered after a couple of times, that even if there was only one girl around,the word always used is "Ladies" :)

2) Jaggesh, the Kannada movie actor pronounces "Touch" as "Taechhh" (like "Awww..taecching").But this usage is as old as the aborigines...While playing gully cricket in childhood,if the batsman did not walk after an edge behind the wicket, the wicket keeper would shout "Taaech aythu maga gaeranTee :D" and vociferously point to the blade of the bat where the ball apparently made contact :)

3) GoLo antha atthbiDodu: translates to sob uncontrollably. But doesn't mean that technically..
"AvLge vondu saNNa maathu heLidre, goLo antha atthbiDthale maga" (I say one small thing means, she goLo cryingu) :)

4) Tiffan (not Tiffin) : I thoroughly desist this word.It is a dirty replacement for breakfast. I learnt this word on the city bus. To strike up a conversation, strangers ask one another "Saar.Hengiddira? Tiffan aytha??" (Sir, how are u?? Tiffan overaa?) I used to have a weird feeling in the mouth on hearing this word then..Things haven't changed :)

5) Rof hakodu: Rough up someone/try to impose yourself on someone.
"Mon monne huTTdavnu, baddi maga henge rof hakthane noDu" (day before day before born uu, how he rof putting see see) :)

6) Nanna magane: Literally means My son..But isn't that.It is used effectively to express surprise, praise, anguish or lambast someone..
"Nanna magane..huDgir mundhe doDDa saadhu thara aDthiyalla, nachike agalla ninge?"
(My son..in front of ladies, sage type you actingu..no shameaa?)

7)Kivi mele hoova OR chombu hakodu or Topi hakodu...means fooling someone.
"Avnu mathaDod noDidre, dodda Don ankobeku.. Naanenu kivi mele hoova iTTkonDiddina?"
(The way he talkingu, it seems he is big don..I what flower on earaa?) :)

8) Oh ho ho ho bandbiTTa..literally means oh ho ho he came..
"Oh ho ho ho..Navella 10 dinadinda plan maDthaa iddivi. Ivnu yellindano bandbiTTa noDree" (We planning for this from 10 days, he came off suddenly from nowhere) :)

9) Da/man/machi/macha/maga/guru/mom: How can u call someone other than your creator as mom? Never understood that part...Anyway :D
But all these are ways of addressing a close friend or buddy or chaddi dost...
"Macha hengiddiya..tumba time aythu..yenu,ee kaDe kaNsode illa anthiya"
(How are u man? Long time..This side, no seeing only) :D

10) Blade: either means one who utters a lot of lies or something that is absurdly expensive (taken for a ride)..
"Avnge clear aagi heLde, Forum mall alli baTTe konDkobeDa, blade hakskonthiya antha..KeLidre taane"
(I told him clearly, don't buy clothes at Forum mall..U will be ripped off..If he listens,no!)

11) PaTaisu: to tame or impress, especially a girl..
"HuDgi paTaisodralli avnu punTa maga"...(In impressing girls, he is damn good!)

12) Joint/ JaainT:to come together.Always wrongly used in place of word "Join" by the auto and taxi drivers of Nammuru...
"Saar, aa roaDu alli mundhe hogi jaainT agatthe" (That roadu, in front will jaainT with other road)

13) Kai koDodu: cheat or deviate from the plan..
"10 ghantege Lalbagh hathra barthini antha heLidlu, kai koTbiTlu guru"
(She told she will come to Lalbagh at 10 o'clock..She gave hand) ..

14) Yedva tadva: All possible ways/methods..
"Uthharakumara baDDi maga avnu..Yedva tadva reel biDthane"
(He is Uthharakumara..He puts reel/lies in all possible ways)..

Nammuru slang is odd, awkward and even at times gramatically wrong..But its comic punch lines are second to none. :)
We love YET crucify our Kannada, just as they do Hindi in Mumbai. But fun is where/when language is used liberally, not according to the whims and fancies of certain people /rule book.

In 2001, I couldn't have imagined that my Kannada would be as Bangalored as it is today..But I am proud it is..I am in true love with this great language's flavors as much as my mother tongue Konkani...

Nammoor bhaashe sakkath bhashe kaNree!!!:)

Save the girl child!!!

Female foeticide..A topic that is still taboo in India.. Everyone believes that its someone else's problem..Well that is one of the reasons this topic is still shouting for help..A skewed sex ratio doesn't help any country...
I have seen many a celebrity raise a noise on this..Most of it has been mere publicity stunt than anything of substance..I believe it is time for us, the common man, to realize this ;rather than any awakening or attending a tutorial session....

This wrong notion that "guys are markedly superior to girls" was prevalent in Indian society long ago...Girls were just supposed to keep their husbands happy, making umpteen sacrifices along the way...."Pati Parmeshwar" "Meri duniya aapke charNo main hain" etc. were reality than just mere filmy dialogues.. Sati was a rule, not a convention..A girl was coerced to immolate herself in her husband's funeral pyre cos she had no right to live anymore..What nonsense!!!

A girl had to abort whatever she is good at and sit at home to take care of the kids..Oh ya? Aren't they your kids too pal? You both had them dint you??...Atleast the girl sitting at home for this reason is better than because the hubby believes she shouldn't even be talking to her male colleagues in office.. What about when you flirt openly with your secretary, mate? Lets not be hypocrites here..

Girls were supposed to know cooking as if it was their birthright.."Yeh sab paDhai choD; sasuraal jaake bartan hi to manjne hain"They were supposed to do the dishes, eat in their husband's plate, compulsorily address husband as "Aap"..Most of these are a direct antithesis to the reality that "Respect ought to be earned, not demanded".. (These days girls address hubby as "Aap" only when the in-laws are in town..The name is different when they aren't in town ;))

Even to this day, when one tries to discuss this female foeticide topic with elders of the family (more seen in our grandparents' time and before than in our parents generation), there is an eerie silence in the room; an admission of guilt almost.. Its as if they know that it was wrong and couldn't do much about it..I also see a glint of pride in their eyes that we are trying to change this preconceived notion..

What has changed and why should this discourage female foeticide? Firstly, the emphasis on education (which was non existent earlier). Today girls are walking the same path as guys; shoulder to shoulder, because they are allowed to study..Girls becoming pilots is something that was unthinkable earlier. A lady going to space and being there for many days (Sunita Williams) and another who has gone down in legend (Kalpana Chawla) for her heroic deeds...

Secondly, the restrictions on girls is now zilch.. Earlier they were limited to saree and salwar kameez; today we guys are jealous of the dressing options they have (We can just wear a pant and shirt :)) ..They can party till late in the night like us, they can do most things a guy can do; this talk was surely just gibberish years ago.. Today, its a fact of life..When you see the freedom enjoyed by your lady friends, you are happy that times-they-are-a-changing..

Thirdly and interestingly;I believe establishing co-education systems in all schools across India will help. When you perceive something as unattainable or out of reach, the possibility of atrocities is higher, obviously aided by testosterone levels. Mingling from such a young age with the opposite sex makes it clear that even they are human beings.. This way atleast people giving birth to a girl would have to worry less about her safety!!

Fourthly; abolish reservations for women. The 33% reservations in parliament and elsewhere is a pile of crap. Only when you think you are weaker, you ask for reservation.. In an ideal scenario, open up the field and let the women with merit come forward and not be suppressed or oppressed...This will take sometime, but let us try.

Recently I learnt that a pregnant lady had claimed that she hoped she would be blessed with a baby boy, because "The environment is not conducive to raise a girl".. Now, this is unthinkable.. Honestly.. This is a retrograde step; its like switching 50 years in the time machine. but in the reverse direction..If we educated folks say this, God bless the world... I don't think we have a right to expect others to do the right thing then.

Why would a girl be a burden today? I am guessing Dowry, which is another pathetic custom.They say it is given for a girl's happiness.. Oh ya? Then why are there murders for Dowry? So it is the in-laws and bridegroom's happiness then.."Girl burnt alive;Not able to meet in-laws demands" was something we always saw in the 90's in the newspapers..I believe the perpetrators should be sent to the gallows; no less..The fear of being punished is playing a major role in averting these crimes today. These incidents have reduced considerably..

In that sense, making sex determination tests illegal and bringing the culprits to book in India has helped. We see that these tests are a part of the pregnancy process in the US; but then as long as there is no hue and cry I don't think there should be a problem..

The only reason I can see a man preferring a baby boy is that he gets control of the remote in the hall; Cricket will rule rather than anything else he will have to put up with on TV.. :-)

By the way,they say a girl gets more traits from her father than the mother...In that case it should be easier for us to go against female foeticide than even ladies.
Cos it should bring a smile on your face when you think "One day, I will see my angel conquer the world".. Think about it!!!

A journey like none other

Yes, my adrenaline is pretty high as I write this.. India has just lost a game ala the 90's to Australia.. Tendulkar, the archetypal boy-on-the-burning-deck..

1992..As an 8 year old, I was up at 5:30 am waiting to watch India's match on Australian soil... Dad and Mom knew it.. Their elder son's religion wasn't just Hinduism..It was Cricket too...
I remember watching a shy teenager on TV endorsing for Gillette razor blades. I don't think he looked of shave-able(!) age.. "Gillette, the best a man can get" was the ad caption...His name was Sachin Tendulkar.. Instantly, I must have thought wow its easy to come on television after playing cricket cos "My name is Sachin too!!"..

World cup 1996.. I was to perform a priest's role in my School Annual Day function in Hyderabad.. As I was practising in the rehearsals, my heart was elsewhere.. India was playing the 1st game of 1996 WC at Cuttack vs Kenya... No cell phones.. Some weird pagers floating around..I wanted to know how Tendulkar was going.. He made 127 magnificent runs and I realized, my heart beats for this game.. By the end of 1996, cricket had fully engulfed me...Prime reason was my namesake..."Sachinn Sachhinn" as the crowds chant..

Wherever I was asked my name, they jokingly used to ask "U said ur name is Sachin? Sachin Tendulkar?? :)".. Instant smile on my face.. Who gets the same name as their hero...Almost an honor I thought..

I will leave the analysis of his career to a later date when he hangs up his boots (a day that I truly dread)...

Just imagine you have a fairytale dream.. You top your class, you get the job you want, the car you want, all the money you need and more, marry the girl of your dreams and end up as an uber successful entrepreneur..You are bound to lose your head somewhere.. "The world is under my feet.. There is no one called God..I am God" etc are thoughts bound to come to your head...

Tendulkar's career is fairytale (forgetting the blood, sweat and guts for a moment)...If someone had told me this man will play for 20 years, I would have been skeptical...I would have said "I think he can..Lets see".. I see it today...He is playing with people who landed on Earth after his debut and he still shows the same commitment...

How he has not let that "I am God" thought go to his head and almost become God for all cricket fanatics is a free tutorial on how to handle money, fame and adulation... I haven't heard one negative report about the man..And I live in the Sansanikhez era of the Aaj Taks and Star News'.. I haven't heard him come up with a cocky statement "I will do this.. I will do that" Nothing. He just lets his bat do the talking..

Me and my friend were discussing how we should wait for Tendulkar to retire, before all of us decide to take the plunge..Cos the spouse will surely not be happy with the lack of attention. (Watching Tendulkar bat will anyday take priority ..I say that on record :) :) )

I usually hate calling anyone God.. Rahman, Sampras, Federer I respect them a lot.. But, God? No... I have usually denied that Tendulkar is God..But in his career, there were fleeting moments when I have felt that there is no purpose living in denial anymore...This feeling isnt very sustained, even this brevity is proof of his stature..

He can be described as the world's greatest cricketer and a far greater human being...

And this isn't hyperbole....But, the day he hangs up his boots and walks off with his India shirt for the last time, I will feel something within me is missing...Many grown up Indian men the world over will shed a tear...I will be one of them...

What's this, Ashu?

Sometimes...Your heroes disappoint you..Its just not the result always, its the thought process that goes behind the effort that mostly determines success/failure..

The man who directed Lagaan and Swades deserves an off day you feel? Well I don't deny him that..But what he was doing directing this movie is beyond me..

We are shown lovely Chicago, where Yogesh Patel resides.. And then for a frivolous reason he is rushed to India.. Grandpa writing all his wealth to his grandson in the States with a rider "He gets the cash on the day he gets married" Are u kidding me Ashutosh? Do we look that gullible?

Seeing 12 gals of 12 different Rashees is fine, but they all look the same if you are in love? That's the reason we saw 12 Priyankas?? What BS.... How could Yogesh be in love with any of the 12 Priyankas? He hadnt known them at all before the "arranged" meeting..

Have you seen an astrologer who doubles up as private detective? If that isn't enough, he blackmails his way to glory too... So obviously these guys dont rate the cranial matter of the audience..
And the finger cutting Goonda.. Please.....spare me...

I believe a 3 hour 26 minute movie length is not justified in most cases.. In this case, most certainly not...It is absurd and excruciatingly long.. Imagine someone going with his gal on a movie date for this movie... She would have left him for sure.. Whatever his Rashee...

Priyanka, well done.. You are a 100% trier... Harman, you aren't as bad as they say...All character actors well done guys.. The lady playing Harman's mom,I saw her for the 1st time after Golmaal (Amol palekar's sister).. Some nostalgia for us movie buffs.... :)

Sohail Sen, we will hear a lot about your music in the coming years.. Bikhri Bikhri was brilliant.. Sau Janam and Jao na, very good..

Everyone job well done.. Except the script writer and Mr.Gowariker..Again proves, you can get all the stars you want..But the script has the final say...

I humbly request Ashutosh to not try to be a Hrishida.. You will not succeed.. Please be your own man..
http://sacshan.blogspot.com/2006/11/middle-class-messiah.html

You disappointed me big time here...But, I have analyzed your work enough to know you are a class act... Bounce back Ashutosh... I am waiting for your next... I will grant you this Rashee....

Appreciating beauty

Thought of a purely hatke topic for this blog...Venturing into a new area so to say.. When I discussed the idea of this blog and sent the list to bro, he described it as a "blog for the masses" :)

That, India is a wonder of the world, shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone..This time, I will talk about the beautiful ladies that have adorned that great land.

Some disclaimers before I proceed..This is purely my opinion... These are beautiful women I have seen (of course with/without make-up and on the telly and the internet).
Women that I have seen live, I can't comment obviously.. For fear of security for myself....If I include someone and don't include someone else, I am gonna be in soup for sure.. So ladies, all of you are beautiful, don't worry... :-)

This list is not just based on looks but on how they carry themselves, the entire persona....
It is in no particular order and is limited to Indian ladies for now.. Here goes....

1) Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: That I have never liked her much as a person shouldn't come in the way of her beauty.. She is easily the most beautiful face in India and maybe the entire world..

2) Kartika Rane : The pretty face on TV...From Ek Se Badhkar Ek to Hum Pardesi Ho Gaye,
I have been absolutely floored by Kartika's persona.. She is intelligent, suave, quasi-traditional and quasi modern... Ticks all my boxes..Take home to Mom basically....:-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoUeQDAEn4U (Check)

3) Simone Singh: The Henna girl... My real favorite.. Many of my friends say she isn't good, but hell, she really is fab....

4) Vidya Balan: Ethereal beauty of Parineeta.. I thought she is this generation's Hemaji.. But seems to be in oblivion now.. Come out of it Vidya..

5) Madhuri Dixit: Who, from my generation can claim that he wasn't smitten by Ms.Dixit's charm? No one...We all loved the superstar.. A beautiful lady who has settled down with kids now and is still a stunner..

6) Preity Zinta: Oh...Those cheek dimples...Tomboyish to the core.. Very beautiful in Indian attire (Jiya Jale anyone?!)

7) Bhagyashree: Faces don't come more beautiful than Bhagyashree's. For any guy who believes beauty is also a factor (ALL of us?!) , this is the reference point... If not for a Himalayan (career blunder, she is doing well personally) mistake in 1990, she would have climbed the Himalayas today in her career... :-)

8) Amrita Rao: Very petite with eyes to die for....Miss Rao is from Mangalore and there by an excessive soft corner from yours truly... ;)

9) Nidhi Razdan: If its news, it has to be from Ms.Razdan.. Excellent newsreader..Though many times I miss the news :-) Easily, the most beautiful face on Indian television..

10) Shreya Ghoshal: Talent and beauty... personified.. The voice is as sweet as the person she seems to be, atleast in most of her interviews.. Very down to earth..

11) Hema Malini : A constant talking point apparently in the 80's was guys, saying "Maa, the girl should look like HemaMalini.."...She really WAS... damn it, IS that good...What a sizzling pair she and Dharmendra make.. Donno how Esha is so ordinary.... Anyway..

12) Mrinal Kulkarni: Beautiful lady... Remember her from the serial Son-Pari..
An example how to be gracious even when one is on the wrong side of 30.

13) Katrina Kaif: I debated real hard whether to include Kat in here.. That she is sexy is beyond debate.. But beautiful? Yes, she probably is.... Haven't seen her enough in Indian attire, but she is in this list for sure..

14) Sharmila Tagore: Regal and royal..Mrs. Pataudi brings a smile on my face.. I love the way she carries herself.. She was breathtakingly beautiful in Kashmir Ki Kali, Chupke Chupke and Aradhana..

The cuties missed the bus.. Juhi Chawla, Genelia D'Souza and the like... They will probably feature in an all time Indian top-10 cutie pies :-)

PS: Sanju and Akshay, thanks for your inputs and for ratifying this list.... :-)

Flirting with greatness

Here I am.. After a one year hiatus almost.. Lots of singing blogs later, with my other true love.. :-)

Ironic it is, that my last cricket blog was on Sourav "Dada" Ganguly..And this one is on his "best buddy" Andrew 'Freddie" Flintoff...

Cut to the summer of 1998.. As a guy just into my teens, I was so-to-say waiting for a hero in Cricket.. To follow, to respect, to idolize....Against SouthAfrica at Nottingham, a 16 stone monster made his debut, with a tremendous reputation.. You are cursed if, you are touted as the next Ian Botham even before you wear your whites.. Flintoff surely was...

My first impression was that the "English tabloids are back to work"... Ruining a career, very much in its infancy.. It was an impression proved right.. Freddie showed flashes of brilliance, but was never consistent and was in-and-out of the side..

He played one scintillating knock against Pakistan at Karachi under lights, chasing 300 odd (with a ball as wet as soap, it must be said!), but then again it was more of an aberration than a regular phenomenon.

Freddie, really was born on the tour of India in late 2001.. Post 2001 attacks in New York City, Caddick, Gough and Croft declined to tour India. The skipper (one of my other heroes) Nasser Hussain, was left with a trundling attack with Hoggard at the helm... Hussain woke up Freddie from his slumber. He set 8-1 fields to the maestro, frustrated him... Giles surely was crucial, but it was Fred toiling away at the other end..Miserly, fearsome, awe inspiring... He really gained the respect of Indian batsmen on that tour and along with that mine too..

2002-2005 was more about the under-achiever Flintoff.. again with flashes of occasional genius...A genius that was eccentric, with an almost rebellious streak... He won games for England, but there were many days when he was oh-so-ordinary.. His bowling though had now taken shape and he was truly world class with the ball, almost becoming a bowling allrounder.. The fact that he had bucket hands in the slip cordon did not do him any harm...

The Ashes 2005 will be a part of folklore... It was Freddie Flintoff's Ashes.. He made runs, he took catches, he took wickets, he shook hands and comforted Lee at Edgbaston in an oh-so-touching moment...It really was stuff of dreams... The major plus during this time, was the advent of another rebel.. Almost like Freddie.. the gum chewing, chest thumping, hair coloring KP.. These two impact players really decided the Ashes, which England won despite 40 Shane Warne wickets and of course with help from that swollen leg of Glenn Mcgrath...

2006 was a big year for Freddie.. He inspired England to a come from behind win in Mumbai, levelling the series at the Wankhede, in the same match in which SRT was booed.. The sight of seeing Shaun Udal running amok, gives one a sick feeling in the stomach even till date.. But Freddie was brilliant as the outspoken captain.. He wasn't silent... He believed that deeds are what you do on the field, not dressing room talk...

2006, the Ashes..His best mate Steve Harmison started by delivering the first ball to him at first slip.. The Ashes were gone.. It was a humiliation.. Freddie looked disinterested in the middle of the campaign..He looked flat, uninspiring with"when-can-I-return-to-Lancashire" written all over him.. It was forgettable really... He bounced back to win the CB Series, but that wasn't any consolation..

2007, the World Cup.. again..England failed and Freddie faltered.. The Fredalo incident was a blot on his career... He turned up drunk, fell off a Pedalo and faced the wrath of the tabloids, rightly so.. He was apologetic about it though and determined to make amends...

2008, at home v SouthAfrica.. The moment that still gives me goosebumps.. Edgbaston it was.. Freddie Flintoff bowling to Jacques Kallis.. Talisman to talisman.... no one was giving an inch... Freddie being very tall, was coming from up above the sight screen..Kallis complained to umpire Aleem Dar, but was told the "its the same for both sides" crap... Flintoff got Kallis out twice really.. both times LBW... one of them was plumb.. Kallis of course dint see either, neither am sure did Aleem Dar... Freddie was pissed.. He then decided to eliminate the umpire altogether.. He got Kallis bowled with an absolute peach.. again one that JK dint see, but we the crowd did...
The roar, after that dismissal, makes me stand up and take notice even today.. It was theatrical, yes, but it was much needed to bring the dying test cricket to life..

Injuries plagued him since and he was on and off in English whites...But, ending as an Ashes winning member in Test cricket was something Fred deserved totally.. The run out of Punter on day 4 was ample proof of "Cometh the hour, cometh the champion"..

Yes, Freddie was theatrical, inconsistent and also a bad boy.. But that doesn't disturb what he achieved.. The unbridled joy he gave us over the past 10 years will remain a lasting memory...

Freddie. post retirement said "I am not a great".. He was a bit of a sledger on the field, but mostly humble off it...Apart from the modesty, there is some merit in his statement for sure.. He underachieved...that fact cannot be hidden..

But is being a great, only taking 5 wickets and making a 100? Freddie was an impact player, a game breaker... He brought people in to the ground, he made cricket a better place.. And he performed exceptionally on the cricket field...How many cricketers can bat at no 6, bowl at 90 miles an hour and take slip catches like plucking mangoes from a tree?

In my book, Freddie Flintoff flirted with greatness..Never fullyachieving/sustaining it.. But I will grant him greatness.. It may be open to debate, but I don't think we will grudge him greatness.

The next time I see an England team on the park, I will still look for that daunting, intimidating figure..We will all miss you Freddie.. Thank you for the memories....

Me singing Roobaroo

I absolutely love this song.. It has a v v special place in my heart.. So I wanted to be extra careful and get this rendition right.. :-)

This is the song that defines my generation.. That in-your-face thing..."We are here, we will conquer" attitude that most of us have... Confidence without treading into the pompous region..

First time I heard this song in 2005, I dint know what was happening...But its one of the few Rahman songs that I liked from say, the 3rd hearing, where as most of them take 7-8 serious hearings to get into your system (never to get out again!) ..

Challenges: Singing Naresh Iyer's part, then switching to the genius' part and then coming back to Iyer's "Dhuaan Chata khula gagan mera"... Wasn't easy at all...

When I started, I wanted this to be one of my best renditions.. Lets see if that is right.. :)

And finally, its my absolute dream that I should hear Rahman singing "Roobaroo" in a live concert... God willing, it will happen...Amen!

PS: This is my all time favorite cell phone ringtone as well ;)

Me singing Tum Ho Toh(Rock on)

I watched Rock On over the weekend... And it was a good movie.. I took something else from the movie...Inspiration.. from Farhan Akhtar..

Seeing someone able to multiple things well... I want to be like that one day...Farhan u rock!! :-)

Shankar Ehsaan Loy once again show their classs.. This time with a slow live band number..


PS: Guys, concentrate on the song..The pic is very distracting... can't take your eyes off gorgeous Prachi Desai.. :-)

Masakali, my Masakali :)

Something that I always wanted to do.. Sing Masakali... I have heard this song innumerable times since January and was finally convinced now I could do some justice to it..

First time I heard it, the singer Mohit Chauhan's nakhraaa(mannerisms) floored me...I knew I could sing this song but the only problem was to incorporate those mannerisms in the song.. :D

Here is the song..



Some behind the scenes trivia (The making of Masakali that is :D)...

It was sung from start to finish (no stop)...The one I uploaded is my second try..the first one I somehow felt could be bettered by myself.. The second one? Ya could be.. but I thought enoughhh..

Things I feel I could have done better... I could have tried singing the part after the anthara , that goes Masakali Masakali, but I had to regain my breath, so let the music run..
Also in the 2nd stanza, I was busy with the Hey Hey Hey and missed the first line (cos there was almost an overlap between the end of Hey Hey and start of the stanza)

Also, before the first stanza starts, u can hear me in the background practising repeatedly to get the "Ghar teraaa Saloniiii" part totally right :-)

Anyways, I have got some nice comments on Facebook for this.. Thanks buddies.. U make the effort seem worthwhile!. Thank you...

Jai Rahman.. Jai Mohit Chauhan :)

PS: Sonam, u look purr-fect in this one (even better than the cutey Masakali!) ... :-)

There's something about Pete!!

Sunday, May 31st...After a very late night voice chat (yo!!, common on weekends), I had slept hoping to get up late and was woken up by a phone call at 9 am..The voice, which sounded like he had suddenly got a lifeline, started with a Hello....I immediately knew Rafael was out of Roland Garros...He ended with "Have a great day buddy".....(I wont take his name, cos patrons of this blog will not like it..LOL)...

My mind went overdrive worrying about the person who I believed would win after Rafael had lost... Some Roger guy... OK, the great RF... I instantly thought "Please no.....please"... I knew that a win here for Roger, would surely make my word redundant/irrelevant(not that a few people gave weightage to it anyway :D).. Sadistic or whatever u want to term it, I don't care, I just followed my heart..

14 slams now for Federer and counting.(abba, he hasn't overtaken Pete yet :))..Having won slams on all surfaces along with his remarkable consistency, he rightfully can claim to be greatest..
But... There is something about Sampras, that I refuse to let go of him as the best player I have seen on a tennis court... May be the emotions he could stir up, that mental fortitude, that walking-on-water belief, that unbelievable slam dunk smash, those magical 2nd serve aces at 0-40..
May be I am biased, hell I am, but for me Sampras is still the best.. Its not logical, but heyy, I truly love my champion...

I don't think any sportsman has had such an impact on me (maybe Ganguly, Tendulkar and Dhoni are close!!)... I remember watching the 1994 Wimbledon final at home in Hyderabad.. All 4 of us watching the match on a Sunday evening, Dad and lil bro vociferously rooting for Ivanisevic and me for the great man.... I prevailed.. I remember the fist clinch and the cry "Come onnnnn Pete!!!"....They made fun of Pete hanging his tongue out like a dog, when asking for ball from the ball boy... But that habit I tried to ape too, albeit unsuccesfully.. :-)

Cut to 1995.. Wimbledon semifinal... Pete v Goran again... Pete was on a hat-trick of Wimbs having won in 1993 and 1994... He lost a set and I thought the hat-trick won't happen.. Imagine a 11 year old crying for loss of a tennis set.. I did...I heard advice from Dad and Mom that its not good to cry in sport.. I just refused to listen.. I couldn't stop...Pete had such an impact on me...I looked up to him.. I must have celebrated like mad that day, when the great man overcame Goran...

In the school summer holidays in Mangalore at Grandpa's in the mid 90s, we did not have cable television, so I couldn't watch French open...I used to be half scared to open the morning papers, to see the results...I feared that Pete might have lost... He dint do justice to his talents and dint try hard enough at the French.. That will remain a blemish... One that I shall regret..

I remember waiting for the Sportstar magazine edition, whenever Pete won Wimbledon, hoping to read a lot of articles that eulogized the champion and also see that exclusive Sportstar poster of Pete holding the trophy aloft..

Clearly, this Pete obsession is something I can't overcome...

Well played Roger..U are a legend... (Get up Rafael... Go get him mate.. Go now!!)...

But Pete, you are my undisputed champion mate... By head, by heart and by Jove... :)