total timepass...

I would say this is another Salman Khan movie. And he is a real rockstar cool dude! Salman has really transformed himself from what he was in the last few years, from trying to do romantic comedies which he sucked at, to acting in films, where he just plays himself, the brash superstar, and therefore does a good job of it! I would say its the right direction to take, and way to go Salman! The movie's storyline does not have too much unexpected stuff. Some loopholes, which you can ignore. Ajay Devgan hams in his acting. Views of London good as always:) Some good songs. And again, Salman's Chennai Express attitude takes the cake. Nice timepass, will give it 3 out of 5 stars.

" Yeh jabr bhi dekha hai taareekh ki nazron ne Lamhon ne khata ki thi sadiyon ne sazaa payee..." WAH WAH!!! (TRANSLATION : These are the lessons of time: for the mistakes made by moments, the punishment is meted out to centuries) A beautiful sher, which I read in an article on the ibn site discussing the Kashmir problem.. so true for so much happening in the world now, and in our lives too...!! Isn't it beautiful????

Its a bit late to review this movie, as it was released a long time ago, but I had to!! Its a TOTAL laugh riot and a must-watch for people who are true Bollywood fans and can even enjoy the stupid comedies!! Completely over the top, ridiculous events happening one after the other, with no logical flow and to top it all, falling-off-the-chair-laughing kind of jokes throughout the movie. Agree, its mindless comedy which you won't appreciate if you look for logic in a movie, and the acting especially from Ajay Devgan is not top of the pack, but come on, it's a Hindi movie!!!! Would give it 3.5 stars, just for the three hours of pure fun and laughter..

Pros (very limited!!): The story and concept of the movie is decent. Something new, something young, something fresh.. And it would have worked too if just the editing was a bit tight. Acting was quite good too (all the 'directors' in the company have fit in their characters very well) Cons: The pace of the movie is terribly slow, making you impatient and wishing that something concrete happens in the movie soon!! Its not a comedy either as it seemed from the promos, though there are some jokes thrown in, here and there. And last thing, some of the dialogues seem too much over the top. Still its a hindi movie, so would give it 2 stars:)

Lets all North Indians in Mumbai get together and do a fast unto death to make Mumbai a part of UP and Bihar. Given how successful hunger strikes have become, am sure we may be able to get past such a ridiculous demand too!! And am sure, can get enough people to do the fasting and the related gundagardi also.... Surely, Congress wont have a problem with this, and any rioting etc that happens during this process will get pardoned too! So, thats an added positive again in garnering support for the fast!! All those in favour, say aye!

After the brilliant performance by Sehwag in the Test match against Sri Lanka yesterday, lots has been written about him.. I'll just put here, some stuff that was forwarded to me, or I read on some website.. " I have asked him (Tendulkar) many times what the zone is. He tells me that's when "I see nothing except the ball". I ask how that is possible. I have never felt something like that. I have asked Rahul Dravid the same thing. He says sometimes when he is in really good form, he sees only the ball - and not the sightscreen, the non-striker, the umpire or who is bowling, he just sees only the ball. But I have never entered that zone even if I've scored triple-centuries twice. Maybe I will enter that zone they talk about in future." - Can we imagine what would happen if he does start going into 'the' zone??? " Hard as it is to believe, Sehwag had scored just 15 runs off the first 31 balls he faced in the Test." - Such a statement, a

Something very interesting I read on this Wiki page about Trilemmas . From the Wiki page, one of the interesting trilemmas I read, the social trilemma.... "A society cannot be simultaneously fair, free and equal. If it is fair, individuals who work harder will accumulate more wealth; if it is free, parents will leave the bulk of their inheritance to their children; but then it will not be equal, as people will begin life with different fortunes." So you can choose maximum, two of the three only. Is this where the concept of socialism came from??

Wow, what a slogan!! Isn't it? Brilliant!! It was playing across tv channels all of yesterday.. Yesterday on the one-year anniversary of 26/11, we were in the Colaba area where the attacks had happened. The roads were all blocked due to huge traffic, of people going to Gateway and showing their support to all affected by the tragedy last year. We saw something like a rock concert happening at the Leopold Cafe, to show Mumbai's defiance to the brutal attack. A police rally at Nariman point. Students from many colleges collecting at the Gateway and shouting slogans, on how we will not take such attacks lying down and demanding our politicians to do something, anything. Abhishek Bachchan on TV, in some telecom ads proclaiming that we will not forget. Another telecom company announcing that a percentage of the proceeds from all calls made on XYZ date, between ABC time will go to the families of policemen affected by 26/11. And of course, all newspapers and tv channels re-discov

I don't think there is any end to the continuous stream of news for which my only reaction can be, "Ridiculous !!" Here is another one... Taxpayers pay Rs 204 cr for bogus MCD staffers I wonder how they manage to come up with such ingenuous ways of siphoning off money, everytime! And also wonder what would happen if this ingenuity was channeled somewhere useful?

Guess who is this?

Some are interesting, some old but nice to read again. 1. The US has made a new weapon that destroys people but keeps the building standing,. Its called the stock market - Jay Leno 2. Do you have any idea how cheap stocks are ?? Wall Street is now being called Wal Mart Street - Jay Leno 3. The difference between a pigeon and a London investment banker : The pigeon can still make a deposit on a BMW 4. What's the difference between a guy who lost everything in Las Vegas and an investment banker ? A tie 5. The problem with investment bank balance sheet is that on the left side nothing's right and on the right side nothing's left. 6. I want to warn people from Nigeria who might be watching our show, if you get any e-mails from Washington asking for money, it's a scam. Don't fall for it - Jay Leno 7. Bush was asked about the credit crunch. He said it was his favourite candy bar - Jay Leno 8. The rescue bill was about 450 pages. President Bush's copy is ev

Start Calculator Application on your computer and try this : 2704/50 = 54.08 (Works Fine) 2704/51 = 53.01960784 (Works Fine) 2704/52 = It Doesn't Work !!! 2704/53 = 51.01886792 (Works Fine) 2704/54 = 50.07407407 (Works Fine) Microsoft Calculator fails to calculate 2704/52!!! Any clues, why??

This is really amazing!! Did you know, "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is actually a valid English sentence?!! Read here . Now I think I will have to agree with Amitabh in Namak Halaal, that "English ij a bhery bhery phunny language!" Btw the sentence above means something like, Buffalo buffalos (as in buffalos from the city of Buffalo in US) who Buffalo buffalos (again) buffalo (as in bully), they also buffalo (as in bully) other Buffalo buffalos... Phew, after typing it all, I seem to have forgotten how to spell buffallooo!

If Columbus had been married he might never have discovered America because of the following: Where are you going? With whom? Why? How are you going? To discover what? Why you? What do I do, when you are not here? Can I come with you ? Coming back when? Dinner ghar par hi khaoge? Mere liye kya laoge? It seems you deliberately made this plan....Hain na... Why? Dont lie.... Why are you making such programmes? You seem to be making a lot of such programmes. Why? I want to go to my parents place.. I want you to come and leave me... I don’t want to come back.... I will never come back.... Why are u not stopping me? I don’t understand what is this discovery chakker? You always do like this...... Last time also u did like this.... Nowaday’s u always seem to do like this.... I still don’t understand what else is left to be discovered.. . (This joke had all the men I sent it to in splits! Especially the married ones... They could actually imagine all this happening and poor Columbus trying to a

Its a decent movie, but nothing great either. Positives of the film would be : story is not bad, its quite a thriller at many points, good soft soulful music and of course the Delhi visuals in the first half of the movie (Thats always a treat:). As an aside, ever noticed how increasingly movies are being shot in Delhi, which did not happen as often earlier. Every fourth movie now seems to have been set in Delhi!). Negatives would be too long a script (which sometimes just drags on and on), too many loopholes in the script and there is nothing new AT ALL in the story!! Its something like a New York and Fanaa mix, and I think I found the other two better than this movie. An of course Dia Mirza's lask of acting skills and the completely out-of-place faces that Vivek Oberoi makes at all the wrong scenes in the movie, it actually makes you laugh! Where has the Vivek of Saathiya and Company gone? Anyways is a watchable movie and would give it 2.5 stars. I wonder why all the critics are f

Another play by the same group as 'Hum Kahein, Aap Suney' , Ekjute of Nadira Babbar.. Quite different from the earlier plays have seen, must give it that. Its a play based on a 1400 years old script, and part of the play is in classical dance. Great acting by all, but the direction wasn't upto the mark, as well as the script lacked the tightness of a well crafted play. Both were too loose, could have been edited better and made more crisp. Then surely, this play based on an ancient Indian dance form would have been more interesting and loveable. Commendable effort still...

One of the best plays I have seen (and believe me, have seen a decent amount!).. Its a play based on the ancient art of storytelling, called 'Dastaan Goi'. The play has three characters, an uncle, a nephew and a Dastaan Goi teacher. The play details how the uncle uses the teacher's help to inspire his nephew to pursue Daastaan Goi, as an art. The high point of the play of course is when each of the characters in the play, tells a story each. Its mesmerising, how they are able to singlehandedly convey all the emotions, the scenes and the surroundings of the story, in so simple and subtle, yet powerful manner! You have to see it to believe it, you will be lost while watching it for sure! Go and watch it! It is directed by Nadira Zaheer Babbar, who also acts as the teacher. Anant Mahadevan is the uncle, while a new actor plays the nephew.

One person serving life sentence for killing another (btw, the sentence also granted after protests by media across the country) gets two months parole!! And that too for seeing his 'ailing' mother who is out campaigning for his father. The whole story is so damn false, could no one see through it? Of course they did not, since the person is powerful and rich. It just disillusions you so much to see these different rules for different people, and the CM of the state on top of that defending the decision! Here is one of the articles on the topic .

China has been raking up lots of prickly issues with India, in the last couple of months. Most of them are just nuisance value, but still these issues refuse to go away. There seems to be something more in all these co-ordinated steps. Something foreboding in the future, sure to come. Here is a very nice blog, on these very dangers of China. Very beautifully written.. Update: Here's something else to substantiate the foreboding in the futur e..

BULL MARKET: A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius. BEAR MARKET: A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife no jewellery. VALUE INVESTING: The art of buying low and selling lower. P/E RATIO: The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing. BROKER: What my broker has made me. STANDARD & POOR: Your life in a nutshell. STOCK ANALYST: Idiot who just downgraded your stock. STOCK SPLIT: When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves. FINANCIAL PLANNER: A guy whose phone has been disconnected. MARKET CORRECTION: The day after you buy stocks. CASH FLOW: The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet. YAHOO: What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share. WINDOWS: What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share. INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR: Past year investor who's

Santa-Banta say on current financial market :- What worries me most about the credit crunch, is that if one of my cheques is returned stamped "insufficient funds", I won't know whether that refers to mine or the bank's!! (For once, Santa Banta seem to show more sense than the intelligent bankers!!)

Who was the first choice for the lead role in 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge?' Answer is : Tom Cruise!! I cant believe it, and am happy it didn't turn out this way.. We would have lost one of the most romantic movies of our times.. Apparently, Tom Cruise was to play an American boy, whom Kajol falls in love with.. I prefer our 'Raj' though:)

Is quiet a decent movie, would say.. great acting especially from Ranbir Kapoor, he sure is maturing fast as an actor!! as well as Katrina Kaif, who as usual was looking very pretty.. Lot of good laughs in the movie, especially the ball room sequence, and when Ranbir's father repeats a dialogue for him! The chase sequences and fights are fantasy, you may enjoy those if you keep your mind out of the theatre.. Music is forgettable.. Sometimes the story gets too slow.. But on the whole, some really good jokes to keep you laughing and falling over your seats.. Would give it 3 stars.

Ridiculous!! Thats all I can think off! An MLA in the assembly beaten up, because he took his oath in the national language, Hindi!! Where is this country going to? How can something like this happen, and then people get away with it!! Doing such a stupidity, in the parliament, and then getting away with it!! And then we have the guts to say Australians are racist, when in our own country someone who talks in Hindi can get beaten up for the same very thing.. Ridiculous..!! Here is the video from CNN IBN .. P.S. and now the video has been removed from the site...!!

This one is a classic, had to be put up...!!

Below are some logos of companies.. suggestions for what the logos should be changed to, in times of recession! Enjoy...!!

Below are some banker cartoons... cartoons I received as email forwards...would not know who to reference, but surely not mine!! they seem a bit harsh, but then thats the sign of current times!!

2008-2009 was the year of the banker jokes..!! Hundreds being spread around at all times.. Everyone wanted to be a part of it, such jokes would be the best ways to start a conversation!! Some of them were quite funny, and most of them true too.. Here are some interesting ones.. will keep adding more as and when I come across more.. President Bush said clients shouldn't be concerned by all these bankclosings. If the bank is closed, you just use the ATM, he said. George Bush said that he is saddened to hear about the demise of Lehman brothers… His thoughts at this time go out to their mother as losing one son is hard but losing two is a tragedy. The problem with investment bank balance sheets is that on the left side nothing is right and on the right side nothing is left. There are 30 billion prime numbers below 700 billion. The rest are all subprime. How do you define optimism? A banker who irons 5 shirts on a Sunday. Why are all MBAs going back to school? To ask for their mo

He's the CEO of our firm, and will be remembered for long for his fight to keep the firm from going under.. A lot of others did with he did too, just that he was successful (unlike Fuld) and in the direct firing line also longer (unlike Lloyd).. and he pulled through! Hats off to John the Mack.. Having been in the firm through its worst times, have seen this leader at work.. and he is brilliant! What does come across quite strongly is his humour, as well as the strength that he portrays, even in those very tough times... This link below is a lecture he gave at Wharton, about leadership.. An interesting lecture for anyone who wants to get an insider view to what all happened during those months in the banking industry.. Wharton leadership lecture by John Mack

Here are some (emotional) quotes from a function to honour the Fab Four of Indian Cricket (Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Kumble)....... Kumble on Sachin “You’ve had the challenge to prove everybody right, I had the challenge to prove everybody wrong...” Sourav on himself: "“Over the past 12-13 years I’ve made good friends and made some enemies, but it was all for the good of Indian cricket and, hopefully, you’ve enjoyed walking the path with me.” Kumble on Sourav: “Enjoy the last four days (of Test cricket)... You’ve been fantastic and it’s under you that we learnt to win Tests abroad,”

Here are some random quotes collected over a period of time.. they are not mine, and if someone knows who to attribute these to, will do so...Will put up some more as and when I get time.... ........... (MY FAVORITE, CAN CALL IT MY MOTTO IN LIFE..) Sair kar duniya ki Ghalib, zindagani fir kahan.... Zindagani gar rahe bhi sahi, naujawani fir kahan.....?? wah wah wah.. ........... As we were getting ready to say good-bye, I looked at him and seen tears in his eyes, I had no idea how much it was hurting him to watch me walk away, But there was nothing I could do or say, So I held my head up and and tried to be strong, Little did I know I'd have to put him in my past and move on, How am I suppose to put all the memories behind me, It's not all that easy, My head's telling me to let him go, My mind is telling me to hold on just a little longer, I guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. ........... "Forgiving a terrorist is left to GOD. But fixing the

Ever wondered why Bombay Times is still "Bombay" Times? I did.. and then realised that it will always be so.. The honourable Mr. Raj Thackeray prefers to impose his passion for converting 'Bombay's to 'Mumbai's, only on the weak ones.. He would not dare to take on the might of a publishing house.. He prefers to just bully the taxi drivers and the restaurant owners and the Karan Johars (who have business reasons for keeping him happy).... But not anyone who can stand up to him.... Makes you wonder, does that mean that the powerful ones (like the media) can actually challenge him, and even control him? Would they? We never may know...

This is my first post in this random blogsite.. anything goes, anything good, anything funny, anything timepass!!