Bloggy boy is behaving properly now so before I forget...I was off yesterday and hence could not wish all of you so here I go... Iniya Parthiba Varusha Vaazhthukkal...and to all my Mellu friends.. Happy Vishu...
...and of course, today is April 15th.. very special day....A couple of Birthdays...
Anjali,
Many Many more happy returns of the day.. Hope you get to go on that long bike ride tonite with Vinay by the fields of Ghatkopar :-)
*a big bear hug* Hooy MN,
Heppy Heppy Birthday deeee....Will call ya tonite where we can have looong talk about how you spent EVERY single moment of your day ;-)
Dear God,
Grant them both whatever they want today...Kootti kazhichu paarunga, kanakku seriyaa varum...
Love,
Me
Friday, April 15, 2005
!*&^%$ #@#%&^&
Hey, the following post will contain profanity so KIDS / GOOD GIRLS / GOOD BOYS stricktly not allowed beyond this line.
I tried countin' till 100...I tried to smile and try one more time... I tried not to cusss.. I tried to look at my GFs foto and regain control.. I tried to recite "Asotoma Satyamaya...(screw u Saran) I tried every damn fucking thing in this planet....It still didn't work.. Finally called for help....
I am soooooooooooooo blooody pissed nowwwww...so much so that I feel totally fucked up... Not F&^%ed up but FUCKED up... wasted 1.5 fuckin' hours trying to get my post in shape... simply because I don't like shoddy work... whoever the fuck invented HTML can go shove it up his / her ass... IT FUCKIN SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSS....why can't somebody invent a language which is easy enougH for even doofus' like me to grasp...FUCK HTML....FUCK THIS BLOG...N YEAH, A BIG MIDDLE FINGER FOR ALL THOSE STUPID QUIZZES....I QUIT !!
I tried countin' till 100...I tried to smile and try one more time... I tried not to cusss.. I tried to look at my GFs foto and regain control.. I tried to recite "Asotoma Satyamaya...(screw u Saran) I tried every damn fucking thing in this planet....It still didn't work.. Finally called for help....
I am soooooooooooooo blooody pissed nowwwww...so much so that I feel totally fucked up... Not F&^%ed up but FUCKED up... wasted 1.5 fuckin' hours trying to get my post in shape... simply because I don't like shoddy work... whoever the fuck invented HTML can go shove it up his / her ass... IT FUCKIN SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSS....why can't somebody invent a language which is easy enougH for even doofus' like me to grasp...FUCK HTML....FUCK THIS BLOG...N YEAH, A BIG MIDDLE FINGER FOR ALL THOSE STUPID QUIZZES....I QUIT !!
Testing times...
...are here again....Bosses are on business travel...There is so much work and it doesn't help when Murphy has decided that its the perfect time to pay you that quarterly visit...An irate customer, a comp that crashes whenever I open a doc > 4MB, a VoIP fone whose ringtone and volume gets mysteriously reset every night, a coffee vending machine that's totally conked off...Life is back to normalcy. Neway no more cribbing...In the absence of anything interesting to write (I do NOT lie remember) here are a few tests that have been giving me sleepless nights and a million rounds of honest soul searching... Ensoii !!
Finally tests which speaks the truth - the whole and the absolute truth :-)))
Number One
Which Mix of the Hogwarts Houses are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
You're a Slytherpuff!: This is a rare combination but those that are true Slytherpuffs are not people you want to make your enemy. You take loyalty very seriously and if someone gives you their word you expect them to keep it. You either project a cold exterior and have a heart of gold inside or you seem all cuddly and nice on the outside and you are ruthless on the inside. People frequently underestimate you but this usually suits your purpose. Whoever has your loyalty is a very lucky person because you will fight tooth and nail to protect them. You have a protective streak and you like to champion the underdog. In life, experience has taught you that it's better not to be too idealistic or expect to much of other people. Still, deep inside you, you still have hope that everything will always turn out for the best. Your weakness is that sometimes you trust blindly, follow without question and this can lead you into trouble. With the loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the ruthlessness of a Slytherin you are a formidable person!
Number Two
Movie Recommendation.
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Romantic Comedy. What the fuck? You scored Romantic Comedy. You love sappy shit. You're oblivious to what's happening as long as you have some guy for eye candy and a happy ending you wish you could happen in your own life. Time to rent some new movies.
Romantic Comedy 75%
Mindfuck 70%
Sadistic Humour 65%
Artistic 60%
Drama/Suspense 50%
Mindless Action Flick 40%
Sci-Fi/Fantasy 15%
Number Three
What sign of the Zodiac are you meant for?
created with QuizFarm.com
For Pisceans
You scored as Pisces. You get along best with the sign of Pisces. Although Pisceans can be very withdrawn, or hard to understand, they are extremely conscious individuals, and are very deep as well. Pisceans often have a very dry sense of humor. They are very mature (after all, they are the 'ELDERS of the Zodiac'), and are freakishly good at percieving the world around them, practically to the point of being 'psychic.' Few can understand the depths of these people, but the few who can remain close friends with Pisceans for a long time.
Gemini 85%
Pisces 85%
Sagittarius 80%
Aquarius 70%
Scorpio 70%
Cancer 65%
Capricorn 50%
Aries 50%
Libra 45%
Leo 45%
Taurus 40%
Virgo 30%
Zee, are you listening ? ;-)
Number Four
You are 67 % Pisces
Number Five
What Is Your Seduction Style?
Your Seduction Style: The Coquette
You are a pro at playing the age old game of hard to get.Your flirting style runs hot and cold, giving just enough to keep them chasing you. Independent and self-sufficient, you don't need any one person to make you compelte. And that independence is exactly what makes people pursue you.
Finally tests which speaks the truth - the whole and the absolute truth :-)))
Number One
Which Mix of the Hogwarts Houses are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
You're a Slytherpuff!: This is a rare combination but those that are true Slytherpuffs are not people you want to make your enemy. You take loyalty very seriously and if someone gives you their word you expect them to keep it. You either project a cold exterior and have a heart of gold inside or you seem all cuddly and nice on the outside and you are ruthless on the inside. People frequently underestimate you but this usually suits your purpose. Whoever has your loyalty is a very lucky person because you will fight tooth and nail to protect them. You have a protective streak and you like to champion the underdog. In life, experience has taught you that it's better not to be too idealistic or expect to much of other people. Still, deep inside you, you still have hope that everything will always turn out for the best. Your weakness is that sometimes you trust blindly, follow without question and this can lead you into trouble. With the loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the ruthlessness of a Slytherin you are a formidable person!
Number Two
Movie Recommendation.
created with QuizFarm.com
Romantic Comedy 75%
Mindfuck 70%
Sadistic Humour 65%
Artistic 60%
Drama/Suspense 50%
Mindless Action Flick 40%
Sci-Fi/Fantasy 15%
Number Three
What sign of the Zodiac are you meant for?
created with QuizFarm.com
For Pisceans
Gemini 85%
Pisces 85%
Sagittarius 80%
Aquarius 70%
Scorpio 70%
Cancer 65%
Capricorn 50%
Aries 50%
Libra 45%
Leo 45%
Taurus 40%
Virgo 30%
Zee, are you listening ? ;-)
Number Four
You are 67 % Pisces
Number Five
What Is Your Seduction Style?
Your Seduction Style: The Coquette
You are a pro at playing the age old game of hard to get.Your flirting style runs hot and cold, giving just enough to keep them chasing you. Independent and self-sufficient, you don't need any one person to make you compelte. And that independence is exactly what makes people pursue you.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Creativity and SP - Part 2
An evening in Barista
One of the greatest things about the Marketing course at SP was the fact that we got to do most of our assignments on the field. Needless to say, the pedagogy tended to place a lot of emphasis on 'Group work' but ground realities often offered a stark contrast to the Utopian principles under which the course was framed the way it was. Luckily for me, I was fortunate to be part of one of the best groups amongst our batch. To say that we were diverse would be an understatement since we had a fresher from IIT (Varun), a commerce grad (Koki), two experienced software engineers(Rags and I) and a masters in Business Economics (Shivam). Unlike a lot of the other groups, we were extremely clear from the very beginning that we would not waste our energies trying to pitch in for every assignment and would identify two owners, either by choice or by draw of lots, to take up responsibility for each subject.
Every wannabe marketeer knows that the key to success in the market is to understand Consumer Behavior and so when the first big assignment was a trip to Barista to observe a couple and report the findings, Rags and I jumped at the chance despite the fact that we had not chosen to own this particular subject. The initial enthusiasm was soon replaced by laziness and it wasn't till the day before the assignement was due that we realised we had a job at hand. Unfortunately most of the other groups had also not started on the assignment and so what happened was that the entire batch ended up flocking to the 2 Baristas in Juhu and Lokhandwala at almost the same time leaving little room for 'actual customers' to come in and be observed under the lens. By now, Rags and I had lost all interest and would have dearly handed it back to Koki and Varun if not for the verbal lashing we got from her. Bless her sweet soul :-) So dinner done, the three of us left for Juhu (she refused to trust us to do the outing by ourselves...In fact, she was right.. we had actually planned to cook it up..) at around half past nine leaving us with a little under two hours before curfew.
Once we reached Juhu, we weren't surprised to see two other groups already sitting there with the guys ogling at the half naked women and the gal-in-the-group desperately trying to get them to focus on the academic assignment. We ordered a couple of drinks, observed two sets of couples for an hour, got bored and returned to the hostel promising to send the final presentation to Koki by 7 am the next day so that she could review it before we presented it at 9 am. Once we were back in the hostel, Rags and I returned to our favorite pastimes - him watching TV and me chatting on IP. Koki employed a few spies from BH to report to her on the progress of our work but thankfully we identified the etappans and passed on doctored info across the great divide. Finally at around 1 in the morning, when Rags and I finally got down to work with piping hot chai and maggi to give us company, we knew we had to race against time. The first decision we took was to avoid the usual, boring form of presentations. Knowing that we had to strike a fine balance between being different and still fulfilling the requirements of the assignment, we were pondering over the possibility of presenting it as a story when Rags came up with this brainwave of using poetry to spin a story around our evening's observations (...and if ever there was an Archimedes Eureka moment in my life, it was this) The easier part of ideation done, we knew the real challenge was in the implementation phase. We decided to have 7 slides of 2 paras each with every para having 4 lines. As I rattled off on what needed to be covered, Rags spun his magic web of words. There were moments when we were totally stuck forcing us to take a 10 mt break to the TV room and then one of us would have a wild thought and we would rush back to see if we could fit it into the flow. Of course, there were numerous arguments and I played critic to the hilt knowing that Rags loved challenges and would deliver if only he was pushed properly. Whenever Americanisms filtered in, I mercilessly edited it forcing Rags to alter his style.
I have always been of the opinion that when you aren't entirely convinced about a particular idea and still have to take it up, the end product invariably turns out to be very shoddy. At the same, when you believe in whatever you are doing and set your heart and soul to it, the results speak for themselves. After 3 hours of blood and toil when we saw the final product we were thrilled with the output. But there was still something that seemed to be missing. The verses were wonderful but we knew we did not want to speak those lines. It was then that I casually suggested that maybe we should just put it in Auto Mode and do no talking. This suggestion sparked off a new train of thought and we finally settled on playing some music in the background and letting people follow the story through the slides. Of course, we chose Kenny G (don't remember which song now) for there is nothing more soothing that a sax playing in the background.
When we showed our presentation to Koki the next day, she broke into a huge smiling acknowledging that we had a sure winner on our hands but the dark circles around her eyes clearly told its own story - she hadn't slept much the previous night ;-) I would not be far off from the truth if I said that the class was stunned by our presentation and the Prof went delirious with joy. Rags was given a long round of applause (which was totally due) and specifically commended for his classy British sense of writing (for which I knew I deserved equal credit if not more). There is nothing more toxic than the praise that one gets from peers and I would have definitely understood if Rags had forgetten to acknowledge my contribution (however small) except that he did not. (In his own crazy way, he silently hugged me in private later than day :-p) As I keep saying, the Calcutta Test made a super star of Laxman but I am sure he would have been the first to appreciate the value of Dravid's knock. Sometimes we need to be a little less skeptic about team work coz, trust me, it works.
Dear God,
This song's been buzzing in my ears since morning and I know everyone runs when I sing but then, you don't have a choice....so here I go..
Some find it sharing every morning
Some in their solitary lives
You’ll find it in the world of others
A simple line can make you laugh or cry
You’ll find it in the deepest friendship
The kind u cherish all ur life
And when u know how much that means
You’ve found that special thing
Ur flying........
Missing her like crazyyyyyyyyyyyyy :-((((((((((
Love,
Me
One of the greatest things about the Marketing course at SP was the fact that we got to do most of our assignments on the field. Needless to say, the pedagogy tended to place a lot of emphasis on 'Group work' but ground realities often offered a stark contrast to the Utopian principles under which the course was framed the way it was. Luckily for me, I was fortunate to be part of one of the best groups amongst our batch. To say that we were diverse would be an understatement since we had a fresher from IIT (Varun), a commerce grad (Koki), two experienced software engineers(Rags and I) and a masters in Business Economics (Shivam). Unlike a lot of the other groups, we were extremely clear from the very beginning that we would not waste our energies trying to pitch in for every assignment and would identify two owners, either by choice or by draw of lots, to take up responsibility for each subject.
Every wannabe marketeer knows that the key to success in the market is to understand Consumer Behavior and so when the first big assignment was a trip to Barista to observe a couple and report the findings, Rags and I jumped at the chance despite the fact that we had not chosen to own this particular subject. The initial enthusiasm was soon replaced by laziness and it wasn't till the day before the assignement was due that we realised we had a job at hand. Unfortunately most of the other groups had also not started on the assignment and so what happened was that the entire batch ended up flocking to the 2 Baristas in Juhu and Lokhandwala at almost the same time leaving little room for 'actual customers' to come in and be observed under the lens. By now, Rags and I had lost all interest and would have dearly handed it back to Koki and Varun if not for the verbal lashing we got from her. Bless her sweet soul :-) So dinner done, the three of us left for Juhu (she refused to trust us to do the outing by ourselves...In fact, she was right.. we had actually planned to cook it up..) at around half past nine leaving us with a little under two hours before curfew.
Once we reached Juhu, we weren't surprised to see two other groups already sitting there with the guys ogling at the half naked women and the gal-in-the-group desperately trying to get them to focus on the academic assignment. We ordered a couple of drinks, observed two sets of couples for an hour, got bored and returned to the hostel promising to send the final presentation to Koki by 7 am the next day so that she could review it before we presented it at 9 am. Once we were back in the hostel, Rags and I returned to our favorite pastimes - him watching TV and me chatting on IP. Koki employed a few spies from BH to report to her on the progress of our work but thankfully we identified the etappans and passed on doctored info across the great divide. Finally at around 1 in the morning, when Rags and I finally got down to work with piping hot chai and maggi to give us company, we knew we had to race against time. The first decision we took was to avoid the usual, boring form of presentations. Knowing that we had to strike a fine balance between being different and still fulfilling the requirements of the assignment, we were pondering over the possibility of presenting it as a story when Rags came up with this brainwave of using poetry to spin a story around our evening's observations (...and if ever there was an Archimedes Eureka moment in my life, it was this) The easier part of ideation done, we knew the real challenge was in the implementation phase. We decided to have 7 slides of 2 paras each with every para having 4 lines. As I rattled off on what needed to be covered, Rags spun his magic web of words. There were moments when we were totally stuck forcing us to take a 10 mt break to the TV room and then one of us would have a wild thought and we would rush back to see if we could fit it into the flow. Of course, there were numerous arguments and I played critic to the hilt knowing that Rags loved challenges and would deliver if only he was pushed properly. Whenever Americanisms filtered in, I mercilessly edited it forcing Rags to alter his style.
I have always been of the opinion that when you aren't entirely convinced about a particular idea and still have to take it up, the end product invariably turns out to be very shoddy. At the same, when you believe in whatever you are doing and set your heart and soul to it, the results speak for themselves. After 3 hours of blood and toil when we saw the final product we were thrilled with the output. But there was still something that seemed to be missing. The verses were wonderful but we knew we did not want to speak those lines. It was then that I casually suggested that maybe we should just put it in Auto Mode and do no talking. This suggestion sparked off a new train of thought and we finally settled on playing some music in the background and letting people follow the story through the slides. Of course, we chose Kenny G (don't remember which song now) for there is nothing more soothing that a sax playing in the background.
When we showed our presentation to Koki the next day, she broke into a huge smiling acknowledging that we had a sure winner on our hands but the dark circles around her eyes clearly told its own story - she hadn't slept much the previous night ;-) I would not be far off from the truth if I said that the class was stunned by our presentation and the Prof went delirious with joy. Rags was given a long round of applause (which was totally due) and specifically commended for his classy British sense of writing (for which I knew I deserved equal credit if not more). There is nothing more toxic than the praise that one gets from peers and I would have definitely understood if Rags had forgetten to acknowledge my contribution (however small) except that he did not. (In his own crazy way, he silently hugged me in private later than day :-p) As I keep saying, the Calcutta Test made a super star of Laxman but I am sure he would have been the first to appreciate the value of Dravid's knock. Sometimes we need to be a little less skeptic about team work coz, trust me, it works.
Dear God,
This song's been buzzing in my ears since morning and I know everyone runs when I sing but then, you don't have a choice....so here I go..
Some find it sharing every morning
Some in their solitary lives
You’ll find it in the world of others
A simple line can make you laugh or cry
You’ll find it in the deepest friendship
The kind u cherish all ur life
And when u know how much that means
You’ve found that special thing
Ur flying........
Missing her like crazyyyyyyyyyyyyy :-((((((((((
Love,
Me
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Creativity and SP - Part 1
A couple of weeks back, I'd had the fortune of meeting one of my colleague's brother who worked for one of the Big Five. The problem with me is that when I disregard something/someone, I can barely manage to hide my contempt...Ditto with consultancy careers and IIMA grads who work in these outfits doing nothing but producing global gas...This particular meeting, which I hadn't exactly been looking forward to, thankfully set right a few of my biases and prejudices regarding the 'morons who worked there'. For half an hour Vignesh regaled me with stories of life at B school, the first job from campus, the accidental switch to consultancy, the goof-ups and gaffes of the first 6 months and how he had settled down slowly putting me at ease and actually convincing me that these guys weren't all nerds or jerks ;-)
After some more bonding, he casually mentioned that he had flown down to meet up with one of the summer trainees assigned to him and brief her about the forthcoming summer project. One thing led to another and we were soon discussing profiles, brochures and selection procedures when I started probing Vig into giving details about how exactly did companies decide on shortlisting people based on whatever little info was given out in the brochure. Surprisingly, he remarked that on most occasions while past pedigree certainly carried weight (read: studied in IIT / Stephens and worked abroad) what was more important was to present something that reflected your personality best, anything that made you stand out from the crowd, so that it would atleast give you a chance to make an impression in the next round. While this clearly appeared common sensical, I was in for a rude shock when I saw some of the write ups he showed me. While most of them mentioned something or the other about their academic achievements (ranging from NTSE in std 10 to best outgoing student to College Merit scholarships) very few seemed to think of it as an opportunity to sell themselves creatively.
It was then that curiosity took the better of me and I mentioned that at SP, the way we had done it was to have a common template for academic and work experience history and use the actual write up to present an insight into one's personality. He appeared to concur with me that it made more sense that way and asked if he could see our batch's brochure (of course, in between I had boasted a lot about how our batch was different and whacky and rocked and blah blah...) Today I received a reply where he has identified the 5 write ups which definitely intrigued him with a remark that he was very impressed in general with the quality of our Marketing batch...
Note: I know some of my batch mates might also be reading this and I don't want this post to take political overtones so I'll let it be known beforehand that I masked the names of the people before sending it to him ;-)
Here are the 'chosen ones' with Vig's comments laced in between, in the same order in which I received it:
"The impossible is often the untried" says India's representative at the ISC Symposium, Switzerland. Optimism & Confidence strengthen him. English literature, Poetry, Formula1 capture his imagination.
Classy write up. The best of the lot. I can almost imagine his personality - strong, decisive, ambitious. There is something about this guy that makes the reader of his profile sit up and notice. The only negative thing I can say is that he tries too hard to sell himself. He's used the 25 word limit and more too. Notice the & instead of 'and' so that he can bring that Switzerland angle ;)
Aspiring CEO and novelist. Sports, quizzing and literary enthusiast.
Brevity is the essence of life. Though the word limit was 25, this guy knew what he wanted to project about himself. His interests are, to put very mildly, extremely diverse.
With a desire to change the world, question conventions and redefine traditions, Amit is a go-getter looking forward to new challenges.
Might sound like a lot of mother-good statements but clearly shows a flair for the language which will help him in a consultancy career.
Dares to 'Dream Big' and believes that one who dreams most, does most. His interests range from trekking, script-writing, volunteering for NGOs to quizzing.
Very different opening. With B-schools full of ruthless go-getters (I do not need to look beyond the first person in the list) this dreamer comes across as a refreshing option. His interests seem to mirror his personality as well.
An IIT graduate with a natural flair for marketing. Believes that life and market opportunities lie in the villages. His interests include swimming and badminton.
This guy means business. Look at his guts - ready to stick his neck out on opportunities in rural India. Maybe has something to do with his background but I'd definitely have a look at this profile though he would not fit into a consultancy role.
Besides the above 5, I thought this one came pretty close too if it weren't for the fact that I am biased against Bengolis.
From extempore, skits, copywriting to classical music: Aunindo is in love with creative pursuits. Hardworking guy, likes saying "I'm ready todirty my hands!!"
Now, Now...I am sure this made someone's day...Wotsay ;-)
After some more bonding, he casually mentioned that he had flown down to meet up with one of the summer trainees assigned to him and brief her about the forthcoming summer project. One thing led to another and we were soon discussing profiles, brochures and selection procedures when I started probing Vig into giving details about how exactly did companies decide on shortlisting people based on whatever little info was given out in the brochure. Surprisingly, he remarked that on most occasions while past pedigree certainly carried weight (read: studied in IIT / Stephens and worked abroad) what was more important was to present something that reflected your personality best, anything that made you stand out from the crowd, so that it would atleast give you a chance to make an impression in the next round. While this clearly appeared common sensical, I was in for a rude shock when I saw some of the write ups he showed me. While most of them mentioned something or the other about their academic achievements (ranging from NTSE in std 10 to best outgoing student to College Merit scholarships) very few seemed to think of it as an opportunity to sell themselves creatively.
It was then that curiosity took the better of me and I mentioned that at SP, the way we had done it was to have a common template for academic and work experience history and use the actual write up to present an insight into one's personality. He appeared to concur with me that it made more sense that way and asked if he could see our batch's brochure (of course, in between I had boasted a lot about how our batch was different and whacky and rocked and blah blah...) Today I received a reply where he has identified the 5 write ups which definitely intrigued him with a remark that he was very impressed in general with the quality of our Marketing batch...
Note: I know some of my batch mates might also be reading this and I don't want this post to take political overtones so I'll let it be known beforehand that I masked the names of the people before sending it to him ;-)
Here are the 'chosen ones' with Vig's comments laced in between, in the same order in which I received it:
"The impossible is often the untried" says India's representative at the ISC Symposium, Switzerland. Optimism & Confidence strengthen him. English literature, Poetry, Formula1 capture his imagination.
Classy write up. The best of the lot. I can almost imagine his personality - strong, decisive, ambitious. There is something about this guy that makes the reader of his profile sit up and notice. The only negative thing I can say is that he tries too hard to sell himself. He's used the 25 word limit and more too. Notice the & instead of 'and' so that he can bring that Switzerland angle ;)
Aspiring CEO and novelist. Sports, quizzing and literary enthusiast.
Brevity is the essence of life. Though the word limit was 25, this guy knew what he wanted to project about himself. His interests are, to put very mildly, extremely diverse.
With a desire to change the world, question conventions and redefine traditions, Amit is a go-getter looking forward to new challenges.
Might sound like a lot of mother-good statements but clearly shows a flair for the language which will help him in a consultancy career.
Dares to 'Dream Big' and believes that one who dreams most, does most. His interests range from trekking, script-writing, volunteering for NGOs to quizzing.
Very different opening. With B-schools full of ruthless go-getters (I do not need to look beyond the first person in the list) this dreamer comes across as a refreshing option. His interests seem to mirror his personality as well.
An IIT graduate with a natural flair for marketing. Believes that life and market opportunities lie in the villages. His interests include swimming and badminton.
This guy means business. Look at his guts - ready to stick his neck out on opportunities in rural India. Maybe has something to do with his background but I'd definitely have a look at this profile though he would not fit into a consultancy role.
Besides the above 5, I thought this one came pretty close too if it weren't for the fact that I am biased against Bengolis.
From extempore, skits, copywriting to classical music: Aunindo is in love with creative pursuits. Hardworking guy, likes saying "I'm ready todirty my hands!!"
Now, Now...I am sure this made someone's day...Wotsay ;-)
Monday, April 11, 2005
Forget Love, spare some time for this movie
What happens when our dashing, manly hero - the son of the Indian ambassador in Russia - meets a sweet yet naive schoolgirl who's immediate concern is to pass the impending Geography Exam... Hormones are on fire, sparks fly, parents oppose, chemistry leads to biology, religion and an evil uncle add to the confusion, an elopement happens followed by some rona dhona and the final get-together ? Nopes..All this is typical of the B grade Bollywood stuff churned out by down-on-their-luck producers but when it is a home production of the hero and backed by a prestigious music company, then what you get is
exotic locales, candy floss romance, eye popping visuals, mellifluous music, oh-so-cute scenes and a all-is-well-that-ends-well climax. Story ? Who cares ? ...and if you are still wondering if that is enough to pull audiences in, then just attach a tagline to the movie name and make it sound so mysterious and alluring...Lucky: No time for Love....Hullo ??
So why should you be seeing LUCKY
* Arre yaar, aren't you sick and tired of New Zealand and Switzerland ? Lush green fields, flowers, snow clad peaks.....Trust me, Russia looks fresh...icy blue lakes, falling snow, palaces, few Caucasian chicks...
* For a duo whose earlier claim to fame was directing Not-to-be-seen-with-family remix videos, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru do a fine job with their first attempt on celluloid. Though the screenplay could have been tighter in the second half, the duo show a flair for humour and romance not seen offlate in new directors. For me, the scene where Sallu asks Sneha about her boyfriend has to go down as one of the best I've seen in recent times (Yeah, hang me)
* After HDDCS, Sallu is back in top form playing yet another breezy, romantic role...He reminds me so much of that Tamil hero Karthik...Extremely under-rated !! If you loved those monologues Sallu has with his dead father in HDDCS, you'll love his incessant chatter with Peter, the statue in Moscow's cemetery...and those 2 reels starting from the escapade near the checkpost to that first night spent together in the Volkswagen are absolutely delightful..These are scenes when you cannot but marvel at Sallu's non-chalant sense of humor and timing in comedy.
* Sneha Ullal might appear to be a carbon copy of that beautiful mannequin Ms Rai but there is no denying the fact that the lassie can emote. LUCKilY for her, she gets to play a role that is easily as close as it will ever get to being herself. Secondly, realising the pitfalls of delivering an over the top performance (especially when you are portaying a gawky teenager) Sneha displays commendable restraint in more than a few sequences. Mark my words, this gal will go places. And hey, we don't even have to put up with stupid giggling and that absolutely dumb look a la Ms Plastic. Btw, Snehal Ullal is absolutely drooolable...Made me wish I were 21...sigh.....Of course, even a jenny looks like a Goddess @ 18 but...;-)
* The music by Adnaan Sami easily fits into the mood of the movie though the placement of the songs, especially in the second half, leaves a lot to be desired. All the songs are well picturised though my personal favorites are 'Shayad yehi tho pyaar hai' and 'Jaan Meri Jaa'. We paid a princely sum of Rs 150 for 3 balcony tickets and got our money's worth in the first fifteen minutes itself...And needless to say, everyone who was sitting in our hall was up on his feet jiving to....
hai rama rama ho
hai ho rama
dil main macha hai kyon
koi hungama
aayega koi
bahoan main leke
chumega mere
yeh lucky lips
(and that cute hand rotating routine...giggle...)
Absolutely rollicking track !! Zimbly loved it in the movie !!
Of course there are quite a few reasons why the movie is not-so-perfect especially with the script going haywire in the second half and Mithun-da's highly forgettable performance but as Kamal says in Pammal K Sambandam, sometimes you should not 'dissect', you must just sit back and ensoiiii !!!
ps: In Case I forgot to mention, Sallu does NOT take off his tee / shirt in this 16 reel flick...Now isn't that something ?
Dear God,
Can we have a week without Mondays ? Plssss ?
Love,
Me
exotic locales, candy floss romance, eye popping visuals, mellifluous music, oh-so-cute scenes and a all-is-well-that-ends-well climax. Story ? Who cares ? ...and if you are still wondering if that is enough to pull audiences in, then just attach a tagline to the movie name and make it sound so mysterious and alluring...Lucky: No time for Love....Hullo ??
So why should you be seeing LUCKY
* Arre yaar, aren't you sick and tired of New Zealand and Switzerland ? Lush green fields, flowers, snow clad peaks.....Trust me, Russia looks fresh...icy blue lakes, falling snow, palaces, few Caucasian chicks...
* For a duo whose earlier claim to fame was directing Not-to-be-seen-with-family remix videos, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru do a fine job with their first attempt on celluloid. Though the screenplay could have been tighter in the second half, the duo show a flair for humour and romance not seen offlate in new directors. For me, the scene where Sallu asks Sneha about her boyfriend has to go down as one of the best I've seen in recent times (Yeah, hang me)
* After HDDCS, Sallu is back in top form playing yet another breezy, romantic role...He reminds me so much of that Tamil hero Karthik...Extremely under-rated !! If you loved those monologues Sallu has with his dead father in HDDCS, you'll love his incessant chatter with Peter, the statue in Moscow's cemetery...and those 2 reels starting from the escapade near the checkpost to that first night spent together in the Volkswagen are absolutely delightful..These are scenes when you cannot but marvel at Sallu's non-chalant sense of humor and timing in comedy.
* Sneha Ullal might appear to be a carbon copy of that beautiful mannequin Ms Rai but there is no denying the fact that the lassie can emote. LUCKilY for her, she gets to play a role that is easily as close as it will ever get to being herself. Secondly, realising the pitfalls of delivering an over the top performance (especially when you are portaying a gawky teenager) Sneha displays commendable restraint in more than a few sequences. Mark my words, this gal will go places. And hey, we don't even have to put up with stupid giggling and that absolutely dumb look a la Ms Plastic. Btw, Snehal Ullal is absolutely drooolable...Made me wish I were 21...sigh.....Of course, even a jenny looks like a Goddess @ 18 but...;-)
* The music by Adnaan Sami easily fits into the mood of the movie though the placement of the songs, especially in the second half, leaves a lot to be desired. All the songs are well picturised though my personal favorites are 'Shayad yehi tho pyaar hai' and 'Jaan Meri Jaa'. We paid a princely sum of Rs 150 for 3 balcony tickets and got our money's worth in the first fifteen minutes itself...And needless to say, everyone who was sitting in our hall was up on his feet jiving to....
hai rama rama ho
hai ho rama
dil main macha hai kyon
koi hungama
aayega koi
bahoan main leke
chumega mere
yeh lucky lips
(and that cute hand rotating routine...giggle...)
Absolutely rollicking track !! Zimbly loved it in the movie !!
Of course there are quite a few reasons why the movie is not-so-perfect especially with the script going haywire in the second half and Mithun-da's highly forgettable performance but as Kamal says in Pammal K Sambandam, sometimes you should not 'dissect', you must just sit back and ensoiiii !!!
ps: In Case I forgot to mention, Sallu does NOT take off his tee / shirt in this 16 reel flick...Now isn't that something ?
Dear God,
Can we have a week without Mondays ? Plssss ?
Love,
Me
Friday, April 08, 2005
More Movie Magic
Everytime I watch a QT movie, the three things that come to my attention as strokes of sheer genius are
a. the immense amount of cross referencing sometimes to his own works
b. the sheer recklessness employed in the story telling
c. mad cap humour
Had an hour to spare yesterday evening and thought I would catch up a little with Kill Bill Vol 1...and here are a few more ovbservations...
# 1
Vernita Green does not like her codename Copperhead, the same way as Mr.Pink in Reservoir Dogs.
# 2
Even though The Bride's name is bleeped out in Vol 1, if you concentrate hard enough, you can actually get her name when she asks for a flight ticket from El Paso to Okinawa..The attendant at the counter passes her a ticket in which her name is written.
#3
Pulp Fiction, for all the criticism that it was gory and violent, had only 7 or 8 deaths. Kill Bill 1 has atleast 75 including a minimum of 50 in the restaurant showdown.
#4
No other film maker but QT would have dared to shoot something like that "Wiggle your big toe" scene and spend a good part of a minute and a half focusing on a not-so-interesting part of The Bride's anatomy...
Bow my head to Thee, My Lord !!
Btw, if Time permits and you are a PF fan, take this quiz here to find out which character you are :-)
I am Marcellus Wallace and my name alone strikes fear into others
*roars aloud*
Other movie recommends:
Socha Na Tha - 3/5
Hotel Rwanda - 6/5 (yeah)
Hostage - 2.5/5
Be Cool - 3/5 *
* revised rating since the print I saw in the theatres had 15 mts of extra footage which my thiruttu VCD didn't have...
Dear God,
A detailed 500 word movie review which is expected to toe the official line of the Sunday reviewer will then be compressed into a 20 word recommendation which will then appear WITHOUT my name in an obscure corner of the paper's supplement ? What sort of a sick joke is that ? Of course I don't write for name/ fame rather for pleasure but there's something called self respect...Besides the 300 bucks on offer would not even cover the DVD costs, dammit...
Pls get these miserly media houses to spend a little more.
Love,
Me
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Sollamal Thottu...
Sollaamal thottu sellum thendral
En kaadhal dhaevadhaiyin kangal
Nenjathil kotti sellum minnal
Kannoaram minnum aval kaadhal
Oru naalaikkullae mella mella
Un mounam ennai kolla kolla
Indha kaadhalinaal kaatril parakkum kaagidham aanaen
Sollaamal thottu...
Oah.....kaadhalin avasthai edhirikkum vaendaam
Naraga sugham allava
Neruppai vizhungi vittaen.... oah...
Amilam arundhivittaen
Noayaay nenjil nee nuzhaindhaay
Marundhai yaenadi thara marandhaay
Vaalibathin soalaiyilae
Ragasiyamaay poo parithaval needhaanae
Sollaamal thottu...
Yeh....pengalin ullam padu kuzhi enbaen
Vizhundhu ezhundhavan yaar? (Hear Hear Hear)
Aazham alandhavan yaar?.......oah
Karaiyai kadandhavan yaar?
Kaadhal irukkum bayathinil dhaan
Kadavul boomikku varuvadhillai
Meeri avan boomi vandhaal
Thaadiyudan dhaan alaivaan veedhiyilae....
Sollaamal thottu...
courtesy : Vaali@Dheena
Dear God,
You send one more very pretty chick to my floor and I'll strangle you, I swear...
Love,
Me
En kaadhal dhaevadhaiyin kangal
Nenjathil kotti sellum minnal
Kannoaram minnum aval kaadhal
Oru naalaikkullae mella mella
Un mounam ennai kolla kolla
Indha kaadhalinaal kaatril parakkum kaagidham aanaen
Sollaamal thottu...
Oah.....kaadhalin avasthai edhirikkum vaendaam
Naraga sugham allava
Neruppai vizhungi vittaen.... oah...
Amilam arundhivittaen
Noayaay nenjil nee nuzhaindhaay
Marundhai yaenadi thara marandhaay
Vaalibathin soalaiyilae
Ragasiyamaay poo parithaval needhaanae
Sollaamal thottu...
Yeh....pengalin ullam padu kuzhi enbaen
Vizhundhu ezhundhavan yaar? (Hear Hear Hear)
Aazham alandhavan yaar?.......oah
Karaiyai kadandhavan yaar?
Kaadhal irukkum bayathinil dhaan
Kadavul boomikku varuvadhillai
Meeri avan boomi vandhaal
Thaadiyudan dhaan alaivaan veedhiyilae....
Sollaamal thottu...
courtesy : Vaali@Dheena
Dear God,
You send one more very pretty chick to my floor and I'll strangle you, I swear...
Love,
Me
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Very quickly....
A good friend recently told me that he felt sick when people 'judged' him by what he wrote in his blog...At that instant, I remember laughing away his comment but ever since I received a couple of mails / messages which seemed to suggest that I was also under the microscopic lens, I've had mixed feelings abt this whole damn thing.....Rather than adopt the convenient thing that my friend did which was to shut down the blog or the logical thing which was to join issue by replying to those mails / messages, I think I'll be different (Yes Tom, there is my OCD resurfacing again)...I think I will come clean on all my short comings...I think I will show the world how opinionated I am...I shall seek redemption for my shallow tastes...
Here I am...
This is Me...
An MCP...
Who loves Lucky...
:-)
Dear God,
Will someone pls teach me how to score less than 8 under par in this game ? And how to get a birdie on Hole 11 ?
Love,
Me
Here I am...
This is Me...
An MCP...
Who loves Lucky...
:-)
Dear God,
Will someone pls teach me how to score less than 8 under par in this game ? And how to get a birdie on Hole 11 ?
Love,
Me
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
The Ones (concluding part)
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 15:49
We are way too early...
Better this way...Now you can atleast station yourself appropriately...
Station ? I am no sentry, ma'am.. Neway at 4, there is hardly going to be a crowd...
Fine Fine.. this is where we go our ways.. I sit here and you sit atleast 5 tables away and don't make yourself very obvious. Read that Mars vs Venus book if you're bored....
Baby, I've read enough Conan Doyle to do this...You chill...
Thanks precious..
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 15:56
Do we really have to run up this escalator ?
I don't want her to get the impression that I can't even come on time for a date....
Hey bhagwaan...
And don't you follow me...Let's split here...
You've gone mad.. this is not a spy thriller...
Where are you gonna be ?
Don't you fret...I know I will be able to identify Mahesh so I think I will go upstairs to PVR and observe from the third floor...
You are such a darling...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:01
'Never talk on an empty stomach' said Confucius...What can I order for you, lady ?
Ahhh...Pardon...
Did I startle you ? Sorry...The name's Gopalan, Shiv Gopalan...like Bond, James Bond..
Puhleeez...You know I hate those stupid action flicks..
...But I do know that you like Paneer Parathas...and my friends tell me that Transit serves wonderful parathas.. May I ?
Yes, you may... and if i may recommend, we can have icecreams too...
Why talk of the end course when there's so much to do before we come to that...
Come on, stop talking like someone's who jumped out of a movie screen...
But I thought you liked mush...
Not as much as I love parathas.. Can you pls stop flirting and go and get us food ? I'll get the icecreams...What would you like ?
You know that...
Just checking...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:07
How on earth did I let myself get conned into this stupid bodyguard exercise ? Shitttt...they are actually having food....I feel so hungry....Divya, you're a dead duck...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:17
Gotcha...So you're sitting a couple of tables away, lurking behind that book and stealing glances, huh...That Tee is really cute...You jes wait, mister..You are gonna be in for a shock...I'm coming down there to your table...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:18
I thought I was the foodie but you've hardly spoken anything ever since you started gobbling up those parathas...
For once, I thought I'd let you do all the talking and I'd listen...
...and why is that so ?
Since I am being judged... and probably watched too..
What do you mean by that ?
Come on, I am pretty sure Mahesh is here though I wouldn't fault you...
Hmmm...Anyway how did the Visa interview go ?
Okie dokie...
Congrats.. so when are you flying ?
You didn't deny what I said...
How long will it be ?
6 weeks...
Btw, is it true ? That Confucius quote...
Of course not, I was joking..
So typical of you...
..and what is that supposed to mean ?
Forget it..
There you go again...You start something and you leave me midstream.. I just hate this Divya..You know how I feel about this whole damn thing..
Okie..I am sorry.. Maybe I have carried this secrecy thing a little too far...The truth is I wasn't sure.....about us....
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:20
So you're Mahesh, huh ?
Excuse me...
Why don't you just let those two love birds be..I suggest we take a stroll outside and come back after 15 minutes...
Hullo, do we know each other...
Maybe.. Maybe not.. But I definitely know Shiv and you know Divya and I assume, by now, we both know why we are here..
I can't believe it...Don't tell me..
Then don't bother asking...
So do you have a name ?
The real one or the one you'd know me by...
Do you always speak in riddles ?
But I thought you liked 'em riddles...
I am waiting..
I'm Priyadhashini...My friends call me Pri...
Priyadharshini, I still don't understand how you could know me..
So how's the tennis going these days ?
This is the craziest conversation I've had for years...
...and how many of these were with very pretty women ?
Jesus Christ...
Tell me Mahesh, have you understood why Merseyside derbies are the most passionate encounters in English football ?
..that's coz of history behind the tie..In the late 1890s Everton and Liverpool both shared Anfield and then a rent dispute happened...and Evertonians moved to Goodison...wait.....why are we even discussing this ?
...but I've never seen it get violent..like say the Madrid clash...
So you watch football huh ?
Who do you think will die in HP6 ? You've ordered your copy ?
Nopes... and I sure hope it is that old bore Dumbledore...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:27
So are you're telling me, he is actually sitting somewhere behind waiting to come to your 'rescue' if need be...
He was... till some girl just led him out...
He must be one helluva pal...
Hehehe..you make that sound funny but yes...He's a real darling...You were jealous of him, weren't you...
Naah...btw, did u say a girl just led him out...Omigawd...
Why ? What happened ?
I think I better explain...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:30
We've now had bits and pieces of what can be loosely defined as conversation on 5 different topics...I don't understand this at all...Are you trying to unnerve me ?
Do you feel intimidated ?
By what ?
...by the fact that you might have met your so called "intellectual match" ?
Wait.... why do u use that particular phrase ? Are you someone from my blog ?
..or maybe you are nervous in front of a smart, pretty woman...
Of course not...
I am not pretty ?
I didn't mean that...
So I am not smart ?
I was referring to the nervous part...
So you agree that I am pretty and smart...
I'd be lying if I denied it..
Good..we are making progress..
...towards what ?
Are you single ?
Waitttttttt... how can you ask that ?
That was a simple question... All I needed was a Yes or a No ?
Its not as simple as that....
So is Pete Sampras the greatest tennis player you've seen ?
Yes
See, every question can have a simple answer - a Yes or a No.
Excuse me but I think I have to make a call...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:32
...I am sure Pri would have scared the hell outta him by now...
So you think she'll do it..
Of course.. she's a tigress.. when she wants something, she will get it.. By hook or by crook...
Let's see...
So why hasn't he called by now ?
Patience..and watch the fun unfold
TRING TRING TRING
Yeah Mahesh, we are here at the Transit, second floor. Can you come up here directly...Have you booked tickets for the movie, darling ? Great...Bye... Love you...
Poor guy.. this is not fair Divya...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:32
Sorry..Divya just called.. I need to go..
Btw, how tall do you think I am ?
5'10" ?
5'11" actually...and remember Sharon Stone, Scott Adams, you and I have something in common...
Omigawd... You're the KrankyKrook who comments on my blog ?
Hahaha..Yeah, I'm THE ONE ..You catch on slow...
Damnnnnnnnn you Pri... I just have to go...
Let me also join you...Shiv and I have to pack off too...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:36
Hi Darling...Shiv, meet Mahesh my boyfriend.. Mahesh, this is Shiv...
Hi Mahesh.. I see that you have already met my friend Priyadharshini so I don't need to introduce you two...Divya was just telling me about how today is your first anniversary and how you've planned to celebrate by watching a movie... Congrats dude.. You are a lucky guy....When is the wedding happening ?
Yeah... yeah...Not decided yet but will happen soon....
Mahesh, why are you wriggling away..Feeling very shy, aren't you ? Sorry Shiv but he doesn't talk much with strangers...
So Mahesh, did Pri bore you a lot with her staccato talk ?
Not fair Shiv...
No... she was quite charming...
Hahaha.. How dare you tell that in front of your girlfriend, dodo...
Sorry Divya..I hope Pri didn't mind...
Of course not.. Mahesh was a perfect gentleman...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:48
I think Pri and I need to move.. Don't want to spoil your plans.. Have a nice evening, Divya.. and you too Mahesh..
Bye Shiv and thanks for dropping by..
Bye Pri...
Bye Mahesh...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:51
You still exchanged gifts ?
Let's see what he has gifted me...Goshhhhhhhhh...
Kyuuun.. Kya hua....
Love in the time of cholera....
Good book...
No useless..I got him the same book....
Serendipity...both ways...
Yeah....
Its such a pity that you didn't like him.....and did you really have to be so loud abt the fact that I am supposed to be your boyfriend...
Why ? You have designs on Pri ?
Hmmmm...
Okie... time for surprises....Here is something for you...
98802 92214...What is this ?
Pri's number ?
But she thinks I am your boyfriend...
Hahahahaha... Belated April fool's day precious....Shiv and I got you, didn't we....
You mean..................
Yes............
and does she....
Of course she does... she's probably waiting for the call...
Excuse me....
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:54
Hello....
I almost thought you wouldn't call...
Do you have to fly tomorrow pleaseeeeeeeeee?
Yes.. but don't we have the whole of tomorrow, loser....
I love ya...
Me tooo.....
We are way too early...
Better this way...Now you can atleast station yourself appropriately...
Station ? I am no sentry, ma'am.. Neway at 4, there is hardly going to be a crowd...
Fine Fine.. this is where we go our ways.. I sit here and you sit atleast 5 tables away and don't make yourself very obvious. Read that Mars vs Venus book if you're bored....
Baby, I've read enough Conan Doyle to do this...You chill...
Thanks precious..
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 15:56
Do we really have to run up this escalator ?
I don't want her to get the impression that I can't even come on time for a date....
Hey bhagwaan...
And don't you follow me...Let's split here...
You've gone mad.. this is not a spy thriller...
Where are you gonna be ?
Don't you fret...I know I will be able to identify Mahesh so I think I will go upstairs to PVR and observe from the third floor...
You are such a darling...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:01
'Never talk on an empty stomach' said Confucius...What can I order for you, lady ?
Ahhh...Pardon...
Did I startle you ? Sorry...The name's Gopalan, Shiv Gopalan...like Bond, James Bond..
Puhleeez...You know I hate those stupid action flicks..
...But I do know that you like Paneer Parathas...and my friends tell me that Transit serves wonderful parathas.. May I ?
Yes, you may... and if i may recommend, we can have icecreams too...
Why talk of the end course when there's so much to do before we come to that...
Come on, stop talking like someone's who jumped out of a movie screen...
But I thought you liked mush...
Not as much as I love parathas.. Can you pls stop flirting and go and get us food ? I'll get the icecreams...What would you like ?
You know that...
Just checking...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:07
How on earth did I let myself get conned into this stupid bodyguard exercise ? Shitttt...they are actually having food....I feel so hungry....Divya, you're a dead duck...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:17
Gotcha...So you're sitting a couple of tables away, lurking behind that book and stealing glances, huh...That Tee is really cute...You jes wait, mister..You are gonna be in for a shock...I'm coming down there to your table...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:18
I thought I was the foodie but you've hardly spoken anything ever since you started gobbling up those parathas...
For once, I thought I'd let you do all the talking and I'd listen...
...and why is that so ?
Since I am being judged... and probably watched too..
What do you mean by that ?
Come on, I am pretty sure Mahesh is here though I wouldn't fault you...
Hmmm...Anyway how did the Visa interview go ?
Okie dokie...
Congrats.. so when are you flying ?
You didn't deny what I said...
How long will it be ?
6 weeks...
Btw, is it true ? That Confucius quote...
Of course not, I was joking..
So typical of you...
..and what is that supposed to mean ?
Forget it..
There you go again...You start something and you leave me midstream.. I just hate this Divya..You know how I feel about this whole damn thing..
Okie..I am sorry.. Maybe I have carried this secrecy thing a little too far...The truth is I wasn't sure.....about us....
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:20
So you're Mahesh, huh ?
Excuse me...
Why don't you just let those two love birds be..I suggest we take a stroll outside and come back after 15 minutes...
Hullo, do we know each other...
Maybe.. Maybe not.. But I definitely know Shiv and you know Divya and I assume, by now, we both know why we are here..
I can't believe it...Don't tell me..
Then don't bother asking...
So do you have a name ?
The real one or the one you'd know me by...
Do you always speak in riddles ?
But I thought you liked 'em riddles...
I am waiting..
I'm Priyadhashini...My friends call me Pri...
Priyadharshini, I still don't understand how you could know me..
So how's the tennis going these days ?
This is the craziest conversation I've had for years...
...and how many of these were with very pretty women ?
Jesus Christ...
Tell me Mahesh, have you understood why Merseyside derbies are the most passionate encounters in English football ?
..that's coz of history behind the tie..In the late 1890s Everton and Liverpool both shared Anfield and then a rent dispute happened...and Evertonians moved to Goodison...wait.....why are we even discussing this ?
...but I've never seen it get violent..like say the Madrid clash...
So you watch football huh ?
Who do you think will die in HP6 ? You've ordered your copy ?
Nopes... and I sure hope it is that old bore Dumbledore...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:27
So are you're telling me, he is actually sitting somewhere behind waiting to come to your 'rescue' if need be...
He was... till some girl just led him out...
He must be one helluva pal...
Hehehe..you make that sound funny but yes...He's a real darling...You were jealous of him, weren't you...
Naah...btw, did u say a girl just led him out...Omigawd...
Why ? What happened ?
I think I better explain...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:30
We've now had bits and pieces of what can be loosely defined as conversation on 5 different topics...I don't understand this at all...Are you trying to unnerve me ?
Do you feel intimidated ?
By what ?
...by the fact that you might have met your so called "intellectual match" ?
Wait.... why do u use that particular phrase ? Are you someone from my blog ?
..or maybe you are nervous in front of a smart, pretty woman...
Of course not...
I am not pretty ?
I didn't mean that...
So I am not smart ?
I was referring to the nervous part...
So you agree that I am pretty and smart...
I'd be lying if I denied it..
Good..we are making progress..
...towards what ?
Are you single ?
Waitttttttt... how can you ask that ?
That was a simple question... All I needed was a Yes or a No ?
Its not as simple as that....
So is Pete Sampras the greatest tennis player you've seen ?
Yes
See, every question can have a simple answer - a Yes or a No.
Excuse me but I think I have to make a call...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:32
...I am sure Pri would have scared the hell outta him by now...
So you think she'll do it..
Of course.. she's a tigress.. when she wants something, she will get it.. By hook or by crook...
Let's see...
So why hasn't he called by now ?
Patience..and watch the fun unfold
TRING TRING TRING
Yeah Mahesh, we are here at the Transit, second floor. Can you come up here directly...Have you booked tickets for the movie, darling ? Great...Bye... Love you...
Poor guy.. this is not fair Divya...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:32
Sorry..Divya just called.. I need to go..
Btw, how tall do you think I am ?
5'10" ?
5'11" actually...and remember Sharon Stone, Scott Adams, you and I have something in common...
Omigawd... You're the KrankyKrook who comments on my blog ?
Hahaha..Yeah, I'm THE ONE ..You catch on slow...
Damnnnnnnnn you Pri... I just have to go...
Let me also join you...Shiv and I have to pack off too...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:36
Hi Darling...Shiv, meet Mahesh my boyfriend.. Mahesh, this is Shiv...
Hi Mahesh.. I see that you have already met my friend Priyadharshini so I don't need to introduce you two...Divya was just telling me about how today is your first anniversary and how you've planned to celebrate by watching a movie... Congrats dude.. You are a lucky guy....When is the wedding happening ?
Yeah... yeah...Not decided yet but will happen soon....
Mahesh, why are you wriggling away..Feeling very shy, aren't you ? Sorry Shiv but he doesn't talk much with strangers...
So Mahesh, did Pri bore you a lot with her staccato talk ?
Not fair Shiv...
No... she was quite charming...
Hahaha.. How dare you tell that in front of your girlfriend, dodo...
Sorry Divya..I hope Pri didn't mind...
Of course not.. Mahesh was a perfect gentleman...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:48
I think Pri and I need to move.. Don't want to spoil your plans.. Have a nice evening, Divya.. and you too Mahesh..
Bye Shiv and thanks for dropping by..
Bye Pri...
Bye Mahesh...
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:51
You still exchanged gifts ?
Let's see what he has gifted me...Goshhhhhhhhh...
Kyuuun.. Kya hua....
Love in the time of cholera....
Good book...
No useless..I got him the same book....
Serendipity...both ways...
Yeah....
Its such a pity that you didn't like him.....and did you really have to be so loud abt the fact that I am supposed to be your boyfriend...
Why ? You have designs on Pri ?
Hmmmm...
Okie... time for surprises....Here is something for you...
98802 92214...What is this ?
Pri's number ?
But she thinks I am your boyfriend...
Hahahahaha... Belated April fool's day precious....Shiv and I got you, didn't we....
You mean..................
Yes............
and does she....
Of course she does... she's probably waiting for the call...
Excuse me....
Saturday, 2-4-2005, 16:54
Hello....
I almost thought you wouldn't call...
Do you have to fly tomorrow pleaseeeeeeeeee?
Yes.. but don't we have the whole of tomorrow, loser....
I love ya...
Me tooo.....
Monday, April 04, 2005
The Ones
Thursday, 31-3-2005, 21:44
Hello Pri... How are you ?
Don't tell me you called to say you are not coming
Illadi... I AM leaving tomorrow... I just need a favor from you...
Shoot
I have a date on Saturday evening at The Forum...So can we start early and round up your shopping by 4 ?
Divya ?
Yeah...and I need you to come along too...
Why would I want to be kabaab-mein-haddi ?
Coz there is something in it for you tooo..
Is it ?
Don't be nasty dee...Mahesh is coming..
Ohhhh...
I am not joking...She told me she'll be there alone but I kinda suspect she will bring him along...Besides I am still not convinced they are just good...
Stop it kiddo. You just don't understand women. Take it from me, there is nothing happening between them.
How can you be so sure ?
Woman's instinct
Now that is not something I can dispute, can I ?
Neway what do you want me to do ?
I have a gut feeling he will there spying on me so if you can also do the same for me, I'd be grateful...
This is so juvenile...
But you will do it, nuh ?
Ufff...seri...And you better get her something esp: since this is the first time you guys are meeting...I already have...
Friday, 1-4-2005, 19:22
TN011011: So you won't tell me if the latest story in autobiographical...
Kyootgal: I don't know myself
TN011011: C'mon, I wasn't born yesterday
Kyootgal: Have you considered the possibility of giving me the benefit of doubt once in a while...
TN011011: ...it has to be...if its not experential, you can't write the way he does...
Kyootgal: If you know the answer yourself, why ask me ?
TN011011: Coz I like it straight from the horse's mouth
Kyootgal: There we go fighting again :-(
TN011011: OK OK lets chill now...After all, we have all the time on Saturday evening...
Kyootgal: Excuse me...
TN011011: Didn't I tell ya ? shucks...sorry baba... I am coming to Bangalore this weekend...
Kyootgal: Hmm Hmm
TN011011: ...one of my friends, Pri, is going onsite and I am there to see her off...
Kyootgal: Okay...
TN011011: So can we meet ?
Kyootgal: This is such short notice. I will need to check.
TN011011: With Mahesh ? C'mon, haven't we put this off for too long now..
Kyootgal: Hmmm..
TN011011: If you don't want to catch up, I shan't insist. Forget it then.
Kyootgal: No No..not that way... fine....when and where do you propose that we meet up?
TN011011: Pri needs to shop so can we make it 4 pm at the Transit Lounge - that food place - in the second floor at Forum ?
Kyootgal: Fine with me..I hope you won't mind if I am a couple of minutes late...
TN011011: As long as you are alone and don't come with your aunt or someone...
Kyootgal: You mean Mahesh, don't you ?
TN011011: Grrrr...yeah....
Kyootgal: Relaxxxxxxx Shiv
TN011011: ...and how will I recognise ya ?
Kyootgal: You will, if your claim that you know me well is true ;-)
TN011011: I will call you if I don't think I see you around..ta ta
Kyootgal: C U
So what do you think ?
Hmmm...I thought I'd lost all hope about you and men but looks like you've finally met Mr. Perfect...When did all this happen ?
Yesterday....and its nothing like what you are romanticising re...just that this guy is a little different...
Aren't we all ? Got to give him credit though..Atleast his comments on my blog are profound...
Shuddup....Stop teasing him...
So you're going out on a date, huh ? Best of Luck...
Not you but we....
Hellooooooo...
I need your help, Mahesh...See, I know Shiv's nice and cool and genuinely funny et al but sometimes online personalities are so different from the true self..
So you're saying he could be anything from a juvenile prankster to a serial rapist or a philandering married man..
Stop kidding.. I've spoken to him...he's nothing of that sort...Its just that I want to protect myself on all fronts... What if he doesn't turn out to be the way I've imagined him to be.... what if he is a sily geek, a snobbish MBA or worse still a garrulous tennis player...
Heyyyyy....So...where do I fit in ?
Here's what I want you to do...Just tag along but do not come with me to my seat..... Sit far away in the Lounge and keep watch...Give me 30 minutes with the guy and then call up... If I don't take the call, then I'm fine...If I take it, then it means I need you to save me...
Isn't that kinda sneaky ?
Hear me out, please...And when you come in, I want you to act as if you are my boyfriend...Shiv already suspects and that will make it easier for me to get out of the mess anyway...
This ain't fair..I am not doing anything of this sort...
Waitt... lemme open the red IOU book...
Oh nooooo..That's clearly blackmail...
Not at all..Acc to this, its minus 7...Thats seven you owe me...
OK OK... done...but let me place on record that I don't approve of this hare-brained scheme...
You just play along, precious....
If that's the way you want it, Divya....
Mahesh, I was just wondering..What do you think would be an appropriate gift ?
Hehehe..This is tooo much....
I am serious...Any suggestions ?
Okie.. get him something that he can remember you by but don't get him personal stuff....No clothes, no perfume etc...An impersonal item that is a reflection of your personality would be apt...
I think I get it...Nice idea...
See, we'll make a nice couple if we are both single by 40...
(To be continued)
Hello Pri... How are you ?
Don't tell me you called to say you are not coming
Illadi... I AM leaving tomorrow... I just need a favor from you...
Shoot
I have a date on Saturday evening at The Forum...So can we start early and round up your shopping by 4 ?
Divya ?
Yeah...and I need you to come along too...
Why would I want to be kabaab-mein-haddi ?
Coz there is something in it for you tooo..
Is it ?
Don't be nasty dee...Mahesh is coming..
Ohhhh...
I am not joking...She told me she'll be there alone but I kinda suspect she will bring him along...Besides I am still not convinced they are just good...
Stop it kiddo. You just don't understand women. Take it from me, there is nothing happening between them.
How can you be so sure ?
Woman's instinct
Now that is not something I can dispute, can I ?
Neway what do you want me to do ?
I have a gut feeling he will there spying on me so if you can also do the same for me, I'd be grateful...
This is so juvenile...
But you will do it, nuh ?
Ufff...seri...And you better get her something esp: since this is the first time you guys are meeting...I already have...
Friday, 1-4-2005, 19:22
TN011011: So you won't tell me if the latest story in autobiographical...
Kyootgal: I don't know myself
TN011011: C'mon, I wasn't born yesterday
Kyootgal: Have you considered the possibility of giving me the benefit of doubt once in a while...
TN011011: ...it has to be...if its not experential, you can't write the way he does...
Kyootgal: If you know the answer yourself, why ask me ?
TN011011: Coz I like it straight from the horse's mouth
Kyootgal: There we go fighting again :-(
TN011011: OK OK lets chill now...After all, we have all the time on Saturday evening...
Kyootgal: Excuse me...
TN011011: Didn't I tell ya ? shucks...sorry baba... I am coming to Bangalore this weekend...
Kyootgal: Hmm Hmm
TN011011: ...one of my friends, Pri, is going onsite and I am there to see her off...
Kyootgal: Okay...
TN011011: So can we meet ?
Kyootgal: This is such short notice. I will need to check.
TN011011: With Mahesh ? C'mon, haven't we put this off for too long now..
Kyootgal: Hmmm..
TN011011: If you don't want to catch up, I shan't insist. Forget it then.
Kyootgal: No No..not that way... fine....when and where do you propose that we meet up?
TN011011: Pri needs to shop so can we make it 4 pm at the Transit Lounge - that food place - in the second floor at Forum ?
Kyootgal: Fine with me..I hope you won't mind if I am a couple of minutes late...
TN011011: As long as you are alone and don't come with your aunt or someone...
Kyootgal: You mean Mahesh, don't you ?
TN011011: Grrrr...yeah....
Kyootgal: Relaxxxxxxx Shiv
TN011011: ...and how will I recognise ya ?
Kyootgal: You will, if your claim that you know me well is true ;-)
TN011011: I will call you if I don't think I see you around..ta ta
Kyootgal: C U
So what do you think ?
Hmmm...I thought I'd lost all hope about you and men but looks like you've finally met Mr. Perfect...When did all this happen ?
Yesterday....and its nothing like what you are romanticising re...just that this guy is a little different...
Aren't we all ? Got to give him credit though..Atleast his comments on my blog are profound...
Shuddup....Stop teasing him...
So you're going out on a date, huh ? Best of Luck...
Not you but we....
Hellooooooo...
I need your help, Mahesh...See, I know Shiv's nice and cool and genuinely funny et al but sometimes online personalities are so different from the true self..
So you're saying he could be anything from a juvenile prankster to a serial rapist or a philandering married man..
Stop kidding.. I've spoken to him...he's nothing of that sort...Its just that I want to protect myself on all fronts... What if he doesn't turn out to be the way I've imagined him to be.... what if he is a sily geek, a snobbish MBA or worse still a garrulous tennis player...
Heyyyyy....So...where do I fit in ?
Here's what I want you to do...Just tag along but do not come with me to my seat..... Sit far away in the Lounge and keep watch...Give me 30 minutes with the guy and then call up... If I don't take the call, then I'm fine...If I take it, then it means I need you to save me...
Isn't that kinda sneaky ?
Hear me out, please...And when you come in, I want you to act as if you are my boyfriend...Shiv already suspects and that will make it easier for me to get out of the mess anyway...
This ain't fair..I am not doing anything of this sort...
Waitt... lemme open the red IOU book...
Oh nooooo..That's clearly blackmail...
Not at all..Acc to this, its minus 7...Thats seven you owe me...
OK OK... done...but let me place on record that I don't approve of this hare-brained scheme...
You just play along, precious....
If that's the way you want it, Divya....
Mahesh, I was just wondering..What do you think would be an appropriate gift ?
Hehehe..This is tooo much....
I am serious...Any suggestions ?
Okie.. get him something that he can remember you by but don't get him personal stuff....No clothes, no perfume etc...An impersonal item that is a reflection of your personality would be apt...
I think I get it...Nice idea...
See, we'll make a nice couple if we are both single by 40...
(To be continued)
More of 'The Great Indian Novel'
The background:
Kunti is a little worried that her 5 precocious kids (...well...not all 5 are hers but then lets not get too finicky so early on...) are not learning much since every tutor in the past who had been appointed seemed to have served his purpose within a week and the wilful princes are proving to be more than a handful for the recent ones on trial.
The setting:
The princes, in the absence of anything constructive to do, are playing cricket. Bhim, being the strongest of the lot, hits a ball far away into an unused well. However the well is deep and there appears to be no way of possibly retrieving the ball. Suddenly from nowhere pops a saffron clad sadhu and offers to recover the ball for them in return for a dinner invitation. The wiser ones, Arjun and Yudhistir, are skeptical since they seem to have analysed the situation well and see no possibility of success but when the sadhu delivers on his promise, they are eager to know more about the man. The sadhu explains that he is a guru and can teach the princes a lot of things. At this point, simpleton Nakul wants to know if the sadhu can teach his twin Sahadev to bat properly since he has scored yet another zero today. The sadhu, responding to Nakul, mentions that zero is nothing to be ashamed of and then the below exchange occurs.
The lines:
'The Indian zero is no empty shell. It reflects the perpetual intangibility of the eternal, it embodies the calm centre of the whirling tornado of life, it stands for the point where our verifiable values are transcended by the enigma of the void. Yes, young man, it is empty of numerical value. But it is full of non-empirical possibilities. It is nothing and everything; it is the locus of the universe.' He chuckled at the puzzlement on the twins' faces, even as he took in the sharper look of insight that had appeared in Arjun's and Yudhistir's eyes. 'Now, do you see, my friends, why your zero is really something very special, very Indian ?'
'But can you teach him to bat?' asked Nakul, as his elder brothers burst out laughing.
'Perhaps,' side-stepped the sage. 'But first, what about that dinner?'
Why is it that I keep thinking that Bhim is Sehwag, Arjun and Yudhistir are Dravid and Sachin respectively and Nakul is Laxman and Sahadev is, obviously, Ganguly. Kunti seems too similar to the Selectors and the past gurus our numerous bowling, batting and fielding coaches. Now who is the sadhu (Drona acc to the story) you may ask...Geoffrey Boycott, neone ?
Dear God,
Two of my very close buddies start their summers in London and Mumbai today. I am not gonna make stupid prayers like asking you to grant them a PPO (the way someone screwed my happiness....hehe..) - jes give them what they want...and if they don't know what they want, jes remember to be there for them when they need ya...
Love,
Me
ps: Iacross, I've kept my end of the bargain...Now you keep yours...Go watch Chelsea play and support them on April 16th...
Kunti is a little worried that her 5 precocious kids (...well...not all 5 are hers but then lets not get too finicky so early on...) are not learning much since every tutor in the past who had been appointed seemed to have served his purpose within a week and the wilful princes are proving to be more than a handful for the recent ones on trial.
The setting:
The princes, in the absence of anything constructive to do, are playing cricket. Bhim, being the strongest of the lot, hits a ball far away into an unused well. However the well is deep and there appears to be no way of possibly retrieving the ball. Suddenly from nowhere pops a saffron clad sadhu and offers to recover the ball for them in return for a dinner invitation. The wiser ones, Arjun and Yudhistir, are skeptical since they seem to have analysed the situation well and see no possibility of success but when the sadhu delivers on his promise, they are eager to know more about the man. The sadhu explains that he is a guru and can teach the princes a lot of things. At this point, simpleton Nakul wants to know if the sadhu can teach his twin Sahadev to bat properly since he has scored yet another zero today. The sadhu, responding to Nakul, mentions that zero is nothing to be ashamed of and then the below exchange occurs.
The lines:
'The Indian zero is no empty shell. It reflects the perpetual intangibility of the eternal, it embodies the calm centre of the whirling tornado of life, it stands for the point where our verifiable values are transcended by the enigma of the void. Yes, young man, it is empty of numerical value. But it is full of non-empirical possibilities. It is nothing and everything; it is the locus of the universe.' He chuckled at the puzzlement on the twins' faces, even as he took in the sharper look of insight that had appeared in Arjun's and Yudhistir's eyes. 'Now, do you see, my friends, why your zero is really something very special, very Indian ?'
'But can you teach him to bat?' asked Nakul, as his elder brothers burst out laughing.
'Perhaps,' side-stepped the sage. 'But first, what about that dinner?'
Why is it that I keep thinking that Bhim is Sehwag, Arjun and Yudhistir are Dravid and Sachin respectively and Nakul is Laxman and Sahadev is, obviously, Ganguly. Kunti seems too similar to the Selectors and the past gurus our numerous bowling, batting and fielding coaches. Now who is the sadhu (Drona acc to the story) you may ask...Geoffrey Boycott, neone ?
Dear God,
Two of my very close buddies start their summers in London and Mumbai today. I am not gonna make stupid prayers like asking you to grant them a PPO (the way someone screwed my happiness....hehe..) - jes give them what they want...and if they don't know what they want, jes remember to be there for them when they need ya...
Love,
Me
ps: Iacross, I've kept my end of the bargain...Now you keep yours...Go watch Chelsea play and support them on April 16th...
Saturday, April 02, 2005
What an adline !!!
This has to be one of the best adlines I have seen for a looong loong time and just reinforces my belief that the Indian advertising industry has finally come of age.
BRAVO !!
Thanks to Johnny from Chennai for sharing this with me.
BRAVO !!
Thanks to Johnny from Chennai for sharing this with me.
Love Actually....acc to Tam Brahms
Act 1
Me: So Thatha, what do you think about love ?
Mani Thatha: Ennada, yaaravudhu ponnu kinnoda kaadhal aagi pocha ?
Me: No Thatha..Chumma, I am doing a series of articles on Tam Brahms and I thought I would start off with the purest of all samples
Mani Thatha: Ennavo, I don't quite trust you
Me: Please...Now tell me about love
Mani Thatha: What about it ? There's nothing new in this...Its been there throughout the ages and will continue to remain so...
Me: Baaah...no philosophy please...Tell me something nice and groovy...
Mani Thatha: When I got married in 1942....
Me: Ahhh...1942: A love story
Mani Thatha: Seriyaana cinema kaaran da nee...And wasn't Manisha beautiful in that picture ?
Me: Ayyyoo.. we are getting diverted again..
Mani Thatha: Yeah...we were a huge joint family and I was the fourth son...So when my father went to seek an alliance for me to your Paatti's house, I didn't go alongwith them. Appa and my periya Anna went and finalised the whole deal. I met my bride-to-be just 3 days before our wedding
Me: Realllyyy...
Mani Thatha: Venumna Paattiya kelaen
Me: Paatti, nejama ?
Sundari Paatti: Yes da..
Me: ...and was there any love in the whole thing ?
Sundari Paatti: Love'nnu solla mudiyaadhu... but there was something..
Me: Hehehehehe...Now this is interesting...
Sundari Paatti: In their house, everything was run by his father. My maamnaar was a strict disciplinarian but a very caring soul. In my parents' house I remember we used to watch new movies every Friday. When I came into this house, my first concern was whether I could continue with that. When I asked your Thatha about it in the first weekend, he remarked that they had never seen movies in their house but insisted that he would seek the consent of his father...
Me: Waaah Waaah... Thatha, kalakreenga ponga
Mani Thatha: Full story keluda
Me: ok ok.. the suspense is killing me...
Sundari Paatti: The next month when the salary came, your Thatha as usual took it straight to his father...it was a joint family, remember... and then humbly requested that some provision be made in the budget for taking his newly wed wife to the touring talkies...
Me: Oooooooh
Sundari Paatti: You know what was the best thing about it...I later learnt from his elder brother, remember that silent old man you met the last time you had come here, that in all his 22 years till then, your Thatha had never ever asked his father anything....
Me: Omigawddddd
Mani Thatha: Unmai da
Me: Then ?
Sundari Paatti: Of course the request got sanctioned...We went out for a movie and we even had tiffin at Subramaniams on the way back. You can say that it was on that day that I knew he truly loved me
Me: Paattti, soooooooooooper...Btw, were you educated ? English ellam pesrel neengo...
Sundari Paatti: Even that your Thatha only taught me.. but that story when you come to our house next time....
Me: Noooooooooooooooo
Act 2
Me: Uncle, what do you think about love marriages ?
Vishwa uncle: These days Love is extremely over-rated...And all this is because of the hype in the movies...
Me: But still....
Vishwa Uncle: In our days it used to be much simpler
Kala Aunty: Don't ask him... Ask me
Me: You tell me then, Aunty...
Kala Aunty: Love is extremely important for any marriage to work..sometimes you get lucky by falling in love before marriage and tying the knot with that person...soemtimes it happens after marriage...
Me: and if its not too personal, how was it in your case Aunty ?
T: I'll answer that...I have heard this story so many times..
Me: Batao tho sahi
T: It seems to ponnu paarthify, a huge pattalam turned up from Dad's side.. almost 20 odd people...
Me: Hahahaha... the usual... the 70s were like that nuh...
T: and then Mom was asked to serve coffee and snacks to everyone
Me: Okie... the usual again...
T: and it seems she was so nervous that evening coz the bajjis has turned out a little too kaaram...
Me: Hahahahahahhaha
T: Don't interrupt R
Me: Ok ok
T: ...that she hardly had a good look at my Dad at all for she kept fearing that someone would comment on the bajjis...
Kala Aunty: In our family, we don't mind that extra kaaram...But I had forgotten to tone it down since you can never say with visitors..
T: and then it seems Dad's family left promising to get back in a couple of days...
Me: Ohhhhhhhhh.. the usual "have to consult everyone" line
T: Yeah... and it seems Mom's family were not really sure... until....
Me: What happened next ?
T: After everyone had left, Dad came back...It seems he had wantedly left behind his purse on the sofa, or so Mom claims, and...
Vishwa Uncle: I did nothing of the sort
Kala Aunty: Come on, why this ego after all these years...
Me: Uncle, you are so romantic
T:...And he picked up his purse and then commented to Thatha that he loved the bajjis and liked the kaaram too....
Kala Aunty: It was then that we knew it would be a yes to the proposal...
Me: ...and love ?
Kala Aunty: Of course, I thought his gesture was really sweet and I prompty fell in love with him
Me: Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Act 3
Me: Hey Tarun, do you believe in love ?
Tarun: Yes I do
Me: Then how come you got into an arranged marriage ?
Tarun: Sez who ?
Me: Wasn't it ?
Tarun: Nopes. Twas a love marriage arranged by the elders
Me: Duh ?
Tarun: Didn't you know ? We met at Univ. Everytime I borrowed a library book, I saw her name in the previous readers list. Whenever I went to the local video store, she would have rented movies which matched my tastes.
Me: So you met her, asked her out and stuff like that ?
Tarun: Nopes. I e-mailed her, we corresponded for a couple of months, got to know each other really well and when we finally met a common friend's party she told me that her folks were under pressure to get her married off..and I asked her if I could get my parents to speak with hers.. and she said "Why not"
Me: Is this how it really happened, J ?
J: Yes re. You can call it the New-Age romance..
Tarun: Or rather, a geeky love story ;-)
Me: Oh god...U guys were so bloody lucky...Did your folks consent easily ?
Tarun: Why wouldn't they ? We were both Tam Brahms...
Me: Hmmmmmmmmm
Act 4
Me: Hi Spoorthi
Spoorthi: Vinod Anna is upstairs in his room...
Me: Thank you dear...What are you doing ?
Spoorthi: I am coloring pictures in this book that Arun gave me
Me: Who's Arun ?
Vinod: Arun is her boyfriend
Me: Sssshhhh...How can you say such stuff in front of her ? She's just 9...
Vinod: Ask her
Me: Spoorthi, who is Arun ?
Spoorthi: He is my class mate. Sits in the next desk. Always gets into trouble with Martha Ma'am
Me: and why is that ?
Spoorthi: He is always making noises in class and hitting other boys
Me: Why would he do that ?
Spoorthi: Coz all the others keep teasing me about my short hair
Me: Oh hoooooooo
Spoorthi: And anna, he shares his lunchbox only with me... and also his paintbox...
Vinod: Seeee....
Me: Cha... why are you spoiling such innocent minds ?
Vinod: You just wait...Spoo, do you love Arun ?
Me: Vinoddddddddddddddd
Spoorthi: No...Arun loves me
....and then I fainted. I think I've understood perfectly how love works in Tam Brahm families.
Note: All characters are purely a figment of my imagination. Any resemblance, however remote, to any person living or dead is purely co-incidental :-)
Dear God,
Please ensure that nobody asks me any stupid questions in the comments section. Or should I just disable comments ? Hmmmmm
Love,
Me
Me: So Thatha, what do you think about love ?
Mani Thatha: Ennada, yaaravudhu ponnu kinnoda kaadhal aagi pocha ?
Me: No Thatha..Chumma, I am doing a series of articles on Tam Brahms and I thought I would start off with the purest of all samples
Mani Thatha: Ennavo, I don't quite trust you
Me: Please...Now tell me about love
Mani Thatha: What about it ? There's nothing new in this...Its been there throughout the ages and will continue to remain so...
Me: Baaah...no philosophy please...Tell me something nice and groovy...
Mani Thatha: When I got married in 1942....
Me: Ahhh...1942: A love story
Mani Thatha: Seriyaana cinema kaaran da nee...And wasn't Manisha beautiful in that picture ?
Me: Ayyyoo.. we are getting diverted again..
Mani Thatha: Yeah...we were a huge joint family and I was the fourth son...So when my father went to seek an alliance for me to your Paatti's house, I didn't go alongwith them. Appa and my periya Anna went and finalised the whole deal. I met my bride-to-be just 3 days before our wedding
Me: Realllyyy...
Mani Thatha: Venumna Paattiya kelaen
Me: Paatti, nejama ?
Sundari Paatti: Yes da..
Me: ...and was there any love in the whole thing ?
Sundari Paatti: Love'nnu solla mudiyaadhu... but there was something..
Me: Hehehehehe...Now this is interesting...
Sundari Paatti: In their house, everything was run by his father. My maamnaar was a strict disciplinarian but a very caring soul. In my parents' house I remember we used to watch new movies every Friday. When I came into this house, my first concern was whether I could continue with that. When I asked your Thatha about it in the first weekend, he remarked that they had never seen movies in their house but insisted that he would seek the consent of his father...
Me: Waaah Waaah... Thatha, kalakreenga ponga
Mani Thatha: Full story keluda
Me: ok ok.. the suspense is killing me...
Sundari Paatti: The next month when the salary came, your Thatha as usual took it straight to his father...it was a joint family, remember... and then humbly requested that some provision be made in the budget for taking his newly wed wife to the touring talkies...
Me: Oooooooh
Sundari Paatti: You know what was the best thing about it...I later learnt from his elder brother, remember that silent old man you met the last time you had come here, that in all his 22 years till then, your Thatha had never ever asked his father anything....
Me: Omigawddddd
Mani Thatha: Unmai da
Me: Then ?
Sundari Paatti: Of course the request got sanctioned...We went out for a movie and we even had tiffin at Subramaniams on the way back. You can say that it was on that day that I knew he truly loved me
Me: Paattti, soooooooooooper...Btw, were you educated ? English ellam pesrel neengo...
Sundari Paatti: Even that your Thatha only taught me.. but that story when you come to our house next time....
Me: Noooooooooooooooo
Act 2
Me: Uncle, what do you think about love marriages ?
Vishwa uncle: These days Love is extremely over-rated...And all this is because of the hype in the movies...
Me: But still....
Vishwa Uncle: In our days it used to be much simpler
Kala Aunty: Don't ask him... Ask me
Me: You tell me then, Aunty...
Kala Aunty: Love is extremely important for any marriage to work..sometimes you get lucky by falling in love before marriage and tying the knot with that person...soemtimes it happens after marriage...
Me: and if its not too personal, how was it in your case Aunty ?
T: I'll answer that...I have heard this story so many times..
Me: Batao tho sahi
T: It seems to ponnu paarthify, a huge pattalam turned up from Dad's side.. almost 20 odd people...
Me: Hahahaha... the usual... the 70s were like that nuh...
T: and then Mom was asked to serve coffee and snacks to everyone
Me: Okie... the usual again...
T: and it seems she was so nervous that evening coz the bajjis has turned out a little too kaaram...
Me: Hahahahahahhaha
T: Don't interrupt R
Me: Ok ok
T: ...that she hardly had a good look at my Dad at all for she kept fearing that someone would comment on the bajjis...
Kala Aunty: In our family, we don't mind that extra kaaram...But I had forgotten to tone it down since you can never say with visitors..
T: and then it seems Dad's family left promising to get back in a couple of days...
Me: Ohhhhhhhhh.. the usual "have to consult everyone" line
T: Yeah... and it seems Mom's family were not really sure... until....
Me: What happened next ?
T: After everyone had left, Dad came back...It seems he had wantedly left behind his purse on the sofa, or so Mom claims, and...
Vishwa Uncle: I did nothing of the sort
Kala Aunty: Come on, why this ego after all these years...
Me: Uncle, you are so romantic
T:...And he picked up his purse and then commented to Thatha that he loved the bajjis and liked the kaaram too....
Kala Aunty: It was then that we knew it would be a yes to the proposal...
Me: ...and love ?
Kala Aunty: Of course, I thought his gesture was really sweet and I prompty fell in love with him
Me: Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Act 3
Me: Hey Tarun, do you believe in love ?
Tarun: Yes I do
Me: Then how come you got into an arranged marriage ?
Tarun: Sez who ?
Me: Wasn't it ?
Tarun: Nopes. Twas a love marriage arranged by the elders
Me: Duh ?
Tarun: Didn't you know ? We met at Univ. Everytime I borrowed a library book, I saw her name in the previous readers list. Whenever I went to the local video store, she would have rented movies which matched my tastes.
Me: So you met her, asked her out and stuff like that ?
Tarun: Nopes. I e-mailed her, we corresponded for a couple of months, got to know each other really well and when we finally met a common friend's party she told me that her folks were under pressure to get her married off..and I asked her if I could get my parents to speak with hers.. and she said "Why not"
Me: Is this how it really happened, J ?
J: Yes re. You can call it the New-Age romance..
Tarun: Or rather, a geeky love story ;-)
Me: Oh god...U guys were so bloody lucky...Did your folks consent easily ?
Tarun: Why wouldn't they ? We were both Tam Brahms...
Me: Hmmmmmmmmm
Act 4
Me: Hi Spoorthi
Spoorthi: Vinod Anna is upstairs in his room...
Me: Thank you dear...What are you doing ?
Spoorthi: I am coloring pictures in this book that Arun gave me
Me: Who's Arun ?
Vinod: Arun is her boyfriend
Me: Sssshhhh...How can you say such stuff in front of her ? She's just 9...
Vinod: Ask her
Me: Spoorthi, who is Arun ?
Spoorthi: He is my class mate. Sits in the next desk. Always gets into trouble with Martha Ma'am
Me: and why is that ?
Spoorthi: He is always making noises in class and hitting other boys
Me: Why would he do that ?
Spoorthi: Coz all the others keep teasing me about my short hair
Me: Oh hoooooooo
Spoorthi: And anna, he shares his lunchbox only with me... and also his paintbox...
Vinod: Seeee....
Me: Cha... why are you spoiling such innocent minds ?
Vinod: You just wait...Spoo, do you love Arun ?
Me: Vinoddddddddddddddd
Spoorthi: No...Arun loves me
....and then I fainted. I think I've understood perfectly how love works in Tam Brahm families.
Note: All characters are purely a figment of my imagination. Any resemblance, however remote, to any person living or dead is purely co-incidental :-)
Dear God,
Please ensure that nobody asks me any stupid questions in the comments section. Or should I just disable comments ? Hmmmmm
Love,
Me
Friday, April 01, 2005
Bang Bang Bang
GOING....
(Bangs gavel once)
GOING....
(Bangs gavel again)
GONE...
(Bangs gavel one last time)
....and with this, I have lost whatever scant respect I had for some of the so-called best bloggers in India. The ridiculous depths to which they will plunge to get their eighteen nanoseconds of fame stupefies me. These sick bastards !!! No point in wasting more words on these morons !!
Neway starting today, whenever I post, I will be making one small selfish prayer to you, God. You know how I can whine, right...so you jolly well listen !!
Dear God,
I am feeling so bitter after the aforementioned incident that I think I swore too much. My tongue/mouth feels bitter. I wanna eat a yummmy 6 layered plum cake soaked in a dash of wine. And I want it NOW.....
Love,
Me
(Bangs gavel once)
GOING....
(Bangs gavel again)
GONE...
(Bangs gavel one last time)
....and with this, I have lost whatever scant respect I had for some of the so-called best bloggers in India. The ridiculous depths to which they will plunge to get their eighteen nanoseconds of fame stupefies me. These sick bastards !!! No point in wasting more words on these morons !!
Neway starting today, whenever I post, I will be making one small selfish prayer to you, God. You know how I can whine, right...so you jolly well listen !!
Dear God,
I am feeling so bitter after the aforementioned incident that I think I swore too much. My tongue/mouth feels bitter. I wanna eat a yummmy 6 layered plum cake soaked in a dash of wine. And I want it NOW.....
Love,
Me
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