Harvey Milk - boy what a story !

i dont know what's it about such guys - are they great actors or great directors, or their technology is superior or WHAT !! God knows when a team at Bollywood can create something so remarkable as MILK.

Yes, yes ... i know. But you've only heard half the story when you know that its about Gay people in San Francisco. Sean Penn - the actor whos played Harvey Milk is outstanding.

The movie is so simple, so straight and so beautifully narrated. It's not as though there's a lot of camera work, or sexy dance routines. There's not even a heroine (per se) in this movie. It's a performance beyond measure.

However, a word of caution. Watch this movie only if you have an open mind and can appreciate art and talent at a level above Govinda. It's not going to make sense to you.

What an AD

I have been wanting to write a post about the new Limca ad featuring Sushma Reddy (who's looking very sweet for a change)

The AD is so beautiful and the jingle is just fantastic. it's a real treat to the ears.

Job very well done.

Mahabharat in today's times

Today was a very interesting episode on Mahabharat - Draupadi 's 'vastra - haran'. (No no - this isn't an enticing post !)

So i was wondering if Mahabharat happened in the present age and if this incident was to happen in the courts of a king ruling a present age 'Hastinapur'.

Duryodhan: Dushi (short for Dushasan)
Dushi: Yo bro ! What's up?

Duryodhan:  Go get that Draupadi here.
Dushi: Why the hell should i go - you go yourself ! Or else tell someone else to do it. I'm almost finishing off the tutitian castle in C on my P. (what he means is command and conquerer on his PSP)

Duryodhan: Common man, get off your ass and go !
Dushi: hmph !

Dushi (to Draupadi): Let's go man. Bro wants to see u in court.
Draupadi: Behave yourself - i'm your brother's wife
Dushi: Look - come fast cause i dont have my charger with me. I need to finish this game before we head back home. My PSP is almost out !
Draupadi: NO  - i'm not coming.

Dushi gets upset and catches hold of Draupadi's hair. He then drags the KUL WADHU right into the courts of the blind king Dhritarashtra. Of course, he's blind and with his iPod playing St. Anger, he can't really hear much of what's happened.

As draupadi enters the courts, the darbaris quickly scamper for a phone with a video camera - the humble makings of a fantastic MMS scandal.

Duryodhan: Take off her clothes Dushi !
Draupadi: Are you crazy - what's wrong with you?
Duryodhan: You called me a blind king's blind son didnt you - now i'll show you who's blind !

Dushi moves towards Draupadi.

Draupadi: Dushi wait. I'm wearing cheap undies. Let me go and change into Victoria catalogue's page 37. That'll be more appropriate. I am after all a KUL WADHU.

Dushi: Ok - but move fast. Bro will make ME take off my clothes if you make him wait too long. (dushi gets back into his game)

Draupadi returns in a hot slinky short pants.

Dushi: Cool man - nice outfit.
Duryodhan: Man - you're hot.
Yudhistir: Dude - that's my wife !
Duryodhan: F#@# you man - u're my daas now ! Dushi - go for it.

Dushi: ok brother. (Dushi realizes this can be more entertaining than the castle victory)

Dushi tugs at Draupadi's clothes. unfortunately they are too tight and dushi has to pull harder.

Duryodhan: pull u idiot ! Common ! U're in the gym 3 hours a day - what the hell do you do there !
Dushi: AAAARGH....Damn these clothes man - i cant get them off.

Draupadi: What the hell man. I'm getting a chance to show off my body, which is now below 7% body fat, and you guys cant even take my clothse off. Here - let me help you - MUSIC PLEASE!

Then draupadi proceeds to execute a well choreographed dance routine that involves powerful gyrations of the lower abdomen. Suddenly 30 other skimpily clad women appear in the background. The lights dim down and the music kicks in - ' Doob ja mere pyaar me ... move your body baby, move your body !'

This year's Emerging talent female goes to draupadi (who'se real name is 'precious'). She thanks the entire team at mahabharat and wants to specially thank the producer BE OUR CHOPRA for giving her the opportunity for such a challenging role.

Last i heard her prices have quadrupled.

Bangalore vs Pune

I dont mean to be condescending towards Pune - but Pune weather SUCKS !! Big time !

I'm in Bangalore right now - sitting at home without a fan ! Not only is this not possible in Pune, you really cannot even IMAGINE it if you're there right now. Pathetic !

What makes it worse is that Bangaloreans are calling this weather a heat wave ! ....sigh !

One of the reasons why Bangalore has such excellent weather is its fauna. The sheer number of trees in Bangalore is amazing !! You really dont realize it - but take a ride through town and the horizon will always be green - something i cannot say about Pune. Where the Horizon is increasingly becoming brown !!

What a refreshing Change !!!

I've been crying hoarse about the unorganized and absolutely neglected state of the so called excuse of a MUSIC INDUSTRY in India.

This was further aggravated by the below par production by Sony on the Indian Idol finale yesterday evening. I cant even begin to be disgusted ! All MTV and Channel V do is push Bollywood. IF YOU DONT SHOW THEM WHAT ALL LIES OUT THERE - HOW WILL THEY EVER KNOW PEOPLE !!

If you've sat through a finale of any of the 7 American Idol series, you'll know what i mean when i say 'Post Production'. 2nd week of LUCK BY CHANCE and the theaters were empty. People say - it's slow and boring ! Yeah cause there aren't half naken hotties gyrating their crotches into the camera !

In this appalling scene, its absolutely wonderful to see one of the pioneers of Metal in India - AGNI (now AGNEE), making an effort to present a bold and charasmatic face of Indian Rock. I know I know ... who pays for it when you can cheat and download for free.

But that's exactly the point. The tide must change. The MUSIC industry needs to stand up on its own feet and disassociate itself from BOLLYOOD. Else Anu Malik will continue to believe he's a super composer.

Imagine the sheer volume of opporunities this can generate. And history has proven time and again that breaking such shackles will only benefit. IPL - one of the best examples, is opening doors for young cricketers. Sports needs to evolve as an industry. 

Check out Agnee's new positioning on the web here.

Audacity of Hope

I was trying to think of how did he manage to swing a presidential vote towards him when the odds were stacked up against him right from the start. Here are a few very interesting points i noticed:

- Obama SOLD his story. He sold and sold and sold to every single American. The scale of direct sales was spectacular.

- He had a team of very smart political advisors who gave him the right advice at the right time. Though McCain and Clinton both tried to slew him, Obama's camp maintained a tight composure and ensured the 'purpose' was never lost. In fact in his head to head debate with McCain, Obama was surprisingly calm, collected and downright witty. McCain on the other hand was talking like a beauty pageant contestant.

- Obama leveraged his oration. He is an eexcellent speaker and he's learnt it the hard way.

- His color was a great standoff. Americans to a fair extent are sick of what's happening. This was a right time to 'Suggest' a change - a change in color, creed, policies and most importantly - an office administration. Had Clinton's camp run the 'CHANGE IS HERE' message, i'm fairly confident obama wouldn't have had such an easy run.

In the end, Obama's camp emerged victorious due to multiple factors. But the victory just goes on to prove that a well planned and alert campaign can generate far better results than a campaign built on previous successes.

Marley - the worlds worst dog !

Johnathan Grogan is smart - he made money from his dog !

But everything set aside, this is one helluva fantastic movie (the book is better) - IF AND ONLY IF you are a dog fantatic. Yes you read that right - not a dog lover, a Dog FANATIC. You need to be head over heels in love with your dog to really enjoy this movie. And i can assure you - you'll end up crying your ass off in the end !!

One of the fundamental things he's captured in the book is the 'life with a dog'. And that too a dog like Marley. Over the story, Marley continues to charm and there are instances when you'll be like - THIS IS JUST LIKE JULIUS (or whatever you named YOUR dog).

The experience in beautiful. If you are a dog fanatic, you MUST watch this movie. Watch it for your dogs sake - you'll start enjoying every second you have with him.

On another note, those of you who dont have dogs - this is just not going to hit home. You'll find it a sweet movie with an obnoxiously crazy pet. But you JUST CANNOT RELATE TO IT.

Sorry non dog lovers - this ones for the doggers only !