RANDOM THOUGHTS

· When there was this big hue and cry over SRK’s questioning in a US airport, Salman in an interview with Arnab said ‘why this big fuss? Don’t we allow security to inspect us every time we visit a star hotel? Let’s support them do their job better. It’s unfortunate a particular community is being subject to this due to a stereotype...but that’s reality’. I remembered and liked his thoughts since they sounded very practical and different.

· Why do we press the elevator at least twice when it would respond with just one push!!!???

· And yes…why do we press it once even if the guy next to us just pressed it once before us a few secs earlier!!??? Lack of trust!!??

· Swades is a nice movie…ya this is an almost fossilized review of the film (hahaha), beautifully picturized and with a great theme. SRK has acted very well…subtle and understated. Gayathri Joshi rocks with great portrayal of her character. ARR music is perfecto!!!

· Kurt Cobain has this completely lost & whatever look in the unplugged version of MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD...what was he thinking?

· The lighting on stage in the PINK FLOYD: LIVE IN EUROPE CONCERT is absolute brilliance….must have been great music experience

· Suddenly cricket has gotten a lil more exciting with the ODI format…T20 sucks big time…believe me!!

· Someone pls plan and get a 5 test match series between India and Aus in Australia started asap….test match cricket and its loyal followers need it. I do surely!!

· ‘Jalwa’ title song is nice and catchy…check out the last few dance steps with Prabhu Deva in it.

· F1 season is over and I am depressed puzzled if I will see Kimi race again F1…..he might move to McLaren they say….pls pls pls do that!!!

· Why isn’t the Honda Jazz selling much? Or is it?

· The Yamaha power bikes look stylish and really muscular.

· There is nothing like eating delicious idli dipped in hot sambhar

• Wake up Sid club remix is a very peppy number and Lenka The Show is a very cute feel good song

WHAT’S COOKING & ONE SURE WAY TO DE-STRESS!!??

After close to 10 years of living out of home across many cities and eating out 3 meals a day, I am entering my sixth month of eating simple and delicious (I promise it is) home-made food. I make it just with my own hands in case you are wondering.

But why didn’t I do this before? Why didn’t I prepare food for myself prior to this? Well, 2 reasons: One, I thought cooking was too much of hard work to invest one’s time and energy. I totally realize today how incorrect that thought was. Two, I had restaurants/eat outs around to ensure I didn’t really feel the pinch of stepping out for every meal (that kills leme tell you)

The second reason was probably what pushed me to start cooking now. Believe me, there isn’t a single outlet near my home for a quick early morning breakfast or a simple lunch. This precisely got me thinking even as I was about to finalize this house ( I liked the place on first view) to get started on my culinary skills and boy, I am happy as punch to share that I do make a decent meal. I am so happy and thrilled about this. It has brought to me so much self reliance and a feeling of contentment that it’s hard to exactly describe.

Having said that, it surely is a big de-stresser for me especially at the end of a week day even if it means I am back home 8.30-9ish. All I need 30-45 mins to make something up and its yummy tummy!!!!Well I just about finished my dinner and now you know why there is a zing in my tone JJJ

THE INTERVIEW - VIR SANGHVI

I have been watching a lot interviews for some time now (on TV I meant)...NDTV, CNBC or Times Now. The interviewers I mean here are Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vir Sanghvi, Omkar Goswami, Karan Thapar and many more. The interviews I am referring to are the one-on-one kinda sessions as in not related to news or a short interview. It is a one hour session if you know what I mean.

The one interviewer that remains strongly in my mind is Vir Sanghvi. In every interview I have seen of his when he is probing, questioning or grilling a celebrity/business tycoon/actor; I see a strong attitude of self-confidence, of a body language of not being over awed by the persona opposite him, of a certain nonchalant air of wanting to demand more from the interviewee, of a chilled out yet an intense listener.

I vividly remember his interview with Naresh Goyal of Jet Airways especially where I closely observed all of these; something I don't quite see in others.

Anyways, this has been long pending small post…it’s out on the blog, out of my system and I am done!!!

LUCKY ALI or LUCKY ME!!??

Every time I get my IPod turned on or play some old cassettes on my ‘just-about-working’ tape recorder, there is this feeling of being in another world…feeling a high…elated…happy and kicked about life.


This particularly happened when I recently played a Best Of Lucky Ali collection (an old cassette) on my even older tape recorder.


Almost every song that played got me kicked. When I was listening to TU KAUN HAI….and visualizing the OST video of BHOPAL EXPRESS, it was like listening to the waves as they quieten, build up and hit the shores.

When I was listening to TERE MERE SAATH, the video shot in Cuba had to play inside me…the chorus and strumming of the guitar taking you back into another era maybe and with a light breeze of romance and happiness in it


When I was listening to KITNI HASEEN ZINDAGI, well…Malaika had to pop up in my mind but it was a beautiful feeling remembering or recollecting someone you are fond of…the small things about them…maybe the laughter…their voice or even their mannerisms…awesome feeling

When I was listening to another track (don’t remember the name) where the video portrays the circus clown…it was about the feelings that all of us keep buried within us and move on with life…it was very sacrificial and those of a do-gooder with no expectations of returns…made you feel heavy and not to forget the beautiful Urdu in it and powerful lines of poetry


When I was listening to ANJAANE RAHON MEIN, it made me look closely at people and life when we are so close to what we actually yet don’t see it. It seemed to seek companionship, someone who is there for you; moments that life I believe is all about…to treasure and cherish.

So thanks Lucky Ali or like I have named this blog, Lucky Me coz you made my Sunday morning full of zing, made me start the Sunday on a high, the coffee seemed that much more delicious despite not being filter coffee (AHEM!!), the breeze in my balcony seemed that much more relaxing and pleasant

Bye for now :) :)

When I look back

I have been over last few days thinking and did wonder as I asked myself...when I look back at life what would I remember...so let me think..ummm...


I would remember moments when I sat with a friend or colleague on a free wheeling chat..talking about each other's lives...apprehensions...fears...joys and aspirations...laugh a lot...laugh at ourselves or at the world around us


I would remember moments when I was myself...lost in my thoughts..being a nobody....just Jagan and no one else....maybe sitting by the roadside...on the platform observing the world around


I would remember the long cycle rides to JEE classes, the long hours of play in my beautiful neighbourhood


I would remember the 9AM -3PM classes during undergrad days and the amount of free time then..that looks a rarity now


I would remember the number of physics problems I tried to solve and wasn't too successful....yet was kicked with the learning and concepts I learnt


I would remember the yoga and shloka classes, the coming back school - home at 4PM, playing for 2 hours and back home doing my home work


I would remember the open cycle rickshaw rides to school and back


I would remember imitating my teachers and actors, both body language and voices


I would remember the incessant laughter with friends/cousins when a silly joke would have tickled us a little too much


I would remember walking aimlessly....wanting nothing to do or anything else to happen


Think about all of the above and smile...be happy and laugh a lot : ) :)

RIP – COLONEL ANAND KUMAR SINGH

A classmate of mine, Anand from the ISB passed away last Friday to the complete shock and disbelief of the entire ISB community.

I didn’t know him very well but surely remember chatting up with him on and off (he was from another section) but what struck me was his ever-smiling face, a vibrant attitude and an energetic, brisk walk. All characteristics that constantly reminded you that he was (formerly) a man in uniform.

He was also in my group that was part of 3-4 feedback sessions to the ISB senior management. And I clearly remember that he would be calm, observant yet make his point in a measured manner. And it always concerned a policy matter or for creating better opportunities for the student community.

I also noticed in all my interactions with him that he was itching to do something…something different...something innovative...that’s the sense I got of him. He would always talk of an idea or what-if-I kinda situations…saying I wanna try this….

But yes….I can’t help notice the number of times I am using words like WAS, REMEMBERED, WOULD….because he is no more with us. That’s the bitter truth.

I feel a certain emptiness within as I think about all of this and saddened that a soul...a bundle of feelings….a human being…a heart full of hope was alive and kicking….till about 4 days back…and today it is no more…

RIP Anand.

WIND BACK TIME!! REVISIT ‘’THALAPATHI’’

Being a big fan of Rajni I couldn't resist watching 4 movies of his…all in this weekend. SIVAJI: THE BOSS one more time….along with Thalapathi, Padayappa and Chandramukhi…..only this time on a large screen, with a fellow Rajni fan..good enough to add to the frenzy!!
Thalapathi (The Lieutenant) was released in 1991…and I saw it one more time today..I couldn’t help but revisit this film and the Rajni magic apart from Mani’s brilliance

Thalapathi is a Mani Rathnam film, loosely inspired by the Mahabharata; the Karna-Arjuna-Duryodhana connection. The film stars apart from Rajni, Mammootty, Arvind Swamy and Shobhana. So here is a quick view of plot:

Rajni plays Surya; orphaned as a baby by his then teenager mom (Sripriya) and brought up by the poor in the slums. He grows up on other side of law and initially is pitted against the rival local gang led by Devarajan (Mammootty). Circumstances drive Devarajan to save Surya from being jailed for murder. This indebtedness drives Surya to be faithful to Devarajan and he turns a trustworthy lieutenant (THALAPATHI). The plot thickens here as Sripriya moves into the same city with her husband and IAS son, Arjun (Arvind Swamy). Despite giving Surya up as a baby, she is living constantly in his memory and wondering where and how he is. Arjun starts to tighten the screws on the local mafia and clashes with Deva and Surya; completely ignorant of his elder brother in Surya. Sripriya’s husband played by Jaishankar reveals the truth about his parentage to Surya (much to his denial) and Sripriya does the same to Arjun. This happens just before the clash between the police and the gangs is to occur; a move to wipe off Surya and Deva.

Here is when connect to the Mahabharata plot of Arjuna-Karna-Duryodhana shows up strongly; Surya refuses to move away from Deva and renews his commitment to Deva’s friendship. In the meantime, the aging mafia lord, Karivardhan (Amrish Puri) seeks revenge on Deva and Surya. As the relationships are revealed and the loved ones are out to save one another, Karivardhan kills Deva; Surya seeks revenge by killing him. The story ends with the complete family reunited; Sripriya deciding to stay with Surya as her IAS son, Arjun leaves to another town for an assignment.

This plot of friendship and rivalry is beautifully interspersed with love between Rajni and Shobana which doesn’t materialize into their marriage due to both his orphan and anti-social status; Shobana ends up marrying Arjun whilst Surya accepts to marry Bhanupriya on Deva’s request; Surya had killed her husband in an gang encounter.

I surely need to write a long piece on Rajni – about his acting in the film to be precise. No style, no big fights, no jazzy hairstyle, no fancy costumes, no makeup. Just raw Rajni magnetism and ruggedness to see for all his true fans. The actor inside Rajni I have always believed has immense potential and has never been fully exploited. After seeing Thalapathy I was convinced that Mani has done justice to this great actor. Rajni has over the years, fallen into the trap of his onscreen persona as SUPER STAR and expectations from his fans that his style and stunts have often been the only visible aspect of his acting. Through the film, he displays a range of emotions – the angry man fighting injustice, the orphaned son seeking motherly love, the one in denial of his mother’s identity and fight with his younger brother, the unflinching friendship and loyalty to Deva, the caring do-gooder to the slum dwellers; to name a few.

The highlights of this movie in no particular order are as below:
· A no-frills/no-style/no-makeup Rajni with loads of sheer magnetism and presence; and acting that shows his true mettle; needing someone like Mani to unravel
· Close-ups and brilliant yet subtle lighting that captures the emotional intensity of the plot
· Terrific songs by Ilaiyaraja – every song a masterpiece; melancholic, full of melody and connect with the plot
· Background score precisely and brilliantly captures exactly the mood in the movie at every stage
· A strong cast of actors apart from the 2 pillars – Jaishankar, Sripriya, Bhanupriya, Geetha
· Crisp dialogues that are integral to any Mani film and a fast paced narration that keeps you riveted throughout
· Amazing use of silence to capture the roller coaster of emotions, situations and characters in this film
· Mammootty’s presence as Deva and his understated acting

I can write endlessly about this film; blame it on my craze for Rajni if you wanna......but trust me the film is a must-must watch. Next to come – revisit to another masterpiece from Mani – IRUVAR…