Last Day

My email to CSC colleagues :




“Man's feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell” ~ Jean Paul Richter


Hi ,

Hope you are doing good. I am leaving CSC and wished to say a few things to you before I departed.

I had actually prepared a long farewell speech but considering the time constraints and busy schedules, I'll just buy a little of your time*.

Given a chance, I would come and talk to you and shake hands or share a warm hug before waving off my hands. But if I am unable to cover that distance for any reason, the fact that you are reading this would compensate for it.
You hold a significant influence in whatever part you played in my journey till here , hence I would like to share the customary 'Thank You' note to your 'Order of Appearance' in my life and times at CSC.

YOU @CSC, Blythewood

~ To Team AIG/MIG aka "The Blythewood Braintrust" for giving me tremendous support, opportunities and encouragement.
~ To Traci Warren for all your help and for your continuous confidence and trust in me.
~ To David , my mentor (and buddy) for Rate Revisions , for 'Mustang' and for the 'Little Indian Man':)
~ To Clark Watson (the 'Hero' of New York Disco Villians) for your music, your great review of my book and for everlasting support and friendship.
~ To Zara Rabnawaz , for the 'Sat Sri Akal's , for bringing those Indian Chapattis for me, and your ever warm wishes and blessings.
I will always remember your lovely words when I was leaving Blythewood : "Insha-allah, you will come back again" :(
~ To every CSCIndian I met 'Onsite' , for the wonderful time spent at Windsor Shores and those great trips to the outdoor,exploring America the 'Desi' way.
AND
~ To the people of South Carolina (smiling faces, beautiful places) and neighboring states:)

The entire experience of flying down to America and the incredibly eventful (and life-changing) summer of 2007 in South Carolina, was an inspiration behind writing a book of my memoirs titled "Palmetto Heat". Each one of you , as mentioned above, have had long lasting influences which made this book a souvenir of my American Rendezvous. Your contribution is invaluable.

YOU @ CSC INDIA

~ To my Indian teammates (AIG/Safety/Geico) , for giving an opportunity to work in the best company, with the best people and for allowing to be an integral part of all the interesting experiences.I am proud of each one of you for what you are and what you do :)
~ To the members of the 'Golden Hut' trip : It was a wonderful icebreaker for the Noida P&C Group and indeed a memorable trip , I would cherish those 'Golden moments' forever.
~ To the entire FSG group in Noida/Indore/Hyderabad, for sharing your expertise and knowledge .It was a great learning experience working with you.


YOU @ CSC C3

~ To C3 Community, the social collaboration for the enterprise--linking people to people and people to groups. The network of 90,000+ employees across the globe. Connecting you and me- time zones and distance no longer be barriers. Communicating with you anywhere in the world to share what I know and learn what you know. Collaborating with you on pursuits, proposals, or projects.Right from the "Watercooler' to "Movie Nuts' to 'Everything about Excel', thanks for making it such a powerhouse bringing every brain on this world (within CSC) closer than one could have imagined

~ To you , for joining my group, for those lively discussions and for your friendship.

Interestingly, I could not become a 'Senior 'with my designation in CSC; but courtesy your votes, I did manage to become a 'Senior Collaborator' at C3 :)


A Very Special Thanks...

~ To you with whom I often had lunch, for making it such an interactive 'session'...food for thought :)
~ To you for sharing your thoughts, opinions,news and views,ideas or materials, for reading my blogs and leaving your comments, for taking out time to see my art and giving me honest feedback, and for just plain listening to me or chatting on 'sametime' for any purpose.


YOU & ME @ CSC
I have tried to capture YOU (and me) in this CSC world and share those moments in this picture. I personally feel its a very colorful collage with such beautiful people sharing space and time with me. Find Yourself :)



STAYING IN TOUCH

You and I will meet again
When we're least expecting it
One day in some far off place
I will recognize your face
I won't say goodbye my friend
For you and I will meet again

Generally in life, 'departures' and 'separations' are quite emotionally overwhelming as well as exhaustive in nature...hence I would refrain from using the word 'good-bye' , 'adieu' 'adios' 'sayonara' , 'alvida' or 'dosvidaniyan'...because I would love to see you again, meet you if I get a chance or just stay in touch.

I have intentionally sent this email to your short id and saved in my contact list so that I can bother you in future :)

My personal email id is : sumranjots@gmail.com , and I'd look forward to hear from you.

You can find me on Facebook and Orkut and I would love to see you there.

I assume that you already know how terrible a writer and horrible an artist I am (thanks to my numerous 'please see my blog' promotional emails and art links) , but if you sometime feel unoccupied with any unoccupational work , please take a short visit to this spot :

http://sumranswanderingthoughts.blogspot.com/

(You can add it to your favorites so that you don't have to fetch for it again :)


This is how far I go. Thanks for your time*

Wishing you a great career at CSC and beyond.


Thanks,

SUMRAN JOT SINGH

Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. ~William Shakespeare


* You can log 0.5 hours against etes code :SUMRAN_LWD_17NOV09

Day and Night

Day and night
I toss and turn, I keep stressing my mind, mind
I look for peace but see I don't attain
What I need for keeps this silly game we play, play
Now look at this
Madness to magnet keeps attracting me, me
I try to run but see I'm not that fast
I think I'm first but surely finish last, last

Day and night
The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night
He's all alone, some things will never change (never change)
The lonely loner seems to free his mind at night (at, at, at night)


He's on the move can't seem to shake the shade
Within his dreams he see's the life he made, made
The pain is deep
A silent sleeper you won't hear a peep, peep
It seems the feelings that she had are through, through

Slow me
When the temple slows up and creates that new, new
He seems alive though he is feeling blue
The sun is shining man he's super cool, cool
The lonely nights
They fade away he slips into his white nikes
He smokes a clip and then he's on the way
To free his mind in search of,
To free his mind in search of,
To free his mind in search of,

Day and night
The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night
He's all alone, some things will never change (never change)
The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night

At, at, at night

'Boys' to Remember

Well, its been long since I wrote a review of a movie here, although I have been watching them a lot!
Whatever kept me away, I just feel like putting some notes on this film I saw yesterday ..lazily trying to pass the hot summer Delhi noon. To my surprise, it wrapped me in its 2 hour run time and even made me cry in the end....almost a bliss!
I had no clue about this movie and had just copied onto my laptop from a friend's hard drive...but I wonder why it failed to create ripples ...it was such a treat to watch this beautiful story of 4 orphaned kids called the 'December Boys'.
The narrative was so simple yet so intriguing that it kept its hold until the very end....accentuated by some splendid screenplay and cinematography replete with breathtaking imagery of the Australian countryside. I didnt know that it was Australia until the credits rolled up in the end..all through the movie I was guessing if it was England by the sea or East America!

Apart from the beauty of the frames, it was the superlative performances by each individual cast including Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) which made this movie such a special viewing experience. Those who have seen the 'wizard boy' Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter series would gallop in surprise with the kind of role he plays here ....of an orphaned teenager trying his foot into adolescence and yet stuck into his gang of minors called the 'December Boys'.

The film is essentially the story of the friendship between these boys but it twitches your heart with some splendid elements of parenthood, life in orphanage, confessions and indulgences of the mind of young boys , the fight for survival, the need for adulation and much more...elements that would make your eyes wet ..in the end.

I would rate this movie 4.5 out of 5 for its sheer simplicity , innocence and beauty....I thought I would remove it from my already crowded disk space but no....now I have put it in my 'all time favorites' folder....for another experience ...some time later.....the 'Boys' to remember!

The Black House on Blue Ridge

I dont know why whenever I look at the picture of this house I feel an eerie magnetic pull ....its just one of the photographs that i clicked on our way to the Blue Ridge Parkway in East America.

There 's really something about it....i cant explain.

For more pictures of the beautiful Blue Ridge , pls visit this link below:

A Drive to Remember

The Flight of Discovery

Two Years Ago : May 31 , 2007.

"....The scheduled departure of American Airlines flight from New Delhi to Chicago was at 12:30AM on 1 June. The office cab was waiting outside my home, sharp at 8 pm, two big black suitcases and a medium size trolley bag encumbered onto the cab.
Until that moment, I was hurriedly making sure everything was inside my baggage or within my vision. My disordered list of ‘items to carry’ disfigured by continuous attention; I could barely manage to see what remained.
The third horn from the driver reminded me that it was time I hugged my mother and took her blessings. My father, brother and sister were waiting inside the cab, after loading the stuff. They would wave me goodbye at the Airport.
My mother stayed back. As I lowered myself to hug her small body, she had just one thing to say, “Keep good care of your health! Nothing else matters.”

The travel time from my home to New Delhi’s IGI Airport was about fifty minutes. Within those fifty anxious minutes, I gave numerous instructions to my younger brother, some last reminders to my elder sister and some serious notes to my father. My father had recovered from a near fatal injury from an accident about two months ago but he was quite happy and proud to see me flying abroad. My brother had come back home from his Engineering institute on his term break and he was excited .My sister had always been crazy about foreign countries and she was elated on my sudden US visit. It was my first international journey, and they all listened to me patiently.



My father patted my back as I went for the check in at Terminal 2 of IGI Airport.
“Make sure you handle these suitcases properly, they don’t seem to be robust enough!”
“I had told you, buy a better one. You didn’t listen to me!” my sister was my greatest critic and how could she miss this chance of reminding me of my mistakes. Of course, she had told me earlier those suitcases would not last long, perhaps not even this journey, because I had bought them quite cheap.
Now as I pushed my trolley cart towards the Entry gate, those big black’ load holders’, seemed to be on their last journey. I was cursing my friend Kannan, with whom I had shopped them, just a week ago. Now I just prayed they could make it to America safely with all my newly bought T-shirts, trousers, jeans and accessories packed inside to maximum capacity. I waved at my father, brother and sister as I entered the Security check counter. I was feeling a sense of exhilaration as I prepared myself for the longest air journey of my life. From that moment onwards, I would not be able to see each of those faces until I return safely from America, after three months. However, right now, I would have to spend the next three hours at the Airport all by myself if Deepak did not reach on time.
He worked in my office and we had just talked once on phone a few days back when we learnt that we were going on the same flight to Chicago.
From Chicago he would fly to Austin, Texas while I would continue my journey to Columbia, South Carolina after a stop at Dallas.

My bags scanned, weighed and those black suitcases put on the conveyor belt for their separate journey in the plane cargo with destination marked on the stickers. I implored that they should get a superior robust companionship with other big baggage in the cargo. They had too many of my precious belongings!
Scanned for Security purpose; I removed my belt and waist pouch and watch and wallet, numerous times for checking. Post 9/11, everything going to America was being monitored; I was speculating if they could monitor an evil mind!
Post the tedious Check-In procedures, I finally sat inside the departure terminal. Somnolent, lethargic and drowsy, I looked for a phone booth and rang home. It was my mother and I informed her that I was okay and ready to go. She was eager and extremely enthused on the phone; she just did not express it while I was at home. I comforted her; I would take care of myself.
I rang Deepak and he told me he was inside the Airport and looking for me. I informed him description of my dress and the colour of my turban. We had never met earlier; we only spoke on the phone after we learnt about our same flight. CSC, my organization, constituted three major divisions, employed about fifteen thousand people. I was acquainted with only a handful, Deepak was not amongst them .I had joined this company only 45 days ago and within that period, I had gone through numerous trainings and travel related formalities. It was a regular feature to send employees to US for project assignments; however, my US sponsorship was an exceptional paucity.

I met Deepak after he spotted me and we spent the next hour waiting near Gate No.4, where American Airlines Flight 233 fuelled to take off. Curly black hair, oval face, round body yet athletic muscles, he had a beguiling smile. He told me he would come to Columbia City after spending 15 days in Austin. He was on a month long tour while my planned return from US was on 6 September. He told me that he had never been to a foreign country and he would miss his wife and family very much. I told him “don’t worry; your one month tour would be over soon!”

I could feel the tiny goose bumps inside me as we sat waiting. I relaxed myself as we talked about working in CSC in perspective, about our families in general and about life in America in particular.

As the boarding call announced and we lined up, I observed the comrade of passengers moving towards the boarding counter. Amongst them, I could discern a few young couples with kids, some old men with hats, some women with gowns and some fair-skinned foreigners in fancy outfits.

Inside the flight, Deepak and I parted ways as we sat quite far away from each other. My co-passenger was a young person who looked the same age as me. We shook hands and comforted ourselves. He sat at the window seat and I was on the aisle.
He told me that he worked in a software company and this was his first trip abroad. I inquired about his final destination.
He replied, heedlessly. “Los Angeles.”
I stemmed my sensation, “Wow! You can see Hollywood! “
He smiled back, “oh yes, I look forward to visit that!”
I craved with a mouthful of sky, what if we could swap our seats as well as our final destinations!
Perhaps, it was destined otherwise.

The flight took off on the scheduled time. As it took some elevation, I tried to look outside from my aisle seat. All I could manage to see was the pitch-dark Delhi sky with a few tiny lights blinking on the earth below.
Inside the aircraft, flight attendants were pacing up and down the aisle with their chirpy smiles and artificial makeup. Some elderly flight attendant was serving a drink to an old man. May be they employ such aged Airhostesses aboard night flights, I thought. I was expecting young beautiful smart savoir-faire cabin crew in an international airline. I had traveled in domestic airlines; they all had young girls and boys as crewmembers. I had seen airline commercials...wow those girls looked amazingly beautiful, on TV and on print. I thought that this woman was an odd one out, but to my utter dismay, they all looked like grandmothers. I remarked to myself ‘their granddaughters must be’ flying princesses’ in some airlines back in America!’
I pledged that I would write a petition to American Airlines for employing women over the age of fifty to serve men under the age of thirty.
May be the younger assortment would turn up during the morning.

“What Morning? Will there be any daylight during the flight? “
I checked the flight map. The entire 16-hour flight would span across West-Asia, Europe, flying over Iceland, Greenland and Canada before entering Chicago at about 5:30 AM, US time. I would hardly see any daylight, as I would travel in three different world time zones but entirely through the night. Wow! I would fly over more than half of the globe…all those places I had once traveled in my childhood dreams when I used to play with the model of the globe and the maps on my Atlas book!

Soon those American grandmothers served meal to me. Within their predictable smiles, I could see a thousand wrinkles. This was torturous. Sixteen hours of flight with such a plight! Poor granny...She should be sleeping in some far away boat house with her second or third husband with no one but nature around ...but here she was in the white and blue AA uniform...Posing as the hostess of the skies!

I finished my meal and took a long walk down the aisle. I must have been flying over Iran at that time and as I examined the interior, I found Deepak already lost in some deep mourning. Probably he was missing his wife too much; I did not wake him up. Everybody else around was also preparing to sleep. White men, brown women, black kids….and those old aunts. After a walk through the cabin, I returned to my seat and turned on the flight map. It displayed the elevation as around 30,000 feet, outside temperature as -15 degree Celsius, local time as 1 June, 12:15 Am and destination time of Chicago city as 31 May, 6PM!
There were million miles to fly...and I wished I could see the world beneath. Since it was a night flight, it was all dark outside, and in that stratosphere, my body craved to squeeze out of that tiny window, stand on the wings of the plane and fly!
Sitting on my seat, I changed the display screen in front of me and I could see a tiny picture of the airplane on the map screen, flying in slow motion over the mountains of West Asia.
Hah! The whole world is under my feat!

My co-passenger was in deep sleep. Everyone looked so tired and dull.
What is wrong with me, why was I looking for some entertainment?
I opened the in-flight video in front of me...but shut it off after a few minutes. Huff…Boring movies and boring commercials!
I took a deep sigh, closed my eyes and tried to sleep. There were wandering thoughts and random visions dancing in my mind. There should be something to slow them down. I was on my way to America, to live a dream I had nurtured since so many years. I had suppressed the inevitable enthusiasm all this while, however, that cerebral brooding was inexorable.

The lights around were switched off with only a few dim bulbs illuminating the airbus. The only sound I could hear was of the engines of the jet and some whispers from a nearby seat. My eyes were craving for rest, my body was telling me to let loose all that I held. My hands made a sound as I clasped them and then crashed them on the armrest. Soon those visions got tired of dancing .This was the right time to take the chance, I let my eyes take the lead as my body adjusted to the curvature of the seat and my mind went into a total blackout.

I had the most beautiful dream to keep me occupied throughout my sleep. An anonymous dream...Someone was calling me …and I was moving towards it…at jet speed.

Beautiful Stranger

Haven't we met
You're some kind of beautiful stranger
You could be good for me
I have a taste for danger

If I'm smart then I'll run away
But I'm not
So I guess I'll stay
Heaven forbid
I take my chance on a beautiful stranger

I looked into your eyes
And my world came tumbling down
You're the devil in disguise
That's why I'm singing this song

To know you
Is to love you
You're everywhere I go
And everybody knows
To love you
Is to be part of you
I wait for you with tears
And swallowed all my pride
Beautiful Stranger

If I'm smart then I'll run away
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay
Haven't you heard
I fell in love with a beautiful stranger

I looked into your face
My heart was dancing all over the place
I'd like to change my pont of view
If I could just forget about you

To know you
Is to love you
You're everywhere I go
And everybody knows

I looked into your eyes
And my world came tumbling down
You're the devil in disguise
That's why I'm singing this song to you

To know you
Is to love you
You're everywhere I go
And everybody knows
To love you
Is to be part of you
I wait for you with tears
And swallowed all my pride

Beautiful Stranger

Sound of the Sky

I was about to take a nap in the evening, and as I looked outside the window, I could not resist from capturing the sky in all its glory. Here are few of those moments :

1) Shadows and Rays

2) Flying High...and Away.


3) Music in the Air

4) A different life.

5) Music from heaven

And I just love this music....the sound is invigorating . The last click is my favorite

Find Yourself

When you find yourself in some far off place
and it causes you to rethink some things
You start to sense that slowly you're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself...

When you make new friends in a brand new town
and you start to think about settling down
The things that would have been lost on you
are now clear as a bell
And you find yourself,
yeah thats when you find yourself

Well you go through life
so sure of where you're headed
And you wind up lost
and its the best thing that could have happened
Cause sometimes when you lose your way, its really just as well
because you find yourself,
yeah that's when you find yourself.

When you meet the one, that you've been waiting for
and she's everything, that you want and more
You look at her and you finally start to live for someone else
And then you find yourself,
yeah that's when you find yourself

Coming down to Earth

Did you think that your feet had been bound
By what gravity brings to the ground?
Did you feel you were tricked
By the future you picked?
Well, come on down

All those rules don’t apply
When you’re high in the sky
So, come on down
Come on down

We’re coming down to the ground
There’s no better place to go
We’ve got snow up on the mountains
We’ve got rivers down below

We’re coming down to the ground
We hear the birds sing in the trees
And the land will be looked after
We send the seeds out in the breeze

Did you think you’d escaped from routine
By changing the script and the scene?
Despite all you made of it
You’re always afraid
Of the change

You’ve got a lot on your chest
Well, you can come as my guest
So come on down
Come on down

Like the fish in the ocean
We felt at home in the sea
We learned to live off the good land
Learned to climb up a tree
Then we got up on two legs
But we wanted to fly
When we messed up our homeland
We set sail for the sky

We’re coming down
Coming down to Earth
Like babies at birth
Coming down to Earth
We’re gonna find new priorities
These are extraordinary qualities

Two Lovers!

One Man .Two women. sounds cliche'?
Ah, until you see this sublime tale with a vernacular title.

Seldom one has seen such intricate characterization of an ordinary life , that everything seems so volatile and mystic and full of plausibility.

Joaquin Pheonix is an excellent actor and he proves it again this time, giving such depth and rawness to his character of a depressed young man coming to terms with his haunted past and sundry present.
Living life on the edge (literally) and swinging between the need to love and the desire to be loved...here is this man who is as earthy as you and me and as charismatic and suave as an uber hero. But you only realise these characteristics once you find him sandwiched between two opposite women...one promising stability(Venessa Shaw) , the other vivacity (Gywneth Paltrow).
So which way does he go?

If being a maverick is being unpredictable, then this tale has some splendid surprises in the form of Pheonix's eccentricity juxtaposed with Venessa's tenderness and Paltrow's vulnerability.


Kudos to the Director for bringing out some beautiful candid moments that leave you mesmerised. There are enough surprises and twists to keep one engrossed....I could feel and relate to each single emotion in the film...yes, this was me, yes this happened, this is happening or this could happen to me....yes , thats the way it goes....wow....thats what I would do, thats what I would say .....yes I would cry, yes I would run, yes, yes, yes.

Another highlight : the atmosphere and the character of New York city's suburban area , the underbelly, the middle class family and its contrast to the outside world is a treat to watch....complete with its aura, air and noises. Marvellous!

My favorite shots : Phoenix caught by her Mom on the stairs while escaping, and their conversation.
Phoenix and Paltrow on the terrace in the cold December morning.
Phoenix on the ride to the Club and his act in da Club.

Two Lovers. Too good!

Deviant D

Ok, Let me admit it....its NOT sane. Insanity finds a new avatar in this celluloid flux that moves like a vagabond.
Erratic from the word go, the most bodacious display of characterization, brazen , bold, and in your face...from the rustic fields of Punjab, to the mean streets of Delhi with a detour to London and some snow-capped destination, this voyage of voyeurism is deftly told by Mr. Debonair director , Anurag Kashyap.
The message comes in Vodka bottles, in smokes and fumes, and in graffiti drenched dark dingy rooms and sometime in pink papers...."Come On, Lets Talk about S..., Baby!"

And we all talk about it , don't we ....but we refrain from showing it...so damn it....we have all hell breaking loose here...with a no holds barred , dare to bare, lewd, pervert look at the contemporary Devdas...complete with Paro , Chandramukhi and Chunni Lal!

God Must Be Crazy ....or otherwise. Paro is not a damsel, Chandramukhi is not just a hooker...and Chunni Lal is aint no booker !

And what about Devdas...the qutissential lover boy who looses it all in the bottle? Well, well, well....he is out there...a Punjabi munda on the rocks! He doesnt care a damn about love...what matters is whats on the platter...

Groundbreaking Music (hikknaal, mahi menu, Pardesi ), earth shattering lyrics (Emotional Attaychar, Saali Khushi), Mindbending screenplay, Earthy cinematography and topnotch performances by Abhay Deol (Dev), Mahie Gill (Paro) and Chanda (Kalki Keochlin)....this is heady cocktail of modern sociology.

Mind it....the flavour is strong. Incredibly Intoxicating!

The World at Her Feet!

A Road to Nowhere?

A happily married couple with two young kids, living in an uptown locality....quite a peaceful setting ...with no one to disturb that peace.
So that's the point...when nobody disturbs you...you tend to disturb yourself...out of monotony, out of curiosity, out of temptation ...out of ordinariness.

Kate and Leo come onscreen together a decade after Titanic....and bet you, they still sizzle...almost !
They play this couple , April and Frank Wheeler, living on Revolutionary Road where each one of them wants to have an identity rather than an existence. So what begins as an attempt to think a way out... jointly, stifles its way to anonymity and insularity. And in between this riveting domestic drama, there are huge explosion and ceasefires that confront you , right into your face with a fierce voraciousness.

My pick from the breakfast table :

April Wheeler: So now I'm crazy because I don't love you, right? Is that the point?
Frank Wheeler: No! Wrong! You're not crazy, and you do love me. That's the point, April.
April Wheeler: But I don't. I hate you. You were just some boy who made me laugh at a party once, and now I loathe the sight of you. In fact, if you come any closer, if you touch me or anything, I think I'll scream.
Frank Wheeler: Frank: Oh, come on, stop this April.
[He touches her for an instant and she screams at the top of her lungs before walking away.]

John Givings: Hopeless emptiness. Now you've said it. Plenty of people are onto the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.

John Givings: You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like.

April Wheeler: Tell me the truth frank remember that? We used to live by it. And you know what's so good about the truth? Everyone knows what it is however long they've lived without it. No one forgets the truth frank they just get better at lying

Frank Wheeler: Well I support you, don't I? I work ten hours a day at a job I can't stand!
April Wheeler: You don't have to!
Frank Wheeler: But I have the backbone not to run away from my responsibilities!
April Wheeler: It takes backbone to lead the life you want, Frank.

Colored Congregation

Changeling.

A True Story. Angelina Jolie. Clint Eastwood.
Recipe enough for a classic!

Yes, and more than a classic , Changeling is a film that lasts longer, much longer than its normal run time. It lasts and resides in your conscience, your subconscious and metaphysical presence.For it never leaves you with the very basic emotion of human existence...'hope'.

1928 Los Angeles comes alive on screen, complete with its historic landmarks, the cars and motorcycles, the streets, the telephone machines, the clocks, the time piece ...intact and majestically re crafted by none other than the legend himself, Mr.Clint Eastwood....who has never compromised on the best in the best.


Beside this attention to details of that period, once is so engrossed into the drama that unfolds with a feverish pitch and pace, slowly, subtly and almost pensivly....that you would move frame by frame, with an emotion so strong ...that at times, you would feel you have just been caught in the frame, in that time machine...and there's no way but to move with the story...with the protaganist (Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins) and her struggle .



Angelina is A-one. Period.
So is the gripping , disturbing, moving, chilling storyline that is so unpredicable that till the very last scene, you end up sitting with your fingers crossed and your heart interwined.
Every actor, every little act is a superbly driven to excellence. That is the sheer magic of the direction. The disapperance of the boy, the desperation of the mother, the revelation of disrupeted LAPD of that period, the cop's demeanour, a few good men, the discovery, the acquittal, the trial, the prosecution and the execution .....everything is damn picture perfect!

Your heart stops beating in the end, it actually does....as Angelina Jolie walks into the busy street of the Los Angeles city ....and before she disappears into the closing music, she gaves us this:

[last lines]
Christine Collins: Three boys tried to escape that night, and if one boy got away then maybe one or both of the other two escaped too. Maybe he's out there somewhere, afraid to tell the truth, afraid of what will happen to him or to me. But one thing I know is that boy gave me something I didn't have before.
Detective Lester Ybarra: What's that?
Christine Collins: Hope.

Oye! it was Friday !!

Well, this was one quite a show that ended too soon....a complete Friday entertainer.
Though most of the show seemed perfectly scripted, even the Guest Q and As seemed rigged, but the USP was the show host Farhan Akhtar's witty presentation and 'cool dude' attitude that carried the show and made it a breazy and light hearted Friday night unwinding affair.

Best thing I liked about the show (apart from the firangi Oye Girls dancing to desi beats) was the performances by some really good hitherto unknown artistes from around the globe.
Most of them came without much introduction but left their mark with applause.

And amidst the guest list which included our Regular Khans of Bollywood, the special appearances by non regulars like Anoushka Shankar, Prasoon Joshi, Shankar,Ehsaan and Loy ....and performances by Kailash Kher, Sukhwinder Sactually made good viewing.

All in all, it was a great entertainer with Farhan still Rocking On !

Waiting for next season to begin soon ....Oye!

The Colors of Joy !

Happy Holi !!

Delhi 6

Welcome to Chandni Chowk, an area in the walled city of Delhi with the zip code 6. Originally meaning moonlit square or market, it is one of the oldest and busiest markets of Delhi.

So when an NRI boy (Abhishek Bacchan) comes to town to bring home his ailing Grandmother (Waheeda Rehman) who wishes to spend her last days at her ancestoral home , he is bound to get sucked into the chaos which is so as much a character of Chandni Chowk as is its irreverent dynamism.
So, before this American born confused desi realises the intoxicating charm of the congested narrow bylanes of Delhi 6, he is already on the crossroads of a new awakening.
So is it another coming of age sort of story or a tribute to historic and cultural heritage of a bonhomie called Chandni Chowk?
Well, its actually an attempt at both but with a complex layer of interwoven issues and some discreet metaphoric undercurrent.
At one hand, we try to see through the eyes of the young protoganist NRI (Abhishek) coming to terms with his Indian connection with its deep rooted values, traditions, rituals and emotions.
On the other hand, we have this part of the city out of which grows the very image of secular India , where the inhabitants live and die for each other , each day.
But the story just does not stick to this plot, it leaps and overleaps into such symbolic gesturing and plodding of social issues and vicious diatribes, that at one point it seems like going nowhere.
It actually goes to no man's land rather than tell us a tale of life in those lanes of delhi 6, and then tries to come back in the end...leaving the viewer confused, provoked and over-sensitized.

But nevermind, this exercise doesnt take too much of a toll, because as I said, its a metaphoric undercurrent and not 'in your face' berating of our society at large. The episode of 'monkey man' taking away the biggest slice of the pie and also our Atta boy in its sway. And in turn, this 'monkey man' becomes a sort of mirror, a reflection , of ourselves, as individuals, as Hindus,Muslims, as social animals ....and as secular Indians.

Some terrific detailing, wonderful cinematography, commendable special effects, and some truly memorable performances from some vintage stars like Rishi Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Waheeda Rehman and Om Puri. Abhishek fits into the shoes of the character so well that he actually wins your heart as somebody who doesnt understand whats happening around him but still believes 'India works." Where people are good hearted and have real emotions.
That actually appeals to you...because we as Indians are ready to ape the western society for its rich lifestyle rather than understand own richness of culture.
So full marks to him as well as the director for bringing this up from within ourselves.

Sonam Kapoor is a delight to watch with her 'massakali' act , another symbolic representation of a life of a bird caged and yearning to fly. A gesture at our middle class girl who wears a 'salwar kameez' at home and rehearses to western beats in a sarong in a studio.

There was a lot of potential in sparking off the chemistry between Sonam and Abhishek, but the director had some other plans...he has this 'Ramayana' tale running parallel in a 'Ramlila' ...he has this two feuding brothers and their families sharing the same wall with a 'replacable' brick...he has a politician, a 'sadhvi' , a flirty photographer , an untouchable sweeper (Divya Dutta) , a shrewd Policeman...and yes, the 'Monkey Man' to the huge ensemble....it almost felt like a 'Nukkad' revisited.

Actually Mr.Director, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, took a huge cinematic leap with his cult fiction, 'Rang De Basanti', that now anything coming after it is bound to have huge expectations and hype. The kind of excellent standard of film making and story telling that he set with RDB, is unparrallel to date...so Delhi 6 falls short of it on many levels. It ends like an unconvincing assortment with a lot of potential wasted or overused. Another disappointment for me the treatment of AR Rehman's superlative musical score...it was not given its due on screen space...the songs just melted away into the hustle and bustle.

But worth mentioning is the beautiful picturisation of the song 'Dil Giraftan' where we see a Sdream sequence in which the streets of Chandni Chowk mix into Times Square of New York. Splendid and Magical , a lavish piece of Art....a gem of sorts!

Well, this is a movie not only about one place, or a city or about any one person . Its a Mirror on the old wall....where you look and say 'Standing with the man in the mirror, asking him to change his ways".

I Have a Dream

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
Ill cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
Ill cross the stream - I have a dream
Ill cross the stream - I have a dream

Sing along with Mamma Mia !!!!

Welcome to One Big Glam Greek Wedding !!
Wow! What a Musical...don't go for the story , "One Bride. Three possible fathers. A trip down the aisle you'll never forget"...but for the sheer presence of these magnificent actors and the exotic and lavish locales with an out and out exhilarating ABBA music....you just cant get enough!!!
Meryl Steep steals the show amongst the performances ,watch her sing "Slipping through my fingers" to her daughter (bride to be) and you are bound to be touched deep ....
but its Peirce Brosnan (aka ex-Mr.James Bond) who actually cracks you with his vocals....c'mon you would never have imagined him 'singing'...the best of him in the song "When all is Said and Done"keep it on man!

Well, its a musical extravaganza with an all high emotional quotient kept intact and a breezy comical undertone kept alive....just keep it at ur bay and sing it along the eternal ABBA lyrical rich hits like 'Dancing Queen', "SOS", "Money Money", "Winner takes it all' , "I have a dream "(my fav) and oh yes the evergreen classic original 'Mamma Mia'!!!

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much Ive missed you
Yes, Ive been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, even if I say
Bye bye, leave me now or never
Mamma mia, its a game we play
Bye bye doesnt mean forever

Ive been cheated by you since I dont know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, will I ever learn?
I dont know how but I suddenly lose control
Theres a fire within my soul
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything, o-o-o-oh

Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go

Hum Panchi ek daal ke...

'Chhoti Si Asha'...

Dil hai chhota sa, chhoti si asha
Masti bhare mann ki bholi si asha

Mahek jaaoon main aaj to aise
Phool bagiya mein maheke hai jaise

Dil hai chhota sa, chhoti si asha
Masti bhare mann ki bholi si asha

"I Choose Love and I am Here"

AR Rehman, music composer, after winning 2 Oscars at 81st Academy Awards in LA.

His name was announced, walked up on to the stage, accepted his first Oscar for the Best Original Score and said, "Before coming, I was excited and terrified. The last time I felt like that was during my marriage.".....There's a dialogue from a Hindi film called "Mere paas ma hai," which means "I have nothing but I have a mother," so mother's here, her blessings are there with me. I am grateful for her to have come all the way....."

The music maestro walked up on stage again for his second Oscar for The Best Original Song 'Jai Ho' which he received and made him the only celebrity at the 81st Academy Awards to win two Oscars.

In his acceptance speech, the shy musician said, "I just want to thank again the whole crew of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, especially Danny Boyle for giving such a great opportunity. And the whole, all the people from Mumbai. The essence of the film which is about optimism and the power of hope in the lives, and all my life I had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I'm here. God bless".

'Tu Kaun Hai'....Who is She?

She is cute, she is beautiful ...she is naughty, she is a sweetheart.....and she is my neighbor....

who is she? find out

'Masak kali ' on my terrace !

I caught it in my camera...while it decked on my terrace !

ei masak kali masak kali
ud matak kali matak kali

zara pankh jhatak
gayi dhool atak
aur lachak dur bhatak
ud dagar dagar
kasbe kooche
nukkad basti mein ye ye ye
tadi se mud ada se ud
karle poori dil ki tamanna
hawa se jud ada se ud
phur phur phur
tu hai heera panna re
masak kali masak kali
ud matak kali matak kali

ghar tera saloni badal ki colony
dikhlaade thenge in sabko jo udna naa jaane

udiyo na dariyo kar
manmaani manmaani manmaani
badhiyo naa mudiyo kar naadani

badhiyo naa mudiyo kar naadani
tan taanle muskaan le
kahe sana nana nana nanana hawa
bas thaan le tu jaan le
kahe sana nana nana nanana hawa

tujhe kya gham tera rishta
gagan ki baansuri se hai
pawan ki guftagoo se hai
sooraj ki raushni se hai!!


ei masak kali masak kali
ud matak kali matak kali

A Piscean

Pisceans possess a gentle, patient, malleable nature. They have many generous qualities and are friendly, kind and compassionate, sensitive to the feelings of those around them, and respond with the utmost sympathy and tact to any suffering they encounter. They are deservedly popular with all kinds of people, partly because their easygoing, affectionate, submissive natures offer no threat or challenge to stronger and more exuberant characters. They are more readily concerned with the problems of others than with their own.

Their natures tend to be too otherworldly for the practical purposes of living in this world as it is. They sometimes exist emotionally rather than rationally, instinctively more than intellectually (depending on how they are aspected). They long to be recognized as greatly creative.

Pisceans react emotionally to everything they experience in life. That's why so many are actors, artists, writers, and dreamers. Their imaginations are limitless, an ability that makes them successful writers of fiction with a Unique ability to understand the abstract.
Pisceans tend to withdraw into a dream world where their qualities can bring mental satisfaction and sometimes, fame.

They are also versatile and intuitive, have quick understanding, observe and listen well, and are receptive to new ideas and atmospheres.

They are never egotistical in their personal relationships and give more than they ask from their friends. They are sexually delicate, and most Pisceans would want a relationship in which the partner's mind and spirit rather than the body resonated with their own.They are intensely loyal and home-loving and will remain faithful.

Very sensitive, they don't like harshness and want a life partner who can understand them emotionally.

Love is in the Stars !

LOVE is a music that plays through the universe, holding the strings of your heart and filling you with positive energy, letting you tune into your soul... It all is really written in the stars and your soulmate will come along when the time is right, and the planetary positions are aligned accordingly! The journey of our soul on this earth between birth and death moves along a predestined path.

When you look across a room and feel drawn to a stranger, the pull can signal a karmic connection. Feeling attracted to someone without having spoken a word or knowing their likes or dislikes or what we term ‘love at first sight’ is not a myth. It means you’ve known each other at some point across time, in another birth. It also means that there are still unfulfilled desires and emotions left from that past connection.

Not all such connections would necessarily end up in marriage, though. As it’s often said, people may come into our lives for a reason or a season. If you’ve learnt your lessons from each other well, you may progress to the level of marriage in the present lifetime. But, if there are still parts of you that don’t connect, it might require another lifetime before you can be said to ‘complete each other’ as lovers and partners. In fact, patterns can even repeat themselves over several births, forcing you to rough out the tough times, till you finally learn the lesson, paving the way to being reunited.

A soulmate is one who makes you feel complete, fills the gaps in your life and helps you to realise your full potential. Love has the power to give you happiness and pain, grief and joy. Certain individuals that you meet in this life may make you feel complete, fill the gaps in your life and help you realise your full potential. There are others who have swords hidden to hurt you. In both cases, you have to learn to keep the faith. Once the situation gets over, you will awaken to the reason why a particular person was in your life. Accept all the seasons of your heart.
Not many are aware that love can be tracked in your stars. The movement of planets decides where and who your parents, siblings and relatives will be. These planets bring love and soulmates too. Your astrological chart also explains why you’re attracted to certain types of relationships.

In astrology, marriage is considered a partnership, where two souls travel through the journey of life together. The bond is considered sacred.

Astrologically speaking, this year on Valentine’s Day, the moon is in the sign of Libra, the goddess of love. This means a day when love and positive emotions flow, so let your inner light shine!

(from an article by an astrologer)

Love Today...

Everybody's gonna love today,
Gonna love today, gonna love today
I said,
Everybody's gonna love today, gonna love today,
Anyway you want to, anyway you've got to,
Love love me, love love me, love love.

Some Dance to Remember...Some Dance to Forget.

You Say it best...when you say nothing at all..

Love...an emblem of eternity

Love...Etched Forever

MY HEART WILL GO ON

With Love.....From Me

Heart-wrapped.

My Love Don't Cost A Thing

Hold Me Now...Touch Me Now..

Anyway you want to, anyway you've got to,
Love love me, love love me, love love.