Well, it was a cool surprise for me. I wasn't in the country and then suddenly I got to know through g-talk status messages that ISB has been ranked 20th in the world by the FT this year.
**************************
Ok.. there was some content here (instead of the stars) since yesterday, and comments over that piece opened a Pandora box. So I have removed all of that.
Thanks for all the comments and I really appreciate the efforts. I do agree with whatever was told. Let the journey continue....
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Bheema: Disgusting violence and nothing more
One of those usual hot day afternoons in chennai. I drive into the cinema hall to park and the person at the gate asks me if there is someone below 18 who is with me to watch the movie. That's when the thought struck me. What am I going to witness for the next three hours? How am i going to feel at the end of it? Are scenes in the movie so gory that they dont want to allow children into the hall?
With such questions I walked into the hall.
Bheema is a story about a youth who gets inspiration from seeing a local don in his neighborhood. What has tamil cinema gotten into these days? We are in a culture and system where we are expecting the children and young citizens to derive inspiration from achievements of people like Kalam, Rajat Gupta, Tatas, and Birlas etc. And here we have someone who wants to go around beating people to death. That's one good reason why I dont want any child to watch this movie and I appreciate the guy at the gate to have asked me that question.
I dont think I can appreciate this movie as an entertainer. So, you are guessing this review is going to drag this movie to the gutter. Not really.
Anyway, what you'd probably take back from this movie is about the countless number of people who get beaten up by the hero and his gang. You'd just want a breather from a gang fight that just finished and within minutes another one would begin. In that aspect, I'd give a bow to Kanal Kannan for his research on keeping the fight sequences quite intense.
As a hero, for Vikram, there is very less to perform - what we call dialog delivery. All he does is beats up close to 50 people at a time or shoots a few while escaping their bullets like Agent Smith. Everything about Vikram in this movie is larger than life. So, there is nothing you can really compare and contrast.
Trisha - I wonder why she signed up for this movie. She has no role to play. She is just there because tamil cinema needs a girl for romance and then comes all the nonsense about love songs and glamour. I liked Trisha's costume though. She looked very pretty in those tops and skirts. Not just the design, but the colors as well. Most of them were mild and pleasant pastel colors, not striking to the eye, but still making that impact so you'll want to notice.
Prakash Raj as the don shows a lot of meaning in his role. He not ruthless, no does he terrorize. He is patient and understanding. He is perhaps a father figure. Some of his conversations with Vikram and Lakshmi Gopalswamy (who plays his wife) is interesting and worth noting. This is where the inner conscience speaks and when it does, it speaks nothing but the truth.
Everybody has a small amount of fear inside them. Nobody is fearless.
Music is not very appealing. After a while, you'll notice that the rhythm and base chords for most songs is the same. And then when you compare that base model with other songs that Harris J composed for few other movies, you'll realise that its the same thing that is getting repeated time and again.
When the movie ended, I was a bit surprised. Although I had my own suspicions about the characters, I wasnt too sure. I guess that's perhaps the best way to have ended this movie. Nothing else would have worked better for such a horrible screenplay.
With such questions I walked into the hall.
Bheema is a story about a youth who gets inspiration from seeing a local don in his neighborhood. What has tamil cinema gotten into these days? We are in a culture and system where we are expecting the children and young citizens to derive inspiration from achievements of people like Kalam, Rajat Gupta, Tatas, and Birlas etc. And here we have someone who wants to go around beating people to death. That's one good reason why I dont want any child to watch this movie and I appreciate the guy at the gate to have asked me that question.
I dont think I can appreciate this movie as an entertainer. So, you are guessing this review is going to drag this movie to the gutter. Not really.
Anyway, what you'd probably take back from this movie is about the countless number of people who get beaten up by the hero and his gang. You'd just want a breather from a gang fight that just finished and within minutes another one would begin. In that aspect, I'd give a bow to Kanal Kannan for his research on keeping the fight sequences quite intense.
As a hero, for Vikram, there is very less to perform - what we call dialog delivery. All he does is beats up close to 50 people at a time or shoots a few while escaping their bullets like Agent Smith. Everything about Vikram in this movie is larger than life. So, there is nothing you can really compare and contrast.
Trisha - I wonder why she signed up for this movie. She has no role to play. She is just there because tamil cinema needs a girl for romance and then comes all the nonsense about love songs and glamour. I liked Trisha's costume though. She looked very pretty in those tops and skirts. Not just the design, but the colors as well. Most of them were mild and pleasant pastel colors, not striking to the eye, but still making that impact so you'll want to notice.
Prakash Raj as the don shows a lot of meaning in his role. He not ruthless, no does he terrorize. He is patient and understanding. He is perhaps a father figure. Some of his conversations with Vikram and Lakshmi Gopalswamy (who plays his wife) is interesting and worth noting. This is where the inner conscience speaks and when it does, it speaks nothing but the truth.
Everybody has a small amount of fear inside them. Nobody is fearless.
Music is not very appealing. After a while, you'll notice that the rhythm and base chords for most songs is the same. And then when you compare that base model with other songs that Harris J composed for few other movies, you'll realise that its the same thing that is getting repeated time and again.
When the movie ended, I was a bit surprised. Although I had my own suspicions about the characters, I wasnt too sure. I guess that's perhaps the best way to have ended this movie. Nothing else would have worked better for such a horrible screenplay.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Bringing back
I don't know how, but suddenly I remembered this song out of the blue. I was telling myself - Its such a beautiful song.
After searching on YouTube and on the internet in general, I was able to download an mp3.
I am not going to introduce the song to you. Listen to it and enjoy the feeling. If you know what movie its from, and the singer - then you can choose to leave that piece of information as a comment. People who visit will benefit from the knowledge transfer.
powered by ODEO
After searching on YouTube and on the internet in general, I was able to download an mp3.
I am not going to introduce the song to you. Listen to it and enjoy the feeling. If you know what movie its from, and the singer - then you can choose to leave that piece of information as a comment. People who visit will benefit from the knowledge transfer.
powered by ODEO
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Photo Conversations
One of those weekends at home. I want to be totally lazy, watch TV, eat, sleep a little and then waste time when....
Mom: Look at this photo on your profile. It is not at all good. Who will like this?
Me(somewhere at the background): someone will - definitely!
Mom (with that angry and disgusted-about-my-answer look on her face): Definitely not. I myself will not recommend to anyone after looking at this photo. How many times have I told you? Go to the studio and take a nice photo. Dress up well. Put some powder. You know! - the photographer will take a very nice photo.
Me: But mom, the photographer can capture only what's already there. He can't make me look like a supermodel.
Mom: If not a supermodel, then at least he will get you close to look like a first round reject of a supermodel hunt contest.
And did you ever see these photos before uploading them? In all photos, you have a stubble and wild unkempt hair. And why cant you wear good clothes. With a round neck t-shirt and a camera bag hanging by your side, you are looking like one of those tired tourists with huge bags on their back.
Me: They are called backpackers.
Mom (more disgusted): Is that very important for us right now? And what is that black pattern near your kurta in the other photo? I have never seen that?
Me (not really bothered about): Oh, that is ******'s sari pallu. We took the photo standing next to each other. I had to cut the photo and I couldn't get that bit out.
Mom (totally mad): I haven't seen a single photo with just you in it.
Me(grinning): I am popular mom. Everyone needs a photo with Mama.
Mom (totally given up on me now): Yeah keep telling this. If you don't listen to me, you will never get married. Another 5 years will pass. Then your friends' children will also start calling you mama.
Mom: Look at this photo on your profile. It is not at all good. Who will like this?
Me(somewhere at the background): someone will - definitely!
Mom (with that angry and disgusted-about-my-answer look on her face): Definitely not. I myself will not recommend to anyone after looking at this photo. How many times have I told you? Go to the studio and take a nice photo. Dress up well. Put some powder. You know! - the photographer will take a very nice photo.
Me: But mom, the photographer can capture only what's already there. He can't make me look like a supermodel.
Mom: If not a supermodel, then at least he will get you close to look like a first round reject of a supermodel hunt contest.
And did you ever see these photos before uploading them? In all photos, you have a stubble and wild unkempt hair. And why cant you wear good clothes. With a round neck t-shirt and a camera bag hanging by your side, you are looking like one of those tired tourists with huge bags on their back.
Me: They are called backpackers.
Mom (more disgusted): Is that very important for us right now? And what is that black pattern near your kurta in the other photo? I have never seen that?
Me (not really bothered about): Oh, that is ******'s sari pallu. We took the photo standing next to each other. I had to cut the photo and I couldn't get that bit out.
Mom (totally mad): I haven't seen a single photo with just you in it.
Me(grinning): I am popular mom. Everyone needs a photo with Mama.
Mom (totally given up on me now): Yeah keep telling this. If you don't listen to me, you will never get married. Another 5 years will pass. Then your friends' children will also start calling you mama.
Monday, January 14, 2008
A sack of salt
In less than a month if I am right, it would be placements time at the ISB. This post goes out to all those people from the current batch who visit my blog.
Guys, I know its the most important time. I know that everything that happens during that time matters, but this is not the end. In fact, I would go and say that for most of us, the placement season is not even a beginning.
You'd enter the print room inside the student village to get a print out and you'll accidentally see your batch mate's resume lying there. Simple curiosity would pressurize you to have a quick glance at the highlighted bullets AND THEN?
Few of them would claim stories about the Innovation Challenge. The fact of the matter would be true to a large extent, but they would have twisted the information in such a skillful manner that it would be hard to believe.
Then you'd have people claiming "chosen from the whole batch to do this and that" - well the point here would be that - the administration would have no choice than to get someone from the GSB because according to them, the GSB represents the batch. But for some, this is also a resume spike.
Then you'll have some more people talking about scoring highest marks during the core terms. Okay, agreed. They worked extremely hard and scored the highest marks. But how does it matter? For all you know, that course was so difficult that even the guy who scored 20 marks less also got an A. In the end, its the A that matters - not who scored highest.
Then you'll have all the directors and deputy directors of the professional clubs going gaa-gaa about their work, when most work would have been done - either by the club president alone, or business development team at the ISB, or sponsors themselves or the administration.
Non-professional clubs are not be left too. You'll have some more presidents claiming about having started some new talk series - all they would have done is called one person to talk. after that no one would have had time to do anything. but the claim would continue.
And many many more...
That's why I am telling you that this is not the end. Its just a beginning. The world outside has at least another 1500 more of such people.
Not even 3 months and all of you will be out in the open trying to find a place for yourselves to settle down.
The time that is remaining is the best time guys. Make use of every minute. This is the time to make more friends - meet all those people who you haven't met all this while on campus. Get to know them. You don't know how long it will be before you meet them again. At that time, you don't want to be introducing yourself to your own batch mate.
And seriously, its quite impossible to keep in touch with everyone regularly. So make a list of 20 friends, if that is too small, then 30, with whom you'd want to be in touch with for the rest of your life. Spend quality time with them. Go out for dinners. Talk about stuff other than life inside campus. Get to know them well. I am telling you - this would help a lot. Not in the next one year. Much later. But sow the seeds right now. Its for mutual benefit.
Your friends on campus, whom you talk to everyday would need your support during the next month or so. Jobs wouldn't happen for everyone on day one or day two. After your first job, don't really bother about your second job. You'll get it. Stay with your friends and encourage them. The placement week is not just about you. Its about everybody around you. You'll be known for what you are.
Take everything that you see around you with a bag of salt. Reality is yet to come - it would strike around 6 months from when you join your first job. When you join work is when you'll realize that the company you thought to be excellent before signing the LoI is totally disgusting. The best of the jobs aren't always made on campus. A lot of it is made outside.
Bottomline: If you missed all the fun till now, there is still time. Don't miss the opportunity.
Guys, I know its the most important time. I know that everything that happens during that time matters, but this is not the end. In fact, I would go and say that for most of us, the placement season is not even a beginning.
You'd enter the print room inside the student village to get a print out and you'll accidentally see your batch mate's resume lying there. Simple curiosity would pressurize you to have a quick glance at the highlighted bullets AND THEN?
Few of them would claim stories about the Innovation Challenge. The fact of the matter would be true to a large extent, but they would have twisted the information in such a skillful manner that it would be hard to believe.
Then you'd have people claiming "chosen from the whole batch to do this and that" - well the point here would be that - the administration would have no choice than to get someone from the GSB because according to them, the GSB represents the batch. But for some, this is also a resume spike.
Then you'll have some more people talking about scoring highest marks during the core terms. Okay, agreed. They worked extremely hard and scored the highest marks. But how does it matter? For all you know, that course was so difficult that even the guy who scored 20 marks less also got an A. In the end, its the A that matters - not who scored highest.
Then you'll have all the directors and deputy directors of the professional clubs going gaa-gaa about their work, when most work would have been done - either by the club president alone, or business development team at the ISB, or sponsors themselves or the administration.
Non-professional clubs are not be left too. You'll have some more presidents claiming about having started some new talk series - all they would have done is called one person to talk. after that no one would have had time to do anything. but the claim would continue.
And many many more...
That's why I am telling you that this is not the end. Its just a beginning. The world outside has at least another 1500 more of such people.
Not even 3 months and all of you will be out in the open trying to find a place for yourselves to settle down.
The time that is remaining is the best time guys. Make use of every minute. This is the time to make more friends - meet all those people who you haven't met all this while on campus. Get to know them. You don't know how long it will be before you meet them again. At that time, you don't want to be introducing yourself to your own batch mate.
And seriously, its quite impossible to keep in touch with everyone regularly. So make a list of 20 friends, if that is too small, then 30, with whom you'd want to be in touch with for the rest of your life. Spend quality time with them. Go out for dinners. Talk about stuff other than life inside campus. Get to know them well. I am telling you - this would help a lot. Not in the next one year. Much later. But sow the seeds right now. Its for mutual benefit.
Your friends on campus, whom you talk to everyday would need your support during the next month or so. Jobs wouldn't happen for everyone on day one or day two. After your first job, don't really bother about your second job. You'll get it. Stay with your friends and encourage them. The placement week is not just about you. Its about everybody around you. You'll be known for what you are.
Take everything that you see around you with a bag of salt. Reality is yet to come - it would strike around 6 months from when you join your first job. When you join work is when you'll realize that the company you thought to be excellent before signing the LoI is totally disgusting. The best of the jobs aren't always made on campus. A lot of it is made outside.
Bottomline: If you missed all the fun till now, there is still time. Don't miss the opportunity.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Poem:The intruder (In Hindi)
The same poem in Hindi. All credit goes to my friend. She writes at: Dhiiti
tum meri zindagi mein aaye
meri aankhon ke saamne
ek safar karne
shayad ek tarfa
woh thanda samah, aas pas ka shor
tak tak
meri or
tumpe koi na pada asar
tumhe aur tumhare astitva ko
khushi ke chakkar
mere daftar ke andar
tumhari vella-panti
tumhare liye, humari jagah sirf rahi ek maze ki baat
ek hi tarah ki aawaz karte hue
aur shayad baatcheet
un unsuni bhashaon mein
kisi bhi tarah ka na tha sangeet
pareshan hairaan
zor se maara
aur bola- tumhari aatma ko shanti mile
arre bevkoof macchar!!
tum meri zindagi mein aaye
meri aankhon ke saamne
ek safar karne
shayad ek tarfa
woh thanda samah, aas pas ka shor
tak tak
meri or
tumpe koi na pada asar
tumhe aur tumhare astitva ko
khushi ke chakkar
mere daftar ke andar
tumhari vella-panti
tumhare liye, humari jagah sirf rahi ek maze ki baat
ek hi tarah ki aawaz karte hue
aur shayad baatcheet
un unsuni bhashaon mein
kisi bhi tarah ka na tha sangeet
pareshan hairaan
zor se maara
aur bola- tumhari aatma ko shanti mile
arre bevkoof macchar!!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Poem: The intruder
you flew into my life
right in front of my eyes
taking a journey
perhaps of no return
the cold environment, noises from keystrokes
around me
never did matter
to you and your existence
circles of joy
inside my workplace
were your pastime
for you - my bay was more than an adventure trail
monotonous sounds you made
or maybe even a dialog
in incomprehensible languages
were definitely not
music to my ears
irritated and tired
i struck you hard
and said - "Rest in Peace!
You silly Mosquito"
right in front of my eyes
taking a journey
perhaps of no return
the cold environment, noises from keystrokes
around me
never did matter
to you and your existence
circles of joy
inside my workplace
were your pastime
for you - my bay was more than an adventure trail
monotonous sounds you made
or maybe even a dialog
in incomprehensible languages
were definitely not
music to my ears
irritated and tired
i struck you hard
and said - "Rest in Peace!
You silly Mosquito"
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Taare Zameen Par
I am still not sure how this post is going to turn out. My friends who saw this movie before me told me that they were completely bowled over by the emotional aspects of this movie and were crying and sobbing all through the movie.
Nevertheless, it didn't turn out so bad for me.
Taare Zameen Par (TZP) is a movie for all parents. There is definitely a message inside the movie but we know that cinema always gives an overdose of anything.
Credit goes to whoever has chosen the child to play the part of Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel). The story revolves around this dyslectic child and he gives meaning to all the characters around him.
Bottomline: Its about your child - how you look at them and treat them. And in many instances you can relate the movie to happenings around you.
Like the mother at home, who always likes the children to remove their shoes at the door, drop the school bag at the right place, then wash your hands, legs and face before touching any food - everything in that fashion. I know that most of us never wanted to do all this, but maybe we did it out of force or like how Ishaan plays the role - we went all out and did totally the opposite.
Then we have the dad - who always thinks that academics and good grades are the only means to have a good career. But sincerely speaking - dad's are not at all like what we see in the movie. This guy is totally annoying and overdoing.
Next comes the brother - I am sure that each and every one of us would have someone like this guy in the family. If not a sibling, but definitely a cousin who can be compared to all the time. This one guy who would be the first in class always, play sports, work like a clock and get the best name from the teachers. Thank god, the elder brother is a very gentle and nice person here.
I still remember - although I wasn't anything like this guy, but I was better than my sister in terms of being disciplined. And the teachers always told my parents - "Is this Narayan's sister?" And then my sister would curse me at home for just entering this world four years earlier than she did. This was pre 10th grade in school. After that she did much much better than I did.
Darsheel at certain instances reminds me totally of sister - careless, not bothering about anything. I can still recount those funny incidents at home - my mom screaming at the top of her voice at 8am and trying everything get my sister ready for an 8.15 school.
Teachers at school - I seriously dont understand the role of teachers. Are they just facilitators or they teach as well? The movie clearly questions the role of teachers in a school and lays emphasis on the fact that they need to play a very important role in nurturing a child's talents by understanding them completely.
Then we have older children in the aparment who bully the young, class mates at school who laugh at you when the teacher shouts at you.
The movie runs with a reasonable pace, giving all the time for Darsheel. No hurry. His expressions are captured at full length. Music is just too good. Shankar Ehsaan Loy at their best again. One song where the child questions his mom is lot of message to the viewers.
Aamir Khan plays the supporting actor. He is the good cop. The teacher who can understand the child and educate the parents. But all through the movie, we can see that he is mostly crying or trying to show that he will cry in the next scene. Very emotional - maybe that's what the character demands but not overdoing anything.
Tis film is part documentary type too. Its more of an education to parents and revelation that says - NEVER COMPARE
Nevertheless, it didn't turn out so bad for me.
Taare Zameen Par (TZP) is a movie for all parents. There is definitely a message inside the movie but we know that cinema always gives an overdose of anything.
Credit goes to whoever has chosen the child to play the part of Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel). The story revolves around this dyslectic child and he gives meaning to all the characters around him.
Bottomline: Its about your child - how you look at them and treat them. And in many instances you can relate the movie to happenings around you.
Like the mother at home, who always likes the children to remove their shoes at the door, drop the school bag at the right place, then wash your hands, legs and face before touching any food - everything in that fashion. I know that most of us never wanted to do all this, but maybe we did it out of force or like how Ishaan plays the role - we went all out and did totally the opposite.
Then we have the dad - who always thinks that academics and good grades are the only means to have a good career. But sincerely speaking - dad's are not at all like what we see in the movie. This guy is totally annoying and overdoing.
Next comes the brother - I am sure that each and every one of us would have someone like this guy in the family. If not a sibling, but definitely a cousin who can be compared to all the time. This one guy who would be the first in class always, play sports, work like a clock and get the best name from the teachers. Thank god, the elder brother is a very gentle and nice person here.
I still remember - although I wasn't anything like this guy, but I was better than my sister in terms of being disciplined. And the teachers always told my parents - "Is this Narayan's sister?" And then my sister would curse me at home for just entering this world four years earlier than she did. This was pre 10th grade in school. After that she did much much better than I did.
Darsheel at certain instances reminds me totally of sister - careless, not bothering about anything. I can still recount those funny incidents at home - my mom screaming at the top of her voice at 8am and trying everything get my sister ready for an 8.15 school.
Teachers at school - I seriously dont understand the role of teachers. Are they just facilitators or they teach as well? The movie clearly questions the role of teachers in a school and lays emphasis on the fact that they need to play a very important role in nurturing a child's talents by understanding them completely.
Then we have older children in the aparment who bully the young, class mates at school who laugh at you when the teacher shouts at you.
The movie runs with a reasonable pace, giving all the time for Darsheel. No hurry. His expressions are captured at full length. Music is just too good. Shankar Ehsaan Loy at their best again. One song where the child questions his mom is lot of message to the viewers.
Aamir Khan plays the supporting actor. He is the good cop. The teacher who can understand the child and educate the parents. But all through the movie, we can see that he is mostly crying or trying to show that he will cry in the next scene. Very emotional - maybe that's what the character demands but not overdoing anything.
Tis film is part documentary type too. Its more of an education to parents and revelation that says - NEVER COMPARE
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Something good for the New Year
I was thinking about what different could I do for this New Year. Thinking about it, I went through a number of blogs that I usually visit over a period of time. And then I saw a post about this website called : FreeRice
FreeRice has been created for a social cause. And how do they do it. You play a word game with on the site and guess the answer. For every answer you get right, the site would donate 20 grains of rice to the fight the cause of hunger.
Isn't that the best way to donate for a cause. You also get to learn a new word every time you answer. And mind you - its gets very difficult after a point. You'd see the most strange words ever! Yes, its totally like the GRE or GMAT system, the moment you get the answer right, the complexity increases by a large degree.
So - here's an appeal to all you word enthusiasts, GMAT and GRE freaks who are cramming word lists day in and day out. Spend about 10 minutes every day on this website. You'll definitely learn words that are never part of the GRE High Frequency list. Best part - you'll be part of a great cause.
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