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Baba Ramdev to feature on Big Boss 3!!
Holy friggin shit…!! God bless the inmates…and it better not have Celina Jaitly as one of them!
Baba Ramdev to feature on Big Boss 3
On second thoughts…maybe it IS a great strategy. Get the voyeurs and the religious to one TV show! this is like AXN meets Aastha Channel! Big B is surely going to have a great time!
Update: Damn!
District 9: The Movie Review
District 9 is an absolute gem…and the funny part is…i dont know why!
The film has a documentary feel to it…the kind that reminds one of The Blair Witch Project. It starts off with a series of documentary-like interviews, which lay the story for the viewer. An Alien spaceship arrives above Johhannesberg, some 20 years back…and just stays put. Humans finally decide to do something about it..after they have waited for 3 months…and they enter the ship. Only to find the aliens in a terrible state…as if some epidemic had taken over. So as a gracious welcome, the aliens are moved to the city.
The place where the aliens stay is District 9.
Its been 20 years and people are fed up of District 9. Its a slum (yup…even aliens have one) and the Prawns (which the aliens are called, since they resemble them!) are not welcome in society. So you see all these roadsigns segregating them from humans (which would have been easier for South Africa, considering their past!)
A private company, MNU is entrusted with the task of moving these aliens to a new place of refuge, District 10. Spearheading the task is an MNU employee, Wikus. Its later realized that the very reason why the aliens have been tolerated this far is because of their (guess guess) weapon technology. Unfortunately, there hasnt been any luck on that so far, since humans are incapable of operating those awesome guns!
Wikus sets out on the eviction plan and during once such visits enters into a slum house that has some crazy shit going on. Computers and wires and some equipments etc. He starts to search through the place and in the process spills some dark liquid onto his face, which came from a silver can. he confiscates the can
Wikus’ health starts deteriorating and he is admitted to the hospital. Its there that the doctors realize that his left hand has transformed (or mutated) into an alien hand! MNU immediately takes over him and needless to say, trie to see if he is capable of operating the weapons. And yup…he is! The doctors figure out that by some mechanism the alien DNA has entered Wikus’s body and found a perfect balance with the human DNA. He is still a human, but transforming slowly into an alien.
What happens thereafter is an awesome ride during which Wikus struggles to find his own identify and the secret of what happened to him. It is during this, that he meets Christopher, the alien who had collected that dark fluid over the past 20 years!
District 9 is unlike any other alien movie I have seen before. Yes, it does have fight sequences and ugly aliens, but the underlying tone is very different. Its not, for a change, about aliens trying to kill humans or taking over Earth. Or aliens becoming friends with humans and helping them in their daily chores! Its a thriller…and a good one at that…and its a common man’s story about his fight! I could identify with Wikus’s character because at no time was he a superhero…nor was he the savior of the human race. He was a simple guy who wanted to become a human again and go back home…and think it was all a bad dream!
Brilliantly done…! And yet..its such a simple movie at the end of it!
District 9 is a must watch
Rating: 5/5
Movie Site: http://www.d-9.com/
we have to do it…
back when I used to fly to Dubai for work…Emirates Airlines was like second home. Its not funny the number the movies I have watched…and the amount of fun me and my team mates have had on those flights.
I was remembering one such instance this morning…and realized that I had blogged about it previously. Am reposting the same…makes for some fun read!
___________
so this is a real life incident. happened to me last Thursday on my flight back to India…
every Indian on this planet..and every traveler to India as well…can relate to one sight. queues. friggin queues. everywhere..! we Indians are so used to just placing ourselves comfortably in a line…and just live the rest of our lives trying to reach the ‘counter’.
so it was one of those queues again…that got me introduced to her. i was boarding the flight…with my boarding pass in hand…(and mind u…even if u have bloody boarded a plane more times than u have pissed in your life…the hostess will definitely ask u for your boarding pass and direct you to your seat…as if you are the biggest moron who couldn’t have figured by himself..! anyways…)
so there is this huge line leading to the miserly economy class…(reminds me of a seinfeld joke…he was talking abt the way the hostesses draw the curtain between the economy and business class…saying with their eyes…”if only you had worked harder”)…and its dragging along…till the time i reach right at the entrance. and its been some 2 minutes at the same….the line is jst not moving.
“oohh…discovery channel..thats my fav”..!
a rather stunning airhostess…(who btw i had conveniently avoided mentioning so far…)…standing at the right side…! her repsonse is to the discovery logo on my tee…which R had given sometime back (quite cool stuff these discovery guys make..!).
“aaaah…thts nice..! infact..‘we at discovery’ have a hidden vision. that everyone in this world feel exacly what you feel”
there was some artificial hehe-huhu…before the line finally moved on..!!
now..if u hvnt figured by now…i said “we at dicovery”..which in the english language means that i lied. about the fact that i work at discovery. now dont get me wrong here…i am quite proud to be a consultant…i think they r the best invention by mankind..after the safety pin ofcourse…! but something within me…made me lie..
so i seat myself…and put the “do not disturb…even if the friggin plane is going down and i dont have my for gods sake seat belt on” tag on my seat…and as i am about to close my eyes…she comes in again…
“hot towels please”
sleep’s gone..! am with discovery again…
“so what do you do for discovery”…she asks…while holding the towel for the passenger to me left (i was aisle)…and given who was sitting on that seat…i am sure he felt it was some sort of hypnotic towel..meant to soothen the body during the flight…cause he just didnt move his eyes off it.
“ummm…i work as a photographer for them” (WTFF…cold blooded lie..aspirational though..mind you!)
“wow…thats awesome…! here in dubai?”
“nope..in their delhi office. had come to dubai to cover the desert safari for a brochure we are working on..” (I could have very well said I was here to cover the Burj Al Arab…but no..stupid moron…if only my thought process was as fast when needed)
“thats quite interesting. please let me know if you need anything. i promise not to disturb you though…even if the friggin plane is going down and i dont have my for gods sake seat belt on”
yes yes yes…she reads my mind…i can so totally see it…!! wuuuhuuuuuuu
so…rest of the flight was quite good…slept a decent bit..and each time i woke up..i saw her fanning me with a magazine…smiling sweetly at me as if so totally admiring me..! ok…i am lying
…i didnt see her at all till the flight landed…
at the entrance…she was there…with her…”thnks…bye bye now”…and i went…wtf man…let it go…
“ummm…btw i was lying…! i dont work for discovery. my fiance does. she gave me this tee”
“hahaha..!! u serious…??? well…btw…discovery is not my fav channel either…”
WTF…!!!
“…u see…its our job…we have to do it…”
Ignorance of the Ability brings Disability
How true…!
I think….more than physical disability…its mental that agonizes me more! People who don’t realize how powerful the human mind is…!
Top 10 things to do in Bali
We were on a 7-day trip to Bali 2 weeks back…and loved our time there. I honestly didnt realize that there was so much to do at Bali. I went in with an asumption that its a small island…pretty much like Koh Samui…and beyond 3-4 days it will simply be another wait for the vacation to get over..!
Bali is fantastic…! Great Beaches, so much to see…and more importantly so much to do…
Here is a short video of my version of “The Top 10 Things To Do While At Bali”. The text basically supports the video (or vice versa…suit yourself)
1. Stay at Nusa Dua
Ok…this might come across as “oh…friggin luxury traveller”…but seriously…if you can…stay at Nusa Dua. Its about 20 minutes drive from Kuta and has the most lovely beaches and ofcourse the choicest of 5-star hotels.
You dont really have to send a bomb. We stayed at the Novotel Nusa Dua, which is a brand new hotel and has the most amazing rooms at rocking prices. We stayed in a lovely room…at only USD 65 per night! Check out the pic below.
Ofcourse, one can go beyond and opt for the likes of Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua, Westin Nusa Dua, St. Regis Nusa Dua…but you get what you pay for.
As an advice, dont opt for cabs in Bali. They are expensive and dont serve much purpose since Bali is quite a safe destination for tourists. Instead, rent out an electronic scooter (rates start at USD 4/day) and drive around..! Highly recommended, even if you are staying at a plush Nusa Dua Hotel
2. Shop your heart out at Kuta and Legian
Kuta and Legian are a shopper’s dream come true. They house everything within themselves…right from the top brands of Roxy, Polo, Crocs etc to traditional Balinese stuff…to even pirated watches and DVDs…! One could easily spend an entire day just window shopping and picking up a whole lot of stuff!
The Discovery Mall is the biggest in Bali and its in Kuta. Pretty Standard mall…but you can grab some good stuff there too. However, most of the traffic heads to Matahari, also in Kuta. Crazy crowd…and the entire ground level is dedicated to touristy stuff..! Bali tees…Bali Sarongs…Bali keychains etc etc…you get the drift..
Definitely recommended for ladies is Uluwatu where one can shop (though at some crazy prices!) for Handmade Balinese Lace. And not to mention the fact that Polo are so damn cheap there. You can grab a Polo Collar Tee for under USD 20!
3. Grab an Indian Meal at Queen’s of India, Nusa Dua
Alright alright..before you people jump at me and accuse me of pseudo-patriotism…I recommend the Queen’s of India (Queen’s Tandoor) in all good faith. its really one of the best Indian food I have had outside of India…and maybe the photos of all celebrities that have visited this place will convince you as well.
Its also won several awards…going all the way upto Best Indonesian Restaurant (or so they claim!). I can guess why…
Its right on the Kuta Road…so you can combine this with your shopping extravagance in Kuta!
At any given time you will find more non-Indians here…than Indians. No need for reservations…and do go for outdoor dining. The weather is always good in the evenings, when at Bali.
4. Desert at BreadTalk
You CANNOT miss this for anything. Breadtalk is one of my favs…and it was awesome to find one at Bali. I realize that this sounds more like…oh…have a burger at McDonalds…because yah..there isnt anything here that you cant find anywhere else.
But you still cant miss it for anything! Its there in the Discovery Mall, Kuta
5. Hard Rock Cafe Hotel
Go to the hard Rock Hotel..not the cafe! It has the CenterStage which hosts a live band every evening. Brilliant fun…though surprisingly when we went…the crowd was kind of dull. You know the kinds that you see at the British Open even when Roger is whopping Nadal’s ass (or vice versa!).
We even had a Roxy Fashion Show, right on the main serving table! Now THAT is something you have to go for..!
6. Go Culture Shopping at Ubud
Ubud is about an hour’s drive from Nusa Dua…about 35 minutes from Kuta. Its basically a village…a cultural village at that. So you have some shops…but mostly houses where people are creating stuff and selling them. So one can shop for Balinese clothes, decorative items, memorabilia etc. Devote a day for this…but plan to leave only around early afternoon.
On your way back you can catch the Black (Volcano) Sand beach of Bali.
7. Spend the day lazing at Kuta Beach
I say this distinctly from the shopping suggestion…because they are just that. Distinct! Both can take a day…and should take a day too.
Kuta Beach is Bali’s heart…and this is where the action is. You will see everything…and if you are lucky..I mean…everythingg…! Arrive here around early afternoon and stay on till early evening, before you head to some nice dining place.
Surf…play…tan…buy random stuff…check out naked bodies..! Take your pick…
Its crowded…but I guess whats what the charm is…!
8. Scuba Diving at Tulamben
Am not a swimmer…! ok…that might have given you an impression that i dont like swimming…so rephrase…I dont know how to swim! But I went scuba diving…and so can you…!!
Bali is apparently a diver’s paradise! I can guess why..! But even for beginners, it offers some great experiences. There are 2 spots for beginners, one at Nusa Dua (dont go for it..unless you just want to do it as a check point)…and the other at Tulamben! The drive to Tulamben is 3 hrs from Nusa Dua…its up north of Bali. Here lies the ship wreck of Liberty.
As a piece of advice, go for PADI instructors. They are the safest…and this trip wont cost you a bomb either. Prices are between USD 60-80 per person for 2 dives, depending on the season! (Caveat: Am not a diver…and hence not a professional. There might be other better alternates to PADI, so when I say safest I am simply comparing them to the multiple divers that claim they are safe, without any certification)
9. Sunset at Kuta Beach
By now, you would have realized my obsession with Kuta. But honestly, it doesnt matter…just catch the sunset anywhere…but do catch it. Bali sky has some fascinating colors that only amplify during the sunset. I preferred Kuta because I like clicking silhouettes, which is easy in a crowded beach as that!
10. Mountain Trekking to the Kintamani (Mount Batur) Volcano
This was the highlight of the trip. Kintamani (Mount Batur) is an active volcano that last went burst in 1996. One basically starts the trek at 2am…and the trek is for 2.5-3.0 hrs…!
Its all done to catch the sunrise! Which is breath-taking, to say the least. Some 100 odd people climb the mountain everyday in peak season!
The mountain is surrounded by Lake Batur, which gives the entire top view a surreal feel…! It is the largest crater lake on the island of Bali.
This ends my list of Top 10 things to do at Bali. Am sure we have missed out on a lot of things…and I do know of a few of them…! But then…this was our kind of vacation.
There are enough other guides that one can use to plan their Bali trip well. Am listing a few of them…which I found useful.
http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attractions-g294226-Activities-Bali.html
http://www.dosomethingdifferent.com/destinations/bali
http://www.baliblog.com/what-to-do/6-crazy-things-to-do-in-bali.html
http://www.igougo.com/attractions-l650-things_to_do_in_Bali.html
the latest BMW model is a stunner…
1. 2-seater, open from almost all sides
2. Most efficient model ever produced, in terms of fuel economy
3. All-terrain vehicle
How do these guys keep producing such gems…one after the other…! In Awe of BMW
Courtesy: Failblog
ukraine’s DEFINITELY got talent!
This is simply FANTASTIC…! 8 minutes of sheer absolute pleasure…
Kseniya Simonova – Sand Animation (Ukraine’s Got Talent)
I repeat…I LOVE these talent shows!
Understanding automatic doors…!
This is the craziest thing i have seen in a long long time….! ofcourse…the craziest thing i have heard lately is the SRK ‘detention’…! Think about it…what if the guard’s name was Keith Johnson…and he just…in all good intentions…went…”oh my f***ing god…is that you…Shahrookh khaaan”…! f*** me…! wassup dude…i am KJo…!”…
Maybe SRK went into the detention himself…! eh eh eh…???
Enjoy the video…!
i dont want to comment on which country this looks like…but heck…has this ever happened in India…? I wont be surprised…we are a young country…we are all still learning how to use escalators…!
the best airline announcement ever!
This is simply amazing….whats even more amazing is how expressionless these friggin passengers were all through the annoucement…but then they finally clapped towards the end…!
southwest simply rocks when it comes to such things…! :)
Love Aaj Kal – The Movie Review
Geniuses dont do different things…they just do things differently!
Imtiaz Ali, in that manner, will classify as a genius. A story that has been beaten to death in Indian Cinema…and yet this dude decides to pick it up…and handle in possibly the most simplistic and elegant manner. Juxtapose it against what we always hear from our parents – humaare zamaane mein aisa hota tha…!
Then – Boy sees girl…decides to marry her. This birth…and all others that shall follow. He wins her heart…fights the word…and eventually makes her his! This is when he has never they have never exchanged words…when they have not spent time together. Its all driven by the concept of love!
Now – Boy and girl meet…move in together…sleep around…have an awesome life…booze…parties…work…the works! And then the fear of a long distance relationship looms large on them. So they simply decide to break up! This is when they have spent 2 years together…are possibly best friends with the other person…and love each other a lot! Its all driven by the concept of practicality!
Imitiaz proposes that while the foundation of Now & Then are different…whats identical is how love remains the same through the ages. And he couldnt he more correct!
Jai (Saif) and Meera (Deepika) are a happy couple…and (like all other modern couples) are practical. So, while they have had an awesome 2 years together, they decide to call off their relationship when Meera decides to move back to India (from London). The sequence when Saif suggests that they should is one of the moments that make the movie memorable!
They continue to be in touch…continue to share their lives…their inhibitions…and underneath their fears of finding someone else soon. They eventually do…
All this while Veer Singh (Rishi Kapoor in a fantastic performance again), a friend of Jai, narrates a parallel story of Harleen Kaur (who is this stunning girl!) and his. Which ofcourse Jai finds straight out of mythology! He cant believe the shit young Veer (played by Saif in a surdy role!) went through to be with Harleen…!
Saif realizes his love for Meera…goes down to India to meet Meera…and on the day of her wedding (to Rahul Khanna who is kind of wasted in the movie) proposes to her in possibly the best manner ever seen in Indian cinema! But too late. Meera marries…
What follows…is a beautiful rendition of love…in Imtiaz’s language. The scene towards the end when Meera breaks down as she is approached by Jai after a long wait…is emotions at its best. One can easily identify with the character and the sense of relief she experiences.
The best moment for me during the movie is the transformation of Jai within just one song…! A story that others will make an entire movie on…Imtiaz handles it in 5 minutes with absolute perfection! Brilliant.
I think the risk of playing Saif as young Jai plays off well…even though it might leave some pop corn crunching audiences confused…so focus on the movie.
The music grows on you…! Pritam (atleast as of this morning, though am sure that 102.6 FM will soon figure out) has not been inspired by anyone…and the songs are rather nice. Dooriyaan is the best!
and hey…I think Deepika can act. I think…maybe…just maybe…i am beginning to like her! And saif…while he has streaks of Hum Tum…is adorable and simply the best for this role…(though i am always left with the feeling that Aamir will do more justice…in almost any movie i watch..except for the ones in which SRK plays the lead actress..err…actor!)
Love Aaj Kal is a must watch…! Go today…
*****
EDIT: This has got to be the biggest surprise of the movie!!
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