Along the Road of Life

The Review: Madurey

2004-09-13T19:31:00.000+05:30

*

This is again not going to be easy. This is frankly the dirtiest (pun intended) Vijay movie in a long time. Surely a big let down after the blockbuster called Gillie. In fact I think Gillie might outrun Madurey!

We are introduced to Vijay with all his usual heroic histrionics. Then out of nowhere we start seeing a lot of fights between petty villains and our hero. In between all this he romances the most buxom woman introduced to Tamil cinema in recent times, Rakshitha. She is closely followed by another glamour girl called Tejashree whose saree never seems to be properly tied.

After a lot of noise we finally get to know that Vijay was/is actually Maduravel, Collector of Madurai. What transpired between him and the villan Pasupathy (yawn!) is told in flashback. In that we are introduced to Sonia Agarwal, the only saving grace of the movie.

Honestly it will be a big torture to even list out the events in the movie. So lets start with the crucification. The director needs to be get basic lessons on how to make a “good” movie. Showing the thighs of the heroines and inane fight scenes will never ever make a movie run. Vijay needs to understand that all his goodwill might turn to dust if he acts in such mindlessly rubbish movies. The music director needs to definitely understand that giving one “gaana” song will not make a movie a hit. And for God’s sake what is that “two-heroine” song thing! It is nauseating to see the way the two heroines are exploited in that song. It is neither seductive nor sexy. It is pure vulgar, cheap and crap!

All in all, a big disappointment for non-Vijay fans.

Updates Galore

2004-09-13T18:57:00.000+05:30

OK, here come a lot of updates.
I haven’t touched my blog for over two weeks. I did it intentionally. My curiosity of JK’s philosophies have given way to extreme appreciation of the man and his talks. Now I am a devout JK follower. The sense of bliss I have got for the past two weeks are so precious, that I cannot even start putting them in words. Those moments need to be experienced and not reported about.
Other than that I have been giving Mock CAT after Mock CAT and getting a mock score after a mock score.

That is the general update on my life. Movie reviews and assorted musings follow. J

Manoj

10 Websites I visit regularly

2004-08-26T17:51:00.000+05:30

Being in the software business has a lot of advantages. Among the better ones are the free internet surfing that one gets to do. Never mind the fact that mail checking is not allowed. It still is a lot of fun catching up with the rest of the world.

Here are the top 10 websites I visit regularly (not exactly in any order):

www.rediff.com

I get my daily dose of news and analysis from here.

www.indiatimes.com

I check this website out basically to find out how low and cheap people can get to promote their website. Their trick actually works.

www.aldaily.com

A wonderful site. Is more like a portal. A reservoir of exciting information.

www.spiegel.de

My only connection with the German world. I read this site to brush up my German daily.

www.pagalguy.com

This is my absolute favorite. I am on this site most of my time. Of late the quality of the posts have come down, but still the site is a wonderful experience.

http://www.newsmax.com/liners.shtml

Leno and Letterman entertain me here. I am an addict to this site.

www.movie-reviewscolossus.net

The best Hollywood movie review site. The guy who runs this site is a great lover of cinema.

www.time4education.com

Of late I have been checking this site very often get my rankings and other stuff.

www.guardian.co.uk

The best English language site I can think of.

www.sify.com

I check this site out when I am absolutely jobless and bored to death. It never fails to entertain me.

Of course I check this blog very regularly too : )

Manoj

Religionless!

2004-08-25T17:39:00.000+05:30

Over the past few years I have had a lot of questions in my life. Questions that never met with the right answers. Why God and what God? This was the most important question of my life. Closely following was the question “What is the meaning of this life?”.

I read the Gita. I got no answer. I tried “Googling” on the subject yet got no satisfying answer. The two questions stuck on with me. They would trouble me now and then.

The other day I had wandered into Higginbothams book shop near my place. On an impulse I bought a book on J Krishnmurthy called “Commentary on Living”. I basically bought it because the cover looked good and the price was comfortable. I sauntered back home to lazily gaze into the pages.

I lay down on my bed and started reading the book. Three pages into the book I had got up and my interest was completely evoked. I read with amazement and disbelief at what was written. Within 10 minutes of reading the book I realized I had atlast found the answer to my questions. I read further on and found that my heart started becoming very light. Finally everything in this world started to make sense.

I sat on the feeling for a while to make sure that it was not one of those “momentary” satisfactions. After a week now I realize that I have outgrown religion. Hinduism does not offer the answers for my questions. J Krishnamurthy gave them to me. One by one. One sweet answer by one. As a consequence of which I am not attached to my religion, for that matter any religion, anymore.

I am a citizen of the free world and I have become religion less.

Thanks JK, for setting me free.

Manoj

Where are you from?

2004-08-24T12:00:00.000+05:30

I hate that question. I really do. I don’t mind answering those typical double-edge questions like “Have you quit smoking?”. But I hate answering that question. Why? Ok lets see the reasons.

1. My mother tongue is Marati. Does that make me a Maharashtrian? I wonder.

2. I was born in Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. Does that make me an Andhraiite? I wonder.

3. I have practically lived most of my life in Chennai. Does that make me a Tamil? I wonder.

Now when somebody asks me that simple question “Where are you from?” I start having withdrawal symptoms. My tongue goes dry. I have a lump in my throat. And then I start rattling my history. Half way through the lecture the other person gets disinterested and seemingly kicks himself/herself for asking me that simple question. I do not show any kindness and continue till I have explained my inherited lineage.

The week that was!

2004-08-23T09:30:00.000+05:30

I have been having a pretty hectic week. It is not work that is keeping me on my toes. It is my CAT preparation that is taking all of my attention. Never has anything engulfed me as fully as this. I am eating, breathing and thinking CAT. Yet I am not able to make any headway. I guess I have only myself to blame. But I know I am improving. My marks might not suggest the same, but deep down I know I am improving. That is important. I can only get better from now on.
I watched a few movies. I will be posting reviews of them pretty soon. The first review will be of Murder. Yes Mallika Sherawat’s sizzling movie.
So ciao till then.

Manoj

The Review: Azhagiya Theeyey

2004-08-21T14:34:00.000+05:30

Azahgiya Theeyey

****

Cast: Prasanna, Navya Nair, Prakash Raj, "Pyramid" Natarajan,

It needed a Prakash Raj to provide some wholesome entertainment like this. Not that Azhagiya Theeyey is a different film, but it’s the treatment that wins the day. Prasanna and three of his friends live with the hope of making it big in cinema. One of their friends comes to Prasanna asking for help to rescue a girl from distress. Prasanna plays a small game as the lover of the girl and the problem seems to be solved. But little do the characters know that the real problems are about to begin.
Prasanna has matured handsomely. His portrayal of the protagonist is impressive. He portrays the right emotions mixed with the right dose of comedy. Debutant (in Tamil) Navya Nair is again very impressive. She epitomizes graceful beauty. However she could have acted with a little more heart towards the end of the movie.
The three friends of the hero are very down-to-earth and hence believable. Special mention of the character “Chitthappa” should be made. He does a neat job.
Prakash Raj appears in only a few scenes. In all of them though he dazzles.
The climax of the movie, though expected, is heart warming. The longing look of Prasanna and the way his emotions change as per the situation really warms ones heart. Nice job Prasanna.
The songs are hearable.
All in all, a good and clean entertainer.

Manoj

The Review: Sullan

2004-08-12T09:29:00.000+05:30

The Review: Sullan

Cast: Dhanush, Sindhu Tolani, Manivannan, Pasupathy

Half way through the movie I had only one question. Why? Why did Dhanush agree to star in this movie? Was it the money? I hope it is just that. The movie is a complete let down. Lets see the story (!).

Dhanush is Subramani aka Sullan. He gets angry at the drop of a hat. Manivannan, his father, is a Corporation lorry driver. He dreams of his son saving the family from wretched poverty. Instead Sullan has a tiff with stereo-typed baddie Suri (Pasupathy). In the end Sullan kills him and goes to jail.

It is painful to see Dhanush being wasted in such mindless movies. Such movies look good only for certain types of heros, Vikram being a very good example. Hopefully in the future Dhanush will refrain from acting in such movies.

The heroine is Sindhu Tolani. She better find herself another job. She aint gonna make it big as a heroine. She may try her hand in Hindi movies where skin show is the order of the day.

All in all, a complete waste of a movie.

Manoj

The King of Stand-up comedy: Jay Leno

2004-08-09T09:25:00.000+05:30

A few years back the American channel NBC was available in India. Every night I used to catch up with Tom Brokaw’s Nightly News and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Tom Brokaw was the eternal gentleman. His show oozing with diligence and dignity. Jay Leno’s show on the other hand was a laugh riot. The man can make you laugh effortlessly. Unforunately I am not able to see NBC anymore, but I catch up with Jay Leno’s wisecracks through this site:

http://www.newsmax.com/liners.shtml

I strongly recommend this site to one and all who are interested in good comedy.

Manoj

The Rapist needs to go!

2004-08-05T10:39:00.000+05:30

President Kalam did the right thing by turning down the appeal of Dhananjoy, the guy who raped and murdered a 14-year old girl in 1990. The guy had no right in appealing in the first place. A man who could do something as gruesome an act as raping an under-age girl has to go. I am a traditional supporter of human rights, but letting that guy off the hook would be a big mistake. Every guy thinking about outraging the modesty of women should have two choices.
Shut the hell up and get on with life.
Rape and die.

Manoj

AIMCAT503 - My worst yet!

2004-08-02T09:00:00.000+05:30

How life can change in minutes or days or weeks! In just about 2 weeks my emotion has gone on from jubilation to sheer desperation. Wrote AIMCAT503 yesterday and it was a complete disaster. I will be managing only a measly 25. Quantitative (In)aptitude is at its worst. I better buck up. This is the last time I am writing CAT and I want to make sure that I make the most out of it.
I have decided to slog a lot more than what I am doing now. This will involve strengthening my hold on concepts to putting them to good practice. There are two Mocks scheduled for this weekend and I hope to do well in both of them.
In short I am feeling terrible now.

Manoj

Life or something like it

2004-07-29T17:25:00.000+05:30

I have not given up on blogging. Just that I have had nothing interesting happening in my life for the past few days. Have been working pretty late hours. One thing I still make sure I do everyday is watch atleast one episode of Friends. I guess I cant live without them now!
There is another AIMCAT this Sunday. My preparations are basically bad. Hope to maintain my rank and clear the cut-offs in two sections atleast this time. That should be a real confidence booster.
This is also the season of application forms. Each institute makes applicants part with Rs 1,000 on an average for application forms. Apply to 10 instis and boom, you have lost 10,000 bucks. Phew!

Manoj

What a week!

2004-07-27T19:36:00.000+05:30

I have not updated my blog regularly for the past week or so. It has been a pretty tough week for me. What with both my grandfather and his sister passing away. I am not going to write an obituary for my grandfather, Raja Rao, because I believe the man is an immortal. He has just changed his place of existence. Period!

I had the opportunity and privilege to see “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” the other day. My first reaction was “Wow”!. Here is a movie which sticks to its essence right till the end. Hats off to Guy Ritchie for providing some fantastic entertainment.

Other than that I am completely hooked onto Friends Season 3. Those guys are just amazing!

Manoj

AIMCAT 502: My best yet!

2004-07-22T20:49:00.000+05:30

I am pretty happy today. AIMCAT 502 (All India Mock CAT for the uninitiated) conducted by TIME MBA Coaching institute went pretty well. I had never expected to break into the top 500. Just for the record around 11,000 wrote the test this time.
My rank was 446. That is good but not great. This is because I never cleared the cut-offs in two of the three sections. However I made really silly mistakes this time. I am sure that if I can reduce these stupid errors I can very well clear the cutoffs.
My rank in Chennai city was 29. Again very comforting.
Lets hope I do even better in the next AIMCAT.

Cheers (hic!)

Manoj

How to name this?

2004-07-19T08:48:00.000+05:30

There comes a time when things stop making sense. When nothing seems to be meaningful. Yesterday was one such day for me. On Saturday I was informed that my grandfather was seriously ill and had only 2 days left in him.
My grandfather has been a picture of poignancy ever since I have known him. His majestic walk and his set of admirers more often than not following him has always filled my heart with joy. But yesterday I saw him struggling to breathe. When me and my mom walked into his room and saw what we saw both of us just broke down. My mom was inconsolable. As I am writing this tears are flowing down my cheeks.
And as I am trying to counter them, I wonder what life is all about.

Manoj

Addicted to PG

2004-07-16T11:51:00.000+05:30

I have traditionally kept off from online forums. I always believed that they are a waste of time. Besides one could never trust the sort of people with whom one interacts. But one forum changed it all. And that is:

www.pagalguy.com/cat

This is a beauty of a forum. It provides a wonderful platform for all CAT aspirants. Besides it also fosters a community feeling. I have come to interact with some really responsible and like-minded individuals through the forum. I even conducted my first online monetary transaction through the forum. Even in office I am always logged on to the forum. I have become completely addicted to it.

Here is wishing everybody on the forum a wonderful

What am I upto?

2004-07-14T09:30:00.000+05:30

For the past two days nothing has happened in my life, yet a lot of things have happened. Confused? Even I am! God only knows how to make sense of all the events happening in my life.
I have taken to reading Sherlock Holmes. I must say that I find it quite interesting. I am as it is interested in the Queen’s language at its peak and that is what I have been experiencing in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works.

On a different note: My schoolmates Prem Kumar and Shyam are off to Dubai on an assignment. Here is wishing them all the very best and Bon Voyage! (Hope you guys remember the password : “Gaja ka dost”)

Manoj

100 not out!

2004-07-12T09:54:00.000+05:30

It is my pleasure to report that my little blog has registered a 100 hits in its 3 or so weeks of existence. Considering the fact that I had advertised my blog only in the PG forum and nowhere else this is quite a feat.
I take this opportunity to thank one and all who have visited my little online home and have been kind enough to leave messages and comments.
A special thanks to Raghav for being the 100th person to click on my blog. I had promised a public acknowledgment and here it is.
3 weeks is a very short time to understand the world of blogging. I have however learnt a few lessons.

Useless News Network (UNN) presents the following:
1. It rained a lot in Chennai yesterday.
2. I bunked TIME classes this weekend.
3. GMail just rocks! A 500 Kb attachment got attached (what else!) within a second.

Till next time
Ahoy!

Manoj

I have moved!

2004-07-09T10:15:00.000+05:30

I have a new address in my office. I have moved from one wing to the other. It was a little painful though. I have worked (!) for a year and a half in A wing. Now I find myself in C wing. It will take quite some time for me to accustom to the new environment!

I am kind of nearing a milestone here. Two more hits and my blog would have registered 100 hits! A lot to look forward to then this weekend!

Manoj

There are days and there are days!

2004-07-07T08:52:00.000+05:30

What is the secret of happiness? I would give anything to get to know this. If that would be asking for too much then I would atleast want to know the secret of not being sad! One and the same thing huhn?

Why am I suddenly rattling about happiness and stuff like that? After a lot days I felt really out of sorts yesterday. The worst part was that there was no tangible reason to feel so! I did not get hit by a lorry, I was not shouted at by my boss or I did not succumb to the charms of book-shopping. Yet something was amiss. And I am even more pained to think that I still am feeling down. Wonder when I will start understanding the vagaries of the human heart!

On a lighter note. Saw Lalu Prasad Yadav talking in English with Rajdeep Sardesai on NDTV yesterday. For a few seconds I was wondering if it was a spoof or something! Whatever one can accuse Lalu Prasad Yadav of, he cannot be faulted for not NOT providing entertainment!

What dreams may come!

2004-07-05T11:18:00.000+05:30

A strange thing happened today. My profession changed!
Let me explain.
I was doing something completely different till the last Friday. From today onwards I am doing something that is so completely different, that I feel I am in Mars.
KP made a pertinent point about my blog the other day. I had initially started blogging to jot my thoughts down. But somehow the blog has veered around to being a running commentary on the state of the world!
So from today I will consciously make an effort to blog twice a day. One on me and myself and the other entry will be from the stables of Manoj News Network (MNN).

Manoj

End of an Era!

2004-07-01T08:58:00.000+05:30

Yesterday was the last day the Meter Gauge (MG) trains that normally ply from Beach station to Tambaram and beyond, chugged along the tracks. They are being replaced by Broad Gauge trains from today onwards.

I used to work in Tambaram and now and then I hopped on these trains to get to work. It would always be a wonderful journey. The trains are great to look at and more or less are comfortable to travel in. The first class compartments are really comfortable and less crowded. The other compartments are where the action takes place. The “kadalai” seller, the “singing” beggars and unruly youth; they all converge here.

I have several warm memories of the traveling in these trains. I have not traveled in them of late. For quite sometime now, I had wanted to take a trip down memory lane. Alas time has passed. Now I wont be able to do so. For that reason and due to the termination of the MG services I am very sad!

It was a glorious era. Alas it has come to an end!

Manoj

All the Best, Iraq!

2004-06-29T09:37:00.000+05:30

The United States of America is transferred power to the interim Iraqi government yesterday. This was 2 days ahead of schedule. This is perhaps the only thing that has happened ahead of schedule in Iraq.

There will be a lot of mixed feelings in the United States on Iraq. John Kerry might have two such feelings. One that the US should have gone to war and the other that the US should not have! Bless him Lord! He never leaves any room for speculation!

Coming to think of it, the war was a bad experiment in showcasing the United States’ cowboy capabilities. This was also a war that CNN will never forget. If the first gulf war made them, this one broke them! The images of “embedded” journalists and correspondents towing the line of the government and spewing nonsense on the TV screens was just too much for everybody.

I sincerely pray to God that George Bush is defeated in this year’s elections. Lets hope Americans can cast their vote properly and count properly! Till then I would like to wish Iraq all the very best in its newfound path towards democracy.

Manoj
(P.S. According to news reports the Iraqi Prime Minister is still alive. That is itself good news for Iraq!)

The Review: Lakshya

2004-06-28T15:25:00.000+05:30

Lakshya
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan
Director: Farhan Akhtar

I normally never write good things about a Hindi movie. This time though I am going to write a glowing tribute to one. Lakshya is a fantastic movie.
It captures the confusion of a yuppie Hrithik Roshan, who has no goals in life, trying to become something in life. Supporting him is Preity Zinta as Romila Dutta (modeled on Burkha Dutt of NDTV 24X7). She is in love with him from the college days. This is the only sore point of the movie. What made Romi fall in love with a demented character like Hrithik. It is not fully explained nor convincingly portrayed.

Hrithik has absolutely no idea as to what to do with life. One of his friends decides to join the army and that is reason enough for him also to do so. But as luck has it, his friend drops out and Hrithik has to join the army alone. After a few horrible days in the Army hrithik decides to run away. He comes back to his family and Romi only to be looked down upon. Romi decides not to marry him for his fickle mindedness. This spurs him on to rejoin the army and he goes on to capture an important peak in a war against intruders near the LOC.

Unlike in other movies where the transformation of a character is often hastily portrayed, this movie has the convincing portrayal of a confused man gaining his focus and calling in life. Hrithik does an outstanding job here. Preity as Romi does not have much to do. But she portrays her character sensitively. The scenes involving Hrithik and Romi are an example of great chemistry.

Amitabh Bachchan carries his role with great dignity. His encouraging speeches are the lifeline of his soldiers. The man’s acting skills are put to full use here. Om Puri and a few other artistes are wasted.

There are three finely crafted and goosebumps raising scenes in the movie:
1. Hrithik is standing near the edge of a mountain and looking at another huge one. Preity walks up to him. He tells her with full emotion “You always thought I had no ambition in life. Now I have one and that is that” he says pointing towards the Peak that the Indian army should capture come what may.
2. Indian soliders have captured a Pakistani bunker. The wireless set used for giving commands by the Pakistanis is still blaring with the question “Why did the firing stop?”. An Indian solider (a Muslim) takes the set and barks back “The firing has stopped because we have won. And with the mercy of God (Khuda) we will destroy you”. The voice at the other end retorts “Tumney Khuda kaha? Tum Mussalmaan ho kya?”. To this the Indian solider replies “Tumhareliye mein sirf Hindustani hoon!”.
3. The peak has been captured. Hrithik fires a bullet in the air to signify the same. Amitabh Bachchan is eagerly awaiting news from his boys. He watches the bullet being fired in the air from his binoculars and gives out a loud cheer. “Yes, they have done it”. And then he lets silence and relief give the measure of his happiness. As well as ours!

Among the many delights of this movie is the fact that Hrithik Roshan can actually act and emote on screen! I have never been a fan of Hrithik Roshan. After watching Lakshya I have become one. Lets hope we get more sensible and good cinema like this. Well done Farhan Akhtar!

The Review: Girlfriend

2004-06-28T09:05:00.000+05:30

Girlfriend
Cast: Isha Koppikar, Amrita Rao, Some-guy-as-hero
Director: Karan Razdan

This is not going to be pleasant for anybody. A few days back I had written about why the movie “Girlfriend” should be banned. After watching the movie I have had to change my opinion. The FILMMAKER should be banned. How else can one react when the filmmaker has tried to use the curves of Isha Koppikar and Amrita Rao to the fullest extent and passed it off as sensible cinema?

In the first scene we are introduced to Isha Koppikar, who is seen running (frankly jogging is an art and I don’t want to malign it) on the beaches of Mumbai (Mauritius is being passed off as Bombay! God save this country!). She reaches home to be told by her house-mate Amrita Rao that the wash basin is not working. Our lady proceeds to repair it. Apparently she can do things a man can do. To build up her “manly” skills there are a lot of other scenes like fighting with men and racing a man.

Isha Koppikar likes Amrita Rao a lot. She even secretly watches Amrita taking bath. Gimme a break! Let me quickly finish the “story”. Amrita is in love with a guy. But Isha Koppikar is in love with Amrita. That is because she hates men because of sexual abuse in her childhood. What happens towards the end, frankly dear I give a damn, is the rest of the story.

Few points about the movie:
1. Every single character in the movie is a stereotype. We have a “gay” man, doing “gay” things, we have a hunk of a guy doing what such people are always supposed to do, chase women and we have Isha Koppikar proving that she is no less than a man.
2. There are two scenes in the movie where Isha and Amrita make out. What is astounding is the fact that both the scenes follow the same pattern and its just the clothes the ladies are wearing that is different. One actually happens and the other is supposed to be a dream of the hero.
3. This movie should walk away with the “best Dialogues” of the season. Sample this: “Jab mein soti hoon, tho behosh ho jaathi hoon” (Yeah right, we all are conscious when we sleep!): the hero finds out that Isha and Amrita are far too close. He goes and tells Amrita “Tum dono raath ko pyar karthey ho!” Oh Gawd!

Isha Koppikar however needs to be complimented on her portrayal. The character is flawed but she puts in a genuine attempt to act. Well done lady! The hero is frankly a bore. Amrita Rao looks the perfect bimbette.

All in all, the movie is a skin fest. If you are interested in watching two glamorous ladies doing all sorts of rubbish head towards Girlfriend.