Uncategorized – Shankar's Lounge

Nellaida

This is probably one of my most delayed posts. Though I managed to write it off all in one go, well over 4 days, it finally took one powerless morning to post it!

I had been on a pilgrimage trip to Thirunelveli and its surroundings with my mom, grandparents, uncles and my cousins. This was one of unique trip where we all gathered together after ages.

To my surprise, Thirunelveli was a lot more pleasant than Chennai (Then I remembered the humidity factor). Visiting various temples inside the vicinity of the city, we were winding up with the Nelliappar temple at about 8PM. I and my cousins (2 girls included) decided to catch up with a movie over the night at a movie hall. (This is not going to be a movie review)

We much debate we left at around 9 PM to a theatre called Bombay Theatre which was more than 8 Km away from the city and the hotel we stayed. Halfway, in the auto I had questions regarding the security, and suggested to return back without watching the movie. However, the others were a lot calmer and decided to go for the movie. We reached the deserted movie hall at about 9.30 PM only to realise we were more than an hour early for the next show.

After taking tickets for the balcony (Rs. 50 per ticket) we parked ourselves in the deserted waiting area. Having a doubt whether we’d be able to find auto rickshaws after the movie, I decided to check with the theatre security guy, he said it’d no problem. Feeling a little confident, I was counting down to enter the movie hall. 10.30 finally came and we were let in. The first sight of the hall was surprising. This theatre was comparable to any modern movie halls in cities, and boasted of push back seats, comfortable air conditioning and a very clean environment.

It was almost quarter to two when the movie got over and we rushed out of the movie hall not wanting to be late any further late. We came out only to realise, the security had already hired an auto rickshaw inside the theatre premises and the auto driver was very pleasant contrary to what we experience in Chennai. I was even more surprised, when we paid lesser than what we paid to get there.

Mind blowing customer service! Hats off to the theatre security at Bombay theatre! I guess Good marketing effort comes with such unassuming customer service.

Couple of more info: There were no visible open drainages, no mosquitoes at any place, and a certainly a lot cleaner than the city where I hail from. Thurunelveli! I am a big fan now..

Quite a Holiday!

A couple of friends and me decided to take a break and we landed up in Kodaikanal for three day two night weekend getaway. After trying to mull up more people for the event, I finally had a small group of 4 people including me.

I did the planning and the bookings and was constantly thinking “how many cancellations are there going to be?” Since it was peak season, I had to book travel and accommodation well in advance. My luck, there were no drop outs though I though there was a potential dropout. And, D-Day arrived and we finally went to Kodaikanal. It sure was a good recharge of batteries. All of us ate huge portions of food, without bothering about calories and fat, slept for long hours and just chilled out from the Chennai heat.

I have been to Kodaikanal a couple of times in my earlier years. It is no match to the tourism spots which Kerala has to offer, with its Munnar, Wyanad, Kumarakom etc. So, I went with this mindset, Kodai will be the same old congested and dirty place. Surprise! The lake (Which by far is the only USP in Kodai, besides the weather) was much cleaner without any visible plastic or garbage. I later walked into a department store for some shopping and realised that plastic and polythene bags are prohibited by the local government. Sad, I did’nt know this, and had to carry my stuff in a paper bag made of old newspaper. This was hard, but welcome. These small acts have helped Kodai to be cleaner, and adds to the scenic view that the place has to offer.

I wish such effective rules could be extended to the entire state, or if not to Chennai alone for a start. Will surely make this place much cleaner!

Coming to this picture, this is me in the Pine Forest of Kodaikanal. (Does my overeating show up?)

The Return of the E50

Two months is what it took me to get my new phone the Nokia E 50 back. I remember losing it on the 13 Jan 07 and I got it back on the 13 Mar 07.

This was my first experience with day light robbery, dealing with the police, giving a complaint, and walking into a magistrate court to reclaim my belongings. What an experience! I quite learnt the way this system works! Not only my phone, I also got the cash which was stolen from me. (Yes, the judiciary is corrupt!)

India is improving!

Anyways, February is the Oscars month, and I quite managed to see quite a lot of the nominated movies this time around! I managed to see.
1. Blood Diamond
2. The Departed
3. The Persuit Of Happyness
4. The Last King of Scotland
5. Water

The departed was awesome, deserved the best picture. I still cannot figure out why the best actor in a leading role was given for the Last King of Scotland, it was a very OK one for me! One movie I really wished and thought would really win the Oscars this time was Deepa Mehta’s Water. This movie particularly has a well penned storyline and mind blowing performances. The young child who plays a widow is captivating! (What was the hue and cry over this movie all about?) Kudos to Deepa Mehta on delivering such a classic!

I also managed to watch the following movies apart from the above mentioned five:
1. Traffic Signal
2. Paruthiveeran
3. Mozhi
4. Amores Perros
5. The Motorcycle Diaries
6. 21 Grams
All the six were worth a watch or more, Traffic Signal was a movie which I wanted to watch a long time back, however could not! I guess films like these can be the Indian nominations at the Oscars in the coming years, very realistic without much hype and masala.

Paruthiveeran, brilliant movie, excellent dialogues and good acting!, Mozhi was time pass, a feel good movie is what the call it, a chic flick is what I’d call it! Prakash raj and his comedy timing are fabulous. Amores Perros, the motorcycle diaries are classics in Spanish, 21 grams is English.

Sorry, I know I have been giving more of movie reviews here than anything else. I promise to skip my movie reviews the next time around if I get more interesting topics!

Till Then!

The problem of choice

Hello there, I thought I might have another post in the month of January, for I had so many things in my head which I wanted to share here, however other greener pastures kept me occupied!

To Start with, let me share a real life incident. Just before Pongal, I experienced daylight armed robbery here in the city of Chennai. I was stopped by two robbers, claiming I had ran into their bike and had not stopped, only to realise I had a knife dangling in my neck, had loose all my money and my brand new mobile phone. There have been repeated incidents been reported to the police. (Yeah, the Nokia E50 did not last for long!) I need to be taught how to react when in shock! I was completely blank@

The police have been swift and managed to nab the thugs and recover most of the valuables stolen, my phone included. I am yet to receive it as it needs to be produced in court! I guess these are criminals who came out from prison on parole to do illegal voting and booth capturing during the last corporation elections. We do read in the papers about more such gory incidents being reported in crowded areas in broad day light!

Anyways, moving on, I had a wonderful occasion where I witnessed the Jallikattu in a village near to Madurai. (The Indian version of the Spanish bullfight) Quite a spectacle where we witnessed sheer bravery in which people had to hang on to a bull let loose. It was not what I saw in the movies but a lot faster, with loads of bulls and men, trying to compete against each other! If better marketed (Probably extend the incredible India brand) we sure can get a lot more tourists from around the world to witness this event! Have a look at some of the bulls and the Jantha around it!

Are you asking me how many bulls did I manage to fight? I tried my hand at it, but the bull got severely injured and had to be rushed to a Vet, so due to public demand had to refrain from the activity!

Finally, I managed to see the much anticipated movie Manirathnam’s movie Guru. Inspiring! I wish the ending was much better, but I guess with such a fast paced movie that’s how things need to end. None the less a must watch! Babel and Blood Diamond are good too!

That’s all from me for now! Adeos Amego

Tomorrow is not too far away

Happy New Year Folks!

I started to writing this blog somewhere towards the end of last year, I was halfway thru, and left for something. When I came back, Voila, I did not find a word of what I wrote. I remember, saving the post as a draft, but it didn’t work. (Classic excuse)

I already talked about resolutions, in my last year’s opening blog and the importance of fitness etc, I have been lucky and committed about that resolution and have managed to keep my fitness levels in the pink. Hoping to take it to new highs in the coming year!

The advancement of technology and internet has a lot of implications, both good and bad. With the launch of social networking sites like orkut & myspace, Internet has gotten more into our blood. I got to regain contacts over school and college over orkut, and I have been joyous. However, I recently found out that even school children and minors are biting the orkut bug. 7th graders who have an internet connected PC at home have managed to create their logins for orkut, and the whole class is on it as well (keeping in touch)

Initially though, it looks like a school kids chat party on face value, but sure has enough room for them looking at making more friends outside the friend’s circle. Total strangers included! At the way things are developing, kids soon could have other unwanted elements influencing their life, and may even pave way to illicit relationships, and a lot more of unwanted vises

In a nation where the Noida child killings occurred and school kids kidnapping and killing another kid, communication and mass media surely have their contribution. It’s high time the society and parents take control of the situation. I very well remember that orkut, has an age restriction for its membership. A lot of schoolchildren are faking their age and are gaining access.

I think a good way of doing this is to report such minors to orkut administration and getting them blocked. Parents need to be aware of such new trends in community networking and must keep a careful watch on their teenagers. (Parents need to be educated first!)

On a lighter note, I saw Kabul Express over the weekend, very well done! I guess this has been a ray of hope for good Hindi movies, would love to see more of such movies in 07. I am counting on Guru, hope it does not disappoint!

December 06, I participated in the first ever triathlon event at my Gym. It had 30 Kms running, 25 Kms cycling and 15 Km rowing. Quite a task? Well, the good news is, it was conducted indoors inside F1, and I had to do it within 5 consecutive days. Amongst all, I managed to take up the least time in doing this, but took all 5 days doing it. There were people who managed to gobble up the entire event all in one go in a single day!

I was panting and was tired during the event, ended up in me taking a day off work, running temperature, and one body massage for muscle relaxation. (Yet to receive my t-shirt prize though!)

Btw, also managed to change my Nokia 6230 for a brand new Nokia e50, the slim genius, It ROCKS!

Yammo Yammo Yammo Yammo Re

I have been a a big fan of A. R. Rahman all along. Got my hands on his latest album Guru, a couple of days before, as usual, it grows on you. I initially thought track 2 Bin Tere Kya Gina was the best amongst the lot. Only to realize that track 3 a serious underdog, was growing in me. Yup, I love it when Bappi Da does the “Yammo Yammo Yammo Re” almost magical, I start dancing in my driver’s seat! Its kinda fusion between a Dandia and god knows what, but sure sounds fresh!

Simply put, Rahman is pure genius. And, Guru is yet another milestone! That’s about Rahman, the music is sure hyped up my expectation about the movie.

With such great expectation, I saw 2 movies this week, one was Casino Royale, the other was D2 (Dhoom 2). I was watching Casino Royale, and then revisited Golden Eye on DVD, started comparing the first bond movie of Brosnan with Casino Royale, I think Columbia pictures made big mistake in sacking Brosnan as Bond, I thought Bond was a savior secret service agent, only to find, that Bond gets a cardiac arrest and he SOS’s HQ and still is unable to sort things out! All the time there is someone who saves Bond from his problems. Worse, most of the movie time is spent in a casino! I knew the last Bond movie did not rake in a lot of moolah, but I think Bond movies are losing their charm? (Am I getting older? Nah)

Dhoom 2, When I walked in to the Cinema hall to watch Dhoom, I knew it resembled too fast too furious, but it sure had awesome post production work and a solid direction and execution, something which was / is seriously screwed up in Bollywood! I found it to be a welcome relief from seeing the Khans or Bachans in a larger than life presence merely to do a dance number and feature in a chic flick. Dhoom, was racy, done on fast bikes, and was splendid none the less. Talking of Dhoom 2, It has Hrithik Roshan, What flexibility, what grace and most importantly, his six pack surely makes me wow! (I Gotta, have it some day) I guess I was expecting too much from the movie. I found it not of Hollywood kind, nor the usual Bollywood type either. I really wonder how they paired Ash against Hrithik! (How did Hrithik smooch Ash like that? Bips, why did she not have a role at all?)

Anyways, I’m waiting for Guru now! I hope that does not turn out to be sour!

My french beard

Many a time, I have wondered, Will facial hair ever compliment my face?

I have tried many a time (One attempt every year) but have managed to console myself at the end, that it does not suit me! (I never really had the patience to allow it grow to a considerable amount) However, this time around I was determined not to let go, and was patient for the results!

And Finally!

Feedback? Family members (Of the older generation) are thinking how much more crazier I can get, friends beg to differ. Its been more positive than negative, Go ahead and tell me what you think!

Out from Hibernation

Hi people!

It’s been a long time and little did I do to keep up my promise of posting a single post in a month. Well, now that it has been erratic, thought might not lose the habit though! (Better late than never)

I have watching a lot of Tamil movies lately, and to my surprise, I found most of them to be good and interesting. (You get to see only quality stuff, I hear you say, Well, that’s kinda true!.)

Starting with Chitiram Pesudhadi, the movie was quite slick, and did try and portray the love life of a local dhadha, not to mention the sprinkle of glamour added by Malavika in the Vaalai Meenu song!

Thirutu Payalle, a movie where the main character of the movie is in a negative role, not something which Tamil cinema is used to. Actors Jeeva and Malavika have done a fantastic job. (Malavika, yet again man!)

Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi – Many acquaintances told me that the movie was an imsai indeed, however, I was still determined to see it. 3 consecutive weekends and still did not manage getting tickets in any cinema hall. Finally, I downloaded the movie onto my laptop, simply hilarious, Kudos to the debutant director for having thought upon such a unique idea in making a historic comedy! Vadivelu’s performance is commendable and indeed very, very hilarious. Good screen play, another kudos for having all Tamil dialogues and songs!

Finally, Vettaiaadu Velaiaadu, a Kamal movie, no talking needed. Director Gautham Menon has tried a Hollywood psycho thriller in Tamil, and the effect? Mindblowing! The hero? the screenplay yet again (a hardcore Kamal fan would want Kamal to be the centre of attraction rather!) Kamal is a 42 year old cop in the movie and has done enough justice to his role. Actors in negative roles, (What are the names?) well done man, superb acting. The shooting at New York, the scenes involving the NYPD, the murder scenes (Very Hitcockian indeed) Tamil Film making is coming of age! & I hope this sustains.

I am looking forward to see Jillunu Oru Kadhal, and hope it follows the trend. The music sounds promising by A. R. Rahman.

And finally, how can I not finish my post without another photograph of mine? This is in the backdrop of the Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad in May 2006

Enjoy!

Somewhere on the WWW, I saw what was in store for the day! Looked like I am going to have a rough day! Still skeptical on what I saw. Anyways, workwise, had a action filled day which kept me going throught the day!

Two things which I was sad about was that, I did not have a great weekend. (Could not go out on Sunday evening, damn!) and the stock markets had still gained enough momentum.

Anyways, this is a photograph which is 2 days old. This was shot in my office and for the issue of the F3 magazine next month.

I hope the days to come will be fun filled!

Cheerios!

Cool! I never expected to posting another blog within such a short time. Anyways I guess one of Google’s services decided to play with me, much to my surprise.. I am unable to make sure the Adsense service on my Blog does not come up! (I tried my best, but alas no luck)

This photograph, of mine is atleast 12 years old. I very well remember my uncle’s marriage and my constant pesturing to the photographer to click a photo of mine looking onto the mirror. Mush to everyone’s dislike (He was busy man) I made him do it!

Anyways, this day was very good. The stock market was awesome. Today I was close to Rs. 2000 up. Wow, I am excited after almost a 3 month negative balance, I see myself as positive today! (Calls for a party..)

Anyways, let’s see how the days to come are!