Auto-biographically yours

It's been long, I haven't written anything auto-biographical, at least, for the first time..I'm going auto-biographical on this blog for the first. At the risk of making it sound like a self bio-epic or dramatic. let me assure you all that I'm alive and kicking. I'm hale and hearty and doing very well in life. One is tempted to say, life is magical and beautiful.
Since you all know that I've been to Goa and explored on my own this year, it was the best thing that happened to me. It was my first trip and reached Goa on 31 December and stayed till 3 January. It was a soul-stirring journey and my spirit was flowing in South Goa, Konakona till the North side, Panjim/ Miramar. I traveled a lot from one point to the other and made new friends. Unfortunately, I couldn't meet Kaku, a dear Goan friend and educated myself in the city. I love Baga beach lane and saw quite a few dolphins. Bonds of friendship were strengthened, made new friends and got help from unexpected quarters.
The year started on a great note and looks like, things will move swiftly this year. I'm high on that and the year seems to unfold itself with unexpected zing. My God! How time changes and for good. Perhaps, at this point of time last year, things didn't seemed bright at all and now how the optimistic side of life is unfurling itself. I am a happy man as I realized my joy for traveling.
Finally, after aeons I am able to work on my script for my short film and my novel. Yes, it is taking shape and already penned some 9 pages for the novel and the script has neared four pages. I have sent the initial script to a friend who works as an assistant film maker for feedback. So, I'm waiting for the suggestions and will be taking it from there. I am also seeking advice from another friend who worked as an AD with Prakash Jha on Rajneeti and Aarakshan. So, for the time being Mr script is on the back burner. I need feedback on the essence of a bound script, amid locations. This is missing in the script. Hope to finalize at least three short scripts towards the year end.
Speaking of novel writing, I already finished reading the auto-biography of Dev Anand, Revolution 2020 and I am currently reading Rashmi Bhansal's I have a Dream and Ohh Yes, I am Single....And So Is My GirlFriend!Lovely book. It's a complete page turner and is all about today's youth in India. I'm hooked to it.
I'm yet to get out of my holiday mood and it's still within me..Good thing is that I was and am able to de-addict myself from Facebook. It's such a relief. My entire life is such a gamut of contradictions, unpredictability. At one moment, I am extrovert and the next moment, I turn to the silent mood. Can't help it..I have been designed in such a way!!!! Right now, I am going into my famous withdrawal way and wanna cut myself from the whole world..can't do it much coz at work, I gotta interact but I shall interact less for some time..and then back home, back to my moody-cum-withdrawal element. It happens to me from time-to-time and I find peace and serenity in that. I'm such a moody being..can't help it, my sun sign is cancer.
Relationships have become more and more complex..There was this gal which I kinda liked and dated in the past. After college, I was wondering where the fuck she disappeared and searched for her on Facebook like hell. She reminded me of sweet moments spent together. But, when I just found her on FB, now I'm not very much interested in sending her a friend request or message for that matter. Life is complex and equation is even more complex. That's life....My Life. Why am I like that? Completely insane.
I've been quite inactive on blog and the brightest part is that at least I have the time to write some quality posts in comparison to every mundane things I was writing. Till last year, it almost became an obsession but not this time. So far, so good. I watched Dhoom 1 last night and reminded me of college days. Speaking of college days, I'm missing it like hell..I wonder whether I will ever be able to get out of it. Time flies and whatever, we've done..the masti, fun and illegal stuffs..it seems like yesterday only..God knows it will never come back but perhaps in a magical package..who knows?
Must also admit that the day ended not in such a great mood..I felt bad for something which happened due to my lack of judgement..hell no!Nothing tragic..anyways
Will come back in a jollier mood..life is beautiful yet complex..I'm even more complex. Trying to create space for myself:)

Tale of my city

A tale of my city.
I left my city coz destiny had other plans for me.
My soul remained entrenched in city life.
My city...That's where I draw my inspiration.
The first time our glares met, I was fascinated by its immense beauty.
There is no one like my city.
She's soo beautiful and flawless.
Outsiders think otherwise..but, who cares?
Some call her Kalbadevi, for some it's Maximum city.
She's The Queen's necklace.
A world of two extremes.
My city, my life has been there.
In it, I play a very important role.
I lived there, I cried and shouted her.
I rock in my city.
My city taught me the essence of daily struggles.
Local trains, vada pav, sea face romance, monsoon, yellow-and-black cabs, the slums and the skycrapers.
After years of parting, destiny thrust me back with a bang in my city..
..but, only for a few days..
Amazed I was...
How my city never changed.
It is a world in itself...
I struggled, ran like a mad dude to catch the train and nab a cab..shouting Taxi, Taxi...
I lived my life in my city.
Here I live, dream and danced till the wee hours.
My city gently reminded me where I should be.
I am again not present in my city.
Ahem! Ahem!
Here, promising myself to be back where I belong.
My city, my life..Here..where I studied, I work...
Some call it an obsession..
If you haven't guessed my city..
It's Mumbai.
I love my city.

P.S: The poem has been inspired by the Mumbai anthem by Mid-day. Cheers to my city.
www.facebook.com/MumbaiAnthem
www.twitter.com/MumbaiAnthem
www.themumbaianthem.com

Who is the guy who gets the gal?

Ahem! Ahem! I never thought that I would ponder on this question: Who's the guy who gets the girl? The clean shaven dude, totally mad-freako-manic, unkempt beard, soft-spoken, classy gentleman or the badass? Tough question to answer..Especially, when it comes from a question...though I believe a certain element of raw sex appeal is a must.
Well, just kidding..There is nothing like the rich-spoilt brat or the one who carries a big money bag. Nothing, like that. Trust me..I swear on the heads of my uber conservative ancestors who think that masturbating is not cool at all. Frankly speaking, I am still decoding this kinda question and guess, the girls are the best candidates to answer that. But, since I am a guy, I have to contemplate since it is a matter of survival. Well, let me put it the other way....Who's the girl who will be able to successfully seduce 'Vishal'....well, a certain oodle of sex appeal, hotness, well read, intelligence, grace, fun-loving and the list goes. But, the most important seduction factor is 'being oneself''..yes, yes..I just solved the complex, brain-wacky equation..The bloke who gets the girl is the one who is himself.
Finally, I may not be Ranbir Kapoor or Abhishek Bachchan, the hunks who are the smooth talkers or rich kids who seduced the likes of well....Deepika, Katrina, Aishwarya, Sonali Bendre or Dipanita Sharma for that matter..No, I don't own a Bmw or have unlimited cash balance which never seems to end..at least, I am confidence to get the gal coz I am myself. Only, the degree of rejection exist 90 per cent of the time.
Whether I chose to be the bad boy coupled with unkempt beard, long untrimmed hair..at least I am myself and don't suffer from the abhorred syndrome of attention-seeking behaviour. I'm pretty confident about making my move and asking the hot sexy chick out. I may not triumph in the start but at least I am happy being myself. If we cannot date, she can be my friend and ultimately we can make things happen for sure.
Guys, doesn't matter if you are not the most handsome dude on earth or the richest man on the planet, what matters is being oneself at the end of the day. So, what if you have the 'bad boy' image? I mean who fucking cares as long as your being yourself. Never part with your identity even if she wanna change you to fit her definition of the 'perfect man'. Remember, there is another who wanna see your 'true self.'
I feel that 10 to 15 years down the line we will always be remembered for our crazy, wild and unbrazen side, no matter where we reach in life. We might end up joining the corporate ladder but we will be best remembered for the time we sported our innocence, the times where the looks or judgement of others hardly mattered. Remember the unbuttoned, hairy chest, drawl, confident strut across the screed..Vijay of Deewar in 1970s..This version of Amitabh Bachchan who had no qualms of jumping to bed with Parveen Baby..the wild Bachchan who now transformed into Mr Bachchan of KBC. Well, he is best remembered for his wild side in Deewar by the mom's and aunties.
Me thinks, I've built a case...Smart dudes who has nothing to prove to anyone is ultimately the winner, not the fucked-up wannabees
Question decoded.
Have fun.

LPNY resonates with today's youth

Just watched London-Paris-New York starring Ali Zafar and Aditi Rao Hydari. What a sweet love story! It is the story of Nikhil and Lalitha, a middle class South Indian-Maharashtrian sexy-combo-kinda chick. Nikhil plays a Bandra boy who wants to study film-making in London. Destiny had other plans as Lalitha and Nikhil meets up in London.
They meet, sing songs to each other had a rollicking time with each other before they realize that they are in love with each other. The forte of this Anu Menon's flick is its dialogue. Like kissing may mean that whether the couple may produce beautiful kids or Lalithapedia. Aditi Rao is natural as Lalithapedia as she infuses freshness in her character. She plays the role of the fiery feminist cum future politician with ease. It's amazing to see her transformation from Abhishek Bachchan's Bhabhi in Delhi-6 to the helpless wife of a don in Yeh Saali Zindagi and the reporter using her sexuality..read body to get real news from Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar. She has grown as an actor and is someone to watch in the coming years.
Ali Zafar at the onset seems a lil bit uncomfortable playing the typical Bandra Boy and me think it got to do with the fact that he is not a typical Mumbai boy. I think Anu should have put some layers of Bandraite in Zafar's character..Somehow we missed a Bandraite looking for his Sandra.However, post the interval, Nikhil gets back on track and gives a lovely performance. He is wonderful in the emotional performance, particularly in the climax. Whether as the flirtatious or romantic Nikhil, Zafar will make the audience go gagga over him.

The movie is well shoot and LPNY is a love story with a difference. The vision of Anu is commendable with the dose of freshness she injects in her characters. The good thing with LPNY is that it mainly centres on two characters, Nikhil and Lalitha. A special word of mention for Aditi Rao Hydari whose portrayal of the Paris girl is a delightful. A superhot chick who thinks that wearing glasses can make a woman hot.
I have always said that content, the director's treatment and good performance matters in a good film. Certainly, the future belongs to the young generation and Anu is a young director with a vision. It explores the nuances of todays relations among the youth!With a bang. It's a love story with a difference. LPNY will appeal to 20-something and 30-something. Plus, it's not heavy. It's a cool 100 minutes movie.
Only thing is that the music could have been better and should be elevated a notch higher o portray the nuances of the relationship between Nikhil and Lalitha. Plus, we personally miss some portions of amchi mumbai, in particular Bandra. Go for it. It's worth a dekkho and much today's youth.

P.S: I'm reviewing a movie after 3 and a half months. This makes me more than happy. I am on a high 

Harishchandrachi Factory

Just finished watching India's entry to the Oscar in 2010, Harishchandrachi factory, based on the pioneer of Hindi Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalka. Magnificent film. It's a small master piece. I know I'm late. I've been hunting for a DvD copy and finally me got one in Pune.
Dada saheb went on to make 100 movies in a career span of 20 years. wow! What a movie. It's still hunting me. The movie traces Dada saheb route and despite all odds, he didn't lost heart and even traveled to England to learn about film-making. He used his meagre income and went on to create an Industry. Now, India is the highest producer of films in the world. The movie is the fittest tribute paid to the great man. I remember someone telling me way back in my college days that if you don't get a platform, create one. Dada saheb created one. It teaches us to live our passion, no matter what. It is already inspiring me to do something and pursue my passion.
Finally, Marathi movie has come of ages and such talent with movies like Harishchandrachi factory should be promoted. What's important is not big finances but small budget movie with a good script and proper characterization can work wonders. It's a fact.
The great thing is how the script writer and the director has beautifully shot Mumbai in the 1913. This year on May 3, Hindi cinema will celebrate 99 years. We have come a long way and new directors with brand new ideas are giving a fresh leash of life to the creative art of story-telling and film-making. For some, Dada saheb was a lunatic. People thought he has gone nuts with moving picture. He never lost heart and went on to fulfil his dreams. I was amazed to see two my friends acting in Harishchandrachi Factory, Siddharth aka Tootoo and Astad who is a Marathi actor.
Good night.

Can women and men be friends?

Men and women can be friends. It's a statement I'm making and not just a plain statement matter-of-factly. I strongly believe that men and women can be friends and I know that my male counterparts will vehemently oppose this view. Very few men would agree with me and perhaps some women may not express pleasure at this fact of life.
I knew some guys and acquaintances who will say that men and women can only mate, date and have sex. Well, then where you put your respective Rakhi brothers and sisters? Quizz them on the latter fact, they have no answer and will make a joke out of it. The truth is that those people never had a proper exposure to women and they never had good female friends. Honestly speaking, they have been brought up with a limited mindset where they can't look beyond the border of their conservative mindsets. No wonder we guys are referred to MCP. No seriously?! Don't you think so guys.
I have been blessed to have soo many wonderful, beautiful and intelligent female friends who played an important part in my beautiful life. They have been a fellow traveler in quest for self-growth and as the trained stopped, they got down and new ones hopped on. Some of them are not in touch but many of them are. They are wonderful human beings. I strongly believe that there is 'Lakshman-Rekha' that need to be drawn and that some lines should not be crossed. Once, the lines are crossed, the friendship goes 'kaput'. The worst tragedy happens when a beautiful relationship..read strong bond of friendship between a boy and a gal is destroyed.
Of course, there are some exceptions to the rule. At some point, there is bound to be attraction if you spend lotsa times with a friend, be it going together for movies,smsing each other. If there is a mutual consent and belief that you can carry the relationship further and that the friendship will remain intact, go ahead. But, there is a high probability that the equation will not be unaltered since you will look at each other less as friends but more as lovers. Where do you go from here? Before popping the question, make sure that he or she will ignore you and it might as well happen, that the two best friends will stop communicating with each other. A case of a friendship gone sour. I have been lucky when a proposed a friend, she understood my feeling for her. The proposition was rejected outright, But, the bond of friendship grew stronger with time.
Great friendship are those that withstood the test of times. With the flick of time, both of you will move in different directions in life and certain priorities will gain mileage and it is bound that the friendship will not remain intact. But, as you look back, you will be proud that your relationship proved the world wrong and man and women can indeed be friends. Perhaps, as you meet one day over a cup of coffee, you will have a good laugh as you choose to rebel against the ways of the world. If the friendship remains despite you guys are in a relationship and if your partners can understand your friendship, it will be a great victory.
Very few movies have been able to successfully depict the friendship between a man and a woman without sensual connotation. I just came out of Ek Main Aur Ek Tu (EMAET) today and I have a feeling that to a certain extent, it was able to depict friendship between a man and a woman. But, only partially.