movies, ads, novels, music, chess--no original research

Luck

2010-01-06T14:43:00.009+05:30

Opening scene from the movie Match Point by Woody Allen

"Christopher "Chris" Wilton: The man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose."

Last year was an annus mirabilis for me with marriage and admission to IIMK. This year my promise to myself is what Eldo Raine says to his soldiers in Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds,
"We're gonna be doing one thing and one thing only, kill the Nazis"

In my case, it will be extra-curricular reading.

The number of fiction novels read by me in 2008-09 can be counted on fingers. Most of them were trashes except Wuthering Heights and Surely You Are Joking Mr. Feynman. I need to reduce the number of novels from my "Good But Haven't Read" list this year.

I'll keep you updated on the novels I am reading. Current one is Animal Farm

My oneliners--Bouquets and Brickbats invited--Volume 1

2009-12-20T01:03:00.007+05:30

Most of these are from FB status updates, emails I have sent to friends

1.) Someone asked me my birthday but you know, in this era of gender equality, if I can twist that one-liner , I would say "Never ask a man about his age and a woman about her salary":-)

2.)Finally started cleaning the room...whenever used to be fed up with the room's bad state in the last 3.5 months here , I used to go for long nap , wishing things would be a little different when I get up...but now have accepted the finality of Newton's First Law of Motion, "Things at rest remain at rest unless acted upon by external unbalanced force" and NO! mental force doesn't count :-)

3.)Me - "With a quiz happening daily, I get an empty feeling if I don't have a quiz after the lunch.It seems the whole purpose of my life is to rush through my lunch at 1:30 PM to revise quiz portions for the 2:30 PM.Will my life lose its meaning after today afternoon with no quizzes in sight?"
Wise,Bearded Sage(tries to look pensive and sound intelligent)-"Ahem,Ahem!! Just wait for the announcement of next quizzes of FM and OM.My son, you'll find new meaning.And then Mid Term.Next round of quizzes.End Term"
Me-"Baba, this is your Spiritual Consulting fee"

4.) I wrote the following when promo of Rocket Singh came

The most awaited film of the year "Rocket Sing Salesman Of The Year" Shimit Amin's 3rd film after Ab Tak Chhappan and Chak De India Writer is Jaidep Sahani (lyricist of Chak De and RNBDJ) Ranbeer Kapoor in a Sardar's role..
fave dialogues from Rocket Singh promo
"Kucch log bade lucky hote hain saale. They get 90%, go to IIT, IIM, AIIMS. lekin Rocket Singh Salesman Of The Year un boring(:-)?) bando ke baare mein nahin hai. baakiyon ke baare meinhai. Aapke aur mere baare mein.49.6%, 40.2%, 37% with grace marks.."
"Kyonki life maachis se nahin chalti boss,life heartbeat se chalti hai"
"So film coming up..11 December..Hum bech rahe hain..aap kharid rahe hain" :-)

5.)A joke from my Macro Economics notebook (Credit to Sir) "What is the politically correct term which Economists employ when they want to call someone 'kanjoos'? His Marginal Propensity to Save (MPS) is higher than others" :-)

6.)2 days back

"Aaajkal tum apna room band kyon rakhte ho?"
"Main exam time mein Open Door Policy follow nahin karta"

7.)Contexual joke KGP 1st year

Miss World competition or something like that was there..and models were getting scores of 9.3, 9.2, 9.8 out of 10 ...
"Inka CGPA hai kya yeh" :-)

Following two are from marriage invitation emails

8.)Belying all my hopes of preserving the bachelorhood status till the third decade of my life and refuting my doubts about whether any girl would agree to spend the rest of her life with me, this girl has done the unthinkable. She has actually agreed to marry me. NO NO ! I didn't have to hold the gun to her head to elicit an aye from her (though , between you and me, I was prepared for that eventuality too , you know, just in case :-))

9.)The only FDA-approved remedy for that pain which you feel when you skip one of your friend's wedding is to actually attend it. :-)
Attendance is compulsory.
Genuine excuses of absence like attending some other friend's wedding at a temporally proximate but geographically distant coordinate will be considered on a case by case basis. :-)

On slowdown/recession, from one of my email

10.)I thought this slowdown has not touched my company until they started giving us bananas instead of apples in the morning canteen :-)

My article in IIMK magazine

2009-12-17T14:44:00.006+05:30

BYOMEE’S CORNER

Sometimes it takes just one knock on your door to change your life. 30th October 2009 11:30 PM Yes..That was it..I open the door; “We are from Tadka”.I couldn’t believe my ears. The day I was waiting from my childhood had come. I grew up on stories of my father telling about an IIM which will come in the sylvan surroundings of God’ Own Country and how its students will get into uncomfortable situations, get scolded from Professors, make interesting pairs with members of opposite sex, will plant imaginary escapades to fuel the rumour-mills just to get featured in that magazine which will become the lodestone of every budding and hidden writer of that campus-Tadka.
The next day mandate was given, "You have to give Gyaan". I said, “Did you say I have to give Gas or Gyaan?””Ek hi baat hai..Just stick to 300 word limit. You See, we have sharper scissors than Indian Censor Board and any attempt to exceed this 300 will result in complete removal of all the vowels from your article.” (Courtesy Catch 22)

“Main Apni Favourite Huun”

The biggest problem in life happens when we start comparing ourselves with others. Always remember, If you are not as smart as XYZ, probably he thinks that he is not as dynamic or jovial as you are. If you are not as handsome as Amir Khan, may be Amir Khan thinks he is not as handsome as Tom Cruise. The crux of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity as given in the seminal research paper “Separating Wheat From Chaff: Relativity Revisited” by Byomkesh Kumar is just this, “Benchmark yourself against your past. Relative grading means “You have to always do better in your next endeavor than in your past.””

Singing Pink’s song “Don’t Let Me Get Me” with lines which run “Don't wanna be my friend no more, I wanna be somebody else. Don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy” was cool in the Stone Age. This FB-Twitter generation’s buzz word is what Kareena says in Jab We Met when Shahid asks, “Tum apne aap ko bahut pasand karati ho na.” “Bahut, Main apni Favorite huun”. But how do you become your favourite?...(Snip Snip Scissors at work)

trivia:--
1.) I watched Jab We Met 6 times in Bangalore's Multiplexes when it released in latter half of 2007

2.) link of Pink's song

link of lyrics

Never win first place, I don't support the team
I can't take direction, and my socks are never clean
Teachers dated me, my parents hated me
I was always in a fight cuz I can't do nothin' right

Everyday I fight a war against the mirror
I can't take the person starin' back at me
I'm a hazard to myself

Don't let me get me
I'm my own worst enemy
Its bad when you annoy yourself
So irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

I wanna be somebody else, yeah

LA told me, "You'll be a pop star,
All you have to change is everything you are."
Tired of being compared to damn Britney Spears
She's so pretty, that just ain't me

Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe
somethin
A day in the life of someone else?
Cuz I'm a hazard to myself ...amazing lines

Don't let me get me
I'm my own worst enemy
Its bad when you annoy yourself
So irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

Don't let me get me
I'm my own worst enemy
Its bad when you annoy yourself
So irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe
somethin
A day in the life of someone else?
Don't let me get me

Don't let me get me
I'm my own worst enemy
Its bad when you annoy yourself
So irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

Song in My Mind - 3

2009-12-10T21:58:00.005+05:30

Euphoria's Sone De Maa

Indian Pop

My lines on this song from the above post---

Before Kya Itna Buraa Huun Maan(TZP) and Lukka Chuppi(from RDB) by Prasoon Joshi , these were some of the best lines written on that atavistic wish which everyone feels after frustrations, struggles of adult life to get back to his childhood, to let someone else care for "aanta, daal ka bhaav", to keep doing what one likes, to just sleep at leisure without the rude alarm clocks waking you up and deadlines to be taken care of, to be simple again, to be a child again, to let the Pleasure Principle of Id rule you without being quietened either by the realities of Ego or ethics/morals of Super-Ego, neither to feel pressurized to catch up with workaholics in weekdays nor succumbing to peer pressure of "having to do the in-things" on weekends

Id, Ego, Super-Ego on wiki

When it was used in the soundtrack of Shootout at Lokhandwala, the lines were something like this

lyrics of Sone De Maa

Ho Maa, Ho Maa, Ho Maa
Teri Kahaani Mein Jita Tha Beta Tera
Tu Hi Bata Maa Kya Jhuta Tha Kissa Tera
Aansu Baha Na Maa, Ik Din Yeh Hona Hi Tha
Lamha Lamha Jita Jahaan, Ladate Ladate Main Thak Gaya
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 3
Sone De Maa, Sone De Maa

Kabse Hai Tumane Maa Aawaaz Di Na Koyi
Kabse Andheron Mein Ghar Mera Khoya Kahin
Sadiya Huyi Tere Aanchal Mein Soya Nahin
Lori Koyi Phir Se Suna
Chalate Chalate Main Thak Gaya
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 2
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

Aakhari Angadaayi, Nind Mujhe Aayi
Dheere Dheere Dhundala Sama
Hasate Hasate Abb Kar Vida
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 2
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

Teri kahaani mein sacchayee jeeti sada,
Tu hi bata maa kya jhootha wo wishwaas tha,
Bikhri kyon maa mere sapna ka sansaar tha,
Lamha-lamha dhokha naya,
Tanha-tanha main thak gaya.

Sone de maa ab na jeena * 4

Sapna jo toota bhi, dekho main roya nahin,
Saaya jo toota bhi, khud ko main bhoola nahin,
Sadiyaan hui tere aanchal mein soya nahi.
Lamha-lamha jeeta jahaan,
Tanha-tanha main thak gaya.

Song In My Mind-2

2009-11-25T13:09:00.001+05:30

"Kya Hai Tera Mantra" by Euphoria

MANTRA
Intro: Na na...
Kisne ye jaana hai ye kitna puraana hai,
Jaata kahaan ye silsila?
Phir se na aana hai ye kitna suhaana hai
Pal ye jo humko hai mila.

Kisne ye jaana hai ye kitna puraana hai,
Jaata kahaan ye silsila?
Phir se na aana hai ye kitna suhaana hai
Pal ye jo humko hai mila.
Is pal mein aao khud ko jaan lein pehchaan lein hum,
Aao dekhein jeevan ke rang sabhee,
Bhoolein na beeti jo thi, dekhenge hoga jo bhi,
Pehle jaane to sahi, kya hai tera mantra?
Hai jeet kya aur haar kya, gham aur khushi ke paar kya,
Hai megh ke aasaar kya, toofaan kya majhdhaar kya,
Hai baadlon ke paar kya, koi aur bhi sansaar kya,
Bas jaan lo hai pyaar kya, hai ye mera mantra!!

Dekho pukaarein tumhe nabh ke sitaarein,
Baahein phailaaye aasmaan,
Bahti hawaaein tumhe kahti fizaaein,
Dekho thamey na kaaravaan.
Lekar chal yaadein kal ki, karta chal tu waadein kal ke,
Is pal pe tere kadmon ke nishaan,
Dekhenge aane waale, manzil ko pane waale,
Poochhenge chalne waale, kya hai tera mantra?

Mehnat bhi hai, himmat bhi hai, thodi si, haan, kismat bhi hai,
Aankhon mein hain kuchh khwaab bhi aur seene mein hasrat bhi hai,
Hai saanson ka aadhaar kya, aur zindagi ka saar kya,
Bas jaan lo hai pyaar kya, Hai ye mera mantra!!

Aao na, socho na, dil se mita dein sab faaslein,
Sarhad na, mazhab na, hum sab rangein hon,
Ek rang mein, ek rang mein.
Tera hai apna kya, tera paraaya kya, tera hai aasha kya, tera hai jeevan kya...
Tera hai sapna kya, tera hai Eishwar kya, tera hai bhaasha kya,
Tera hai mantra kya...?

Song in My Mind-1

2009-11-25T02:19:00.002+05:30

watched this movie in NOIDA and had found it good as I hadn't watched its English counterpart Gift. But this song is really good.

Movie Name: Rakht (2004)
Singer: Shaan
Music Director: Blue
Lyrics: Blue, Shaan
Year: 2004
Producer: Popcorn Motion Pictures
Director: Mahesh Manjrekar
Actors: Bipasha Basu, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty

Yeah…oh right…

Kya maine socha, aur kya huwa
Kya dil ne chaaha, aur kya mila
Ab jeet kaisi, aur haar kya
Kispe bharosa, aitbaar kya
Phir bhi dil mein aas hai
Aankhon mein talaash hai
Tum jo saath ho, ik subaah aayegi
Roshni jo laayegi ho..
Ab ki jo raat ho

One love, har tan kahe
One love, mil kar rahe
One love, ik aasmaan haan ik jahaan
One love, naya josh hai
One love, nayi soch hai
One love, hamein hai yaqeen
One love is all we need

It's late at night I am still wide awake
Babe this is far more than I can take
I got my eyes closed, never pray
Now I know that's one big mistake

I refuse to give up, I refuse to give in
Ho..(uh huh) you're my everythin'
I don' wanna give up, I don' wanna give in
Oh no, everybody stay

One love, for the mother's pride
One love, for the times we cried
One love, got to stay alive, I will survive
One love, for the city streets
One love, for the hip hop beats
One love, for I do believe
One love is all we need
That's right
Baby just love me love me love me
Baby just hold me hold me hold me
Oh…love me love me love me

Aa…
One love, baby just love me love me love me
Just hold me hold me hold me
Oh…love me love me love me

Aa…aa…
One love, for the mother's pride
One love, for the times we cried
One love, got to stay alive, I will survive
One love, for the city streets
One love, for the hip hop beats
One love, oh I do believe
One love is all we need
One love, har tan kahe
One love, milkar rahe
One love, ik aasmaan haan ik jahaan
One love, naya josh hai
One love, nayi soch hai
One love, hamein hai yaqeen
One love is all we need

Movie Scene In My Mind-1

2009-11-23T05:51:00.001+05:30

"Mia: Don't you hate that?
Vincent: What?
Mia: Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable?
Vincent: I don't know. That's a good question.
Mia: That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the f*** up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence." fave scene from Pulp Fiction Uma Thurman & John Travolta

Sheer Brilliance "Moonchwali ladki" Ad for Fevicol by Ogilvy & Mather, India

2009-11-20T18:11:00.009+05:30

link of storyboard of this ad

Do check this ad in TV.

men behind the AD

includes Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director, Ogilvy South Asia

From the above link
"Singh makes an inevitable remark as he says, "It is quite natural that the moustache plays the lead role in the film, considering Piyush (Pandey) has been so closely associated with Fevicol"."

Following are more information on the man who was "declared 'the most influential man in Indian advertising', by The Economic Times, his commercial for the adhesive brand 'Fevikwik', and his work on 'Cadbury's' were voted the 'commercial of the century' and the 'campaign of the century' respectively, by the Ad Club of Mumbai, in 2000."

He is known as for his ad making/conceptualizing skills as for his distinctive moustache

NDTV interview of Mr. Piyush

career growth of Mr. Piyush in Ogilvy

Here is the article in Hindu on two of the most creative persons in Indian advertising - Piyush pandey and Prasoon Joshi("Thanda matlab Cocacola" simple and powerful If you want cold drink, take Coke) This was before Prasoon Joshi was co-opted by Bollywood..Ad World's loss and Indian movies gain

article in Hindu

p.s.:--Some of my fave PJ (Prasoon Joshi) lines from Bollywood

courtesy this guy's effort in translating roobaroo and khoon chala to english

link of english translation of robaroo and khoon chala

Khoon chala from Rang De Basanti (Mohit Chauhan sings this on A. R. Rahman's music on Prasoon Joshi lyrics---what can be better in life than to keep hearing this song on winamp repeat mode, thinking to do something in life and then to go back to sleep in your blanket in that chilly, blood-curdling January of 2006 in Delhi :-) just kidding ..)goosebumps wala song

Thnaks once again to Naresh for this translation

kuchh kar guzarne ko
To do something worthwhile
khoon chala khoon chala
Blood travels blood travels
aankhon ke sheeshe mein
In the glass (pupil) of the eyes
utarne ko khoon chala
To get into, blood travels
badan se tapak kar
Having dropped from the body
zameen se lipat kar
Embracing the soil
galiyon se, raston se, ubhar kar
Through narrow lanes, through roads, having emerged
umad kar
Growing in size (swelling)
naye rang bharne ko
To fill with new colours
khoon chala khoon chala
Blood travels blood travels

khuli-si chhot lekar
Carrying an open injury
badi-si tees lekar
Carrying a big cry
ahista ahista
Slowly slowly
sawaalon ki ungli
The (pointed) finger of questions
jawaabon ki mutthi
The fist (showing strength) of answers
sang lekar
Carrying with it
Khoon chala
Blood travels
kuchh kar guzarne ko
To do something worthwhile
khoon chala khoon chala
Blood travels blood travels
aankhon ke sheeshe mein
In the glass (pupil) of the eyes
utarne ko khoon chala
To get into, blood travels
badan se tapak kar
Having dropped from the body
zameen se lipat kar
Embracing the soil
galiyon se, raston se, ubhar kar
Through narrow lanes, through roads, having emerged
umad kar
Growing in size (swelling)
naye rang bharne ko
To fill with new colours
khoon chala khoon chala
Blood travels blood travels

Then this song Roobaroo which was hugely popular on the Delhi FM channels

aandhiyon se jhagad rahi hai lau meri
The flame within me is fighting with storms
ab mashaalon si badh rahi hai lau meri
Now the flame within me is growing in size like torches do
naamo nishaan
Any remnants (name or mark)
rahe na rahe
Remain or not
ye kaaravaan
This caravan
rahe na rahe
Remains or not
ujaale mein
The lights I have
pee gaya
Gulped down
roshan huaa
I’ve lit up
jee gaya
I’ve started living
kyon sehte rahein?
Why should we go on tolerating?
roo-ba-roo roshni (2) hai
Face-to-face there is light (or I’m facing light)

Chand Sifarish
"hain jo iraaden bata doon tumko sharma hi jaaogi tum
dhadakanen jo suna doon tumko ghabraa hi jaaogi tum"

Paathshala(The start itself is amazing..when has one used Paathshala to describe School in Hindi songs..very fresh..It is as if some song comes about beer bar in bollywood and describes it as Madhooshala (though we definitely have that great Hindi poem Madhooshala by Mr. Harivanshrai Bachachan)

"chehre ki kitabe hain
hum vo padhne aathe hai
ye surat teri, meri
mobile library

yaron ki equation hai
love multiplication hai
jisne dil ko jeeta hai
woh alpha hai theeta hai {3} ...LOL

Loose control {2}
one more time
loose loose loose control
I am a rebel!

talle ho kar girne se
samjhee hamne gravity
ishq ka practical kiya
thab payi killarity (clarity)...too good

naa koyi padhne wala
naa koyi seekhne wala

naata yei sannata hai
dekho lamboo shor hai
har dil mei gud gud kartha H2SO4 hai...awesome line
"

p.s.s: I definitely want to write a blog post on Delhi FM channels and my experience as a regular listener for 2.5 years from 2004 mid to 2006 end. Just let me get some time..want to write especially about my favourite program Purani Jeans 9PM Radio Mirchi 98.3 by my fav RJ Saima..Only three channels were there initially Radio City 91.1 MHz "Suno Sunao City Bajao " or something like that , Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz "Mirchi sunne wale alwayz khush", Red FM -- Big 92.7FM and other new entrants came some time in July-August 2006..When I moved to Bangalore in mid 2007, all FM channels used to play Kannada songs as a part of their positioning and I observed that Udit Narain is singing more kannada songs than Hindi now a days

Segmentation and Positioning in Indian Pop

2009-11-20T02:39:00.016+05:30

Even though Alisha Chenai’s pop songs and Pop music in India have at least a decade back origin, I would say that period 1993-1994-95 was when we Indians woke up to the fact that songs can be made without the need to situate them in movie. Baba Sehagal’s RAP songs (someone said to me RAP stands for Rahein Aap Pareshan :-) Thanda Thanda Paani anyone:-)), Alisha's Made In India song and Biddu's Boom Boom song sung by Nazia Hussan(featuring a very young Anupama Verma, yes the same from Big Boss 1, Did I hear Aryan Vaid from someone? :-)) were the catalysts along with Daler Menhdi's Bolo Tara Ra.
It was the same time that we middle class Indians were slowly realizing that there are English movies apart from those in the category defined by repeating the 24th letter of English alphabet twice or thrice :-). This was courtesy Jurassic park of Spielberg. (Remember that funny scene in Satya when Shefali Chhaya and Manoj Bajpayi are trying to recall the name of this movie while having dinner with J. D. Chakravarthy and Urmila :-))(Let me share an interesting anecdote narrated by one of my friends in college. He was watching Titanic in TV(Of course, all art dilettantes who wanted to appreciate Leonardo do a live portrait of Kate Winslet were hugely disappointed with the censors going snip snip on that scene, and movie was de-toxicated for TV viewing. ). His grandmother came and scolded him something like ,"Kya gandi picture dekhte rahte ho?" and then she switches the TV channel to a Hindi movie channel showing Helen dancing in a slit-thigh gown trying to patao Amitabh in Don :-))

So, the realization that "English movies don't have songs, only OSTs and that English bands release albums without placing them in movies" and "evolution of desi pop" was almost simultaneous.

As happens in any industry with almost no barrier to entry, there were lot of new entrants with different positioning and segmentation. Following is my rough attempt to slot them. (Please don't read it as an academicic exercise but more for fun)
1.)Region

i.)Punjabi pops Daler Menhdi

ii.)Altaf Raja's targeting UP, Bihar with Subah Pehli Gaadi Se

2.)Location

i.)College – Yaaro yehi dosti hai by KK; Purani Jeans (not exactly Desi but still very popular in India)

ii.)That Girl Next Door to Your Apartment – Aankhon mein tera by Aryans( featuring Shahid – if you watch him in that video with Hrishitha Bhatt, it is so difficult to believe that a Jab We Met type restrained // Ishq Vishq type probably the most confident debut in a comic role by any male actor in recent times(Just watch the scene where Satish Shah tries to explain “Birds And Bees” to his precocious son Shahid or his advice to fake Sachin to impress Shenaz something like “haan square cut thoda kum aur apna elbow sidha rakhana ..”)// Kaminey type quirky performance is lurking inside him)

3.)Extraordinary feats

i.)Underwater shooting in Dooba Dooba

ii.)Breathless song

4.)Gender

i.)Phalguni Pathak's Maine Payal hai chhankayi(featuring Riya Sen and ,if you did not notice, Ayesha Takia in one of her first pop songs appearances, after that Complan ad she did with Shahid in her childhood I am a Complan Girl I am a Complan Boy)

5.)Age group wise

i.)For kids --> Amitabh’s classic Ek Rahein eeir, ek rahein bir, ek rahein phatte aur ek rahein hum ; Sunidhi Chauhan’s “sunk-without-a-trace” kid pop song Aira Gaira Nathhu Khaira(her first album after she won Meri Awaz Suno on DD)

ii.)teen school going/college going love by Shaan's Lovology(lovoLogy mein FIRst,....baaki sab mein Fail....humne seekha, sirf dil se dil ka mael....chemistry toh hai ek Mystery... algebra ne kha liya hai surr...physics mein hoke reh gaya mix..biology se lagta hai Durrr)

iii.)twenties love (Sonu Nigam’s Ab mujhe raat din from Deewana album(IMHO, his best album) featuring Diwakar Pundir who incidentally is the brother of my Hall senior in college, Prabhakar Pundir (won the best outgoing student of Patel Hall, IIT Kharagpur—for his GOD like skills of acing any sports, cultural events like rangoli or acads, Computer Science IIT Kharagpur, 2000 passout; MS from Uni. of California USA)

best outgoing
(Check the 1999 outgoing best student)

Diwakr Pundir on wiki

news on Diwakar

6.)Based on music genre

i.)Classical – Piya Basanti featuring Nauheed

ii.)Rock – Parikrama

iii.)International type – Seulmont by Alisha

iv.)Remix- someone rightly said “R. D. Burman kab tak inke ghar ki roji roti chaleyenge”
Nahin Nahin abhi nahin (featuring Ayesha Takia in a lift..why exactly is she taking a spoon of coffee syrup like medicine in that video .. I never understood..but it worked for me) but it degenerated into songs like Kaanta Laga which made watching the new songs trailers (one of my most favourite pastime) very difficult in family settings

7.)Psychographic/Behavioural variables/Situational/Mood segmentation

i.)Madly, Truly, Deeply wala love songs – Dooba dooba rehta huun by Silk Route

ii.)Feeling wala nostalgic love – Maaei Ri from Euphoria featuring Rimi Sen

iii.)Unrequited love – Woh Pyaar Mera featuring Amrita Rao by Alisha

iv.)Junooni pyaar – Apki Dua Hai by K.K.
Aap Ki Dua Dil Haar Gaya, Uske Roop Ne Bhi Vaar Kiya
Kaam ka Tha Bekaar Hua Kya Karun
Mujhe Naya Naam Do, Pagal Kaho
Uski Hi Dhun Mein Hoon Mujhe, Tum Deewaana Kaho
Aap Ki Dua Hai Pyaar Hua, Ishq Ka Mein Beemaar Hua
Usne Bhi to Iqraar Kiya, Kya Karun
Mujhe Naya Naam Do, Pagal Kaho
Uski Hi Dhun Mein Hoon Mujhe, Tum Deewaana Kaho
Mujhe Naya Naam Do, Pagal Kaho
Haan Mujhe Meri Khabar Nahi
Par Meri Khabar Sabhi Ko Hai
Vo Teer-e-Nazar Chubha Hai Jo

v.)Hyper-confident,possessive love – “Kaise bhulegi mera naam” from Euphoria
Tu hi meri zindagi, tu hi meri har khushi,
Kaise bhulegi mera naam!!
Dhoom chuck pichucking, dhoom chuck unh dhinadhin x 10
Kehta tha ki tu hai meri aur main tumhara
Ab tak hoon akela, main hoon yahaan, tu hai kahaan
Kehta tha ki tu hai meri aur main tumhara
Ab tak hoon akela, main hoon yahaan, tu hai kahaan
Kehta tha main chhota sa hai sansaar hamaara
Toote saare sapnein mere, chhorh chali tu mera jahaan.
Kya ho gaya sanam, kuchh to bolo sanam,
Kaampte hain hontth tere, dare-dare kyon tere nayan.
Chhorhunga na sanam, le jaaunga sanam!
Ek din banegi tu meri dulhan.
Tu hi meri zindagi, tu hi meri har khushi,
Tu hi meri preet hai tu hi hai meri jaan.
Tu hi meri dhoop hai, tu hi meri chaaon hai,
Tu hi mera dard hai, tu hi hai muskaan.
Kaise bhulegi mera naam!!
Sakhiaan teri deti taane mujhe dher sare,
Gharwaale ne tere itna bhala-bura kaha.
Din bhar kaam karoon, raaton ko main dhundhoon tare.
Samjhegi tu to mujhe isilye itna saha.
Kya ho gaya sanam, mila koi naya sanam,
Chaahegi tu aur kisi ko, mane na kyon mera yah man.
Hoga to wahi sanam, kuchh bhi karle jatan,
Ek din banegi tu meri dulhan!
Tu hi meri zindagi, tu hi meri bandagi,
Tu hi meri subah hai tu hi hai meri shaam,
Tu hi mera geet hai, tu hi mera meet hai,
Tu hi mera puja hai, tu hi hai mera Raam.
Kaise bhulegi mera naam!!
Kya hua ke agar milna sake hum, Kya hua ke mere waadon mein na dum
Pyaar to hua na kam, Jeeti tu haarein hain hum
Sun liya maine, sah liya maine, chheen lunga tujhe abki baar.
Kaayar na hoon main, jhoota na hoon main,
Kamzor na hoon, bas karta tujhe pyaar!!

vi.)Egoistic love Kabhi aana meri gully by Euphoria (my favourite band)
“Kya karegi tu ghar se nikalke, jaaegi tu kahaan,
Kya dekhegi tu Taj Mahal ko, main na hoon jo wahaan,
Kya nazar aur kya nazaare, kuchh nahin inmein baat,
Nagri-nagri kya dhoondegi, main nahi jo tere saath.
Kabhi aana tu meri gully
Tujhe palkon pe rakhoonga ji.
Baat dil ki karoon Hindustani jo hoon,
Jab jee chaahe to aaja na jee.
Kabhi aana tu meri gully-2
Kya karegi tu Kashmir jaake, swarg tera yahaan
Kya baithegi tu Ganga-kinaare, main na hoon jo wahaan.
Kya ye jannat, kya ye teerath, kuchh nahin tere kaam
Ho jaaenge dhaam saare, legi jab mera naa-ha-ha-ha-haam.”

vii.)Sensitive love – “Ab Naa Jaa” song by Euphoria featuring Vidya Balan
“Aankhen band kar loo jo mein dekhu bas tumhe
khwabo mein hi keh sakta hoon apna tumhe
rehne de mera yeh vehm pe hi yakeen
naa ja abhi
pyar ki yeh raat hain
ab na jaa
chotti si ek baat hain
ab na jaa
tumhhi se hain meri neend
naa bhi ho to kya
tumhi see hain meri battein
naa bhi ho to kya
kehne do taaro ko kahani ankahi
na jaa abhi”

viii.)Inspirational – Kya Hai Tera mantra by Euphoria
Kisne ye jaana hai ye kitna puraana hai,
Jaata kahaan ye silsila?
Phir se na aana hai ye kitna suhaana hai
Pal ye jo humko hai mila.
Kisne ye jaana hai ye kitna puraana hai,
Jaata kahaan ye silsila?
Phir se na aana hai ye kitna suhaana hai
Pal ye jo humko hai mila.
Is pal mein aao khud ko jaan lein pehchaan lein hum,
Aao dekhein jeevan ke rang sabhee,
Bhoolein na beeti jo thi, dekhenge hoga jo bhi,
Pehle jaane to sahi, kya hai tera mantra?
Hai jeet kya aur haar kya, gham aur khushi ke paar kya,
Hai megh ke aasaar kya, toofaan kya majhdhaar kya,
Hai baadlon ke paar kya, koi aur bhi sansaar kya,
Bas jaan lo hai pyaar kya, hai ye mera mantra!!
Dekho pukaarein tumhe nabh ke sitaarein,
Baahein phailaaye aasmaan,
Bahti hawaaein tumhe kahti fizaaein,
Dekho thamey na kaaravaan.
Lekar chal yaadein kal ki, karta chal tu waadein kal ke,
Is pal pe tere kadmon ke nishaan,
Dekhenge aane waale, manzil ko pane waale,
Poochhenge chalne waale, kya hai tera mantra?

ix.)“Boy asking naughty question, Girl giving sensitive answer ,then boy getting emotional wala” song

Lucky Ali + Kavita Krishnamurthy

Male:
Gori teri aankhen kahe
raat bhar sooyi nahi
chanda dekhe chupke kahi
aur taare jaante hain sabhi
ke kisne dil le liya
kisko dil de diya
yeh dil ka lagana koi jaanta nahi
Gori teri aankhen kahe
raat bhar sooyi nahi

Female
Dil mein teri yaad basi
tu samjhe ga nahi
jo hain mere paas hai tera
mera kuch nahi
kyun akhiya chupao
kyun tujhko satao
dil tod ke tera
mein kya pao
bol piya bol piya bol
piya bol piya bol piyaaa bol

saajan teri baatein badi
ke mein raat bhar sooyi nahi
chanda ne bhi dekha nahi
aur taaro ko yeh maloom nahi
ke meine tujhe dil diya
tera dil le liya
mera tu hi hain bahana
kyun manta nahi
saajan teri baatein badi
ke mein raat bhar sooyi nahi

Male
Aate jaate mausam jaise
lagte the sabhi
humne bhi to manga rab se
apna bhi koi
Duniya se bachao
palko mein chupao
dil jeet ke tera
sab ko batao
sun gori sun gori sun gori sunnn
sun gori sun gori sunnnnn

Gori teri aankhen kahe
jaane anjaane mein kahi
chanda ne bhi dekha nahi
aur taaro ne bhi jaana nahi
ke tune mujhe dil diya
mera dil de diya
mera jeene ka bahana
koi aur nahi

9.) Family relation

i.) Sibling rivalry -- Riya Sen in Jab Saamne tum aa jaate ho by Jagjit Singh and Asha Bhonsle

ii.) Maa -- Euphoria's "Sone de maa" ---Before Kya main Itna Buraa Huun Maan and Lukka Chuppi(from RDB) by Prasoon Joshi , these were some of the best lines written on that atavistic wish which everyone feels after frustrations, struggles of adult life to get back to his childhood, to let someone else care for "aanta, daal ka bhaav" , to keep doing what one likes , to just sleep at leisure without the rude alarm clocks waking you up and deadlines to be taken care of, to be simple again, neither to feel pressurized to catch up with workaholics in weekdays nor succumbing to peer pressure of "having to do the in-things" on weekends

When it was used in the soundtrack of Shootout at Lokhandwala, the lines were something like this

lyrics of Sone De Maa

Ho Maa, Ho Maa, Ho Maa
Teri Kahaani Mein Jita Tha Beta Tera
Tu Hi Bata Maa Kya Jhuta Tha Kissa Tera
Aansu Baha Na Maa, Ik Din Yeh Hona Hi Tha
Lamha Lamha Jita Jahaan, Ladate Ladate Main Thak Gaya
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 3
Sone De Maa, Sone De Maa

Kabse Hai Tumane Maa Aawaaz Di Na Koyi
Kabse Andheron Mein Ghar Mera Khoya Kahin
Sadiya Huyi Tere Aanchal Mein Soya Nahin
Lori Koyi Phir Se Suna
Chalate Chalate Main Thak Gaya
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 2
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

Aakhari Angadaayi, Nind Mujhe Aayi
Dheere Dheere Dhundala Sama
Hasate Hasate Abb Kar Vida
Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena - 2
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

Sone De Maa Main Nahi Jeena
Sone De Maa Nayyo Jeena
Sone De Maa

From Ehuphoria's site

link of this lori in Euphoria's site

Teri kahaani mein sacchayee jeeti sada,
Tu hi bata maa kya jhootha wo wishwaas tha,
Bikhri kyon maa mere sapna ka sansaar tha,
Lamha-lamha dhokha naya,
Tanha-tanha main thak gaya.

Sone de maa ab na jeena * 4

Sapna jo toota bhi, dekho main roya nahin,
Saaya jo toota bhi, khud ko main bhoola nahin,
Sadiyaan hui tere aanchal mein soya nahi.
Lamha-lamha jeeta jahaan,
Tanha-tanha main thak gaya.

10.)Those which defy characterization/refuse to be slotted

i.)Daku daddy 2008 song featuring Hrishitha Bhatt and Shakti Kapoor

11.)Aie hip hop hopper tu pyar to kar by Sunidhi 2008

p.s.:-- sigh of relief(Is there an emoticon for this?)... Done ... started at 11:30 PM now is 4:00 AM (final editing done) in between some bhaatbaaji, cell phone talks, winamp song changes, net surfing...I am enjoying this relatively peaceful week .. but this is just the lull before the storm of quizzes from next week, avalanche of classes/assignments and project submission of macro eco, organization behaviour, operations management in first week of December and then End Term from 18th December

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine That's amore

2009-11-08T16:40:00.002+05:30

Must listen song -"That's Amore" by Dean Martin

song "That's Amore" on wiki

""That's Amore" is a 1952 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks. It became a major hit, signature song for Dean Martin in 1953. Amore means "love" in Italian, giving a general translation in English "that's love"."

lyrics of song "That's Amore"

In Napoli where love is king
When boy meets girl here's what they say

When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore
Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore

(When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore
Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool)
That's amore
(When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli)
That's amore
Lucky fella

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool)
That's amore
(When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli)
That's amore, (amore)
That's amore

IIT and IIT KGP

2009-11-08T15:38:00.006+05:30

article on IIT (KGP) by its alumunus-editor of Outlook

Article on IITians life ( more insight on IIT KGP --since writer is Deputy Editor of Outlook Sandipan Deb, KGP alumunus)

Though I don't agree with many of the things(especially "the vast majority of IITians do nothing of note in their lives" part ), still it offers good insight.

Opinion
The Best Of Worlds
Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of IITians do nothing of note in their lives...
Sandipan Deb

The Best And The Brightest
Near-complete autonomy and a fanatical focus on quality make the IITs the cradle of some of the world's best talent

Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of IITians do nothing of note in their lives. Indeed, many of them became IITians because their parents told them that's what they should mug their butts off for, and aim to hit the US of A, so that's what they did. They attended classes, took notes, passed exams, took the GRE, applied to a dozen American universities, and disappeared into that country's vast technological underbelly, to reappear only in the matrimonial columns of Indian papers with a dollar salary multiplied diligently by the day's exchange rate. Or they stayed in India, working at unexceptionable jobs, doing reasonably well. In either case, they got beautiful brides (often from rich families) and presumably lived happily ever after, meeting classmates once a month and chatting about their IIT days, and how Hippo has just changed jobs, and Zap is three rungs away from the top in Cisco Systems. Each of them had intelligence well above the average, and most, exceptional academic tenacity.

A decade and a half out of IIT, I wonder how many of us IITians achieved our potential? How many went to seed in remote dusty townships, tending massive pipelines and drinking in the township club? How many wilfully walked away from their natural talents in favour of safe MNC jobs selling diapers and hire-purchase schemes? How many, trained to think rationally and without bias, never managed to figure out the nuances of Indian office politics, and were relegated to obscure corridors in huge buildings? How many, obsessed with the American dream, settled for second-rate US universities, hung in for a green card, and today work at unfulfilling jobs in Idaho?

There's another angle too to this. How many IITians, determined to stay engineers and in India, ignored the siren songs of the USA and the IIMs, and joined Indian industry, only to find that all the technical designs came from abroad, that you couldn't change them even if you knew they were flawed, that all the engineering you got to do was maintenance, and knowing all that, they either settled into mediocrity, or went off to the US or the iims?

What was my IIT education all about? It was about IITians: 400 academically exceptional boys (and 12 girls) on a campus, which, in the case of Kharagpur, where I went, was far enough from civilisation to have very interesting effects on our coming of age. Many of us were truly extraordinary. There were boys from village schools who were leagues ahead in knowledge of the urban convent-educated type. There were those who mugged night and day, or simpered at professors from first benches, and there were those who also had a vibrant and busy life outside academics. I've found that the latter did better in life, even in fields like pure research. I also had friends who never needed to study, they had been apparently born with engineering wisdom in their genes. There were guys who spent most of the semester in a drug haze, but sobered up a few days before the exams, cracked them, and went back to their pharmaceuticals. Others did not have such control. Like Allen Ginsberg, I too saw some of the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness. A few dropped out (I met one of them years later in Shillong, a stridently devout convert to Catholicism, and a lowly government clerk, but he seemed happy), a few killed themselves. But, most of us survived. I suppose we became tougher, more mature, more knowing, and more aware of our dark sides.

We lived and ate together, and shared our joys and heartbreaks and good times and bad times, in competition and camaraderie. We compared our philosophies and, bit by stumbling bit, developed our value systems. Never were stronger bonds forged between young people. Years from now, if I meet an IIT wingmate on the road, I know we will carry on as if nothing had changed, and nothing actually would have. A couple of years ago, there was a small visual trick on an Outlook cover, which was my idea. A close IIT friend, whom I had not been in touch with for years, called up from Singapore: "Some other name is mentioned in the cover credits, but it was your idea, right? I know the way you think." No one knows me better than these mates of mine from IIT.

IIT was also a whole insular world in itself, complex and complete, and it sucked us in. As The Chosen, we lived a full life with no necessity of any contact with the outside world. Totally cut off from politics and "the bigger issues", our delights remained in competing fiercely on the field or the stage with other hostels or other colleges. There were few material pleasures. Lifestyles were spartan, the food abysmal. The vast majority of males were totally deprived of female company. The girls lived a strange life-on the one hand, they were hounded by dozens of would-be suitors; on the other, they faced the petulant hostility of the majority which saw them as undeserving of so much adulation and so many free lunches.

When we graduated, we went out into the world with a rare confidence and strong tribal loyalties. The confidence eroded a bit over the years, and we learnt some humility when we discovered non-IITians as smart as we were, and also people who could outwit us because they were intelligent in a different way-in a sly political way-an acumen we had not developed in our isolated environment which, above all, inculcated a sense of fairness and a respect for ability. We came to terms with a world that compared poorly with our beloved campus, and some of us even went ahead and conquered it. Others didn't do well, but knew that the ties between them and the masters-of-the-universe classmates would never change. They were ties born of the pride of being an IITian. That pride would never diminish.

It never can.

The author, Deputy Editor of Outlook, is an Electronics Engineer from IIT Kharagpur. He also met his wife at IIT.

Jail , Madhur bhandarkar and Shawshank Redemption

2009-11-06T17:24:00.019+05:30

I am back after a month and even if one of the reasons was to clean the cobweb,dirt and dust accumulated on this blog because of one month's neglect by the housekeeper (yours truly), the main reason why I am writing one day before the last two papers(Management Accounting[consists of Cost Accounting -- the dreaded Balance Sheets and P&L which usually only create liabilities and debits in your CGPA was in first term] & Operations Management)of my Mid Term exams of Second Term here, is this review by Raja Sen(my favorite Indian movie critic, one of the few critics who understand Cinema and review it without fear or favor)

Review of "Jail" on Rediff.com by Raja Sen

I remember a year back when Fashion released, I was asked to go for it and I torpedoed the proposal saying I find Madhur Bhandarkar a pretentious director.

Mind you, just a few days back I had watched Dil Kabaddi( atrocious copy of Woody Allen's gem "Husband And Wives" with a 100% RT rating ) and I am the same person who can watch all the eighties formulaic movies on Zee Cinema non-stop.

But I find the presumed self-righteousness dripping from his movies,stars fawning over him and media lionizing and anointing him the "New Age Director" just plain nauseating.

Pray tell me what is his "Claim to This Fame?"

A completely undeserved, fortuitous National Award for Chandani Bar Or a highly over-rated Page 3 (though marginally better than his so-called "realistic" oeuvre -- Traffic Signal, Fashion, Corporate,Jail).

People say he has the ability to "shock your conscience with his hard-hitting realism". If you are referring to the scenes like actress-art director angle, socialite & foreigners with street children in page 3 or boy being assaulted in Chandani Bar, I would say either I have a very Shock-Proof, hardened conscience or you need movies to tell you " Look Man ! You Know fashion industry is all dirty..It is about drugs,egos,wardrobe malfunction". Thank You Mr. Madhur. We know that.See, we also read the same newspapers from which you cull the stories. What kind of a shock you are talking about? Only shock I feel is when I see such pedestrian cinema being hailed as "showing new direction" to Bollywood in TV channels and Only shock I see is ,when in the movie breaks of Page 3, advertisements of Havells Switches "Shock Laga! Shock Laga!!' come :-) (I know, it has been a bad day and my PJs are just not working..please bear with me)

Many people have used this strategy of getting a profession/business/social setting and basing their story on that. But it works when you bring some fresh perspectives , when you do a thorough research on the turmoils, trials and tribulations of the protagonists. When the setup is a part of the story being told, but story is not being told only because there is a setup. See, if you start discussing a movie like Shawshank Redemption with friends, you talk about hope, human determination, cool nonchalant acting of Tim Robbins and , most of all, the felicity with which Bob Gunton has played the part of a disgusting,corrupt,cruel warden.[Just watching him say "I want him found. Not tomorrow, not after breakfast - *now*" after Andy escapes is a moment of joy]

Shawsahnk on RT

Shawshank on wiki

Sahwsahnk movie quotes on imdb

Movie offers amazing insights in prison life, including how that old man refuses to go out of jail after spending most of his youth because he simply doesn't have anyone to go to. Prison is his home. And then when he is released, and he commits suicide. Then you start thinking...then you are shocked(not in that Hila Ke Rakh Diya way, but more subtly because the movie has questioned your basic assumption that everyone inside the prison wants to go out to be free..not true..prison has become such a part of their identity that even when we outsiders can see their loss of freedom, they are either not aware of it or are ready to compromise with the curbs put on their liberty..because they derive their identity from it..because they just can't fit in anywhere else..

If you'll allow me some more minutes of your valuable time and roughly 50 KB of data storage on Blogger, let me say that this is a problem you'll see in many of the arguments, issues facing India (or World)-Prison is just a metaphor and ,in reality, you may be caged because you are born in a particular religion/caste/state/nation/gender and your have sub-consciously tied your identity so closely with it that any attempt of slightest insult to the symbols of your religion/caste/state/nation/gender by such insular people from some other religion/caste/state/nation/gender is met with violent retaliation from your side. Result riots and societal disharmony. (As you would say, "Are usne Dil pe le liya hai uski baat ko").

You are more than "I am a Hindu upper caste male from most advanced state of India belonging the most upper class by income"...You are what you like, you are what makes you laugh, you are what makes you think, you are what kind of books/movies/music/games you like, "you are what you think should never be done, what can be 'its chalta hai' and what you will always do" i.e. your values, and of course, you are what makes you angry.

yes! I am talking about movies which can generate that kind of thinking and not those which resort to cardboard characters, stereotypes to tell us what we already know in the name of hard-hitting cinema(To such filmmakers, please hit me a little more hard. I still can't feel a thing).

And for that you need filmmakers who themselves don't live in their ivory towers surrounded by sycophant actors/actresses trying to get in their good books(Just read Mughda Godse's interview on Rediff.com..

"Working with the same director on films with different genres is very challenging."

(films with different genres(LOL)

Excuse Me, Ms. Mughda, but though movies can be vaguely made and vaguely talked about, words like genre have very specific meaning. Crudely speaking, Movies can be comedy,tragedy,action, suspense type--these are different genres..You don't say different genres to refer to similar documentary style movies made with different settings. Just because you have heard someone to use that word, it doesn't obligate you to use that word without knowing how to use it correctly, right Ma'am?

Meaning of word genre on Dictionary.com

Genre explained on wiki)

And such challenges can be taken up only with directors of Madhur's caliber.

"He is a very fun loving person. Jitne serious inke films hai utna hi funny hai yeh (he is as funny as his films are serious)."
(Have you noticed how before the release of any of these movies such type of fun stories start spreading in umpteen media interviews given by stars.Oh! fun loving..Is it justfun or that cliche "He works hard and parties harder" wala fun..Please elaborate)

We just didn't realize when we started shooting the film and when we finished it."(kucch hona bhi chahiye movie mein realize/yaad rakhne ke liye))

Moghda's interview on rediff.com about Jail movie

And if you did not already know this is his movie just before Chandani bar

movie Trishakti on imdb

(Yes, he was/is "that" type of director)

And then he gets, to his utmost surprise, a National Award..finds a formula and starts milking it.. Kab tak? kaath ki haandi baar baar nahin chadhti, mere bhai..

p.s.:- Before leaving let me give some links on Woody Allen movie "Husbands And Wives" mentioned up.

"Husband And Wives" on RT

"Husbands And Wives" on wiki

quotes from "Husbands And Wives" on imdb

Movie has this amazing quote:--

TV Scientist: [on TV] Einstein was celebrating his 70th birthday anniversary and there was a colloquium given for him, and he said: 'God never plays dice with the universe -'
Gabe: No, he just plays hide-and-seek. :-)

Nobel award (in Physics)

2009-10-09T02:18:00.006+05:30

When I was grappling with undergraduate level Physics for my Civil Services examination, one thing which I noticed was that it is very difficult to explain to a layman(and by that I mean anyone who didn't have PCM in their class 11th-12th) why exactly the esteemed scientists have been given the Nobel award.

I mean how do you explain "broken symmetry , fourth force" to him and will not this sentence that "The two men “developed a framework for describing the intrinsic mass of quarks which has been verified in spectacular experimental detail," evoke a "Duh" or a "So What?" sotto voce response from him. (Words in quotes taken from this article on 2008 Nobel Physics winners)

article on 2008 Physics Nobel winners

link explaining asymmetry in universe on nobelprize.org

Interestingly, asymmetry is good in Particle Physics but another type of it "Information Asymmetry" gives rise to "The Market for Lemons"(work of another Nobel laureate George Akerlof, 2001 Economics Nobel award winner) and is mostly a pejorative term in micro-economics

"The market for lemons" on wiki

George Arthur Akerlof on wiki

Information asymmetry on wiki

Information economics on wiki

But I have digressed. Why I intended to write this post was that it is relatively easy to understand and explain this year's Nobel Physics winner's works and , more importantly, the impacts of their works..I mean no fiber optics no Skype,no Youtube;no CCD(no, not Coffee Caffee Day silly, Charge-Coupled Devices :-)), no digicam...Just tell this to a skeptical school going fed-on-a-diet-of-MTV-Pepsi-Sony-Nokia teenager and probably he will say that give the Nobel awards of all the subsequent years to these three gentlemen :-)

Reuters report on Nobel 2009 Physics winners

p.s.:-- The frivolous tone of this post shouldn't let you assume that I am disparaging the works of Particle physicists(many of recent winners are from this area). This field is arguably the most glamorous to pursue your career in Physics now a days (almost like Finance(?) courses and electives in MBA colleges).

I am reminded of that problem which was there in CBSE Physics textbook of class XIth. In the first chapter , it explained what is "Science" what is a good "Theory" and what is an "Experiment". At the end there was a question something like this "Suppose someone argues with you that we can't see atoms.But we still have Bohr's model, Schrodinger wave equation to explain the orbital theory. We also can't see ghosts. Why don't physicists develop a theory of ghosts?"

It is easy to dismiss this question on first hearing to be childish, but I think this difficulty to properly connect theory with common day phenomena ,common sense and intuitive thinking(which completely fail when reading Relativity. I mean what is intuitive about gravitation being the curvature of space-time curve or mass being equal to energy, the famous equation "eee is equal to em see squared" :-)) may explain the esoteric nature of Higher Physics (Nuclear Physics, Particle Physics, Theory of Relativity).

Special theory of relativity on wiki

Special theory of relativity explained in very short

BTW, did you know that Einstein DID NOT win the Nobel for relativity (but for explaining Photoelectic effect(that light is composed of quanta called photons (precursor to quantum mechanics) and Brownian motion). Actually his idea of relativity was so much counter-intuitive and ahead of time that the greats of that era had difficulty in understanding the theory or seeing its applicability.

Do read these interesting links on how people were skeptical about relativity

Nobel presentation speech of Einstein

Nobel to Einstein

very good article in today's Hindu by the writer of The World is Flat

2009-10-09T01:54:00.003+05:30

Following is the 8th October 2009 Hindu article (syndicated from NYT) by Thomas L. Friedman("has won the Pulitzer Prize three times, twice for International Reporting (1983, 1988) and once for Commentary (2002); His book The World Is Flat, was on the New York Times Best Seller list from its publication in April 2005 until May 2007. Since July 2006, the book has sold more than two million copies."--wikipedia).

"Three bombs today’s youth are growing with" by Thomas L. Friedman

And the following lines are just toooo goood (One can always say the same things in a more mundane manner using platitudes, cliches and banal expressions but the quotations, words and his felicity with language help to drive the point that "You can't sweet-talk mother nature or market")

--------------------

As such, we’re in effect putting our kids’ future in the hands of the two most merciless forces on the planet: the Market and Mother Nature.

As the environmentalist Rob Watson likes to say, “Mother Nature is just chemistry, biology and physics.” That’s all she is. You can’t spin her, you can’t sweet-talk her, you can’t say, “Hey, Mother Nature, we’re having a bad recession, could you take a year off.” No, she’s going to do whatever chemistry, biology and physics dictate, based on the amount of carbon we put in the atmosphere, and as Watson likes to add: “Mother Nature always bats last, and she always bats a thousand.”

Ditto the market. The market is just a second by second snapshot of the balance between greed and fear. You can’t spin it or sweet-talk it. And you never know when that balance between greed and fear on the dollar is going to tip over into fear in a nonlinear way.

-----------------------------------------------

Thomas L. Friedman on wikipedia

Kanika Subramaniam-- A BITS Pilani Mechanical Engineering graduate

2009-09-30T02:31:00.004+05:30

who is making waves in Malayalam cinema...

Rediff article on Kanika

Kanika on wiki

Interview of Kanika

Divya Venkatasubramaniam (born July 3, 1982), better known by her stage names Kanika (in Tamil and Malayalam ; also misspelt as Kaniha, Kaniga or Kanihaa) and Shravanthi (in Telugu and Kannada) is an Indian actress, occasional dubbing artist, playback singer and TV anchor. Making her debut in the 2002 Tamil film Five Star(a Mani Ratnam production), she went on to work in other South Indian film industries, including Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, as well. She is perhaps best known for her performances as Eashwari in her debut film Five Star, Gayathri in Varalaru - History of Godfather and Thenmozhi in Autograph.

Rudyard Kipling's poem If

2009-09-25T17:12:00.001+05:30

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

wiki link on poem If

""If" is a poem written in 1896 by the then 31-year-old Rudyard Kipling.It was voted Britain's favorite poem in a 1995 BBC opinion poll."

"Humlog ordinary log hain--Aam Janta--The Mango People"

2009-09-20T07:51:00.017+05:30

Mohit Chauhan has undoubtedly become my favourite singer. I am not qualified/knowledgeable enough to comment intelligently on what is good about his singing, so if I can use that much bandied term, I would just say his voice is soulful and connects with you at some level.

It certainly helps that he has got some of the best songs to have come out of Bollywood in recent time. I credit Rahman for bringing him full throttle in Bombay films when he gave him the opportunity for that stirring rendition of the song Khoon Chala in Rang De Basanti. ( I remember watching this movie in Alpana theatre, Model Town , Delhi and felt that the effectiveness of the scene of police lathicharge was elevated to a different plane because this song accompanied it.). Even though his song "Sabse Picche Hum Khade" was used in the 2004 movie "Let's Enjoy", how many people really watched that movie?(6, including the director and producer? :-))

Then came Tum Se Hi from Jab We Met and he started getting his due share of recognition.

Masakalli from Delhi 6 brought out a different playful side of him.

And then comes Ye Dooriyan from Imtiaz Ali's contemporary take on relationships and love "Love Aaj Kal"

(Last scene where Saif comes to meet Deepika is so touching..
I can't help but provide a running commentary of that scene...

Deepika is in workman's clothes, painting an old fort like building..she is in old building renovation ...She is on a platform at a height close to the ceiling ....
Camera is on Deepika's face and then Saif's voice comes..
"Dekho main pile on nahin karana chahta huun"
Deepika looks down and finds Saif...Camera is on Saif's face and he says
"Magar yeh Romeo Aur Juliet, Heer ranjha, Laila Majnoo - yeh janam janam ka saath type ke log - yeh sirf kahaniyon mein hote hain, right?"
Camera back to Deepika's face for a fleeting moment and then back to Saif and he continues..
"Tum aur main..humlog ordinary log hain...aam janta--the mango people--humein marke amar nahin hona hai...humein saath rahana hai...isi janam mein saath rahna hai...kya bolti ho?"

Camera on Deepika and she says
"Angle naya hai...mujhe lagta hai..ise aur discuss karna chahiye"..
Saif-"Tum hamesha correct baat bol deti hai Jaaneman"
Deepika-"To main neeche aa jaaon"
Saif-"Aa jao kyonki yeh long distance relationship chalta hi nahin hai"

And then camera on Deepika..she breaks down..and Mohit Chauhan' voice takes over
"Kaha bhi na mene
Nahi jeena mene
Tu jo na mila
Tujhe bhule se bhi na
Bola na mene chahun fasla

Bas fasla rahein
Ban ke kasak jo kahen
Ho aur chahat yeh jawan
Teri meri mit jaani hai dooriyan
Begani hai dooriyan

Hat jani dooriyan
Fanah ho sabhi dooriyan"

And then Deepika-"Dekhte hi rahoge"
Saif-"Dar lag raha hai....toot na jaoon"
Deepika-"Tod Do".....(Just too good)

I just love this movie...Imtiaz Ali specializes in the RomCom genre..Romance Comedy...though the comedy part is a little less than Jab We Met..but is more than compensated by scenes like this and the intelligent, fresh dialogues
(Other favorites are the break up scene
Saif-"Tumne mere mail ka jawab nahin diya, tum kabhi call nahin karte, jhagde shikayat"
Deepika-"Aur kiske liye..Tum to ho nahin mere saath ...jo accha part hai, woh nahin hai...lekin jo problems hote hain"
Saif-"Yeh karo woh mat karo"
Deepika-"Woh sab hain"
Saif-"Stress"
Deepika-"Main stress nahin banana chahti"
Saif-"Of course"
Deepika-"Especially because itna acchha tha hamare bich"
Saif-"Oh God..past tense...tha.."

The scene after the song "Chor Bazari"..
Depika is visibly drunk and Saif is dropping her
Deepika-"Main chali jaaongi"
Saif-"Kisi aur ke ghar chali gayi to..koi faayda utha sakta hai"
Deepika-"Tabhi ghar tak chhodne aa rahe ho..haan"
Saif-"Faayda hona hi hai to mera ho jaaye" ...hilarious

And Deepika saying to Chowkidar,"thank you bhaiya" and then "maar dalegi firangan" :-)

"Kaun dekha,Kaun dekha,Kaun dekha,Kaun dekha, Kaun dekha,koi nahin..."

"yeh old building ka restoration karti hai..fresco,tum jante ho na fresco""Nahin main sirf disco jaanta huun" :-))

Before closing this post, let me give you the video of the song "Guncha Koi" by Mohit Chauhan..
(I have written earlier about this song..
Here is the link

link of the post on the song "Guncha Koi"

p.s.:-- Song from Kaminey "Pahli baar mohabbat ki hai" is also by Mohit Chauhan

p.s.s.:-- I slept for 9 hours(from 10 PM to 7 AM) ..first time that I have crossed 7 hours in Kozhikode campus(average is close to 5 hours)..and I have written so much...hopefully I get more time next term to sleep and keep writing as often as I like to on this blog..

p.s.s.s.:-- The song Yeh Dooriyan is written by one of my favourite song writers Irshad Kamil (Jaideep Sahni and Prasoon Joshi are the others..I am leaving out the old Gods like Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Gopal Das Neeraj(the great Hindi poet and writer of songs in some of the Dev Anand movies sung by Kishore like Phooolon ke rang se,Dil ki kalam Se from Prem Poojari;Dil Aaj Shayar Hai from Gambler(1971))).

My old post on Irshad Kamil

Guncha Koi--amazing song by Mohit Chauhan

2009-09-09T02:41:00.004+05:30

Guncha Koi Mere Naam
Movie :Main Meri Patni Aur Woh
Music Director :Mohit Chauhan
Singer:Mohit Chauhan
Lyricist:Mohit Chauhan

Guncha koi mere naam kar diya.....
GUncha koi mere naam kar diya.....
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...
GUncha koi hmm.......
Tum jaisa koi nahi is jahaan mein
Tum jaisa koi nahi is jahaan mein
Subah ko teri zulf ne shaam kar diya
Subah ko teri zulf ne shaam kar diya
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...
GUncha koi hmm.......
Mehfil mein baar baar idhar dekha kiye
Mehfil mein baar baar idhar dekha kiye
aankhon ke zazeeron ko mere naam kar diya
aankhon ke zazeeron ko mere naam kar diya
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...
Guncha koi hmm.......
Hosh bekhabar se huye unke bagair
Hosh bekhabar se huye unke bagair
Hosh bekhabar se huye unke bagair
Woh jo humse keh na sake dil ne kah diya
Woh jo humse keh na sake dil ne kah diya
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...
Guncha koi hmm.......
Guncha koi mere naam kar diya.....
Saki ne phir se mera jaam bhar diya...

Here is esnips link of this song

Get this widget

Track details

eSnips Social DNA

Doris Day's Que Sera Sera and STI

2009-09-09T00:53:00.011+05:30

Heard this wonderful song today on K-dio(IIMK Radio)

(Again, that thought came to haunt me that there is so much to enjoy, to know , to experience in this world that even if one limits one's interests to , say one or two fields like movies and music, one can just keep on exploring that field without ever reaching the possibility of exhausting it..Same holds true for any of the "complicated" issues India is facing...terrorism,casteism, J&K, India-Pak relation, North East, Poverty, unemployment...(Let's keep the World issues like global warming, trade etc. on hold till we understand India better)

As one of my favourite teachers said in the class,"Mr. X says that elect us to power and we will solve the J&K and Pak problem in three hours..three hours...three hours are not even enough to get a first reading of all the complexities of the issues..forget about getting to any sort of architecture of solution..." and probably the single most important thing which I learnt from the amazing course Social Transformation of India is that all the issues have at least two ways to approach and though it is important to take a stand(There is no neutrality involved if innocent people are being butchered either in Manipur, J&K or Gujarat), before committing ourselves to one stand , let us first know how the issue looks from the other side of the fence. In short, there are multiple ways in which issues can be seen and people may have different viewpoints on them and we have to respect each other's viewpoints and we can agree to disagree on how we look at a particular issue.)

Doris Day song Que Sera Sera on wiki

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be
Will I be pretty
Will I be rich
Here's what she said to me

Que sera sera
Whatever will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera

When I was just a child in school
I asked my teacher what should I try
Should I paint pictures
Should I sing songs
This was her wise reply

Que sera sera
Whatever will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera

When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will there be rainbows day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said

Que sera sera
Whatever will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see

Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

What will be, will be
Que sera sera...

This song featured in the movie The Man who knew too much(1956) by Hitchcock, sung by the actress in that movie Doris Day. It won the Academy Award for best song.

Following is the video of the song on youtube. The video is worth taking the effort to watch,even if in your company/institute youtube may not be allowed.

Doris Day singing Que Sera Sera in the Hitchcock's movie The Man Who Knew Too Much

"The man who knew too much" on wiki

Alfred Hitchcock on wiki

Doris Day on wiki

Movie has the Hitchcock regular James Stewart(also in Vertigo, known for his self-effacing persona, named the third Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute, after Humphrey Bogart(I have seen The Malteses Falcon, a film of the noire genre, and that amazing movie Casablanca with that marvelous (Will you please lend me some adjectives? I am running short of them :-)) quote "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."-67th in the list of "AFI's_100_Years…100_Movie_Quotes" ) and Cary Grant ( I have seen his North By Northwest, my favourite Hitchcock movie, so far..haven't seen all of them)

Humphrey Bogart on wiki

Maltese Falcon on wiki

film noire explained on wiki

Casablanca on wiki

AFI's_100_Years…100_Movie_Quotes on wiki

AFI's_100_Years..._100_Stars on wiki

North By Northwest on wiki

Cary Grant on wiki

James Stewart on wiki

Pukar(which won Anil Kapoor the national award) song "Que Sera Sera, jo bhi ho so ho" (music A. R. Rahman) shares the mukhda with it.

Melanie Oudin

2009-09-08T06:07:00.001+05:30

Melani Oudin's dream run in US Open

Height of egotism & obscure pattern in random data

2009-09-07T08:29:00.005+05:30

Jaanam dekh lo, mit gayi dooriyaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan) - 3
Kaisi sarhadein, kaisi majbooriyaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Tum chhupa na sakogi main voh raaz hoon
Tum bhula na sakogi voh andaaz hoon
Gunjta hoon jo dil mein to hairaan ho kyoon
Main tumhaare hi dil ki to aawaaz hoon
Sun sako to suno dhadkanon ki zubaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Kaisi sarhadein, kaisi majbooriyaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Main hi main ab tumhaare khayaalon mein hoon
Main jawaabon mein hoon, main sawaalon mein hoon
Main tumhaare har ek khwaab mein hoon basa
Main tumhaari nazar ke ujaalon mein hoon
Dekhti ho mujhe dekhti ho jahan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Jaanam dekh lo, mit gayi dooriyaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Kaisi sarhadein, kaisi majbooriyaan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan
Main yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan hoon, yahan

Lines from Veer Zara, lyrics by Javed Akhtar

Filmfare best lyricist award

"Most Awards
Gulzar - 9
Javed Akhtar - 8
Anand Bakshi - 4
Shailendra- 3
Sameer - 3
Shakeel Badayuni - 3

With 9 wins, Gulzar holds the record for most awards in this category, followed by Javed Akhtar with 8 awards."

Now let's look at the following table.

Interestingly Javed sahab has won all 8 of his awards in last 15 years(He started penning songs in early eighties from Silsila)with a hit ratio of more than 50%.

Also, with the exception of the first award and the latest one, all have come in consecutive years. So, will the history repeat itself and he will get the award of 2010 too? (Will this be for Gowarikar's new movie "What's Your Rashee?" )

Raashee on wiki ("Priyanka Chopra in twelve roles as Anjali (Aries), Vishakha (Taurus), Kajal (Gemini), Hansa (Cancer), Mallika (Leo), Pooja (Virgo), Rajni (Libra), Nandini (Scorpio), Bhavna (Sagittarius), Jhankhana (Capricorn), Sanjna (Aquarius), Chandrika (Pisces).Priyanka Chopra has created cinematic history by being the first actor in world cinema to play twelve different characters in a single film.")

Here is the list of the award winners and the films for which they won.
Year Lyricist Song & Film
2009 Javed Akhtar Jashn-e-Bahaara - Jodhaa Akbar
2008 Prasoon Joshi Maa - Taare Zameen Par
2007 Prasoon Joshi Chand Sifarish - Fanaa
2006 Gulzar Kajra Re - Bunty aur Babli
2005 Javed Akhtar Tere Liye - Veer Zaara
2004 Javed Akhtar Kal Ho Naa Ho - Kal Ho Naa Ho
2003 Gulzar Saathiya - Saathiya
2002 Javed Akhtar Mitwa - Lagaan
2001 Javed Akhtar Panchhi Nadiya - Refugee
2000 Anand Bakshi Ishq Bina - Taal
1999 Gulzar Chal Chaiyyan Chaiyyan - Dil Se
1998 Javed Akhtar Sandese Aate Hain - Border
1997 Javed Akhtar Ghar Se Nikalte - Papa Kehte Hain
1996 Anand Bakshi Tujhe Dekha - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge
1995 Javed Akhtar Ek Ladki - 1942--A Love Story
1994 Sameer Ghunghat Ki Aad - Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke
1993 Sameer Teri Umeed Tera Intezaar - Deewana
1992 Gulzar Yaara Seeli Seeli - Lekin
1991 Sameer Nazar Ke Saamne - Aashiqui
1990 Asad Bhopali Dil Deewana Bin - Maine Pyar Kiya
1989 Gulzar Mera Kuch Saaman - Ijaazat
1988 no award
1987 no award
1986 Vasant Dev Dil Kyon - Utsav
1985 Hasan Kamal Aaj Ki Awaz - Aaj Ki Awaz
1984 Gulzar Tujse Naaraz Nahin - Masoom
1983 Santosh Anand Mohabbat Hai Kya Cheez - Prem Rog
1982 Anand Bakshi Tere Mere Beech - Ek Duje Ke Liye
1981 Gulzar Hazar Rahen - Thodisi Bewafai
1980 Gulzar Aane Wale Pal - Gol Maal
1979 Anand Bakshi Aadmi Musafir Hain - Apnapan
1978 Gulzar Do Deewane Shaher - Gharaonda
1977 Sahir Ludhianvi Kabhi Kabhie - Kabhi Kabhie
1976 Indeevar Dil Aisa Kisine - Amanush
1975 Santosh Anand Main Na Bhooloonga - Roti Kapda Aur Makan
1974 Gulshan Bawra Yaari Hai Imaan Mera - Zanjeer
1973 Varma Malik Jai Bolo Be Imaan
1972 Hasrat Jaipuri Zindagi Ek Safar - Andaz
1971 Varma Malik Sabse Bada Nadaan - Pehchaan
1970 Neeraj Kaal ka Pahiya - Chanda Aur Bijli
1969 Shailendra Main Gaaon Tum So Jaao - Brahmchari
1968 Gulshan Bawra Mere Desh Ki Dharti - Upkaar
1967 Hasrat Jaipuri Baharon Phool Barsao - Suraj
1966 Rajendra Krishan Tumhi Mere Mandir - Khandan
1965 Majrooh Sultanpuri Chahoonga Main Tujhe - Dosti
1964 Sahir Ludhianvi Jo Wada Kiya - Taj Mahal
1963 Shakeel Badayuni Kahin Deep Jale - Bees Saal Baad
1962 Shakeel Badayuni Husnawale Tere Jawab - Gharana
1961 Shakeel Badayuni Chaudhvin Ka Chand - Chaudhvin Ka Chand
1960 Shailendra Sab Kuch Seekha - Anari
1959 Shailendra Yeh Mera Deewanapan - Yahudi

Completely Arbit post...

2009-09-07T03:16:00.004+05:30

This year's CAT is going to be online.

So we are the last ones to bell the CAT with just pen and paper...This year they will need the whole computer and, particularly a mouse to catch the cat ...:-)

(I know! I know!! that it is a stale expression and that it is the first in list of "Expressions Soon To Get A 'Cliche' Status" prepared by SMCEL (Society For Monitoring Cliches in English Lanuguage )

www.SMCEL.com

If you are thinking what is the point of this whole arbit post and it probably is all "gas", guess what? You are right.

I didn't have anything else to say except to write something to keep the faithful followers of my blog from deserting my "comment-starved blog"....the number is so abysmally low that I don't even need the fingers of both hands to count the members of exclusive club, "Followers of www.byomblog.blogspot.com" .

I guess others believe in that Groucho Marx (about whom Woody Allen said,""Groucho Marx was the best comedian this country ever produced. [...] He is simply unique in the same way that Picasso or Stravinsky are.") saying, "I don't want to belong to any club which will accept me as member"

This page has some more of Groucho Marx witticisms:--

quotes of Groucho Marx

Here is wiki link on Groucho Marx:--

Groucho Marx on wiki

Oh and before I forget, let me end this random post with something useful.( I vaguely remember having started this post talking about something related to online CAT...:-)) Prometric , which is the company in-charge of this year's CAT, has put this link on their website to judge their preparedness by running CAT demo. Only if the manufacturing companies had so much luxury of giving sample runs at such large scale before bringing out their products in the market. I know that some of FMCGs are doing this but that is on a much smaller scale. I think almost all CAT takers of this year will go through this demo and the company will almost have done a mock CAT before the actual CAT.

link of CAT demo on prometric website

prometric company on wiki

Afterthought:- This type of sample run may not always be feasible. Imagine a doctor who says to his patient, "I have learnt of a new way to operate and was seeking to have a few dry-runs. Would you please consent to be the guinea pig?" :-)

I didn't know that..

2009-09-06T01:55:00.002+05:30

Question: Who has produced all of Quentin Tarantino's movies (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill 1 & 2, Inglorious Basterds)?

Answer: Lawrence Bender

Lawrence Bender on wiki

Came to know about him when I was reading about the movie Voces inocentes (Innocent Voices), which was shown as part of that amazing course Social Transformation Of India

Voces Inocentes on imdb

Voces Inocentes on wiki

Voces Inocentes on rt

upcoming movie Mohandas by Mazhar Kamran

2009-09-02T06:04:00.005+05:30

While watching Kaminey for the second time within a space of 15 days (in the Fame Adlab, InOrbit Mall, Mumbai on Sunday, first time in Kozhikode's Crown theatre), I was particularly impressed by the trailor of this movie Mohandas. Though the leitmotif is identity theft of a lower/middle class person Mohandas in some non-metro town of India, trailor itself makes clear that this is going to be an intelligent movie covering different aspects of contemporary India

This is the Rediff interview with the director

Rediff interview

p.s.:-- I have often heard this joke, if you watch a movie multiple times
"Why did he watch the movie a second time?"
"because he couldn't understand it it the first time"

In case of Kaminey, movie is so multi-layered, so much thought has been put in each scene, dialogue, songs that the movie really merits multiple viewings. And, please somebody file a petition in Supreme Court banning people from mentioning Sanjay Gupta and Quentin Tarantino in the same sentence after watching Kaante. Vishal Bhardwaj is truly India's Tarantino.

This review on PFC(passionforcinema.com) by Neeraj Ghaywan captures some of the insights on this amazing movie

review on PFC

Marketing police force

2009-09-02T05:30:00.005+05:30

Recently released book "Policing: Reinvention strategies in a marketing framework" talks about applying marketing principles to Indian police force.

Following is the review of the book by Mr. R. K. Raghavan(former CBI director who has been recently appointed by Supreme Court as chief of SIT probing Gujarat riots)

Hindu review of the book

"Punjab Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rohit Choudhary, currently on deputation with the NCRB in Delhi, has joined a select band of Punjab civil servants who have taken to book writing.

Rohit an IIT graduate from Roorkee, belongs to the 1988 batch of the IPS and has had stints as police chief in three districts, besides managing a couple of police ranges before his elevation as an Inspector-General."

( news about Mr. Chidambaram releasing the book )

My Trial

2009-08-28T17:56:00.005+05:30

I wrote this in January 2003 for my college Hall magazine.

My Trial

The stories are meant to amuse but at the moment weighed by my own sense of heavy guilt, I am at the worst case of writer's block and I want to push a purely personal problem through this story. You may accuse me of washing my dirty linen in public, but do I have a choice? Can I be a judge in my own prosecution?
So, let me put before you the facts of this case. I will try to keep the facts detached from my interpretation, but human as I am, if they do creep in, you will have to bear with me.

I was six year old at that time and was one among the many that lived in this
non-descript village. My father, sister and mother-that was my world before that ill-fated train ride. I was naive who believed that men are inherently good. I was gullible who was repeatedly told that good always triumphs over evil.

And on that day, we were traveling by Swarnamati Express. I was not in the best of my moods. To me, trains had become synonymous with eatables. But, as if sensing the future, all the pheriwallas were conspicuously absent. The occasional cries of "chai garam" didn't do me any good.

The train reached a station. I tried to read the name of the station.
"Po---kh----ra! Pokhra!!!Papa. This is Pokhra station."
"Yes"

Suddenly I spotted a tea stall owner. With his imposing height and long beard, he was busy with his customers.
"Papa, he has something to eat. I want it."

My father, who usually didn't yield to my peremptory orders, suddenly seemed too docile and got down to bring something for me.

People of religion X were there on platform. They were raising slogans in name of their God and had banners, placards and ribbons round their forehead. (Incidentally, I, too belong to X religion, based on the single undeniable fact that I was born in X family.)

Amidst the din and obstructed view, I could barely see or hear my father. But it looked to me as if there was some hot argument between tea stall owner and few X people including my father. Before I knew, there was total commotion on platform. Shutters of windows were drawn. My father comes inside with his dress ruffled and brows knit. He looked worried. I didn't dare to ask for anything. He kept muttering, "This shouldn't have happened."

The train started with a jerk and windows were opened. With the whiff of fresh air which came in, the pall of Pokhra seemed to pass (or were we letting our guard too early?)

The train stopped one hundred and sixty seconds after it started (I know it! I know it!! I was looking at my father's watch wondering what was inside this which discriminated in favor of second hand and moved it faster than minute and hour hands.)

Train was getting late and passengers chafed at the bit.

I then saw what stubbornly refuses to be wiped by time. A mob of people were rushing towards our coach. They were shouting the name of their God (which was different from us as they belong to Y religion.) I turned to ask my father "Papa, why was train--?" but stopped on seeing that look of terror and helplessness in his eyes.
My father ,my strong father never looked as vulnerable as now. Meanwhile, cries of "Help us" ranted the air. The whole coach was on fire. Flames of fire like tongues of demon danced before us. The smoke and smell of charred bodies became unbearable for me.

I lost my naivety, gullibility and consciousness in one go. And so it was some time before I came to know that my world had lost three quarters of its population. Many worlds were destroyed. In total, fifty eight peoples didn't see the day light again.

I woke up to find another bearded person looking at me. I searched his eyes for hatred towards me, all I found was sympathy. Didn't he know about my being of X religion? He looked as if he wouldn't have cared had he knew this also.
I said, "My Papa!". He said with palpable sadness, "None in that coach S-6 survived except you." I again fell unconscious.

I woke up again only to find myself in the bearded person's house. His wife was happy to see me. She asked, "You want something to eat?" I said "Yes."

You may accuse me of being opportunistic, of being co-opted by a new religion which played its part in my father's killing. But, as a six year old, my religious moorings were not strong enough to override my hunger pangs. In a space of two months, I got used to my new family. I especially liked the bearded person. We together spent evenings playing. I could not forget my old decimated world but couldn't help myself getting sucked into a whole new world of saintly, bearded man and his angelic wife.

In the meanwhile, our villages were burning. X men were killing Y men, despoiling their God, burning children. In this emotionally charged atmosphere, police and the state shed their impartiality and helped perpetrate the genocide either covertly by being silent spectators to the brutalities or sometimes in a more overt, brazen way by leading predators to preys.

It had been three months. Barring sporadic incidents, the violence seemed to subside- eight hundred and eighty eight people were killed.

I felt pretty much secure, but I couldn't say same for my mentors-the bearded man and his wife. Though they tried to put a brave face, I could sense the fear and terror beneath the veneer of normalcy they tried to project before me.

One night someone knocked our door. The bearded man took his pistol with him and asked, "Who is it?" "Police. We have to search your house.". He opened the door gingerly only to let a storm of people pull him out of the door. They had Trishul in their hands and were raising slogans in the name of their Gods. They started beating, abusing the man. I was frightened. His wife ran outside. One of them carrying a Trishul came to me, "Why do you live with them? Don't you know they are Y?" I hawled, "Leave them." They disrobed the man and his wife. There was fire burning round the ground. They pushed them in that. They were thirty in all against two.

The smoke and smell of charred bodies became unbearable for me. I lost unconsciousness. I lost my second world.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't you find me responsible for the killing of nine hundred and fifty three people from both the religions? Where and when did it all start? It was from that scuffle between my father and the tea stall owner, wasn't it? Why did my father went to that tea stall owner?to fetch me something.

You may say I don't have any mens rea. But, the albatross round my neck now has a weight of nine hundred and fifty three people. I can't bear it anymore.

I find a deeper rooted, seemingly preposterous but plausible motive. Were there forces that were bent upon severing any familial ties I may form? When I was as X man, these forces came garbed in people with beard. When I became Y man, they came carrying Trishuls? It seems to me these forces have hidden their ulterior motives behind their religiosity. (Do I sound like a precocious six year old? But the events of these few months were so rapid; I literally had to outgrow myself to keep pace.)

Let me tell you one thing, if you intend to pronounce me guilty, I would like to bring two of my accomplices in the court -God of religion X and the God of religion Y. Because were it not that the bearded men ,who burnt the coach S-6, shouted that their God was great? And did not the men with Trishul claimed to carry out murders to uphold the dignity of their God?

To me everything seems to be orchestrated by these Gods only, perhaps in collusion with each other.

And now I can't convince myself to call him God, who is invisible, perhaps just a notion but in whose name so many lives were lost, can you? I pause for a reply.

Gori teri aankhen kahe, raat bhar soyi nahin

2009-08-22T06:31:00.011+05:30

This song by Lucky Ali and Kavita Krishnamurthy is one of my favourite and it suddenly seemed to acquire a new meaning yesterday when our whole section (along with two other sections)had mass night out to meet the submission deadline of Management Accounting(ManAc) assignment.

Those whose favourite pastime is to look for political incorrectness in other's writings may categorize this as a sexist joke (If you tell a girl studying in IIM,"Gori teri aankhen kahe, raat bhar soyi nahin",instead of the interesting answers you are expecting, you may get an answer like, "Haan yaar, ManAc ka assignement jo karna tha"), but the choice of words is more a matter of convenience than stereotyping women. To see what happens to the joke, just replace these three words with their masculine counterparts, (If you tell a boy studying in IIM,"Gora teri aankhen kahe, raat bhar soya nahin", you may get answer, "Haan yaar, ManAc ka assignement jo karna tha") :-) doesn't sound good na?
(BTW, Is there some gender neutral term which is equivalent to gori and can cover for both sexes like chairperson, or using "one" instead of "his/her" when talking about a generic person.)

You can listen/download this song from 4shared.com

Lyrics of song

Male:
Gori teri aankhen kahe
raat bhar sooyi nahi
chanda dekhe chupke kahi
aur taare jaante hain sabhi
ke kisne dil le liya
kisko dil de diya
yeh dil ka lagana koi jaanta nahi
Gori teri aankhen kahe
raat bhar sooyi nahi

Female
Dil mein teri yaad basi
tu samjhe ga nahi
jo hain mere paas hai tera
mera kuch nahi
kyun akhiya chupao
kyun tujhko satao
dil tod ke tera
mein kya pao
bol piya bol piya bol
piya bol piya bol piyaaa bol

saajan teri baatein badi
ke mein raat bhar sooyi nahi
chanda ne bhi dekha nahi
aur taaro ko yeh maloom nahi
ke meine tujhe dil diya
tera dil le liya
mera tu hi hain bahana
kyun manta nahi
saajan teri baatein badi
ke mein raat bhar sooyi nahi

Male
Aate jaate mausam jaise
lagte the sabhi
humne bhi to manga rab se
apna bhi koi
Duniya se bachao
palko mein chupao
dil jeet ke tera
sab ko batao
sun gori sun gori sun gori sunnn
sun gori sun gori sunnnnn

Gori teri aankhen kahe
jaane anjaane mein kahi
chanda ne bhi dekha nahi
aur taaro ne bhi jaana nahi
ke tune mujhe dil diya
mera dil de diya
mera jeene ka bahana
koi aur nahi

gori teri aanken

Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar article on "changing world of Ads and entertainment" (August 20, 2009, Thursday)

2009-08-22T05:26:00.011+05:30

Even though it is very difficult with the hectic schedule here, I usually try to read the Brand Line which is a four page supplement of Business Line ,comes out every Thursday and is ,in IMHO, must read for all marketing (more specifically advertisement and branding) enthusiasts

Business Line article on "changing world of Ads and entertainment" by Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar

This article is by Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar, an IIMB alumunus and a visiting professor at IIMB, IIMK and IIMI. He founded Integrated brand-comm, in 1998, a niche communications company headquartered in Bangalore with seven offices pan-India.Read this about him on Internet "He made the switch from finance to advertising in 1983, a courageous move that he has never regretted."

link of the article on the blog of Ramanujam Sridhar

Here is Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar talking about MBA and IIM

Mr.Ramanujam Sridhar on MBA degree

Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar article in Business Line about IPL, Ads & ZooZoo

Here is his blogger profile

blogger profile of Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar

Here is a write-up on Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar

Write-up on Mr. Ramanujam Sridhar

I am pasting it below

"Ramanujam Sridhar, an MBA graduate from IIM Bangalore made the switch from finance to advertising in 1983, a courageous move that he has never regretted. Without a single look back he assisted in the creation of market winners like BPL, Digital, Van Heusen, Weekender, United Breweries, Birla AT&T, Videocon, Kurl-on, Wrigley and Dalmia Cements.

In his remarkably successful career he has held positions such as Executive Director at R K Swamy, CEO of Pratibha Advertising and Senior Vice President at Mudra. His success is unrivalled and is the embodiment of good old-fashioned hard work and team spirit.

He is a visiting professor at his alma mater IIM Bangalore as well as IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, SDM Institute of Management, Mysore and has delivered a lecture at the Ivy League Cornell University, USA. He has also had the privilege of holding the distinguished title of President of the Advertising Club, Bangalore and is a former President of the IIM ‘B’ Alumni Association.

Along with other experts in the field he has developed a series of Brand Management and Advertising Courses and Workshops. Major Indian corporations and large Multinational companies such as 3M, Tata Tele Services, NDDB and the Hindu, have profited immensely from these seminars

Among the myriad hats he wears, Ramanujam Sridhar also carries the title of the “Third Umpire” in the vast and formidable world of Indian branding. One he often describes as bearing a strong resemblance to a thorny crown. Sridhar has authored several articles addressing a number of relevant issues (sometimes with irreverent honesty but always with facile humor) in the mainstream business press. He has authored the “Third Umpire” column in Business Line and the “Ad Speak” column in the Deccan Herald for several years.

In 1998, he launched his own company, brand-comm, which promises a holistic treatment for brands comprising of the basic factors of identity, positioning, repositioning and strategy. Brand-comm’s impressive list of clientele includes Philips Innovation Campus, Pantaloons and MindTree Consulting, among many others.

Sridhar is a member of the Advisory Council of Bharatidasan Institute of Management, Trichy, and M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Management, Bangalore. Moving into an arena he has long had a keen interest in, Sridhar recently signed on as a professional counselor on a voluntary basis at Viveka Counselling Center. He is also a trustee in Vishranti, an organization committed to helping senior citizens.

In over twenty years of his career in advertising and marketing he has had his head firmly burrowed in the phenomena that separates the great brands from the mediocre. With characteristic charm and modesty he brushes aside his own contributions to the building of well–known brands in India but the Advertising Club of Madras recently honored him for those contributions. His inspirational book, “One land one billion minds”, that delves into the nuances of the advertising industry in India, is a must-read for anyone in the Industry."

Words

2009-08-14T03:49:00.005+05:30

Used to like this song a lot during college days..This song was a regular on MTV Select some time back when MTV was true to its name Music TV and had not degenerated in to the most unreal channel playing 24*7 reality shows (splitsvilla and roadie et al)(BTW,If this is the real India, isn't it a little scary?)

This song was originally written and sung by Bee Gees and was later performed by Boyzone in their 1996 album

Smile an ever lasting smile
a smile can bring you near to me
don't ever let me find you gone
'cause that would bring a tear to me
this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now my love
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

talk in ever lasting words
and dedicate them all to me
and I will give you all my life
i'm here if you should call to me
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

da da da da da da da
da da da da da da da da da da
da da da da da da da
da da da da da da da da da da

this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now my love
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

Here is an esnips widget which plays this song

Get this widget

Track details

eSnips Social DNA

Poem from Harold and Kumar 2"I’m sure that I will always be a lonely number like root three"

2009-08-09T04:28:00.004+05:30

Found this brilliant poem in someone's ORKUT profile:---

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed

"Squire Root Of Three" on Wiki

"David_B._Feinberg, writer of this poem, attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in mathematics and studying creative writing with novelist John Hersey. He subsequently worked as a computer programmer for the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) and also pursued a Master's degree in linguistics at New York University. He completed his first novel, Calculus, in 1979, although it has never been published. Feinberg himself described the novel as "godawful", telling one interviewer that it was a novel that "only an MIT math major could have written"." -- taken from Wiki link given below

David Feinberg, writer of this poem, on Wiki

Movie "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" on imdb

Movie "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" on wiki

Movie "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" on RT

Chetan Bhagat writes short story for HT Brunch edition 27th July 2009

2009-08-08T18:04:00.015+05:30

It's a story about slogging, mugging, studies, marks, India's educational system...

is just too apt with the mid term going around

Read the story here(story is spread over 4 web pages)...
Link to first page of the story "The cut off"

HT link of Chetan Bhagat's story

I am pasting the story here as above link is not working now:--

Everyone will give you an opinion on how to live your life. No one, no one will give you good advice on how to end it. Worse, they will tell you to continue living, without any respect for individual choice. Yes, hi, I’m Gautam Arora, and after eighteen wonderful years in Delhi, I’ve decided to end my life.

I sat with my best friend Neeraj and his girlfriend Anjali at Costa Coffee, DLF Metropolitan Mall in Saket. The coffee is way overpriced, but considering I had a day to live, I didn’t mind getting ripped off.

“The joke isn’t that funny,” Neeraj said, tearing open the second sachet of brown sugar and mixing it for his girlfriend. If this girl can’t mix sugar in her coffee, I wonder what she will be like after marriage.

“Do I look like I am joking? You are in medical college, and as a friend and someone two years elder to me, I am asking your advice on what is the most painless, graceful way to go. And ideally, it should be available at the friendly neighbourhood chemist,” I said. I ordered a chocolate fudge cake. What are a few extra calories on your last day?

Anjali kept quiet, her iPod plugged in her ears. She had come to the mall to shop with her boyfriend rather than meet me. Neeraj said he only dated Anjali as her father had given her a car and driver, which made it easy to go around. Besides, she looked ok. She was pretty enough to invite a second stare from men, though that’s hardly an achievement in Delhi where men’s standards can be quite modest.

“Dude, you topped your school. How much did you score in your class XII boards again?” Neeraj said.
“Ninety two per cent,” I said.
“Ninety what?” Neeraj said as he ripped out Anjali’s earphones, “Anjali, the dude scored ninety two per cent in commerce! Do you know of anyone who has scored that much?”
Anjali shook her head.
“Wow, you must have studied a lot,” she said.
I nodded. I had done nothing but study in the last two years.
“No time for hobbies?” she said.
I shook my head. My only hobbies were eating three meals and sleeping five hours a day. The rest of the time was with my books.
“With ninety two, you should be fine,” Neeraj said.
“Not according to SRCC, not according to Stephen’s and not according to Hindu, oh what the heck,” I said as I opened my rucksack.
I gave him the special admissions supplement from the newspaper. I had snucked it out early morning so mom and dad wouldn’t see it.
“Wow, check out Lady Sri Ram. B.Com Honours is at 95.5 per cent!” Neeraj said.
“That’s a girl’s college,” Anjali said.
“I know,” I said.
“Don’t worry, he wouldn’t have made it anyway. Anjali, why don’t you go spend some of your father’s money,” Neeraj said and winked at me.
Anjali and I both gave Neeraj a dirty look. Neeraj air-kissed Anjali and gestured to her to leave.
Seriously, don’t kill yourself. To us, you are still the school topper,” Neeraj said after Anjali left.
“So what do I do?” I said, my voice loud, “stay back in school? This topper tag makes things worse. My parents already threw a party for our friends and relatives like I have made it big time in life. I cut a cake with the icing ‘family superstar’.”
“Nice,” Neeraj said.
“Not nice at all. All relatives congratulated my mother. They see me as the next hotshot investment banker on Wall Street. The least they expect me to do is get into a good college in DU.”
“There are still some colleges that you will get,” Neeraj said as I cut him off.
“But none with the same brand value. Thus, you can’t get a decent job after them. You can’t get into the top MBA school.”
Neeraj pushed my coffee cup towards me. I hadn’t touched it. I picked it up and brought it close to my mouth but couldn’t drink it.
“I made one tiny calculation error in my math paper,” I said, “read one stupid unit conversion wrong. That’s it. If only...”
“If only you could chill out. You are going to college, dude! Branded or not, it is always fun.”
“Screw fun,” I said. “What kind of kids are they taking in anyway?” Neeraj said, “you have to be a bean-counter stickler to get ninety seven per cent. Like someone who never takes chances and revises the paper twenty times.”

“I don’t know, I revised it five times. That stupid calculation...”
“Gautam, relax. That paper is done. And sticklers don’t do well in life. Innovative and imaginative people do.”
“That’s not what DU thinks. You don’t understand, my father has proclaimed in his office I will join SRCC. I can’t go to him with a second rung college admission. It’s like his whole life image will alter. Hell, I won’t be able to deal with it myself.”

An SMS from Anjali on Neeraj’s phone interrupted our conversation. At Kimaya, tried fab dress. Come urgently, want your opinion. Neeraj typed the reply back. Honey, it looks great. Buy it.

Neeraj grinned as he showed me his response. “I think you should go,” I said. Rich dads’ daughters can throw pretty nasty tantrums. Neeraj took out the money for coffee. I stopped him. “My treat,” I said. Leave people happy on your last day, I thought. “Of course, I take this as your treat for cracking your boards,” Neeraj said and smiled. He ruffled my hair and left. I came out of the mall and took an auto home.

I met my parents at the dinner table. “So when will the university announce the cut-offs?” my father said.
“In a few days,” I said. I looked up at the dining table fan. No, I couldn’t hang myself. I can’t bear suffocation.
My mother cut mangoes after dinner. The knife made me think of slitting my wrists. Too painful, I thought and dropped the idea.

“So now, my office people are asking me, ‘when is our party?’,” my father said as he took a slice.
“I told you to call them to the party we did for neighbours and relatives,” my mother said.
“How will they fit with your brothers and sisters? My office people are very sophisticated,” my father said.
“My brothers are no less sophisticated. They went to Singapore last year on vacation. At least they are better than your family,” she said.

My father laughed at my mother’s sullen expression. His happiness levels had not receded since the day I received my result.

“My office people want drinks, not food. Don’t worry, I’ll do another one for them when he gets into SRCC or Stephen’s.”
My father worked in the sales division of Tata Tea. We had supplied our entire set of neighbours with free tea for the last five years. As a result, we had more well-wishers than I’d have liked.
“Even my country head called to congratulate me for Gautam. He said – nothing like Stephen’s for your brilliant son,” my father said.
“Gupta aunty came from next door. She wanted to see if you can help her daughter who is in class XI,” my mother said.
Is she pretty, I wanted to ask, but didn’t. It didn’t matter. I came to my room post dinner. I hadn’t quite zeroed down on the exact method, but thought I should start working on the suicide letter anyway. I didn’t want it to be one of the clichéd ones – I love you all and it is no one’s fault, and I’m sorry mom and dad. Yuck, just like first impressions, last impressions are important too. In fact, I didn’t want to do any silly suicide letter. When it is your last, you’d better make it important. I decided to write it to the education minister. I switched on my computer and went to the Education Department website. Half the site links were broken. There was a link called “What after class XII?” I clicked on it, it took me to a blank page with an under construction sign. I sighed as I closed the site. I opened Microsoft Word to type.

Dear Education Minister,
I hope you are doing fine and the large staff of your massive bungalow is treating you well. I won’t take much of your time.

I’ve passed out of class XII and I’ve decided to end my life. I scored ninety-two per cent in my boards, and I have a one foot high trophy from my school for scoring the highest. However, there are so many trophy holding students in this country and so few college seats, that I didn’t get into a college that will train me to the next level or open up good opportunities.

I know I have screwed up. I should have worked harder to get another three per cent. However, I do want to point out a few things to you. When my parents were young, certain colleges were considered prestigious. Now, forty years later, the same colleges are considered prestigious. What’s interesting is that no new colleges have come up with the same brand or reputation level. Neither have the seats expanded in existing colleges fast enough to accommodate the rising number of students.

I’ll give you an example. Just doing some meaningless surfing, I saw that 3.8 lakh candidates took the CBSE class XII exam in 1999, a number that has grown to 8.9 lakh in 2009. This is just one board, and if you take ICSE and all other state boards, the all India total number is over ten times that of CBSE. We probably had one crore students taking the class XII exam this year.

While not everyone can get a good college seat, I just want to talk about the so-called good students. The top 10 per cent alone of these one crore students is ten lakh children. Yes, these ten lakh students are their class toppers. In a class of fifty, they will have the top-5 ranks.

One could argue that these bright kids deserve a good college to realise their full potential. Come to think of it, it would be good for our country too if we train our bright children well to be part of the new, shining, gleaming, glistening or whatever you like to call the globalised India.

But then, it looks like you have stopped making universities. Are there ten lakh top college seats in the country? Are there even one lakh? Ever wondered what happens to the rest of us, year after year? Do we join a second rung college? A deemed university? A distance learning programme? A degree in an expensive, racist country?

Your government runs a lot of things. You run an airline that never makes money. You run hotels. You want to be involved in making basic stuff like steel and aluminum, which can easily be made by more efficient players. However, in something as important as
shaping the young generation, you have stepped back. You have stopped making new universities. Why?

You have all the land you want, teachers love to get a government job, education funds are never questioned. Still, why? Why don’t we have new, A-grade universities in every state capital for instance?
Oh well, sorry. I am over reacting. If only I had not done that calculation error in my math paper, I’d be fine. In fact, I am one of the lucky ones. In four years, the number of candidates will double. So then we will have a college that only has 99 per cent scorers.

My parents were a bit deluded about my abilities, and I do feel bad for them. I didn’t have a girlfriend or too many friends, as people who want to get into a good college are not supposed to have a life. If only I knew that slogging for twelve years would not amount to much, I’d have had more fun.
Apart from that, do well, and say hello to the PM, who as I understand, used to teach in college.
Yours truly,
Gautam
(Poor student)

I took a printout of the letter and kept it in my pocket. I decided to do the act the next morning. I woke up as the maid switched off the fan to sweep the room. She came inside and brought a box of sweets. A fifty-year-old woman, she had served us for over ten years. “What?” I said as she gave me the box. It had kaju-barfi, from one of the more expensive shops in the city. The maid had spent a week’s salary distributing sweets to anyone known to her. “My son passed class XII,” she said as she started her work. “How much did he score?” I said, still rubbing my eyes. “Forty two per cent. He passed English too,” she said as her face beamed with pride. “What will he do now?” I said. “I don’t know. Maybe his own business, he can repair mobile phones,” she said. I went to the bathroom for a shower. I realised the newspaper would have come outside. I ran out of the bathroom. I picked up the newspaper from the entrance floor. I took out the admissions supplement, crumpled it and threw it in the dustbin kept outside the house. I came back inside the house and went back into the shower.

I left the house mid-day. I took the metro to Chandni Chowk and asked my way to the industrial chemicals market. Even though I had left science after class X, I knew that certain chemicals like Copper Sulphate or Ammonium Nitrate could kill you. I bought a pack of both compounds. As I passed through the lanes of Chandni Chowk, I passed a tiny hundred square feet jalebi shop. It did brisk business. I thought my last meal had to be delicious. I went to the counter and took a quarter kilo of jalebis.

I took my plate and sat on one of the two rickety benches placed outside the shop.

A Muslim couple with a four-year-old boy came and sat on the next bench. The mother fed the boy jalebi and kissed him after each bite. It reminded me of my childhood and my parents, when they used to love me unconditionally and marks didn’t exist. I saw the box of Ammonium Nitrate and tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t eat the jalebis. I came back home. I wondered if I should use my chemicals before or after dinner. Maybe it is better after everyone has slept, I thought.

We sat at the dinner table. Dad had told mom not to cook as he’d brought Chinese takeaway for us. Mom brought the soya sauce, chilli oil and the vinegar with cut green chillies in little katoris. We ate American chopsuey on stainless steel plates. I looked at my watch, it was 8 pm. Three more hours, I thought as I let out a sigh.

“One thing Kalpana,” my father said to my mother, “job candidates aren’t what they used to be these days. I interviewed for new trainees today, disappointing.”
“Why, what happened?” my mother said.
“Like this boy from Stephen’s, very bright kid. But only when it came to his subjects.”
“Really?” my mother said.
“Yeah, but I asked him a different question. I said how would you go about having a tea-shop chain like the coffee shop chains, and he went blank,” my father said, an inch of noodle hanging outside his mouth. My mother removed it from his face.
“And then some kid from SRCC. He topped his college. But you should have seen his arrogance. Even before the interview starts, he says ‘I hope at the end of our meeting, you will be able to tell me why I should join Tata Tea and not another company’. Can you imagine? I am twice his age.”

I could tell my father was upset from his serious tone.
“If you ask me,” my father continued, “the best candidate was a boy from Bhopal. Sure, he didn’t get into a top college. But he was an eighty per cent student. And he said ‘I want to learn. And I want to show that you don’t need a branded college to do well in life. Good people do well anywhere.’ What a kid. Thank God we shortlisted him in the first place.”
“Did he get the job?” I said.

“Yes, companies need good workers, not posh certificates. And we are having a meeting to discuss our short listing criteria again. The top colleges are so hard to get in, only tunnel vision people are being selected.” “Then why are you asking him to join Stephen’s or SRCC?” my mother said.

My father kept quiet. He spoke after a pause. “Actually, after today, I’d say don’t just go by the name. Study the college, figure out their dedication, and make sure they don’t create arrogant nerds. Then whatever the brand, you will be fine. The world needs good people.”

I looked at my parents as they continued to talk. Excuse me, but I have a plan to execute here. And now you are confusing me, I thought. “So should I study some more colleges and make a decision after that?” I said. “Yes, of course. No need for herd-mentality. Kalpana you should have seen this boy from Bhopal.”
Post-dinner, my parents watched TV in the living room while eating fruits. I retracted to my room. I sat on my desk wondering what to do next. The landline phone rang in my parent’s room. I went inside and picked it up.
“Hello Gautam?” the voice on the other side said.

It was my father’s colleague from work. “Hello, Yash uncle,” I said. “Hi,” he said, “congratulations on your boards.” “Thanks uncle,” I said, “dad is in the living room finishing dinner, should I call him?” “Dinner? Oh, don’t disturb him. Just tell him his mobile is with me. It is safe. We were on a field trip today. He left it in my car.” “Field trip? For interviews?” I said. “What interviews? No, we just went to the Chandigarh office,” he said.

I wished him good night and hung up the phone. I switched on the bedside lamp in my parents’ room. Confused, I sat down on my father’s bed, wondering what to do next. To make space, I moved his pillow. Under the pillow lay a crumpled newspaper. I picked it up. It was the same admissions supplement I had tossed in the bin this morning. My father had circled the cut-offs table.

I left the newspaper there and came to the living room. My father was arguing with my mother over the choice of channels. I looked at my father. He smiled at me and offered me watermelon. I declined.

I came back to my room. I picked up the chemical boxes and took them to the toilet. I opened both boxes and poured the contents in the toilet commode. One press, and everything, everything flushed out.

“Gautam,” my mother knocked on the door, “I forgot to tell you. Gupta aunty came again. Can you teach her daughter?”
“Maybe,” I said as I came out of the toilet, “by the way, is she pretty?”

Rosesh Ki Kavitayen.....(From Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai)

2009-08-04T14:16:00.004+05:30

If you have just reached this planet and are wondering what the hell is Sarabhai, here is is the wikipedia link of Sarabhai:--
Sarabhai on wiki

Momma ka purse momma ka purse
jaise hospital ki pyaari si koi nurse
purse mein rakha tissue paper karta hai paseene ka ilaaj
aur lipstick ho jaise bhookhe honton ka anaaj
momma ke purse ka hai makhmali sa sparsh
momma ka purse momma ka purse
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Khatar khun khatar khun khatar khun
Sun mere dil ki dhun (Apparently Rosesh is comparing his heart to a car
which has broken down)
Tere pyaar ki oiling mil gayi isey
Toh khatar khun ka ho jaayega gun gun
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the living room of Sarabhai's.........

Hogi Saahil Bhai ki sagaai...........
Agley mahiney...........
Priya Bhabhi phuli na samaai
Yeah Yeah Yeah...............
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tum bin jaise mai raaste ka andha bhikhari
thodi blessings daan me de do
thodi mamta tumhari
momma ho momma ha...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ek Common Man Ko Mili Hai Pari
Jaise Chiku Ke saath Ho Strawberry
Aage Aage Mummy Aur Piche Piche Daddy
Jaise Ho Tom And Jerry
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ghanan ghanan ghanan ghanan
badalo se aaye pehla soorya kiran
daanton ke liye danta manjan
aur pet ke liye kaayam chooran
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hawa mein hai khushi ki aroma
jeet gayi momma,jeet gayi momma
say hi to happiness n tata to trauma
jeet gayi momma,jeet gayi momma
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lagul lagul lagul lagul
laal laal lagul lagul JELLY
jelly ke cabre dancer jaise shareer mein chhupi hai
anjaani ankahee paheli
jelly hai moma ka mann
narm mulayam meetha
pasand hai ise har koi
sangeeta rita mita aneeta
jelly giri zameen par
to awaaz aayi PLUP PLUP PLUP PLUP!
baccha usme haath maare
to sunai deti hai THUP THUP THUP THUP!
jelly par kabhi fungus na lage
uska swaad kabhi bhankas na lage
agar bachani hai hume hamari country...
TO JELLY KO BANANA HOGA HAMARA PRADHAN MANTRI!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tumhe samjhe toh mujhe bhi samjhana,
kyu hai mera jeevan itna khokla,
jaise koi baasi aur sada hua khaman dhokla....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
aasman mein udd raha hai kabutar .....
Aasman mein udd raha hai kabutar ....
FLUTTER ..... FLUTTER..... FLUTTER......
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Popat Kaka ki atma ka Popat ud gaya ud gaya ud gaya rey..
Shristi ke sajjan haath se popat jud gaya jud gaya jud gaya rey..(Popat is
name of his kaka who had expired)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
humpty dumpty sat on the 'gaadi'
gadi pe betha tabhi aa gayi dadi
dadi ne kaha aaja mere paas
kyunki gaadi pe bethna is just so middle class
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Maya Sarabhai ko jeevit shradhaanjali*

Meri moma Maaya Sarabhai,
Yaani Ishwar ki di hui badhaai,
Ishwar ki samjaai hui sachaai,
Ki duniya maaya se hi bani banaai !

Sab kuch hai maaya, yeh sofa yeh kaaya,
Ishwar ne table-cloth bhi hai maaya se banaaya !

Rista bhi maaya, raasta bhi maaya,
Lunch hi nahi, breakfast bhi maaya !

Maaya sophistication ka pratik hai,
Thodi contemporary thodi antique hai, (awesome)
Maaya to hai mamata ka chaaya,
Sara pyaar aata always via maaya !

Maaya hai jeevan ki preyasi,
Maaya hai jaise dining table ki kursi,
Maaya hi dudh, maaya hi lassi,
Phir kaise kahu ki maaya chal basi !!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Teen pair waala kutta...*

Yeh hai teen pair waala kutta,
Isko kabhi bhagaana nahi padta,
Susu karte waqt use pair uthaana nahi padta,
Yeh hai teen pair waala kutta !!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Udd ja kaale kaue (crow) , teri kavita hai bundel,
Ek bhi agar aage padha to marunga sandel !!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tugduk tugduk tugduk..
Momma ne bola rosesh..
Ruk ruk ruk ruk ruk ruk.....
Maine peche dekha .....
Look look look look look look....
Momma ne mujhe di ek horse riding ki...
Book book book book book book...!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------ring
tring baji fone ki ghanti..
usne bola mera naam hai bunty..
fir woh bola namsate maya aunty..
maine bola..i am rosesh..sorry bunty....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interview which got me into "God's Own Kampus" IIMK

2009-08-02T02:13:00.019+05:30

I wrote this in the night of my interview date 27th March 2009 for Pagalguy.I am pasting it here

GD:--

Topic: -- Internet is killing creativity. People are just borrowing
ideas from it. It has affected their language. They are socializing
less. God save this generation from Internet!

A good GD which did not turn out to be fish market. Every one got a
chance to speak.
I could enter three-four times.
A guy said something like our language is changing to SMS language. I
said that language is a dynamic thing. If we read whatever Chaucer,
father of English, wrote in 14th century, we will see how much we have
deviated in our current English usage from it and it can be no one's
argument that this change is for worse.
Again, I entered at one point saying that sites like Rediff.com which
provide a message board allowing users to comment have incorporated a
false sense of participation in political process. People are turning
into keyboard warriors thinking that they have fulfilled their
responsibility as a citizen just by voicing their opinion on internet.
Then the discussion veered towards borrowing of ideas and I said that
plagiarism is an issue but it depends on the ethics of the person.
Also, it actually helps when we want to undertake some new project; we
can look for other works done in that area and borrow ideas so that we
don't keep reinventing the wheel

PI:--

P1:-- an old professor
P2:-- a lady professor

P1:-- You have written about leadership in your form. What is the
difference between a leader and manager?
Me – Leader is a much stronger term than manger. Leaders have a
vision. They have certain type of mysticism attached to them.
P1:-- Ok tell me one leader.
Me—Mahatma Gandhi because he could inspire people to rally around him
on such themes like salt and turn it into the civil disobedience
movement
P1—no no business leader
Me—Bill gates
P1—Indian?
Me--Dhirubahi Ambani
P1—what about Tata?
Me—yes ,he could visualize a demand for 1 lakh car and
deliver it despite rising costs of input and problems in West Bengal
puts him into the leader category.
P1—compare Ambani and Tata on ethics and social responsibility.
Me— Fact is that there have been allegations against Reliance business
practices. Mr. Ramnath Goenka, editor of Indian Express, in 70-80s
investigated Reliance closely and raised various uncomfortable
questions for the company. Since there has not been any such incident
against Tata, I feel they are beyond reproach. But till Satyam fiasco
happened, no one could have suspected Mr. Raju also.
Smiles from P1 and P2
P1—You have heard about what Nestle is doing in Moga district of Punjab.
Me—sorry sir, I haven't
( Nestle's initiative in Moga )
P1--- what would you say about AMUL's social responsibility?
Me—I would compare AMUL with another Gujarat industry Jamnagar
petroleum refinery. AMUL channelizes the local resource,
gives it a brand name and ensures value addition to local milk
producers. This puts it into a better light than Jamnagar plant. There may
be spillover effects of that refinery in local economy, but it
contributes less substantially to local population than AMUL.
P1—you have heard about the business practice of India Coffee House?
Me—sorry sir, I haven't heard about India coffee House.
P1--(very surprised) -- your hobby is quizzing and you don't know about it.
Me (now embarrassed) – sorry sir, Is it some sort of coffee chain like Barista? Do they have presence in North India?
P1—no, it is a hotel and they are everywhere even in Delhi.
( India Coffee House on wiki )
P1—Ok tell me about your present job.
Me— I work in Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry in which we
supply tools to help the semiconductor design companies in designing
electronic circuits. I work in synthesis area where we make tools
which can convert a Verilog code into the circuit needed to implement
its functionality.
P2--Your alternative career option is teaching. When and what did you teach?
Me—I used to give private tuitions during my IAS preparation. I used
to teach Physics.
P2—You like Physics.
Me-- yes maam
P1—Why did you want to become an IAS officer?
Me—I am fascinated by the diversity in the IAS officer's job. No two days are same for him. I think he is the biggest manager of all as he has to do disaster management, financial management, people management everything. Unfortunately, I couldn’t clear the second level of examination.
P1—You are earning Rs x per month. After two years, when you pass out
and you can't get a job matching it, will you regret it?
Me—There is one Hertzberg's motivation-hygiene theory in work
motivation which says money is a hygiene factor whose absence can make
you dissatisfied but its presence automatically doesn’t lead to job
satisfaction. It is the nature of the work, chances of personal growth
and job responsibility which lead to satisfaction. So, I would not be
disappointed. ( I am still shaking my head in disbelief that I could convincingly argue that money doesn't matter for me, when I know that is not true. )
P1- why do you want do an MBA?
Me—sir, my 3.5 years of experience in EDA and telecom sectors has
provided me with assignments which were challenging but myopic as far
as giving complete picture of product development cycle is concerned.
Secondly, when I look at the educational qualification of top
executives in my EDA industry, which is not an industry where MBAs are
dying to come, there also I find if there is one degree which is more
common than others is some sort of management degree. (P2 at this
point shakes her head in approval) .I feel that challenges for top
level executive are different than for a mid level or entry level
executive and a formal grounding in management teaches skills which
are difficult to acquire just by experience. I want to do management
so that my lack of these skills doesn't become glass-ceiling for me
later.
P1—See you passed out long back. Do you think you will be able to cope
with academics once again?
Me-- yes sir, the fact that I cleared CAT is a testimony that I am not
completely out of touch with academics. Also, I spent two years
preparing for civil services which were also basically my exposure to
textbooks and acquiring new knowledge.
P1—how will you find the inverse of the matrix?
Me—divide the adjoint of matrix by its determinant
P1—what is Cramer's rule?
Me – I explained on paper how it can be used to solve simultaneous
linear equation by creating a matrix of coefficients
P1—no that is wrong
I think I could not explain him properly because I checked it and
basically I knew about it but probably couldn't structure my thought
at that moment.
P1—what is a continuous function?
Me— A function for which at every point in its domain left limit,
right limit and value of the function are equal.
P1— any other way to check whether a function is continuous or not
Me—we can check its graph and it should not have discontinuity
P1—Heights of 100 students is given – Is it continuous or discrete function?
Me—continuous because height can take any value
P1—collection of all points between 2 and 3--Is it continuous or discrete?
Me-- continuous
P1—So which calls you have?
Me—only one.
P1 checks something in his data sheet
P-why?
Me—I guess my lower overall score.
P1—see our students generally are of the age group 23-25 years. Would
you able to fit in?
Me—yes sir and I will be bringing diversity to your batch and a fresh
perspective in classroom discussions. I have read the whole graduation
level syllabus of Psychology as it was one of my optional in IAS exam
and I'll bring ideas from it in discussion.
P1—so what did you think about GD in the morning?
Me—I think as the topic was very close to what we all do everyday, and
not vague as in some GDs I have heard of, everybody had something to
say. It was a healthy discussion and not a fish market as has happened
in some of the earlier GDs I have attended.
P1—which one did you attend?
Me—Career Launcher mock GDs
P1—So what did they tell about GD?
Me—They said that content is king. Many people emphasize that it is
the way you speak but unless you have something interesting and
fruitful to say, it will not matter howsoever well you speak. Don't use slang. Also, when you are sitting in chair, you shouldn't position yourself in such a way that you block the view of the person sitting next to you cutting him off from GD. You shouldn’t use exaggerated gestures. Also, if one of the members is having a difficulty entering GD, you should help him by telling the group to listen to his point.
P2—Did that happen today?
Me—since everyone was contributing, there was no need for it.
P1—how much did Career Launcher charge?
Me—Rs 500
P1—(surprised) that's cheap
P2—You must have read economics for you IAS examination
Me—(mar gaye—yeh topic kahan se aa gaya? Abhi tak to thik hi chal raha
tha...) yes maam we had to read about WTO, IMF, World Bank, planning
in India and stuff like that. It wasn't theoretical economics but more
like its applications.

Now I was waiting with bated breath for the dreaded Economics questions.

P2--- OK so your hobby is reading fiction novels. Which are your
favorite authors?
Me—(I was so relieved I felt I should thank her for not grilling me on
economics. :-))Salman Rushdie, Ayan Rand, Joseph Heller.
P2—You have read Salman Rushdie
Me— yeas maam I have read one of his books Midnight's children
P2—what did you like about it?
Me—His style of combining magical realism with India's story after
independence (kucch bhi bol raha huun…)
P2—which books of Ayan rand?
Me—We The Living, Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
P2—So you like Howard Roark's character
Me—yes maam
P2—But Ayan Rand talked about a laissez-faire capitalistic system. Do you
think her view is discredited in the light of recession?
Me—I don't think so maam. This system has its flaws but it is the best
we have. The best would be a system where we could combine Keynesian
emphasis on government spending and laissez—faire but I am not sure if
it can be done given that they are basically talking about two
contrasting things. There is no point in going back to Communism or
Socialism as it is dead (Was it a mistake to say so in front of
professors from Kerala – a bastion of communism? Not sure about their
political views.)
P2—Don’t you find Rand's philosophy self-centered?
Me—Her point is that those who find her philosophy self-centered have no self.
P2 starts smiling
Me—She has argued for this in her book "virtue of selfishness"
P2—Yes I have read that book. Ok I am done
P1—Ok thanks, you may go
Me—thank you sir and maam

I have low CAT score(98.45%), which will contribute 55%, and decent effort in GD and PI, which will contribute 45%, in overall criteria of selection.

Keeping my fingers crossed for result day, 10th April 2009
(had to uncross them while taking lunch/dinner but still have kept
them crossed whole day… :-))

my interview experience on pagalguy.com

My favourite song from Rock On

2009-07-29T02:32:00.003+05:30

Song -- Phir Dekhiye
Lyrics -- Javed Akhtar
Music -- SEL
Singer -- Caralisa Monteiro (She is the one who sings in that ad showing Sushma Reddy frolicking with Limca singing
"Fuhaarein, bauchharein, nazaaare chura lo na,
Kuch boondein chura lo na.....
Sulgati pyaas hai to, machalti pyaas hai to
Ek Limca chura lo na")

Aankhon Mein Jis Ke Koi To Khwaaab Hai
Khush Hai Wahi Jo Thoda Betaaab Hai
Zindagi Mein Koi Arzooo Kijiye
Phir Dekhiye

Hoton Pe Jis Ke Koi To Geeet Hai
Woh Haare Bhi To Us Ki Hi Jeet Hai
Dil Mein Jo Geet Hai Gun Guna Lijiye
Phir Dekhiye

Yaadon Mein Jis Ke Kisi Ka Naaam Hai
Sapno Ke Jaise Us Ki Har Shaaam Hai
Koi To Ho Jise Apna Dil Dijiye
Phir Dekhiye

Khwab Buniye Zara Geet Suniye Zara
Phool Chuniye Zara
Phir Dekhiye…

mp3 widget from esnips.com playing song "Phir Dekhiye" from "Rock On"

09 - Phir Dekhiye ...

VLC 1.0

2009-07-26T13:57:00.002+05:30

Here is an interesting article in today's Hindu on VLC player and some reasons for its popularity

VLC on Hindu

Introduction to a dance performance

2009-07-24T18:36:00.006+05:30

I wrote this on 18th July 2009 ( with ample help from Internet) as a prelude to my section's dance performance. Of course, with the time limit of 20 seconds in which I was to deliver it, it was massively edited. And thankfully so! With me finding it difficult to hold the audience attention in the abridged 20 seconds speech, I think I may not have needed to buy any new footwear for some time, had I continued this original, rambling piece.
---------------------------

We MBAs understand percentages and logarithms better than metaphors and similes. In that case, these are the numbers. 40 million infected. 4.5 million last year alone. 12 million orphans in Africa. 8000 deaths and 6000 new infections every single day. Yes! I am talking about AIDS.

AIDS is a classic example of self-goal scored by the human race against itself. And you know what was done to Escobar who scored a self-goal in 1994 World Cup. He was shot dead. Doesn't that mean the whole humanity should be brought before a firing squad for failing to spread the message of protection and non-discrimination?

Time is not lost. Marketing's STP says that to deliver your message choose your target segment-- 1.)promiscuous men, 2.)young MTV generation and 3.) MSM i.e. Men who have sex with men. Kotlar's fourth P Place says that we need to focus on places like parties, brothels and dance bars.

Different parts of our dance performance show these different target segments and places.

Friends! Let's enjoy the dance but keep the message in mind. Play Safe.

------------------------

An afterthought:-- If you bring the whole humanity before the firing squad, who the hell will pull the trigger? ... :-)

Reference websites:--

Wiki article on Colombian footballer Escobar

Quote on AIDS by Princess Anne Ireland (Rest of the second paragraph of the speech is my idea.)

facts of first paragraph

You run out of superlatives..

2009-07-19T02:19:00.005+05:30

..if you try to use them to describe this song by Silk Route...Song uses pretty minimal background music with some whisteling, strings , piano and predominantly guitar...It basically rides on its lyrics which perfectly articulates and puts down in words what is there in everyone's heart....Mohit Chauhan's unhurried voice, clear enunciation of each word and the whole calm, relaxed tempo of the song perfectly suit the words giving the listener time to absorb and imbibe each line of the song...

Given below is mp3 widget which plays this song("Duniya ki iss bheed mein, Sabse piche hum khade") ( courtesy esnips.com )

Get this widget

Track details

eSnips Social DNA

Zaara naazar uthake dekho
Baithe hai hum yahin
Bekhabar mujhse kyon ho?
Itne boore bhi hum nahin

Zaara naazar uthake dekho
Baithe hai hum yahin
Bekhabar mujhse kyon ho?
Itne boore bhi hum nahin

Zamane ki baaton mein uljho na
Hai yeh aasaan janana
Khud se jo agar tum poocho
Hain hum tumhare ke nahi
Teri aankhon ka jaadu
Poori duniya pe hai
Duniya ki iss bheed main
Sabse peeche hum khade
Sabse peeche hum khade

Mehfile aayi aur gayi
Log aaye aur gaye
Tum jo aaj aaye ho
Dil mein ho bas gaye

Muskarake baat taalo na
Phir miloge jo kahi
Dekhana yahi kahoge
Itne boore the hum nahi

Teri aankhon ka jaadu
Poori duniya pe hai
Duniya ki is bheed mein
Sabse peeche hum khade
Sabse peeche hum khade

Teri aankhon ka jaadu
Poori duniya pe hai
Duniya ki is bheed mein
Sabse peeche hum khade
Sabse peeche hum khade
Sabse peeche hum khade
Sabse peeche hum khade

For those who can play guitar, here are the chords...
guitar chords of "Sabse peeche hum khade"

Finally, a movie on Sherlock Holmes

2009-07-12T01:47:00.015+05:30

OK! I admit. I lied to hook to you to the post.

There have been movies on Sherlock Holmes. But just the thought of Tony Stark "Iron Man" Robert Dawney Jr. (RDJ) as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as his side-kick Watson makes you want to turn into a thief and steal the semi-finished reels of this movie (will release on Christmas this year (25th December 2009)).

Sherlock Holmes on imdb

more info on the movie 1
And this one rightly says "Can't it be December already?"

more info on the movie 2

Here is the trailer of the movie on Rediff iShare

If you enjoy thrillers and deductive reasoning(his style of reasoning is usually called Holmesian reasoning (article on University of Pittsburg website about Holmes logical methods, holmesian maxim in conspiracy theories ), I am sure you must have read Holmes.

Arthur Conan Doyle fleshes out Holmes with such minute details of his character,idiosyncrasies and foibles that by the time one finishes his complete work on Sherlock Holmes "one will scarcely believe that such a one as this did not walk on earth in flesh and blood".( inspired from this Einstein quote on Gandhi )

These are some of his most famous quotes (though as this site explains that the phrase "elementary,my dear Watson" is not actually present in any of his stories)

"Excellent! I cried. "Elementary," said he.

Sherlock Holmes never said "Elementary, my dear Watson" in any of the stories by Conan Doyle. However, that phrase has been used frequently in the movies and was even mistakenly cited in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations for 1937 and 1948. The actual quotation is as follows:

"I have the advantage of knowing your habits, my dear Watson," said he. "When your round is a short one you walk, and when it is a long one you use a hansom. As I perceive that your boots, although used, are by no means dirty, I cannot doubt that you are at present busy enough to justify the hansom."
"Excellent!" I cried.
"Elementary," said he. "It is one of those instances where the reasoner can produce an effect which seems remarkable to his neighbour, because the latter has missed the one little point which is the basis of the deduction. The same may be said, my dear fellow, for the effect of some of these little sketches of yours, which is entirely meretricious, depending as it does upon your retaining in your own hands some factors in the problem which are never imparted to the reader."
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1893)
Watson and Holmes in "The Crooked Man"

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever

"You will not apply my precept," he said, shaking his head. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?"

Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of the Four (1890)

You know my methods, Watson.

This quotation appears in nearly identical phrases in at least five Holmes stories. While technically tied with the next passage, it's ranked second because early editions of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations included multiple appearances of this phrase.

"It seemed to me that a careful examination of the room and the lawn might possibly reveal some traces of this mysterious individual. You know my methods, Watson. There was not one of them which I did not apply to the inquiry. And it ended by my discovering traces, but very different ones from those which I had expected."
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1893)
Sherlock Holmes in "The Crooked Man"

...the curious incident of the dog in the night-time...

Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion's ability, but I saw by the inspector's face that his attention had been keenly aroused.
"You consider that to be important?" he [Inspector Gregory] asked.
"Exceedingly so."
"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."
"The dog did nothing in the night-time."
"That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1893)
Inspector Gregory and Sherlock Holmes in "Silver Blaze"

These two pages (Page 17 & 18 of A Study in Scarlet in Google Books) , which talk about why Holmes doesn't know , or rather doesn't want to know, whether the Sun revolves around the Earth or the Earth revolves around the Sun, should pique the interests of the uninitiated in the amazing world of most famous(and only?) resident of 221, Baker street, London and the only fictional character to have received a prestigious honour like posthumous Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

bbc link about Holmes getting honours from Royal society of Chemistry

These are some of the links to read more on Holmes.

Holmes on wiki

good site on Holmes

Irshad Kamil

2009-07-09T19:25:00.014+05:30

If you ask me what really is the reason for the 80s to be considered as one of the worst decades as far Hindi music is concerned, I think the blame has to be laid on the song-writers of that decade. I agree that singers ( with great Rafi and Mukesh dead and Kishore Da less frequent, there was a preponderance of Rafi-wannabees with Md. Aziz leading the fray.) and music directors( Bappi da rocking the nation with Disco ) were not exactly making our jaws drop with their creativity and talent. But, then it really takes considerable effort on the part of the music director and singer to lift a song with lines like "Aa gaya aa gaya , halwawala aa gaya..rang jamane aa gaya..dhoom machane aa gaya..". The song writer is Anjaan for the movie Dance Dance ( Bappi Da's music, singer Vijay Benedict). Now we really can't blame him for this. He was just giving what was working at that time. After all , he is the same who gave us those wonderful lines
("Tujh bin jogan meri raaten, tujh bin mere din banjaaran
Meraa jivan jalati buunden, bujhe-bujhe mere sapane saare" - O saathi re from Muqqadar ka Sikandar ) and those gem of the lines in the movie Sharaabi
("Nasha sharaab mein hota to nachti botle"
"Doobne wale ko tinke ka sahara hi bahut hai" or
"Khel Rahe The, Dandaa Gillii, Chuuhaa Aage, Piichhe Billii
Chuuhe Ko Pad Gaye, Jaan Ke Laale, Bolaa Mujhako, Koii Bachaa Le
Chuuhaa Aage, Piichhe Billii, Piichhe Billii, Chuuhaa Aage
Chuuhaa Aage, Piichhe Billii... Haa!
Band Jharokaa, Band Thii Khidakii, Bigadii Huii Thii Haalat Usakii
Mere Paas Thaa Bharaa Gilaas, Pii Gayaa Chuuhaa Saarii Whiskey
Akad Ke Bolaa Kahaan Hai Billii, Dum Dabaake Billii Bhaagii
Chuuhe Kii Phuutii Kismat Jaagii
Dum Dabaake Billii Bhaagii, Chuuhe Kii Phuutii Kismat Jaagii... Haa
Khel Risky Thaa ...
Khel Risky Thaa, Whiskey Ne Kiyaa Bedaa Paar
Khel Risky Thaa ...
Mahafil Rangiin Jame, Daur Chale Dhuum Mache
Nazar Dekhe Naye Chamatakaar, Jahaan Chaar Yaar...".)

The occasional Gulzar classics in movies like Masoom
("jeene ke liye socha hi na tha, dard sambhalane honge
muskuraoon to, muskurane ke karz utaarne honge
muskuraoon kabhi to lagata hai jaise honthon pe karz rakhaa hai")
and Ijaazat
("Ek Akeli Chhataree Main Jab Aadhe Aadhe Bheeg Rahe The
Aadhe Sookhe Aadhe Geele, Sukha To Main Le Aaye Thee
Geela Man Shayad Bistar Ke Paas Pada Ho
Vo Bhijwa Do, Mera Vo Saamaan Lauta Do")
were like oasis in a desert.

90s saw a significant improvement in the quality of song writing with song-writers
like Gulzaar("Woh jo doodh dhuli,masoom kali") and Javed Akhtar
("Jaise Khilta Gulaab
Jaise Shaayar Ka Khwaab
Jaise Ujli Kiran
Jaise Van Mein Hiran
Jaise Chaandni Raat
Jaise Naghme Ki Baat
Jaise Mandir Mein Ho Ek Jalta Diya") tightening their belts to stem the rot which had set in.

But the new millennium probabaly is turning into a golden era as far as lyrics of songs is considered. With arrival of Jaideep Sahni
("Haule haule se hawa lagti hai
Haule Haule se dawa lagti hai
Haule Haule se dua lagti hai
Haiii… Haule Haule se chanda badtha hai
Haule Haule ghoonghat utha hai
Haule Haule se nasha chadtha hai" &
"Oh chal haath ghuma le yaara
Oh jaise suiyan saath se bara
Le ban gaya step soniya
Tu ban gaya hep soniya
Ho zara kamar ko aise ghumana
Oh jaise hawa mein aath bana na
Le ban gaya step soniya
Tu ban gaya hep soniya
Woh bandha ki kya hai, jo naache na gaaye
Aa hathon mein tu haath tham le
Ooye dance pe chance mar le"), Piyush Mishra(Gulaal)(bisleri ki botle pike jaise ban gaye inglisman), Prasoon Joshi, the veterans like Gulzar and Javed Akhtar also started churning out lines which compared favorably with their already set high standards(Sample these: "Aisa koi sagaa nahin, jisko thagaa nahin;Aankhen bhi kamal karti hain, personal se sawaal karti hain(Bantee Aur Bablee, Gulzar)"Woh ilaichi khilai ke karib aa gaya"(Omkara, Gulzar),"chalk se chand pe likh diya,rewa , rewa , rewa(Philhaal,Gulzaar)","Radha kaise na jale"(Lagaan,Javed Akhtar)).
Javed Akhtar especially started raising the bar , so much so that in 2005 all the 5 songs which were nominees to the Filmfare best lyrics were penned by him.
(2005 Filmfare Best Lyricist
Winner:
* Veer-Zaara (2004) - Javed Akhtar
- For "Tere Liye".
Other Nominees:
# Main Hoon Na (2004) - Javed Akhtar
- For "Main Hoon Na".
# Swades: We, the People (2004) - Javed Akhtar
- For "Yeh Taara Woh Taara".
# Veer-Zaara (2004) - Javed Akhtar
- For "Aisa Des Hai Mera".
# Veer-Zaara (2004) - Javed Akhtar
- For "Main Yahaan". )
Talk about competition forcing the monopolist to raise the quality of his products...:-)

Rekha Dixit writes this about versatile Prasoon Joshi in July 12, 2009 issue of Week magazine(page 62)
"He has infused Hindi film lyrics with a poetic vocabulary that's so everyday that you wonder why others couldn't do it before".

The Week article on Prasoon Joshi by Rekha Dixit

Some of my favourite PJ lines are "Kya itna buraa huun main maa"(Taare Zameen Par)&
"Pyaar mein ya phir kisi ke intzaar mein
tum to ho gorgeous hamesha
behas mein uljhi ho ya
khamosh khoi khoi
khel mein ya khawab khawab mein
tum to ho gorgeous hamesha"(from Parachute Ad)

During this period, to be exact in early 2004 , Chameli movie came and became famous for reasons other than its songs..(that floral print saree "Oh she really looks like one" or the death of original director Anant Balani and then Sudhir Mishra completing the movie)....(News obeys a law like the Grasham's Law of "bad money drives good money out of circulation" -- "bad news drives good news out of circulation" ( If you doubt the veracity of the applicability of the Grasham's law to news, just watch Aaj tak or India TV for sometime )).

This movie had one of the most meaningful songs to have come out in Bollywood-"Jaane".
This song has two versions, male version sung by Udit Narayan and female version by Sunidhi Chauhan ( who interestingly sings lines like "ab is tarah usko sochta huun" without changing the gender of the song).

The writer of this song is Irshad Kamil

Bheegi Huwi Koyi Shaam Woh
Mehka Huwa Koyi Naam Woh
Bin Baat Hi Hoti Hai Nilaam Woh
Mashhoor Hai Phir Bhi Badnaam Woh
Jaane Huwa Hai Aaj Kya Hamein Na Ham
Jaane Kyun Ham Ko Yaad… Aaye Woh
Ab Is Tarha Usko Sochta Hoon
Guzre Huwe Woh Pal Rokta Hoon
Woh Pal Kahin Kho Gaye Hain Jo Apne
Aur Saath Bhi Ho Gaye Hain Jo Sapne
Jaane Huwa Hai Aaj Kya Hamein Na Ham
Jaane Kyun Ham Ko Yaad… Aaye Woh

Woh Roshni Woh Aag Hai
Ya Phir Koyi Charaag Hai
Jisse Dheere Dheere Hai Jalna
Jisse Is Tarha Hi Hai Chalna
Kissi Mod Pe Woh Aaj Bhi Qandeel Si Jalegi
Shaher Ki Dhoop Si Bewaqt Hi Dhhalegi
Kyun Hamko Yaad…
Bheegi Huwi Koyi Shaam Woh
Mehka Huwa Koyi Naam Woh
Bin Baat Hi Hoti Hai Nilaam Woh
Mashhoor Hai Phir Bhi Badnaam Woh
Jaane Huwa Hai Aaj Kya Hamein Na Ham
Jaane
Kyun Ham Ko Yaad Aaye Woh...

Next I heard of him in Sochaa na Tha ( with those beautiful lines in that song
"Main sidhe sadhe dhang se kehta huun yeh baat,
Ek ghar basana chahata huun main tumhare saath,
Kya dogi mere haanthon mein tum apna haath")
and Jab We Met
("Tera Na hona jane, Kyun hona hi hai"
"Mein kahin bhi jata hoon, Tumse hi mil jata hoon"
"Naina Tere Kajraare Hai, Naino Pe Hum Dil Haare Hai
Anjaane Hi Tere Naino Ne Waade Kiye Kayi Saare Hai"
"Chanda Ko Taaku Raaton Mein, Hai Zindagi Tere Haanthon Mein").

And then comes Chor bazaari from Love Aaj Kal

"Chori!!!

Na re Nanaa re

Chor Bazari do naino ki
Pehle thi aadat jo hat gai

Pyaar ki jo teri meri
Umar aai thi woh ghat gai

Duniya ki to fikkar kahan thi
Teri bhi ab chinta ghat gai

Chanda rre
Tu bhi tu hai
Mein bhi mein hoon
Duniya saari dekh ulat gayi
Tu na jaane mein na jaanu
Kaise saaari baat palat gai

Ghatni hi thi yeh bhi ghatna
Ghatte ghatte lo yeh ghat gayi

Haan Chor Bazari do naino ki
Pehle thi aadat jo hat gai

Tarif teri karna
Tujhe Khone se darna
Haan bhul gaya ab tujhpe din mein char dafa marna

Tarif teri karna
Tujhe Khone se darna
Haan bhul gaya abb tujhpe din mein char dafa marna

Pyaar khumari utari saari
Baaton ki badli bhi chhat gayi

Hum se main pe aaye aise
Mujhko to mein hi mein kat gayi

Ek hue the do se dono
Dono ki abb raahein kat gayi

Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE

Abb koi fikar nahi
Gum ka bhi zikar nahi
Haaan hota hoon mein jis raste pe
Aaye khushi wahin

Aajad hoon mein tujhse
Aajad hai tu mujhse
Haan jo jee chahe
Jaise chahe karle raj yahin
Laj sharm ki choti moti jo thi dori
Woh bhi kat gai
Chauk chawbare gali mohalle
Khol ke main saare ghonghat gai

Tu na badli mein na badla
Dilli sari dekh badal gai

Ek minute mein duniya dari ki
saaari samaj nikal gai

Haan Rang biranga pani pe ke
Seedhi saadhi kudi begad gayi

Dekh ke mujhko hasta gaata
Sadh gai yeh duniya sadh gai

Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE
Na re NanNa RE"

Irshad on yahoo news

Looks like that quote in cricket that fast bowlers hunt in pairs is true of Hindi cinema too..Imtiaz Ali-Irshad Kamil , Rakesh Omprakash Mehra-Prasoon Joshi, Vishal Bharwaj-Gulzaar, Ashutosh Gowarikar-Javed Akhtar...

p.s:-- My remark about bad lyrics in 80s movies should not be taken as discounting songs like Neela aasman so gaya. Point is what was the vox populi-- it was "Mera dil gaaye jaa Zoobi Zoobi Zoobi" and not this song by Gulzar "Hazar Rahein Mud Ke Dekhi" (1981 filmfare award winner for best lyrics)

Film: Thodi Si Bewafai (1980)
Singers: Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyricist: Gulzar
Music Director: Khayyam
Lyrics:

Hazar rahein mud ke dekhin
Kahin se koi sada na aayi
Badi wafa se nibhayi tumne
Hamari thodi si bewafai

Jahan se tum mod mud gaye the
Ye mod ab hi wahin pade hain
Hum apne pairon mein jaane kitne
Bhanwar lapete hue khade hain

Badi wafa se nibhayi tumne
Hamari thodi si bewafai

Kahin kisi roz yun bhi hota
Hamari haalat tumhari hoti
Jo raat humein guzari marr ke
Vo raat tumne guzari hoti

Badi wafa se nibhayi tumne
Hamari thodi si bewafai

Tumhe ye zid thi ke hum bulate
Humein ye ummid vo pukarein
Hai naam hoton pe ab bhi lekin
Aawaz mein pad gayi dararein

Hazar rahein mud ke dekhim
Kahin se koi sada na aayi
Badi wafa se nibhayi tumne
Hamari thodi si bewafai"

13 Tzameti

2009-07-05T21:24:00.004+05:30

Seems to be an interesting movie with an approval rating of 83% on rottentomatoes

rottentomatoes review of 13 Tzameti

wikipedia article on 13 Tzameti

13 Tzameti on imdb

Apparently , the upcoming movie Luck , releasing on 24 July, ( Luck on wiki ) (first movie of Shruti Hassan (daughter of Kamal Hassan),second movie of Soham Shah(director of Kaal) and third movie of Imran Khan) is inspired from 13 Tzameti..

Luck on yahoo news

Hum Ad Kyon Dekhte Hain?

2009-07-05T09:41:00.002+05:30

I had written this in May 2006. I hope that after completing marketing management course of first term, I gain fresh insights into advertisements

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hum Ad Kyon Dekhte Hain?

"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does."[Steuart Henderson Britt, advertising consultant, 1970.]

The importance of advertisements for business can never be over-emphasised but the view from our side of the fence is certainly not so charming. Most of you, at some point or the other, while watching ads would have wished for a button on your remote which will allow you to fast forward those annoying ads.

But since I have already phrased my title question in such a way, I will write the article defending ads , instead of deriding them. I don't know about you but I watch the ads because they provide me with a heady cocktail of humour, conspiracy and controversy. You want to make a successful ad , then mix humour and controversy in the correct ratio and you have a successful ad (Is that ratio 1:1 or the other way round? ).

It only helps me that these days ads on TV have become more wittier and snappier than PODD (i.e. Plain Old DD Days). Seriously, who of you really minds watching that little girl in the Asian Paint's ad saying," Papa!Chintu na pata nahin subah se kya cutting-shutting kiye jaa raha hai?" or that boy asking his mother ," Par dhishum-dhishum to Pepsodent ka kaam hai naa? ". After watching that pug dog follow that boy in Hutch ad , I have become more considerate towards dogs following me. Kya pata kis kutte mein mere mobile ka network ho!

Coming back to the reason for my ad watching (which , by some coincidence , also happens to be the raison d'etre for this article), I like those ads which use humour well . Humour sells . Period . If an ad maker manages to tickle his TA's (Target Audience) funny bone, then he has hit the bull's eye. He can just tear those pages from his marketing book that talk about " Brand Positioning, Creating ads which endorse the values associated with the product, Brand Recall", if he knows just one thing - how to create ads that can make others laugh. You can put the Fevicol's ad of "Pakde Rehana Chhodna Nahin" or most of the Amul ads in this category. That paint ad "Wah Sunil Babu Naya Ghar Nayi Gadi" should also come here.

Now, before I digress, let me tell you something more about humour in ads , rather the lack of humour in some ads. Some ads are so shabbily conceptualised and egregiously executed that you can find yourself smirking thinking, " Oh! I could have done better than that". During 2003 World cup, Reliance was aggressively pitching their Reliance India Mobile (RIM) . So, they roped in Sehwag. Now, the ad agency made a complete hash of the whole idea. If you remember that ad , it showed Sehwag taking guard and a boy in the stadium getting a call from Sehwag's mother. That boy sprints to the crease, gives Sehwag the RIM and after talking to her mother, Sehwag hits a sixer. Now, no matter how much we Indians love our mothers, there is a limit to the emotional blackmailing these ads can resort to. In short, the ad agency made an apology of an advertisement---a perfect example of how an ad should not be made. On top of that, Sehwag was a complete let-down in that series. So, it was particularly irritating to watch that ad just after Sehwag has been caught in the slips "fishing" wide outside the off-stump. In the final match, Australia was batting first and Ricky Ponting went berserk, hitting fours and sixes at will. Then one of my friends, after watching that Sehwag ad for a dozen times, remarked ," Lagta hai Sehwag ki maa ne Ponting ko phone kar diya hai." Another one said, "Abe baaki network mein to wrong number India mein hi jaata hai...RIM mein lagta hai South Africa tak cross connnection lag jata hai"....:)

Another category of ads which I find quite interesting is those mud-slinging ads brought out by two big companies, who dominate the market of a particular product---some sort of duopoly situation.These two companies may decide that the best way to increase their market share is to reduce the market share of their rival. (Looks like they were looking out of the window when their teacher was telling the story about how to shorten a line without rubbing it off---You draw a bigger line above it) . So, they start ads which hit out at their competitors. One of the earliest in this was that blockbuster "War Of The Mints" . We had the Nestle's Polo mint with a well-entrenched market share and a catchy punchline "Mint With The Hole". Now, Candico lauches it's own mint and runs a print campaign showing a guy with a hole in his head . Written at the bottom of the page ," Do you have a hole in your head? Then, why should you eat mint with the hole?". And, their cheeky punchline was "All Mint , No Hole". Then, there are the Pepsi and Coke mutual-stabbing-advertisements. Though there are legions of ads made by them deriding the other, the Sprite ad with " I Want To Do!" was a knock-out. Trust me when I say I stopped "Doing The Dew" after watching that ad.

P.B.Shelly will excuse me if I paraphrase his "Winter-Spring" quote as " If ads come, can controversies be far behind?". Indians love controversies and rumours. (You must have heard that joke where a person 'A'
tells his colleague that his daughter has joined dance classes. Next day, boss of 'A' threatens
him that if he immediately doesn't forbid his daughter from working in dance bar, his job will be
in danger!) In fact, the only group which loves controversies more than the Indians are the 24
hour Indian news channels! (If there are any Indian readers of my blog, I hope they will forgive my presumptuousness...:)) So, there was this ad of Naukari.com (Guess, Who Has Just Heard From Us...On a side note, somehow I feel their punchline seems perfect for the endless tele-callers whose calls we receive only to reject the various products they are selling----Idea ka Post-Paid Connection,ICICI ka free Business card,One way ticket to Timbuktu....give me a break!).I am talking about that "Hari Sadu" ad.The first time I saw it, apart from the ingenuity and crispness of the plot, I was particularly impressed by that person playing the role of boss---a perfect picture of arrogance and condescension. So, imagine my surprise when I find this innocuous ad has been dragged in a controversy. Apparently, a boy whose first name is Hari wants Naukari to pull out this ad because he has been teased by his friends. He also threatened a court case. You will agree with me when I say that possibly no one can make a bigger mountain out of the smallest molehill than this boy.

Now, let me take you back by a decade , to 1995-96. I was in my teens, P.V.Narsimha Rao was being voted out, Sachin was at his peak in that World Cup and a person carrying Mobile phone in India would have got as many stares as a beautiful girl got on Delhi roads. There was this controversy about an ad featuring MS & MS(no, silly, not Mallika Sherawat and Manmohan Singh...It's for Madhu Sapre and Milind Soman) who were stark naked but for their "Tuffs shoes" with a snake strategically positioned to hide what we all wanted to see.There was a huge uproar and even a court case was filed against them.

This is 2005-06. I am of approximately the same age as Aamir is in RDB. PVN has already floated a new political party in heaven. Sachin is struggling with his injuries (Tennis Elbows, Squash Shoulders, Carrom Calves...pata nahin kya kya..). Now, you don't get stared for keeping a mobile phone but for not keeping one...(But, one thing hasn't changed...in Delhi a beautiful girl will still get ogled at...). As for the "Tuffs Shoe" like ad, open "once-sugar-now-shit" Times Of India (TOI) any day, you'll see such ads on every page. Last heard MS & MS were thinking about switching over to some other decent newspaper to protect their yet-to-be-born baby from TOI's corrupting influence!

Hello! Are you awake? Good. If you have read upto this point , then some of you may have formed the opinion that ads are as meretricious as a peacock's feather-- beautiful to look at but with no practical use. Let me tell you a small incident which took place around two years back to clear this misperception. A gentleman used to provide me tiffin for dinner and used to charge Rs 1000 monthly. Now, all of a sudden, without rhyme and certainly without reason, he raised it to Rs 1200 monthly. This 20% hike was a little too much for me to digest at that time. (Heck, even if you factor in a 5% inflation, 15% is a pretty stiff increment..). So, I told him that I'll stop taking tiffin from him and will ask some other supplier. He tried to convince me and I tried not to get convinced. Our discussions seemed to go nowhere. Finally, after some 10 minutes of rallying the verbal tennis ball, I found a smash return. I said, ''Sir, jab wahi safedi wahi jhaag kam daamon mein mile to koi woh kyon le yeh naa le?" (Ã la Deepika Ji in that Surf ad) . And that was it. (Point-Game-Set-Match and the winner is Bomu).
He raised the rate for others but I continued getting at the old rate...:)

Now, let me stop here or else this short article will expand like Ram Gopal Verma's new movie announcements. I definitely don't want it intrude in the space of novels. There is far less competition here.

Before I go, let me tell you about a good FM ad. It starts with that song from Zeher, " Agar tum mil jaao , jamana chhod denge hum"....And then the voiceover says, " Are Kyon nahin chhodenge jamana...introducing Nestle Fresh and natural Dahi"....:)

So, to sum up, I think you would have understood why I so love following ads. And, if you share my passion for understanding the psychology of persuasion, advertisements, their making and adore PJ and PP (Prasoon Joshi and Piyush Pande--Muunchhe hon to Piyush Pande jaisi warna na hon!) , then let me give you an unsolicited advice. The next time someone asks you, " Aap Ad Kyun Dekhte Hain?", you have two answers, two choices, or if you like Matrix, then let me give you two pills (the same which Morpheus gave to Neo...I managed to collect them after the shooting was over..). If you want to be rude, in-the-face , you take the red pill--then you can just dip his head in betel filled water like that Paanwallah does in Chlormint ad and say, "Doobara Mat Poochna!". On the other hand, if you want a less aggressive answer, you take the blue pill--then you can just twist your mouth like that boy eating Melody chocolate does and say , " Melody Kaho Khud Jaan Jaao!".

Disclaimer:--

If in trying to be funny, I have somewhere gone overboard and sounded caustic to any group, please remember that I-as- a-person disclaim responsibilty for what is written by I-as-a-writer. So, unless and until you are absolutely sure that you'll catch me writing something i.e. I-as-a-writer, don't come with your loaded guns. You may end up blowing the brains of I-as-a-person, spend your rest of the life in prison while I-as-a-writer may continue writing trashes like this. Also, I know I have a very bad habit of writing long sentences and then punctuating them even more shoddily. So, please don't tell me about my hanging commas, misplaced exclamations and my right brackets wondering, "What the hell I am doing here when there is no opening left bracket?". Perhaps that is the reason "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss is not one of my favourite books.

99

2009-06-07T11:48:00.006+05:30

Yesterday watched this movie ... was laughing almost continuously ....
thought of writing about this movie but I think this writer has stolen words and ideas from my mind...:-) very good review about equally good movie..

review of 99

never thought that I would see climax of some movie being shot in Palika Bazar..

that "neha or pooja" scene was acutely funny :-)

director's sense of detailing is mind-boggling..

most of the movie is set in the period December 1999-March 2000 and
during this time movie Takshak was released . A R Rahman was the music director and songs were very good . One of the songs had Alisha Chinoy singing for Rahman ( probably they have teamed up only once for this ). Song is very peppy but suffers on-screen with atrocious picturization and choreography. Thankfully, you can always use the good old winamp and just enjoy the song.

""

But hold on, why am I talking about this song in this post? Just keep your ears open for the songs playing in taxi in the movie 99 ( in the scene when Kunal Khemu and Cyrus take the dollar filled suitcase from Boman ( given by "Jonomdin :-) ") and are going in taxi...)

Once Upon A Time in Noida

2009-06-05T13:41:00.003+05:30

This actually happened on some Friday in July 2004 and I wrote this that day..(was lying in my sent mail)

My Gift Sack

Friday Morning ......Woke up at 10:30 AM after my alarm clock rang
third time from 9:00 AM(Was already late for my training ...)
.....Was getting ready for office as usual at 11:00 AM with my 125 rupees Radio
blaring one of the FM channels.....
Announcement from the anchor of program.."Ab pesh hai aapke liye
Mawana Sugar song.Apko hamein phone karke
batana hai is gaane
ki heroine ka naam aur aap jeet sakte hai gift vouchers".
nothing great.
I hear such announcements
at least 'n' number of times while listening to FM channels,
but looks like I was a little more crazy today than other days.
Song came,"main alebli ...ghoomuun akeli" from Zubeida....I tried
the FM number.....in my 11th try the
other side responded ..."Hi Red FM 93.5"" "Hi ...I wanted to tell the answer of
Mawana Sugar contest " "shoot...who is the heroine?"
"well .. Karisma Kapoor"
A pause "Congratulations.
Tell us ur name and Phone number....We will
shortly announce ur name .Please call after 3:00 PM
to know how to collect ur gift vouchers"....

3:00 PM Today

" Hi I am Byomkesh. I won the Mawana sugar
contest in the morning""
"I will give u the address ..Its ...Please collect ur gift voucher
between 10:00AM and 4:00 PM from Monday to Friday"
"Well thanks.........Just a small query....What is there in the gift voucher?"
A pause as if Arthur Connon Doyle is considering whether to
get to the denouement or write 50 more pages before revealing
suspense
then comes the reply "U have won 5 kgs of Mawana sugar!"

Did I hear it right?......5 kgs of Mawana sugar...come on.....
Looks like i am one of the flood hit residents
in Assam Bihar floods and they are providing me the
succour straight from Prime Minister's Relief Fund...No point in calling it gift voucher
5 kgs of sugar really need a sack....my gift sack...

Interesting article on MBA schools in Hindu

2009-06-03T18:03:00.003+05:30

Following is an article which appeared in today's Hindu Opinion page :---

Hindu article on MBA schools

I am pasting it below

What business schools should get right

Prabhudev Konana

We need to once again get back to the basics of creating value and not propagating illusions of value.

The current economic crisis is a transformational moment for business schools worldwide. The fact is that business schools have been off track, chasing precisely those Wall Street innovations that led to the current crisis. We need to get back to the basics of providing well-rounded education that emphasises real value and wealth creation, rather than focussing on areas that only propagate illusions of value.

Ironically, the last time business schools were called upon to “return to basics” followed the Internet bust of 2000. After that bust, enrolments in Information Technology-related programmes in the U.S. dropped precipitously, and many business schools used the opportunity to slash programmes in Management Information Systems (MIS). Faculty members in MIS were laid off, hiring dropped and resources were transferred to other departments. Business school leaders, with backing from the media, began pounding home a “back to basics” theme regarding business school curriculum. Most of them ignored the fact that it was the finance professionals who had pushed the Internet hype into the stratosphere.

University IT programmes suffered multiple blows during the 2000 U.S. presidential elections and after 9/11, with all the media hype and political hand-wringing over offshoring of jobs. Despite the large numbers of accounting and finance jobs that were also shipped out of the U.S., reports focussed on tech-centred companies such as IBM, Accenture, Hewlett-Packard and Dell which were establishing offshore centres.

Meanwhile, American companies needed IT professionals more than ever before. Firms scrambled to find new hires from the diminishing domestic IT talent pool just as they increasingly relied on IT for important everyday business activities. In response, many firms had to find safe havens offshore or with foreign companies — which made the problem worse. The intensity of offshoring is reflected in the staggering quarter-over-quarter revenue growth rates of over 35 per cent for leading Indian IT companies. The popular mantra that there was a declining demand for IT professionals in the U.S. became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To add insult to injury, in 2003 Harvard Business Review published a highly provocative article titled “IT Doesn’t Matter,” furthering the despair among anyone teaching IT.

Meanwhile, despite the Internet bust, the IT sector continued to be responsible for significant wealth creation in the U.S., as it grew from contributing 2 per cent of the U.S. gross domestic product in 1990 to more than 12 per cent today. The combined market capitalisation of Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Oracle and Intel grew from $16 billion in 1990 to a staggering $1.4 trillion in 2000. IT continues to flourish as more and more physical products embed microprocessors and software from cars to refrigerators, enabling new business processes and models. Despite all its problems, General Motors was positioning itself to differentiate from IT-enabled products like OnStar. Social networking sites boasting millions of subscribers have begun to alter the way we interact and do business. Sophisticated methods have emerged to understand data and react quickly to the business environment. None of this seemed important to the business schools.

MBA students asked why they needed to know anything about IT at all. Focus on business processes and value creation from IT innovation was too mundane. The role of IT in productivity increases, and wealth creation becomes irrelevant.

While the IT-related field went out of fashion, exotic financial instruments, private equity and hedge funds were the talk of business schools, creating huge demand for finance and accounting professionals. With all the complex trading strategies, mergers and acquisitions, shorting, straddles, an endless number of acronyms such as MBS, CDS, CDO and LBO were valued as relevant and equated to rocket science. Risk management was too technical to teach in MBA programmes beyond a cursory glace at that terminology, while “leverage” became the mantra. Students poured into business schools to make that quick million after graduation in the finance world. At the same time, firms including those in the consulting sector needed thousands of accountants to make balance sheets complex enough using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. And, they needed even more to unhide or decipher what is being reported.

However, no one asked questions about the value added work from these financial and accounting innovations. We taught them ethics to counter unethical business practices. But we stopped asking if any of this complexity was actually adding value to our economy or to our society. Now we realise that all those supposedly value-adding financial instruments and accounting methods were in fact value destroying. Many of the jobs that were created artificially are gone, along with millions of real jobs, leaving the economy in tatters.

This reminds me of the movie Pretty Woman starring Richard Gere as a deal-maker and Julia Roberts as a prostitute. The prostitute was surprised how a deal-maker made so much money without making anything tangible. Increasingly there is the pursuit of making money without actually making anything, while creating enough complexity to create more such jobs.

While the mess is so gigantic, there is already talk of how critical finance and accounting are to businesses. Meanwhile, value adding roles in businesses like supply chain management and MIS have become the least desired programmes in business schools. In fact, in my casual conversations with faculty members in a leading business school in India the same situation holds.

We need to once again get back to the basics of creating value and not propagating illusions of value. The basics should be creating deep thinkers with a holistic education. This includes greater emphasis on tangible innovations, understanding and managing business cycles, and analysing business history including the causes and effect of recessions and the Great Depression of the 1930s in the U.S.

There is the need for a greater discourse on global enterprise management and the impact of different economic and political paradigms to society in a highly inter-connected global economy. The above is important for India as there is substantial friction between the old economic thoughts dominated by the public sector and new economic system of liberalisation and disinvestment in the public sector; between shareholder responsibility and social responsibility; between growth for the elite sector and status quo for the majority; between corporate subsidy to encourage growth and subsidy to poor sectors; and between meritocracy and pressures on the private sector to provide quotas for under-represented groups. True leadership comes from understanding these frictions and making the right choices. Leadership is developed from understanding these higher goals than teaching mechanics of business functions.

(Prabhudev Konana is William H. Seay Centennial Professor of Information Management at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin.)

Who says Tennis is "All Play and No Fun"?

2009-06-01T01:27:00.008+05:30

"Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row"

– after finally beating Jimmy Connors at the 1979 Masters following sixteen straight losses.

Grass is for cows
--- Ivan Lendl said about Wimbledon grass court ( won 8 Grand Slams but not the Wimbledon)

Here is Novak Djokovic imitating Maria Sharapova

And, finally this is the opening scene from the movie Match Point by Woody Allen

"Christopher "Chris" Wilton: The man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose."

Aaj Kal Ke Bacche...

2009-05-29T10:10:00.014+05:30

Following news talks about an Indian-American girl winning 2009 spelling bee contest

In her fourth appearance at the annual spelling marathon, a supremely-confident Kavya Shivashankar, 13, of Olathe, Kansas, breezed through to win the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee competition, after going toe-to-to with her pre-school friend Aishwarya Pastapur, 13, of Chatham, Illinois and Tim Ruitter of Centreville, Virginia.

Rediff article about 2009 spelling bee results

Hindu article about 2009 spelling bee finals

13 year old girl in a spelling contest with words ( menhir,maecenas,laodicean,apodyterium,amarevole,fackeltanz ) which on first encounter appear less likely to be found in dictionary and more probably in medical journals....what is this world coming to :-) I mean will the remake of the movie Gentlemen_Prefer_Blondes have the song "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" altered to "Dictionary is the girl's best friend" :-)

Some trivia about the competition copied from its official website

spelling bee official site

1. This year we welcome 293 spellers— the greatest number in the history of the event.
2. Bee Week 2009 marks the first visit to the nation’s capital for 118 spellers.
3. Speller 139, Sidharth Chand, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, placed second in the 2008 national finals.
4. The spellers range in age from 9 to 15 years old, but two-thirds are either 13 or 14 years old.
5. Speller 110, Kavya Shivashankar, of Olathe, Kansas, is a three-time top 10 finisher.
6. The pronouncer, Dr. Jacques A. Bailly, is fluent in French and German, and he teaches ancient Greek and Latin.
7. Speller 250, Gabriela Diaz, of Corpus Christi, Texas, practices spelling while jumping on her trampoline.
8. English is not the first language of 33 spellers, and 117 spellers speak languages other than English.
9. The spellers' favorite words include Weissnichtwo and humuhumunukunukuapuaa.

favourite word humuhumunukunukuapuaa ...??????????
Are you sure that is a word and not just some randomly ordered juxtaposition of letters h,u,m,n,k,a,p??? :-)

Interestingly wiki ( humuhumunukunukuapuaa or Reef triggerfish ) says this about the name of this fish
"It is often asserted that the Hawaiian name is one of the longest words in the Hawaiian Language and that "the name is longer than the fish.""

I am sure that even a fanatic fish fan will have serious hang-ups before ordering this in a restaurant...
("Sir, we have all the varieties in fish from Sea fish to fresh water fishes. What would you like to order?"..
"hold on a second"
brings out the dictionary...rehearses saying humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa a couple of times...and , after clearing his throat, gingerly asks,
"How about humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa curry?"
"I am sorry Sir, but we don't breed new species of fishes christening them with unpronounceable names."
"Oh! in that case how about Rohu curry?"
" That will be fine,Sir") :-)

Never trust Internet

2009-05-12T21:10:00.009+05:30

Read the following news item on why one should never take wikipedia at its face value

wary of wiki

I am pasting the article below:---

Student hoaxes world's media on Wikipedia

Phony quote appears in obituaries for French composer Maurice Jarre

DUBLIN - When Dublin university student Shane Fitzgerald posted a poetic but phony quote on Wikipedia, he said he was testing how our globalized, increasingly Internet-dependent media was upholding accuracy and accountability in an age of instant news.

His report card: Wikipedia passed. Journalism flunked.

The sociology major's made-up quote — which he added to the Wikipedia page of Maurice Jarre hours after the French composer's death March 28 — flew straight on to dozens of U.S. blogs and newspaper Web sites in Britain, Australia and India.

They used the fabricated material, Fitzgerald said, even though administrators at the free online encyclopedia quickly caught the quote's lack of attribution and removed it, but not quickly enough to keep some journalists from cutting and pasting it first.

A full month went by and nobody noticed the editorial fraud. So Fitzgerald told several media outlets in an e-mail and the corrections began.

"I was really shocked at the results from the experiment," Fitzgerald, 22, said Monday in an interview a week after one newspaper at fault, The Guardian of Britain, became the first to admit its obituarist lifted material straight from Wikipedia.

"I am 100 percent convinced that if I hadn't come forward, that quote would have gone down in history as something Maurice Jarre said, instead of something I made up," he said. "It would have become another example where, once anything is printed enough times in the media without challenge, it becomes fact."

So far, The Guardian is the only publication to make a public mea culpa, while others have eliminated or amended their online obituaries without any reference to the original version — or in a few cases, still are citing Fitzgerald's florid prose weeks after he pointed out its true origin.

"One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack," Fitzgerald's fake Jarre quote read. "Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head that only I can hear."

Fitzgerald said one of his University College Dublin classes was exploring how quickly information was transmitted around the globe. His private concern was that, under pressure to produce news instantly, media outlets were increasingly relying on Internet sources — none more ubiquitous than the publicly edited Wikipedia.

When he saw British 24-hour news channels reporting the death of the triple Oscar-winning composer, Fitzgerald sensed what he called "a golden opportunity" for an experiment on media use of Wikipedia.

He said it took him less than 15 minutes to fabricate and place a quote calculated to appeal to obituary writers without distorting Jarre's actual life experiences.

If anything, Fitzgerald said, he expected newspapers to avoid his quote because it had no link to a source — and even might trigger alarms as "too good to be true." But many blogs and several newspapers used the quotes at the start or finish of their obituaries.

Wikipedia spokesman Jay Walsh said he appreciated the Dublin student's point, and said he agreed it was "distressing so see how quickly journalists would descend on that information without double-checking it."

"We always tell people: If you see that quote on Wikipedia, find it somewhere else too. He's identified a flaw," Walsh said in a telephone interview from Wikipedia's San Francisco base.

But Walsh said there were more responsible ways to measure journalists' use of Wikipedia than through well-timed sabotage of one of the site's 12 million listings. "Our network of volunteer editors do thankless work trying to provide the highest-quality information. They will be rightly perturbed and irritated about this," he said.

Fitzgerald stressed that Wikipedia's system requiring about 1,500 volunteer "administrators" and the wider public to spot bogus additions did its job, removing the quote three times within minutes or hours. It was journalists eager for a quick, pithy quote that was the problem.

He said the Guardian was the only publication to respond to him in detail and with remorse at its own editorial failing. Others, he said, treated him as a vandal.

"The moral of this story is not that journalists should avoid Wikipedia, but that they shouldn't use information they find there if it can't be traced back to a reliable primary source," said the readers' editor at the Guardian, Siobhain Butterworth, in the May 4 column that revealed Fitzgerald as the quote author.

Walsh said this was the first time to his knowledge that an academic researcher had placed false information on a Wikipedia listing specifically to test how the media would handle it.

Song that moves you

2009-04-19T11:40:00.004+05:30

15th August 200x
Morning 8:00-9:00 AM
I was sitting with a couple of friends talking about general stuff. Our discussion veered towards independence day and then we started to talk about our favorite patriotic songs. Then, one of my friends, who is a good singer, said, " Let me sing you the opening lines of this song and you decide whether it ought not to be the greatest patriotic song from Bollywood". He took a piece of paper and pen to recall and write down the lyrics. And then he sang. What a performance! Whether it was the occasion or it was the overall effect of his singing these wonderful lines-- I'm not too sure. But I was never moved by hearing anyone singing live till that day(not that I have heard too many live songs). You listen to this song and tell me your opinion of it. While the jury may still be out deciding the greatest patriotic song, one thing is sure, this song will be a serious contender.

Jab zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne
Bharat Ne Mere Bharat ne
Duniya ko tab ginti aayi
Taaron ki bhasha Bharat ne
Duniya ko pehle sikhlayi
Deta na dashmalav Bharat to
yun chaand pe jana mushkil tha
dharti aur chaand ki duri ka
andaja lagana mushkil tha
sabhyata jahan pehle aayi-2
pehle janmi hai jahan pe kala
apna Bharat woh Bharat hai
jiske picche sansaar chala
sansar chala aur aage badha
yun aage badha badhta hi gaya
bhagwan kare yeh aur badhe
badhta hi rahe aur phoole phale-2

Jingles

2009-03-28T16:13:00.011+05:30

Music and especially background music serves a different purpose in ads than in movies.
In movies where you are not constrained by time limits, background music helps to clarify and accentuate whatever is happening on screen. If you could somehow mute the dialogues and just listen to background music while watching many of Bollywood movies, you can probably catch most of the significant things in the movie. Remember that overused Saxophone tune which was used to ratchet up the sensuality of the scene when the heroine used to get out of the swimming pool.

This is the opening scene from Chariots of Fire for which Vangelis won the Academy Award for original soundtrack composed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire_(instrumental)

I am quoting from Internet

"Rapid heart-beat synthesizer rhythm is descended upon by that legendary piano melody that was a top 40 hit. An endorphin rush, a natural high is what I always feel as the sounds from this track circulate through my body and mind.
"

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976906357

"Vangelis' electronic score for a film set in 1930s Britain seemed an odd match at first, but the title theme, with its echoing, manipulated rhythm box and melodic hook, became one of the most popular theme songs of the early '80s. Just hearing the opening 30 seconds conjures up -- for those who have seen the film -- shots of men running on the beach in slow motion, and has been borrowed, adapted, and ripped-off ever since."

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,179870,00.html

(BTW,this tune was copied in the song "Main Teri Huun Janam" from "Khoon Bhari Maang".So even if you haven't heard the original tune, it will be familiar to you if you have heard that song.)

In advertisements, there is not much of a scope for character growth, plot development. So, the aim is to create an arresting tune and catchy music.
Intel's Intel Inside campaign is the best example of it

Wikipedia says this about this tune

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel

"The famous "D♭ D♭ G♭ D♭ A♭" jingle, sonic logo, tag, audio mnemonic (MP3 file of sonic logo) was produced by Musikvergnuegen and written by Walter Werzowa from the Austrian 1980s sampling band Edelweiss."

I wrote this post not because I wanted to bore you with above details, but to give you five of the best jingles I have heard in Indian TV ads.

1.)Awesome Limca Ad featuring sushma Reddy and Niketan Madhok
Ad agency is O & M (Ogilvy & Mather)
sung by Caralisa Monteiro
composed by R. Anandh

Fuhaarein, bauchharein, nazaaare chura lo na,
Kuch boondein chura lo na
Thaki si zindagi se,
Ruki si zindagi se
Kuchh lamhein chura lo na
Kuch yadein aur sapne, apne chura lo na
Ruki si zindagi se
Thaki si zindagi se
Raftaarein chura lo na
Luka chhipi kelhti hain bhid mein hazaron kaliyan
hmmmm...
Galiyon mein yun bhid banke chhup gayin hain sari khushiyan
Khushiyon ko bula lo na
Muskane chura lo na
Sulgati pyaas hai to, machalti pyaas hai to
Ek Limca chura lo na
Kuch yadein aur sapne, apne chura lo na
Ruki si zindagi se
Thaki si zindagi se
Raftaarein chura lo na

(If you want the mp3 of this song, just leave a comment
I did some background reserch on its singer Caralisa Monteiro
http://www.desimusic.com/songs/singer/2674/caralisa-monteiro.html
Phir Dekhiye from Rock On is a song which I used to like and listen a lot last year, but never bothered to find out its singer..I think I'll now add her to my list of female singers to watch for along with Shilpa Rao ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shilpa_Rao
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/04/07/stories/2008040751550300.htm ) and Rekha Bhardwaj ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rekha_Bhardwaj ) )

2.)Vivel Shapoo Ad

Julf mahka hua mausam hai
Tapke(?) tu na dekhe koi
Isko ungli pe
lapeta na karo
unguthi na de de koi
(Who is the singer? Mohit Chauhan?)

3.)Parachute Advansed(why is "Advansed" used in the campaign , and not "Advanced"?) "Gorgeoush Hamesha"
Deepika Padukone
singer Mohit Chauhan
Lyrics Prasoon Joshi
Ad agency McCann Erickson

Pyaar mein ya phir kisi ke intzaar mein
tum to ho gorgeous hamesha
behas mein uljhi ho ya
khamosh khoi khoi
khel mein ya khawab khawab mein
tum to ho gorgeous hamesha

4.)Cadbury - Dairy Milk Advertisement with a girl doing dancing in a cricket field

Kucch khaas hai
Hum sabhi mein
Kucch baat hai
Hum sabhi mein
baat hai khaas hai
kucch swaad hai
kya swaad hai jindagi mein

ad agency:--Ogilvy and Mather
http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Cadbury_Dairy_Milk_%27Yeh_Swad_Hai_Zindagi_Ka%27_commercial-66703-1.html

"The real taste of Life during the 80's Cadbury got stuck in a mindset trap, where it was perceived as something meant for the kids, something which was seen as an indulgent product and something which wasn?t meant for the adults. This led to Brand Stagnation and what was required was to break free of this mold and establish itself as something which could be enjoyed by people across age barriers.

Surveys revealed that chocolate and especially Cadbury was associated with joyous and carefree moments, and what was required was to blend these moments with those in the real life. The dawning of liberalization in the country also meant that the masses were yearning to break free from their shackles where the expression of one?s feelings was not considered taboo anymore.

It is in this background that the real taste of India ads were created for Cadbury. The ad shows a cricket match in action with a boundary required of the last ball to win the match and for the batsman to get his century. The batsman hits the last ball in the air as the crowd watches with bated breath, the fielder gets underneath the ball, a young lady in the galleries prays frantically for him to miss the ball. Much to the delight of the fans and the lady the balls sails over the boundary rope."

5.)jingle for Garden Sarees composed by A.R. Rahman before he came into film industry--featuring Lisa ray

Before closing this post, let me leave you with these two TV tunes

This is the Doordarshan signature tune which used to come in the morning

This is the iPOD ad