Archive for the ‘Entertainment’ Category
Why 3 Idiots might become a Flop
Since every idiot worth his/her salt is opining on the row between Chetan Bhagat and Vidhu Vinod Chopra & Co, I thought I should contribute to such a rich national debate. This story has dominated the news cycle in India for the last few days and before it starts testing people’s patience, I wanted to express my solidarity for Chetan.
Let me put in a few disclaimers – I am a big Aamir fan, I have always admired VVC’s vision, I can’t stop loving Raju Hirani’s knack for comedy and some of us have long appreciated Abhijat Joshi, the supposed dark horse. Despite some minor flaws, I loved ’3 Idiots’. I have not read Five Point Someone (or any other book written by Chetan) and for this reason, VVC might have questioned my right to even have an opinion. However, my solidarity with Chetan has nothing to do with VVC’s deranged outburst at the now-famous press conference. I am not letting it cloud my judgment in the same way that I am discounting Chetan’s melodramatic statements on the television – he has been supplying a lot of lowly grist that is the staple in most news channels now-a-days. I keep wondering if the writer in him is incapable of escaping cliches. Also, legally, Chetan’s gripes have no locus standi and he knows it well. The contract he signed with VVC & Co in 2005 is now a part of the dirty linen that is hanging dry in public. The contract has been abided by and nobody can even contemplate a lawsuit. That said, here is why I believe Chetan has been wronged.
My Name is Singh, Rocket Singh!
By the time I post this, Aamir Khan must have moved to another city of India. There is no telling whether it will be big or small, famous or obscure. A legion of his fans and curious onlookers await the fifth clue. Though Aamir calls it an Alternate Reality Game, what he is doing would be interesting by any other name too. And unprecedented. His bharat-darshan has raised film marketing to a new level. Though film-makers have long strived to create buzz around upcoming movies, never has it taken on the kind of aura as in recent times. It is high time that they instituted a Filmfare and an Oscar for Best Marketing of a Feature Film.
‘Road, Movie’: The Next Slumdog
Normally, people make such pronouncements after watching a movie but I am basing this on the trailer: I think ‘Road, Movie’ could very well be the next Slumdog Millionaire.
10 Tips to Write a Blog Nobody Reads
This week, I completed one year in blogosphere. My blog’s stats confirm that rarely anyone reads or links into my blog. Sometimes, charitable friends visit the blog to keep my hope afloat. Setting aside those anomalies, I have clearly perfected the art of writing a blog that nobody would read.
Alas, MJ
The famous guy who I shared (just) my initials with died last Thursday at 50. Michael Jackson enthralled the world for about 40 years before giving up the ghost. The death of any other singer of English songs would not have moved me so much – but MJ was a huge cultural cross-over. Outside of the US too, he was a childhood icon of many a non-English speaking people and a cool embodiment of all the razzle-dazzle that West represented for us.
24 – Eighth Season Spoiler
The seventh season finale of 24 just ended. Once again, the show left millions of us sated yet thirsty for more. The sixth season had ended on a lame note but I remember the fifth season finale was gut-wrenching with the oil tanker headed for Shanghai and all of us sighing for Jack – also, the fourth season ending with Jack headed incognito to Mexico was cool too. The writers have done a great job of resurrecting the edge-of-the-seat season-end cliffhanger. As the clock clicked rapidly towards 8 am, I was wondering where it was headed. But, in a brilliant 2 minutes, Renee Walker stepped into Allen Wilson’s holding room with murder on her mind and at the same time, Kim vowed to not let her dad kick the bucket. I guess I have made clear through one of my earlier posts how much I die to see 24 – now, I live to see the eighth season and here is what I think we will be shown.
The Day ACP Pradyuman Will Outdo Jack Bauer!
I never did drugs. But, the last few days have taught me a thing or two about what addiction is. I watched episode 1 of 24′s first season Tuesday evening. I had brought home only the first DVD of season 1. I wasn’t sure how much I would like it. I began watching and by the end of the first episode, I was hooked. And, without pausing, I saw all 4 episodes. By the end of it, I started exhibiting withdrawal symptoms. My stash was over and I was burning.
Slumdog Crorepati: Reprise
When we saw Slumdog Millionaire in Nov08 in NYC, I came back unsatisfied and I wrote this post. Nobody seemed to agree with me. For weeks after, all I read or heard were people who continued to coo and gush about how fantastic the movie was. In fact, a couple of times, on offering a divergent opinion, my friends looking deprecatingly at me - not sure whether they regarded me smug or stupid. Vindication came yesterday.
Slumdog Sucks Somewhat
This Saturday evening, we watched Slumdog Millionaire, after braving a couple of ‘Sold Out’ theaters in Midtown. Even before we went in, I was eager to declare it one of the best movies I’d ever watched. After all, Danny Boyle was well-liked, Rahman composed the score, the cast looked good, the trailer looked wonderful, several critics had raved about it and most importantly, it was based on a novel that I had truly enjoyed reading about 2 years back. They were even talking about Oscars. But, being circumspect by nature, I took care of a little technicality first i.e. I watched the movie before making up my mind. My verdict: a huge disappointment. My astonishment: why nobody gets it.
