Wall Street to Slumdog to Malabar Hill

Last week I saw two movies which showed two very different perspectives of money. While in wall street bombarded me with the "Greed is Good" jingoism..Slumdog millionaire is at a totally opposite end of the money ladder...But the ultimate truth in both of them is how the lack of money or too much of it influences and shapes are lives..... Anyways the movie was damn good..very "filmy"....very bollywood..And AR rehman take a bow..

Read somewhere that the parents of the slum children who acted in the movie are complaining of not being paid adequately. Seems like the parents of these children are now feeling they have lost out on something big. Somehow I am getting a feeling the parents have realised the movie has become much bigger than what they had imagined and now want to be a part of the commercial success...:) And if u see from there perspective there is nothing wrong in that as if we take a hypothetical example of a person X working in a small start up. If the start up becomes really successful that person would also want a bigger share of the pie.. so I think these kind of issues are quite normal and as long as there will be human beings these issues will arise...

Finally the highlight of my weekend was my meeting with Mr. Kharas...my former landlord who although didnt recognise me (he is 90 years old)..but then just seeing him sitting on his bed..dressed in a cool T-shirt..as if he was still ready to work with the TATAs.. was something which gave me a lot of happiness...and when i shook hands with him..he said to me..." u take care"..I would like to believe that in that moment he did remember me..someone who used to share a drink and a smoke with him..especially on the day of the Parsi new Year...along with some Dhansak..I still remember how he would go on and on about how his children were the toppers in everything..like all our parents do..but then it was also disturbing to see that nobody was living with him in this stage of life..Yet he was so proud of them that he would repeat the story for all of those two months I was there...

COUGHy with Gaurav

Sorry for not writing for quite some time...just too much happening..or maybe.just nothing happening to pen down my thoughts...just trying to figure out the next steps...

2009 has started and already we are almost a month down...i am seeing so many more confused faces....Raju's ASATYAM..has not helped matters...people are trying to hold on to what they have..

Waiting for better times...and also Slumdog Millionaire..which releases tomorrow..:)

Its the movie of "hope" and in these trying times there cant be too much of it.

Tuff Times

It has been a strange sort of month....Nothing much happening...in life..in markets..have postponed my American dreams for a year...November 26th ..thanks to the media is still very fresh..for me it was the best testament to the fact how we have become suckers to reality TV...I am thankful to God I chose have dinner in Bandra that night and not go to our favourite Colaba Causeway..
As always we have pointed fingers at our neighbours..and they have thrown mud at us...I don't know how long this will continue...Some say War is the only solution while others say that the only thing War will solve is ..Nothing...Condoleeza Rice's hurried visit to India shows how the US views this problem..I just fear...that they don't turn Pakistan into another Iraq...These are definitely tough times...

Finally I feel Kevin Petersen has shown himself to be a true statesman and conducted himself and the team in the best possible manner..Convincing the "homesick" Harmison and Flintoff shows he has got a good hold on the team...

Nani...You will be always there

I know when I tell ppl my grandmom is no longer there..and at the age of 78..it does not come as a shock..

But you have to know my context..

I lived with her from the age of two till i moved to high school..and even then whenever I used to come from vacations i used to live with her..She was like a buddy for me..used to watch Wimbledon (like all women..used to like Agassi), had seen Indian cricket for the last 50 yrs..had so many interesting stories from the Raj..

It still has not sunk in..It will when i go to Simla and do not find her sitting in the window smiling at the passer bys..The 100 Rs she always used to give me when I was coming back..the smile she used to have talking to my wife, she used to say I was her 3rd son..i hope i have lived up to her expectations..

I dont know..There are so many memories..she gave me a 90 years old cricket ball..once..she kept my dinky cars safe..she gave me a bongo to play..she made amazing achaars for me and always remembered what I loved to eat..she used to be at the entrance to welcome me whenever I came back..

I know things will never be the same..I miss u Nani... so much

Sachin Chaaleesa (40th)..provided the Quantum of Solace

I borrowed this title from either India TV or Star News..cant remember as both of them show crap..anyways congratulations to SRT for the 40th century and taking the milestone a little further for Ponting.............Anyways 331/5 is neither the best nor the worst...Will be interesting day's cricket tomorrow... The two debutants Vijay and Krejza made their presence felt which is always good for the sport....I am sure Gambhir would come out of this as a much more mature and stronger batsmen..

The weekend is approaching and so is Mr. Bond..I am itching to see the movie tomorrow..In case I do manage to please wait for a movie review by Saturday...God I am really troubling you guys...:) I HAVE THE POWER

Mahabharath..Then & Now

Yesterday one of the greats of Indian cinema, BR Chopra passed away...I think it was because of that man that our generation knows about Hindu mythology...For us how Krishna is always Nitish Bhardwaj and how Bheem is always Praveen Kumar...I thank him for the the weekly entertainment of gizmo fights between Karan and Arjun..It was just amazing

Although most people feel that his death was age related I personally feel he was quite shocked to see "Kahani Hamaray Mahabharath Kee"..I would not be surprised if there are further lawsuits against the Balaji Telefilms family in the coming months..:)

Bachna Aay Osama..Le aa gaya Obama

Sorry..guys its a real bad title..but it rhymes..and that's my best effort in poetry..

Anyways Obama is the 44th president of the US and I am not too sure of what it holds for us.........He is expected to be a protectionist..hmm (does that mean shipping back of jobs)..I don't know and neither do most of the experts out there...What I know is that somehow out of the two, Obama seems just the right man for the really tough job...He is known to be a devotee of Lord Hanuman and I think he has chosen the right god as he would need enormous strength of character and a smart think tank to get the United States and the world out of this mess...

Coming back to closer home, India take on Australia in the final test tomorrow in Nagpur. Gambhir is set to miss the test...which will give Australia the booster it so badly deserves..In the last 3 days of the Mohali test, India seems to be loosing momentum and Gambhir's non availability will not be ideal for their preparation...Anyways it will be gripping test cricket...Lets wait and watch.....:)