No sirree, I am not talking about the dreaded Klu Klux Klan or something. I am talking about the recently concluded "Khatron Ke Khiladi" - the desi version of "Fear Factor". I used to watch the original once in a while and people could hear me muttering "Apparently, fear is not a factor for you!" once in a while too :). This desi version was hosted by Akshay Kumar and I must say he did a decent job of it. A much better job than the usual Shahrukhs and the Salmans trying to occupy every pixel of screen space on the idiot box. That they have failed miserably at it is known to everyone.
Infact, even Pi has turned into an ardent fan of Akshay's after the show. What was good was his earthy humor. He doesn't try to be eloquent or swanky in his humor (I think Shahrukh tries this a lot!). He doesn't switch to English now and then in what is a hindi channel show afterall. His guttural laughter, his dialogue delivery and his comic timing is what forces one to laugh heartily once in a while! Maybe that is why he is the real king of the masses. Take a look at the reruns once in a while if you can..
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sea of Poppies
I don't buy books. And if I buy, they are invariably from the street side with a lotta haggling and all. But Pi had a gift voucher of Crossword bookstore, so we had to buy something.
I thank my stars that I bought "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh. I am done with it and its turned out to be a great, great read. Amitav Ghosh took about 4 years to write this one and this is part of the Ibis Trilogy. Ibis is the ship in this trilogy around which a host of colorful characters revolve. Along with the rich plot, its also a telling account of how the British sucked the lifeblood out of many a Indians via the very profitable Opium trade in the early 1820s, before the 2 Opium wars with China.
Another very interesting thing, is the language used. Its a nice mixture of English and Hindusthani languages prevalent then. So I guess this Hinglish culture is nothing new :)
Recommended reading for one and all! I am already looking forward to the remaining of the 2 books, dont know when they will come out yet though considering that this one is just out this year.
Check out the website of this trilogy for more information about the characters and the fascinating language too! It's good to have a master Indian English storyteller like Amitav!
I thank my stars that I bought "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh. I am done with it and its turned out to be a great, great read. Amitav Ghosh took about 4 years to write this one and this is part of the Ibis Trilogy. Ibis is the ship in this trilogy around which a host of colorful characters revolve. Along with the rich plot, its also a telling account of how the British sucked the lifeblood out of many a Indians via the very profitable Opium trade in the early 1820s, before the 2 Opium wars with China.
Another very interesting thing, is the language used. Its a nice mixture of English and Hindusthani languages prevalent then. So I guess this Hinglish culture is nothing new :)
Recommended reading for one and all! I am already looking forward to the remaining of the 2 books, dont know when they will come out yet though considering that this one is just out this year.
Check out the website of this trilogy for more information about the characters and the fascinating language too! It's good to have a master Indian English storyteller like Amitav!
Traffic it!
So, I and Pi had a nice route to office. Her office was 2 stone throws away from mine and my road was such that I had to take that turn anyways! So I had gladly been her chauffeur ferrying her around for 3-4 months and it worked really well.
Alas, that was not meant to be. The world could not digest that this kind of traffical bliss be awarded to any city-lving soul. It turns out that Pi's office has shifted 4 kms away from mine and that too on the busy bund-garden, yerwada-bridge, airport-road areas :(.
For one who was used to no traffic jam, below 30 minutes commute times, I have not been taking it well. My arsenal of expletives has been renewed/replenished proportional to the number of traffic stops I have to make now. I am also trying to listen to "Lounge Music" to calm myself against this gross injustice too. So, yeah add my name to the list of harried, harassed, city commuters now. The fact that I had the urge to replace the "i" in the first word of the title above with a "u" should also say something about my sentiments right now.. Calm Nikhil... calm :)
Alas, that was not meant to be. The world could not digest that this kind of traffical bliss be awarded to any city-lving soul. It turns out that Pi's office has shifted 4 kms away from mine and that too on the busy bund-garden, yerwada-bridge, airport-road areas :(.
For one who was used to no traffic jam, below 30 minutes commute times, I have not been taking it well. My arsenal of expletives has been renewed/replenished proportional to the number of traffic stops I have to make now. I am also trying to listen to "Lounge Music" to calm myself against this gross injustice too. So, yeah add my name to the list of harried, harassed, city commuters now. The fact that I had the urge to replace the "i" in the first word of the title above with a "u" should also say something about my sentiments right now.. Calm Nikhil... calm :)
Friday, August 1, 2008
Shining dark knight!
I am not prone to fanboyism. But I saw "The Dark Knight" over the weekend and it's a splendid piece of cinema. Heath Ledger is amazing as the Joker and I think Christian Bale holds up his own pretty well as the Batman himself.
What spiked up the fanboy within me was the batman's fabulous batpod! The way he vrooms around with his cape bellowing out in the wind is a cool sight to behold. So if you thought the batmobile was uber cool, the batpod is the coolest. Infact, Batman's relationship with this bike is described in the film as "He doesn't choose it, he requires it." The sequence in the middle during the car chase, when the Joker is out of his truck and Batman is on the Batpod coming towards him is worth watching many times over. Take a look at Batman's sleekest mean machine below!
What spiked up the fanboy within me was the batman's fabulous batpod! The way he vrooms around with his cape bellowing out in the wind is a cool sight to behold. So if you thought the batmobile was uber cool, the batpod is the coolest. Infact, Batman's relationship with this bike is described in the film as "He doesn't choose it, he requires it." The sequence in the middle during the car chase, when the Joker is out of his truck and Batman is on the Batpod coming towards him is worth watching many times over. Take a look at Batman's sleekest mean machine below!
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