Coffee & a Quill

Barbeque Nation- A delectable rendezvous.

2012-10-10T23:49:00.001+05:30

Each taste receptor on our tongue tingled away to glory. Item after item was being served, re-served and re-re-served; but we were not to be satiated. The travails of an arduous week lay mindlessly forgotten in the mélange of Zucchini cottage cheese, Assorted Mediterranean Grill, Lebanese chilli garlic potato and Gobi aachari (we being vegetarians were gorging on the shakahari upahaar. Of course, our dad, ever the carnivore, was busy devouring the chicken and the fish!). Even the humble cauliflower, usually lying forgotten in the gloomy confines of the refrigerator, was being greeted with eager anticipation and heartfelt delight. Yes. It really was that spectacular. (And we were just one round down!!!)

Inaugurated a few months back, Andheri’s Barbeque Nation near Fun Republic Mall is one gratifying, tantalizing, scrumptious and gargantuan experience. With a seating capacity of nearly 270 people, this restaurant is surely going to be the next suburban hub. The taste is rich, the ambience, pleasing and the service is a delight. The live music jives well with the food and the humongous space gives one enough privacy and comfort. The interiors are intelligently designed with ample places for couples, gangs of friends and families alike. It is an apt place to spend an evening out with close ones where the food competes with the chit- chat!

As is its USP, the barbeque was exquisite! The variety offered in both the courses was good and there was a fine consistency maintained in the taste levels. No particular taste was over- whelming and there was a feel- good factor about every dish. The buffet was interesting and in spite of the monstrosity of the barbeque, it was nice to have the succulent staple to add to the already full innards. The desserts were ravishing with my favorite Gulab Jamuns taking the cake (in that manner of saying!). Lastly, the mukhwaas and paan were, as usual, amazing! (Collected around 10 packs in total I guess :P)

One thing however, that marred the wonderful night was the effort involved in reaching the place. A south Mumbai resident has that 'god-knows-where-this-forsaken-place-is' experience which was a disappointment. Another drawback, in spite of the unmatched service I told you about, was probably the over enthusiastic waiter who would insist on stuffing us with the starters every time he crossed us by. Though amusing at first, the unbridled service ate up significant main course tummy space!

The august restaurant regaled our appetence and stoked both our gustatory and olfactory senses! The mouth watering symphony along with the tranquil karaoke spread appetizing delight to tongue, tummy and heart. All in all, the medley of food, music and banter enraptured our minds and gladdened our souls.

Looking forward to another reverent visit to this delicious restaurant.

This is the Sciolist, along with Tilak Vaidya.

Signing out!!!

About the authors:

Pranav Vaidya, who goes under the pen name The Sciolist, is an avid reader, food enthusiast, zealous blogger, Lord of the Rings fanatic, Android addict, fervent writer and sporadic poet. To follow his other work, visit Sciolism, which is an advocacy of his perspectives.

Tilak Vaidya is a budding computer engineer, amateur cricketer, neophyte guitarist, voracious reader, effervescent blogger, spasmodic poet and aspiring novelist. When he isn't gobbling up books by the dozen, he preaches at Opinionate.

OMG, What a Movie !!!

2012-10-05T16:59:00.002+05:30

Rating: 4 out of 5

To describe in one word – Amazing

To describe in two words – Simply Outstanding

OMG is an outstanding movie, delivering a strong message. Movies are usually not for me, as I seem to hardly like any movies. However, OMG has an amazing concept, something which one can relate to. It would touch that very part of your belief in God and make you think whether your belief about what is God is actually true.

The director gives interesting insight and perspective about what is God. Not denying the fact that the movie does preach about what is God and what is not. But the best part is, the director has managed to mix entertainment and a strong message in a smooth way and there is not even a single moment in which you would feel like taking a loo break or fidgeting with your Android.

The story begins with Kanji Mehta (Paresh Rawal), a typical Gujrathi, who knows how to do business. Atheist to the core, Kanji does not believe in God. His business is to sell the idols at super expensive prices by making up stories. He even manages to go to Haridwar in a trip sponsored by a son in memory of his mother an all he does is buy more stuff.

Then one day Kanji’s son takes part in a dahi handi. In order to dissuade him, he spreads rumours and the whole dahi handi thing goes for a toss. And as one would guess, God punishes him for his act. An earthquake completely destroys his shop. But hold on, everything else is unmoved. Thus, God plays the cruel role of destroying his source of income. Even the insurance company rejects his claim saying that the damage is due to act of God. That is when, he decides to sue the God and your movie begins.

The movie has amazing dialogues and arguments put forth are nicely scripted. Each and every character is flawless and plays his role to perfection. Paresh Rawal, Mithun Chakraborty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Akshay Kumar and Om Puri are wonderful and keep you engaged. The real life resemblance of Mithun Chakraborty, Govind Namdeo as Siddheshwar Maharaj and Poonam Jhawer as Gopi Maiyya makes them all the more fun (That is if, you can guess that they actually portray real life sadhus).

After ages, there seems to be a Hindi movie which has balanced the fun and the message part nicely. I would even dare to say that this movie is better than Barfi. Must watch movie, do not miss it. It’s something you will never regret.

Mumbai Board Gamers

2012-09-25T11:14:00.002+05:30

When we were kids we used to spend our days playing games with friends, usually without bothering about anything else. As we grew up, we continued playing games with our friends, only now the games weren’t limited to dice or boards or pawns. The words ‘business’ , ‘monopoly’, ‘ludo’, ‘snakes & ladders’ or ‘chinese chekkers’ always bring a smile to my face as they remind me of those wonderful childhood days. Sometimes I miss playing these games. I tend to wonder why I grew up to busy myself with this corporate life. For those who liked such games played other games like ‘scrabble’, ‘the game of life’, ‘pictionary’, ‘scotland yard’.

Eclipse

I recently came across this group of enthusiastic ‘board gamers’ who meet almost every week to play board games. These games are not games which you would have normally played before. These games are more advanced and they need strategies, thinking and anticipating your opponent’s moves. The games have gigantic boards with hundreds of pawns with which you can perform various actions. To name a few - ‘Eclipse’ is a game which involves space age battle, ‘Civilization’ on the other hand allows you to build your own civilization, promote your own culture and win battles, ‘Powergrid’ makes you use resources like oil, coal, money to power cities which you control. There are more than 100 such games with them.

Stone Age

So if you are in Mumbai and want to spend your time in a constructive manner then I suggest you should try out at least one session with them. If you feel you don’t know how to play these games, then worry not, they are kind enough to explain all the rules in detail and before starting a game they do conduct a trial game. Games vary across all genres and difficulty with number of players ranging from 2-10 depending on the game. Some games need 1-2 hours whereas some may even take 5-6 hours to finish. These sessions are organized all over Mumbai but generally at Parel, Mahalaxmi, Bandra and Juhu.

The Mumbai Board Gamers was formed 5 months back. They already have around 100 members. The people in the group are down to earth and very helping. Some of them are alumni of IITs and IIMs also. One needs to just give their time and dutch in for whatever they eat / drink, rest everything is on the house.

I joined them last week and have already attended four sessions and it is truly addictive. It’s certainly better than watching a sitcom or lazing around watching TV. Some of these games are also part of business school games. And additionally it serves the purposes of networking and meeting new people.

You can reach them by joining Mumbai BoardGamers or for any details / queries please leave a comment here or get in touch with me @gaurav_agrawall on twitter.

Barfi ! - Unadulterated Innocence...

2012-09-18T21:27:00.000+05:30

Unadulterated Innocence! That is how you describe the ‘Barfi’ experience in two words. The movie which travels from the hustle bustle of Kolkata to the quaint, mist-laden environs of Darjeeling is much a treat for all age groups alike. It captures the yet-uncorrupted parts of your brain well and does manage to enthuse the hidden child or maybe just the die-hard romantic in you.

The script revolves around the life of Barfi, a young guy who cannot speak or hear. And what is Bollywood if not for a love triangle? But this triangle is as beautiful as it is different. The story is a beautiful rendition of how differently abled people can and are like any other human being. It speaks volumes how much one can communicate even sans words. How emotions and love can be conveyed without speaking. That is where the movie’s USP lies. It’s simple yet elegant and it does manage to leave you teary-eyed.

Barfi or Ranbir Kapoor, happy go lucky as he is, falls in love with Shruti, played nicely by the newcomer Ileana D’cruz. But as luck would have it she is already engaged. Love still blossoms in the hills and there comes a time where she needs to make a choice. And choose she does! In some other part of town, Jhilmil or Priyanka Chopra, who suffers from Autism is living her own story. Barfi who has grown up with Jhilmil decides to kidnap her when he needs money for his father’s operation. And there begins the comedy of hits and misses. From Darjeeling to Kolkata and back - it’s all seeped in raw emotions and love!

Travelling back and forth in time, the movie narrates itself as a story with constant flashbacks to different periods in time. One may get a tad confused but if one engrosses oneself in the movie enough then I am pretty sure it will be a relish. The cinematography and direction are spell binding and keep you entertained throughout. And the acting is simply marvellous – be it Ranbir or Priyanka or even Inspector Dutta (played by Saurabh Shukla). Although the first part is a bit slow and may make you take your eyes away from the movie, the second part more than makes up for the slip. The plus point of the second part being better than the first is that it leaves a lasting and lingering good-wala feeling on you. Overall it is a good watch and I would rate it 3.5/5 !!

Catch the official trailer here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZxrao3zou4

US Open 2012 – Preview of Men’s Singles preview

2012-08-28T20:54:00.002+05:30

So the final slam of the year is here. Considered to be the fastest of the four courts, the US Open has always been exciting. Last four years have produced four different winners, most notable was the US Open of 2009 where Juan Martin Del Potro came from 2 sets down to win the match and the tournament. I still remember how I had written off Del Potro after being 2 sets down and had gone off to sleep. But as the saying goes, you can never win at half time and the goal is not scored until it is actually scored.

So, time for predictions of US Open 2012 winner. People would call me foolish and also thoughtless if I say that this year’s tournament will be won by someone apart from Federer or Djokovic or Murray and it may be right too considering the way these people have dominated tournaments year after year. There are few who have managed to challenge these players in grand slams and no player has been able to keep winning against these players on a consistent basis.

Obviously, the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal from this year’s tournament may be the talking point but everything would be forgotten once the tournament gets underway. Talking about the grand prediction, it doesn’t take in-depth tennis knowledge to guess the winner.

Roger Federer has rolled back years and sublimely taken over Wimbledon again. The elegance, the skill and the mastery seems to be back. Besides, his bogey player, Nadal has also withdrawn. He is thus a formidable opponent and a challenger for title. Novak – he is another contender to win the title. With his fighting spirit, his rise to the top, his stamina and bringing out his best at toughest times, Djoko is now one of the favourites. Murray has now formed a reputation which he may not like - of not performing at a big stage. But, it seems, with Ivan Lendl being his coach, there is a difference in his mentality. Shockingly, his previous defeats in grand slam finals were in straight sets but in Wimbledon finals he managed to finally win a set. His comprehensive victory against Federer in the Olympics gold medal match may come as a shocker but it seems that his time has finally come.

Apart from these three, the only player which I feel can challenge top three is Del Potro. The fast pace court will suit his game. Del Potro is one whom I assume to be a dark horse and certainly consider him better than Tsonga and Ferrer.

However, if you ask me to put my money on a player, I may still go with Novak Djokovic. According to me he just has that extra edge which may help him to overcome other 127 players. Lets wait for 8th September !!!

66th year of Indian Independence!

2012-08-15T01:26:00.001+05:30

Thousands of ‘midnight hours’ have come and gone by, the world slept and awoke as a routine and India managed to complete its 66 years of existence as a democracy when states around it succumbed to military rule and autocracies. This by no means is a mean feat but India now needs to rise from the ‘midnight hour’ phenomenon as we certainly did not catch the entire world napping; for the record it was 2.30pm in the American Capital and most would have been wide awake. Nevertheless, the allegory symbolises the intrinsic value of the historical event that was unfolding – the lowering of the Union Jack and hoisting of the Tricolour!

India will always have a special place in history. Not only because the Indus valley civilisation was much advanced than the contemporary world but also because it has resolutely but subtly had its effect on the entire world. UK would not have been such a roaring economy (pre-crisis I mean) but for the gold that was looted from India. Bangladesh would not been born if not for Indira Gandhi’s timely intervention in the erstwhile East Pakistan. So also South Africa would have taken a few more years to rid itself of the apartheid that was prevalent therein if the Mahatma had not stood against the whites. These are the few direct impacts we have had on the world. But we still continue to prop up the IT industry of the world and many of NASA’s scientists are Indians.

But now India needs to reclaim its lost glory – lost because the current glory is but a mere shadow of its original being. India needs to assert itself on the world stage. By assert I do not mean that it should disturb world peace or disrupt the democratic systems around the world. But a point needs to be driven home that we shall not take things lying down. Indian diplomacy needs to rise to the occasion and re-engage with like-minded countries and untie to fight the scourges of terrorism, violence, corruption and similar global vices. Using the platforms of multilateral platforms a refreshing change needs to be brought in the way systems function. From expansion of the UN Security Council to giving impetus to the Non-alignment Movement, from establishing channels of communication with the African nations to building bridges with the South American continent, from playing a meaningful role in the Middle Eastern crises to taking decisive action to arrest global warming – the time has come for a nation to reawaken.

National interest should be at the forefront of any decision, political or otherwise. If anyone falls short of the patriotism that is needed to support India in nation building, well, simply tune in to the numerous patriotic songs that are playing around. The heart-wrenching voice of Lata Mangeshkar singing Vande Mataram instantly makes one teary eyed. It affects you because somewhere within you know you are falling short of doing your bit for your country, your motherland. It is time you wake up to the nation’s call. Take a pledge to serve your country in whatever way possible. Be a responsible citizen. And remember – we are all Indians first and lastly we are Indians!

The Irish House

2012-08-12T16:42:00.000+05:30

For all those who wanted a Mclarens kind of bar to hang out at, here’s a great option – The Irish House at Phoenix Mills. Yes, it’s inside Phoenix Mills. In case, you are wondering how come you missed even though you Phoenix mills is your second home on weekends, join the club. JFYI, it’s up the stairs next to Smoke House Deli and Noodle Bar.

Conspicuousness apart, the place has great ambience. They've got the typical bar look just right with brick walls, bare wooden tables and high chairs. Just the right mix of the classy and the casual. The walls are interspersed with TV screens playing the ongoing sport events. What takes your attention away, and I mean this literally, is the huge roll down screen. If you want to enjoy a match with buddies over beer, this is the place to be. Gives the place a sports bar-ish feel. I ve heard they also have a Karaoke and stand up comedy too. Should check that out sometime. There’s something about the place and one liners. You’ll find one liners “Ask not for what your country has done for you, ask whats for main course” and “Reality is just an illusion caused by the lack of alcohol”J all over the place right from walls to the coasters. The crowd quality is also pretty good (Read between the lines!).

Anyway, the ‘must try out’ as far as food is concerned would be the Grande Nachos. Cheesy and saucy, it forms the perfect munching option .There is another heavenly dish full of cheese rightly named ‘Heavenly Cheese’ - a delight for cheese lovers. In general, the place has yummy appetizers are quite good. Vegetarians are not really left with too many options as far as main course is concerned though I would recommend the Meditteranean Sandwich for veggies. The pastas and spaghettis are nothing special but then hey it’s an Irish pub and not an Italian restaurant. My carnivore friends say that the shrimp bucket was excellent so you may want to try that out. If you are a lover of cottage cheese, then you got to try out the Double Double – An ultimate delight consisting only of cottage cheese. They serve most beer brands and also a decent variety of cocktails though the mock tail menu leave doesn’t really leave you spoilt for choices.

The menu is slightly overpriced but worth it I would say considering the quality (and quantity) of time that can be spent there. If you believe that “Beer is the answer ... who cares about the question!!” or you are a sports aficionado or you are just looking to chill post work, just grab hold of a couple of friends and go Irish.

The Comedy Store

2012-08-04T17:20:00.003+05:30

Friday 21st July, 2012 -- The Dark Knight Rises... Well, he rose and continued to thrill the audience but we suffered through an hour and twenty minutes of traffic from Apollo Mills to Phoenix Mills (I'm led to believe it’s less than 5kms), to reach just in time, in complete snitty moods, at the perfect place - The Comedy Store. As part of a multinational company few perks that we get are corporate events and laughs if not a healthy pay-check. So a group of 26 odd 'corporate slaves' headed to The Comedy Store & we all needed a couple of laughs !

This rather short show of two hours was hosted by Kunal Rao, an ex-Chartered Accountant who quit his job to become a stand-up comedian. As part of his short opening act, he got a few chuckles from the crowd and generally warmed them for the acts to follow. Kunal also had the opportunity to reacquaint himself with our colleague, the Consultant - Vivek. Vivek was the enthusiast from the audience who got picked on all through the show for having a few funny liners of his own. Note to all - don't mess with comedians in their element. They are like bosses out to get you!

Kunal and all the other comedians for the night did the standard lines of 'First time to comedy store?' and 'Why would you sit in the front row if it’s not your first time here?' Fortunately for them there were 3 pretty girls in the front row...

Next on stage was Abish! This guy was good and had some brilliant material. From how terminator would sound in Bengali 'Asta Livista Dada' to what actually happens on the cricket ground - his enactment of MSD in slow-mo was simply brilliant! His song to irritate his 'mallu' uncle and auntie is worth memorising - you never know when you need to get those off your back! He also made jokes about how Indian names are derived and how his simply rhymed with his brother’s - Anish. Well Abish is definitely worth watching again. This guy from Delhi was on fire and kept going at it all throughout. His personification of cities when given characters and voices was simply superb.Yes the Maharashtrians are still angry and will stay so !

After a rather long twenty-minute break (you can carry your drinks inside) Kunal was back on stage talking about comprehensive condom machines and jokes on CA’s and as such his spontaneity was not to be missed. There was a lot of interaction between the comedians and the three pretty girls in the front row and a young guy Pratyush. There was a special feature by Ahmed Sharif (he has apparently shared the stage with the likes of Vir Das) but as Kunal forewarned us - have no expectations. Though he had good material, Ahmed’s jokes fell flat, maybe because of his timing or otherwise, but there was something amiss. However, worth mentioning were his jokes on Al-Qaeda, Dumbledore and how Indians are so fond of shortening names - poor Gandalf will never visit India.

Post a very anti-climatic stint by Mr. Sharif the mood definitely was very glad to have Kunal back only to introduce Rajneesh Kapoor, yet another Delhi-ite. I was a little apprehensive but this guy’s simple jokes had us in considerable stitches (After the show our sides hurt from all the laughing). He talked about flying and superstition and about kids and how stupid they are these days with their low IQs. He did the classic ‘my Punjabi mom’ has two solutions to everything - get married or else eat something. It solves all !! J Rajneesh apparently wastes a lot of time googling/surfing the net and shared his insights about people’s comments on Youtube. Funny it seems, but a war between India- Pakistan can/does start on youtube. He observes that every third comment is 'to view pictures of girls click on this link'. We ended the night clucthing our sides.

All in all, the 25 CA - consultants left the Comedy Store very happy. All the comedians were very certainly on their feet and think rather fast, their spontaneity and interaction with the crowd makes the evening very memorable (if you are with Vivek). So, The Comedy Store is a must visit - because any wo/man who can make you laugh till your stomach hurts a little is certainly worth the 600 bucks. You can also watch the shows by Vir Das and international comedians at NCPA, Sophias, Bhabha Hall and etc.

The Comedy Store: (website link) http://in.bookmyshow.com/events/Abish-Mathew-Kunal-Rao-Rajneesh-Kapoor/ET00010232
http://www.thecomedystore.in/

P.S. - Just to test Rajneesh's theory lets see if the third hit/comment on this blog is ..'to see pictures of girls ...'

About the author: Namrata Mahtani

The first review to have gone public and is pretty ecstatic. Thank you Coffee and a Quill – this is my Oscar moment!! Is paving her way to become a consultant in HR. With a knack for organising and talking too much is also trying to complete her MBA in HRD. You can also follow her on twitter @njmahtani

Virat Kohli – Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man

2012-08-04T17:06:00.000+05:30

The memory of Herschelle Gibbs tearing apart the Australian balling line up in the chase of the then highest one score of 434 is still clear. However, after doing all the good work and scoring a mesmerizing 175, he was not able to finish the match. Enter VIRAT KOHLI. Scoring 133 against Sri Lanka and finishing it in style is something which I will rate higher than Gibbs’ innings. The score was not the only concern against Sri Lanka - the pressure of a failed batting line up in Australia, expectations back home and the ghosts of bouncy pitches of Australia. Virat Kohli defied all odds and did the impossible.

Never before had any player risen to the status of one of the bests in such style, never before had any player scored 13 centuries in just 89 matches and never before did any player cement his place in the side in such an imperious manner !!!

VIRAT PREM KOHLI is a name which would now run shivers in the Sri Lankan side for years to come. Never has one particular player been such a thorn for any side. Virat scored his first ever ODI century against Sri Lanka and has never looked back since then. Scoring 13 centuries over a period of last two and half years, Virat Kohli has undoubtedly been the best ODI batsman for Team India. Scoring 12 centuries in winning causes he created an uproar in the cricketing world.

Critics may always point out that scoring 11 out of 13 centuries in sub-continent doesn’t make a player great. True, very true… Virat has still a long way to go to be called as a cricketing LEGEND. But, there would hardly be anyone who will point out against Virat. He has been in the form of his life and his purple patch has continued for longer than anyone would have expected. Averaging more than 50 for a one down batsman is outstanding to say the least. However, success doesn’t come easy.

At the age of 18, Virat lost his father. A Ranji match between Delhi and Karnataka was going on the day this tragedy happened. Delhi’s then coach, Chetan Chauhan, had relieved Virat from his duties towards Delhi and had asked him to go for his father’s last rites. Despite being up for the most of the night and rising to his duties as a son, he nevertheless turned up for the match. Scoring a gritty 90 which helped Delhi in avoiding follow-on he left a mark of being special. Comparisons were then drawn between him and Sachin Tendulkar who had done a similar thing during the 1999 World Cup - scoring a century against Kenya after his father’s death. The innings shall forever be etched in the minds of those who witnessed it.

Captaining the U-19 Indian team and leading them to World Cup glory now seems just a beginning of an illustrious carrier which Virat seems to very well have. Despite being just 23 he has established himself as an important batsman on the team or may be the “MOST” important batsman. However, it will help to remember that he began merely as a reserve batsman. After performing decently in his first one-day series he was never given a chance considering the famed batting line up of India. He finally got his chance with a share of luck which every cricketer waits for. In his case Yuvraj Singh got injured. Virat grabbed this opportunity and scored his first ODI century and from there on, as they say, rest was history.

Kohli has been in a domineering form, tearing apart all the famous bowling line ups around the world, burying the ghosts of so-called bouncy pitches. His innings of Hobart where he scored 133 of just 86 balls may have just defined his career (which was already superbly defined before this innings). Tearing apart one of the deadliest bowlers, Malinga, he carted 24 runs of his over and made the chase of 320 runs pretty easy. And then came his top-notch innings - scoring 183 runs of just 148 balls against Pakistan. Well agreed that the Pakistan line up was new but then Pakistan has a history of producing superios fast bowlers one after another.

Now, after 13 centuries in 89 innings and with a batting average of 52, we can truly say he is the next big thing in Indian cricket. Talent was always there but unlike many players he has not (yet) thrown away his talent. Players with immense talent like Rohit Sharma have let go innumerable chances but Kohli is one of those rare breeds who create their own place in the side. Brought in as a replacement of rested or injured players, currentlyno one can even think of dropping him.

It may seem that Sachin’s golden days have been revived by this Delhiite. Till he is remains on the crease it does seem that anything is possible. Younger players should take a leaf – or even many leaves if possible - out of his book - his determination, his grit, his dedication… Age just seems to be a number for him, because he has played so many wonderful innings under pressure which would seem impossible even for the greatest of greats.

XXX Olympics London 2012 - Let the games begin!

2012-07-26T23:16:00.002+05:30

Here we are; a fortnight before the biggest sporting event falling in this calendar year kicks off - Games of the XXX Olympiad or the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Don’t take me wrong but it’s the first time since 2^nd April, 2011 that I am looking forward to the display of patriotism in India when it comes to sports (including me). Let’s be true to ourselves, we have always fought over Rafa, Djoker, Roger or Chelsea, Liverpool, ManU or Spain, Portugal, Italy and not to forget MI, CSK, KKR and the likes. The most exciting part of the next 17 days is the fact that 81 athletes from India will be competing against the likes of Jamie Dywer, Wang Yihan, Roger Federer, Dani Samuels and many more – the best in business to be more precise. However, this is one event where we let go our favoritism and support athletes from home irrespective of their rankings. Every Indian, avid sports follower or not, will come out and support that team or athlete – the one that belongs to India. Now, this is the beauty that makes Olympics not only the biggest sporting event of any year but THE biggest sporting event there ever was, is or ever will.

Liu Xiang

Roots of the Games date back to the 8^th century BC better known as the Ancient Olympic Games which saw a series of competitions held between representative of several city-states and kingdoms in ancient Greece. However, with shift of ruling powers, the Games experienced their demise by 5^th century AD. By the 19^th century, the interested and wealthy were instrumental in the revival of the Olympic Games. Although the first games on revival took place in 1859, Pierre de Coubertin was influential in forming the governing body for the Games – International Olympic Committee (IOC). The first Games held under the auspices of the IOC were hosted in the Panathenaic stadium in Athens in 1896. Growth of this event in the past 116 years can be understood by one factor alone – the number of participants in one edition of the Games. They have risen from 241 participants representing 14 nations in 1896 to just over 11,000 competitors from 204 countries at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Mo Farah

Looking back at Beijing 2008 will give us a fairer view of the fireworks we can expect in London. Taking into consideration the gold medal tally, China topped the list with 51 gold medals, followed by the USA with 36 and Russia with 23. However, taking into consideration the tally of total medals, USA topped with 110 medals followed by China with 100 and Russia with 73. China and USA clearly had a competition of their own. When it came to India, with both the men and women hockey teams failing to qualify for field hockey, the nation’s hopes rested on the tennis duo of Bhupati and Paes and Athens silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Both events failing to make a mark, Abhinav Bindra was the first surprise for India by winning us our first individual gold medal till date. This was followed by one bronze medal each for Sushil Kumar and Vijender Kumar in wrestling and middleweight boxing respectively. Thus, with three medals, the last edition of the Games was the most successful till date for any Indian contingent.

The world experienced 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records in Beijing. The most notable performances in Beijing were those of American swimmer Michael Phelps who broke the record for most gold medals in one Olympics and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt becoming the fastest man on the planet. These men remain favorites to defend their events in London. However, there are a few who have impressed over the last four years and have emerged as a threat.

Ryan Lochte (left) and Michael Phelps (Right)

Michael Phelps, who has 16 Olympic medals to his credit including 14 gold medals, is clearly ‘the’ man to beat in his pet events. However, he faces a serious threat from his countryman Ryan Lochte who was named the 2011 World Swimmer of the year. Lochte won 5 gold medals in the 2011 world championships in which he beat Phelps in 200-meters freestyle and 200-meters individual medley. Although Phelps has withdrawn from 200-meters freestyle, keep an eye out for a final showdown between the two in 200-meters individual medley. Lochte will give Phelps a run for his money preventing a clean sweep in what Phelps has announced will be his last Olympic appearance.

Usain Bolt (left) and Yohan Blake (Right)

From one favorite to another, Usain Bolt – very difficult to look beyond this name in 100-meters dash and 200-meters. Another Jamaican bloke named Yohan Blake, just 22 years old has already proven Usain Bolt is good (ok maybe an understatement) but not God. Yes, Blake did beat Bolt in 100-meters in the world championships held at Daegu in 2011 for which he may be claimed lucky because of a Bolt false start, however he backed his performance by beating Bolt in both 100-meters and 200-meters in national championships. The finale of these two legs is going to be one of the best moments of London 2012.

Yelena Isinbayeva

Moving on to one of my favorite sports, field hockey – couldn’t be more excited that India (well at least the men’s team) has qualified for the Olympics. India has a relatively inexperienced team with a coach who has not been with us for a long time either. India in pool B has tough competition in defending champions Germany, one of the best performers Netherlands and New Zealand. Going into the knock-out stages, India needs to put in brilliant performance to stay in the game. Realistically the tournament favorites have to be the world number one Australian team (more famously known as Kookaburras) which is led by five-time ‘hockey player of the year’ Jamie Dwyer. This team consists of a number of World All-Star team players and has won every major competition since 2010 (including the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, 2010). Netherlands or Germany will be their likely rivals in the finals. Among the women, it is going to be a battle for gold between the Dutch and the Argentines. Netherlands will try to retain their gold while Argentina led by Lucina Aymar (referred to as he Maradona of hockey), seven time player of the year, will try to bring home the gold before she calls it a day.

Sally Pearson

For the ones who share my enthusiasm of the Olympic Games, keep an eye out for the following names - they will excite you. The journey of Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva would be a very interesting watch. She is the world record holder and looks good to break her own record yet again. A few other names to keep a track of would be Matthew Mitcham (diving), Sally Pearson (100m hurdles), Liu Xiang (110m hurdles), Sir Chris Hoy (track cyclist), Rebecca Adlington (swimming), Mo Farah (5000m) and last but not the least the Dream Team (basketball). Russia, China and USA sure remain at the top of my list for some interesting rivalries followed by USA and Australia in the pool. An interesting catfight would be in the pool between Australia’s golden girl from Beijing Stephanie Rice and their golden girl from Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Deepika Kumari - The one to watch

India is sending her biggest contingent till date to the London Games. Considering our performance in the past 4 years, we have the best opportunities to win medals in badminton, boxing, wrestling, archery, mixed tennis and shooting. My biggest hopes lie on the world number one player in Archery- the 18 year old Deepika Kumari. It is not going to be an easy road to success for any of the athletes. Athletes from around the world will have a huge appetite to be on the podium but it will be the grit and determination over the next 17 days which will make the difference. With London 2012 right at the doorstep, it is safe to say that the Games are a bigger deal than they ever were. Now why am I saying that? It’s not because of the money or glamour involved in the staging of this edition of the Games but the dimensions covered by athletes involved in it. London 2012 will see the fastest man on earth, fastest man in water, highest vaulter, legends on the tennis court, magicians on the hockey field (just a handful figures out of many) ready to challenge the world. Defence versus emergence is going to be the royal battle in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

(Shweta Vishwanath is an athlete by dawn, equity trader by noon, event manager by evening and blogger by mid-night. She is a sports enthusiast hoping to make a change.
You can follow her on Twitter: @crazyindie1888 )

Bol Bachchan - The worst that you can get!!

2012-07-15T22:32:00.001+05:30

There are good films, there are bad films. And then there is Bol Bachchan. I generally am very choosy about what I watch and what I don't. And Bol Bachchan definitely came in the NEVER EVER kind of films. But I think it was just one of those days when my choices derailed. Bol Bachchan, in one word, was pathetic. In two words, absolutely horrendous. And this was in spite of the fact that, as advised, I kept my brains at the door step of the cinema hall. Frankly, it was unbearable to sit through the film. Both my brother and I were in a state of utter disgust. We were at a stage where we were repulsed (and almost hyper- ventilating) that some people around us were actually laughing on the lame attempts at slapstick comedy!

At the outset, Bol Bachchan seemed to be a film made to fill in an otherwise dry Friday. With no story line, what the film was basically riding on was senseless comedy. But unfortunately, Rohit Shetty really went berserk with this film. Everything was wrong about this film. From casting to story line to dialogs. I mean, you cannot and I reiterate, CANNOT cast Abhishek Bachchan for a dance role. He is a miserable dancer. And it isn’t as if he has set the world on fire in the comedy genre. I think Rohit should have looked beyond the obligation and cast somebody else. A Sharman Joshi may have been good. Further, if you have Abhishek Bachchan as one of your joint leads, you cannot have Ajay Devgn as a comic lead. With all due respect to his recent successful record (read Golmaal series), he gives Kristen Stewart competition when it comes to his expressions. And he just could not fill up the void created by Abhishek. Mind you, I have not even commented about Krushna Abhishek, VIP and Archana Puran Singh. Prachi Desai and Asin Thottumkal really had no roles to speak about. A well polished table could have replaced them and we all would have been none the wiser (Actually the same can be said for Abhishek considering that a table also has two left feet!!! :P).

Coming to the story line, what was presented on the platter was absurd. The character of Vikrant Raghuvanshi, Radhika Raghuvanshi, Sania Ali were not needed at all (I know I just took out half the characters. I also know that the film should not have been made in the first place. But this is damage control mode!) The insipid English dialogs by Ajay Devgn which were supposed to be the high points of the film were actually an eye sore. (A reference can be made to Sanjay Mishra’s character in Golmaal 3. He pulled off the broken English character to the T and was amusing to watch!) Frankly, after braving 3 traumatic hours of the film I felt that Rohit Shetty felt obliged to make something for his Comedy Circus comrades. I believe the writing credits should have been given to Krushna & VIP (the story genuinely seemed to be a rip- off from the stand- up acts that these two perform). It was senseless for sure, but contained no comedy.

At the end of it all, I felt really disappointed with the kind of movie that was made. I know that it has been declared as a Box- Office hit. But in reality, such kind of films are an apartheid for Hindi Cinema. We, the viewers, really have to demand a better product from this industry. Eventually we are going to buy the same 100 - 150 rupees ticket. Why not spend it on some quality film? Films like Bol Bachchan are the reason why we are nowhere on the worldwide movie scene. We can get better from this industry. We deserve better from them. Let’s make this known to them. Let us not tolerate such asinine set of films. Only then shall this miserable condition abate.

Hoping that my film choices are back on track next time on.

This is the Sciolist.

Signing out!!!

(Pranav Vaidya, who goes under the pen name The Sciolist, is an avid reader, food enthusiast, zealous blogger, Lord of the Rings fanatic, Android addict, fervent writer and sporadic poet. To follow his other work, visit Sciolism, which is an advocacy of his perspectives.)

Goa in Monsoons

2012-07-10T12:47:00.002+05:30

Goa. That piece of land with abundant sunshine, fresh sea breeze, gentle waves, cheaper-than-water alcohol and yes everything nice. Now picture this. Goa. The same piece of land but this time with a sun playing hide-n-seek with the clouds, light drizzles to heavy showers, sometimes a bright sunny day, roaring waves, the same old cheaper-than-water alcohol and yes everything resplendent in every possible hue of green. That my friend is Goa in Monsoons for you!

The Europeans, desperate for some sunshine, throng Goa in the summer and winter seasons. It’s during the monsoons that Goa is much neglected. And that’s your chance to enjoy Goa as God made it – lush green grass, tall palm trees dotting every road, the fragrance of fresh wet soil, the beautiful sea made even grander by the rains and yes the more than benevolent Sun God! Take my word; this is the season to visit Goa! And as it has always happened, it didn’t rain on 2 out of the 3 days we went there. So you have the benefit of a crowdless and dearth cheap Goa but with added benefits of being closer to Nature than you ever can imagine here. Goa in monsoons transforms itself into a rare combination of Kerala and Uttarakhand. It’s sheer brilliance.

So first you need to get your place of stay right. The North is the more popular one. The South is more on the calmer side. Never and I mean never stay at the Central Goan beaches as they are way too much in the west. So every time you need to go anywhere, you end up travelling 20kms by default. My suggestion would be to either stick to the extreme South beaches or the extreme North beaches. Personally I feel South has not been much explored. So that’s a better place to stay as there are many places close by from there which are more than just beaches.

Now that the location is sorted, let’s get down to business. Goa has seriously more things to offer than just the beaches. Yes beaches are important but one needs to realise that all beaches have the same water, the same sand and are pretty much the same. So what matters is you choose a cleaner, a less crowded beach. Go try the Palolem, Butterfly or the Colva beaches in South or the Candolim in the north. In monsoons, most shacks are shut and so also the water sports. So there is no point in going to Baga or Calungute or the likes as they won’t have anything more to offer in monsoons. Butterfly beach has this nice little island and is quite a secluded beach. Candolim is just besides Calangute but is still unadulterated. There is a permanent shack there called ‘Sunny side up’. It’s a must go for lunch. Good food coupled with a breezy table by the beach. That’s heaven!

Try out good food places in Goa. ‘Martins’ is a very famous joint and the one very easily approachable is the one at Madgaon. Then there are the local khaanavals which will serve you authentic Goan Konkani cuisine at really cheap prices. Try locating the one at Madgaon or any other town in Goa and you’ll be glad. The signature dishes to try are the Pork (or chicken if you don’t consume pork) Vindaloo or the Sarpotel. Fish is always welcome so try out some fresh salt water fish. When it comes to alcohol, you don’t have to go far. It sells so cheap there that it’s actually almost cheaper than water. The local feni made from cashewnuts is worth a try.

Goa in the monsoons means the abundant greenery. Just hire bikes and roam around absorbing the greens which are such a rare species back home in the metros. Stop by temples in Phonda like Mangueshi and Shantadurga. These are pretty old temples and much revered by locals and tourists alike. The churches of Old Goa are a must visit if this is your first time. If you have the time and the patience to ride for 2-3 hours on the bikes then the Dudhsagar falls are a must visit. These majestic waterfalls right on the border of Goa and Karnataka are an awesome sight in monsoons. And then there are the wildlife sanctuaries in case you are a wildlife enthusiast. Cotigao or Dr. Salim Ali Sanctuary can be converted into a day trip. Also try out the River cruise on the Mandovi in the evening and catch the sunset on the horizon. Just ensure that you carry some spare fuel on you just in case your bike runs out of it. And mind the cops!

So all in all you won’t be left stranded on a beach. Goa gets more exciting in the monsoons and it’s upto you to explore the beauty. Goa never disappoints. It always has something up its sleeves to charm you and make you fall in love with it all over again. I have been there around a dozen times and always want to go there again. That’s the charisma of Goa. It will bind you in a serene spell of freedom, zest and all things nice. Go Goa this Monsoon and especially in the Hindu month of Shravan as it rains relatively less. And remember – in Goa life is always sushegaat!

Goa Tourism Site - Goa Tourism

Thank God @ TGI Friday's

2012-07-09T18:18:00.000+05:30

TGIF

Feeling lazy on a weekend? Or do you just want to chill with friends? How about enjoying the game and have some beer with great food? Then why not thank God for a Friday? TGI Friday's aka TGIF is located in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. This place is a superb hangout place where neither the staff nor the patrons at the next table are bothered as to what’s going on (in a good way of course).

When we went to the TGIF at Palladium Mall, Mumbai we thought we would have to wait for our table. But to our surprise the place is huge and we found ourselves in a very comfy booth in a couple of minutes. It took me some time to take in the ambience and adjust myself to the music. The place was very brightly light with the lamps in their trademark red and white. They had a dedicated smoking room which seemed more crowded than the restaurant itself. The walls contained all kinds of things right from super hero posters, idols, banners, helmets, bikes, jerseys and the likes. The décor really impresses and more often than not you find someone clicking photos of the interiors. The menu is very complicated with same dishes repeated at different parts of the menu.

Strawberry Lemonade

We ordered a Vegetarian Platter & a Simply Veggie Pizza (SVP) to start with. Since I am a teetotaler I cannot recommend any cocktails but the Strawberry Lemonade was very smooth and so was the Green Apple Slush. Go in for an unlimited refill of Soft drinks which is priced at only Rs125. Although the rules say one can’t share the unlimited soft drinks but they are not so stringent about it so you can always share it with your friends. The Vegetarian Platter comprises of potato skins, fried mozzarella & vegetable pyramids (which are awesome), some salad and sauces. I am not a fan of thin crust pizzas but the SVP was surprisingly tasty and filling too. Caesar Salad is tasty but the size of the portions is not encouraging. The enchiladas were nice and so is the Pasta Arabiata. But the pick of the day was the Veg Garden Burger which I ordered after seeing it served at another table. And that was the best thing I ever did. The burger is huge (you can read about the same in my earlier blog post here ‘How I met the 'perfect' burger!!’). The burger comes with thick golden French fries. You will definitely need a drink and a friend to finish off the burger. For all ‘Snickers’ fans, the peanut butter crumble brownie is a safe and satisfying option.

Red & White theme @ TGIF

TGIF is an expensive place with an average bill for two without alcohol in the range of Rs 1350. The Veg Garden Burger is priced at a whopping Rs390++ but it’s totally worth the money and it easily suffices one. The prices on the menu are exclusive of any taxes, so you can safely add 15-20% to the menu price for taxes and service charges and taxes on service charges. TGIF is a cool place to hang out with your friends or colleagues but it does leave a hole in your pocket. They are also running a promotion on Mondays – Fridays 7pm onwards. A two course set meal (with a good variety) for Rs299++ per person which certainly is good value for money. All in all I would rate this place an 8 on 10 and surely recommend it.

You can check TGIF out @ TGIF

Kolad - A white water rafting getaway.

2012-07-05T11:48:00.000+05:30

In the Rapids

Think rafting and the first place to cross your mind is Rishikesh. Nestled in the Himalayas, with the mighty Ganga flowing by, Rishikesh is an ideal rafting spot. But then it’s not all that close by, is it? What if there were a place for white water rafting just a few hours’ drive from Mumbai? It might not have the same degree of rapids as Rishikesh but then at the end of the day you will have rafted, right? Enter Kolad. At a mere 135 odd km from Mumbai, Kolad is a small town close to where the Kundalika river flows. The river, aided by the water released by Tata Power Co. for its hydel power plant, is an ideal place for rafting. It’s mostly independent of the monsoon so it can be done all year round.

Rafting @ Kundalika

The rafting stretch is of about 12km and lasts for around 2.5 hours. The river has around 3-4 rapids. For first timers like me it was sheer joy with the waves crashing in on us in the rapids. The river meanders its way and there are a few calm stretches of water. Here the instructors allow you to jump into the river and let you swim. This I feel is one of the most exciting parts, after you are down with the rapids I mean. Simply floating in the river, buoyed up by the life vest that you are wearing, you hardly have to even move a leg to keep yourself afloat. You can swim, play around, dive, race, float or even try wading against the current. The instructor will then ask you to enter the raft after a while but you can always try to coax him into letting you be in there for some more time or even let you into the water at a different spot.

Rafting is surely tiring though and as you near the end most people in your raft won’t be rowing. So ensure you sit with people who are really enthusiastic else you will be left rowing the raft alone and that certainly is not an easy task. After alighting from the raft you need to carry it to the top of a small hillock with the help of your co-rafters. When you reach the top you will be greeted with piping hot vadas and pakodas with their super spicy chutni. Tea, coffee and other such stuff is also available so don’t forget to carry money on you. From there, you need to walk a little to each your vehicle. In case you have come with a driver, instruct the driver to come to this point. In case you don’t have a driver but have your vehicle, you’ll have to hitch a ride back to the starting point as that’s where your car would ideally be parked.

Our cottages @ Pooja's Farm

One session of rafting costs Rs650 on weekdays and Rs1250 on weekends. Rates may change in the monsoons. In case you are staying at one of the farm houses you need not pay the rafting guys there and can later pay the farm house guy, so no need to carry all the cash around. We stayed at Pooja’s farm and he arranged the rafting for us. I would strongly recommend Pooja’s farm for its sheer beauty and scenic surroundings. Check it here Pooja's farm. The owner, Mr. Dinesh Tawate, is a very decent guy and will ensure your trip is sans hiccups.

Kayaking is fun!

Next day we went for water sports. This place is a little away on the road to Roha. Here the river is again pretty still and it offers not only water sports but tents by the Riviera too. That’s something to try out! You have kayaking, bumper rides, water biking, river crossing, etc. Mr. Sanap would help you with this. He can be contacted here Adventure Kolad. The same rules apply here regarding payment. Carry money if you are not staying at any of the nearby farmhouses. Else the farm house owners will guide you how to go about it. The costs per activity are different. Kayaking cost us Rs350 and the bumper rides Rs500 per head.

Tumbling on the Bumper Ride

Kolad is a good weekend getaway. You can either do a day trip by leaving very early in the morning and coming back a little exhausted or can space it out over 2 days like we did. The ideal thing is to leave Friday evening and come back Sunday night. This way you can enjoy the environment and the good food at Pooja’s farm as well. Just a word of advice – make sure you get the directions correct before proceeding.

Directions for Pooja's farm - Google Maps

How I met the 'perfect' burger!!

2012-07-03T13:24:00.001+05:30

McVeggie Burger

When I was a kid I used to see McDonald’s advertisements on TV and always end up dreaming and fantasizing about them. I come from a small town in the state of Chhattisgarh which didn’t have a McD store in our state let alone my town (Till date there is no McDonald’s in Chhattisgarh. McVeggie was the ultimate burger I wanted to have and every time I saw the advertisements there used to be a small tsunami in my mouth. My dream came true when I was in class VIth. We visited the dream city of Mumbai and I was really excited. It was going to be my first rendezvous with McVeggie. We went to the McDonald’s store inside Water Kingdom (by the wave pool). Dad went and purchased McVeggie meals from the counter and I was running behind him till the time we settled down. I opened the cover of the burger and the first bite was heavenly. Oh boy! It was so tender and hot and crispy. The mayo oozed out of the burger and I caught on to the mayo and licked my fingers - my hunger was satiated. I felt complete.

Time passed by and as I grew older and shifted to Mumbai for studies. I realized that the Mcdonald’s McVeggie was not the only burger in town. And then I happened to watch this episode of How I Met Your Mother where Marshal is on a quest to find the ultimate burger in town. I was motivated. Even I made it a point to find out the best burger in Mumbai. I started trying out burgers from all the places I could but I never found that perfect burger. Being a vegetarian I did not have many options. I tried the Veg Snacker @ KFC which was good value for money but wasn’t all that great. I came across this place called Bembos (in Bandra) which serves only burgers. Their burgers were good and they served free extra Mayo (unlike McDonald’s). The search went on… I had burgers at various joints in Bandra but none came close to the burger I was looking for.

Relishing a Burger

Then one day my fellow quill-er ‘the soul searcher’ took me to a small joint in Bandra called ‘Hearsch Bakery’. The place is a bakery which also serves snacks like rolls, burgers, chicken lollipops. The Veg. Burger there was the best burger I ever had. The burger comprised of the normal thick aloo patty, onions, tomatoes, mayo, cheese and the buns and it came along with some potato chips. The ingredients sound like any other normal burger but there is something about this burger which leaves you satisfied. Priced at a meagre Rs50 the burger was the best till date. I thought my search had come to an end. Hearsch was ‘the’ place. Although I am a vegetarian I can safely vouch for their Chicken Burgers also which are equally good. One burger would fill your stomach but won’t fill your heart so share your second burger because you won’t be able to finish the second one off. Chilled Sweet Lime / Ginger Lime go well with the burgers.

Burger @ TGIF

All was going good till last week when I went to TGIF at the Palladium Mall. I had not gone to this place to eat burgers. As we were going through our meal I saw a waiter carrying what looked Iike an inflated burger and my eyes just popped out. Although we were full by that time I was adamant about ordering the Veg Garden burger (which by the way is priced at a whopping Rs 390++). The Burger was at least 4’ inches high and at least double the bun size of a normal burger. They serve the burger in a plate which has very little space for thick golden French fries as the bun takes the entire plate. The patty is at least 1’ thick and is better than any aloo tikki you would have at any chaatwala. They use those orange colored goat cheese slices which gives it an English look. With a decent helping of other veggies and mayo the larger than life burger is complete. I bet no one can eat the burger with one hand and that too without dropping any of the fillings. I used both my hands and opened my mouth as wide as I could and took in the first bite and it immediately took me back to that day in 2001 when I first ate the McVeggie. This burger was heavenly! The cheese coupled with the fried patty and those veggies just melted in my mouth and I felt like I had a mini ‘Burgasm’. It took me 25mins to finish the burger with the help of my friends and yes the soldier was finally down. The quest for the perfect burger had finally ended. The Veg Garden Burger at TGIF is ‘the’ burger you want to eat.

And this is the story of I how I met the ‘perfect’ burger!!!

Shocking exit of 'the' Rafael Nadal from Wimbledon

2012-06-29T03:39:00.002+05:30

Czech player, Rosol, played the match of his life. Unknown till now, the 101^th ranked player on the circuit has defeated the number 2 ranked player of the world with a score line of 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4. Rafael Nadal, who has not lost at such an early stage of the tournament since Wimbledon 2005, was thoroughly outplayed by the lanky 6’5’’ Lukas Rosol.

Rosol, whose best performance till date has been third round of French open 2011, played his heart out. Although agreed that Nadal may not be very best, but still nothing can be taken away from Rosol. Nadal is capable of beating most of the players on the circuit even on his bad-day. But today, he simply had no answer to the power-packed punches which were delivered to him by Rosol.

Rosol started off the match with two consecutive aces and few would have fathomed what was about to follow over the next five sets. Nadal managed to break Rosol’s serve as early as fifth game of the match. However, he could not hold on to his serve and Rosol immediately broke back Nadal’s next serve. The set went into a tie-breaker with Rosol having a set point with Nadal to serve. However, he could not break his serve and finally Nadal took the tie-breaker (11-9).

The second set started on a positive note for Rosol as he had 3 break points in the very first game itself. And to sum that game up, Nadal gifted the last point with a double fault. Although Nadal had a break point in the next game, Rosol made his big serve count. The rest of the games were more or less regulation games with each player holding on to the serve. Rosol managed to close down the set at 6-4. The most shocking part of the set was Nadal made only one unforced error and still lost the set.

Rosol managed to get a break right in the third game of the third set. He was asking all sorts of questions and with Nadal having an awful day at work, he did not fail to capitalize on the opportunities. Rosol then managed to hold on to his serves and duly closed out the set 6-4. Where Rosol was building momentum and confidence, Nadal was getting agitated. I haven’t seen him this frustrated or agitated since long.

Nadal had never lost a match in Wimbledon after winning the first set. Besides, he has never been defeated to such a lowly ranked player before. Though the statistics were stacked against Rosol, he gave everything to the match. Rosol would always have expected Nadal not to give up. Nadal came fighting back into the fourth set and broke the sixth game and eight game of the set to win 6-2.

Rosol’s first serve points won dipped alarmingly from 92% in first set to 60% in fourth. Also, Nadal had started dominating the rallies. One would always back Nadal when the match is going to the fifth set. With the experience of playing under pressure and the experience of “been there and done that” anyone would have put his money on Nadal.

And then the officials started putting the roof on centre court. This proved to be a welcome break for Rosol as he was looking out of sorts in the fourth with his first serve and Nadal had begun dominating the game.

After a 43 minute break Rosol came back roaring into the match by breaking the very first game of the set. And then, it was again back to holding serves for Rosol. With his first serve in the money again and all his booming forehand winners on target it was impossible for Nadal to get back into the game.

Anyone and everyone who was glued to their TV sets across the globe may not have imagined this kind of upset. Even when Rosol was serving for the match and his first serve was going really good, no one would have imagined him to go all the way. Surely, logic says that he should have blinked, he should have given Nadal that little opening which is needed to be back into match. However, with three match points, all the demons were put to rest with a big ace which actually summed up the match.

Rafael Nadal was thoroughly outplayed by this lowly ranked player. Obviously, Murray would now be having an eye on the progress or otherwise of this dark horse.

Poets of the Fall: Temple of Thought

2012-06-29T00:44:00.001+05:30

It was only two days back that I read somewhere that Poets of the Fall have released a new album. 20 minutes later I was in my room with my headphones on and the door of my room locked. There was no way anybody was going to disturb me for the next 40 minutes or so. So I went and immersed myself in the music, ready to be surprised and knowing I would spend some time marveling at the lyrics. I was still unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster the album would put me through. I went from smiling at its beauty to crying bitter tears and back again, in-between being completely in awe of what I was hearing. When I came up for air I was shaken to the core and rather speechless. It took quite a few more 'listenings' before I was ready and able to put my feelings into words. In the first days of listening I got so lost in the music that the world outside completely disappeared. When I came out of my trance-like state, I knew I needn’t have worried…

The fact is, Poets of the Fall have always managed to impress me with every collective album they’ve released – though in varying degrees – not only for the strong melodic structure of their songs and tone in each album, but also for their strong songwriting. Every time I sit to write I find myself swept along by the music & forget to actually type. Seldom do I find an album to be so all-consuming. Well, let’s face it: Temple of Thought picks up exactly where Twilight Theater ends.

The sound is clear and full, it’s pure joy to just listen to the music. It never ceases to amaze me how a band that produces and mixes all their songs in their own studio still manages to sound better than at least 80% of all music out there. Captain is truly a master of arranging, mixing and producing music.

Poets of the Fall hit all the right notes & Temple of Thought is a beautiful melange of styles. If you’re looking for an album of 2012 this is it!

Tracklisting:

1. Running Out of Time (3:10)
2. Temple of Thought (4:35)

3. Cradled in Love (4:41)

4. Kamikaze Love (3:39)
5. The Lie Eternal (4:32)
6. Skin (4:26)
7. The Distance (5:03)
8. Show Me This Life (4:26)
9. Morning Tide (4:38)

10. The Ballad of Jeremiah Peacekeeper (5:04)
11. The Happy Song (4:19)

I was instantly sucked in by the opening of Running Out of Time. Olli Tukiainen (lead guitar) & Jaska Mäkinen (rhythm guitar) start things out with a rapid pace & a heavy rhythm chord. Add in Jari Salminen‘s drums & by the time Marko Saaresto‘s vocals rip out I feel like I should, in fact, be running. Olli shows off his ability to play blistering guitar with technical precision toward the end of the song. I expected a boisterous end but Marko changes things up & the last sound is but a whisper of “time“. It’s easy to get caught up in the catchy music while singing along. The lyrics are typical of POTF & it is worth grabbing the liner notes & really taking a look at the words on the page.

‘Temple of Thought’ is the first song on the album that brought me to the verge of tears. It is one of the most beautiful love songs I have ever heard and my immediate reaction was “I want someone to feel like that about me!” When Marko sings, “chills come racing down my spine” I can feel just that and get goosebumps that last for the rest of the song. It perfectly conveys the feeling of being deeply and utterly in love, knowing the feeling is mutual. The perspective in the song changes from “I” in the first verse to “you” in the second verse and “we” in the bridge. In the verses, the protagonist of the song starts from describing what he feels and wants to do to what his lover does and means to him to saying what it feels like when they are together. The chorus is a promise to his lover. In these lyrics I feel a mixture of very new love and all the excitement that comes with it, as well as love that has been there long enough to be sure of it. I really want to be so much in love again that I’d feel compelled to tell someone they are “the heart of my temple of thought”.

The musical talents of POTF are not lacking by any means & their ability to go from gentle love songs to heavy metal on the same album makes for a fantastic listening experience. The Lie Eternal falls somewhere in the middle. Rhythm guitar & percussion are weighty; the vocals gritty with the reality of a lie readily believed.

POTF close out this album with a song by their gaming alter-ego Old Guards of Asgard (a fictional band from the Alan Wake video game). The Happy Song is an oddly named song because it has very little to do with being happy. Rather it is violent metal with touches of insanity. It’s catchy, singable & slightly scary… nothing like taking all the expectations built up over an album & flipping it on its ear.

Poets of the Fall take this album for a wild ride. They explore the human condition thoroughly through our connections to Love–lost, found, desperately clung to and pushing us into moments of reckless abandon.

With this, I will leave you and I wish you a good journey through this album once it arrives on your player. If you love Poets of the Fall I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. This album contains some of everything that makes them so special as a band and I’m sure it contains something for each one of their fans.

Gangs of Wasseypur - Gory, vulgar, violence-ridden but entertaining.

2012-06-28T10:54:00.000+05:30

Revenge. That is the underlying sentiment of the movie. From Sultana Daaku to Ehsaan Quereshi to Sultan Singh and to Sardar Khan, all are hell-bent on avenging something or the other. And other times they would be busy serenading some girl, end up marrying her, have fun and procreate. In between, you have a liberal dose of knives, country made pistols, bullets and crude bombs and suddenly the movie becomes all explosive. Add to this cuss words after every few sentences and voila, you have the audience in splits.

Maybe that was being a little too strict with the movie. To be honest, the movie does entertain you. And does that to you for the better part of the almost 3 hour long run. But the kind of entertainment that the movie has to rely on is certainly too crass and obtuse for a level-headed person. Notwithstanding, the movie has certain scenes which have been played brilliantly by the actors and are adequately backed by opportune and perfectly timed songs.

Gangs of Wasseypur as the name suggests is a movie on gangs of Wasseypur. Wasseypur is this small town next to the coal-rich town of Dhanbad. Most of the first half of the first part of this movie is devoted to the history behind these gang wars and in building a family tree. It gets so confusing that you have no option but to only watch the movie with intense concentration. There are way too many characters. All of them get married. And they beget children. Who in turn get married and themselves have children. They pass on the legacy of their age-old revenge from generation to generation and you are forced to memorise the set of characters in one generation before the next generation turns up. The story begins in the backdrop of a feud between one gangster from the Quereshi caste, Sultana Daaku and a Pathan, Khan. The Pathan develops another enemy, Ramadhir Singh. All this has the coal mining belt of Bihar (now Jharkhand) in centre focus. From coal wars to petrol wars to fish wars, you have it all.

But the superb acting of the cast is what impresses you apart from the ability to keep you at the edge of your seat for the better part that is. Risha Chadda, who plays Sardar Khan’s wife, plays the role of an Indian wife with a twist. She is happily married, keeps getting pregnant and repects her husband. But that does not keep her from going to the house of a prostitute with a knife and make her husband flee from there. The stunning composure and bearing that she maintains throughout the film is remarkable. So also Manoj Bajpai, aka Sardar Khan, plays a role of an orphaned-boy-turned-small-time-criminal-turned-gangster and plays it a class-apart performance. So also do most of the other actors.

The movie though has been made with no sense of time or duration. It drags on a lot and you realise that the scenes have been added simply to stretch it to 5 hours or so. The first half of the movie could easily have been wrapped up in around 90 minutes. The songs do keep you plugged in and a few of them are made intentionally with double meanings. This seems to have become a signature recipe for making the audience laugh. It’s a movie which is bad, gross, downright indecent, but yet is entertaining, funny and certainly unavoidable.

Ratings - ***1/2

The manner and timing of the announcement reeks of male chauvinism: Sania Mirza

2012-06-27T10:26:00.001+05:30

After been given a wildcard entry in Olympics, Sania Mirza comes out all guns blazing on everybody – AITA, Paes, Bhupathi and Dr Paes. Accusing AITA as male chauvinist, she asserts that she has been used as bait and which I don’t feel is wrong. We expect Indian women to better in all the areas. Everytime Sania goes to a grand slam, we want her to progress to as many rounds as possible. Currently, she has been highest the ranked singles player India has seen (Apart from Vijay Amritraj and Ramesh Krishnan who have been better ranked then her in past). And still she was asked to compromise due to the feud of Paes between Bhupathi.

AITA has been taking a stand that they will keep the interests of the country above everything else. I don’t believe their stand remained the same while pairing Sania with Paes. Certainly, they don’t think this pair would be better than Grand Slam winning combination of Bhupathi and Mirza. In doubles, co-ordination and partnership is of utmost importance. Ignoring that and by partnering Sania with Paes, either AITA has favoured Paes and did not think about the country (which they said while trying to partner Paes with Bhupathi) or that they actually think Sania – Paes would form a better pair than the Grand Slam winning combination of Sania – Bhupathi. Certainly, AITA must know that by winning Grand Slam they have proved that they are one of the best pair in world. However, it is impossible to fathom the thinking behind the pairing of Sania and Paes.

Sania Mirza claiming that we are still male chauvinist is absolutely correct. However, it would be a pity if everyone now starts criticizing her for all the reasons apart from tennis.

Whatever done has been done. Hopefully, AITA and everyone, learns a good lesson or two out of the whole saga. Certainly, what has happened with Sania is absolutely wrong.

Sania Mirza quotes:

“I feel absolutely thrilled and emotionally overwhelmed to have qualified to represent India at the Olympics in London. I am extremely grateful to the International Tennis Federation for the faith they have reposed in me by giving me a wild card entry that gives me a cherished opportunity to represent my country at the Olympics for the second time in my life.

While, of course, nobody in the world can guarantee winning a medal in London, I can promise that I shall leave no stone unturned to bring glory to my beloved country.

I have to admit that helplessly watching the sport that I love and passionately play , go through extremely trying times in my country in the last few days and the unusual pressures that I was personally subjected to have left me shaken and disturbed. But I can assure all my countrymen that I shall never allow these difficult circumstances to come in the way of giving my very best when the Games begin.

Since the day AITA announced the team for the Olympics a lot of questions have been raised by friends, colleagues, their parents and of course, by the media. As I thought these questions were purely hypothetical without my having qualified into the London Olympics, I did not think it was appropriate for me to respond to them at that point of time. However, now that I am officially a part of the greatest sporting event in the world, I think it is imperative for me to clarify my feelings.

To Dr. Vece Paes, who has on camera asked me to give in writing about my intention of partnering his son for the mixed doubles event at the Olympics, I would like to point out that my commitment is to my country. For the sake of India I am committed to play with Leander Paes or Mahesh Bhupathi or Rohan Bopanna or Somdev Devvarman or Vishnu Vardhan or any other person that my country feels I am good enough to partner. There should never ever be a question on this although if asked, I am entitled to have my preferences. I will do everything I possibly can to win a medal for India.

To Leander Paes I would like to point out that Vishnu Vardhan is an extremely talented player, who I had the privilege of partnering. We went on to win a silver medal for India at the 2010 Asian Games, when all the three male stalwarts of Indian tennis had opted to stay away from Guangzhou. I am convinced that he can go one better when pitted with someone as good as Leander as partner. For Leander to consider partnering with Vishnu only if he has a written assurance from me to play mixed (as Vece Uncle has suggested in his television interviews) is, I think demeaning for me, Vishnu and Leander Paes.

Mahesh Bhupathi has firmly stood by his commitment to play together with his men's doubles partner, Rohan Bopanna as he genuinely believed it was good for India. However, in the process, he sacrificed the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal together for India. Each person has his or her own priorities and I would like to believe that Mahesh made his choice in the best interests of the country.

As an Indian woman belonging to the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as a bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis. While I feel honoured and privileged to have been chosen to partner Leander Paes, the manner and timing of the announcement reeks of male chauvinism where a two time Grand Slam champion, who has been India's number 1 women's tennis player for almost a decade in singles and doubles is offered in compensation to partner one of the feuding champions purely in order to lure him into accepting to play with a men's player he does not wish to play with! This kind of blatant humiliation of Indian womanhood needs to be condemned even if it comes from the highest controlling body of tennis in our country.

I have been fortunate to achieve a career best singles ranking of 27 in the world that has been only bettered by Vijay Amritraj (16) and Ramesh Krishnan (23) even amongst the men in the modern era. I have a career best doubles ranking of 7 in the world, which only Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have bettered. I am the only Grand Slam champion from India apart from Mahesh and Leander. I believe I can expect a little more respect from the National Tennis Federation than what has been accorded to me even if they did not think it necessary to send me a simple congratulatory message after I had won my second Grand Slam title 3 weeks ago.

What is even more shocking is the manner in which facts have been misrepresented to the public at large to paint a totally wrong picture in an attempt to justify the breaking up of a team that won a second Grand Slam title only days earlier. Leander and I are not the only combination likely to get a direct entry into the mixed doubles draw at the Olympics, as has been wrongly portrayed. If that was true, a highly intelligent man like Dr. Paes would not have felt insecure enough to ask for my written declaration to partner Leander. AITA, itself would not have needed to write a letter to Mr. Randhir Singh giving details of the final pairings and clarifying that these could not be changed without the written permission of the IOA!

I would like to reiterate that I consider it the ultimate honour to represent India to the best of my abilities at the Olympics and I will do everything I possibly can with whosoever I am partnered with. This has always been my stand and this will never change. I only seek the blessings of the people of our beloved country. Nothing more.”

The tennis saga has been messier than ever. It will always be debatable whether it was Bhupathi – Bopanna’s fault or Paes and AITA’s fault. However, one thing is certain, except for Bhupathi and Bopanna, no one is benefitting out of it. At the end of the day, someone had to make huge sacrifice or at least make it appear they are making one. All eyes will be on AITA. It seems matches have already begun. All we can hope for is it does end up as a love all (0-0) game.

Source of Sania Mirza’s quote: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tournaments/london-olympics/Humiliating-to-be-used-as-bait-for-Paes-Sania-Mirza/articleshow/14418170.cms

Euro 2012 - Review & Predictions

2012-06-27T02:17:00.000+05:30

After three weeks of mind blowing football, we are down to the final four or if I may call them the fantastic four. The Euro cup is probably the biggest international football tournament after the World Cup and this Euro has been no less fun either with a lot of surprising results and amazing football. The most shocking of them all was the exit of the World Cup 2010 finalists Netherlands who failed to get on the score board after the group stages. The host nations fought hard but even they had to bow out. But one has to feel for Denmark who although were stuck in the group of death, still played their hearts out and almost managed to sneak through to the last 8. Germany, Spain and England romped through into the last 8 and France, Italy and Portugal did just enough to make the final cut.

In the group of 8, CR7 aka Cristiano Ronaldo headed home Portugal into the final 4 leaving the C(z)ech behind. Germany were their consistent self without losing any points in the group stage, where they thrashed the 2004 Euro winners Greece to a 4-2 defeat. All this when Gomez was not even on the score sheet. Spain took on the mighty French who hadn’t lost a game since Oct 2010. Xabi Alonso who was playing his 100^th game scored a brace to take the Spaniards home. But the pick of the quarter finals was the England vs Italy game. Italy definitely looked the better of the two teams but ninety minutes were not enough to separate the two and the game went on to penalties after extra time. It seems, England have become the chokers in football - like South Africa are in Cricket. Both the Ashleys (Cole & Young) failed to convert their penalties and ensured that the English yet again fail to go into the final 4 of a major tournament.

So the stage is set - Portugal vs Spain and Germany vs Italy. Both are really mouth watering fixtures and its even steven as all the four have the quality and the capability to take on any side on their day.

The first semi-final is between Portugal and Spain, which would basically mean seeing the Barcelona & Real Madrid players in action with as many as thirteen players in both the teams put together from these two clubs. On paper the Spanish look the favorites but going by the current form we would have to go with the Portuguese. The Spanish have been setting records in the number of passes made in the match, a staggering 900 passes in ninety minutes and we all know the ball is always going to be at their feet. The Portuguese have to play on the counter with the likes of Nani, Ronaldo and Almeida. The Spanish do not have the fire power in front of the goal which might be a cause of concern for them against the skillful Pepe and Coentrao. Portugal has been riding high on the sublime form of their star captain Cristiano Ronaldo who has scored three goals and has hit the post four times. Portugal will miss the services of Postiga who sustained a thigh injury against the Czech. So all in all it is going to be a cracker of a game - full of goals. I’d say Spain would move ahead from this side of the draw overpowering the Ronaldo-inspired Portuguese.

Spanish Supporters at the Euro 2012

The second semi-final is a Germany vs Italy game. The Germans have been in red hot form this Euro and are the only team which has not even drawn a game, let alone lose. They have a perfectly balanced side with a superstar in almost all positions. Their midfield is the heart of their play. Gomez has been scoring goals for fun and even Klose has joined in the party in the last game. Italy on the other hand has won only one out of their four games (in normal time) and the other one on penalties and has somehow managed to reach the semis. Balotelli and Pirlo nevertheless have looked good throughout the tournament. So will it be the 2006 World Champions or the most consistent team in the tournament? I feel it would be the Germans as they have truly been a class apart.

Members of the German National Squad

So if all happens as per my calculations then it should be a Spain vs Germany final, which I feel Spain should win (‘coz I am supporting them). But logic tells me it is going be the Germans this time. So let’s see who takes the Euro2012 and makes a statement ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals.

Enjoy the matches !!

You can follow the matches online at UEFA’s official website.

Café by the Beach - Sun, Sand and Mumbai !

2012-06-26T14:44:00.001+05:30

In Mumbai, what do you think of doing when the monsoons hit the city? Well you hit the road and head straight to Marine drive. That’s what we did last weekend when the first real rains hit the city of dreams. We packed ourselves in a car and off we went slowly manoeuvering our way through the heavy downpour. It being a Saturday didn’t help as like us the whole city wanted to enjoy the rains at the queen’s necklace. We finally reached the beach and the sea was roaringly beautiful what with the huge waves. We couldn’t get down from the car as that meant being completely drenched in a matter of seconds so we thought we would go to this place called ‘Café by the Beach’ which was near Girgaum chowpatty.

We parked the car opposite the café and the valet came running with umbrellas and escorted us inside. None of us had been to the place before. Café by the beach is this wonderful beach side shack, like the ones you find in Goa. That was a pleasant surprise. The place was so breezy that you would just feel lost in awe of the Arabian Sea. It’s dimly lit with yellow lights and leaves protruding from the pillars. The flooring is of natural sand which gives makes you feel you are on the beach and not in the restaurant. The waiters are all in Hawaii shirts and comfortable capris. The tables and chairs were made of wood with candles and artificial lighting on it. The tables towards the sea carry a cover charge of Rs 500 per person (which, with the benefit of hindsight, I feel is a throw away), whereas the tables in the centre do not carry any cover charge. For those looking for a little privacy can book a Shamiana which carries a cover of Rs 3000 (flat) irrespective of the number of heads. After racking on our brains as to where we should sit, we finally found ourselves on a cosy table in the centre.

The menu was divided into two separate booklets, but neither of them was an exclusive drinks menu. And the only disappointment is that they do not serve any hard drinks. So for those who were thinking of spending a totally Goa styled Sunday will have to make do with juices and shakes. The menu was pretty much continental and Italian with a variety of drinks. The place opens at 8am so there were cereals, cornflakes, eggs, tea, coffee and the likes. We ordered a ‘mezze platter’ and ‘nachos’ along with our beverages. The choco tsunami (a milk based drink) is a must have. The drinks came soon so we took them towards the sea and stood there enjoying the mesmerizing view of the queen’s necklace. We had left our shoes at the table so the wet sand felt like heaven coupled with the drizzle and breeze.

The food arrived soon thereafter and the occupied almost the entire table as the mezze platter comprises of 7-8 quarter plates of salads, dry fruits, pita, humus, cheese, etc. The bowl of nachos was at least 3 inches high. It comes with sour cream, schezwan sauce and a mint sauce. Everything was very tasty and filling. The garlic bread is also a must have. We were so full that we couldn’t go in for main course or dessert. The crepes (which I have had another time) are also really yum. We again lazed around the solo swing towards the sea before ordering for the check. The prices were all inclusive as mentioned in the menu plus a 10% service charge (but no service tax on that J).

The overall experience was one of a kind as one didn’t feel like leaving. We felt like we were in Goa, away from the hustle bustle of the city but we were right there overlooking marine drive. One should definitely go in the evening to Café by the Beach to experience some wonderful time at the beach. Average bill for two would by around Rs 1200 but it is totally worth it.

You can reach CBTB at Cafe by theBeach @ Facebook

Rio+20 - The future that wants us

2012-06-26T09:16:00.000+05:30

20 years ago, 108 heads of state and total representatives from around 172 countries arrived in the idyllic city of Rio de Janeiro. The agenda was to save the earth. The response was so overwhelming that it was later nicknamed as the ‘earth summit’. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was hailed to be a path breaking event, a watershed of sorts. ‘Sustainable development’ was given impetus. A new international framework was conceptualised. The Rio declaration laid stress on Sovereignty of the member states, the right of developing nations for development and various other measures.

2 decades later, as world leaders congregate at Rio, to mark the completion of 20 years of the Rio Conference, the future of the human race depends on the outcome of Rio+20. And it’s not just heads of state, but thousands of NGOs and private companies participated in Rio+20. The focus of the conference was (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development & poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development. Based on these focus areas, the conference has earmarked 7 priority areas.

Key takeaways for the develop world

1. Coming together of China, Brazil, India and South Africa and press for the rights of the developing world.

2. G-77 nations supporting the efforts led by India and the other BASIC countries.

3. India managing to get ‘elimination of poverty’ a priority over a green economy.

‘The Future We Want’

The Rio+20 document, as the title suggests, was to create a way for the future that the world wants. But is it enough is the question everyone’s been asking. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) was stressed once again thwarting attempts by the US to scuttle the already existing international agreements. But then, that is what was done 20 years ago right? So why are we still stuck in a time warp? More importantly, merely reaffirming what we already knew for 2 decades that concerns such an important issue is in my opinion a sheer waste of the benefit of hindsight. Furthermore, the conference comes at a very inopportune time. European nations are undergoing a severe financial crisis with new countries being engulfed at regular intervals. The champions of the green cause cannot afford to cast a second glance at anything but getting their economies back into shape. They still tried to get the green economy concept going in Rio+20 but could not muster enough votes to get it incorporated in the final document. On the other hand, the US which also underwent a similar economic standstill and is now in election mode also has little to offer in terms of saving the environment. The US argues that such binding CDBRs give an unfair advantage to emerging economic giants such as India and China.

So why this farce?

Who doesn’t like being the saviour of the world? The developed nations have led the often hypocritical crusade of environmental protection. But they have grown for a longer time than most other developing nations. They have grown more advanced and have in the process ruined considerably, the environmental balance due to ruthless natural resource degradation. Whereas, countries such as India and China, who have lesser per capita emissions than these countries have just begun to eradicate poverty and provide a sustainable livelihood to their populace. Asking them to cut their development would not only be imprudent but would be borderline criminal. Nations must realise that such farce will only have short term benefits. In the long run, as Keynes put it, we will all be dead. We have to act and act now! Countries that have the means should provide economically sustainable technology to the weaker nations to reduce their emissions. Also, first the developed nations should find ways to lower their own contribution to destroying the environment. We need to understand that selfish interests will serve no purpose. A mere diplomatic win at such conferences will remain only that. The world should unite to support the elevation of the poor and in the process assure them decent livelihood. It cannot come at the cost of a green economy and neither can a green economy come at the cost of wanton development. In the end, it has to be sustainable, so that we achieve development without compromising the ability of future generations to further their development.

Ferrari ki Sawaari - A ride worth experiencing

2012-06-26T09:15:00.000+05:30

Direction: Rajesh Mapuskar
Actors: Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi, Ritwik Sahore
Running time: 140 minutes
Rating: 3.5 / 5

Ferrari ki Sawaari is a nice, sweet movie about a father (Rustam Deboo – Sharman Joshi) who breaks his own principles so that his son (Kayo – Ritwik Sahore) can go to Lords for cricket training. Ferrari ki Sawaari is not a movie based on cricket and certainly unlike Iqbal. But it has its own charm and is entertaining in its own way.

Rustam is an employee in a government office and is just able to meet his ends. However, he is honest to the core and even tries finding a traffic police to pay fine when he inadvertently breaks the signal (whom he eventually finds). His son, Kayo, is an exceptional cricketer and captain of his team. However, when Kayo gets selected for the training at Lords, Rustam does not have money for the same. And there begins the story of Rustam trying to steal a Ferrari (albeit for some hours after which he intends to return it).

The movie seems to be a bit slow in the first half and tends to be a drag at the end of first half. However, it picks up nicely in second half and is quite emotional towards the end. Although the movie is slow paced, it is nicely done and one feels happy-happy with a traditional, bollywood ishtyle happy ending. The movie succeeds in keeping a smile on the face with awesome punch lines at regular intervals.

The acting of all the characters in the movie is impeccable. Sharman Joshi fitted nicely into the role of a Parsi. Boman Irani is very natural and has nicely carried out the role of a frustrated grandfather. Paresh Rawal has played a nice little cameo. Also cameo roles of the Cricket coach (Satyadeep Mishra), Sachin’s servant (Aakash Dabhade) and Pakya (Nilesh Divekar) are worth a mention.

Overall, it’s a thumbs up for Ferrari ki Sawaari.

Wimbledon 2012 – Men's Preview

2012-06-25T23:08:00.001+05:30

Finally, Wimbledon – The Mecca of Tennis has arrived. Wimbledon will always have a special place in the heart of true tennis lovers – above Australian Open, French Open and US Open. A tournament, which started in 1877, still rules the tennis world.

It has been much debated that the grass of Wimbledon is not the same anymore. It is slower than what it used to be. Thus, players like Nadal, who relentlessly keep on chasing the ball, have an advantage over players who believe in playing short rallies.

Now comes the important question – Who will be the Wimbledon 2012 Champion. There are two ways to answer the question. First is to use your brain, follow logic and come to the conclusion that Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have reached unattainable heights and it is practically not possible for any other player to defeat them. Other is to use your heart and still support Roger Federer (which I’ll be doing) for winning the tournament. It seems that the elegance and artistic play brought in by RF will not be able to sustain the physical onslaught dished out by Djokovic and Nadal. And then there always is Andy Murray, who may perhaps in some other era, could have won number of Grand Slams. He is good enough to reach semis, but somehow it seems he has lost the battle mentally. It seems as if he can defeat any player but Djokovic (Although he came agonizingly close to defeating him in the semi finals of the Australian Open 2012), Nadal or Federer.

Also there is a new breed of players coming up – Tsonga, Del Potro, Berdych and Ferrer, who all seem to have the capability of defeating top seed players but do not seem to possess the required nerve to go all the way. It is worth mentioning that Del Potro, who was 2 sets to 1 down in the US Open 2009 finals, fought back to take the title. However, ever since he injured his wrist, which practically ruined his 2010, he doesn’t seem to be the same force.

Ask me to put my money on some player and it would definitely be on Djokovic. All said and done Nadal has come back roaring on to center court and is looking his best. It still would be asking for too much to expect Nadal to defeat Djokovic. The mental scars of getting defeated by the same man in previous 3 grand slam finals prior to the French Open of 2012 may just be too much to overcome.

Whosoever wins the tournament, one thing is sure that the spectators will have a cracker of a time. It’s time to sit back, relax and watch players hitting at unbelievable angles, unbelievable speeds and give a tough time to each other. The audience is going to have a gala time and I am going to keep my fingers crossed for RF.

Playing a different ball game

2012-06-25T22:47:00.001+05:30

Finally, a long drawn saga comes to an end. Various opinions were considered, innumerable meetings held, warnings given to players and AITA tried everything in its power to break the pairing of Bhupathi – Bopanna. However, it was these players who seem to have won the battle.

However, whether the best team has won or was Indian Tennis defeated might never be known. To start with, each side will present its story which favours itself. So, when we say Bhupathi – Bopanna were correct in not teaming up with Paes as they do not have any match practice and co-ordination with him, it makes sense. At the same time, when AITA said that the country should be kept in mind while selecting the team, it also made sense. So, how to decide who is right and who isn’t???

Maybe, this is one of those topics, wherein no clear winner may come out. Maybe, 20 years down the line, we would still be debating who was right. Maybe, everything would be forgotten if Bhupathi – Bopanna get GOLD for India. But, everything is just still a ‘MAYBE’.

In my personal opinion, I feel Bhupathi – Bopanna are on the right side of the line which indirectly means AITA is on the wrong side. Having myself played doubles before (although not professionally), I can assure you that it takes weeks and months of practice to get the right co-ordination going. It is practically impossible to come together a month before tournament and gel like a team for years. On that front, I feel Bopanna has every right to refuse partnering with Paes in the Olympics. Also, his decision is in the interest of the country. It would have been very easy for a player who is representing India for the first time to give into demands of AITA. However, he stuck to the tougher route and eventually got what he wanted.

As far as Bhupathi is concerned, many would say that he has already played with Paes on earlier occasions and would not need much time to gel. However, it is all the more a reason not to partner with him, since they have been partners before and unceremoniously broken off. One should always remember that this has been the best tennis pair ever to represent India. However, I just cannot see Bhupathi able to trust Paes off court or on court. This would be a perfect recipe for disaster given the long drawn saga in which Bhupathi had openly declared he does not want to partner Paes.

Also, Bhupathi – Paes have represented India on previous four occasions and every time have returned empty handed. And one should not undermine Bopanna. With his height and physique, he can always wreck havoc in doubles. He also has the requisite experience considering that the Indo-Pak pair of Bopanna-Quereshi lost in finals of the US Open. So this team does not deserve an outright rejection.

As a final thought, Sania Mirza should not be paired with Paes because individual ranking hardly matters in doubles. What is more important is the level of understanding and co-ordination the two players share. Sania Mirza and Bhupathi already have the French open to their name and have been champions before. Breaking their partnership and partnering Sania with Paes just to pacify his ego goes against the very stand of AITA of putting the country first.

The whole thing can blow off like a pack of cards if Paes wins gold. In that scenario, the ball would be totally in his court, media would be go gaga over him (which he would deserve considering the circumstances under which he would achieve gold) and Bhupathi – Bopanna would wish this to be just a horrible dream.

However, all said and done, these teams are going to represent India. It would be better for everyone especially Bhupathi, Bopanna, Paes and Mirza to forget all this and put their best foot forward. Hopefully, the long wait for the tennis medal would end this Olympics.

Just a brief history:

Paes is India’s number 1 ranked doubles player and ranked 7^th in the world because of which he gains direct entry into the Olympics. Also, he has the right to choose his own partner. However, AITA and Paes were in for a rude shock when both Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to partner Paes individually. Thus, Paes had an option of partnering either Vishnu Vardhan (207^th ranked) or Yuki Bhambri (306^th ranked) which he was reluctant to do despite the fact that in the year 1992, when he was a new kid on the block, he was taken to Olympics under the wings of Ramesh Krishnan. AITA wanted to partner Paes with Bhupathi or Bopanna as, according to them, only then India would have won the medal. However, Bhupathi – Bopanna have made this amply clear that they would be preferred to be selected as a team only and not individually, even if that meant, losing out on the Olympics.