Reviews 'N' Opinions

Milestone (2020) - Movie Review and Ending Explanation

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 23 May 2021 18:55:00 +0000

The last couple of weeks have offered me a little bit of free time to watch three films. Incidentally, all three – Ram Prasad ki Tehrvi, Paglait, and Milestone – deal with death and how those close to you deal with it and cope up in their own different ways. All three were good, but Milestone Stands out for its sensitive and realistic portrayal.

Milestone's principal character is a truck driver called Ghalib, and aptly so as the movie is akin to slow-moving poetry. But the ending left me baffled; it was too abrupt, too simplistic, and seemed to not do justice to the movie. I thought maybe I haven't understood the end, so I started scouring the internet to see if anyone has provided a viable explanation. There were a few blogs that tried to explain the ending, but I wasn't convinced. Anyways, since it was past midnight, I decided to sleep over it and worry about it the next day. But possibly, I was thinking about it subconsciously in my sleep because once I woke up, I realized there is a possible explanation. Not sure if this is what the makers had in mind, but this is my interpretation.

Before we proceed, I must caution that the explanation will have many spoilers, so if you haven't watched the movie, stop and catch it on Netflix.

The film takes us along the journey of Ghalib, who is nearing retirement and has recently lost his wife. He injures himself on the job and picks up a backache that makes it difficult for him to follow the career that he so loves. We are informed that not all was well between him and his wife through several sequences of events. An elder's council in his village is involved in mediating a dispute between him and his wife's family members. Things are not so rosy at work also. One of his best friends and colleague loses his job to his assistant due to age-related health issues. Ghalib is also assigned a new pupil who he reluctantly accepts, and that further aggravates his insecurities. Through his various interactions, we know Ghalib is an honest man who desperately wants to keep his job and is even ready to part with his life savings to the new assistant just to keep his job.

Things are reaching a crescendo, and then all of a sudden, one fine morning, everything falls back in place. The assistant, while driving alone, has an accident and wrecks the truck, which puts him out of favor with the company owners. Ghalib's backache miraculously disappears. The film ends with a phone call from the assistant's elder sister, who thanks Ghalib for fixing everything. It starts raining, and the credits roll.

Lingering question: What happened? Why the sudden change of fortunes?

Here is my take: Ghalib made sure that his deceased wife's family was well cared for, including having a permanent source of income. We were earlier informed that things were not well between him and his wife as she possibly suspected him of having an extramarital affair. It eventually becomes evident that he loved his wife but couldn't devote as much time as he wanted to her because of his dedication to his job. Also, Ghalib is not very good at expressing his emotions. The only exception is when the assistant offers to leave the job if Ghalib agrees to marry his elder sister. In a rare show of emotions, Ghalib reacts angrily and slaps the assistant. I think his wife's soul must have felt relieved of whatever complaints she had against Ghalib. She must have intervened to set things right for him, including the assistant's accident which he escaped unscathed but ran out of favor with owners for the losses he had incurred, Ghalib's backache going away, and him getting his job back. The phone call, in the end, was symbolic of his wife thanking him for setting things right, and the rain possibly signified Ghalib's tears of grief.

Conclusion: A lot of us are dealing with the devastation and loss of near and dear ones due to COVID, and that may be the reason for movies based on death, grief, and loss coming in of late. Milestone is a gem of a film and reiterates that not everyone deals with the loss the same way; everyone has a different coping mechanism.

Surinder Vicky as Ghalib and Laksvir Saran as the assistant are convincing, as are all the other supporting characters. I hope this film is not just an exception but becomes the norm in terms of the portrayal of Punjabi characters. This breaks the stereotype of loud and funny people in turbans shouting "balle-balle" every two minutes. It is an earthy, emotional, and sensitive portrayal—credit to Ivan Ayr for crafting this masterpiece.

FIFA WC 2014 - Knockout predcitions

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 14:30:00 +0000

"Of the World Cups I've seen with my own eyes, this has been the best. We're in a country where people live and breathe football, where football is a religion. I'm not surprised that we've witnessed extremely attacking football, with a lot of goals and entertainment." – Ivan Zomarano

This is what the former Chilean great has to say about this edition of the world cup. And may I say, this has been the world cup of the upsets too with giants like Spain, Italy, England & Portugal already shown the door. Most of the match level predictions fell flat if you look at the predicted scores and what actually transpired. The group level predictions on who will qualify look a little better.

Group A wasn’t as close as I thought as Mexico played superbly even holding hosts Brazil to a draw.

Group B - Spain put up a dismal show and looked lost in the first two matches which Chile capitalized on. Netherlands played like champions but special mention must be made of Australia. Although the final scores don’t reflect it they played some real good football. The Netherlands-Australia being one of the best encounters this world cup.

Group C – Japan’s performance was below par and Greece scrambled through as predicted but it is Colombia who have put up a splendid show.

Group D - For Costa Rica to qualify as the top team in a group which has England, Italy and Uruguay is an amazing feat. Uruguay put their act together in the later part and got through largely due to Suarez. Now that Suarez is out, their fate in the world cup hangs in balance. England didn’t get through as predicted. Ital, the old war horse got trapped in its own tricks.

Group E – France and Switzerland got through as predicted although Ecuador game them a scare.

Group F – This group was better than I thought. Argentina got through with ease. But the other three teams including Iran fought well. Kudos to Nigeria for getting through; I am sad for Bosnia & Herzegovina though; they showed promise but couldn’t convert due to the lack of a good striker.

Group G – This group lived up to its expectations and finally got decided on goal difference. Portugal due to their routing at the hands of Germany lost out. Once again a reminder that great players alone can’t win you matches in football, they just provide you the edge but you need a good team to win. USA are looking a dangerous side under their German coach (you know who J). Ghana played well too but were unlucky.

Group H – Belgium topped the group as predicted but Algeria surprised – what a show against Korea. Russia didn’t do as well as anticipated.

Here are the predictions for the remaining matches with predictions for the finals and 3^rd/4^th match reserved J

Have Fun!

My FIFA predictions for 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 18:26:00 +0000

With the world cup due to start in a couple of days, here are my predictions for the 1^st stage just for fun:

Date	Group	Teams	Predicted Result
Thursday 12 June	A	Brazil	2
		Croatia	1
Friday 13 June	A	Mexico	2
		Cameroon	0
Friday 13 June	B	Spain	1
		Netherlands	1
Friday 13 June	B	Chile	1
		Austraila	0
Saturday 14 June	C	Colombia	1
		Greece	2
Saturday 14 June	D	Uruguay	2
		Costa Rica	0
Saturday 14 June	D	England	0
		Italy	0
Saturday 14 June	C	Ivory Coast	1
		Japan	2
Sunday 15 June	E	Switzerland	2
		Ecuador	0
Sunday 15 June	E	France	2
		Honduras	0
Sunday 15 June	F	Argentina	3
		Bosnia & Herzegovina	1
Monday 16 June	G	Germany	2
		Portugal	1
Monday 16 June	F	Iran	0
		Nigeria	2
Monday 16 June	G	Ghana	2
		USA	2
Tuesday 17 June	H	Belgium	2
		Algeria	0
Tuesday 17 June	A	Brazil	2
		Mexico	0
Tuesday 17 June	H	Russia	2
		Korea	1
Wednesday 18 June	B	Austraila	1
		Netherlands	2
Wednesday 18 June	B	Spain	2
		Chile	0
Wednesday 18 June	A	Cameroon	1
		Croatia	2
Thursday 19 June	C	Colombia	2
		Ivory Coast	2
Thursday 19 June	D	Uruguay	2
		England	1
Thursday 19 June	C	Japan	2
		Greece	1
Friday 20 June	D	Italy	1
		Costa Rica	0
Friday 20 June	E	Switzerland	1
		France	1
Friday 20 June	E	Honduras	1
		Ecuador	1
Saturday 21 June	F	Argentina	4
		Iran	0
Saturday 21 June	G	Germany	3
		Ghana	0
Saturday 21 June	F	Nigeria	1
		Bosnia & Herzegovina	2
Sunday 22 June	H	Belgium	1
		Russia	0
Sunday 22 June	H	Korea	2
		Algeria	1
Sunday 22 June	G	USA	0
		Portugal	2
Monday 23 June	B	Netherlands	2
		Chile	0
Monday 23 June	B	Austraila	0
		Spain	2
Monday 23 June	A	Cameroon	0
		Brazil	2
Monday 23 June	A	Croatia	2
		Mexico	2
Tuesday 24 June	D	Italy	2
		Uruguay	1
Tuesday 24 June	D	Costa Rica	1
		England	2
Tuesday 24 June	C	Japan	1
		Colombia	1
Tuesday 24 June	C	Greece	1
		Ivory Coast	1
Wednesday 25 June	F	Nigeria	1
		Argentina	2
Wednesday 25 June	F	Bosnia & Herzegovina	2
		Iran	0
Wednesday 25 June	E	Honduras	0
		Switzerland	2
Wednesday 25 June	E	Ecuador	0
		France	2
Thursday 26 June	G	Portugal	2
		Ghana	1
Thursday 26 June	G	USA	1
		Germany	2
Thursday 26 June	H	Korea	1
		Belgium	2
Thursday 26 June	H	Algeria	0
		Russia	2

Points wise here is what I think is possible (Assuming 3 points for a win and 1 each for a draw)

Row Labels	Team Points
A
Brazil	9
Cameroon	0
Croatia	4
Mexico	4
B
Austraila	0
Chile	3
Netherlands	7
Spain	7
C
Colombia	2
Greece	4
Ivory Coast	2
Japan	7
D
Costa Rica	0
England	4
Italy	7
Uruguay	6
E
Ecuador	1
France	7
Honduras	1
Switzerland	7
F
Argentina	9
Bosnia & Herzegovina	6
Iran	0
Nigeria	3
G
Germany	9
Ghana	1
Portugal	6
USA	1
H
Algeria	0
Belgium	9
Korea	3
Russia	6

Group A

Brazil should have no issues making it to the second round. The other three teams, however, will have to slug it out. All three teams are almost equal, I have given a slight edge to Mexico and Croatia based on their performances in the recent past. Croatia may draw some inspiration from the heroics of Davor Suker in their debut world cup and might come up with a repeat performance this world cup. Mexico will be playing in similar conditions back home and may use that to their advantage. Although Croatia is my favorite of the three, I think Mexico will make it to the next round based on goal difference.

Group B

Group B looks like a no brainer. It should be Spain and Netherlands all the way. Chile and Australia are good teams and may have done well in some other group but tough luck for them this time.

Group C

This again is a group of equals. I am going with Japan based on their performances in the past 2 world cups. They have a very good striker in Honda and may well sail through easily. Latin conditions may favor Colombia and Ivory Coast may benefit from the presence of Drogba and Kalou but I will go with Greece as they are the big tournament team going by their previous performances.

Group D

With Italy, England and Uruguay in the fray, this group can’t get more exciting. Watch out for some close matches and hard fought contests. Italy is an old horse who knows its way through. Uruguay have Suarez and my favorite Deigo Forlan plus their performance in the last world cup to bank on. England have the likes of Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard but they more often than not fail to perform at the big stage. I will bank on Italy and Uruguay to sail through this group.

Group E

I don’t see Equador and Honduras making a big impression. France and Switzerland should have no issues moving ahead - A boring group overall. Not a big fan of the French anyways.

Group F

Again, Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina will have a cakewalk here. You may still want to keep an eye here for the beautiful Scandinavian style of football here and off-course Argentina loves to annihilate their weaker opponents – will not be surprised to see big scores here.

Group G

This is a group of the champions and the underdogs. We should witness some spirited display of the beautiful game in all matches in this group. In the end though, Germany and Portugal will make through. Expect to see some good contests though.

Group H

Every world cup there is the champions – Brazil, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands etc and there is one team that is all heart and wins hearts with their performances and springs up surprises – remember Croatia, Korea, Japan and Uruguay in the last world cup – Belgium might be that team this world cup – the dark horse. Only thing they need is a hero, let’s see who rises to the occasion gets his name added to the list of Forlans, Sukers and the Hondas. Despite the presence of Korea in the group, Russia should be the other team to go through.

I will have follow-up posts before the start of each stage with predictions of next round and analysis of the previous one.

What are your predictions? Who will have the crowning glory this time?

Happy Watching!

Mary had a little lamb and she loved it :)

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 05:01:00 +0000

My one year old daughter has developed a new liking – English Rhymes. And she can listen to them anywhere, any time and while doing anything – eating, playing et all and still enjoys them. I downloaded the longest video I could find from the Youtube which stands roughly at an hour and half and has possibly all the rhymes that I have ever known. My daughter makes me and my wife sing them for her if we hide the iPad away from her.

Anyways having heard so many rhymes over the past few days what struck me was the amount of violence there is in something meant for babies and toddlers. Mind you I am not joking, I have heard all types of violent stuff possible. From people falling (Jack fell down and broke his crown) to monuments crumbling (London bridge is falling down); they have everything. They don’t even spare old men (I met an old man, who wouldn’t say his prayers, I took him by the leftleg and threw him down the stairs) and even animals, even the differently abled ones. In a rhyme about 3 blind mice they have their tails cut off with a carving knife by a farmer’s wife J

Forget about Humpty Dumpty who had a great fall, he was just a stupid egg and it’s impossible for anyone to put him together but I do feel sorry for the Baa Baa Black sheep who has to give out all her wool. Even the gods are not spared, look at the arrogance with which little Johnny tells the rain god to get lost to Spain and not show his face again. It does not stop there, poor pussy is thrown in the well by little Johnny thin and 4 little monkeys are eaten by the crocodile in a snap. This Johnny fellow is especially mischievous, and he even lies to his parents and is caught stealing (Johnny, Johnny, Yes Papa).

And you thought ‘Mary had a little lamb’ was cute. That, my friend, is because you have interpreted it incorrectly. Let me tell you the real meaning.

Mary had a little lamb

Real meaning: Mary ate some lamb at a restaurant

Her fleece as white as snow

Real meaning: They are talking about Mary’s jacket she was wearing and I know you thought they were taking about the sheep’s wool coat.

fleece

noun \ˈflēs\

: the woolly coat of a sheep

: a soft cloth that is used to make warm clothes

: a jacket made from this cloth

Everywhere that Mary went,

The lamb was sure to go.

Real meaning: Mary so loved the lamb, that after this she always took a to go (American slang for a Takeaway or parcel) irrespective of what she ate the restaurant.

So my friends, I am confused if I should let my daughter continue listening to the rhymes. Please suggest!

Six Feet Under Chinatown

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Manorama six feet under was on TV a couple of days back and I once again got glued. By the time the movie finished, it was already 1 am in the morning. Every time I watch this movie, the same thing repeats itself. I find it a fascinating, gripping tale that is equally fresh and enchanting every time. After finishing I just drifted to IMDB to check if others thought and felt about the movie the same way as I did. And indeed most people had rated it above 8 out of 10 but for one particular gentleman who had given it a one star calling it a blatant copy of the Roman Polanski's 'Chinatown'. So, I ended up watching 'Chinatown' with Jack Nicholson in blazing form.

This is one benefit of keeping an open mind, you often get introduced to extremely polarizing, yet mind and eye opening point of views and exactly why I love to do it, it helps me keep my 'world view' broad and avoid some of the common subconscious mistakes that we commit.

Anyways, without drifting from the topic, because of the above said review I consciously kept looking for similarities. What parts have been copied? What part of the plot lifted? So is it a copy? You decide! I will list my observations J (Spoiler Alert: You may want to stop here if not looking for spoilersJ)

The backdrops of the movies are different – a charming Los Angeles on the verge of a boom vs. the dry, rustic and haunting Rajasthan; but the set pieces are there.

The extremely powerful yet corrupt (morally too) politician/businessman.
The illicit daughter.
Pair of small time goons
A water controversy.
A murder investigation.
A fake wife who asks the detective to take up the investigation.
And of course, a very nosy detective.

As you might have noticed, there are a lot of similarities almost to the point of being called a copy. But in my opinion, if it's a copy it is a mighty good one. Even if you have seen Chinatown you will still enjoy Manorama. The director has cleverly taken the plot and wrapped it in a very Indian setting. The motivations of the murder and the victim are different in both. The original one has the protagonist as a detective; here he is actually a novelist who is reluctantly pulled into a murder investigation. I believe the director had anticipated that some of the viewers would have seen the original and would be anticipating the story to go a certain direction, so intelligently molded it to have a different yet believable ending.
And I guess there is a willingness from the director's perspective to accept Chinatown as the inspiration – there is a scene where the original is playing on TV. And while the narrative in Chinatown was suspenseful yet straightforward, it's more layered, more structured yet equally suspenseful in Six Feet Under. Abhay's character looks determined yet vulnerable as a reluctant detective while in contrast Jack Nicholson is flamboyant in his portrayal of a seasoned detective.
References in both movies are subtle, like I was wondering as to why the movie was named Chinatown just for a few references to Jack's character being a police officer in Chinatown but finally the climax is played out in Chinatown so looks justifiable. In Manorama, look out how Abhay's character establishes motive for the water project while talking casually to a daily wage laborer.
Also, I loved the detailing in Six Feet Under. Lookout for the nosy neighbors, then Vinay Pathak's policeman act and even now famous Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a small time goon.

Try both and let me know what you think J

Review : Book - The Immortals of Meluha

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 02:50:00 +0000

I had heard a lot about the ‘Shiva Trilogy’ by Amish Tripathi so when I knew I had a 30 hour journey ahead of me ‘The Immortals of Meluha’ was the first thing I laid my hands on. It’s decent size (around 400 pages) ensured that I would have enough to keep me occupied in between the movies, sleep and the flight transfers. But there was another challenge – would it hold my interest long enough for me to consider finishing it?

The book has a nice premise. It treats Siva not as a god but a normal person who over the three part series achieves enough greatness and respect through his actions to be considered a God. How well the author succeeds can only be determined by reading the entire series. The first part though manages somewhat to keep the promise.

The author combines excerpts from Indian history and mythology to weave a story that has Shiva as a tribal Tibetan leader who comes to Meluha as the ‘Neelkanth’ and helps them defeat their archrivals – the Chandravanshis of Swadeep. Although the story flows beautifully it is inundated with historical and mythological inaccuracies in my opinion. The author tries to put forth perhaps what is his vision of a perfect society bereft of the flaws of the caste system but at times it seems so impractical and ridiculous to be believed to be true. But as the author he has what is called creative liberty so we can give him that.

Sometimes the language and the conversations seem to be too modern and out of touch with time that the author has based his story out of. Maybe be it’s a ploy to attract young readers.

The climax is not a climax; it’s rather laid out as a milestone for the next part of the series so that might disappoint some of the readers. The entire book has a nice premise and setting but it’s not executed well enough to fulfill its promise.

I am really surprised how the book sold a million copies. It’s at best mediocre. Good marketing can sell a ‘Chennai Express’ to be a block buster hit and perhaps the same thing applies to this book as well. I read somewhere that the publishers had gone all out on marketing including a pre-release viral video on You Tube. It worked it seems.

Overall it’s a good one time read but am I tempted to order the next part. No though I might consider reading it if there is another long journey on the anvil or if I get one for free.

Verdict: 2/5

Visiting Pune - Impressions from a drive to Mulshi

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 19:29:00 +0000

Since the day I landed in Pune, it has given me an impression of a have been hill station now mauled by ugly hoardings and new constructions. Mosoons seem to add to the misery with all the mud and traffic jams.

Today gave me a chance to break away from the concrete jungle and experience the beauty of the Pune monsoons that I had heard about. Below are some snaps of our drive to Mulshi.

Monsoon clouds over the hills:

A Table Top mountain overlooks us:

Paddy fields on the way:

A Panoramic view of the Ghats:

Scenic beauty greeted us at every bend of the road:

A Glimpse of the Mulshi Lake:

Euro 2012 - Final - Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 19:03:00 +0000

Euro Cup final is here. After Germany crashed unexpectedly against an attacking Italy inspired by Balotelli, I had to go with Spain. As much as I dislike Italy for their defensive playing style, they are an extremely dangerous side and have been impressive in this tournament.

I am supporting Spain.. let's hope for the best!!

Euro 2012 - Group Stage Analysis And Future Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:44:00 +0000

What a tournament we have had till now with as many as 14 teams still in contention before the last round matches were to be played. Except for Ireland and Sweden, each and every team could have hoped to qualify for the next round going into their final group matches – just incredible!

So I made some predictions before the tournament – some were on the spot, some went the other way – you win some you lose some :) 2GCXWN55SN9W

Group	Teams	Predicted Qualifiers	Actual Qualifiers
1	Czech Republic	Czech Republic	Czech Republic
	Greece
	Russia	Greece	Greece
	Poland
2	Germany	Netherlands	Germany
	Portugal
	Denmark	Germany	Portugal
	Netherlands
3	Spain	Spain	Spain
	Croatia
	Italy	Croatia	Italy
	Ireland
4	France	England	England
	England
	Ukraine	Ukraine	France
	Sweden

Group 1 results were on expected lines but not withstanding the last minute jitters. I was hoping the Czechs would cruise through to the quarters but the Russians had other plans. They routed the Czechs 4-1. The Greeks also made last minute amends and some inspirational performance saw them edge past Russia. All said and done you can’t help but feel for Russia, they deserved to be in the knock-outs. Overall one of the most competitive and entertaining group of the tournament – you can imagine how tough it was from the fact that every goal in the last two matches being played simultaneously was altering the equation of who would go through.

Group 2 saw tournament favorites Netherlands crashing like a pack of cards. It all started with the Danes staging an upset against them 1-0. They could never recover from the shock after that. The defeat at the hands of the Germans further lowered their confidence. They were still lucky to have a chance to qualify but they had to defeat Portugal 2-0 and Germany would have to beat Denmark. Although the Germans kept their promise, the Dutch could never deliver. Portugal on the other hand looked lack lustered in their first two matches but recovered well under Ronaldo’s leadership in the final match to easily defeat Netherlands. Ronaldo played like a champ and if he can keep his form and his team keeps supporting him, they might be in for the long haul. Germans were the best of the lot and were the only team in the entire tournament to move ahead with 9 points.

Group 3 saw Spain easily getting through as expected. They are still struggling with their attack and if they don’t sort it out in time, trouble would be soon knocking at the door. Italy surprisingly scored some goals to get to the next round. But the bravest team of the group was Croatia, they played nice attacking football, made the best of whatever little chances they had but unfortunately succumbed to some negative football by Spain. All Croatia needed was a 2-2 draw but the Spaniards chose to play their typical possession football which speaks for their skill but also makes for boring football that I hate. I am not sure how Ireland even managed to qualify. Theirs was the most toothless defense and a horrible attack – not sure what they were trying to do.

Group 4 has been the most disappointing. England deserved to be at the top and qualify. But France qualified even after losing to Sweden 2-0 in the last match. The French don’t look like a team at all that would have qualified. I think Sweden or Ukraine would have done a better job in the next stage.

So the group stage is done and now is the time for knockouts. Now is do or die for each team.

Here are my revised predictions for the upcoming matches.

Quarterfinals:

Czech Republic	Vs	Portugal

Very very difficult to choose from - I love the Czechs but their defense has been porous through out the tournament. I admire Ronaldo for his skills but he never gets enough support from his team. But if Portugal decide to play as they did against Netherlands there is no stopping them. I think Portugal will win it 2-1.

Germany	Vs	Greece

Germany for sure won’t take Greece lightly but if they continue with their current form, there shouldn’t be a problem. It will be 1-0 for Germany.

Spain	Vs	France

Judging by France’s last game performance in the group stage, Spain is going to win this 1-0.

England	Vs	Italy

This should be another interesting contest with not much to choose from. It could be anyone’s game depending upon how they choose to play that day. I will root for England to win this one 2-1 but Italy being an experienced team at the big stage is capable of doing quite the opposite.

Overall, here is how the quarterfinal results should look like –

Czech Republic
Czech Republic		Portugal
Portugal		Portugal
Portugal

Greece
Greece		Germany
Germany		Germany
Germany

Spain
Spain		Spain
France		Spain
France

England
England		Italy
Italy		Italy
Italy

Semifinals:

Portugal	Vs	Spain



Germany	Vs	Italy

Spain should win the first semifinal as Portugal will eventually falter given their over dependency on one player – Ronaldo. I am not expecting Spain to be overtly attacking, they would try to secure a lead and then keep it safe, so it should be 1-0.

The second one should be more fun. Germany would like to stick to their game, keep attacking and would like to win it 2-0.But Italy might score one back, so the final score line should look like 2-1 in favor of Germany.

Finals:

Spain	Vs	Germany

This should be an epic final. Spain will try to hold maximum possession, dislodge Germany off their game and sneak a goal in. Germany on the other hand would look not to repeat their mistakes of the last world cup. They would certainly like to make amends, play attacking and positive football which is their strength. This one might just go to the wire and may be decided on penalties. I would be rooting for Germany!!

Euro Cup Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 21:22:00 +0000

[Group2] [Portugal vs. Denmark] [Anticipated Result – Portugal wins 2-1]

One of the most thrilling contests of the tournament so far. A win would have sealed Denmark’s place in the next round and Portugal desperately needed to win this one to stay in contention. Both teams fought hard and the better one on the day won but just by a whisker. It was a roller coaster ride with both teams taking a combined total of 25 shots at the goal. Nicklas Bendtner scored two goals for Denmark but couldn’t get the result they wanted.

[Final Result – Draw – 3-2]

Denmark	Portugal
Nicklas Bendtner (41')	Pepe (24')
Nicklas Bendtner (80')	Hélder Postiga (36')
	Varela (87')

[Group2] [Netherlands vs. Germany] [Anticipated Result – Netherlands wins 2-1]
This was the most awaited game of the tournament. And when it started in the first half it seemed to be living upto the expectation with constant attacks from both sides. Ozil had a brilliant shot hitting the pole in the 8th minute and Netherlands had at least two good chances within the first 10 minutes. 23rd minute saw some great passing and Gomez finding the net. And he doubled it up in the 38th minute with a great cross into the goal.

The second half saw relentless attacks by Holland which bore fruit in the 73rd minute with an excellent goal from Van Persie. But there was not much respite after that although the efforts continued. This should pretty much end the Dutch campaign in this tournament unless there is a miracle. For Germany, they have ensured their place in the Quarters.

[Final Result – Germany won 2-1]

Netherlands	Germany
Robin Van Persie (73')	Mario Gomez (24')
	Mario Gomez (38')

Euro Cup Day 4 & 5

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:54:00 +0000

[Group4] [England vs. France] [Anticipated Result – England wins 1-0]

Maybe it was the Chelsea effect rubbing over but England didn’t show enough hunger to win the game. Their strategy seems to be score draws against stronger opponents and try to scrape through to the next level. But this may backfire in the long run. I couldn’t catch up this match on TV but anyways it would have been a waste of time.

[Final Result – Draw – 1-1]

France	England
Samir Nasri (39')	Joleon Lescott (30')

[Group4] [Ukraine vs. Sweden] [Anticipated Result – Ukraine wins 1-0]
But I did get a chance to catch up the Sweden-Ukraine match and what lively match it was. Ukraine dominated the proceedings for most of the first half but Sweden got its chances too including the Ibrahimovic header that hit the post. Really impressed with the way Ukraine have played - ballsy, aggressive football - one attack after the other. They are a young team and that shows on the field - it could be their boon or bane which happens to be seen as the tournament progresses. Their lack of experience is compensated by Shevchenko in the front and I hope he is able to keep this young energetic bunch together. Swedes on the other hand have Ibrahimovic in the front who just needs half a chance and a little luck to turn any game upside down.

What a nice start to the second half it was. Ibrahimovic lived up to his reputation and scored in the 50th minute. Then Shevchenko showed that why is considered such a great striker even at this age by scoring twice in the 56th and 61st minute. Ibrahimovic would consider himself extremely unlucky not to have scored off that bullet shot in the 76th minute. Ukraine rightfully slowed down the proceedings in the end to save the precious they had. Overall one of the best games of the tournament till now.

[Final Result – Ukraine won 2-1]

Ukraine	Sweden
Andriy Shevchenko (55')	Zlatan Ibrahimovic (52')
Andriy Shevchenko (62')

[Group1] [Greece vs. Czech Republic] [Anticipated Result – Czech wins 1-0]

2 goals within the first six minutes and I had a big smile on my face. I had predicted that the Czechs would be a force to contend with but was saddened by their dismal performance against the Russians. But today was a different day and there was a different Czech team on the field. Another good thing was they didn’t stop attacking just because they had a 2 goal lead but kept applying the pressure. The Greeks did recover from the initial shock but not enough to score a goal.

The second half started on a better note for the Greeks and they were looking a better organized unit. The Czechs frittered away the advantage they had because of the goalkeeping gaffe by Petr Cech. They are a good team but tend to take things for granted and that is costing them dearly. I think they need to pull up their socks if they want to go to the next round.

[Final Result – Czech Republic won 2-1]

Greece	Czech Republic
Theofanis Gekas (53')	Petr Jiracek (3')
	Vaclav Pilar (6')

[Group1] [Russia vs. Poland] [Anticipated Result – Poland wins 2-1 ]

Couldn’t watch this one as well but heard it was a well fought one. Thought Poland would take this one – keeping the traditional rivalry in mind and the advantage of being the home team. Russia would be very happy with the result, another draw and they should be through.

[Final Result – Draw – 1-1]

Poland	Russia
Jakub Blaszczykowski (57')	Alan Dzagoev (37')

Euro Cup Day 3 - Thoughts and Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 21:11:00 +0000

[Group3] [Italy vs Spain] [Predicted Result – Draw with 1-1]

Before the game started, I was thinking Spain would win 1-0 but after looking at the starting line-up was more inclined towards a draw as Spain strangely decided not to have a striker in the main lineup. And that did cost them dearly as they made so many good moves in the first 20 minutes but were unable to finish. What else you can hope for when you are playing against a side which is known for their defense. With some lenient refereeing making the game rough, it was more physical than artistic. Italy got a few good chances but was denied by brilliant saves by Casillas including the one towards the end of the first half.

Balotelli missed a sure shot chance at the beginning of the first half and he was then rightly called off. The move immediately paid off with Di Natale giving Italy the lead. That gave the Spaniards some inspiration and they soon equalized through Fabregas. Finally better sense prevailed and Torres was brought in. You could see some earnestness after Torres came in but may be it was a little too late. The second half also saw the referee being a little stricter and saw as many as 7 yellow cards. Overall it was an entertaining second half but a little disappointing as Spain didn’t win it.

[Final Result – Draw - 1-1]

Spain	Italy
Cesc Fábregas (64')	Antonio Di Natale (61')

[Group3] [Croatia vs Ireland] [Predicted Result – Croatia will win 2-0]

Croatia scored in the 3rd minute itself with Irish defense all over the place and it looked as if it was going to be a complete rout. But the Irish pulled back and leveled in the 20th minute. Croatia got the lead again in the 43rd minute through what looked like an offside but is not as per the new rules. Overall a very competitive and entertaining 1st half but a little more consistency from the Irish defense would have made it better. So many times the ball was free and the Irish defenders were looking at each other to take control of it giving the Croatians their chances.

Croatia took the lead again within 3 minutes in the second half and the Irish had their task cut out for them. The Irish fought hard and had their share of chances but couldn’t make use of them. The Croats on their part did everything as expected to slow down the game and defend their lead.

Good day for my predictions :)

[Final Result – Croatia won 3-1]

Ireland	Croatia
Sean St. Ledger (19')	Mario Mandzukic (3')
	Nikica Jelavic (43')
	Mario Mandzukic (48')

Euro Cup Day 2 - Thoughts and Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 21:25:00 +0000

[Group2] [Netherlands vs Denmark] [Predicted Result – Netherlands will win 2-0]

The game started with top notch artistic football from Netherlands – delicate footwork, one touch passes. Danes didn’t have much possession but didn’t look out of control as well. Dutch made a few good moves but the Danes successfully kept them off the net. There were hardly any attacks from the Danes worth counting except a header in the opening minutes. The back-pass in the 18th minute could have done the trick for the Dutch but the referee didn’t think it was deliberate. But fortunes took a turn when Krohn-Dehli made a beautiful move and made it 1-0 for the Danes. And the Dutch came alive into the game. The Dutch kept attacking relentlessly with Robben hitting the post in the 36th minute to his bad luck. The Danes too got a couple of more chances to score at the end of the first half but couldn’t convert

The Dutch applied pressure again with multiple attacks at the beginning of the second half. Hunterlaar must be ruing an almost certain chance off a lovely long ball. But eventually, the Danes have caused an upset and a big one – that opens up the group of death. The Dutch would consider them extremely unlucky for the one missed that hit the post and the handball penalty not given. Ultimately it was another example of how sometimes just skill and strategy is not enough to win a football game, you need a little bit of luck on your side too – the Dutch couldn’t convert their 28 chances and the Danes were able to convert one in just 8 :).

Looks like a cup of upsets and that is making it even more fun :D

[Final Result – Danes cause an upset 1-0]

Netherlands	Denmark
	Michael Krohn-Dehli (24')

[Group2] [Portugal vs Germany] [Predicted Result – Germany will win 2-1]

First half was a good contest with not much to choose from both the teams. The closest that one came to score was Pepe in the closing minutes of the first half when his shot hit the upper part of the post and landed on the line. Portugal played a largely defensive game with a few promising counter attacks which was the correct thing on their part as the Germans have a strong forward line. The Germans played to their strength and kept attacking with their tails up in the entire first half. Although Germans had 60% of possession with as many as 6 attempts, the Portuguese never looked out of contention.

The second half was equally competitive in the second half and a little rough as well as expected. Germans were a tad bit lucky that Gomez’s header went in the 72nd minute. And the Portuguese were a tad unlucky that another of their shot landed on the post. Overall it’s a game of half chances; you have to convert them to win games – one less touch, a second quicker makes all the difference. Portuguese will consider themselves unlucky because of the shots that hit the post but they didn’t convert their many chances. A lot of people will come back and say that Ronaldo is over-rated and not good enough at the big stage but football is a team game in true sense. He created a couple of good chances but he needs some back-up from other players to convert. Overall, I am very happy with Portugal’s performance and would say they were a bit unlucky. Germans on the other hand need to raise their game for the next one against the Dutch as the Dutch will come out in full force to make up for today’s loss.

[Final Result – Germany won 1-0]

Germany	Portugal
Mario Gomez (72')

Euro Cup Day 1 - Thoughts & Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 23:06:00 +0000

[Group1] [Greece vs. Poland] [Predicted Result – Greece will win 1-0]

2 Goals, 2 Red Cards, 1 Missed Penalty and such a hard fought wonderful match with all the ingredients of a roller coaster – what else can one ask of the open match in a tournament. Absolute delight!! After Poland took the lead in the 17th minute through Lewandowski the Greeks were looking clueless but they soon got their act together. And despite the unfortunate send off for Papastathopoulos after two harsh yellow cards, they still kept fighting and kept the spirits alive.

Greek substitute Salpigidis scored the leveler right at the start of the second half. But the drama was not over, and then came the send off for the Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the 68th minute and a penalty to seal the game off. But some jittery nerves and good anticipation from the new goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton kept the score at par. Overall the Greeks were unfortunate for the harsh send off and then an almost certain penalty (handball) being denied. But they are to be blamed themselves a bit as well for missing a straight forward penalty.

[Final Result – Draw – One of the best opening matches in any tournament]

Poland	Greece
Robert Lewandowski (17')	Dimitrios Salpingidis (51')

[Group1] [Russia vs. Czech Republic] [Predicted Result – Czech will win 2-0]

The Russians played like a cohesive team with a game plan - strong on their defense, great on the counter attack. Every time they moved on the counter they looked like scoring a goal. They surprised the Czechs and they sure surprised me and had their tails up the entire first half. The Czechs on the other hand were in complete disarray with defense scattered all over (infact there was no defense). And what’s with all the long passes- you are known for your close knit short pass game – something that was entirely missing in this one. Yes, you’ve got the best goalkeeper in the world but you still need some support from the defenders.

The second half started with a beauty from Pilar which brought back the spring in the Czech step for a short time but the Russians decided to take the pace off the game with some midfield passing and the occasional run to the other end. Until the last 10 minutes when they decided to shift gears, played superb attacking football scoring 2 more goals. Alan Dzagoev showed why at a young age he is so hyped as a super talent by scoring 2 goals in the match.

[Final Result – Russia wins 4-1]

Russia	Czech Republic
Alan Dzagoev (15')	Vaclav Pilar (52')
Roman Shirokov (24')
Alan Dzagoev (79')
Roman Pavlyuchenko (82')

Looking at the first two matches, my predictions for Group 1 might go for a complete toss but still there are a couple of matches to go. Let’s see!!

Predictions For Euro 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:41:00 +0000

The Euro 2012 is about to start in a day or so. I am making some predictions just for fun, let’s see how they hold out.

Group Stages

Group1:
This is the group of the minnows and that makes it somewhat exciting too as it very difficult to predict who will move ahead. I am backing the Czechs to top the group as they have one of the best goalkeepers in the world - Petr Čech – who on his day can guard his fortress like a wall. Also hoping Greece to get inspired by their 2004 win (though they had a forgettable 2008 campaign) and finish second in the group.

Group2:
This is the toughest and the most unpredictable group. Though I would have loved to back Portugal given they have names like Ronaldo, Pepe, Nani etc but I would rather go with the traditional power houses – Netherlands and Germany. It would be really a tall order for any team to challenge a team which has Robben, Van der Vaart and Robin Van Persie or infact Lahm, Muller, Klose and Podolski in the line-up. The Danes will put up a great fight I am sure but unluckily they are pitied against far stronger opponents. Overall, this group promises the most interesting group stage matches.

Group3:
Group 3 is another interesting group and promises some delightful moments. Spain should easily top the group given the firepower they have – Casillas, Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Alonso, Torres etc. It should be a cakewalk for them provided their attack lead by Torres fires. Italy has history on their side and good players like Buffon, De Rossi, Pirlo etc but I am not too convinced about their goal scoring ability. I know they have been a defensive side historically and have done great with that style but I’ll still go with Croatia as the dark horses. They don’t have the superstars that other teams have but they play close-knit football and may surprise you with the best team game you’ve seen inspired by Eduardo in the frontline.

Group4:
England have a clear upper hand and should have no difficulty in topping the group given names like Cole, Terry, Gerrard and Rooney in the line-up. France have been on a downward spiral ever since Zidane retired and I am not expecting any miracles here. Sweden might hope for a miracle to reach the second round but I am going to put my money on Ukraine. They are absolute underdogs but are very capable of springing up a surprise or two lead by Andriy Shevchenko. Let’s hope for some magic.

Quarterfinals
Below are my predictions for the quarters, mostly predictable the only exception being the fourth one where I believe Croatia are capable of staging an upset provided they get their act together in the group stages.

Semifinals

Semifinal1:
The first semifinal should be a close fight but I am sure the Germans would like to make up for their loss against the same opponents in the last world cup semifinals. I am giving it to the Germans just by a slight margin owing to the Spanish over dependency on Torres at the front. Absence of Villa is ultimately going to hurt them in the competition.

Semifinal2:
The second semifinal should be pretty straight forward but let’s hope for some inspirational moments from Croatia.

Finals
It would be a dream final and may the best team win. There is not much to choose from both the teams and I’ll just follow my gut and say Germans would be the 2012 Euro Champs.

Remember, these are just predictions and let’s see how good is my reading of the great game. I will be reviewing these doing the course of the competition and at the end of each stage and may have to revise them based on how they turn out at each stage.

Enjoy and have fun!!

Review: Music - Ishaqzaade (OST-2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 13 May 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Ishaqzaade (Starring - Arjun Kapoor, Pariniti Chopra) has already released in cinemas but I haven't been able to watch it yet. But I stumbled on the music album of the original sound track for the film. Below are my thoughts on the album. Please note that I am not a music expert but I love listening music especially Hindi film music. What you will read below is more a compilation of my emotions and the thoughts that went through my head while listening the songs.

Pareshaan by Shalmali Kholgade is a dreamy love ballet. She has a soft melodious voice that adds magic to this number. Be prepared to be transported to the world of stars, flowers, petals, waterfalls and love.

Jhalla Walla is the surprise package of this album. This is a rustic naughty track that will take you to the rural northern plains. The simplicity of the lyrics will remind you of nautanki ; the song starts with something like - "aashiqon main jis ka title titanic, Muah kinara dikha kar ke dooba de gaya". The reason it is a surprise is its singer. Normally this type of number would have been usually sung by Rekha Bhardwaj or maybe Sunidhi Chauhan but surprisingly Shreya Ghoshal lends her vocals and boy what an amazing job she has done!

The title track in the voices of Javed Ali and Shreya Ghoshal is another soft number except for the Ishaqzaade part but the song has come out beautifully and in parts reminds of some numbers from Amol Palekar’s 70’s movies.

Aafton ke Parinde has aggression written all over it. Suraj Jagan and Divya Kumar has done good justice to the song and in parts remind you of Sukhwinder Singh.

Chhokra Jawan is a peppy number by Sunidhi Chauhan and Vishal Dadlani. Sunidhi is her usual class self but I was pleasantly surprised by Vishal Dadlani. He matches her in each and every part of the song and both of them just go beserk in the latter part of the song as if given a free hand by the music director.

Amit Trivedi is one of the most talented music directors in the industry today and he doesn’t disappoint with this one. I think this is the only album after “Rockstar” that I have been able to listen to without skipping a single song. Amit retains a fresh feel to his music without losing touch with the roots or going too techno – all songs have a very Indian rural feel to them.

Kausar Munir is a very good addition to the growing list of talented lyricists like Irshaad Kaamil, Prasoon Joshi, Piyush Mishra etc. Sample this -

"Seeley seeley sapne apne
Pyaar ki dhoop se sukhenge
Niley naino ki do neharein
Dil ke baandh se rokenge
Khaak se khwaabon ko bunle
Raakh se bhi khushiyaan chunle
Bujhte jalte..chalte jaayein
Girte uththe..badhte jaayein
Ishaqzaade ishaqzaade ishaqzaade……. "

List of the Songs

"Ishaqzaade" - Javed Ali, Shreya Ghoshal
"Chokra Jawaan" (Lyrics by Habib Faisal) - Vishal Dadlani, Sunidhi Chauhan
"Pareshaan" - Shalmali Kholgade
"Jhalla Walla" - Shreya Ghoshal
"Aafaton ke Parinde" - Suraj Jagan, Divya Kumar

There are two remix songs also included in the album, but I am not a big fan of remixes so I have not included them above.

Rating : Overall a good album - 3/5

Review : Movie - Agneepath

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:14:00 +0000

Almost every third post on my Facebook wall is talking about this movie. There is lot of nostalgia, lot of memories since the first one has such a cult status. So needless to say that there was a lot of hype and I went in with a lot of expectations and came out with a mixed bag of feelings.

Plot:
Being a remake it borrows the basic idea from the original so a lot of things are the same there is Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, Mandwa, Kancha, Baap ka badla, the poem et all. But not everything is the same, there is no Krishnan Iyer MA but there is Rauf Lala. The basic plot is the same but you cannot say so about the full storyline. It won’t matter if you’ve seen the first one or not. This reinterpretation of the movie works in its own right.

Screenplay/Dialogs:
The movie has been made on a grand scale and beautifully shot. But some times you feel the makers have become too indulgent as it starts getting too long... too winding... too slow. There are some impressive moments in the film but they are separated with long durations of dull proceedings which take the impact out of the film and spoil the fun.

Cast/Performances:
The movie has some strong performances. Hrithik looks, moves like Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. He is one actor who has raised the level of acting in Hindi films. Look out for the moment when he dances on the ‘Gun Guna’ song. We all know how good a dancer he is but checkout how he remains in his character, controls and dances like a drunken man. A very minute thing but it’s a pleasure watching him on screen. Also, be prepared to be surprised by another fine actor who took 40 years to blossom. Rishi Kapoor in his evil avatar is menacing and I wish he had an even bigger role. The biggest disappointment for me is Sanjay Dutt as Kancha. He had the look and the opportunity but I felt he let it down. He had a great chance to be another Gabbar or a Mogambo. The dialogs come out of his mouth but never look real. He looks the part and tries not to sleepwalk on this one but the effort is just not good enough – there is body but no soul. Om Puri playing Gaitonde in the film is just reduced to a narrator who appears to either give sermons or to cover gaping holes in the narrative left by lazy writers.

Music/Songs:
The background music is good. It haunts you for hours after you’ve walked out of the cinema. The best song would have to be ‘Gun Guna’. Not only is the music good it has been penned beautifully by Amitabh Bhattacharya. ‘Deva Sri Ganesha’ and ‘Chikni Chameli’ are other good songs. All the songs have been shot with grandeur and aplomb but my only grouse is that they slow the pace of the movie and most could have been easily left out or at least shortened a bit.

Verdict:
It’s good but would have been much better with some trimming. 3/5 - Not because it's not a good movie but because it had the potential to be a classic, something that didn't materialize.

Review : Movie - Don 2

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:50:00 +0000

So, why is every other so called critic in the town trashing Don 2? It is a pretty decent movie albeit minor aberrations. In fact, I found it better than the first one. If the same people can’t stop raving about a nonsense MI-4, I guess, they should give Don a little due respect.

Plot:

The story starts 5 years after where it ended in the last part. Don (Shahrukh Khan) is now the biggest drug dealer in Asia and has plans now to expand to Europe. But to do that he has to take care of the reigning drug lords who themselves are wary of the rising Asian King. Don plans a bank heist to meet his goals and sets out to build his team which includes his old foe Vardhan (Boman Irani), a computer hacker Sameer (Kunal Kapoor), a mystery woman Ayesha (Lara Dutta) and a group of goons working under Jabbar (Nawab Shah). Meanwhile Malik (Om Puri) and Roma (Priyanka Chopra) are still following his trail. Does he succeed in the bank heist? Do Vardhan, Sameer and Jabbar loyally toe his line or ditch him? In all of this, how he handles Malik and Roma and the Interpol - makes up for the rest of the story.

Screenplay/Dialogs:

The story has a lot of twists and turns and the dialogs are smartly written. The film moves at a fast pace. The only time I felt it was slowing down was in what was the mandatory song ‘Zara dil ko tham lo’. Else there is brisk pace with all the masala of a action thriller – a jail break, a car chase, a bank heist, fights, explosion, globe trotting in the blink of an eye – Thailand, Zurich, Berlin et all. Dialogs are crisp, intelligent and stylish – checkout Vardhan and Don’s bantering on many occasions or how Don convinces Jabbar to join him.

Now to what really didn’t click like the song I mentioned above. For one thing, Hrithik’s cameo was completely out of place – you need to see it to believe that an otherwise smart director like Farhaan Akhtar actually chose to keep it. Second a lot of people may not like Don and Roma’s interactions towards the end of the film. But minus these minor aberrations it’s a good film.

Cast/Performances:

Shahrukh Khan is in superb form. I am not a big fan of his but he nails this one. He as Don has style, attitude and charisma all rolled together. I wish they had retained the look he supports for the first 15-20 minutes through out the film; it went so well with the attitude. Boman Irani is effective as Vardhan. Rest of the cast looks pretty OK but Shahrukh is the life of the film.

Music/Songs:

The music at best is mediocre and thankfully there are not too many songs that interrupt the film - just one.

Verdict:

The film is a good watch if you choose to ignore/forget one or two minor mistakes. It has all the ingredients of a masala potboiler. I’ll give it a 3.5/5

Review: Movie - Rockstar

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:49:00 +0000

Thankfully I was able to watch this movie on the large screen, today being the last day last show at the local cinema here. I am assuming most of you have already watched it but still here is what I think of it.

Plot:

Janardan Jakhar (later Jordan), inspired by Jim Morrison, seeks pain to infuse life into his music on the advice of his friend and college canteen manager Khatanaji. In his quest of pain he seeks to woo Heer, a dil-todne-ki-machine to fall in love and get his heart broken. Heer who is getting married soon wants to live life to the fullest before settling down with a rich husband. Soon enough Heer and JJ are running around Delhi streets engaging in activities that they call ‘Gandh-Machana’.

Heer moves to Prague with her husband and JJ gets thrown out of his house and takes refuge in ‘Hazrat Nizzamuddin’. He is spotted by Ustaad Jameel Khan (Shammi Kapoor) a renowned classical artist and thus his singing career gets a start. Events unfold and Heer Jordan’s paths cross several times. Heer who is JJ’s elixir of creativity also becomes the poison of his destruction. For Heer, Jordan is the spark of life and yet the very flame that consumes her.

Screenplay/Dialogs:

Imtiaz Ali is an intelligent director, the story telling is nonlinear and he expects the audience to fill gaps and thus avoiding any spoon feeding. The story is told from Jordan’s perspective so don’t go in expecting to watch the rise of a rockstar from a audience/fan perspective. You are in Jordan’s shoes and only see what he sees so there are a lot of details that you need to figure out like what happens to Heer while she is away or how Khatana deals with others to keep things in control inspite of Jordan's reckless behavior. Being an artist he lives in a world of his own, oblivious of the ways of the world. The director tries to reiterate the point at several occasions – the opening and closing lines by Rumi, Janardan being mocked by his friends at the start of the film and still not able to figure that out, his complete disregard for fans, authority and even Heer’s illness.

Cast/Performances:

Barring Nargis as the female lead, the rest of the casting is impeccable and Ranbir is a rockstar indeed. The attention to detail in each character is endearing. Watchout for Ranbir’s changing looks even in the smallest of sequences, each look automatically tells you a story. Piyush Mishra does justice to his small part as does Kumud Mishra as Khatanji. There are not too many known faces in the ensemble but each character fits the role perfectly.

Music/Songs:

Music is the heart and soul of the film. A R Rahman is in peak form and so is Irshaad Kaamil with his brilliant lyrics. Mohit Chauhan’s soulful voice infuses life in the songs and suits Ranbir’s character well. The songs have already topped the charts. My favorites are – ‘Nadaan Parindey’ and ‘Hawa Hawa’.

Verdict:

It is one of those rare films that stay with you for a long after you walk out of the theatre. If a movie like ‘Ready’ and ‘Houseful’ is your staple consumption then it’s certainly not for you. But if you crave for some depth, some imagination you can bet your money on it. I’ll go with 4/5.

Hota Hai Shab-O-Roz Tamasha Mere Aage

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:25:00 +0000

Read this excellent article on the current ruckus being created in the media about Kiran Bedi - The Anna effect is bigger than the foibles of Team Anna.
Actually as you must have noticed by now, there is a deliberate attempt to target Team Anna’s members one by one. First Shanti Bhushan, then Kejriwal and now Kiran Bedi; actually the attack is not on individuals, not even on the movement, it’s on the Indian psyche. The ‘You-Know-Whos’ of our political class who were/are/will be the worst affected by the Anna movement are making a deliberate, well thought out attempt to washout the memories of the Aam Junta. They very well understand that we are all Ghajinis (suffering from perpetual short term memory loss) and the media is nothing but paise ka piir or TRP ka piir.

In a country that demands to be constantly entertained, a new tamasha quickly and automatically erases the memory of the last one. You forget the humiliation that our cricket team suffered in England as soon as they start winning at home. Everybody was rooting for the cricketers’ blood when they were losing and now when they are winning at home again, England has been quietly and conveniently forgotten. Nobody is discussing or cares about why our current breed of players - just ‘Ghar ke Sher’?
The formula is Simple. The public memory is short lived, so create a new tamasha if you want to divert attention from the previous one. The news channels need TRPs to be able to sell soaps, detergents and itchgaurds for their sponsors. So get hold of the next sensation as soon as the current one shows signs of wearing out. If you can’t get one create one out of non-issues. How our Prabhus, Dutts and Sardesais work hand in hand with our politicians has been exposed time and again. The Netas in power committed hara-kiri when they attacked Anna at the height of the movement. But they realized their mistake and backed out to save themselves from the public angst. Now that the josh has subsided every dirty trick in the book is being used for personal attacks against people leading the movement.

For most people even the Anna movement was a tamasha, they were pursuing their quest for entertainment under the veil of support for Anna. There was a great mela going on. Now we are busy slipping 50 bucks into the traffic cop’s pocket every time he stops us for disobeying the traffic light. Now when there is little entertainment value in that movement we are busying looking for other topics to discuss on Facebook pages, chaupals and water-cooler sessions.

It pained me no end to see the skepticism and the pessimism that I saw in some of my friends at the height of the movement. But it pains me more when we fail to see reason even today and comprehend what is happening. It pains to see that attention spans have become so short and so easy to deviate. And it pains to see that we forget day in and day out that the movement was not about individuals; it was about corruption and its eradication. If a law, rule or legislation is put in place it’s going to affect everyone equally - be it be Kapil Sibbal or Kiran Bedi. The movement was/is not about character assassination or scrutiny it’s about tackling an important issue - an issue, the solution to which is by no means easy but extremely important. A change that will not be easy, rather slow and excruciating - but something that we all wish for India.

Here is wishing you all a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali!!

R.I.P - Shammi Kapoor

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Shammi Kapoor - one of the most flamboyant, exuberant and energetic actors of Indian cinema said good bye to this world and moved over to his heavenly abode.

When you think of Shammi Kapoor you think of his swagger, infectious smile and rawness. He had impeccable comic timing and fun factor something so visible in his numerous songs - ‘Tum sanahin dekha’, ‘Baar Baar dekho’, ‘Yahooo’ , ‘Tareef karun kya uski’ etc. His great partnership with Rafi sahib gave us numerous romantic melodious songs that will be etched in our memory for ever. His moves and grooves will continue to enthrall us forever. If you want to see his intensity checkout ‘Dil keJharokhe mein’, ‘Ehsaan tera hoga’ etc. An actor who ruled in his day with his unique style and demeanor took a gracious exit from lead roles to do character roles that suited his age after ‘Andaz’ - something that is rare in the echelons of Indian film industry.

Not may know he was also one of the pioneers of internet in India. Shammi Kapoor was the founder and chairman of Internet Users Community of India (IUCI).

Shammi ji you will stay in our hearts and fond memories for eternity - R.I.P…

Review: Movie - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:24:00 +0000

This was one of those rare movies for which I did not read any reviews, didn’t care what the response was on Facebook/Twitter, I just went ahead and bought the tickets and am glad that I did that J. I loved Zoya Akhtar’s first one ‘Luck By Chance’ which I thought was an intelligent film. So I went for ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ not only for Zoya but also for the super combo of Hrithik, Abhay and Farhan. This is yet another movie this year that breaks the traditional ‘Bollywood Hero’ mould. Each of the above actors is a character that makes up the story, so no boring hero-heroine drama. A lot of people speculated that the movie would be just another repackaged ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ or a desi version of ‘Hangover’. Thankfully it’s none of that.

Plot:

It’s a story of three friends of whom Kabir (Abhay) is getting married to Natasha (Kalki ) and invites his friends Imraan (Farhan Ahktar) and Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) for a bachelor party - a three-week road trip in Spain. As part of their pact each of them chooses a secret adventure sport that others have to do with him. During the course of their journey, they meet Laila (Katrina Kaif) who introduces them to a new way of life and how with each passing adventure each of them resolves a difficult personal issue and becomes a mature person - makes up for the rest of the film.

Screenplay/Dialogs:

After reading the above description you might think that it’s one of those preachy ‘coming of age’ films. The film has a message but it is not forcing it on you. You decipher the message with the characters. The dialogs are smartly written and fit the situations and the film has been beautifully shot. You almost feel like getting up and going to Spain for your own adventure. What also shines out is Imraan’s poetry which goes on to show how well can Javed Akhtar write, when he wants to.

Cast/Performances:

Farhan Akhtar clearly outshines the other two, not just because he is the funniest but because he has certain ease, comfort in his screen presence. Take for instance the ‘Senorita’ song (which has been sung surprisingly well by the three leads themselves), the way all three dance shows why they are different – Hrithik is technical with work-man like dedication, Abhay is awkward but a sport and Farhan is just spontaneous, relaxed and enjoying as if dancing at a party with no cameras on. In the rest of the movie Abhay is as usual sincere (you get to see his funny bone) and Hrithik at times looks to be trying too hard (maybe the pressure of stardom to standout) but once he relaxes and let’s his character take over, he’s a treat to watch. Katrina gets a good role which may be her best till date. Kalki is good with whatever she could lay her hands on.

Music/Songs:

Songs fit the situations well and are hummable but may not have long term shelf value. ‘Senorita ‘is the best song of the album I believe.

Verdict: Go out and watch it. Such movies are rare in Hindi cinema – Make hay while the sun shines (4/5) :)

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Added Later: Read somewhere that ZNMD was a rip off of 1985 Kevin Reynold's film 'Fandango'. Did some research and I don't tend to agree to that. ZNMD is a good film in it's own right. But in the process, came across this Sky diving sequence from 'Fandango' and trust me it is hilarious!!! Below is the first of the three parts. Now looking for the full movie -

Review: Movie - Delhi Belly

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:11:00 +0000

A word of caution – Please leave your kids and your parents behind if you are planning to go for ‘Delhi Belly’. Also don’t go if you are averse to language abundantly laced with expletives and choicest of slang words or if, in case, you like orange juice :). The movie though thoroughly enjoyable uses language that may not be suitable or acceptable to all. Delhi Belly is a tribute to both the underworld of the city as well as what might happen to you if you choose to try the street food without caring much for the hygiene.

Plot:

One of the virtues of this film is its simple plot. It’s a short, sweet, fun film that makes no attempt at imparting you a message or teaching you the virtues of being a hero etc. It’s a story of three average guys with their own little problems and what happens to them when they get entangled with a diamond smuggling ring. There are other characters thrown in to add flavor and color to the happenings on screen but all of them gel quite well in the narrative and nothing seems to be out of place. Most characters would remind you of somebody you have met in real life.

Cast/Performances:

Everyone has done quite a good job. Imran deserves respect for doing a role so early in his career that doesn’t fit into the traditional ‘hero’ mould of Hindi film industry. Vir does justice to his role. His dance on ‘Jaa chudail’ number is a treat to watch. Kunal is a revelation in his character and provides the funniest lines and situations in the story. The best of the pack though is Vijay Raaz playing the role of a local don. Look out for the scene where he calls Shenaz’s character as Vladimir’s supervisor. Even though the scene is supposed to be comic there is poise and restraint that lights up the screen. Both Poorna and Shenaz have done their parts well. Kim Bodnia plays the role of Vladimir (at first I thought he was some Indian actor of foreign origin like our dear Bob Christo) .

Screenplay/Dialogs:

Screenplay is crisp and dialogs are well written. Abundant expletives apart, the dialogs are framed intelligently. The writers assume that both the characters and the viewers are intelligent and don’t spend too much time explaining situations. Some of the scenes could have been done more aesthetically like the one where Vijay Raaz opens the stool sample instead of the diamonds. There was no need of making it gross; it was definitely something that could have been done without. But at the same time, full marks for not showing gory bloodshed in the climax shooting scene and instead depicting the impact intelligently through the old couple’s room.

Music/Songs:

Music is the highlight of the film. Ram Sampath’s music is not only refreshing; it identifies with the film as well. Most songs are used for intelligently done promos and are just used as background scores for specific situations - right from ‘Saigal blues’ to ‘DK Bose’ the songs complement the situations. The only dream sequence is the ‘Jaa Chudail’ number and it has been so nicely done that it’s a complete treat to watch. The movie ends on a high with “I love you like I hate you” featuring Amir Khan (another feather in his overcrowded cap).

Verdict:

As long as you satisfy the conditions mentioned at the beginning of this review, you should come out smiling. I would go for 4 out 5 for ‘Delhi Belly’.

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Review: Movie - Ready

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Ready is a celebration of Salman Khan. His diehard fans, I guess, don’t need to read beyond the first line and can simply go watch the movie and join the celebration :). For others - don’t expect it to be a ‘Dabbang’ although the makers do try to cash in on the legacy apologetically in a fight sequence where Salman takes off his glasses and then asks ‘kahan rakhun?’ and then hangs them behind his collar with Dabbang’s music playing in the background.

Plot:

Well there is a serious lack of plot. It’s more of a series of gags put together akin to recent Sajid Khan movies like ‘House full’ and ‘Heyy Babyy’ or more like one of those David Dhawan/Govinda movies. The motive is simple to extract laughter out of you somehow even if it low brow humour. Asin is on the run from her two gangster Uncles and takes refuge in Salman’s house where everybody adores her. Once our hero falls for the girl, he sets out to reunite both her uncles and settle the feud between them.

Cast/Performances:

It’s all Salman Khan from beginning to the end and make no mistake, he doesn’t twitch an eyelid or make the slightest effort to act. In fact he doesn’t need to - nobody is expecting him to. He is just being himself - dancing, romancing, saying cheesy dialogs, doing strange moves, shirtless and fighting the villains like a superman. Asin to me was a disappointment. She was so lively, vivacious and believable in ‘Gajini’. Here, although doing a similar character, she is completely out of sorts and over the top. Add to that, she looks shabby in the whole film barring a few sequences. Mahesh Manjerakar needs a mention, he is adorable. Sudesh Lehri gets his first Bollywood film, unless I have missed something, but don’t expect too many fireworks (I wonder where Rajpal Yadav is these days? He could easily be doing this role ). Rest of the cast is quite unmentionable. You can’t help but pity Puneet Issar, a talented and senior actor who gets such a raw deal. And I want to kick the person who chooses roles for Paresh Rawal, you cannot waste him like that.

Screenplay/Dialogs:

The dialogs are cheap, cheesy, borderline and low-brow, sample main kutta hun yeh meri kutiya hai or Salman taking a Pee break instead of Tea break at intermission. But that is the new standard of Comedy in Hindi films so don’t get too worried. Screenplay is as mentioned earlier just a series of gags the worst one being the amusement park sequence. You can’t say much about the screenplay when half the industry is cramped in the first 10 minutes of the film as guest appearances and you can figure out 10 different places where they could have been used better.

Music/Songs:

‘Character dheela’ and ‘Dhinka chicka’ are immensely popular and enjoyable. Another good song is ‘Humko pyaar hua’.

Verdict:

It is one of those bad films which fortunately has Salman Khan and he can pull off anything these days. You know the film is bad but still you come out of the theater with a smile. As for stars isn’t one (Salman Khan) enough?? :) :) :)

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Review: Movie - Dharti (Punjabi)

noreply@blogger.com (Vijay Kaundal) — Tue, 03 May 2011 06:18:00 +0000

Well I have been waiting for a good Punjabi movie for a long time so when the promising promos for Jimmy Sheirgill starrer came up, I was naturally excited. Last Jimmy movie in Punjabi that I remember was "Yaaran Naal Baharaan" which was thoroughly enjoyable and all the more the reason for me to go for 'Dharti'.

Plot:

Well honestly the promos were grossly misleading, the promos had projected that the movie had a lot to do with Air Force and little with Politics but the plot was the exact opposite. It's an attempt to make 'Rajneeti' in Punjabi although it has nothing in common with that film. But seriously a ‘Bad’ one. It looked more like an attempt to cash in on the recent success of that movie. It’s a Jimmy Sheirgill production. Most of the movie has been shot in Chandigarh and around – you can easily spot landmarks – PU campus, FunCity, Naada Sahib, Madhya Marg etc. Sadly, the production team has spent most of its money on the cars used by the Characters rather than on actual production quality. If you have a good story to tell viewers won’t mind not seeing any luxury cars on screen, they see them on the roads anyways.

Cast/Performances:

The cast is impressive for a regional movie but I wish they had used it better. Jimmy looks good, acts well but his moustaches are overkill as is his Air Force dress which he is wearing even in scenes where it’s not required. Prem Chopra is endearing, good to see him on screen. Ranvijay is wasted. Was Surveen Chawla the leading lady? I didn’t see her much on the screen. Rahul Dev looks impressive and has screen presence but his character is too weak in the movie. Rest of the supporting cast is stereotypical and sketchy. Good to see Jaspal Bhatti and his wife on screen but he seemed lost between playing a senior Air Force officer and a filler for the missing comedian and got lost in no man’s land in the process.

Screenplay/Dialogs:

The screenplay along with the direction is the weakest link of the movie. In fact, at times you felt there wasn’t any screenplay at all. The shooting of the movie, it seems, started when they had just a basic plot and the dialogs look as if they have been done extempore or probably just thought of minutes before the scene was shot. The editing is tacky and even though we watched the movie in a theatre, it seemed as if it was ripped from a pirated DVD where scenes have been omitted to fit on a DVD. There are gaps the size of potholes in the plot and I don’t even want to know how and why Jimmy’s brother in the movie goes to meet him in an Audi but returns in a Pajero.

Music/Songs:

The music is incomprehensive and forgettable. It is sad that a movie that represents a land that cherishes it’s dances, music, poetry, Sufism and hordes of singers in every other Gali had to rely on rap-like songs which sounded more like poorer cousins of a very poor Hindi movie score.

Verdict: Half star. I wanted to go with 1 star for getting such a nice cast together and making the attempt but am deducting half of it for wasting the cast and making a poor attempt.

Note: The reason we could endure the entire movie was:

1st - it was in Punjabi (so I stayed back as a mark of respect, very few attempts are made to make a Punjabi film).

2nd - Excellent Chai, Samosa and Pakoras @ Funasia, Richardson :)