Saturday, January 17, 2009
वो कौन थी?
I watched this movie after so many years that I had quite forgotten that I had seen it before. However, I enjoyed it as if I was watching it for the first time.
The storyline is simple. Dr.Anand (Manoj Kumar) is driving home one rain-washed night when he spots a young woman (Sadhana) standing right in the middle of a deserted patch of a road. She gives very enigmatic answers to all his questions as he drives her to her destination, which turns out to be – an old graveyard. A few days later, he is informed that a sizeable estate is being bequeathed to him. But tragedy strikes when his fiancé seema (Helen) is murdered mysteriously, leaving him devastated.
As if that’s not enough, on another rain-soaked night, he is called away to attend to a patient in a dilapidated mansion. The patient turns out to be the same mystery girl but she is dead before he can attend to her. What’s more, once outside the mansion, he finds a police van waiting and the cops prove to him that the mansion is quite uninhabited.
Dr.Anand’s superior (K.N. Singh) is convinced that these are hallucinations brought about by stress and grief. On his mother’s suggestion, Dr.Anand decides to get married but is in for a nasty shock on his wedding night!
It isn’t very difficult for the viewer to solve this mystery – especially in this day and age when “whodunits” are made of complex plots. The movie, however, has that special charm from an era gone by. The lead pair doesn’t have much scope to show off their acting prowess. But both the melodious songs – “Naina barse rimzim rimzim” and “Lag ja gale” – add heaps to the eerie storyline.
Definitely worth watching on a dark, rainy night :-)
The storyline is simple. Dr.Anand (Manoj Kumar) is driving home one rain-washed night when he spots a young woman (Sadhana) standing right in the middle of a deserted patch of a road. She gives very enigmatic answers to all his questions as he drives her to her destination, which turns out to be – an old graveyard. A few days later, he is informed that a sizeable estate is being bequeathed to him. But tragedy strikes when his fiancé seema (Helen) is murdered mysteriously, leaving him devastated.
As if that’s not enough, on another rain-soaked night, he is called away to attend to a patient in a dilapidated mansion. The patient turns out to be the same mystery girl but she is dead before he can attend to her. What’s more, once outside the mansion, he finds a police van waiting and the cops prove to him that the mansion is quite uninhabited.
Dr.Anand’s superior (K.N. Singh) is convinced that these are hallucinations brought about by stress and grief. On his mother’s suggestion, Dr.Anand decides to get married but is in for a nasty shock on his wedding night!
It isn’t very difficult for the viewer to solve this mystery – especially in this day and age when “whodunits” are made of complex plots. The movie, however, has that special charm from an era gone by. The lead pair doesn’t have much scope to show off their acting prowess. But both the melodious songs – “Naina barse rimzim rimzim” and “Lag ja gale” – add heaps to the eerie storyline.
Definitely worth watching on a dark, rainy night :-)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Spoiler)
As I wrote in one of my earlier blog entries, though Snape killed Dumbledore and joined the Death Eaters at the end of the last novel, I couldn’t make myself believe that he was always on Voldemort’s side because that would have meant that Dumbledore made a ghastly error of judgement. Within a first few chapters of the Deathly Hallows, however, I am beginning to wonder if I was wrong. Cursing Fred Weasley’s ear hardly seems like an act of someone who is still working for the good of the Order. :-(
It was difficult at first to accept that Hermione, Ron and Harry won’t be going to Hogwarts for their final year. I felt deprived of the journey in the Hogwarts Express with its scarlet engine and food trolley serving Chocolate frogs :-( Even more unnerving was the idea of the 3 of them running a fugitive’s life away from the Weasley family. I am becoming anxious enough at the end of each chapter to go skimming through the next one trying to assure myself that nothing ghastly is gonna leap at me there.
And the accusations against Dumbledore seem impossible! I am just glad that Harry met the Weasley family on that oddly numbered platform during his first year at Hogwarts. It’s comforting to know that Hermione and Ron are with him when he needs them the most :-)
Oh, BTW, I would love to learn the Undetectable Extension Charm that Hermione used on her little beaded bag. That seems to be about the only possible way that can help my tiny purse hold all my things :-)
Friday, January 16, 2009
I came across an unfamiliar word - "Shufti" - in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". I looked it up today and here it is: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/shufti
Thursday, January 15, 2009
That the various politicial parties are chasing Bollywood actors - like Sanjay Dutt, SRK and Akshay Kumar - should come as no surprise. After all, it’s natural for our politicians to feel affinity for fellow actors. Don’t look at me like that.
Haven’t you seen our leaders act indignant when they get a chance to point fingers at someone from a rival party for some wrongdoing?
Haven’t you seen them say with a poke face that they are squaky clean?
Haven’t you seen them feigning shock and grief each time the country is rocked by violence perpetrated by the cowards that we have got as our neighbor after 1947?
Haven’t you seen them talk about patriotism when they deliver their speeches on every 15th August and 26th January? If this is not acting, I will eat my hat!
Oh and don’t forget that the Bollywood actors with immense fan following across the country will set the party coffers ringing. I bet you anything under the sun that our politicians will give these actors a run for their money (!) when it comes to acting department – because they are the true “Khalnaayaks” and “it’s not only difficult but impossible to catch” anyone of them at it.
Haven’t you seen our leaders act indignant when they get a chance to point fingers at someone from a rival party for some wrongdoing?
Haven’t you seen them say with a poke face that they are squaky clean?
Haven’t you seen them feigning shock and grief each time the country is rocked by violence perpetrated by the cowards that we have got as our neighbor after 1947?
Haven’t you seen them talk about patriotism when they deliver their speeches on every 15th August and 26th January? If this is not acting, I will eat my hat!
Oh and don’t forget that the Bollywood actors with immense fan following across the country will set the party coffers ringing. I bet you anything under the sun that our politicians will give these actors a run for their money (!) when it comes to acting department – because they are the true “Khalnaayaks” and “it’s not only difficult but impossible to catch” anyone of them at it.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Spoiler)
After I wrote the word “Spoiler” I wondered if the warning was unnecessary. I am pretty sure I must be the last Potter fan on earth to read the 6th book for the first time.
Anyways, I finished reading it yesterday night. If I was angry with Rowling for killing Sirius Black in “The Order of Phoenix” I was mad when she struck Dumbledore dead in this one. Agreed, you have to show some casualties on the good side too because that’s what happens in the real life. But why Dumbledore? Then it struck me that she had to show Harry on his own at least in the last book and with Dumbledore his last protector is now gone. It’s truly between him and Voldemort now.
But I am sad that Hogwarts will be closed. I had come to love the school of magic as if I had myself learnt spellwork within its stone walls, tried to brew potions within its dungeons, sat at the lake looking at the giant squid, watched a plume of smoke rising out of Hagrid’s cabin, said a password to the Fat Lady to climb through the portrait hole and dined in its enchanted dining room. Oh yes, I am sad that the great oaken doors will be closed. :-(
Oddly though, I can’t believe that Snape hoodwinked Dumbledore – because that would mean that Dumbledore made an error in judging him. I can’t believe that. Well, the last book will tell me soon enough.
Ah yes, this one is going to be the last one in the series. :-( Though I wonder how destruction of 4 Horcruxes is crammed in it along with Voldemort’s death, I am eager to start on it as soon as I can. :-)
Anyways, I finished reading it yesterday night. If I was angry with Rowling for killing Sirius Black in “The Order of Phoenix” I was mad when she struck Dumbledore dead in this one. Agreed, you have to show some casualties on the good side too because that’s what happens in the real life. But why Dumbledore? Then it struck me that she had to show Harry on his own at least in the last book and with Dumbledore his last protector is now gone. It’s truly between him and Voldemort now.
But I am sad that Hogwarts will be closed. I had come to love the school of magic as if I had myself learnt spellwork within its stone walls, tried to brew potions within its dungeons, sat at the lake looking at the giant squid, watched a plume of smoke rising out of Hagrid’s cabin, said a password to the Fat Lady to climb through the portrait hole and dined in its enchanted dining room. Oh yes, I am sad that the great oaken doors will be closed. :-(
Oddly though, I can’t believe that Snape hoodwinked Dumbledore – because that would mean that Dumbledore made an error in judging him. I can’t believe that. Well, the last book will tell me soon enough.
Ah yes, this one is going to be the last one in the series. :-( Though I wonder how destruction of 4 Horcruxes is crammed in it along with Voldemort’s death, I am eager to start on it as soon as I can. :-)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Infy has asked its employees to try and save S10 as a one-time effort. http://www.rediff.com/money/2009/jan/14infosys-save-10-dollar.htm
I hope the company has given them some metrics of how much the saving will be if they drink less coffee or take fewer printouts. :-)
I hope the company has given them some metrics of how much the saving will be if they drink less coffee or take fewer printouts. :-)
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