A Word for A Word

Conversations with Cinema..

2011-10-06T23:45:00.000+05:30

The year was 1998. I and my sister decided to watch a movie on a cold summer evening in Oslo. The movie playing at that point was Jackie Brown directed by Quentin Tarantino .Those days my exposure to multiplexes and foreign cinema in general was bare minimum and restricted to World War movies thanks to my mama who used to rent it out whenever he came over. Being my first trip abroad as an adult, I was eager to soak up every new experience.

We reached the cinemas in time, I was fascinated by the concept of ticket stubs, alcohol being sold in theaters and of course the idea of a theater which could seat 100 people and had air conditioning ! Also I had not seen any Tarantino movie prior to the same and my sister kept raving about Pulp Fiction a lot.

Considering the limited finances one had access to during college, my approach towards going to a cinema was to try really hard and take away positives from every movie going experience . Even after the most mundane/brainless movie watched,I would try and extract positives from the experience. But there are days when some experiences stand with you for life

Adapted from the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, the plot is woven intricately with each character unveiling themselves slowly and establishing themselves in the psyche of the audience. Pam Grier in her titular role as a flight supervisor who is not afraid to live life in her own terms is exceptional . Ably supported by Samuel L Jackson a , Robert De Niro as gangsters and the highly underrated Robert Forster as a bail bondsman who was nominated for the Academy award for the role.

Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen

Establishing a character by using all elements of cinema is one of the telling points which attributes to a good screenplay .Tarantino's mastery in drawing out characters perfectly, is executed well in this movie Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton and Michael Bowen( A Tarantino favorite) play out their small roles equally well and leave their mark.

Pam Grier and Robert Forestor

The characters have lot of supposedly inane conversations and they showcase a human and humourous element even as gangsters who are generally perceived to be unlike ordinary people.The one-on-one conversations actually take the story ahead highlighting and bringing out each of the characters. The climax of the movie is well shot using interwoven timelines and in-spite of a re watch of the same premise from different perspectives,there is a subtle differentiation unfolding from each characters point of view.The camerawork through the movie is perfect and is well synced with the background score and does play a good role in establishing the scenes.

Samuel . L Jackson and Robert De Niro

As is the case with Tarantino movies, the soundtrack is quite apt and has a very well executed background score.Some 60's classics like "Didnt I blow your mind" by the Delfonics resulted in a spurt of interest being revived and new fans forming for the group. A mixture of blues and soul music with dialogue from the motion picture forms part of the sound track.

Tarantino presented a different perspective to the movies I had seen with the forte being a water tight screenplay with a gripping storyline narrated in a unconventional manner.The above understanding sowed the seed in my head that movies could be made in a different way, with emphasis on the screen play and thus was on of my early lessons in my forthcoming movie watching experiences.

Over the years, I feel that inspite of his eccentricities, plagiary , Tarantino knows how to tell a story in an entertaining manner keeping the audience intrigued and immerse themselves into the movie

That experience on that cold day in Oslo was one of the pivotal moments that made me perceive cinema to be more than just entertainment. Over the years based on numerous movies watched, I can say with conviction that cinema is a medium which currently is the most superior expression of art .Cinema makes me think, understand, react, interpret,laugh and also occasionally leave you with a big lump in your heart.Cinema can speak with all but have a meaningful conversation with few people. I have enjoyed having such conversations over the years and hope to do it even more .

The Working Class Metropolis

2010-06-24T16:05:00.001+05:30

After a long hiatus , I begin with a disclaimer : With no immediate elections, the following thoughts may seem out of sync with the current political and administrative scenario, but nevertheless the same would be quite 'relevant' soon.

Flying into Mumbai is always a wonderful experience for a Mumbaikar. Depending on from which part of the city area your plane is approaching into the city, one usually cranes their neck to see the lights at night or the sea line touched with skyscrapers during daytime. This sight usually symbolizes the stability,spirit of the city which comforts the person and makes him feel welcome.

The stability, spirit etc etc of which are used often with respect to Mumbai is embodied by its Working Class. Who consists of this 'Working Class' ? .They primarily consist of the middle class or higher middle class people who use the public services and also pay taxes.This Working Class comprises this lot whose voices are seldom loud and only heard among each other in whispers .They are usually the intelligent,diligent, hard working and professional people in the true sense. Any work they do is done to the best of their ability and easy money makes them restless.

The aspect which differentiates the city from other metropolis especially in India, is that both the long arm of the law or public services don't make any obvious efforts in taking the Working Class for a ride unlike other cities.This benevolent apathy if I may say ,shown towards them is according to me is Mumbai's USP to everyone in India. People come in with aspirations, dreams and get the confidence that dreams can be realized and that hard work pays off . Granted they bear the brunt of the crowded local trains, the endless traffic jams and in general are taken a ride by the people in power who promise a lot and deliver less but the obvious benefits enjoyed due the trickle down effect outweigh any of the above discomforts.

This ubiquitous spirit of the city is built by the Working Class who prefer to work hard to survive with a hope of prosperity gleaming in their eyes.The rickshaw driver @ any station station does not charge a rupee more at midnight than the stipulated fare because of the understanding he shares about the person hiring him is actually coming back after a tiring journey in the train and works hard to earn his livelihood.

Having said that there would be stray instances which may time and again surface and create a ruckus but in general, the veins of Mumbai are nurtured well by the Class . The occasional strike by motormen ,taxi and rickshawallas is quite spaced out and people usually deal with it nonchalantly going about their work as they do after any terrorist attack or a bomb blast.

Each man/woman aspires to earn more but all of them recognize the effort of his/her counterpart.This unique understanding by a Mumbaikar also shapes the city's spirit.Lineage or inheritance are rarely factored by the City who judges an individual only by his/her output. To put it simply borrowing from Munna in Rangeela, "जिस में अपना पैसा वसूल नहीं, उसका डब्बा गुल !"[If there is no value derived from a person [actor], he/she will not be valued]. Right from Abhishek Bachchan to Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, all of them know the above fact ergo are trying to desperately make their mark and would have to be constantly on their toes.

The efforts of Uddhav and Raj with respect to the city may be misguided but the fact remains Mumbai is a melting point for all of India. People who come in are enamored by its spirit and resilience. This oft quoted resilience of Mumbai comes from the fact that the Working Class whose 'spirit' breathes life into the city simply don't know any other way of living . Each day is a struggle but each night the struggle results in a peaceful sleep for many. This spirit is imbibed in very inhabitant of this city ergo which is what defines its soul. Mumbai is a big tree whose roots are quite widespread .For every Working Class person, this is what makes him a Mumbaikar irrespective of their roots ...

Simplicity in Screenplay

2008-02-22T12:06:00.002+05:30

Being quite tied up with work & lack of incentives to write about something probably kept me away !...Anyways in the meanwhile I managed to catch up on a very simple but beautiful movie..Thanks to the new interest groups in our city ,most of the multiplex chains are focusing on bringing good foreign films as a part of their regular screenings...Gone are the days where one had to wait for a film festival to see some of the best works abroad...In that series I managed to see one beautiful French movie 13 Tzameti

The movie epitomizes simplicity of content and screenplay.There are NO elaborate sequences which "explain " why a certain character is committing an act .It brilliantly captures the feelings and perspective when his existence is determined by sheer chance. The Russian Roulette games keep the viewer intrigued and at the edge of their seats and make the viewer feel the emotions experienced by the protagonist at every stage.

Seeing movies like this makes me wonder why do Indian film makers lay so much emphasis on "explaining" actions or sequences in a movie.The audiences sometimes should be left to ponder and analyze movies with his/her own interpretations.Considerably the film makers may argue that the audience is not ready to accept such"thoughtful" movies as they look at them as means to get entertained only.To all filmmakers who come up with such ridiculous theories and insist on spending 25 crores to make Akshay Kumar/SRK or anyone just woo their heroine in different locations and build a tale with characters interacting with the heroine /hero, I would just tell them to answer honestly why did they like Om Shanti Om .

P.S : OSO is one of my most favorite movies in the recent past.

Back To Reality

2007-05-04T18:07:00.002+05:30

Australia deservingly won again & so did Milan :-) Anywayz I still hope United thrash their derby rivals & Chelsea lose to Arsenal,so that the Premiership goes back where it belongs... The manner of defeat may shock people but it bears testimony to only one thing...Experience...Experience of playing with one another...Milan has had a largely unchanged squad for over 5 years now & that helps ...Especially in big matches where experience helps overcome nerves & thus allow the players to demonstrate their highest skills... ..However please dont draw parallels to our cricket team...Our team is a bunch of individuals...Each wanting to leave his/her authority on the game...Football is one of the best examples of teamwork as individual brilliance rarely helps a team win tournaments....In our cricket team has any of the players heard anything about being "complementary to each others skills"..that helps teams win...2 great strikers never can succeed in the same way unless they complement each other...Same applies to bowlers/batsmen...In the final when Gilchrist stepped up,Hayden took a back-seat....In one off cases 2 individuals may shine individually & the team may win...However such victories are seldom repeated & in the long run complementary skills alwayz rule the roost....

The Lone Ranger

2007-04-19T17:30:00.001+05:30

& then there were four...Four of the top teams in World Cricket deservingly made their way into the semi finals...No surprise packages like Kenya which actually took a a lot of sheen of the last world cup...giving India a virtual cakewalk in the semi finals where if my memory serves me right,Tendulkar failed(oh what a surprise) & Ganguly scored a ton(His 2 centuries were against Kenya & Namibia btw) took us to the final..nwayz why rake up the past when they still seem to be the future if we take the word of our selectors...They will be there in their own inimitable way & be a constant 'inspiration" to the Dhonis,Yuvrajs ,Harbhajans etc.

Let me now draw you to the one man who has been the unsung hero of Indian Cricket for the last 11 years...He never got the limelight ,he deserved ...is a complete team man & a player whom you could rarely find fault with once he had made his mark...A player who was completly aware of his strengths & whose weaknesses are quite insignificant..A player who matured over the years &has been the complete player for the country ...

Everyone knows whom I am talking about...But then one can say that I may have a bias against Dravid ..To that I ask why not??? Its not that he has single handedly won matches like Ganguly used to & Sachin rarely did...As regards Sachin,even today apart from the epic innings at Sharjah where you saw certain fire in Mr.Tendulkar's eyes ,you could say that a man of his talent& ability has not delivered when it matters.Why??? Because cricket is a team game..It s not important just to score runs but its also important to allow/facilitate the other person to also score...A players value is alwayz with respect to the team..I still remember the innings Ganguly played in Toronto or in Karachi or in Dhaka...In all those innings he played as a team guy..Putting his hand up when needed & that's why his stock/popularity rose...Everyone likes winners & in sports like Cricket its always the team that wins...A superlative hundred would have won you a game earlier...Today it just might put your team in a better position...

Unfortunately this knowledge was lost to the two of the best players of our generation...Sachin's position in the team was never questioned till the arrival of Ganguly & Dravid..Until then we had only on outstanding young player in our team then suddenly we had three.Post their arrival the little genius somehow stamped his authority over others with his batting performances.Albeit that the others also were not upto the mark in many areas..but time & again it was alwayz seen till 2000 that India was a one man team with Tendulkar...Things also didn't quite work for him during his captaincy as India lost more matches..

Ganguly's record says it all...However he did the cardinal sin of focussing his importance in the team only as a leader but not by example...His batting skills hardly improved from his debut...He was a suspect against quick short pitched bowling ,is & will alwayz probably be...The adjustment in one's game which is absolutely essential was never seen with his game...

Contrast this with Dravid who was primarily seen as a Test Batsman..His hard work & dedication saw him make changes to his game,improve tremendously in running between wickets & he became one of the best finishers in the game...He has done exceedingly well in the short form of the game thereby showing the progress he made as a player...Adaptability is the key which makes the career of a sportsman long & helps him indispensable to the team & allow him to call the shots on his career rather than have people like you &me who have never played for the country at the highest level & some journalists,ex cricketers whose claim to fame is having represented their country, have a say & the audacity,if i may say to question their worth in the side & call for them to QUIT....

Therein probably is the mistake which Tendulkar & Ganguly have made & probably should look into...

Glory Glory Red Devils !

2007-04-11T11:37:00.001+05:30

What a Night ! Awesome..My most memorable match ever...Although my eyes are red & have got a long day ahead...am fresh as ever....Now tats the stuff United have been known & will be known for......

On a side note came across a nice blog + thread in Orkut where a true united fan shouldn't be referring the club as "Man U" ever ...

Read more here

Better Late Than Never to Take "Positives"

2007-04-09T04:37:00.001+05:30

BCCI reacted & how....The presence of former captains & inviting their suggestions was a good move...Even better was to ask one of them to be the "manager" of the national team... So the former captains spoke about "restricting endorsements" ...Well BCCI went ahead & pulls out a clause(as a suggestion of course) which limits number of endorsements...Former captains are outraged as the representative of the BCCI fired from their shoulder they felt "....a "media" gag was put on players...The "endorsements" stance is widely rebuked...The former greats (understably) distance themselves from the same...as they had not suggested the same...Oh ..How I could have forgotten...Greg Chappel is called a complete thorough "professional" ..He is asked to contribute to the development of the game as an advisor to our National Cricket Academy..Wah Wah ...BCCI demonstrated that it had taken actions to please its target audience (customers) which comprise of :
a) Corporate Sponsors for BCCI (Including Sahara,Nike etc)
b) Indian Public
c) ICC
d) Outstanding former "Employees" ( Meaning ex cricket stalwarts :))
e) Sister Companies ( State Associations)

However in doing so it conveniently forgot its own "employees" .ie the players...Thee players are the "face" of the corporation...They are the ones who go out there & perform...These players are not only their employees but also their "products" whom they sell/market.

Any company worth its salt would agree that " The quality of the product/service is paramount & the focus should never shift from there" ...The only point made by the BCCI in this regard was to develop State Cricket Academies from now on who will in turn supply the "products" to the National Cricket Academy...Beautiful Concept ..But what about the "raw materials" for the products...What about the "products" in schools /colleges which are the foremost link in the whole supply chain...That is beyond the scope/purview of BCCI one may argue...Then how can it expect the products to be good even at the second stage...

The solution,a simplistic one would be to have tie up programs with selected schools...If the State Cricket Academies come into existence soon...the logical process for them would be to have tie ups with various schools in the state directly/indirectly through District Cricket Associations etc.....This tie up is existent in many areas but in an informal/unstructured manner which gives rise to favoritism/unprofessional methods of training/unequal infrastructure /facilities...If this problem is solved due to the apparent "knee jerk " reactionary approach adopted & the money actually filters down..It would be the BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT of the whole debacle of the world cup performance & thereby giving meaning to the statement of " Taking positives from failure"

Blotch on the gentleman's game

2007-04-08T16:03:00.002+05:30

Bob Woolmer's murder had sent shock waves across the cricketing fraternity...For past 10 years the cricket bookie has constantly haunted the people who love this game..The sport took a back-seat countless times as former & current players were punished in many ways for their involvements..However seemingly lack of strong action has really hampered the killing of the issue.
Why should a player/official/umpire be enticed for more money illegally...The common thought is that nobody would mind that "extra" money in their pocket...Most of the players of the top cricketing countries have contracts with their boards & are being looked after very well...In case of popular teams like India,the player makes a lot via advertisements & other promotions.Given all this why would anyone risk of all this along with name & fame ; fame to throw a match/lose for a bookie.

2 scenarios
a) he is threatened for his life
b) He feels his talent/effort are not being adequately compensated monetarily or otherwise...

In case of scenario a) , he/she has the comfort of law abiding agencies etc to provide him/her with enough security..One may argue ( ie if he/she watches a lot Bollywood movies :-)) is that he/she has been warned not to approach the police...However has there been any of the threats being actually carried out...Compliance to such threats only encourages them more.I know its easier said than done.Also one may argue that Woolmer probably had to give up his life coz he threatened to do just that...That again my friends is pure speculation & in case if that is true then we should be even more proud of that man as he stood for what he believed

In case of scenario b) It is a practical & economic problem..Such a situation doesn't arise in football for e.g .as players from remotest corners of the world get money ,fame & adulation as the biggest clubs in the world give them a chance to shine...In any case this system works as players play football as a profession ; Emotional attachments are also taken into account adequately..For e.g. Roy Keane played his whole career in Manchester United but eventually also played for his boyhood club Celtic.The understanding we get is that if a player is really good then he does geta chance to shine among the brightest stars...Even our own Baichung Bhutia would admit that Bury was the maximum peak he could go to showcase his talent abroad .

So if ICC is listening ,it should seriously consider corporates/rich aficionado to set up a comprehensive club structure...The best frame of reference could be the English County League..If such a structure was developed then the best of the players would make money throughout the season by playing for these clubs...A big effort though is needed as it would involve a massive change in the Cricketing Calendar...As number of international games would reduce dramatically....A good way to start would be have World Cups once in 4 years for One day internationals or Twenty 20s in future...Test Matches be restricted to 3 -4 tours per year among national teams & throughout the year teams can play for their clubs competing in one dayers & Twenty20 internationals...Wouldn't it be interesting to watch a Hero Honda Sponsored Mumbai side take on Lancashire regularly throughout the year...(The Zee league is a step forward but again if I am right ,PHL's popularity has been on the wane since the first year & surely the game needs big performers for it to draw an audience)

My Passion

2007-04-04T17:03:00.003+05:30

Yesterday me & my senior @ work were as usual discussing cricket(one of the "in" topics among the few choices one usually has i.e. movies ,girls or cricket :)) in one of the breaks which we take where he enjoys a smoke & 'cutting chai" & me only the "cutting chai" .The discussion was about the latest volley of allegations between Chappel & the players..One think which came out from the usual discussion was that now common people may just have become disenchanted with the game..I know everyone thinks that this is just a phase & people will soon forgive & shower praise on the cricketers as ever before sooner(Mebbe after an emphatic win over Bangladesh :)) but things just might be different.
Die hard fans of the game(including myself) have slowly moved on to other games to demonstrate their passion...even now if I think that over the past few years ,I have been rooting for Manchester United more than our cricket team...What I mean by rooting is not that I have stopped watching the game or not supporting the team,it just means that the way u jump of your seat when a wicket falls or Sachin hits a six...I remember being a cynic & not believing in India during the Natwest Final & then hopping around in one leg the next day for quite some time as I had lost a bet to my cousin who banked on India all the way...Not for a moment I felt the pain or shame for doing that as the team had really made my day...It had brought joy to thousands of people including me..
Recently I had the same feeling when My team Manchester United beat Liverpool in the last minute of extra time,with John Oshea scoring the winner...My dad was worried whether his 25 year old son had lost his senses as I jumped around for 5 minutes after he scored...The whole next day I was beaming with joy & happiness...
Over the past years such instances have been far few with the Indian team...Today the vigour with which I & a few of my cousins follow Manchester United is not seen with the any Indian team...Cricket is the only sport where our team competed with the worlds best on equal footing over the last 20 years & the only sport where one can support his team & wish that they are the best in the world realistically...Even now when a Indian player hits a magnificent 100 or Sreesanth runs through the South African top order.it makes me feel good...it makes me feel proud...Even today when I see Virendra Sehwag on the field when he is bowling or fielding his calmness makes me feel good...Even now in crunch situations in slog overs when I see Irfan Pathan bowl with a cool head(Remember he almost won us that match against Windies in the Champions Trophy along with Agarkar ..Agarkar took the wickets but Pathan gave nothing away) It makes me feel good..
All I want is that feeling to be replicated through out .AGAIN.....Anil Kumble throwing himself around on the field...For his size & limitations he is a very decent fielder meaning he gives a 100 %...Not too long ago people made fun of Sidhu when he tried to dive around...But guyz remember he did try...& THATS WHAT PEOPLE ULTIMATELY WANT TO SEE...

Again I must add Dravid's performance time & again has given me the joy which I want from my country's team...Its with that sense of nationalism people look at cricketers..They feel they represent the country BEST on a global stage other than other sports & tats what makes them BIG in their eyes

Well one may alwayz say "its a game after all" .Today when we speak about things like "professionalism","attitude","modern approach" etc. etc. all points to the simple premise that a sport cannot be taken as just a game after all...People pay hard earned money to watch these cricketers play & they want their moneys worth.Any person who appreciates the value for the same would agree that he/she got his/her money's worth as long as they saw both sets of players who are playing are the best that their team could select,The ground conditions are fair & knowledge of the same is openly available & the whole game is played in a fair manner within the framework of the rules ie rules could be bent but not broken...Finally when the game starts a person expects to SEE the players give their best ,their attitude is reflected via many things which any normal person not a psychiatrist need to decipher....I hope everyone understands what I am talking about...& why this Catch 22 situation for the board is going to be a pivotal moment which determines the shape of Indian cricket in the next few years at least

& btw yours truly has been following cricket since age of 6 -7( like most Indians) with passion & started following football only from 1999..So u c where I am coming from & where my real passion lies in some corner of my heart :)

P.S : Post the "cutting chai"...we heard that "Chappel has indicated that he doesn't want to continue in his job..." **sigh**

The Road Ahead...

2007-03-27T15:52:00.002+05:30

It does not take a genius to say what India should do to improve its performance on the field...It requires a genius to implement the same :-) Genius ,I say not for ideas,tactics etc etc.,one who executes the same....In any sport around the world coaches demand the respect of the team..With so much information freely available ,the result of a contest in any sport at the top level is more often than not determined by who holds his nerve...This is something which can be instilled by people through fear in a positive way...Most people would agree with me ,when I say that some amount of pressure keeps one on his/her toes & makes them more focussed...A coach plays an important role in the same...Even today if you take Manchester United for example ,its success is attributed to the mental toughness & tenacity of their coach Alex Ferguson...One may say you cant draw parallels among sports or across them but the fact remains that for a successful team like Australia too,Geoff Marsh,John Buchannan & bob Simpson would be remembered equally as Mark Taylor,Steve Waugh & Ricky Ponting....One off victories like Pakistan in World Cup 1992 by Imran Khans inspiration cant be construed as enough as if remember correctly Pakistan lost the next 3 series on the trot...Even Dav Whatmore is given enough credit for Sri Lanka's win in 1996.....The combination works...All these coaches somehow draw respect from players...This is absolutely crucial for team's sucess....

Indian Coaches for our team would be a great idea only if the player commands enough respect from the members of the team...This combination of fear/respect is what will drive the team to success....Even John Wright would agree with me that his combination with Ganguly is what pushed/led the team to their good run ...The fear the people had towards Ganguly who was a father figure to many of those todays "superstars" is what motivated them to give their best...Now the team has got nothing to lose....Its perhaps the lowest they can go.... The need for actually rethinking the whole process by drawing a comparison with hockey along with of course ideas(which as I said anyone can give :-)) is illustrated well in this story | digg story

Orkut is being shut down ! ARE U KIDDING ME...STOP THIS HOAX

2007-03-23T17:01:00.001+05:30

Hey it is Andy the director of Bebo ( www.bebo.com) Tim Buiski, sorry for the interruption but Bebo is closing the system down because too many inconsiderate people are taking up all the names, we only have 578 names left, if you would like to close your account, then do not send this message out, if you would like to keep your account, then send this message to everyone on your contact list. This is no joke, we are really shutting down the servers. Send it, thanks, Tim Buiski

WHO EVER DOES NOT SEND THIS MESSAGE, YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE CLOSED AND WILL COST $10.00 A MONTH TO USE, SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doesnt the Above Sound similar to the current one which is doing the rounds with bebo being replaced by ORKUT

PLEASE PEOPLE FORWARD JOKES,VERY VERY BAD ONES WILL ALSO DO.. ONES LIKE "WHICH IS THE LONGEST ROPE IN THE WORLD"...EUROPE ....SUCH JOKES WILL ALSO DO.

BUT PLEASE PLEASE DONT FALL PREY TO SUCH STUPID & UTTERLY RIDICULOUS HOAXES....

P.S ::iF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME PLEASE CHECK OUT THE "NEWS" ON THE TOP SECTION OF YOUR ORKUT PAGE

THIS TO ENSURE THAT SUCH STUPIDITY DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN...BETTER TO HAVE THIS FORWARDED ONCE THAN TO GET ANOTHER OF SUCH MESSAGES ISN'T IT ??? COZ IF PEOPLE ARE INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO USE ORKUT,THEY WOULD BE INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THIS ALSO.....

Also please check these two blogs which also mention this here & here

Ubuntu - Command Not Found

2007-03-21T20:45:00.002+05:30

You have just tried to open some program note installed in your machine, amazingly, the machine answers you with a simple command line on how to install it. Dream? Or just open-source evolving? Its actually the geeks making the road for mere mortals to switch from bullock carts(read Windows) to space shuttles.... :)

read more | digg story

Cricket : Religion

2007-03-21T11:15:00.001+05:30

Saturday was a red letter day in sporting history for Bangladesh: The manner of their emphatic victory made if you insist ,India's Tigers (According to the atrocious Pepsi Ad) look like ordinary animals .I wont even classify them as a " Cat" because if you have been around them try looking @ them in the eye...They at least stare back without blinking even once.That I feel is unnerving.Sadly our team failed to even depict the same.

What was more ridiculous is the expected media bashing of the cricketers.Grudgingly I am forced to agree with Mr.Sharad Pawar that the media "sensationalised " & "over reported" the whole issue thereby giving clueless & mindless people to vent their frustration & disappointment on a gloomy Sunday morning.In any case the people who were on the streets am sure had nothing better to do because a real small town person who is struggling to make his ends meet wouldn't waste his /her time burning effigies over such defeats as they would be facing much more hardships. The sheer lack of any intelligent reporting also added fuel to the fire of the people who have no problem in raising slogans against a particular person on any given day.These are the same people who would probably go in front of Shahrukh Khans home & shout slogans as he made fun of Amar Singh in an awards function recently.Imagine people having no work to do than to shout for Amar Singh over such a trivial issue .

The favourite argument for everyone is that cricket is a religion in our country.The fact that it is a religion becomes apparent as that it is the only team sport where teams from the sub continent at least compete on equal footing with the rest of the world.Even in Field Hockey Pakistan is not the same force as it was post Sohail Abbas's retirement .And as for Indian Hockey , well its better if less is spoken/written as criticism for the pathetic state it is in.It is thus but natural for the fans to expect their team to do well in cricket

Cricket is a religion : This explains why news channels love to get the views of 8 year old kids who scream after the Bangladesh debacle that "Sehwag & Dhoni must be dropped" .Post the comment the anchor states emphatically as to "How The Fans are upset & have lost confidence in the players".Sehwag I can understand has been given a long rope.but come on people Dhoni ????The guy,as any cricket purist would agree, had failed only in that match or else his performances both behid the stumps as well as before it has been quite satisfactory.Agreed he fell for a blob & triggered that mini collapse which made an impact on the final score.But isn't it common sense that the fault should be born by all members as any true lover of the sport would agree.Also do those players who prefer to make hay when the sun shines( eat.sleep.drink:endorsements) be given this much importance.By ransacking their homes or shouting slogans & burning effigies one is making them more important than what they actually deserve.

The media somehow wants to portray only the voice of the cricket fan who watches it purely for the entertainment aspect.The fan who feels its a great way to unwind himself.The fan who wants India to win as it would bring a smile on his face.This fan would never stand with the team in the true sense if they are down in the dumps.He is not a person who would still support the team if the same is relegated to the second tier.He is not the person who would support the team if they lose consistently for 15 years.Cricket after all has become a religion only recently if I may add only post 1983 & the hysteria surrounding the 1987 world cup(Thank You Dhirubhai !!).The bonds are still fragile for the average person with the game. The ex-cricketers put on the panel also say things in a very lopsided way talking about team India & lack of passion etc etc.Nobody knows whether they share their views or they speak what the channel wants them to.In either cases its high time we stop taking the results of the matches too seriously & if the media just had a one off coverage of the whole match then really it wouldn't matter much trust me.Public memory is short.Why has the same media not approached people in scores after the Bermuda game.Because if they did then everyone would have spoken good ( barring a few who still would have issues with Sehwag :-)) I think the best thing to do is don't give the team importance.Let us see the players demand importance by playing brilliantly.Don't make them " gods " because they are in the team.Let them earn it.

P.S I also want to know how many people were on the streets when we lost in the world cup.I meant when our team finished among the last in the field hockey world cup.Don't those boys perform well in order to be noticed(Remember their victory over Pakistan 2 years ago,We won 5-3 if i remember correctly) .Let our cricket boys also do the same.

Australia : Gentlemen Champs???

2007-03-15T19:37:00.001+05:30

Following their expected emphatic victory ,Australia should do well against South Africa I guess simply because their batting should come good over South Africa's batting .Even in the recent series against India,if one notices it was more of the failure of Indian batting which led to their downfall rather than superior South African batting. about the depth of Australian batting,I think they should win comfortably against South Africa.

The war of words between our Sunil Gavaskar & Ricky Ponting has been one of the most interesting "Other News" around the world Cup for the purists (Otherwise the amount of skin Mandira shows or how is the other Sunil (read Shetty) watching the world cup continue to make headlines for some people :) )

Coming back to the ongoing tirade between Sunil Gavaskar & the Australians ,the only thing which i comprehend from the whole thing is the Australians must be really very very good in sledging.It is well reported in media about how the Aussies used to torment Chris Cairns by whistling & reminding him of his sister who met with a fatal rail accident.Remember how much Glenn McGrath would have sledged for Sarwan to even comment back about his wife's illness.Gavaskar himself has come out & said about the abuses he received during the "walk out" incident.

Don't get me wrong.Gavaskar had no business discussing David Hookes ( RIP) even as an anecdote to illustrate his point. However the important thing to understand is the level of abuse a person is subjected to.Cricket is played over 6 hours on the field with every player being on the field for a minimum of 3-3.5 hours.Unlike a football match where players face each other with intensity for a maximum of 2.15 hrs (including penalties & extra time) ,the level of concentration & intensity required in cricket is higher.Thus for releasing the built up energy in a"constructive" way,it is usually "channelised" to the opponents in the manner of "sledging" .the effects may vary from opponent to opponent.However a barrage is likely to evoke extreme reactions once a while & that's the case now.

Ricky Ponting had no business to comment about how Gavaskar played or how Indians play.Any top team/player in the world is subject to scrutiny with everyone having an opinion about them.Teams/Players who have been winners for longer periods of time have risen above these comments/observations & thus have retained their positions as "numero uno". The ideal response that Ponting could have given is to have shrugged his shoulders & said that "we are working on it" as he has said earlier.Now he has made an issue of nothing.Consider that even if the Aussies go to the extreme,ask any cricketer of their opponents who has a complaint about them that it affects his performance.I remember Sachin in 2000 doing the talk with both bat & the mouth.Nor is Lara ever intimidated or for that matter even Ganguly. I still remember Ganguly at forward short leg sledging out Warne ion the final over of the day & causing him to lose his wicket during that epic series in 2001.So great players/tams know to give it back in the right ways whenever required.

In terms of scrutiny Ponting has been a dominant player for only about last 5-6 years but still has courted numerous controversies. With regards to successful people who were numero unos in their own right but were that because they rose over criticism were Paolo Maldini,Roy Keane( who had his own share for being honest ) & grudgingly I must add even current teams like Chelsea come through criticism & still win coz they are not subject to that & they focus on playing their game only not responding to some third party commenting on their game.

So Ricky ,Can you please focus on that !! :)

Comebacks...Greatness

2007-03-03T10:37:00.002+05:30

Sourav Ganguly & David Beckham what do the have in common? No its not that both of them are called "prince" by their fans.Nor it is that both of them have been invited for the Liz-Arun wedding ( I doubt whether Sourav & Dona are invited) nor it is that they have actually come close to cheating with their wives (Remember the Sourav-Nagma connection & the Beckham-Rebecca Loos saga) .Well lets get real. The similarity is more to do with their sporting comebacks which has bought them on the verge of "greatness".

Lets begin with Sourav.The press gave him a very bad time over his slump in form post world Cup 2003.Once dropped,he was dismissed by ex cricketers,media & fans as a person who couldn't get back into the team & that his days of playing for India is over."Finished" screamed a headline above an article about him.But the Prince of Kolkatta had the last laugh .His comeback into the team through performances in domestic cricket accompanied with gutsy innings post his comeback & wholla ! we have a new cricketer !.A cynic could well say that given the bad run & form of other Indian players,Sourav's above average performance made him stand out which cannot be construed as improvement in his game from when he was dropped.But the fact remains that he did come out & prove himself when he had to.

When a commoner is called to speak about football,he/she are most likely to name David Beckham.In fact if you prod more & ask him/her about " great" footballers do they know ,chances are that his name be taken in the same breath as Pele & Maradona.Over the past season His performances on the field after being dropped from his club starting eleven have been limited.To make matters worse after his lucrative deal in the States ,his coach openly stated that he no longer would be an automatic choice to play in the team & would have to be content in training with the reserves.Post the despair of the world cup,his demotion from the national squad & being dropped from his club side , it seemed all doors were shut for him to envisage a comeback into the national side.

However with again his teammates showing uncharacteristic slackness in their game & the absence of any more "galactico" other than him in the center of the the field resulted in the performances on the pitch.When Capello was forced to play Beckham,he was forced to play him again because simply Beckham performed better than his teammates.He got an ovation from Madrid supporters despite the fact that he was going to leave them & the club president publicly stating that Beckham didn't show any intent of continuing there.Today the same people who were asking for his head have started backing him to get into the England Team !

So have we found a link between them both ? You may say that both are prime examples of great warriors who never give up .They may be called the epitome to the fact that "form is temporary but class is permanent".The unarguable fact remains is that your performance/actions are always judged on the basis of what your peers do at the same time.Historical Statistics do not have any significance in sports other than they are targets to aim for.They don't help in improving your game nor have any impact on your performance.They are just targets you aim to break.

Which brings me to wonder are the above two gentlemen on the verge of "greatness".Are they both players with "class" on the field?

My belief is from the fact that in case of Sourav ,if the Indian team lifts the world cup...then undoubtedly he would be felicitated as one of India's greatest cricketers .So what if he still has a weakness against the short ball.So what if he has started moving towards the off stump so much in his stance that his leg stump stands exposed( Quick Bowlers would have noted the same I think :) ) ,but the fact remains he will be called as " one of India's greatest batsman of all time" putting him along with the most technically supreme or wristy wizards like Gavaskar,Vishwanath & Azharuddin & of course Tendulkar.

In case of Beckham well he has already played football in two of the best clubs in the world,A comeback to the national team along with a victory in Euro 2008 would be enough for the media to place him along with Sir Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst etc.So what his game is still one dimensional.His pace is now even slower than what it was earlier & he cant do anything with his left foot :)

Both the above players have a single standout quality which makes them "special" .Sourav for his"offside" play & of course the dead ball & crossing expertise of David Beckham. These qualities any sport aficionado would say are just one of the qualities which a purist may look at calling a player as "great".But imagine the scenario where sourave having got the oppurtunity plays a role(he has to in some ways) in Indias World cup victory at West Indies 2007. Once Beckham gets his chance (which looks sooner than later) ,If England win Euro 2008 then is he one of the "greatest" footballers.

Wonder what Sir Garfield Sobers,Clive Lloyd,George Best & Pele have to say about this.

Perfection: is it possible?

2007-03-02T13:35:00.001+05:30

My first meeting in my new firm..And my supreme confidence was shattered when I reached the venue late by 20 minutes.By that time the other company's representatives had come & left.I mumbled something abt 'trains being late" to my client..."Trains being late"...huh...what rubbish...what an excuse you would say..peple might even think "man, couldn't he come up with something better" Well as a Mumbaikar you know that if you have to rech a venue on time,you have to leave accordingly.Our trains although may not(probably never will) be on time alwayz but you gotto take into account the same if you leaving to reach a place on a particular time...

Anywayz the fact remains I reached the venue late...not a bright way to start a new career,first meeting...My genuine reason for the same was trains being later than normal..But I dont know how much it would go down someone's throat.The problem is people take for granted many things in life nowadays where honesty is not even understood forget even being respected/appreciated.People assume the other person to be dishonest in one way or another.Nobody is pure evil you may say hence you have laws which even allow a murderer to justify his actions & maybe pardon him also after he serves a minimum tenure in prison.The same logic is applied on the other side as well,where people are assumed to have some flaw in their character.
Filmmakers who depict all their characters having some flaws are said to make "realistic" cinema...Well If that is realistic cinema are u saying that no one is perfect then why should anyone aim being flawless..Why is it valued.The fundamental principle behind the thought is that u set a goal to perfection so that u achieve something close to that.But then what abt people who are already perfect.If Howard Roark was a symbol of perfection in some ways according to Rand who believed such people existed,are there no Howard Roarks any more???