Everything is a full time Job!!!

I am so sick of shopping day after day, week after week. No, I am not saying that I am one of those who dont bother much about clothes. Ofcourse I do and I love wearing good ..But, the problem is it takes so much time and energy to get something which is trendy or classy , fits you well, is of right color, goes well with your existing apparel, is of good quality and finally, not ultra expensive. Yes, it’s possible to get all this but you have to really spend time to do that..
The other day, it seemed I did a big mistake-not in the hindsight though- by inviting a friend of mine to help me choose a winter coat..Now, I hate wearing regular jackets – except some of those cool leather ones – and so wanted to buy a classy winter coat instead to pass through this winter..
Now this gentleman has such a high taste that he finds 95 out of 100 things “weird” or ” not cool”…. not his mistake actually..having lived in Milan and Paris , he thinks that North Americans have no ” taste” compared to Europeans.
Can you imagine that we spent almost whole weekend ( 8-9 hours) sifting through winter coats in various shops and big clothing stores in different shopping malls to select just a specific winter coat ?? At least couple of times I thought I got it right, but this specimen of Gucci wouldnt budge in..and, every time I showed tiredness or “enough is enough” expression on my face, he would give a stern look or a snooty remark on my” lack” of class..
But all’s well that ends well you see.. We finally got the one which was really perfect and worth the time spent in searching….and because it was under special promotion, I got it for 275 bucks rather than the original 400 bucks…!!!
So, you see the point is, if you want to do anything properly , you have to slog..and it becomes a full time job..No matter even if it’s shopping for a winter coat!!!!

Lawrence of Arabia

I finally watched David Lean’s 1962 ultimate classic “Lawrence of Arabia “. I have been trying to watch it since a while but it’s four hour lenght was proving a bit of deterrent; How wrong I was;
Once in a very great while a truly special movie comes along. These movies are not movies but fairly tales; you don’t just watch them you actually experience them. Gone with the Wind, Modern Times, Bicycle Thieves, The Wizard Of Oz, Casablanca, Singin’ In The Rain, Vertigo, The Godfather Part I and II, English Patient, Life is Beautiful, Babel. Lawrence Of Arabia is such a film. Never, even for a microsecond, lenght bothered me..each scene was an expereince in itself..each frame so beautiful.
They say that David Lean’s impulse to make this movie was based on imagination. The story of ”Lawrence” is not based on violent battle scenes or melodrama, but on filmmaker’s ability to imagine what it would look like to see a dot appear on the horizon of the desert, and slowly grow into a human being.
There is a moment in the film when the hero, the British eccentric soldier and author T.E. Lawrence ( played brilliantly by Peter O’ Toole), has-along with others- survived a suicidal trek across the desert and is within reach of shelter and water–and then he decides to turn around and go back to find a fellow traveller Gasim ( played by Indian actor I.S. Johar) who has fallen behind. Everybody advises him to not to do so as it will inevitably lead to his death..they tell him that Gasim’s desitiny is written and nobody can do anything now..Lawrence shots back saying ” Nothing is Written “. As it turns out, Lawrence comes back with Gasem…
I wonder if this particular sequence epitomized how Eastern and Western cultures have looked at life over the centuries.
David Lean created a character who combined charisma and eccentricity and who was so different from conventional war heroes that he could inspire the Arabs to follow him in a mad march across the desert. Lawrence, a sexually and socially unconventional man, is simply presented as what he is, without labels or comments. Could such a man rally the always fighting desert tribes and win a war against the Turks? He did.
The beautiful execution of desert scenes in Lawrence of Arabia has inspired films and filmakers worldwide since last 45 years ( English Patient..for ex).
No wonder that the movie won seven Oscars ( Peter O Toole missed the best Actor award though) and is considered, by many experts, as one of the top 10 movies of all times.

Aayijee and my Grandmother

I had an Aunt..actually my mother’s aunt ( sister of my grandmother). Ever since I remember, I used to see/meet her briefly atleast once a year whenever we would visit my mother’s home town. Everybody used to call her Aayijee..
In recent years, I never thought about her or even wondered about her well being..I was talking to my mother yesterday and she mentioned that she had gone to her hometown recently as Aayijee passed away..I dont think my mother was emotionally attached to her too much , so she didnt seem very upset about it..
I know that I , far away from India and Aayijee’s home, was not helping her or adding any value to her life even when she was alive…..but, strangely, I kept thinking about her and her passing away for a while. I mean ever since I was a kid, I knew her , met her so many times, talked about my studies, my job….and now suddenly, she is no more.
Yes, I will call my uncle ( her son) in India and pay my obeisance to her on phone..what else can I do?
Iam now thinking of my Grandmother..she is even older..when I was very young, she took care of me for four years as my parents used to be away travelling most of the times due to my Father’s job.. Since Iam the eldest child in the whole family, she has even more reason to feel attached to me and secretely claim that she loves me the most..She is very emotional person and full of love for everybody..she can cry just like that..even when I talk with her on phone, she starts crying saying that she hasnt seen me since a while and when Iam going to visit her..
And here Iam living in one of the best cities of the world..making my life, involved deep neck in my materialistic aspirations, befriending people from all over the world… but becoming insenstive to tears of my small town grandmother..
…She is not keeping well now..she had a paralytic attack last year..she is old..weak…I know anything can happen any time…
I dont know when Iam going to meet her and hug her..but I want to make her feel good right now..Ya, now….. I will send her a nice gift for Diwali..she will feel happy I think.. She will na?

Tagged!

Poonam tagged me for this and I have no other option but to obey her.

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night?
Jaspal Bhatti

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Do you really want to know that..I mean it’s not very hygienic na…lol

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Day dreaming

4. What happened to you in 2006?
I lost my virginity..Hey you dirty mind..I meant that in a very philosophical sense

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
Loud? Common, Iam a very polite guy ..you see

6. How many beverages did you have today?
This is getting boring now..ok, three I think

7. What color is your hairbrush?
I only use toothbrush

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Blogging; Iam paying my precious time to do this

9. Where were you last night?
You mean between 9 and 10 or between 11 and 12?. I mean it was not the same person na

10. What color is your front door?
What? Sorry, I didnt get this one

11. Where do you keep your change?
I dont keep change; Main aaj bhi phanki hui change nahi uthata

12. What’s the weather like today?
It’s like bit cold

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Main bachon jaisi baaten nahi karta

14. What excites you?
A good bum I think

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Which hair you mean?

16. Are you over the age of 25?
Iam for sure over the age of 15

17. Do you talk a lot?
I stalk a lot

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
No!

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Yes, I know three Stevens; But, listen I didnt date any of them

20. Do you make up your own words?
What do you think Iam doing right now..ofcourse man

21. Are you a jealous person?
Yes..very jealous

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’.
You must be joking

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
Kaale kache wala

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
Collection agent from my credit card company

25. What does the last text message you received say?
Dont message me again you jerk

26. Do you chew on your straw?
Yes, because I put my imagination into good use while doing that

27. Do you have curly hair?
Again, which hair you mean? Common, you have to be specific with me yaar

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Iam sure atleast one of you will now say..please go to hell

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
You because you cant take my sense of humor

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Chicken Teriyaki ( See, Iam serious now)

31. Will you get married in the future?
Yes, but only if Deepika padukone agrees to it (Iam still serious man! )

32.What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Darjeling Limited

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
You know the answer..dont you?

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
Last week..but not at my place

35. Are you currently depressed?
Yes, I was having fun in doing this and now it’s almost over

36. Did you cry today?
No, I didnt..

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Because Iam scared of Poonam..

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
Shuz, Jana, Anamika, Nitin and Ruhi

Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met

Sorry Mr Imtiaz Ali..but, Iam not impressed. ….No, Iam not cocky..actually, it’s just that I cannot compromise on characterization in movies..No way Sir.
Dude, your characters are unreal !!!!!
I have one big problem man..I could not relate to the story if I feel that characters are unreal or , in other words, they cannot exist. Yes, I havent known the whole world but I think I can know intuitively if the character you created came from your own knowledge of people/experiences or is completely a figment of your imagination. Ok, even if they come from latter, I have no problem as long as you demonstrate that you have good imagination and understanding of human nature.
But, your lead characters Geet and Aditya did not touch me because Iam pretty certain they dont exist..Now, if you or your likes say, common dude, it’s a piece of fiction.ofcourse they dont exist..then my response to you will be….
Ok, then stop harping about your “relatable characters”,”realistic cinema” and stuff like
“small town sensibilities”…
There are no such Geets in this world dude..I know the ins and outs of Punjabi/Sikh families living in Bhatindas and Ludhianas of Punjab..I havent seen a young girl who even remotely behaves like your Geet. I dont know in which world are you living..Also, atleast I didnt expect you to add another chapter in the “Punjabization” ( or I must now say “Sikhnization”) of Bollywood..Please guys..Chopras and Johars have already given us enough of Punjab and “loud” Punjabis..please for God sake, aur nahi chahihe yaar….India bahut bada hai..Punjab se aghe bhi dekho yaar..
Yes, your sequences were well executed..if I believe in your characters, then the lines they say make sense, and yes, there was no melodrama either.. I have no big problem in your plot too. It was sort of contrived/predictable.. but that’s ok..
But yaar my problem is the foundation ..your characters…
Iam surpised that your movie got so many favourable reviews. I listened to you on IndiaFM and thought you must have made a decent movie…
It’s just an ordinary stuff man..sorry