"Satyam Questions" - Where are our Politicians

Never really the ones to leave an opportunity to catch attention - where are our politicians on the issue of Satyam?

Why is the entire Indian political class so quiet on the Satyam saga. Beyond "The law will take its own course" - noone is seeking political mileage from the issue. Why?
Is it because of this?
Well one thing is clear - Raju could not have carried on a scam of this scale without involving everybody - his team, regulators, watchdogs and of course not without the active support of politicians. This scam is sure to be a heap of shit in which politicians would most probably be the completely submeged.
So don't be surprised that most of the system will work towards helping you forget the issue and move on. Raju is going to be safe, because the politicians of this country are going to protect him. Remember what happened to Telgi?? - Telgi who...........?
Already atleast three of the trusted team members of the Raju team have flown off to foreign countries without the police even sniffing anything. Myanmpati and his entire family it turns out are American citizens.
In the last nine months the manamgement team and just before the revealation quite a few institutional investors sold huge quanties of satyam shares. So there is an insider trading angle as well.
And yes for those who want to believe still that Raju might have been a robin hood - he had 50 bank accounts about half a decade back - for what - obviously cross trading on insider info making money on a reputation which was fake.

The Value of 500 Rs.

Amazingly simple and amazingly effective message.

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=M0XTPSYdP08

Ram Naam - Satyam Satyam

What a day to get back to one's year old hobby - for long dormant - jolted out by none other than - B. Ramalingam Raju - our own iconic, winner of the Best Corporate Governance (I mean his Company) now ex-EVERYTHING of Satyam Computers.

And what a way to be jolted out of slumber:Stock markets lose a delirious 750+ points in a single session all because our Mr. raju decides to trigger panic in already twice bitten and thrice burnt investors. Apparently our Gentleman finally heard the voice of his inner conscience by writing to the board in no uncertain manner - that he has been virtually creating wealth out of nowhere. Oops sorry - he was actually NOT creating wealth after all. He was only overstating Revenues, Profits, Cash, Margins, Debtors and was understating liabilities - virtually everything that will llok like "enhancing share holder value".
For reading a copy of his "confessional letter" click here.

So where does this leave us - some ruminations
1. Is Raju stating the truth and nothing but the truth in his letter. My take - that's quite unlikely. He is now at a stage where an investigation into his deeds would have anyway revealed everything - so he might be trying to take the "moral high ground". More importantly - he might be trying to save the skin of his family and his confidantes by absolving them all from the deed. Is it possible that a brazen fraud of such mammoth proportion can be done by just him without the knowledge of people that he named in his letter? Again unlikely. What seems to be a more plausible explanation is that he will need this people in the long legal battle thats ahead of him. So obviously his letter is "too little too late".
2. In fact the claims made by Raju in the letter look so - charmingly heroic- that one feels like dispensing with them immediately. He claims "The gap in the balance sheet has arisen purely out of inflated profits over a period of last several years"........... Now why would someone inflate profits - because one is eyeing higher valuations. Isn't the motive then personal profits (whichever be the route) as the poor shareholder would only be left with valueless paper at the end of the ordeal.

He further claims -
"Neither I nor the Managing Director (including spouses) sold any shares in the last eight years..."
and then in the same breath (I mean the letter) he says
"In the last two years a total of Rs. 1230 crores was arranged to Satyam (not reflected in the books of satyam) by pledging all the promoter's shares...."
and later in the same letter he artfully writes
"... the last straw was the selling of most of the pledged shares by lenders ....".
In nutshell what he is saying is that he did not sell the shares - he only pledged it to lenders - who sold them and yes !! he did not use the money - he arranged it to Satyam but of course he did not reflect them on books. And whose word do we have to believe it - Yours truly - Raju. At least I am not in the mood to be that naive.

He has the temerity to write in the letter that "Neither me nor the managing director took even one rupee/dollar from the company and have not benefited in financial terms on accounted of the inflated results". Wow !! Someone can claim that is a surprise. Again whose words do we have to believe this as well? Only his - Right !! Frankly it is too much to digest this - oh !! I put my reputation, morals and myself at stake for the growth of the company - when what he did was plainly a fraud.

3. Assume for a second that what he writes in his letter is true. Well then, we are faced with intensely introspective situation. The current times and its competitive pressures to consistently outdo one's own performance and that of the competition year after year can lead a person into a vicious circle of presenting lies and then perpetrating them ad-infinitum till the burden becomes self destructing. The glory of basking in the flash lights of media cameras and of becoming a hero who keeps meeting the expectations of people without fail could be so compelling - is a chilling idea. No, I would still like to believe that he is a glib liar.
4. One big question that faces the entire System, Regulators, Government, in fact the entire country is what the heck were we doing when Raju was cooking this mystery. No one - his colleagues, internal-external auditors, various tax departments, regulating agencies, watchdog bodies, board of directors, independent directors - simply no one could blow the whistle on the fraud. It is just too much of an impossibility that simply no-one knew of the fraud (at least that part of the his letter has to be a lie) and hence there is only one implication - that everyone from top to bottom are part of the rot. It is frightening but most probably the truth.
5. Entire financial fraternity from the investment bankers to the fund managers and the bankers who deal with corporate companies day to day have to learn many lessons from this saga and the most important of them is that they have responsibility far bigger then returning a certain percentages on the funds they have attracted. It is to a large extent their duty to ensure that unscrupulous business people are prevented from eroding share holder value in such tragic manner.
6. Above all - the Indian public, media, investors et al. need to be more aware, watchful, demanding and sceptical. The ease with which we trust is misplaced in today's world. We live cosily in the make believe world created by media czars who seem sold out to their sponsors, advertisers and event managers. What else can explain the immense respect that people like Raju achieve by savvy management of communication in the media.

7. What is the next step? If the apparently rotten system has to maintain some of its credence - what is required is swift action. Quick, thorough and transparent investigation followed by booking the guilty and punishing them in the most stringent possible terms is the only way to ensure that future Rajus of the corporate world will feel a bit deterred when resorting to such brazenly unscrupulous acts.
As a concluding thought a word from a respected journalist on her blog - looks as confused as I am.

I am back - Thats a promise

smiling more to myself - here is my mid year resolution
At least one full post a month. Thats what we will find on this blog.
Ha ha .....

Lost Posts

Blogging has been an interesting hobby and a satisfying avocation to be involved in. Recently I recieved a mail from a netizen suggesting that I popularise my blog. Thanks buddy. I shall try that.

This partucular mail made me think on my blog again - in fact I read through the blog spending some time on it and thought I did a decent job of compiling my thoughts.

Some particular favourites of the readers turmed out to be (my criteria has been reader mails or comments in the comments section or hits on my counter)

** one on the business of coaching classes which although written under certain amount of anger turned out to be quite analytical on second thoughts.

** A recent one on the IAS exam also recieved attention from some readers

** Though I am not a regular movie reviewer but the two reviews I had put up on bollywood movies Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Dhoom-II received quite a few mails/comments from the blogosphere. I must say however that the one I wrote on a hollywood movie Casino Royale did not receive any feedback at all - to my surprise and disappointment.

** A couple of travelogues one of a pilgrimage and another to Darjeling also generated some interet.



While some other posts that I felt really good about after writing but which could not attract much attention like a series on whether there should be more engineering colleges or the one on a set of differently able children and the one on the mess behind CAT Analysis.

My thoughts then moved towards what I should term as lost posts - posts that I wanted to write but could not really sit to write theme down for eg.

** I wanted to continue on my musings from a pilgrimage - wrote a couple of them, rest still await my attention

** I had also thought of writing a set of posts on my Darjelling tour but could complete just one.

** There were quite a few that I started to write on but half through deleted them because the idea became stale but I could not complete them - so here are some that I would have written on but finally did not

1. In suppot of Ragging -
Supremem court passed a judgement making it mandatory for college management to check ragging; I am sure the court has its reasons and is rational about it. However as far as I am concerned - I am not just OK with the idea of ragging but also the fact that a lack of ragging would take a lot of fun (and dare I say learning) out of the student life. I believe that in our country ragging has not yet taken dimensions that it should require such serious deliberations and checks.

2. Politics over President -
is not such a bad idea. The competitive pulls and pushes can ensure that the president acts in the larger good. A person at the president's post who is branded as belonging to a particular lobby shall always remain under the scanner which is a good thing for a democracy.

3. Mayawati wins UP -
and the woes of UP continues unabetted. A state that can prosper to compete the best fo countries is mired in caste politics and the people are simply confused as to who they can look upto. Mayawati in UP is good news for nobody.

4. Cheeni Kum -
A delightful movie - crisp, intellectually stimulating, simple (no high decible music, no high pitch melodrama), sensitive and blunt at the same time, fresh, simply adorable. Amitabh, Tabu at their best. I would have written a review had I not been so occupied at the time I watched it. Except for the last half hour when most simple movie directors get confused as to how to end the movie - everything about the movie is too good. The beauty of the movie is that it runs on three characters all very well developed.

Finally, a resolve (more to myself) that I shall try and write more regularly.

So India Lost the world cup... or did it?

In cricket that is. Did we lose the world cup??

Going by the reactions of fans, Indians in general and media "analyst" we lost the world cup badly.

This line of thought of course assumes that we were quite close to winning (if we had not already won) the world cup. But both the losses - one against Bangladesh and other against Sri-lanka quite convincingly proved that we weren't even serious contenders for the cup.

Yeah!! I know expert analysis suggests that we had a balanced team - balance between star and starters, batsman & bowlers, in form and out form players etc. etc. But where is/was the teamwork something that enabled a very moderate Indian team in 1983 to win the cup - yes the world cup.

Lets concede it - cutting through the media hype, through the advertising hype and through the cricket administration's own hype - we were beaten by better TEAMS - yeah !! they are far better teams because they play to win the match - not to secure their seats in the next squad.

So that is the story of Cricket World Cup - 2007. India did not lose it. They (sorry we) never played to win it. Do read this excellent piece by Vikas in the Times of India.

Where do we go from here??
Depends who "we" are. For the sake of Indian cricket - I pray that Indian cricket fans actually get (though irrationally) over with this religious fascination with cricket. That will make lesser money to flow in the game. This I believe is the antidote cricket in India requires - less money. Its almost like an over enthusistic doctor prescribes an overdose of antibiotics to a patient. A more patient doctor offers the patient no treatment at all for some time to balance it over.

However, like you will find so many wishes on my blog that go unfulfilled - I am again asking for too much. So till then its about money honey.............

Gems of my country

Shailesh is an Engineering graduate from MP, 5'9'' tall, is handsome with a distinct presence of his own, comes from a well to do family, even politically well connected. He is rash, blunt, well versed with current affairs and one with a distinct but studied opinion of his own on every issue. He has a great hold on Hindi Language and is particularly keen on Foriegn affairs of India. He is currently persuing an MBA from a leading (& I actually mean leading) B-School of India. He is also angry in general on a host of issues that touches today's India.

Devesh is an arts graduate from a small village in Bihar, speaks fluent and confident English in measured words, comes from a lower middle class family where the head of the family devoted his entire life to teach uninterested students affected by wretched poverty, His family has a younger sister whose marriage is his responsibility, has a devoted wife and a kid both of whom he adores.

Prince is another Engineering graduate who after his engineering received a call from various IIMs for GD/PI and finally achieved selection to IIM Calcutta. He joined the institute but left in a couple of months time because he received a call from the UPSC to appear in the mains exam. He is currently trying to get addmission into a top B-School again.

What is common to these three seemingly very different people - they all have burning desire to do something for the country and its people. All three dreamt of becoming an IAS officer. All three of them gave four of their best years to preparing and giving the exam. All three did not make it into the academy.

No, I am not saying that UPSC or the exam is corrupt or biased - in fact - I feel that generally they are not. But what the hell they deserve to be IAS just because they have raging fire to make a difference to their country and its people. No, they are not dumbos - they are sharp, one of them is currently doing his MBA at XLRI, another left IIM Calcutta for clearing UPSC and the third has calls from the best B-schools in India (XLRI, SP Jain, MDI, NITIE etc.). Why would government not want them in their teams ahead of a few who are possibly a notch better then them on subjects but may be no where near in their desire to make India a shining one. I believe that even if govt. does not have a post for them - they still need to be an IAS. They will make a difference because they want to do it from inside.

Something is fundamentally wrong with the concept of the IAS exam if we are unable to find out people with such desires and bring them in the main stream of our governance and administration.

Till then the Government's loss is private sector's gain. They are pursuing MBA so that they can still make a difference to a substantial part of the society by affecting those affected by their company or their profession. However, private sector wants profit and so they have twin objectives to meet at work. And I am not even talking about home. They are behind their cadres - they have lost four years to an excruciatingly slow process of evaluation where the decision on the first years process is taken after the person has already appeared in the next year's process and may have even cleared the first step to it.

While these three are still fighting - keeping the desire inside alive, not many has the same zeal. They capitulate to frustrations, some are confused beyond imagination, others live a meagre life and I know of some of them. Even these three need lot of counselling every now and then to refocus. They have a tendency to fall back into memories of those four years and in their weak moments they come out with lines like
"I know so many IAS officers - who know much less then I do"
"I still say that if I had become an IAS I could have helped so many people, my village, my area"
"Sometimes I feel that I have lost my life to the UPSC, today I do not offer even a decent life to my family when I compare them to families of my friends who graduated and joined jobs immediately"
"So many people join the IAS to earn money - so why won't they take me if I want to work for my country"

What can one suggest than a lame "you don't have to be an IAS to serve your country". But they deserve to be an IAS of my country - is somebody out there listening??

The mess behind CAT Analysis

Ever wondered about what owning responsibility should mean. This year's CAT and its aftermath is a burning example of how high pitch ad campaigns, promotional programmes and the likes are empty and worth nothing. Moreover they misguide and confuse students to no ends. Read on......

Sample this. About an hour after CAT 2006 ended - most major names in the business of MBA Entrance training started flashing answerkeys and results on their websites. By the evening all major players had uploaded the complete answerkeys and solutions to each and every question of CAT (which this year were too few - 75 only) properly arranged in various sets. All of them also provided their analysis of what the test was like and what a particular score could mean for a student.

Thousands, if not Lakhs, of students logged in to these sites and tried to calculate their scores. On the basis of these scores the students worked out what could be their possible ranks - on the suggestions of these sites and the so called CAT Experts. It is important to note that the students take decisions based on these scores and suggestions about institutes that they would apply to for admissions. And this practice is followed for years now.

So what was new this year??
Not much except that this year IIM-Ahmedabad decided to be more transparent than earlier. Along with the result the institute put on their site
1. the criteria for sending GD/PI calls based on CAT percentiles and
2. they also uploaded their version of answerkey on the site.
For many people like me it should be eyeopening. Following table list the number of errors (wrong answers) in the answer keys of major MBA Entrance players across India.
Ps. All Comparisons with the first answer key published by respective classes on their official sites, collected the day after CAT 2006 was conducted. The author has a copy of all of them. The classes have obviously either removed the answerkey from their sites or have changed it later. Also the comparison is with the answer key published by IIM Ahmedabad on their official site which can be visited here

The only thing that is funny is the perfect AP that the nubers create - otherwise this is a big question mark on the competency of some of the best names in the industry who claim to shape the careers of the youth in India.

Implications
Do some arithmetic to digest the implications of these errors. This year there were just 75 questions asked in CAT. Now a simple calculation will tell us that the most visited sites in India for analysing solutions had an error rate that ranges from 13.33% to 18.66%.

Thus on an average the students checking their results based on this answerkeys would be wrong on their analysis of results by about 10%.

This is a whooping error because a less than 1% difference in marks can make a difference of several hundred ranks if not thousands. This means that if somebody makes a decision of which institutes to apply for based on these errorenous calculations he/she might be wrong by miles on his approach to his/her career. CAT happens just once in a year so it is expected that a large number of students have lost their year or at least they will compromise on the levels of college that they will finally get admitted to.

I am personally in touch with students who calculated a negative score in the verbal section based on these sites and are now sitting with a CAT score card with 90+ percentile in the section.

Why Does this happen?
Because the aim of the coaching classes is different from that of the students. For coaching classes this is a time to grab eyeballs/attention of stundents to their brands. In management its called ensuring strong brand recall.

Its speed which will sell? The site which puts up solutions to most questions fastest will get maximum attention from students - never mind the quality of solutions or the accuracy of it.

What helps further is short public memory - even those students who might have taken their application decisions based on these solutions do not care once they are done with the application process. Later if they do not achieve the expected percentile scres they would attribute it to fate, some unexplained glitch in the system and/or simply their misfortune.

Where does one go?
Take this as one of the following
1. A reason for students to become more aware customers as education is no more a job of teachers - it is the business of education and they are the target customers.
2. A reason for watchdog bodies to come up - though personally I am against it.
3. As an opportunity for some or the other coaching classes to become a TATA of education - a name one can trust - by being ethical, slow but sure, and dependable

Any takers

God's very own

Good to be back at my blog.
Look at these pictures. What do you see? Happy children of school performing in a cultural show on stage. So, most probably this is an annual day function of a school. Do you notice any peculiarity. I was a part of this touching and emotionally moving experience.

The happy faces on stage are "God's own very special" children, as the anchor explained in her beautifully worded comments in the programme. These children are deaf and dumb. Mind you they are just children who cannot hear or speak literally. Otherwise, they communicate a lot and sometimes more effectively then us, with supposedly with more developed faculties. The sparkle in their eyes, the team spirit, the enthusiasm, the elation of achievement, their determination is not just infectious but is touching and inspiring.

I had a brief encounter with them in a programme where they presented perfectly coordinated and soulful dances on music that they can't hear and songs that they can't sing. How? One wonders. The trick is their coach, mentor and teacher who stands in front of the stage and with minimal movement of her hands keeps telling them of what is expected of them. The amazing part is that while their eyes are riveted to her hand movements, the expressions on their faces move in tune with the music and song. It was a cathartic experience.

One feels humbled when one meets such inspiring souls. Nothing seems to limit their spirits. They perform to prove that they are better than the normal beings. When I met them their eyes were speaking brightly. First I took help of their teacher to tell them how amazing they were - but soon I did not need him anymore. I could understand their eyes and a bird like chirping sound that they managed to generate. And they seem to understand what I wanted to tell them and was fumbling for words. I felt embarrassed and belittled talking to them.

It was a touching experience for the audience as well; everybody sat spellbound without disturbing the proceedings in any which way. In fact, once the sound system broke down and the sound first blurred and then stopped altogether - the children continued their dancing for a while till their teacher asked them to stop. Not a single soul in the hall moved, laughed or cursed. Everyone waited patiently for the ten minutes that it took to address the problem. By the end of the programme most of them looked overwhelmed. Many came back and told me how touched they were. Look at this picture - what do you think are the audience doing? Well they are clapping (appreciating) - the teacher of these children made us aware that clapping did not mean much to them and so this gesture is what they have devised to let them know that they are amazing. A simple 40 minute show made us feel, get connected and be enlightened in a manner which did not happen ever in (my) life. I felt that I must take some time off from my cosy life and face such moments regularly. Probably that will help me keep my feet on firmly on the ground always.

This note will be incomplete if I do not mention the two teachers (bless them I did not even ask their names) without whom these children would be just any other set of physically challenged, underpriveledged ones. The passion with which they have taught this children and the energy that they put into their small performances, the happiness that they feel when they see these innocent, young, bright and happy faces is worth a standing ovation. Like any other such effort they face financial, logistical constraints - I came to know later that the sound problem happened because the group had brought audio tapes of the music they wanted to play. In these times of ACDs, VCDs and DVDs the arranger found it difficult to arrange for a decent enough audio tape player - but they go on. Many (including me) promised that they will visit the school but will we? I am not to sure. One week after the show and I still feel touched enough write all these words. But have I really tried to take the initiative to visit them? No.

Never mind. After watching this show, I am sure the good work should go on. May be I am too thick skinned. May many like me are - but I am sure there are better human beings in this world and if they are reached this children have someone somewhere to care for them too.

All Photographs by me.

Casino Royale - Royal case-no

I am not a huge fan of Bond movies but I like them. They are a couple of hours of "fultu timepass". So if I get a chance - I rarely miss them. Now after a long time a real opportunity came - three married guys - one of them me, plan for a movie - that too a james bond movie - and the icing on the cake - without our wives. wow college days are here again. So how would you feel when you sit through a love story in this situation - no don't look at your desktop in amazement. Just sympethise with us because thats what happened to us - a life time opportunity wasted really over a over priced coke and a few sweet corns.

Actually its a good movie except that it rubs the James Bond fans the wrong way - yeah really. Let me explain. what do you expect of a bond movie?? No, tell me what ...... some great action, a superbly intriguing plot, great ladies, lively kisses, blinding pace, imaginative futuristic gadgets, and a high action climax. The bond movies carry a certain positioning with an opening action sequence setting the pace followed by the main body the building of the plot culminating in a thrilling grand finale - oh.. it feels so satisfying coming out of the movie hall feeling like you just went through two hours of adventure ride.

Here is the catch - casino royale turns out to be great bond movie in the first half and touching love story in the second - the carefully built positioning over decades is lost in an hour or so. The first half is really promising - rivetting actually. The movie opens with a great human chase which is amazing, super human still believable. The plot thickens and you are glued to your seats as the world of terrorism, its financing and its money flows unfold in front of your eyes. The idea of it being all a casino - a game of who is a bigger bluffmaster is actually quite appealing. The editing in this part is crisp - that lets the movie glide through smoothly.

Catrino murino - the new bond girl has a stunning entry and you expect a lot of steam on the screen - but then you have to do with just some good looking shots - otherwise she proves to be a very ordinary choice for a bond movie girl. Her characterisation is weak as well. So all in all a disappointing package here.

And she takes you into the second half full of expectations - but alas the movie takes a different turn - Bond seems to have finished his task and is all set to return after transferring the money that he wins in the game stripping the portfolio manager of the money he laundered from terrorists - But then our very smart bond who never trusts anybody - least of all sexy looking girls gives the code to her new lady. Then bond resigns (yeah !! really) because he would rather live a cosy family love life with her new found. Ofcourse she betrays her after this it appears to be a truly Indian Love story.

Why it will finally turn out to the viewers that though she did betray bond - it was to save his life. Yes !! she traded the money to save him and in the bargain she scarifies her love (does that sound familiar to everyone in touch with the bollywood). And icing on the cake who tells bond this fact - oh his so professional motherly boss (God save me). Now what bond goes in search of the woman, finds her - a whole building collapses somewhere in venice (which means you are in deep water) - bond's new yummy is in that building trapped in the lift - he tries to save her - but in the true bollywood style she is too embarrassed and so bids a last sorry and refuses to be saved. She dies - bond is broken and he will take the final revenge. I might sound sarcastic on a good movie actually - but hell - this was supposed to be a James Bond movie - the name was bond - James Bond.

The movie has its great moments - I already told you about the chase at the start. The game of poker at the casino is delicately done and is gripping. Another sequence which I will remember as much for the imagination as for the gadgetry use, is when bond is given some chemical under deception - he realises it and quickly moves into his car - plugs into some gadgets and voila - his head office control recieves data on his health condition - he is getting a heart attack - it is announced. Now very steady instructions are given to bond on what he should if he is to be saved - he tries to follow them and simultaneously the heart arrest is getting severe. As an audience you know he will be saved, and suddenly machines show zero heart activity before he can press the final switch. Everyone in the hall is surprised - bond is dead and the out of nowhere our yummy indian looking dame comes and does the last job ....... Funny actually no - I am telling you this sequence was actually done well.

Our new bond is handsome, a good actor, and lives upto the expectations that I have of a bond. Everything about the movie is good (even the second half if you are prepared to watch a love story) except that it seems to have been directed by two directors changing gaurds after the interval. The action that has been the hallmark of bond movies is missing - badly.

Dhoom-2 ..... Whatever

My 4 year kid watched Dhoom a couple of years back when he was just two plus years old. He adored the movie with its bikes and songs. He remembers that entire movie - frame by frame. I must confess that I too, liked the movie as an entertainer which flied into the world of fancy without losing that quintessential touch with the real world.

It was almost two months back - that my kid started pestering me with his wish to watch Dhoom-2 (second dhoom is what he named it). So when the movie was finally released I bloody well ensured that we have the tickets for the first week itself. While the kid is not complaining too much - I am thoroughly disappointed. May be my expectations from sequels was too high (specially after Lage Raho Munna Bhai - my review here) but I give a thumbs down to this part-2. No dhoom what so ever.

Some great stunts, excellent cinematography, sexed up ladies, exotic foreign locations, imaginative technology is what this movie is about - thats all. The fine details of a plot that captivated me in the first part were sorely missing. So what went wrong??

Too much of technical wizardry and super action - its good - but that becomes the focus of the movie. Not the plot - never mind the utter lack of continuity - or the sheer illogicality of it all thats happening infront of you. The movie starts with a super stunt. Our new conman parachuting his way to the top a running train carrying a priceless gem packed "Mukut" kept quite conspicuously on a pedstal in a train compartment guarded by two guards at the door - he takes it away - fighting the guards on (where else) the top of the running train and then uses a skate board (or was it surfing board) to slide over the sand of the great desert to god knows where. Very convincing indeed.......

Weak characters (unlike the prequel) dot the movie. Lets take them one by one - Just out of nowhere you have a Mr. A - the perfect thief - seen by no one as he is a master disguiser (and the disguise he takes are actually phenomenal) leaving his signature (an A) on the world for nobody knows why. Oh spare us because the same guy is going to later go weak kneed in front of a sexy "Bambiya Chorni". Rithik is sincere as always and very intense. He carries himself well in the character, except that the character looks very human in picturisation but he does everything thats superhuman.

Talking of the chorni - a smalltime thief - our own damsel aishwarya - helps the master seluth trap Mr. A in exchange of not reporting her petty crimes in the police record - by actually teaming with him in the game of international conmanship. And then ofcourse she falls in love with the Mr. A and forgets about the cop. The super cop - the smartest in the race lets her go with the guy without any tab on her, naively believeing that she would press the button of the transmitter at the right time for what..... so that he will nab the thief right during the act???

Another entry to the star cast, the sexy Bipasha is one more super seluth who does everything (ie. dance, wear biknis, look sexy, even practice shooting in a range, flirts) but catches thieves. Bipasha's was easily the weakest of the character - almost no soul only body - literally. Bipasha tried hard but really she was let down by the script and the director. Her connection to the prequel is ridiculous - whoever thought of the idea of her being introduced as a makeshift affair heroine for the hero - while his wife is pregnant is simply empty of ideas. To top it all she is suddenly removed off the scene to be reintroduced in the later half as her own dumb sister (double role) in brazil who loves Indians but can only speak English. Are you already confused and crazy don't be there is lot more. Watch it.

The two likable characters of the prequel Uday chopra with his twisted approach to English was a reprieve but just so. He is not in his elements - he is just good. Frankly he recieved more footage then his character deserved - with a full song put in for him with that english "Escuse me to please" jarring again and again. So in a yashraj movie a chopra gets more footage is any news? ... when at other places the editing is so crisp that you tend to miss the link. This means everytime there is a sequence with uday -- the movie drags - otherwise it wihzzes past. You feel like enjoying a jerky rail ride.

The cream of the starcast is the junior-B. The more I see him the more I am convinced of him being the next shahrukh if not theBig-B himself. Controlled, intense using every moment he has to the fullest - you sit through the entire movie for him and in some pieces for rithik (that is ofcourse if you are not a die hard fan of Aishwarya who after Bunty and Bubli has started showing flash as if there is no tomorrow).

The list of negatives go on - the music is a BIG disappointment specially after a hit parade in the prequel. Only "crazy kiya re..." will live a few weeks. Rest is, at best, very average. Editing is simply bad. The kiss between ash and rithik being talked about so much is at best perfunctory and has no intensity. Ash is so obviously uncomfortable that there is no love lost between the kissers (forgive the lingo here). Also that old sequence of single bullet six shots one you and one me is too cliched to be of any use really.....

On the positive side - watch it for its stunts and high tech imagery. Also watch it for super sexy clothing that is donned by the star cast. Its actually good - always sexy never cheap. Ofcourse watch it for Ash and Bip - both at their gorgeous best. Watch it without brains - just two hours of rivetting visual action - don't ask for content.

So what does banners like yashraj do when they know that the crores that they spent are not well spent - they spread canards like this on almost all dailies worth their salt. Ofcourse after a yashraj movie launch you do not see any negative reviews in the media for a week - so I wish a lot of people read mine.

From a viewer like me its a no-no. I sincerely wish that viewers do not line the movie just because it is a release from one of the best marketers in the industry. Because if it happens to be as big a success as it looks like it might - then we are in for more such stuff being offered to us in the name of great cinema. So viewers please say no to this one.

The power of an idea

I am sure Prof. Madhukar will pardon me for copying even the title of his inpiring post on this year's noble prize winner for peace (actually the post is on his grameen bank story rather than him) some quotable quotes from his excellent post

"Poverty is not caused by people; it is caused by the system. "

"You take the best seed of the tallest tree from the most fertile forest, and plant it in a small flower-pot. The seed does not grow into the tall tree..." not because the seed was bad, but because it got planted in the wrong place."

"poor are "credit-worthy" .....the commercial banking establishment is not "people worthy"

Do read the piece

Darling........Darjeeling ......- Part I

A couple of months back I visited Darjeeling, Gangtok and ___________. The place was heavenly, if you are a nature lover. I cannot express it in words and so expect a series of photoessays - of the journey. Enjoy with me


Off to vacations - after a long time and mootably a well deserved one. My kid is full of anticipation and is enjoying the train.

New Jalpaiguri after an arduous still an enjoying two day train journey - thankfully our taxi is waiting for us. Everyone is a bit tired and no one is interested in anything but reaching the hotel. Even the hunger, borne out of the not so appetising breakfast, lunch and dinner regimen of Rajdhani express, plays its part in increasing the weariness and peskines.






The Journey to Darjeeling however revs up the spirit as the weather gets more pleasent and immense beauty of nature with the lush green surroundings and an air quality that relaxes us.

The hills and the valleys : they are awesome - the first streak of delight on the faces of our kids appear when the toy train peaks out of the thick wood and coos to attract attention. Even we grown ups feel like (and do) yelling in delight with our children. Tired bones being forgotten already.


The first of the umpteen natural water falls that will enthrall us over the journey (beware you will get bored of the numbers). But the first one was a bundle of joy. We stopped our taxi and just stood facing it - taking in the freshning drops that suspend in the air and fascinated by the sheer volume of water that flowed casually in front of us.


And then as we climb higher the clouds descend on the road - simply. You open the window - forget the AC and just let the touch of those clouds make you feel ------well on cloud nine. No, we are not tired anymore. We are just ecstatic.

My kid is now glued to his window seat watching those gentle clouds - feeling them and wondering at the marvel thats nature. He has forgotten the tiring journey that he has just had and his peskiness at my inability to offer him a nice place to sleep is dissolved - he (and all of us) are looking forward to a gret time ahead.

And then to his (& ours) delight - we encounter the toy train. The driver of our taxi - a simple and a very nice person - was quick to get off the taxi and was stopping the train. Why we wondered? and then we realised - another taxi was parked just round the curve of the road by a careless person very close to those rails - a possible accident averted. But then for us it was wonderful - everyone wanted a utilise the opportunity to get the first hand feel of the train.




The train finally leaves and so do we in opposite directions - promising each other another, more intimate meeting - soon.

Finally, we arrive at our hotel - its about evening and our hotel is a outside the main city thats darjeeling on an isolated peak which is quiet, surrounded by clouds and, if my use the word(s) - intriguing and mysterious. The likes of what you see in ramsay brother movies - which if you see from a distance look like haunted cottages.
However, the lobby and the entrance did give it a look of a professional and well managed abode. So, its time to rest - or is it? Well kittu (our kid) surely knew what - as soon as he enters the room finds the bed to his liking and off he goes.

We had a delightfule dinner - after some rest in the cosy rooms.

Enjoyed some celebrating with a small band put by the hotel in the evening - played "antakshari" with other tourists - and with dreams for the next day slept well.


I take the first break, will continue with my musings on a place that I loved as much as I did when I had toured Kashmir several years ago.

Be with me and enjoy the nature's marvellous creation. Will be back

Whats happening??

There has been unrelated incidences off late in one's life that results into this rather negative title to this post -

First - Officer.. Officer...,
The phone on my table rings, as it does almost every five minutes, and I am told by our front desk executive - that a certain Income tax inspector wanted to meet me. I enquire what he wanted, knowing fully well the reply I would get - that he wouldn't tell and would meet only the director of the company. So I walk down to meet him.

We settle down in a cabin. He asks "Where is your company's bank account?" (I assumed that he meant in which bank) - He gets the answer - idbi bank. He enquires - "and your personal account" (I was about to demand his id card but thought better) and replied - "Same bank". He suddenly changes track getting more friendly - "well main yeh sab bateen karne nahi aya (I'm not here to talk about all these) apse ek kaam tha" He pulls out a reciept of a student who had booked a seat in one of the forthcoming batches in our training institute and says - "Yeh ek paan wale ki bacchi hai - ise 50% discount kar dijiye (She is the daughter of a paan wala. Give her a 50% discount)". I was taken aback at the bkuntness of the process to say the least.

I quickly recover and suggest to him that 50% is a very high figure. He is no mood to listen to my explanations of why. He fires - "Dekhiye mein to aapse kisi aur tarah se baat karne hi nahi aaya tha? Aapke area ka kaam mein hi dekhta hoon. Itni chooti si request hai" (See I did not come to you to use my influence. Your area is under my scrutiny in the dept. Its a small request)...................................

Second - for a mere .....,
I am driving back home after a hard (really) day's work and am enjoying Jagjit's voice over the car stereo looking forward to a round of chess with my recently retired dad. A police man on a bike (Khakhi Dress with two red stripes on his side) interrupts me and asks me to take my car to the side of the road. I comply, get out of the car and ask what the matter was. He instructs - "Car mein baithe jaiye. (Please sit in the car)" I did. He followed - in the seat next to mine.

He says "Bhai Saheb!! Gaadi kaise chala rahe hai" (Mr. Look at the way you are driving?). I was a little surprised and retorts "Kyon (what happemed)" He tells me that I was talking on my mobile and that i was not using the seat belt. I retorted - "No, I was not talking on my mobile". He ignored my retorts and said - "Aap behka nahi sakte - Palasia par latest machine lagi hai - aapka picture aa gaya hai mobile par baat karte hue. Drive chal rahi hai - hamari puri team baithi hui hai (You cannot dodge. At palasia we have a machine which taken your picture talking on mobile. There is a drive on- an entire team is present)" Now I felt a little irked.
(yeah !! Someone telling me that Indore traffic police has smartened up and has put surveillance equipments - wow!! - that provides wrong information. Am I such a dumbo by face --- really....)
However, I wanted to get rid of him - I said "Sorry". He immediately softened up and to my utter - complete - unbelievable surprise - said smilingly - "Theek Hai !! Jo aap ki iccha ho kar do. (Give whatever you wish to)" Not that I was not anticipating his tactics to generate some underhand income - but even for me - it was too blunt an approach....... and I was now angry.

I replied - "Why". He smiled (his consistent smile that of a salesman talking to his prospective customer was too much for me to take - but he was police... right) - "Bhai saheb - Chitti to 350-400 rupeye ki banegi (I cannot translate that - all he means is that if I choose to be leagally charged for the alleged breaking of rule - it will amount to at least 350-400 rs.). I said but what gets charged for not using the seat belt is Rs. 100. Pet comes the reply "Par aap mobile par baat bhi to kar rahe the (But you were talking on your mobile too)" I retorted - I have not talked on my cell for the last hour. He says "Aapka photo aa gaya hai (You have been photographed talking on the phone)" I challenged him to show the photograph to me. Reply - "Woh aapko thodi dikhayege (That will not be shown to you)". I was now red with anger and asked him flat - "Aapki team baithi hai na - usme magistrate bhi to hoge. Unhe to dikhayege. Chaliye mujhe unse mila dijiye (Your team is sitting there. Isn't it? There must be a magistrate in the team. You will atleast show the photograph to him. Take me to him."

Now he changed gears yet again. "Aap kyon baat ko itna bada rahe hai? Ham to din raat chourahe par khade rehte hai. Kabhi aap aap phas gaye to aapki help hi karege. Jo bhi aap ku marji ho de dijiye. (Why do you want to go to that extent. I generally stand on these squares. If you get caught somewhere - I will help you. just give whatever you feel like).......... Bribes are now begged for....

Third - Babu-dom-dum
After a hard days work I decided its time to get back to home early and walked down the steps of my office - and I noticed a chauffeur ambassador with a yellow light on top entering the gate. The gentleman on the backside of the car had a wireless in his hand and he got down from the car as if he is there for an official purpose. He approached me and said in an almost derogatory manner - "Kyon kaun hai yeha ke Director - jara unse kaho nagar nigam se Mr. X aaye hai. (Who is the Director of this place. Tell him Mr. X from Nagar Nigam has arrived).

I tell him that I am the person he is looking for. He suddenly waters down (and I wonder - do I not look the grade) and says "Mein X Nagar Nigam ka removal officer - aapka area mere under mein hi aata hai. (I am mr. X - removal officer from Nagar Nigam. Your area falls under my jurisdiction)" I enquire as to what he wanted. He assures me "Are mein yeha nagar nigam ke kaam se nahi aaya (Oh !! I am not here for official work). Actually my son wanted to join your institue, so I thought I will meet you once. Free mein nahi hoga - bas jo bhi discount aap karte hai woh de dejiye (Don't give it free - just provide discount)" Artfully he adds - "nagar nigam mein kuch kaam ho to bataiyega (Tell me about any work you need done in nagar nigam)".....................

End Note
What does one say except repeat the title of this post - Yeh kya ho raha hai ?? Whats happening? Why me?

Picture Courtsey : http://www.ipxsystems.net and http://www.fotosearch.com/

Lage Raho Munna Bhai aka Rang De Basanti

Watched "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" yesterday. Although, I do not write film reviews but this movie made me write one.

Like most others in the country, I had adored Munna Bhai MBBS. The Movie - was not an original idea. It was inspired by one similar hollywood movie. But the inspiration was well developed and suitably indianised. In fact one cannot use the word copy in this context. It was brilliant execution, in my view.

I had also appreciated the genius of thought in the Aamir khan starrer - Rang De Basanti (RDB). The idea of gelling martyrs of the yesteryears with generation-x of today was brilliant. The entire movie was executed with great finnese, as well.

So when I sat through the sequel of munna bhai - it did not take great intelligence to understand that the inspiration for this movie was RDB. Like the first time the inspiration was worked upon very well and so one does not feel bad at all shelling out a fortune to sit through this simple yet touching movie, however it remains an inspired movie to say the least.(Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched the movie already).

Its a neat copy of an idea - simple too. What did RDB do? It took some heroes from our freedom movement and weaved an artful story of how their passion and depth of thought can influence our so called spoilt brats of generation-x. It was a successful idea and worth copying. So what do you do? You dig out another freedom fighter as your protagonist. Now when the original had already picked up the more aggressive heroes of the freedom movement - who should be your obvious next pick - who else but Gandhiji - the one and only who represents the other philosophy.

What else can make it unique? RDB was a serious movie - so you keep the brand Munna Bhai alive by weaving it with a funny (really) theme. You can ofcourse not make a comedy of Gandhiji in this country and so the movie is with a serious message - and I must say, the movie succeeds in sending that message bang into your head. The simpilicity with which it makes Honesty still the best policy - is touching, inspiring, commendable and what does one say....... eye opening.

Some of the sequences are just too good - one cannot but associate oneself with the characters quite closely. Some of my favourite - the one where Munna Bhai offers an apology to Circuit - excellent dialogues, super delivery. Another one when the Munna Bhai's crush invites him to deliver a lecture on Gandhiji at her old age home and Circuit tries to avoid it finally losing the battle - excellent sense of timing by Arshad. Then the impossible sequence when Munna Bhai directs a depressed young man to share truth with his father - through the medium of (yes believe it) radio (do you again remember RDB - see I told you so) - the sequence ended up becoming quite believable - thats a huge achievement. Even the sequence when Munna Bhai goes on a satyagrah was carried out well.

Of the cast - Sanjay Dutt is better than he was in the original Munna Bhai, Boman Irani makes his mark yet again - fluent, flawless and with ease he carries some of the toughest characters that bollywood has to churn out. He deserves another series of awards for this role. Vidya Balan is like a gust of fresh air - charming and very authentic in her role - also effortless, she is a good actress. However the best of the lot is - Arshad Varsi. An actor whom bollywood has not yet utilised. The character of Munna Bhai will be simply devoid of any attraction without this yet another spectacular performance by Arshad. He has that sense of timing and expression which makes him a natural at comedy.

The editing is great - you are rivetted to your seat from the word go. The pace is fast enough to gloss over some obvious loopholes and before I talk about them let me commend a very well written script which makes the this movie very very effective.

Talking of loopholes I was rather amused that, circuit who generally would find a great funny way of cheating his way out of any situation for Munna bhai, could not think of a creative solution to Munna Bhai's problem of delivering a lecture on Gandhiji at an old age home. Remember the way he helped Munna Bhai top the PMT exam, or the way he helped him get an exclusive "body" for his practicals at the medical college, or the way he helped generate immediate logistic support to the whims of Munna Bhai - in the first version. In this one what idea does he come up with - a Library carrying literature on Gandhiji - for Munna Bhai to read. Somehow it simply does not go with the theme or the overall plot. Also the sequence in which Munna shares the truth about himself with her love - the reaction and the instant breakup should have been developed a lot better. The music is better than the last time but not outstanding. However the picturisation of "Lage Raho ..." was marvellous.

All in all - very good value for money. A surprisingly good sequel. Go ahead and watch it.

PS. Photograph Courtesy http://www.apunkachoice.com