People who know me well will vouch that I am a complete bollywood movie buff with an occasional dash of Hollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood and all the other woods existing in the world of cinema. Like any avid movie buff, TV or cable is no good for me. Nothing like watching a movie on a 70MM screen. The only regret I have is not being able to watch “Sholay” on the 70MM screen. Going to a cinema hall is a totally different experience. It’s a shame not being able to watch some movies on the big screen – Sholay, 3 Idiots, Dil Chahtha hai, just to name a few.
Around a month back, I went to a multiplex to see a movie. During the interval there was an advertisement played on the screen about video piracy. The message was loud and clear from all parties in Bollywood, that we should not buy pirated CD’s/DVD’s and go to the cinema hall to watch a movie. I could not agree more with the advertisement.
Another incident last week made me think if I really agreed with the advertisement. After having read and heard good reviews for the movie “Rajneeti”, we thought this was a movie for the big screen. Since the movie was in its third week, we thought we would get tickets easily, even for a Sunday afternoon. Of course we were getting tickets but the weekend price was 350/- per ticket. Weekday is a tad less at 250/-. Weekday morning shows are at 150/- for this particular movie, whereas other regional movies and other hindi movies are at 70/- for weekday morning show, 150/- for weekday any other show and around 250/- for the weekend.
This is the reason that makes me think twice before going to a cinema hall. If the multiplex is making a profit with majority of the tickets being sold in the range of 180-250/- and offering atleast 4-5 shows a day at 70/-, why hike the weekend ticket price for a few movies to 350/-? This is not business acumen, but pure greed. This is not about price increase due to the inverse relationship between demand and supply. An equilibrium price, in this case tends towards infinity and defies logic.
For a family of 4, the tickets will cost 1400/- plus average spend of 200/- per person on frivolously priced eatables and add another 50-100 for parking, if you happen to find one. The total cost of seeing one movie for a family is 2300-2500/-. This is the opportunity that fuels the pirated CD/DVD industry.
It is not enough for the bollywood industry to say stop buying pirated CD/DVD’s. The Bollywood industry including the multiplex business owners need to create an atmosphere conducive for everyone to go to the cinema. Until then, the pirated movie industry will continue to grow.
The movie industry wants a movie buff like me to come to the cinema and they themselves are also restricting me from coming. I am a movie buff, but I am not stupid and by no means am I so ethical to spend 350/- on each ticket. By the way, Pirated CD’s/DVD’s are available in Indira Nagar (Bangalore) for 35/- only. Now at that price, I don’t mind even if it works only once !!!!!
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Indian Paisa League III is over, now hail Mr. Modi
Finally that IPL III mayhem is over, I thought of penning down my thoughts on the tournament and all the behind the scene activities being talked about.
The tournament saw frivolously paid cricketers playing 20-20 cricket. Assuming a player played in all the 14 matches (only league stage) and each match went on for 3 hours, the total cricket played by a player is 42 hours. So for 42 hours of cricket over a period of 45 days (not even 1 hour a day) a player gets millions. How can we justify such a price for anyone, especially someone like Yuvraj Singh (based on IPL III). How long will he continue to be in the team because he hit an english gentleman called Stuart Broad for six sixes in one over in 2007?
Anyway cricket is no more a gentleman's game, atleast in India. It has now become a money spinner for an organization called BCCI. There is an old english proverb that too much of anything is bad. That is precisely what IPL has done to BCCI. The richest cricket board in the world became greedy for more. With BCCI having so much financial power and autocratic bureaucracy, all this was bound to trickle down to the IPL committe as well. BCCI should be called Board for Cash and Currency in India.
The man who pulled off all this, Lalit Modi is now being harrassed by every tom, dick and harry for misappropriation of auctions, funds, broadcast rights and anything and everything under the sun. Very soon there will be a case on him for the toilets taps leaking in some pavilion lounge. If his brother in law got some business or his step son in law got some deals through Lalit Modi, consdering the Indian "jugad" set up, why is everyone shocked? Can BCCI and all the government officials blaming Lalit Modi own up and say that they have never used their position to seek a favor for their kith and kin? I can bet my life's earnings that not one of them cam vouch for it. Lalit Modi is the son of K.K. Modi, who is the chairman of a Rs. 40 billion business empire. As per succession laws all that will come to Lalit Modi. So money is not something new to him. He has seen money right from the day he was born. There is no need for him to get into unscruplous acts to make more money. And as far as getting business deals for his relations is concerned, this has been happening for ages. Havent we seen the likes of Murali Vijay in the Indian team when Kris Srikkanth is the chairman of selectors or a Nayan Mongia been drafted into the Indian team by Kiran More or a Deep Dasgupta being selected by Arun Lal? That is state level favoritism and this is family level. There is not much of a difference.
So BCCI, Shashank Manohar and Sharad Pawar, please do not try to fool yourselves and everyone in India and around the world who are IPL fans. The whole reason of you blowing up everything out of proprtion is because Lalit Modi pulled off IPL and took it to extent which you never imagined. His only fault was he thought he is bigger than the game itself and that led to his downfall.
And for Mr. Modi, go on and fight. The cricketing world will never forget your contribution. IPL was and always be your baby. You nurtured it for 3 years. Irrespective of what anyone might say, you ensured that in the end the winner was a game called "cricket" and for that I salute you for that.
The tournament saw frivolously paid cricketers playing 20-20 cricket. Assuming a player played in all the 14 matches (only league stage) and each match went on for 3 hours, the total cricket played by a player is 42 hours. So for 42 hours of cricket over a period of 45 days (not even 1 hour a day) a player gets millions. How can we justify such a price for anyone, especially someone like Yuvraj Singh (based on IPL III). How long will he continue to be in the team because he hit an english gentleman called Stuart Broad for six sixes in one over in 2007?
Anyway cricket is no more a gentleman's game, atleast in India. It has now become a money spinner for an organization called BCCI. There is an old english proverb that too much of anything is bad. That is precisely what IPL has done to BCCI. The richest cricket board in the world became greedy for more. With BCCI having so much financial power and autocratic bureaucracy, all this was bound to trickle down to the IPL committe as well. BCCI should be called Board for Cash and Currency in India.
The man who pulled off all this, Lalit Modi is now being harrassed by every tom, dick and harry for misappropriation of auctions, funds, broadcast rights and anything and everything under the sun. Very soon there will be a case on him for the toilets taps leaking in some pavilion lounge. If his brother in law got some business or his step son in law got some deals through Lalit Modi, consdering the Indian "jugad" set up, why is everyone shocked? Can BCCI and all the government officials blaming Lalit Modi own up and say that they have never used their position to seek a favor for their kith and kin? I can bet my life's earnings that not one of them cam vouch for it. Lalit Modi is the son of K.K. Modi, who is the chairman of a Rs. 40 billion business empire. As per succession laws all that will come to Lalit Modi. So money is not something new to him. He has seen money right from the day he was born. There is no need for him to get into unscruplous acts to make more money. And as far as getting business deals for his relations is concerned, this has been happening for ages. Havent we seen the likes of Murali Vijay in the Indian team when Kris Srikkanth is the chairman of selectors or a Nayan Mongia been drafted into the Indian team by Kiran More or a Deep Dasgupta being selected by Arun Lal? That is state level favoritism and this is family level. There is not much of a difference.
So BCCI, Shashank Manohar and Sharad Pawar, please do not try to fool yourselves and everyone in India and around the world who are IPL fans. The whole reason of you blowing up everything out of proprtion is because Lalit Modi pulled off IPL and took it to extent which you never imagined. His only fault was he thought he is bigger than the game itself and that led to his downfall.
And for Mr. Modi, go on and fight. The cricketing world will never forget your contribution. IPL was and always be your baby. You nurtured it for 3 years. Irrespective of what anyone might say, you ensured that in the end the winner was a game called "cricket" and for that I salute you for that.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
What 3 idiots did not tell me !!
Dear Mr. Raju Hirani (director of the movie)
Now that it is has been proved beyond any doubt that '3 Idiots' was the most successfull movie last year, I thought that I should let you know my opinion of the movie. I write this blog as a hobby and this has been long due, but I went in search of excellence (like the movie says) and did not find time to fulfil simple pleasures like purusing a hobby.
A lot has been said about the movie. Everyone who saw the movie said it was brilliant. A lot of people too agreed with the message, the movie tried to convey. Well, why should I be left behind in the rat race. So here are my thoughts:
The main point of your movie was to give a big slap on our education system. Irrespective of whether you have board exams for class 10 or not, there are two main principles to securing good marks. Number one is mugging ("ratta") and number two being Buttering ("makkhan lagao, marks pao"). The anti-protagonist in the movie secured good grades by completly mugging up the text book and puking it on the exam paper. He did try the "makkhan" way, but thanks to your script writers intelligence, that "chamatkar" didnt happen. The movie shows the lead actor to be a very practical person, who follows the book as a formality and still secures the numero uno position in his class. In the end, the movie shows the lead actor as a big scientist and practically applying what is stated in the books. The movie also shows the other two idiots as reasonably successful in the professions of their choice. The "mugging" guy is successful with a huge mansion and a lambhorgini. All this was shown in your movie.
In the end, all was hunky-dory. Everyone was successful and happy. In all this, you seem to have forgotten, that, all the time they had the I.C.E. brand behind them. They were all products of a so-called finest education institution in the country.
Why do you show the college as the best in country? I would have agreed that your movie portrays the real picture, if the protagonists were from a not-so-well-known or a second rung college in any part of India. You seem to have convieniently ignored this point, which makes a big big difference in today's world. The movie tells people to not run behind success, but search for excellence. The movie encourages people to pursue their hobbies as a career, even if it means you get a paid a lot less. The movie shows just by mugging up you could earn the riches but you might not have excelled. All this is true my dear, but this is only for the self proclaimed creme-de-la-creme of India, which will be around 5% of the total students.
Spare a thought of those who are not in that 5%. Spare a thought for those who have a hobby, which will never pay them anything more than peanuts and they cannot pursue to it. Spare a thought for those who might not have the clarity to decide what they want to do with their lives. Spare a thought for those who are not from the IIM's, IIT's or ICE's of this world. Spare a thought for the majority of us.
So Mr. Hirani when you think about a sequel to 3 Idiots, let us take the protagonist from the majority of us, who are looked down upon in society for not scoring 99.99% in class 10. For not taking up Science in class 11 and 12. For not scoring 97.25% in class 12. For not making into the IIT's or IIM's or the top grade colleges in the country. When you dig deeper, we are neither worse nor better off than those getting into these institutions. But unfortunately you also looked at only those who have mugged their way into the best institution in country (and why engineering?). So, give us a fair chance the next time. Only then will you truly justify the name "3 idiots".
Now that it is has been proved beyond any doubt that '3 Idiots' was the most successfull movie last year, I thought that I should let you know my opinion of the movie. I write this blog as a hobby and this has been long due, but I went in search of excellence (like the movie says) and did not find time to fulfil simple pleasures like purusing a hobby.
A lot has been said about the movie. Everyone who saw the movie said it was brilliant. A lot of people too agreed with the message, the movie tried to convey. Well, why should I be left behind in the rat race. So here are my thoughts:
The main point of your movie was to give a big slap on our education system. Irrespective of whether you have board exams for class 10 or not, there are two main principles to securing good marks. Number one is mugging ("ratta") and number two being Buttering ("makkhan lagao, marks pao"). The anti-protagonist in the movie secured good grades by completly mugging up the text book and puking it on the exam paper. He did try the "makkhan" way, but thanks to your script writers intelligence, that "chamatkar" didnt happen. The movie shows the lead actor to be a very practical person, who follows the book as a formality and still secures the numero uno position in his class. In the end, the movie shows the lead actor as a big scientist and practically applying what is stated in the books. The movie also shows the other two idiots as reasonably successful in the professions of their choice. The "mugging" guy is successful with a huge mansion and a lambhorgini. All this was shown in your movie.
In the end, all was hunky-dory. Everyone was successful and happy. In all this, you seem to have forgotten, that, all the time they had the I.C.E. brand behind them. They were all products of a so-called finest education institution in the country.
Why do you show the college as the best in country? I would have agreed that your movie portrays the real picture, if the protagonists were from a not-so-well-known or a second rung college in any part of India. You seem to have convieniently ignored this point, which makes a big big difference in today's world. The movie tells people to not run behind success, but search for excellence. The movie encourages people to pursue their hobbies as a career, even if it means you get a paid a lot less. The movie shows just by mugging up you could earn the riches but you might not have excelled. All this is true my dear, but this is only for the self proclaimed creme-de-la-creme of India, which will be around 5% of the total students.
Spare a thought of those who are not in that 5%. Spare a thought for those who have a hobby, which will never pay them anything more than peanuts and they cannot pursue to it. Spare a thought for those who might not have the clarity to decide what they want to do with their lives. Spare a thought for those who are not from the IIM's, IIT's or ICE's of this world. Spare a thought for the majority of us.
So Mr. Hirani when you think about a sequel to 3 Idiots, let us take the protagonist from the majority of us, who are looked down upon in society for not scoring 99.99% in class 10. For not taking up Science in class 11 and 12. For not scoring 97.25% in class 12. For not making into the IIT's or IIM's or the top grade colleges in the country. When you dig deeper, we are neither worse nor better off than those getting into these institutions. But unfortunately you also looked at only those who have mugged their way into the best institution in country (and why engineering?). So, give us a fair chance the next time. Only then will you truly justify the name "3 idiots".
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Jalsa
The foodie is back after a hiatus of a couple of months. After moving back to Bangalore, I was really looking forward to an authentically authentic North Indian cuisine. My mind was full of restaurant names I use to frequent 3 years back and I wanted to go to all of them at the same time. Our first visit was to a restaurant nearby, where we knew the food was tasty, but unfortunately they had stopped serving alcohol. Somehow, it has become an unwritten rule that thou shall commit a sin if thou shall visit a restaurant that does not serve alcohol. So, obviously we could not eat there. When we came out, a friend suggested we go to a place called 'Jalsa'. Having never been there, it was a consensus to go there.
The place was a direct lift from the sets of the movie Jodha-Akbar. The place had an ethnic look to it and the waiters were dressed like descendents of a royal family. For someone who wants to have a Kingfisher beer, beware, they serve only KF Strong, which somehow does not go with my taste buds these days. Anyway, being the accommodating person I am, I went with KF Strong. I would not mention a lot about the vegetarian stuff, as I did not have much of it, but others who did order veggies were very impressed with it.
Coming to the 'real food', we were only two of us who were meat-eaters. So we ordered half a tandoori chicken. Half the chicken was divided into two pieces. Very juicy and the spices were so so right. As we started digging into it, we realized how tender the meat was and how easily it came off the bones and melted in our mouth. The mint chutney, served along with was a treat as well. Once we polished that off, we were keen to sample the mutton Dum biryani, but to our bad luck, all they had was chicken biryani. Not to be de-motivated and disheartened, we ordered a chicken biryani. This was served in a 'handi' (mud pot) with the traditional raita. On top was freshly cooked and the aromatic basmati rice. As we dug into the mud pot, we got all the masalas and three tender, juicy pieces of chicken, completely immersed in the spices. Now this biryani was so relishing that it comes very close to my own benchmarks for biryani (Empire restaurant in Bangalore or Fishland in Hyderabad). We ate a hearty meal with just one bottle of beer to go along with it.
This place does loose out slightly on the monetary side, as it did turn out to be a bit expensive (Rs. 500-700 per person). A place to go on a birthday or anniversary or other special occasions, unless someone is like me, where every meal of the day is a special ocassion. We did not have the appetite for anything sweet. This place is on the ring road, close to Marthahalli in Bangalore. A must visit for all food lovers.
Happy Eating!!!
The place was a direct lift from the sets of the movie Jodha-Akbar. The place had an ethnic look to it and the waiters were dressed like descendents of a royal family. For someone who wants to have a Kingfisher beer, beware, they serve only KF Strong, which somehow does not go with my taste buds these days. Anyway, being the accommodating person I am, I went with KF Strong. I would not mention a lot about the vegetarian stuff, as I did not have much of it, but others who did order veggies were very impressed with it.
Coming to the 'real food', we were only two of us who were meat-eaters. So we ordered half a tandoori chicken. Half the chicken was divided into two pieces. Very juicy and the spices were so so right. As we started digging into it, we realized how tender the meat was and how easily it came off the bones and melted in our mouth. The mint chutney, served along with was a treat as well. Once we polished that off, we were keen to sample the mutton Dum biryani, but to our bad luck, all they had was chicken biryani. Not to be de-motivated and disheartened, we ordered a chicken biryani. This was served in a 'handi' (mud pot) with the traditional raita. On top was freshly cooked and the aromatic basmati rice. As we dug into the mud pot, we got all the masalas and three tender, juicy pieces of chicken, completely immersed in the spices. Now this biryani was so relishing that it comes very close to my own benchmarks for biryani (Empire restaurant in Bangalore or Fishland in Hyderabad). We ate a hearty meal with just one bottle of beer to go along with it.
This place does loose out slightly on the monetary side, as it did turn out to be a bit expensive (Rs. 500-700 per person). A place to go on a birthday or anniversary or other special occasions, unless someone is like me, where every meal of the day is a special ocassion. We did not have the appetite for anything sweet. This place is on the ring road, close to Marthahalli in Bangalore. A must visit for all food lovers.
Happy Eating!!!
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
26/11 and my predicitons
I am not an astrologer. But this one time I can bet on my predictions. This one time I know it will come true.
It is the beginning of November. Very soon we will have the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Let me provide everyone an insight to what will happen on the run up to November 26, this year. There are different perspectives we can look at. I think we would be better off examining the key parties, rather than target what individuals would be doing.
Government – our self proclaimed leaders would address some gathering, in some part of the country. They will reiterate that after 26/11, they have beefed up security on all quarters. They will blame our neighbours and say that we will not tolerate any such attacks on our motherland. They will make sure to include the names of the deceased like Hemant Karkare in their blown up speeches. And of course, there will be a one minute silence at the beginning of the session, in both houses of parliament. They will announce gallantry awards for the ones who fought last year.
TV Channels – These days our TV channels go berserk for anything and everything. Every channel will show footage of what happened last year. All channels will rewind to a minute by minute happening of the massacre. They will show the map of Mumbai and point with red dots, the places where the events unfolded, along with the timing of the event. The commentaries will of course be done by people who can really make a mountain out of a mole hill, just by using their high pitch voices. They might also take a gun and walk into Dadar station or even hire a boat and sail through fisherman’s colony and then say our security is useless.
NGO’s and few socially conscious organizations – they will not have anytime during the day, as they have their work to do, which earns them their bread and butter. In the evening, they will hold a candle light vigil at the incident spots. They might all gather together and walk up to Mantralaya or the commissioner’s office or some other spot. They might then present a memo to some government babu, signed by 25000-30000 people asking the government to take steps to ensure this does not happen again. Then go home, watch the TV channels and sleep off.
Defence chiefs / Defence minister / Home minister – They need special mention, although they do form a part of the government. All of them together will condemn last year’s attacks. They will tell about what they have been doing to ensure such incidents do not happen again. But one of them will also say that as the ‘anniversary’ of 26/11 is approaching, they have intelligence inputs that such strikes might happen again and all forces should be alert. There will be extra security at airports, parliaments and other places frequented by government babu’s.
Police / Commandoes / Soldiers – these are the guys who fought bravely against extremist forces, last year. Just another day at office for them.
Common man – will be afraid to step out thinking about what happened last year. The warning signals from the defence chief’s only add to the fear. He will go to work, come home, keep changing TV channels to see the coverage of how events unfolded last year, eat, pray that he escaped and sleep off.
Kasab – He will be congratulating himself on being successful on living off the tax payer’s money for a full year. He will be thinking of new ideas and thoughts. May be he should change caterers. Everyone needs a change. Or may be ask for his case to shifted to the international war crimes tribunal. But most important, continue to live and enjoy all comforts from the tax payers money.
One can understand all of the above people reacting in different circumstances, except one. I do not need to point out which one. Such is our judicial system, where someone from our neighbouring country rides a boat and comes to our land. He opens fire, kills a few people but gets caught in the process, red-handed, but our government is still examining witnesses and filing schedules after schedules and documents after documents.
Probably by 2030, this incident will be part of the CBSE history syllabus. Once upon a time a man named Kasab, rode a boat and entered Mumbai. He opened fire at a railway station and killed many people. Alas!!!everyone ran helter skelter. Our police caught him and arrested him. He was lodged in Arthur road jail. And then he lived happily ever after.
Now can anyone bet this will not happen??????
It is the beginning of November. Very soon we will have the first anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Let me provide everyone an insight to what will happen on the run up to November 26, this year. There are different perspectives we can look at. I think we would be better off examining the key parties, rather than target what individuals would be doing.
Government – our self proclaimed leaders would address some gathering, in some part of the country. They will reiterate that after 26/11, they have beefed up security on all quarters. They will blame our neighbours and say that we will not tolerate any such attacks on our motherland. They will make sure to include the names of the deceased like Hemant Karkare in their blown up speeches. And of course, there will be a one minute silence at the beginning of the session, in both houses of parliament. They will announce gallantry awards for the ones who fought last year.
TV Channels – These days our TV channels go berserk for anything and everything. Every channel will show footage of what happened last year. All channels will rewind to a minute by minute happening of the massacre. They will show the map of Mumbai and point with red dots, the places where the events unfolded, along with the timing of the event. The commentaries will of course be done by people who can really make a mountain out of a mole hill, just by using their high pitch voices. They might also take a gun and walk into Dadar station or even hire a boat and sail through fisherman’s colony and then say our security is useless.
NGO’s and few socially conscious organizations – they will not have anytime during the day, as they have their work to do, which earns them their bread and butter. In the evening, they will hold a candle light vigil at the incident spots. They might all gather together and walk up to Mantralaya or the commissioner’s office or some other spot. They might then present a memo to some government babu, signed by 25000-30000 people asking the government to take steps to ensure this does not happen again. Then go home, watch the TV channels and sleep off.
Defence chiefs / Defence minister / Home minister – They need special mention, although they do form a part of the government. All of them together will condemn last year’s attacks. They will tell about what they have been doing to ensure such incidents do not happen again. But one of them will also say that as the ‘anniversary’ of 26/11 is approaching, they have intelligence inputs that such strikes might happen again and all forces should be alert. There will be extra security at airports, parliaments and other places frequented by government babu’s.
Police / Commandoes / Soldiers – these are the guys who fought bravely against extremist forces, last year. Just another day at office for them.
Common man – will be afraid to step out thinking about what happened last year. The warning signals from the defence chief’s only add to the fear. He will go to work, come home, keep changing TV channels to see the coverage of how events unfolded last year, eat, pray that he escaped and sleep off.
Kasab – He will be congratulating himself on being successful on living off the tax payer’s money for a full year. He will be thinking of new ideas and thoughts. May be he should change caterers. Everyone needs a change. Or may be ask for his case to shifted to the international war crimes tribunal. But most important, continue to live and enjoy all comforts from the tax payers money.
One can understand all of the above people reacting in different circumstances, except one. I do not need to point out which one. Such is our judicial system, where someone from our neighbouring country rides a boat and comes to our land. He opens fire, kills a few people but gets caught in the process, red-handed, but our government is still examining witnesses and filing schedules after schedules and documents after documents.
Probably by 2030, this incident will be part of the CBSE history syllabus. Once upon a time a man named Kasab, rode a boat and entered Mumbai. He opened fire at a railway station and killed many people. Alas!!!everyone ran helter skelter. Our police caught him and arrested him. He was lodged in Arthur road jail. And then he lived happily ever after.
Now can anyone bet this will not happen??????
Friday, 23 October 2009
Udipi Palace
When we hear 'Udipi' only two things come to our mind. One is the Krishna temple and the other is idly-vada-dosa-sambar. Now definetly I am not talking about the temple here. Udipi Palace is a small South Indian eating joint in Kingsbury, in the county of Middlesex. Very soon, the county of Middlesex might get an award for serving the best Indian food in London.
Well, having eaten there many times, I have always stuck to dosa and vada(sambar and chutney is taken for granted). The last time I went there to get a takeway, it was lunch time on a Sunday. The restaurant had advertized in bright colors 'ready meals'. That immidately reminded me of the 'Darshini' or the millions of Andhra eating outlets in Bangalore. So I ordered a takeaway lunch. The smell on the walk back home was intoxicating so say the least. I just could not wait to try the food.
The 'meals' had 2 chapatis, decent helping of rice, rasam, sambar, two veg curries, dal, butter milk, yoghurt and pickles. Overall it is good enough for one person to eat heartily.
I started with the chapatis, dal and veg curry. The taste was amazing. Nothing fancy, but as close to home cooked food as it could get. After the chapatis vanished in no time, I pounced on the rice. Now the best way to eat rice, rasam and sambar is using your hands. First I started with some rice and sambar with the other veg curry. Instantaneous comment was 'super'. The pickle with the sambar and rice jelled like a piece of pineapple on a vanilla cake. Once the sambar was over, the rice and rasam was equally delicious. Of course the left over rasam can be taken as a drink as well (without the kicks). Then came the butter milk. It was not great in quantity, but top notch quality. Reminded me of the days in Bangalore when the best drink to quench the summer afternoon thirst is 'majge' (butter milk).
A hearty experience and the restaurant guy is now friends with me. The next time I went to buy medu vada, he gave me some 'bajis' (pakoda) to taste, as that day he started making them for the first time. Customer loyalty always get rewarded.
By the way, the entire meals costs only GBP 4.00. Defintely worth every penny. There is a abridged version of the meal available for GBP 2.50, but when you go for the meals, go for the full one, so you also feel full. The restuarant is opposite Kingsbury tube station on the Jubilee line. Yeah !!!!!! it could be a nightmare to get there over the weekend, but all efforts are duly rewarded.
Well, having eaten there many times, I have always stuck to dosa and vada(sambar and chutney is taken for granted). The last time I went there to get a takeway, it was lunch time on a Sunday. The restaurant had advertized in bright colors 'ready meals'. That immidately reminded me of the 'Darshini' or the millions of Andhra eating outlets in Bangalore. So I ordered a takeaway lunch. The smell on the walk back home was intoxicating so say the least. I just could not wait to try the food.
The 'meals' had 2 chapatis, decent helping of rice, rasam, sambar, two veg curries, dal, butter milk, yoghurt and pickles. Overall it is good enough for one person to eat heartily.
I started with the chapatis, dal and veg curry. The taste was amazing. Nothing fancy, but as close to home cooked food as it could get. After the chapatis vanished in no time, I pounced on the rice. Now the best way to eat rice, rasam and sambar is using your hands. First I started with some rice and sambar with the other veg curry. Instantaneous comment was 'super'. The pickle with the sambar and rice jelled like a piece of pineapple on a vanilla cake. Once the sambar was over, the rice and rasam was equally delicious. Of course the left over rasam can be taken as a drink as well (without the kicks). Then came the butter milk. It was not great in quantity, but top notch quality. Reminded me of the days in Bangalore when the best drink to quench the summer afternoon thirst is 'majge' (butter milk).
A hearty experience and the restaurant guy is now friends with me. The next time I went to buy medu vada, he gave me some 'bajis' (pakoda) to taste, as that day he started making them for the first time. Customer loyalty always get rewarded.
By the way, the entire meals costs only GBP 4.00. Defintely worth every penny. There is a abridged version of the meal available for GBP 2.50, but when you go for the meals, go for the full one, so you also feel full. The restuarant is opposite Kingsbury tube station on the Jubilee line. Yeah !!!!!! it could be a nightmare to get there over the weekend, but all efforts are duly rewarded.
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Pati, Patni aur Woh
Reality shows seem to be the in-thing with our TV channels these days. Every channel has a show and everyone seems to be following some show or the other. Rakhi Sawant seems to be the queen of reality shows. First it was Big Boss, then Swayamvar and now Pati, Patni aur Woh. And with every show she has become intolerable.
This new show ‘Pati, Patni aur Woh’ has all the ingredients to spoil your evening. Five celebrity couples are put through the motions of everyday life of the common man – raising kids, caring for elders in the family, working and earning money and doing household chores without any help available. Clearly goes to show the ignorance and naivety of our celebrities and the artificial world they live in.
Anyway, currently they are bringing up kids who are 6-9 months old. Their real parents monitor their children through video conference, sitting in the next room and can interfere if they think something is going wrong. I feel sorry and pity for the children who have to put up with the tantrums of their celebrity foster parents, rather than the other way around. Also, how would parents have the heart to put their child through such an ordeal? Why would parents keep their children away from them, voluntarily and then moan and cry? Would any parent be calm and composed if told that they had forgotten to give their child, the medicines it needs to be given? Would anyone take an answer that they forgot to read the manual in which the food habits of the child are clearly mentioned? The real parents of these children are putting up with the reel parents on all these points. There can be only one answer to this question of why. “Money speaks honey.” They are compensated well for putting their children through this ordeal. They all come from well-off families. So why would they want to put their child through this? The answer is pure greed. One of the parents proudly told the media that their child got an offer for a movie, after being seen on this show. So, till the child has commitments like school, make them earn some bucks. Contentment and living within means is slowly but surely vanishing from mankind (no offense to women. Making sure before I get sued for discrimination).
Highlights of the show:
- One lady called her mom and asked her how to make plain rice.
- Another lady keeps cursing the baby that it eats so much
- One of them keeps hogging all day and I have never seen her husband eat
- One of them cries that she misses her other half. Where is he? Gone to work for 4 hours a day
- And the icing on the cake has to be Rakhi Sawant, who openly says that when she gets married to her Mr. Right, she wants to have only one kid and then will undergo ‘nasbandi’. Wow!! But there seems to be a mismatch of.. you know what.
Now I have BIG question. What on earth is our government, IB ministry and the thousands of NGO’s we have doing? If a middle class household employs a child in their home that is a crime? If poor people send their children to work, that is a crime? If our diwali crackers are manufactured by children, in the factories of Sivakasi, that is a crime. The government cracks a whip in all these situations. Middle class people, who genuinely need help and are willing to pay for it, cannot employ a child. Or if parents are poor and want to send their children to work, to make ends meet, cannot do so. Then why are well-off families allowed to use their children, to make money? Why is the government allowing such parents to let their child to be on such a show? Why is a TV channel allowed to employ children less than 14 years?
The law states that children less than 14 years should not be employed in hazardous working conditions. Now who defines non-hazardous working conditions? I know people who have hired less than 14 year olds as domestic helps. The environment and working conditions are much better and a blessing, as compared to what is provided to the child on this show. If a child working in a cracker factory is hazardous, then not feeding the child properly or making the child bleed on the show is also hazardous. Why can’t the government put an end to such ludicrous shows? Why does the government have a two-faced attitude? It is a shame that the mass needs such shows to keep them entertained. It is a shame that we have fun at the cost of others.
A parting word of advice for the ‘celebrity’ couples who have been given jobs in a hotel so that they can earn money for their so-called family? If you are given a palatial, fully furnished house to live in, without paying rent, without paying any taxes, without paying for utilities, without paying for transportation, having a car at your disposal, having medical help at your disposal and given Rs. 3000/- per month, I think majority of Indians would love to swap roles with you, considering that’s what the per capita income in India is and with the burden of all living expenses. So stop cribbing and get you’re a** moving!!!!
This new show ‘Pati, Patni aur Woh’ has all the ingredients to spoil your evening. Five celebrity couples are put through the motions of everyday life of the common man – raising kids, caring for elders in the family, working and earning money and doing household chores without any help available. Clearly goes to show the ignorance and naivety of our celebrities and the artificial world they live in.
Anyway, currently they are bringing up kids who are 6-9 months old. Their real parents monitor their children through video conference, sitting in the next room and can interfere if they think something is going wrong. I feel sorry and pity for the children who have to put up with the tantrums of their celebrity foster parents, rather than the other way around. Also, how would parents have the heart to put their child through such an ordeal? Why would parents keep their children away from them, voluntarily and then moan and cry? Would any parent be calm and composed if told that they had forgotten to give their child, the medicines it needs to be given? Would anyone take an answer that they forgot to read the manual in which the food habits of the child are clearly mentioned? The real parents of these children are putting up with the reel parents on all these points. There can be only one answer to this question of why. “Money speaks honey.” They are compensated well for putting their children through this ordeal. They all come from well-off families. So why would they want to put their child through this? The answer is pure greed. One of the parents proudly told the media that their child got an offer for a movie, after being seen on this show. So, till the child has commitments like school, make them earn some bucks. Contentment and living within means is slowly but surely vanishing from mankind (no offense to women. Making sure before I get sued for discrimination).
Highlights of the show:
- One lady called her mom and asked her how to make plain rice.
- Another lady keeps cursing the baby that it eats so much
- One of them keeps hogging all day and I have never seen her husband eat
- One of them cries that she misses her other half. Where is he? Gone to work for 4 hours a day
- And the icing on the cake has to be Rakhi Sawant, who openly says that when she gets married to her Mr. Right, she wants to have only one kid and then will undergo ‘nasbandi’. Wow!! But there seems to be a mismatch of.. you know what.
Now I have BIG question. What on earth is our government, IB ministry and the thousands of NGO’s we have doing? If a middle class household employs a child in their home that is a crime? If poor people send their children to work, that is a crime? If our diwali crackers are manufactured by children, in the factories of Sivakasi, that is a crime. The government cracks a whip in all these situations. Middle class people, who genuinely need help and are willing to pay for it, cannot employ a child. Or if parents are poor and want to send their children to work, to make ends meet, cannot do so. Then why are well-off families allowed to use their children, to make money? Why is the government allowing such parents to let their child to be on such a show? Why is a TV channel allowed to employ children less than 14 years?
The law states that children less than 14 years should not be employed in hazardous working conditions. Now who defines non-hazardous working conditions? I know people who have hired less than 14 year olds as domestic helps. The environment and working conditions are much better and a blessing, as compared to what is provided to the child on this show. If a child working in a cracker factory is hazardous, then not feeding the child properly or making the child bleed on the show is also hazardous. Why can’t the government put an end to such ludicrous shows? Why does the government have a two-faced attitude? It is a shame that the mass needs such shows to keep them entertained. It is a shame that we have fun at the cost of others.
A parting word of advice for the ‘celebrity’ couples who have been given jobs in a hotel so that they can earn money for their so-called family? If you are given a palatial, fully furnished house to live in, without paying rent, without paying any taxes, without paying for utilities, without paying for transportation, having a car at your disposal, having medical help at your disposal and given Rs. 3000/- per month, I think majority of Indians would love to swap roles with you, considering that’s what the per capita income in India is and with the burden of all living expenses. So stop cribbing and get you’re a** moving!!!!
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