HUM TUM....Another Bollywood Humdrum!

Creativity has almost become defunct now in Bollywood. Not that I had any hopes from it in terms of challenging cinema. But should admit of late the quality of films being dished out to the "discerning audience" is at it's nadir. With the glorious exception of Ram Gopal Verma's films I don't look forward to the release of any Hindi film. Not that I am an aficionado of Tamil films either. Again Mani Ratnam,Kamal Hassan and Shankar being the exceptions. But as I mentioned elsewhere the trash ratio of Collywood is lower compared to Bollywood. IMNSHO an average Hollywood film is comparable to the best dished out here. Well alright guess I am a stuck up snob when it comes to films but hey that doesn't make my observation any wrong. Now coming to Hum Tum where I was dragged on to it by my friend and his inamorata to the Woodlands theatre . It was 8 yrs since I last went to the theatre...
...cut to the present...

About the Movie: *if* I have to write abt the story (?) it would take me less than two lines. So I am gonna desist from doing it. (Ya thank your respective Gods). It is "loosely" based on When Harry Met Sally (WHMS) and did not do justice to the film at all. Ok let me first say what was in the movie. Saif in his stereotyped flirtatious role. He still seems to be carrying on that image from his "Yeh Dillagi" (If my memory serves me right) days. And looks way too old in this movie to pull it off. Ppl do age in 10 yrs you know. Though he does seem comfortable in the later part of the movie. Initially as a “college” student….well (shrugs). Rani looks gorgeous if her make up man has been kind to her or *if* you have been lucky to doze off in between. Sorry even she isn’t worth the 60 bucks the ticket I spent for! ;(
The rest of the cast does not warrant any special attention. Ah yeah. The Story. Saif comes from a rich family (boy! Were you “surprised???) whose parents are estranged (ample foundation for sentiments to come later) with an ultra cool dad. (the new synonym for clichéd is Bollywood!) Rani is as usual from a rich family too with a Punjabi mother (Atleast I am not sure..hey this is not a movie review..these are my interpretations not facts) and the story is how they “hate each other initially and then fall in love” (yawn!!!!!) Add doses of sentiments..family values…man woman bonding (Bollywood style!) ,designer clothes,forced humor,shameless lifting from a Hollywood film and not doing it justice fully and what have you? “Hum tum”! Some of the visuals are pretty good ofcourse…Paris and Amsterdam…but hey me want some “reality” and more importantly “originality”!!

How is it different from WHMS? In every way possible. The two reasons why WHMS became popular was :
1) Woman faking orgasms
2) Platonic friendship: myth or reality?

About the first naturally have no idea or empirical facts to back up (as yet ;)). Abt the second have loads to say. But that’s got to be another day. The movie was a classic because it was more in sync with the American life. The screenplay was much better and brilliant acting by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan added to the positives of the movie. Now naturally one cannot make a replica of WHMS in hindi…where “sex” is still taboo (Hawaas and Murder fans plz excuse!) and whatever does p-l-a-t-o-n-i-c mean anyway??? So Hum Tum is the “best” they can dish out. And insult the intelligence of the viewers (Did you forget abt the “snob” part?) And THAT ladies and Gentleman is THAT.

My Political Stance...

First of all due credit to Guhan for suggesting the site www.politicalcompass.org ...think it's a pretty good and accurate one. Though I hadn't thought deeply about some of the qns asked and hence had to answer impromptu. That might have affected my political ideology a bit...but overall think it's a pretty good estimate. Great site d00d! Well am not exactly surprised seeing where I am placed in the international chart..;) Though am not that much of a LEFTIST. The anomaly could be because of the aberrations in answering some qns. What say Guhan? we seem to have almost the same political ideology ;)

Are you "Orkuted" yet?

Looks like the "socializing" bug has bit me too ! From an extremely private individual with closeted thoughts here I am coming out "split wide open"! Of course I am exaggerating:) The thing is last fortnight or so there has been this intense desire to “let go” and go full throttle into the world. Well whatever. Not sure how many of you guys have heard of this site www.orkut.com . I heard abt it a month ago when Suzy mentioned it in passing…I had no idea but got curious and went to the site..and viola! Was greeted with this message…

“orkut is unique, because it's an organically growing network of trusted friends. That way we won't grow too large, too quickly and everyone will have at least one person to vouch for them.

If you know someone who is a member of orkut, that person can invite you to join as well. If you don't know an orkut member, wait a bit and most likely you soon will.

We look forward to having you as part of the orkut community. “

OH YEAH! Alright let me admit it I got curious. I mean what the heck was there in the site anyway? But then had to curb my curiosity since no one had found me worthy enough to be “orkuted”;) So I followed their suggestion and waited a “bit”..except that “bit” turned out to be a month and slowly the existence of such a site faded away from my memory. Then as destiny would have it I got two invites to be “orkuted” in the same day! One from my cousin and another one from Anil . Boy! Was I getting famous enough to be “orkuted”;) Anyway thither I went and did the mandatory registering blah blah. This site boasted of abt 3.3 lakh members when it was established just 5 months ago. Not doubting the authenticity of the data given it was impressive. Anyway there are lots of “communities” in it no doubt catering to almost every interest of yours but what was sorely lacking was ironically the QUALITY of posts. There were some glorious exceptions of course still overall disappointing. I was bored with reading the lacklustre responses and posts even in communities like “Psychology”,”Evolution” and all so did the next best thing. Started going thro’ the profiles of friends of friends etc . And it brought out some curious and very valuable information.
1) There are a large number of single eligible girls out there
2) And some of them defy Murphy’s law. Am not talking abt the Beauty*Brains= negative constant thing but “All Good ones are taken” ;)
3) There are lots of desperate guys out there as well :P

And viola! Here you have a dating site! Frankly as of now seeing the quality of interaction going on the cynic in me can call it only a “dating” site in the garb of a community one ! Anyway who is complaining?;) And the hilarious part was the “testimonials” which one can write for one’s friends. And they way some of them were “coochicooing” online was disgusting/funny whatever was the intention. But it’s a good networking site. Infact a very good networking site as it is amazing to see how many mutual friends one has. But as of now unless the quality of posts increase it will remain only that…a dating site. If you wanna join mail me;) or wait a “bit” longer….someone somewhere out there will soon “orkut” you! :D :D

Not as easy as I thought...

Let me admit it. The transition from my pc to online blog is not as easy as I thought. Cos' since this is in the public domain I have to rethink everytime I post. And moreover was busy the last week with the PG meet and my trip to Bangalore. Anyway as of now this blog looks clumsy...me too lazy to edit! Anyway let me see what I Can do in the following days to come....

So it's officially out..I have gone Public :)

So from sporadic diary writing to pc to online the transition has been indeed late. I love writing and dispensing my gyaan...to myself. Perhaps that was the reason why I desisted from posting it public. But it had to happen someday and well so as Bryan Adams would say or rather sing it.. "Here I am " :) So dear blog expect me more often here and no I am not going to bore you with the mundane happenings in my life...will rather you bore you with my perceptions of it ;) So till next time..take care....