Monday, February 25, 2013

Some Movies and Moments


We watched the movie Himmatwala (2013) starring Ajay Devgan. It is of genre comedy. We enjoyed the portions of the movie which can be called comedy a lot. The whole theatre also enjoyed it. But there were portions in the movie which were painful to watch because of emotional content. I felt sad to see that the audiences in the theatre were laughing also during the scenes which were painful to watch and brought tears to our eyes. Like the emotional scenes where mother begs goddess Durga to save Ajay Devgan from the hands of villains. I did not understand how people could laugh at such scenes. It seems this happened because the movie was comedy and hence people would also laugh during the portions which were not really comedy. But it seemed very insensitive to us and we wondered if movies and our film industry is training us to be insensitive and to laugh at others plight and tragedies? 

'Wanted' has a very touching aspect in story line. A young corporate professional is wrongly informed by a secret fraternity that a man had murdered his father and hence he goes on a drive to kill this man. The man had an extraordinary reflex powers; which even this boy had. In the end he kills the man and then gets to know that this man was actually his father! His father tells him before dying in his hands, "Everything they told you was a lie. You are my son." When the boy asks his guide Angelina Julie why she told him a lie, she replied, "Because we know that you are the only one he won't kill!" Such brutal mind game and treachery that it sends shivers down the spine...

Watched ‘Zila Ghaziabad’ and enjoyed it a lot. It has flavors of half ‘Dabang’ and half ‘Raktcharitram’. In fact if it was released earlier as planned, Dabang-2 won’t have been such a hit! Sanjay Dutt plays the role of a good-bad super Cop while one of my favorite actors Vivek Oberoi is back through ZG into powerful role of an avenging angry young man. It is amazing to see that Vivek has not aged even a bit and looks 110% fit – he has come back after a brief break. Perhaps his newly born kid from his marriage would prove lucky for him. This movie also features Chandrachood Singh; we were wondering over the years where did he go after a few flicks and hits? He has a very brief role. Zila Ghaziabad also has very soulful role for Arshad Warsi. It is a delight to see him on screen, even if he plays a negative character. This movie is a strange combination of action thriller and comedy. One more thing to mention is that its dialogues are so powerful. Whoever wrote them did a great job!

Happened to watch Hindi movie Fatso! It is a story of love which transcends horizons of body and this material world. A boy dies leaving his girlfriend alone who gets into depression. But as it happens, this boy had died without destined and hence gods send him back to the earth. But the condition is that he has to get back life in the body of one of their common friends who was in fact Fatso. He (his soul) comes to Fatso’s house and waits for the “event”. Fatso comes back home while being wet, talks to his mother and then sits on a chair. He feels problems in respiration and feels uneasy. He calls his mother but she is busy in household chores. All this happens in front of his friend’s eyes (his friend’s soul’s eyes) who loves Fatso and wants to help but there is no way he can help him. In a very touching scene he looks while Fatso breathes his last… (After some time he enters his body and wakes up live).

A climactic scene from the movie Inglorious Bustards became very touching. The movie is about an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler by a Jewish girl. The Jewish has planned the assassination plot well- she was to burn down the closed theatre in which Hitler and his Nazi colleagues were watching a propaganda movie. A German Nazi soldier loves her but she has been rejecting his feelings. In the climax, just before she was to blow the hall, he comes to her and starts talking about his love. She tries to send him away but he doesn’t go back. When his back is towards her, she shoots him with her Pistol! He falls down on the ground… In a moment, the rather cold girl sees him and is filled with a pain. At that moment, he cries slowly in pain and she comes to him to check him. Then he turns back and shoots her dead! The soldier loved her immensely but he remembered that she was to harm his nation and its leaders and hence shoots her down. She, the first mover, hated Nazi Germany so much that she didn’t think twice before shot down the only man alive who loved her… The potent struggle between emotional love and hardbound duty is depicted wonderfully and leaves us in ponder…

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer]

Saturday, February 23, 2013

New Cadbury Silk Ad: Dirty



If you watch TV in India, I am sure you must have watched this new Cadbury Silk Ad. It features a lady ‘eating’ Cadbury Silk chocolate. To say she is eating is a simplistic statement because she is basically ‘playing with’ the chocolate. That was perhaps what the ad-gurus wanted to make out – that even though you are grown up (all ladies featured are not kids or even teens), you can still “play with” chocolate. Perhaps you were not allowed by your parents to play with (which means mess up) chocolate when you were kids, and now that you are grownup and can spend money (these chocolates are not usual Cadbury Daily Milk but costlier ones without much value add) you should use the opportunity to rub yourself with chocolate now! Sounds great? Not really!

Who in his or her right mind plays with chocolate (or anything for that matter) in this manner? It looks too muddy and unclean! In one ad, the lady drops the chocolate on her clothes and then goes on to lick it; the chocolate keeps dropping everywhere and she goes licking everywhere just like dogs and cats! 

Even the lyrics playing with this ad is not appropriate for being played at all places; the lyrics as follows:

"Kiss me, Close your eyes
Miss me, Close your eyes
Kiss me

I can wet your lips, and your fingertips
And happiness, in your eyes

Kiss me, Close your eyes
Miss me, Close your eyes"

One of my colleagues in office has made this the ‘ringtone’ of his cell phone and it sounds weird every time in a professional environment! 

I think the most mediocre ad-men would use such insinuating and overt tricks to sell some more chocolates or get some more eyeballs. Not only is the song played with this ad is overt, the visual showing a lady messing up with chocolate is filthy and I am surprised how this ad is being played day in and day out on all TV channels! 

I would request Cadbury to stop this series of ad immediately and get back to serious business. I understand Cadbury’s need to position its product for the grownup customers as against for children alone but it does not need such sly tricks. Before this, Amitabh Bachchan was featured in a series of ads and he was positioning Cadbury as an essential part of “family” celebrations; which was good. If Cadbury is bothered by the continuous trend of gifting “imported” chocolates especially by the generation X and Y, it should improve quality of its chocolates and packaging to get the sales. I think none of those imported chocolates advertise such filthy ads and yet get the premium customers, so Cadbury should also focus on the “real” reason why people choose an imported chocolate over its Silk brand of chocolate. And making it “softer” like silk does not really help. If Cadbury does some market research to find out what really Gen-Y wants in a chocolate he or she chooses for girlfriend or boyfriend, it will get to know the real aspects to improve. It will save the company from some hard earned money and also criticism from sensible TV viewers who find its Ads annoying!

- Rahul 

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer

Friday, February 22, 2013

New Vedic Cultural Centre (ISKCON, NVCC) - Pune

A Temple of 2 Lakh Sq. Ft. built over 6 acres of land - ISKCON is inviting all to the Grand Inauguration of New Vedic Cultural Centre (ISKCON, NVCC) & installation of holy idols on 24th February 2013. 

For more details, check out: 


Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ISKCONNVCC

Website: http://www.iskconpune.in/

Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3_5wnRniTw 

Jai Shri Krishna! 


Friday, February 15, 2013

Happy Vasant Panchmi and Saraswati Puja!





Happy Vasant Panchmi! 

Goddess Saraswati is often depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in pure white often seated on a white lotus, which symbolizes that she is founded in the experience of the absolute truth. She is mainly associated with the color white, which signifies the purity of true knowledge. Her four arms represent the 4 Vedas and also four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She holds a book in her book - representing Vedas meaning knowledge; a maaala representing the power of meditation; a pot of sacred water representing creative powers; a veena representing perfection of all arts and sciences. A hansa or swan is often located next to her feet which if offered a mixture of milk and water is said to be able to drink the milk alone - thus symbolizes discrimination between the good and the bad or the eternal and the evanescent. The peacock represents arrogance and pride over its beauty and by having a peacock as her mount, the Goddess teaches not to be concerned with external appearance and to be wise regarding the eternal truth.

Symbolism of Ma Saraswati taken from my blog post: http://rahulbemba.blogspot.in/2010/05/brahma-saraswati-and-symbolism.html

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Hrithik Roshan Vs Shah Rukh Khan

May be I should say a 'King Size' Sorry for making 'SRK Fans' feel belittled :)



Thank you Hrithik Roshan for freeing Indian Film Industry from Mediocre "Super Heroes"!

I am a Hrithik Roshan Fan!

- Rahul

Friday, February 8, 2013

Fuel Price Hikes to Help Tata Nano


The recent price hikes in petrol and diesel have hit the consumers hard and with no respite on the anvil it makes more sense for consumers to choose cars with better fuel economy. As consumers become penny wise, demand for smaller cars are expected to be better than their bigger variants. Tata Nano may be one of the biggest beneficiaries. 


2012 was a good year for Tata Nano. In fact Tata Nano was the only petrol car in the 2012′s top selling cars list to post a positive year on year growth. 2013 seems to be a challenging year though, with the January sales figures not being too optimistic. But Tata Nano seems to be readying for a tough fight.

Tata Nano has been declared as the “Most Trusted Four-Wheeler” Brand in the Brand Trust Report, India Study, 2013, conducted by Trust Research Advisory. That makes a good point about customer trust and expectations. With 25 km/l of excellent fuel economy, the car is already considered best value for money to drive. And now, Nano is getting ready to get better! CNG Version of Tata Nano is expected to come out in the first half of year 2013. That is expected to provide much anticipated sales thrust. It is going to make your cheaper ride cheapest!

CNG version opens many gates of better numbers. One is the fleet taxi system, where the taxi service providers prefer CNG vehicles for better fuel economy and hence more profitability. Tata Nano is already being planned to be used as taxis in Kashmir, to make a beginning. With CNG version in the market, this trend is expected to pick up momentum.

Next come marketing and sales promotions. Here, sky is the limit. Recently UP Chief Minister announced to award top-10 sportspersons to national school games with one Tata Nano each. When prices of everything go up, Tata Nano can emerge as the choice in many other areas unprecedented. This was Ratan Tata’s vision. He wanted to make Tata Nano for the long term. In the long term, leaner and more fuel efficient cars definitely have a bright future!

Let us wait and watch Tata Nano on its splendorous journey!

- Rahul

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer]