Three days of addictive fun - Harmony 2004 was almost a success at St. Stephen's College. The annual college festival tested my apparent ability to walk a couple of kilometers in high heels and proved that the female kind can stay away from food longer than their male counterparts.
One strange observation came out of the extravaganza - guys are indeed more shy than girls. My dear friend wished to take part in 'Footloose' - a competition of couple dancing, but on many attempts found proposed guys shy away from the opportunity. In the end she sat next to me, watching others battle it out, kind of in tears - coz she really dances so well.
Particularly strange is the disappearing act amongst clothing of the girls. Sometimes they're all covered and the next minute - voila, you have just witnessed magic. Anyway, its all well and good as long as the parents don't turn up - which is why, I guess the outsiders have been banned.
So within the Stephens community, its all jolly and merry. I had a lot of fun based on laughing till my insides hurt and jumping till my ankles gave up. That reminds me, maybe I've gained an inch or two.. gotta go check!

Saif Ali's popularity is now a bit obvious as he heads on to the endorsing road. The Asian Paints Royale ad is just another example. Whilst the Lays ads leave you with a bad taste in the mouth, this one is bit on the nicer side. As Saif paints the walls a bright blue, it really makes me wonder.. isn't he a better painter than an actor?

My reply to the battle with FlashKid. India's changing.. isn't it?

The final round to the battle with FlashKid. Here's a link to the full battle page.

Imagine this. Jackie Chan endorsing an Indian brand. I guess Shahrukh got stale after all.

Delhi has suddenly decided to become chilly in the mid of October. Peculiarly, the electricity bills will now run to a minimum with no air-conditioning to boost it up, as well as the lack of revolving fans around the house. Infact, within the next few days it will stablize back to its original position with hot water boiling in electronic geysers.
It is strange, indeed. But of course, one can honestly predict summer's soon in the air. Irritation crops up from the fact that 6:30 p.m. is now pitch dark and driving around in Delhi traffic is suicide.
Yesterday was a day of revelation. I met my school friend after many months who once again was confused in her relationship dilemma. Next time around, I plan to charge her for my counselling fee. I wonder why girls are so adamant to draw a line between friendship and relationship and fail to understand that friendship in itself is a relationship and need not be tagged with other convocations. No wonder I'm losing hair...

Indian Television really needs to kiss Ektaa's feet. If those ungrateful goons get down to it, they should also construct a temple in Balaji Telefilm's name. But thats another story, altogether.
You see, India is a rich country. Oh, chuck traditions, cultures and all that jazz. But its rich - in its money worth. The Basu parivaar (Kasautii Zindagi Kii) alone accounts for half the country's riches. Only yesterday Komolika blackmailed the behenji-turned-mod Aparna (pronounced Oh-parnaa) to give her 3000 crore rupees. Note, not 30 arab, but 3000 crore. More fancy shmancy.
+ points out that its really an irony that a person with that kind of money travels in a broken down Maruti Esteem. Ektaa Maa, tu dhanya hai!

I had the honor of catching a screening of 'Balle Balle Amritsar To L.A.' yesterday evening. The name in itself gives me churns inside my stomach. To me, its anything but appealing - just like its infamous sister - 'Football Shootball Hai Rabba'. But thats Chadha ingenious for you.
The first question that cropped up in my torchered head was - who is the bride? Is it the Bakshi parivaar's family friend? Is it Aishwarya's older sister? Is it Aishwarya's best friend, or hell, is it Aishwarya herself? Who is the movie about. And why did Gurinder make this movie? I really mean it, why?
How could Rai sign a movie where her character's name is 'Lalita' - inspired totally from Shakti Kapoor days. Three men dance in and out of Rai's life trying to win her heart. The male lead, Darcy whatever, is forced to look like Tom Cruise and for no apparent reason he falls in love with Rai. For no apparent reason, Rai doesn't like him. For no apparent reason, she falls in love with someone else, who, for no apparent reason, leaves her.. and at the end for no apparent reason Darcy and Rai unite. On an elephant.
Damn, I killed the suspense, didn't I? And you thought all along Rai was going to marry Anupam Kher, didn't you? See, thats the twist - he's her father, so that leaves no other apparent candidate but Mr. Cruise himself to save the day.
There are so many downfalls to the movie that I hate to say this, but you really have to see the movie to enjoy cribbing about it. No one knows how to act, but Namrata Shirodkar takes the front seat compared even to Rai, at least her smile isn't that plastic. Anupam only appears for six-seven scenes, that too, he looks immensely bored. Rai's three sisters make brief appearances and leave nothing behind to ponder on. Rai's mother is a weird character who wants to push her daughters in and out of relationships for money alone, which is sad, because thats really not how our traditions are and since this was supposed to be an insight into our culture, I am really sorry that Gurinder has failed this country.
Too many characters, Too many songs, Too many wardrobe changes. There is absolutely NO story. I hate to say this, but Karan Johar indeed is more entertaining. The direction too, falls flat in the face and nothing extraordinary comes out of the camerawork either. Makes one miss Ram Gopal and Mani Ratnam incredibly.
Highly unrecommended, I would suggest you go burn the money if you really must - at least the heat would come to some use in the chilly nights.

There's something fishy about Greater Kailash. Not considering the BMW's which leave you wide-eyed and open-jawed and totally not even thinking about the perfectly moulded creations of God of the female kind, there's something strange just waiting to happen.
The last time I was there, some man in weird pants wanted to take my interview. Almost as bad as he'd want to go pee after drinking a dozen glasses of water. So off shot questions about my mental health, how I keep my mind fit, what is my excercise for my brain, if I've ever received psychiatric treatment and if I get negative thoughts.
Although I answered them all in my weirdest, bitterest tone, I wonder if my face would appear in some documentary about demented rude people on the streets...

This left me astounded. Who knows what some idle time and a lot of creativity can do with something that so naturally comes to all of us - our hands?

Ever since the Delhi Metro has come into us road-depressed dilliwallas, its not such a pain going to Chandni Chownk.
So here I am coming back with mom in the Metro and opposite to us, two folks are sitting. One of them get up and head for the gate as his station approaches and some woman nearby pounces on the seat. Her friend wishes to sit too, but there really isn't any place. So very conveniently she tries to sit in the middle of the two - her friend and a male stranger, in the process sitting on top of him, rather than finding any place between the two.
Embarassed and irritated, the man bounced up and stood for the rest of the way as the two women giggled in the glory of finding another seat.
Men in this country are sure as hell more decent than the female kind.

Today's my friend's birthday. I thank my stars I remembered just in time to call her and give a pretty good excuse for not wishing her at midnight.
As I asked her what she's demanding for her special day this time around, I questioned as to why people have to give you something for completing another year of your life. Have you done any favour to them by spreading the light of your benign presence on this earth? Or is your completing another year a matter of historical importance? Shouldn't you be the one gifting stuff to other people for tolerating you for as long?
Either way, as long as you get a car or a date with your favorite star, yes, your birth is a pretty darn cool thing to happen to mankind!

Only yesterday did I witness the maddening rush of contestants being pushed into a swimming pool by MTV VJ Ramona as congratulations followed of being the chosen one for a 'youth soap', as they'd probably like to call it. The show, very ingeniously called 'Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi', is to air in the Mon - Thu slot at 8:00 p.m.
Co-incidently, I banged into MTV again today. The show was an eye-opener. The youth have failed to understand the youth themselves. The biggest problem with the soap is that its an Ektaa Kapoor production (Ektaa Maa, tum dhanya ho!) and the actors are the 'andhon mein kaana raja' types. The story line is only an extension of the present torcherous sob-soaps.
At least MTV doesn't have to worry about occupying the 8:00 p.m. slot for the next five years!

Reliance is very entertaining nowadays. + and I are hooked on Ambani's dream-come-true nowadays. So every once in a while, whilst we're discussing the most intricate details of our lives or kidding around in the most uncivilized fashion, a cross-connection embarasses the crap out of us.
I've witnessed a man wanting to talk with Shashi didi, a girl asking her boyfriend not to be so quiet and a few other people half-confused who the hell just hijacked their conversation. Next time around, I plan to demand ransom from the poor confused caller for kidnapping the one they were originally talking to. Might just make it worth my while...

Aamir Khan looks so scary, its almost not funny. Breaking up with his wife has certainly made him a changed man, for the much worse. I did hear he was sporting a new look for an upcoming movie, but hell - this is ridiculous! Long hair, sinister thick moustache - he's certainly shocked his chocoboy image.
Shahrukh is following suit for long now, reconfirming it with his new film with Ashutosh when Aamir hit jackpot. I wonder if the Daku Gabbar Singh look is the next big thing...

The age old question remains as to why women fast and men don't. Are men not bothered about their life partner's lives or is it imperative that women, in any case, will live longer than men?
And how in heaven's name is not eating food or drinking water even remotely related to a man's lifespan. In such a case, if a woman fasts everyday, will her husband live forever?
I think its just another gimmick to blackmail the poor man to fish gifts and take her out for dinner. Indian women - they never run out of ideas...