Newsroom!

300...

2010-10-07T19:34:00.001+05:30

Dilios: "Remember us." As simple an order as a king can give. "Remember why we died." For he did not wish tribute, nor song, nor monuments nor poems of war and valor. His wish was simple. "Remember us," he said to me. That was his hope, should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be. May all our voices whisper to you from the ageless stones, "Go tell the Spartans, passerby, that here by Spartan law, we lie." - From '300'.

People I ‘love’…

2009-06-14T19:22:00.000+05:30

I greatly ‘admire’ people who are incredibly pigheaded and stupid, tremendously insecure, highly incompetent and easily provoked. People who have a dastardly, pessimistic attitude and announce their problems to the whole world over Facebook or Gtalk or email or whatever, because they do not have the guts to stand up and talk. :p There are quite a few of you out there. Thank you so much… you bring out the very best in me. :-D

California Dreamin...

2009-06-14T19:03:00.003+05:30

All the leaves are brown,
All the leaves are brown.
And the sky is grey,
And the sky is grey.
I've been for a walk,
I've been for a walk.
On a winter's day,
On a winter's day.
I'd be safe and warm,
I'd be safe and warm...
If I was in LA
If I was in LA.
California dreamin...
California dreamin...
On such a winter's day

Stopped into a church
I passed along the way.
Well, I got down on my knees,
Got down on my knees.
And I pretend to pray,
I pretend to pray.
You know the preacher likes the cold,
Preacher likes the cold.
He knows I'm gonna stay,
Knows I'm gonna stay.
California dreamin...
California dreamin...
On such a winter's day.

All the leaves are brown,
All the leaves are brown.
And the sky is grey,
And the sky is grey.
I've been for a walk,
I've been for a walk.
On a winter's day,
On a winters day.
If I didn't tell her,
If I didnt tell her.
I could leave today,
I could leave today.
California dreamin...
California dreamin...

Apolitical Intellectuals ~ Comrade Otto Rene Castillo

2009-06-14T00:57:00.000+05:30

One day
the apolitical
intellectuals
of my country
will be interrogated
by the simplest
of our people.

They will be asked
what they did
when their nation died out
slowly,
like a sweet fire
small and alone.

No one will ask them
about their dress,
their long siestas
after lunch,
no one will want to know
about their sterile combats
with "the idea
of the nothing"
no one will care about
their higher financial learning.

They won't be questioned
on Greek mythology,
or regarding their self-disgust
when someone within them
begins to die
the coward's death.

They'll be asked nothing
about their absurd
justifications,
born in the shadow
of the total lie.

On that day
the simple men will come.

Those who had no place
in the books and poems
of the apolitical intellectuals,
but daily delivered
their bread and milk,
their tortillas and eggs,
those who drove their cars,
who cared for their dogs and gardens
and worked for them,
and they'll ask:

"What did you do when the poor
suffered, when tenderness
and life
burned out of them?"

Apolitical intellectuals
of my sweet country,
you will not be able to answer.

A vulture of silence
will eat your gut.

Your own misery
will pick at your soul.
And you will be mute in your shame.

Viduthalai...

2009-02-03T18:40:00.001+05:30

Hello there. It’s been a while since I posted anything. Hmm… The past few months have been very liberating. For most of 2008, I had been living a rather stressed out life… surrounded by people who had an almost toxic effect on me… weighed down and suffocated by their expectations, scrutiny and even ‘diktats’ (Ha!)… Being provoked… losing my cool, making rash, harsh remarks (at times, without adequate reason) and generally, unable to do justice to myself and calmly comprehend and prioritise the things that happened and those that really matter. A lot of my time was wasted. Like Batman tells Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, “He (The Joker) wanted to prove that even someone as good as me could fall.” Nobody intentionally played The Joker in my case, but fall I did. When you’re pushed to the brink, driven to your wits’ end, not given an inch, confronted by pitiless attitude, it’s very hard not to go down. If I had gone on that way for a moment longer, unable to break my fall, unable to break free, get rid of the shackles, the rest of my life would have been a living hell. I’m thankful to the Almighty for showing me the way in the nick of time and saving me from what certainly would have been the gravest mistake I could have made. Whew!

PS: Dear God, perhaps you could have guided me in this regard a little earlier. : D

2009...

2009-01-14T19:12:00.000+05:30

Okay, so I am among the lucky ones who actually survived 2008 without much ado. Still, it was a forgettable year for several reasons, so good riddance. Not that there are many things to look forward to this year, but at least it may just present a clearer picture of where we are headed. Of course, with the economic slowdown, it’s best not to expect too much on the career front — lying low and working hard is obviously the safest option. Acquiring new skills and getting that postgraduate degree might help. In fact, there is no better time than now. So, folks, count your blessings. Be patient. Be good. Hang in there. And keep the faith.

Happy 2009...

2008-12-30T23:18:00.000+05:30

Happy New Year to all. Cheers. : )

'If' by Rudyard Kipling

2008-12-04T01:04:00.001+05:30

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,'
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

‘Invictus' by William Earnest Henley

2008-12-04T00:56:00.004+05:30

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be,
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have winced but not cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance,
My head is bloodied but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears,
Looms but the horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years,
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

Do not stand at my grave and weep...

2008-12-02T00:36:00.002+05:30

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there... I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow...
I am the diamond glints on snow...
I am the sunlight on ripened grain...
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you waken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of gentle birds in circling flight...
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry—I am not there... I did not die...

Unspoken words...

2008-12-02T00:25:00.002+05:30

I've read somewhere that one is the master of the unspoken words. The spoken words become your master and your are their slave.

Death be not proud by John Donne

2008-11-28T00:47:00.002+05:30

"Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die."

Happy Diwali...

2008-10-26T16:58:00.002+05:30

and all that. I've been crazily busy at work and otherwise. Found time to watch a few movies, though. Most of them bad. A Wednesday was good stuff, though. And the promos of Fashion look great. Will probably watch it this week. I can't understand why my employer has declared a 'closed holiday' on Wednesday, when Diwali will (almost) be over and done with. Until next year, of course. Oh well. As long as it's not made a dry day. Jai Maharashtra!

Batla house...

2008-10-05T16:46:00.004+05:30

Thehoot.org has posted extracts from a report by the Delhi Union of Journalists on how the Batla House police operation was covered by the Indian media.

"Mr Mammootty? I'm Tony Kurishinkal...Tony Kurishinkal."

2008-10-05T16:25:00.004+05:30

This report brings back memories of the scenes in No.20 Madras Mail and what may have happened if it was real life and not a movie. Heh.

The BCCI...

2008-09-29T22:44:00.001+05:30

Has launched its official website, http://www.bcci.tv/. Anyone interested?

Cheeka...

2008-09-29T19:49:00.002+05:30

Alias Krishnamachari Srikkanth is the new Chairman of the National Senior Cricket Selection Committee, while Shashank Manohar has taken over as the BCCI chief. Hmm. It's high time Srikkanth shed his 'TV cricket expert' tag (which he seemed uneasy with) and this is a good opportunity for him. And here is an article on Chappell and his new role. DNA recently carried photographs of him captioned 'In India colours' and 'In Australia colours.' Heh. As if that paper didn't have enough laughable content already.

The weekend...

2008-09-27T18:24:00.003+05:30

Is finally here. I'm sick of having things to do all the time, so have decided to take it easy and chill. Will be watching A Wednesday tonight.

Morons...

2008-09-25T12:25:00.002+05:30

Why is it that almost all the suited and booted people who work for airlines and roam around airports are absolute morons? I mean, you ask them what day of the week it is and they wouldn't know. Even if they did, they wouldn't tell you coz they simple aren't sure. And don't want to take reponsibility for anything at all. Bah!

Varnachitram...

2008-09-24T22:38:00.002+05:30

And for those who are interested in Malayalam cinema, I came across this blog (quite late, I guess!). Good stuff.

Update!

2008-09-24T22:06:00.002+05:30

Hmm...so I've been super busy and haven't been able to post over the past few days. Found time to watch Rock on, though, and liked it immensely. Looking forward to watching A Wednesday this weekend. And do read this piece on our venerable Home Minister by Aditya Sinha, the EIC of The New Indian Express, which is looking good in its new avatar.

PS: I'm suddenly spending more time on Facebook, but only because Orkut is blocked in office. Uh, I think. Heh.

And back...

2008-09-16T00:31:00.002+05:30

To office. It has been a long vacation, and a refreshing one. Oh, I'm gonna get Saturdays and Sundays off, starting this week. : )

Home...

2008-09-03T19:26:00.003+05:30

Feels great to be home after a long while. However, I ain't feeling too good health-wise, so taking it easy and recuperating. Gonna watch Children Of Men soon. Was highly recommended.

Three kings!

2008-08-21T00:02:00.008+05:30

So, India's Beijing Olympics medal count has gone up to three! Kudos to wrestler Sushil Kumar (bronze) and middleweight boxer Vijender Singh, who has ensured a podium finish.
PS: NDTV should take off this report from its website. NOW.
PS2: CNN-IBN called Sushil Kumar a 'boxer', complete with a tag-line, 'Packing a punch'
on its early web reports. Heh.
PS3: Indian sports writers never had it so good, eh. I'm waiting to read what Nirmal Shekar has to say.

The worst headline ever!

2008-08-19T18:08:00.004+05:30

It's all over for Michael Phelps

I demand that the entire sports desk of the newspaper which carried this headline (in yesterday's edition, and never mind what the strap line was!) be arrested.

Cricketer 'writers'

2008-08-18T19:53:00.004+05:30

Christian Ryan on cricketer-turned-writers. Michael Atherton writes in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2008:

"You might worry about Adam Gilchrist, say, butchering an attack and smashing a bowler to smithereens," notes Atherton, "but Lara made captains, and bowlers, look silly. If you knew you were going to die, you'd prefer a single bludgeoning blow to the head, or a quick bullet to the brain, rather than death by a thousand ever-so-precise cuts."

Nice, eh? Care for a counter-view? I remember reading Ted Corbett in Sportstar:

"He has shown that all over again in what you might call a net for his big trial at The Times. He has commentated and written every Saturday in a Sunday newspaper. His TV work does not appear to have suffered — indeed he has now improved to a standard which makes him about the best in the country. His articles of perhaps 2,000 words each Sunday show the same reliability, the same insight and the same level-headed choice of words you might expect from his performances as a — mainly losing — Test captain."

Read the full article here.

RGV

2008-08-16T20:43:00.004+05:30

Check out this interview of Ram Gopal Varma by Bharadwaj Rangan. I have nothing against B-Rangan and his views on cinema, except that he goes overboard at times. (Yes, I should avoid repeating 'stock' phrases)

"But then he's got cinematic sense," a journalist friend told me recently. Fine, but then again, am I to understand that if Raja Sen or any other reviewer/film critic/writer overdoes it in a film review, he or she is faffing, simply showing a flair for doggerel, while B-Rangan can go on and on about anything related to cinema and leave readers enchanted?

PS: I like reading Raja Sen's reviews. They make me laugh. Wasn't it Alfred Hitchcock who said, "It's only a movie."

Independence Day

2008-08-15T01:22:00.002+05:30

Happy Independence Day! I'll be keeping a hawk's eye on the media coverage of this, too. Heh.

Brijnath on Tiger Woods...

2008-08-13T21:25:00.003+05:30

And here's another of Rohit Brijnath's pieces, in which he likens Tiger Woods to a fighter. A pugilist, that is.

Something to write home about (from Beijing)

2008-08-13T18:42:00.007+05:30

I got home from work at 2 am and then stayed up all night (or day) reading what the several Indian sports correspondents in Beijing had to say about Abhinav Bindra and his gold medal. It's not often that I pick up a copy of HT, (the paper is rapidly heading nowhere and it remains to be seen what the new editor(s) can do to set things right) but am I glad I did so yesterday. Wait, TOI probably had the best all-round coverage (I even learnt that Bindra's pet dogs are called Buddy (Saint Bernard) and Chottu (Beagle) Ha! ) but this piece by Rohit Brijnath is a must-read. Ok, so sometimes Brijnath goes overboard ("He breathes." Heehaw!) but that he wrote this over a year ago is amazing. Laughably, HT Mint wants the 'credit' for 'predicting' the medal just because they published the piece. And all this while we thought Brijnath did the predicting. Tsk, tsk.

Gold...

2008-08-12T00:46:00.002+05:30

Well, this is great. Abhinav Bindra has struck gold at Beijing. Fantastic achievement, eh. And yep, the media coverage of this will be worth reading (and watching, too).

Touché -The Sizzler...

2008-08-07T22:52:00.007+05:30

It's my weekend again. I will head to a steak house close to my office, Touché -The Sizzler, which, according to sources, is the best in the city, and indulge myself. They serve alcohol, too. Yay. And yes, I'll watch the Beijing Olympics inaugural ceremony. There's also the India vs. Sri Lanka series decider. Meanwhile, check out this write-up on a recent media poll (on the 'Sri Lankan Tamil' issue) conducted by Ananda Vikatan, a leading Tamil weekly magazine.

MJ...

2008-08-05T18:04:00.003+05:30

M J Akbar gets political (as usual) in his latest piece in Khaleej Times.

Kuselan...

2008-08-02T20:18:00.005+05:30

Well, turns out I was wrong about the movies bit. Kuselan released here, too, so watched it yesterday. Superstar rocks, but the movie per se is nothing to write home about. P Vasu is a mediocre director who will never be forgiven for giving us (mallus, if you please) the mangled remains of the classic Manichitrathazhu. Bah. Well, he has stopped well short of ruining Katha Parayumbol with this one, but that he dreams of making Chandrumukhi-II (such an avoidable sequence in Kuselan!) gives me the jitters.
However, the cinematography by Arvind Krishna is fantastic. And there is something about that photo of Rajini of the '80s, (it's a movie still I guess, but don't know from which film it is) which is shown hanging on the wall of a room in Balakrishnan's (Pasupathy) house, which leaves you in no doubt of the sheer charisma and star power of the man.

PS: Soumya Bhattacharya is the new RE of HT, Mumbai.

Whoa...

2008-08-01T01:45:00.002+05:30

It has been a long day at the office. No movies worth watching this weekend, so I guess I'll catch up on sleep. If you haven't read it yet, here is CNN-IBN's explanation on why it did not telecast the 'tape.'

W.

2008-07-31T00:44:00.003+05:30

One more trailer. That of W., Oliver Stone's biopic of George W Bush.

Here we go...

2008-07-30T23:11:00.006+05:30

Busy day coming up tomorrow, but the weekend is almost here as well. Anybody have an opinion on The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor? I don't feel like taking an effort to watch it. Oh, and here is the trailer of Bond-22, Quantum of Solace. Looks good, eh.

Mild earthquake jolts Maharashtra

2008-07-30T01:06:00.006+05:30

PUNE: Mild tremors were felt in various parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, at 00:41 hours on Wednesday. According to Met department officials, the quake, measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre around 127 km from Pune in Satara region. The duration of the tremors was 15 seconds, officials said. Tremors were also felt across Mumbai. No casualties or damages were reported at the time of going to press. - ENS

The contender...

2008-07-30T00:31:00.002+05:30

Okay, so you've heard this one before. But Google has a (potential) rival. Cuil. (pronounced 'cool') Check it out!

According to sources...

2008-07-29T20:06:00.003+05:30

According to sources, one of India's most reputed Editors/journalists, who just recently floated a publication (magazine), has been approached by a certain (new) English news channel with an offer to be their Newsroom Chief.

PS: Nah. I personally don't think this is going to happen. He's got too much at stake.

Power shift...

2008-07-28T23:57:00.002+05:30

As you may have heard, HT has two new people at the helm. Sanjoy Narayan, Editor of BT, is taking over as Editor-in-Chief while Samar Halarnkar is the new Managing Editor. Hopefully, they'll be able to sort out one or two 'affairs' that have been bothering the organisation of late. Heh.

Brilliant stuff...

2008-07-28T20:26:00.003+05:30

People, The Dark Knight is absolutely brilliant. Go watch it. Enough said. And yeah, I liked Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na also. Smart, witty, flick.

'Protecting editors'

2008-07-28T18:07:00.001+05:30

Hey, check this out. B G Verghese's report to the Editors' Guild.

Wassup?

2008-07-27T00:17:00.003+05:30

Sorry, I've been a little under the weather so haven't been able to post as frequently as I'd like to. Hmm... Serials blasts again... tsk.
Oh btw, what's going on at ST? Heated arguments and resignations, that's what.

Chances are...

2008-07-24T22:54:00.001+05:30

Chances are we're gonna leave now
Sorry for the victim now
Though my days are filled with sorrow
I see years of pride tommorrow

Chances, chances are some might not hold out
Chances are, hang on right now
Though-oh-oh-oh my-my days are filled with sorrow
I see years of pride tommorrow

Chances, chances are some might not hold out
Chances are, hang on right now
Chances are, oh chances, you're my chances
Chances are, hang on right now

Chances are, hang on right now

Deal with loneliness, I'll take some tear drops
Chances are we'll have to win
Chances are, hang on right now
Chances are, chances are...

Bob Marley and The Wailers

A Dream Deferred...

2008-07-23T21:01:00.001+05:30

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? - A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes

Redemption and all that...

2008-07-23T16:17:00.003+05:30

Religion and I are very far removed from each other, so I have no intention of converting myself or anybody. Heh. But this blogpost is worth a read.

Ali vs. Frazier...

2008-07-23T16:05:00.004+05:30

Muhammad Ali, speaking to a newspaper reporter, apologised to Joe Frazier for insulting him and calling him names (Gorilla, Uncle Tom...long list, that) in their fighting days. When Frazier was told of this, he said, "He apologised to the paper, not to me. I'm still waiting." Ali's response: "If you meet Joe Frazier, tell him he's still a gorilla."

Poor dastards...

2008-07-21T23:10:00.006+05:30

Dictionary:

dastard

(dăs'tərd)

A sneaking, malicious coward.

[Middle English, probably alteration of Old Norse dæstr, exhausted, from past participle of dæsa, to languish, decay.]

I know several of the kind. Slow, amateurish dastards who like to think they're damn smart, but are actually incompetent bunglers who don't have a clue what's going on around them. Till the shit hits the fan. And we'll just leave it at that, alright? : D

Lots of work...

2008-07-18T01:04:00.001+05:30

The day went far better than I expected. Had lots of work but it was good fun, too. And the weekend is already here.

If I am not for myself...

2008-07-16T22:22:00.001+05:30

If I am not for myself, who will be? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? - Hillel the Elder

Errands...

2008-07-16T22:18:00.003+05:30

Busy day coming up tomorrow. I may even have to wake up slightly early coz I've got some errands to run. Shudder. Anyway, check out this write-up on why Al Jazeera English is not available in India.

Hmm...

2008-07-15T22:23:00.002+05:30

Ho hum. Boring days are here again. However, I'm looking forward to watching RGV's Contract this weekend. I hope he doesn't go overboard.

How time flies...

2008-07-13T00:27:00.001+05:30

It's Sunday already. How time flies.

The King "will be back next year."

2008-07-09T23:10:00.004+05:30

People have been asking why I haven’t written about India losing the Asia Cup to Sri Lanka and Fedex losing to Nadal. Well, it is because I haven’t quite recovered from Federer’s loss. I was hoping Fedex would whup Nadal, but nothing could have prepared us for what transpired on the Centre Court that day. One newspaper carried a headline that added insult to injury: The King is dead. Long live the King.

PS: Does anyone care that India lost?

Left wondering no more...

2008-07-09T01:49:00.002+05:30

It's finally happened. The Left has pulled out before... well, they've pulled out. Interesting days are ahead, eh.

The government’s conduct disgraceful, a shame for the entire nation: Arun Bhatia

2008-07-08T00:51:00.002+05:30

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
JULY 6

REFERRING to the poor attendance at the funeral of Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, who passed away on June 27 at the age of 94, Arun Bhatia, former municipal commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said the manner in which the government behaved was ‘disgraceful’ and a shame for the entire nation.

“Is this how those in power show respect to a Field Marshal, a devoted soldier who served the country faithfully all his life… by not bothering to turn up at his funeral? He has done so much for the nation and we, the people, demand an apology from the government for this shameful conduct,” he told a gathering organised jointly organised by him, retired Armed Forces personnel and citizens, as a mark of respect to the late Field Marshal Manekshaw.

Punekars turned up in large numbers to pay homage to Sam ‘Bahadur’ Manekshaw, one of India’s greatest military heroes. It may be recalled that President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and the three Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, among others, were conspicuous by their absence at Field Marshal Manekshaw’s funeral at Wellington, Tamil Nadu.

Reiterating the view that the Field Marshal did not get the honour he deserved, Brig (Retd), A K Sahukar, said, “It was unfortunate that those in the government did not feel it necessary to attend the Field Marshal’s funeral and pay their last respects to an unparalleled military leader.”

However, Lt Gen Nanavatty (Retd), former Colonel, 8th Gorkha Rifles, and former Army Commander, Northern Command, pointed out that the military ceremony at the funeral was carried out in a ‘befitting manner.’ “The Army can proudly say that Field Marshal Manekshaw was given the respect he totally deserved, irrespective of who attended and who did not,” Nanavatty said.

Discussing the Field Marshal’s illustrious military career, Air Chief Marshal (Retd) and former Chief of Air Staff, H Moolgavkar, said Sam Manekshaw was an outstanding, spirited soldier who led from the front to give India one of its greatest military victories in the war against Pakistan in 1971, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

Lt Gen (Retd) Ashok Joshi summed up by saying, “Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was a man of great credibility who accomplished several things each one of us aspire to, but never achieved.”

Homage paid to Sam Manekshaw

2008-07-05T23:41:00.004+05:30

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
JULY 5

THE late Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was one of India’s greatest military leaders and touched many lives during his illustrious career, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lt Gen Noble Thamburaj, said here on Saturday.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a memorial service organised by the Southern Command, during which several retired and serving Army officers paid glowing tributes to Field Marshal Manekshaw, who passed away on June 27, at the age of 94. “Field Marshal Manekshaw was a peace-loving man who did not expect too much from anybody, be it the government or his colleagues. He was at ease with all his fellow officers, including those much junior to him. In fact, several of those who served under him felt as though they were ‘one to one’ with him,” Thamburaj said. “He lived a full, vigourous life and we can safely say that he got the best possible treatment in his last days,” he added.

Maj Gen S K Singh, Colonel of the 8th Gorkha Rifles, Manekshaw’s former regiment, said the Field Marshal’s last rites were conducted in a manner befitting his stature. “He was the first Colonel of the 8th Gorkha Rifles, a position he held from 1953-73. He was a perpetual optimist and was always positive, even if his health did not allow him to be.” Drawing attention to the Field Marshal’s distinguished military career, Air Chief Marshal (Retd) and former Chief of Air Staff, H Moolgavkar, said Sam Manekshaw earned the trust of all those who associated with him, including that of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “Field Marshal Manekshaw was a great personality who crafted one of India’s greatest military victories in the war against Pakistan in 1971,” Moolgavkar said.

Reiterating this viewpoint, Lt Gen H M Khanna, (Retd), former Colonel, 8th Gorkha Rifles, and former Army Commander, Northern and Southern Commands, said Field Marshal Manekshaw carved a niche for himself in the history of the sub-continent following the ‘total victory’ in the ’71 war, which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh. “Though always firm and tactful, Sam ‘Bahadur’ Manekshaw was a charming, loyal, magnanimous man who held no malice against anybody, including his critics,” Khanna said.

The audience was treated to audio-visual clips with fascinating anecdotes from the life of Field Marshal Manekshaw. Lt Gen Nanavatty (Retd), former Colonel, 8th Gorkha Rifles, and former Army Commander, Northern Command, pointed out that Field Marshal Manekshaw encouraged and inspired many young officers. “His life has left a message for all of us: Live your professional lives with courage, dignity and forthrightness,” Nanavatty said.

Forced insomnia…

2008-07-02T23:39:00.000+05:30

A lot of people, including some good friends, think the solution to whatever difficulties and inconveniences I may face in my day-to-day routine is simple: All I have to do is sleep less. Meaning, I have to be up and about from (at least) 6 am onwards (after getting home from work at 2 am), leave the house in a jiffy, stand in long queues at banks, departmental stores and the like, smile and be patient with arrogant, incompetent bunglers who say “Can I help you?” while sounding like that’s the last thing they want to do, go without breakfast and/or lunch (dinnertime is 1 am, by the way) before turning up for work, which is always fun but never undemanding.

That’s life, you might say, while nodding your heads wisely. Well, I have an important message for them, i.e. whomsoever it may concern: Buzz off. See you after I wake up. Maybe.

Atlas Shrugged...

2008-07-01T22:22:00.002+05:30

"Madame, when we'll see men dying of starvation around us, your heart won't be of any earthly use to save them. And I'm heartless enough to say that when you'll scream, but I didn't know it, you will not be forgiven." From Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Spain rule Europe!

2008-07-01T00:45:00.002+05:30

So Spain won. I'm a Ballack fan, but the Spaniards were the best team in the tournament. Watched the game after a party thrown by a political type at a place misleadingly named the Ladies' Club. Ha. Also, a certain brand of beer, recently launched in my city, isn't as great as they make it out to be. Give me my KF Strong anyday.

Copy editing...

2008-06-27T18:47:00.003+05:30

T J Sullivan on outsourced editing and all that. All you 'editors' at a certain editing house in Sector 62, Noida, run and hide. Heh.

Stuff journalists like...

2008-06-26T22:45:00.003+05:30

Check this out. "Slightly American," as one of my journalism profs would say.

"Are you my bag?"

2008-06-26T00:51:00.004+05:30

Thanks for the profound comment, Pavitra (who is incidentally a sports reporter herself). Here is an article on (former, I guess) Zimbabwean cricketer Mark Vermeulen by South African journalist Telford Vice. Capital, capital. "Sometimes cricket is not at all a funny, old game ..."

Quick take on sports writing.

2008-06-25T00:25:00.003+05:30

I’m biased. So I will begin by saying that Nirmal Shekar of The Hindu is the finest sports writer in the country. I guess there is a genuine dearth of talent in sports writing in India though every other young journalist thinks he/she is the next Cardus. Or Nirmal. Heh. However, most sports news Editors are young and have reached where they are fairly quickly — the sports news Editor of my current employer is an example. Oh, that reminds me… the National sports news Editor of a prominent newspaper (which has a 16-floor office for its headquarters) is another case in point. However, this person mostly writes trash. Further, according to sources, the newspaper concerned is looking more like a sinking ship with each passing day. Some people at a well-known cricket website are good, but take themselves a tad too seriously. But yes, there are a few bright spots here and there in the sports writing scenario. Will post more on that later.

Nice to meet you, Mr Editor!

2008-06-24T00:18:00.007+05:30

Hi there. I had a fun weekend. Some of us journalist types had a booze and dinner party on Friday night (morning arrived very quickly!) where we had the inevitable 'lively discussion' on reporters vs. sub-editors. I have my feet in both boats, so I couldn't afford to take sides. Heh. Sunday was as usual, lazy and laidback. And today, I happened to cover the convocation of the National Institute of Bank Management here and met T N Ninan, Editor and publisher,
Business Standard, who was chief guest at the function. As is to be expected, he gave a mature, balanced convocation address that was informative and insightful. My boss later told me, "You are extremely lucky. I hear my former boss (at ET) spoke at the function you went to. Too bad I couldn't attend it myself. Would have liked to catch up with him."

I think Business Standard, in spite of being a little too journal-like, is a credible, solid business daily. Do read this interview of Ninan. He was one of those who grew ET into the brand that it is today. Sample this quote: "When I joined (BS) in 1992 (to undo the damage I had done to BS while in ET!), the brief was to take the paper national, and I mooted the idea of a joint venture with Financial Times, which by then was beginning to look at the Indian market and already had a syndication tie-up with ET that I had negotiated."

That tie-up is now another story for another post, but BS still stands and it was Ninan who kept it from falling.

2050...

2008-06-19T19:36:00.004+05:30

I hope the makers of Love Story 2050 never stumble upon this article. I was in Mumbai last week and some friends and I were scoffing at the trailer of the movie, saying, "Just what are/were the makers thinking?" Don't tell me they've made a movie that's ahead of its times and all that jazz?

'Reporter'speak...

2008-06-19T01:25:00.005+05:30

“At 13, I started stealing money from my father’s wallet. At 17, I was involved in petty neighbourhood scandals. At 30, hardened by crime, I became... an Editor.” — P Sainath to the Class of 2005-06, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.

[Silence]

Can journalists be unreachable?

2008-06-18T21:27:00.001+05:30

Can journalists be unreachable? Can they switch their cell phones off and sleep when news — good, bad and ugly — happens? Can they tell people who seek information, some of them fellow, albeit rival journalists, that such details are not meant for them? Can a leading newspaper afford not to pick up a ringing telephone?

The top ten mass communication colleges in India, according to Mint.

2008-06-18T00:20:00.006+05:30

Here is a ranking of the best mass communication colleges in India by Mint. MICA, Ahmedabad, tops. Interestingly, the Chennai-based Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), obviously a journalism school and incidentally my alma mater, is placed second. Hmm. However, the writer makes it fairly clear in the story that the ACJ is not a mass communication institute. Check out these quotes.

“We are allergic to the word ‘communication,’ as it has been abused by many university colleges in the past. We are more of a journalism institute,” Sashi Kumar said.

Sashi Kumar is chairman of the Media Development Foundation, which runs the ACJ.

Another quote: It is a view shared by alumnus and deputy news editor at business television channel CNBC, Harsha Subramaniam. “I feel it is not right to call ACJ a mass communication institute, as it is purely a journalism school. I feel mass communication institutes also teach advertising, public relations, corporate communications as part of their curricula,” he adds.

But what should we make of the fact that the ACJ made it to number two on a ranking of mass communication institutes? In Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, where in August 2006, I was part of a documentary team from ACJ, I met a lady who was working with a non-governmental organisation after graduating from a prominent mass communication college. "ACJ? Oh! You guys specialise. We don't."

AMMA vs. MACTA!

2008-06-17T21:24:00.015+05:30

As someone who keenly follows the developments in the Malayalam film industry, I thought it might be worthwhile to write a post on the ongoing AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes) — MACTA (Malayalam Cine Technicians Association) face-off.

First things first: Where is (that bad actor) Dileep? It was he who triggered the showdown by backing off from a Thulasidas film after having pocketed the advance signing amount. The reason? Dileep thought it was not smart on his part to work with a director who hasn’t made a hit film in a while. To quote from a PTI report: “The whole issue cropped up when Dileep, who was to act in a film being directed by Thulasidas, refused to play his role after taking an advance, allegedly because Thulasidas’s last film was a flop.” Hello, who can remember when Dileep himself was last seen in a good, let alone successful, movie? The guy’s career is floundering because he refuses to do the one thing he is good at — comedy — and instead insists on working with directors who wouldn’t even have dreamt of casting him if he hadn’t approached them first. That said, Dileep has found alternative ways to stay afloat. He takes more than a passing interest in the booming real estate sector in Kochi. And he craftily offered to produce the multi-starrer Twenty:20, which is sure to rake in the moolah owing to sheer star power. Oh, Dileep is also one of the vice-presidents of AMMA. Ha! Anyway, he seems to have purposely opened a can of worms and stealthily disappeared from the scene.

Meanwhile, with MACTA general secretary Vinayan proving once again that he is a foul-mouthed, pigheaded (literally!) person with a huge inferiority complex, (apart from being the most awful director in the history of Malayalam films) the split would have happened sooner or later. With several members resigning, MACTA is as good as dissolved. Actor Innocent, who has been president of AMMA since its inception, while speaking at a recent meeting, is reported to have said, “It is high time that MACTA closed its open door, or else more and more technicians inside may jump out through it.” A new organisation is on the anvil. As a friend said, I really ought to give a clearer picture, but owing to time pressure, I will direct you to this Sify report instead. It’s fairly informative. Cheers to Malayalam cinema.

On Dasavathaaram...

2008-06-16T18:07:00.007+05:30

Kamal Hassan’s latest film, Dasavathaaram, is worth a watch for the efforts put in by the Ulaga Nayakan. The movie does not bore you. However, it fails to live up to the Herculean expectations and a substantial chunk of its Rs 127 crore (approximate) budget has been wasted. You wonder if the legend has done justice to himself by hiding several of his ten characters under layers and layers of make-up. The old woman, Krishnaveni, or whatever her name was, is the worst of the lot. We gladly cheered a caked-up Kamal in Indian, but this is too much to bear. Further, the incredible stupidity of the character itself makes you cringe. While on the subject of exceptionally stupid characters — If there is one character in the film that deserved to die, it is that of Asin. (not that she does, eh. Oh, wait a second. She has a double role. Whatever.) It would have been so much easier on the eyes and ears of the audience, apart from Kamal (s) in the movie. Uff.

Anyway, I liked Rangaraja Nambi, the hardcore Vaishnavite. But many of the other avatars seem to be forced into the narrative. For instance, what the hell is the Afghani guy all about? What is he doing in the film? And the less said about Krishnaveni, the better. Ugh. But yes, Balram Naidu is funny. Telugu raadu. Heh. My favourite, however, is Vincent Poovaraghan, the tribal chieftain who leads a crusade against the sand mafia. It is as Poovaraghan that Kamal shows us, once again, his sheer genius… the make-up is good here, but then it wasn’t really required. Hmm… My friend Pavitra pointed out that the music was far from impressive. Which is precisely why I thought it did not merit a mention. I liked the pleasant Ulaga Nayakane… but the other songs don’t stay with you. Watch Dasavathaaram for Kamal. Once. And do check out this column by Shobha Warrier of Rediff.

'Of myths and men' by Nirmal Shekar

2008-06-15T00:44:00.000+05:30

Okay, so this aint a quote. It's a piece written by Nirmal Shekar, the sports news Editor of The Hindu and my sports writing teacher at the ACJ. Read it. All of you who think Nirmal Shekar's writing is crap (including some of my friends, teachers and colleagues... past and present), go away.

Fists of stone!

2008-06-15T00:26:00.000+05:30

"There is only one legend and that's me." - Roberto Duran

PS: With due respect to 'Fists of stone,' I can't help wondering why Ali didn't think of this first. Heh.

Silence! The Greatest speaks...

2008-06-15T00:08:00.000+05:30

"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights." - Muhammad Ali

Ali is and will always remain, the one, the only, the Greatest. : )

No one left...

2008-06-15T00:00:00.000+05:30

"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me."
—Martin Niemoeller

Success...

2008-06-14T22:00:00.001+05:30

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan
I will be posting some of my favourite quotes, picked randomly. Those on my Gtalk list (and a lot of those who aren't!) would have seen most of them before.

Yawn…

2008-06-14T20:05:00.000+05:30

I’m bored and tired. The one thing about Pune that I really like is the climate, but lately, even that has been quite weird. While the summer is manageable compared with the insufferable heat and humidity of Chennai, the chilly winds at night mean a cold is constantly waiting to happen, often never really going away once you catch it. Bah!

Anyway, I’m looking forward to watching Dasavatharam tomorrow, in spite of the not-so-favourable reviews. Kamal once said in an interview, “I would never read a review before watching a film myself. No point going to a movie with a mindset.” Hmm.

What’s (The) Happening?

2008-06-14T18:29:00.000+05:30

No, I did not like the film. It’s strictly a one-time watch (it seems longer than its 90 minutes. Ho hum.) and does not live up to all the hype. And please, it is not scary. In fact, there is perhaps one scene in the whole film that has some shock value. Maybe the Americans will freak out because they’re mostly stupid. Mark Wahlberg is a fine actor and puts in a good performance, but he alone cannot save The Happening from being an implausible, stupid, we-know-what’s-coming flick with the most predictable of endings. Shyamalan disappoints. He should stop making entire films based on a one-line premise. Watch it if you must. I hope it wins an award for the most overrated and disappointing film of the year.

'Frankly speaking...' Blah!

2008-06-12T17:55:00.000+05:30

Here is a hilarious post by one Karthik on the Editor-in-Chief of a prominent TV channel. I agree with his views. Mr A always looks like he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he should have stayed put at NDTV, but then nobody knows what he was doing there in the first place. Blah.

Btw, according to some friends of mine at the TV channel concerned, the A is a terrible boss.

Covert…

2008-06-12T00:37:00.000+05:30

Ok, so a lot has been written about the sacking of Mubhashar Jawed Akbar from The Asian Age. Khuswant Singh, Rahul Singh, Seema Mustafa, Pritam Sengupta, Kuldip Nayar and Shantanu Guha Ray, among others, have expressed shock, resentment and sadness over the unceremonious exit of one of India’s most distinguished editors. The articles are all here.

Can’t resist quoting from from Akbar’s farewell letter to his colleagues. He may have flirted dangerously with politics (long story, that!) and is no angel, but M J certainly has a way with words.

“For reasons that need not detain us, I must say farewell. I was under the impression that I might have been able to do so with more grace. But judging from this morning’s edition of our paper, it seems I might have overstayed my welcome… We may not have been the biggest, but we held our head high because there was one nonnegotiable asset in our family: We could not be bought. We were independent. We were free. We held our head high. Never let your head stoop, not as long as you are a journalist.”

Not one to get bogged down and stay out of the newsroom, Akbar has already launched Covert, an unabashedly political fortnightly, which is now two issues old and features columnists such as Seema Mustafa, Kuldeep Nayar, Khushwant Singh, Arif Mohammad Khan and so on. And yes, Byline is alive and kicking. The design isn’t the greatest, but the forceful political content might just make Outlook, India Today and (ahem!) Tehelka sit up and take note. I really don’t have much to say on the cover story on Sharad Pawar in the first issue as well as the one on Kalam in the second, except that they are quite audacious in more than one sense of the word. Anyway, here’s some more wordplay. The mission statement of the magazine reads:

“Power is secretive about truth and propagandist about claims. Democracy demands media that reveals the covert and sifts the overt to peel off propaganda. Knowledge is the ultimate asset of the citizen. We hope, in COVERT, to tease the truth out of the wrinkles of secrecy. Our weapon is the scalpel, not the sword; we prefer the soft-spoken word to the scream, a smile to anger.”

PS: If someone asks you who the Editor of Covert is, don’t say M J Akbar. He's wisened up. This is a D'Mockeracy : )

“It was his year…”

2008-06-11T19:06:00.000+05:30

“Three legendary directors, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas — all friends of Marty — were on the stage together to announce the Oscar for the Best Director in 2007. They must have known in advance that it would be their old friend, Martin Scorsese. It was his year.”

Thought of posting this photo caption, which I took from the Orkut album of a good friend of mine, H. This guy wears his political lineage lightly and has opted for a career in banking. That he has an abiding interest in films goes without saying.

Scorsese should have won for Taxi Driver. Or Raging Bull. Or Goodfellas. Or even Casino. But he won for The Departed. Which I really liked, by the way.

PS: Having studied and worked with a talented and eclectic bunch of people, it has somehow been a regret of mine that very, very few of my friends and classmates have (as of now) chosen careers in:

A) Politics. (A lot of people I know say they are ‘apolitical.’ That too, proudly. I wonder if it’s possible to be completely that way. Since we are all part of a political and social system, I guess it would be rather difficult. Just one or two of the people I studied with are still active in politics. One of them is doing very well for himself back in Kerala. And hopefully, he is finding time to serve the public as well. Heh.)

B) The Armed Forces. (There are two or three, but that’s all. Oh well. The reasons are now common knowledge.)

The 54th National film awards and all that…

2008-06-11T17:31:00.000+05:30

Well, some surprise winners this time, eh. Of course, Lage Raho Munnabhai and its four awards is the big news. I thought it was a fairly good film. No further comments. Hmm… I haven’t seen Priyanandanan’s Pulijanmam, (Malayalam) which was adjudged the best film. However, having watched his Neythukaran, (which also had Murali in the lead) I can say he’s got what it takes. In an interview on Malayalam channel Asianet yesterday, Priyanandanan hinted at reviving his project with Mammootty, an adaptation of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s novel Shabdangal. (Look it up on Wikipedia!) If it happens, that will be a must-watch movie. Oh, with this write-up, Nilanjana S Roy leaves us in no doubt of Basheer’s genius. Do read.

For some obscure reason, sections of the Malayalam media (TV and online) insisted on referring to Priyamani, who won the best actress award for her role in the Tamil film Paruthi Veeran, as a ‘Malayalam star’. Whatever. (Note: I only mean to drive home the point that the channels and websites should have refrained from ‘claiming’ an award for Malayalam by repeatedly calling Priyamani a Malayalam actress. She has featured in some inconsequential Malayalam films and Paruthi Veeran is probably the first film that gave her scope to perform.) That’s it on the awards for now, will post more stuff later.

And yes, I liked Sarkar Raj. A little over-the-top at times, but definitely worth a watch. A journalist friend and former classmate (school, college, J-school) of mine, B, who is a credible film critic in his own right, told me, “I liked Abhishek’s performance. No one else from the current lot of actors can do that role.” Hrithik Roshan, I suggested. (Ha!) No way, he said. “RGV would have had to make him flex his muscles. Tight close-ups won’t work.” Hmm. Anyway, good comeback by RGV. Contract and Phook are coming up soon. I think he’s back on track. But with RGV, you never know.

By the way, I will be watching Manoj Nelliyattu ‘Night’ Shyamalan’s latest, The Happening, this weekend. Shudder. Heh.

New blog!

2008-06-11T01:38:00.000+05:30

Hey all!
This is my new blog. Will try to post something useful once in a while. Most of the stuff will be media-related. I will also write on films, cricket, politics and try to provide links to other write-ups that may be worth a read. Cheers!