Rann ... Till You Succeed

Yup, I've watched Rann, and the movie is so not as marvelous as expected. Of course, all the characters and actors are spectacular, but wonderful performances don't a terrific movie make...

The story is oh-so-stale, but Ramu wanted to take a shot at it nevertheless, before Madhur Bhandarkar came around with his real-life-story clan. (Madhur has done page 3 before, but Rann is primarily about the news channels on air.) Not surprisingly, the movie is about how these TV-wallahs cook up stories to raise their popularity and TRPs*

(A lot of folks, including me, don't know what the full form of TRP is... It's Target Rating Point, and it stands for "a measure of the purchased television rating points representing an estimate of the component of the target audience within the gross audience", says Wikipedia. I didn't quite understand all of it, but for further info, click here)

Amitabh Bachhan plays the very dashing and respected Vijay (again! but not Deenanath Chauhan, this time it's Vijay Harshwardhan Malik), a popular journalist for over 3 decades. He runs a TV news channel with his son Jay Malik (an extremely talented actor - Sudeep or someone) and the gorgeous Suchitra Krishnamurthy who plays a grey Nalini Kashyap. As Vijay runs the show with honesty and integrity, it is no wonder that his channel is not making profit, a fact that deeply disturbs his son who is eager to ace the race in television channels; a position currently held by Amrish Kakkar (Mohnish Behl, as despicable as he was in Maine Pyar Kiya - which means he's a good actor).

Politicians, businessmen and media professionals flock together for personal interests, and Mohan Pandey (Paresh Rawal, under-utilized), Navin (Rajat Kapoor, as brilliant as in Bheja Fry and Mixed Doubles) and Jay start the game of you-scratch-mine-I-scratch-yours with zero morality and high potential gains. Neetu Chandra (dressed cheaply so that the guys aren't disappointed), Gul Panag and Simone Singh have little to do, but they look convincing in their tiny roles. Who obviously takes the cake is the Big B and the small D... Riteish Deshmukh is fast becoming one of my favorite actors because he infuses tremendous sincerity and passion into his characters. As a newbie in journalism, he beautifully portrays the amateur's dilemma of candor versus profit. And to put in a few light moments, the film makes way for Rajpal Yadav, and does the guy need any introduction? He's superb, man.

I guess the story is evident from the prologue above. Breaking news becomes synonymous with breaking trust and misleading the public, who excitedly watches and believes everything they are told by the media. The plot would have been more thrilling if only all of us were not so painfully aware of this fact. After all the drama and evil is done, Vijay H. Malik candidly apologizes to the public and discloses the identities of the no-gooders. Game over.

My rating - 5 on 10.

My dream run for my MBA abroad is going ding, ding, ding... I mean I'm getting dinged (means rejected) left, right, center. It began with Cambridge, was taken further by Kellogg and now NYU Stern. I worked hard on the last one man, the T-shirt that I made as a personal expression of myself, I really put my brain, heart and soul into it. But I guess I ain't surprised. I've been told that there are blokes who get admitted to Kellogg and not to NYU. It's that great. Chalo, theek hai. Ab rahi toh do ummeede - Michigan Broad and Texas Austin. Have to crack both ya. Sala kuch toh choice ho!

I gave my Broad telephonic interview last night. It went well, I think. The interviewer was in a great rush and I could barely make out 70% of what she was saying. The questions were quite repetitive, I felt, coz she began with the usual Why MBA, Why Broad, and then asked me about 5 questions all revolving around teamwork. I was a tad distracted coz of some annoying interruptions, so I don't recall much of what I said, but I'm sure I didn't goof up too bad. Let's hope for the best.

But for now, it's vacation time! Yoo hooooooo... I leave for Pondi the day after. My packing is reasonably done. And what has eased the process is my latest shopping spree :-D

Awrite now, don't oggle people. I HAD to buy a few things for my trip, besides the shorts and tube. Hit Central the other day, there's a wonderful sale going on, very attractive discounts available. I got a couple of casual but cute tops/Ts, and a beautiiiiiiiiiful dress. I've always wanted to own one like it, and its simplicity is so stunning... Wow! Dying to wear it... Come opportunity, present thyself!

Time to say goodbye, people. I'll see if I can drop a line from Pondi, but honestly I don't plan to be connected to anything/anyone in home city Pune. So, don't get too lost and lonely and disappointed with Princess missing :-) I promise I'll dish it out in bucket-loads after I return - all my adventures and fun and realizations and philosophies.

Cool?

Cool.

Take good care of yourself until then!

Love always,

Princess

I'm Alive

Wazaaaaaaaa, fellas?

I'm doing good, extremely happy coz I did some fab work over the last couple of days. Work as in professionally and academically. Nothing gives you the satisfaction that a good day's work can... Trust me...

Of course, other than going shopping and purchasing something dreamy and exquisite, which I did too :-D

But more on that later... Let me begin by telling you how things have been at work... By the way, I completed 6 months at YB yesterday. Cheers!

Honestly speaking, I've hardly had much to do over the last few weeks. I've just been loitering at work, and trying to look busy and important. (Which most people do so often, that after a point of time, they stop realizing they're doing nothing unusual or productive. Weird but true.) So, when I was told outta the blue that I need to visit a client and evaluate candidates for communication training, I was glad to actually be occupied in constructive work, for a change.

Now, I was expecting about a dozen candidates and I was nowhere close to prepared to being handed a sheet of 60-odd names, most sounding South Indian - you know, the usual Rao and Reddy and tons of snake-god names. I took a deep breath and geared up for the task.

I do enjoy meeting people, and I must say, it was fun. One of the best things about being a trainer is that you can let yourself go wild and encourage the students to explore themselves during interactive sessions. Which is exactly what I did. So, right from the usual "What's your favorite destination?" to "What would you do with a million bucks?" to the more controversial "What would you rename yourself as, and why?" and "Why don't you have a girlfriend?", I went berserk. And the candidates thoroughly enjoyed the interrogation. (I know coz we were both giggling.) Helped me build the required rapport and helped the students relax. Good job.

Tell me something new ;-)

But that's just the basics. I HAVE to share with you the details about the weirdos I meet and the crazy stuff they do... LOL... Omigosh, it's hilarious, the way some folks behave...

So, as I said this group was mostly composed of idli-dosa-people. While their MTI (mother tongue influence) and pronunciation had me grinning and fuming alternately, they came across as extremely sincere and polite. Unfortunately, non-trainable, though. Wana know how chatting with them is...?? Check this out : When I asked "Tell me about your family", they say "My name is blah-blah. I studied at blah-blah. My first job was so-and-so". I calmly guide them back to my original question, to which they answer "My fother (NO typo, they say fOther) was retired and mother was housemaker (HOMEmaker/houseWIFE)." I make a straight face and ask with empathy, "Was? They're there, right?" only to be told, "Ya ya, they in Kannur." Shucks....

And then there was this deadly-looking chap who tells me, "I want to join this company because branded, and then people will give their daughters to me to marry." Ahem, how many you looking for, mate?! Pretty candid and upfront, I admit...

Another reedy fellow on being asked "Why are you so thin?" replied promptly "I will drink Complan." Hehehe... Too late for that, buddy. Should have done that sooner...

And godddd... some of these guys dress in such outrageous ways! I had to blink a couple of times when I saw this dude walk up to me in a bright red shirt. I mean, a traffic signal red of all colors to an interview? It's almost like saying "Hire me or I'll fire you."

This other cartoon in a waistcoat, jeans so ornately embroidered that it could put any fashionable girl to shame, funny gigantic glasses and elfin shoes told me he likes Emraan Hashmi and tries to emulate him, in style as well as actions. God bless you, Emraan, and your marvelous fan following...

And how can I forget those who look upon these one-on-one chats as a means to vent and displace their agony akin a free counseling session? I begin with something as harmless as "What's your best quality/talent?" and end up listening to an entire monologue about how the parents did not allow the child to play and pursue cricket as a career, and after that the child never quite did anything out of his own volition, and he now lives a life completely directed and commanded by his Paa and Maa. Interesting... And worrisome... The psychologist inside me really aches after hearing these stories.

But well, that's just a little glimpse of some things in my profession. It's as much entertainment as it is hard work. After all, training people and raising their competencies in a matter of weeks/months is no child's play. My next Academy batch starts after my vacation (Pondi, yipppeeee!)and I shall be super busy in Feb, what with the family expecting a baby any moment. The stork better wait until Feb 15!

About the TOEFL, well, it was... umm... what should I say... I guess it was OK, I don't really know. I think I did a good job on the entire test, though I was smiling throughout for heaven knows what reason. And then I got bored on the extra reading section, and passively answered the questions in the listening section. The speaking section was not as bad as I had expected; the prompts were pretty good, but I lost sense of time and found the time allotted for speaking short. What I sure did fantastically on is the writing section (no surprise there, right?!) where I gave a free rein to my imagination and language skills. Woohoo!! The TOEFL is gone and done with. Hushhhhh... No more tests for me now at least for the next 6 months! Of course, there's the evaluation bit - my Michigan State Univ (MSU) telephonic interview is on the 4th and I have to make sure I crack it and get an admit. There's also UT McCombs and NYU Stern... All in good time.

And now for the shopping bit - I bought a pair of sexy shorts (something I've wanted to own for a millennium, so what if I really don't have much opportunity to wear them?) My mum all but collapsed when I showed her my latest buy. What with the funky tube top I bought on New Year's and now these glam shorts, she's worried about the direction my fashion sense and ultra-modern brain is taking :-D But she's a great sport, and now she wants me to buy a nice short skirt as well ;-) Wanted to do that, but didn't get anything chic enough...

Another chic-y thing was my evening at Stone Water Grill (or SWG, if you will). This swanky place in Koregaon Park sure is one must-visit. True, it's expensive and I didn't quite love the music, but the crowd, food and ambience is amazing. Particularly the Char Grilled Mushrooms... Yumm, so juicy... and the sauce was just right!

That's all for now. Will keep you posted about further developments.

Asta La Vista!
Princess

Bring Me To Life

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home.

Wake me up, Wake me up inside
I can't wake up, Wake me up inside
Save me, Call my name and save me from the dark...

Wake me up, Bid my blood to run
I can't wake up, Before I come undone
Save me, Save me from the nothing I've become...

In case you haven't guessed, these are the lyrics of the song "Bring me to Life" by Evanescence. Lovely song, extremely passionate and rhythmic. Got a lot of fresh tracks added to my cell-fone, so spend a lot of time listening to Jay Sean, Akon, Atif Aslam and others.

You know, my life is pretty exciting, but being a moderately social and quite organized individual, there are few things that I can share apart from non-stop highs and lows in my relationships, movies and parties that I've been to, and other trivia stuff that I come across. Of course, if there were some novel happenings, like maybe I got married and I could bitch about my husband and his idiosyncrasies ;-) OR if I got into Harvard (that I haven't applied to!) and met some cool profs and friends, then I would write about my daily experiences... And that would really be cool... But as I said, aisa kuch hai nahi, so you gotta bear with me. As much as I like blogging and hearing from you, I'm falling short of things to write about... Confession confession...

Of course, I've received an interview invitation from Michigan State Univ (MSU Broad) and my telephonic chat with them is slated for Feb 4th, so that's one thing I'm anxious and excited about. Shall let you know what the outcome is... But until then, there's nothing really "happening" happening... Thoda bahut padhai for TOEFL, hanging out with friends and chilling out with the colleagues, and that's about it...

Anyways, I don't know if I've told you I'm going to Pondicherry in February. It's like a dream come true for me, coz I've alwayssssss wanted to go there, right since the time I was a kid. Neither my family nor friends ever planned a trip there, so I find myself making my own arrangements and heading off alone. It's gona be super fun! I'm SO looking forward to chilling out on the beach and having a great time all by myself! No one around to bug the s**t outta me, no one to act crazy and ruin my mood, no on to please and no one to care about except myself. Woo hoo :-D

I'll be gone between the 7th and 13th, back in time for Valentine's. I hope this one is super special, unlike the previous ones...

But aah, before that comes my TOEFL... On Jan 31st (Sunday)... And while I'm not amazingly prepared, I'm working on it everyday now. Hope I do well.

And ya, two things that I recall having read recently that stayed with me long after I'd turned the pages...

- Peace is not just the absence of violence; it's when the flowers bloom (I believe this is by Amrita Pritam, the famous Indian poet/writer of Punjabi origin)

- Women give sex in order to get love, men give love to get sex. (I'm expecting some debate here! But hey, these aren't my words, I read them in Rajashree's novel titled "Trust Me")

Talk to you later! Shall write in when I can...

Until then, you can browse the other articles on my blog. There's a lot that you haven't read, I'm sure!

Keep the faith,
Princess

Wedding Traditions Around the World

Here are some cute wedding traditions from around the world. Found them on the web... Enjoy!

GERMANY : Stealing the Bride
At her wedding reception, the bride is stolen by the best man, who then carries her away to a local pub. The groom has to search for them and pay for all their drinks when he finds them!

(Now that's on helluva idea! Hic hic :-D )

GREECE : Baby Rolling
A baby is rolled on the newly-weds' bed. This is believed to enhance fertility and happiness in the new marriage.

(Poor baby!! :-P )

IRELAND : Tokens of Love
An Irish man often gifts his ladylove a bracelet made of human hair. If she accepts and wears it, it shows she is linked to him for life. Some men also give their beloved a Harvest Knot made of straw (shown alongside), decorated with flowers or bells, to wear in their hair or around their neck.

(The second idea is so romantic!)

ORKNEY (A group of islands near Scotland) : The Blackening
In Orcadian weddings, the groom's friends ambush him and blacken him with a mixture of flour, treacle and feathers. The idea to make him look as drunk and messy as possible! He is paraded around town in the back of a truck, while his friends make a din so that everybody sees the groom's sorry state. The parade usually ends at the sea for washing up.

(LOL... Fun for everyone except the groom!)

RUSSIA : Head of the Household
The bride's mother hands the newly married couple a loaf of bread at the wedding reception. The one who can take the largest bite from the loaf will be the head of the household.

(Not fair! Men, with their massive mouths and disgusting eating habits, have an advantage. Boo!!)

ALASKA : Buying the Bride
The village elders must first approve a proposed marriage, after which the groom's family spends the next year arranging for the payment for the bride. They seek help from their relatives and assemble a house full of gifts. Once the bride's family accepts the offering, the groom must work for her family for one year; he has to do everything, right from hunting to chores around the house.

(Now that's one wonderful custom. Serves you men right, making the women run about the house!!)

ITALY : The Evil Eye
To ward off the evil eye the groom must carry a piece of iron in his pocket and the bride must wear a veil. At the end of the wedding day, in Southern regions, the couple shatters a glass or vase. The number of pieces predicts the number of years they will be happily married.

(Anything that helps.)

CHINESE : The Tea Ceremony
The couple kneels before their parents and ask for permission to marry.

(Decent... But hardly fantastic...)


You got any to share??

With Love and Luck and Laughter,
Princess

10 Things

Just been thinking about this...

Here are 10 things I would say to my girl, if I was a guy...

1. Look at her in a dreamy-eyed way and say, "You're gooooorgeous, woman! I can't take my eyes off you..."

2. "I'll always be there for you honey."

3. "Sweetheart, you have made me the luckiest man on this planet by loving me."

4. "I care for you baby."

5. "I feel incomplete without you... Can I hug you forever?"

6. "Man! I'd be damned if you weren't by my side."

7. When she's smiling/laughing, "I love to see you happy."

8. "Your wish is my command, princess."

9. "I'm dying to see you, my angel."

10. "I missssss you :-( "

... And more importantly, 10 things I would NEVER ever say...

1. "What have you ever done for me?"

2. "Why don't you make some coffee as I read the newspaper in the other room?"

3. "Can we talk later? I want to watch the football/cricket match."

4. "The gang's going out so I won't be able to come for your convocation/party."

5. "You ruined my life. I wish we'd never met!"

6. "His girlfriend is a babe! Love the way she dances/dresses/talks."

7. "You were with me just for my money."

8. "Couldn't you wear something better?" OR "You look funny/horrible/OK."

9. "You don't satisfy me."

10. "Call me after you stop crying" OR "Meet me after your problems are sorted out."

You're welcome :-)

-Princess

Zodiac Signs

Whether we believe in it or not, all of us know about the zodiac. Also called our sun-signs.

Q. Any idea which zodiac we refer to?
A. The Western zodiac signs - namely Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces, in that order.

You may also have read/heard about the Chinese zodiac that has 12 animals associated with the date of birth - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar.

You already are aware that I am a Cancer-Leo cusp according to the Western zodiac. Have I told you my Chinese sign? It's the Ox. Which means I'm hardworking, persistent, stubborn and systematic, observant, short-tempered, intelligent, caring, loyal, responsible, blah blah blah...

Here's the new stuff...

I checked out Celtic zodiac signs, after getting Holly as my sign on a Facebook application. It seemed different and interesting, and once that was sensed, how could I keep it away from you, beloved readers?!!

Wiki did not have much info on this. (Surprise surprise! Experts can fail, too!) But I surfed the web and found this stuff... Enjoy!

Celtic astrology basically hails from Ireland, and was created by the Druids around 1000BC. These expert observers believed that trees were sacred and carried infinite wisdom. These 13 signs can be likened to human nature and personality. This knowledge can bring us immense clarity and insight. And don't we all need that BIG time?!!

So, here it is... Enjoy!

Jan 21 - Feb 18 : Rowan, the Thinker
You are philosophical and creative, often misunderstood by others. You have a lot of passion that motivates you in the pursuit of your goals. You transform people and situations merely by your presence, but you dislike following others. You love change and can easily get restless and quarrelsome. Though you are kind and thoughtful, you can be tactless and alienate people. You team up well with Ivy and Hawthorn.

Feb 18 - March 17 : Ash, the Enchanter

You are artistic, intuitive and imaginative, sometimes moody and withdrawn. You are immersed in your own world of fantasies and do not care what others think of you. Spontaneous and persuasive, you are easily hurt as you can be hyper-sensitive. You partner well with Willow and Reed.

March 18 - April 14 : Alder, the Trailblazer
You are not one to follow the beaten path; you find your own ways and followers. Social, charming and gregarious, you usually get along well with everybody and others enjoy your company. You are confident and focussed, and dislike wastage of time or things. You are powerful and adventurous, prone to being selfish and short-tempered. Hawthorn, Oak, Birch are your compatible signs.

April 15 - May 12 : Willow, the Observer
You are creative, intelligent and intuitive. You are realistic and patient, and have a good memory. You have a lot of potential but you hold yourself back. Your perceptive nature aids you in success. Resourcefulness is your strength, but you find it hard to forgive and forget which causes rifts with friends and family. You gel well with Birch and Ivy.

May 13 - June 9 : Hawthorn, the Illusionist
"Appearances can be deceptive" is a saying that suits you perfectly. You may look average but you carry a lot of passion and creativity inside you. You adapt well and make life comfortable for yourself as well as others. You are a good listener, multi-talented, curious and humorous, and you have amazing insight. Your partner signs are Ash and Rowan.

June 10 - July 7 : Oak, the Stabilizer
A spokesperson for the underdog, Oaks are protective, nurtuting, generous and helpful. You like to impart knowledge to others, and live long, social, happy lives. Control and structure are two requisites in your life. You are responsible and determined, as well as optimistic and proud. You gel better with Ash, Reed and Ivy.

July 8 - August 4 : Holly, the Ruler (ME!! 10 on 10.)

Noble and regal, you enjoy positions of leadership and power. You have tremendous skill and tact, and overcome challenges easily. You are perseverant winners, and people look up to you. You are competitive and ambitious (even when not necessary), and your confidence is mistaken by others as arrogance. Generous, kind and affectionate to those who know and care for you, you are intelligent and easily triumph where others struggle. You are practical, capable, cautious and logical. You are supportive and possessive in relationships, but demand constant attention and affection. You strive for perfection and do not take risks. For balance and partnership, mingle with Ash and Elder.

August 5 - Sept 1 : Hazel, the Knower
Intelligent, organized, efficient, you are always well-informed and have an amazing memory. You appear like a know-it-all, but you're genuinely smart and have an eye for detail. You have a compulsive need for order and control, and enjoy using your analytical skills. Clever at reasoning, planning and organizing, you can be very paranoid and sensitive. Your partner signs are Hawthorn and Rowan.

Sept 2 - Sept 29 : Vine, the Equalizer
Your personality is changeable and unpredictable. You are often indecisive and full of contradictions because you see both sides of the coin and empathize with each. You procrastinate and hate taking sides, but you enjoy is the finer things in life like art, music, food and drink. You can be discriminating and authoritative, vulnerable and self-critical, though you appear cool and detached. You love luxury and can be over-indulgent, you can turn drab into dramatic. Charming and elegant, you have class and style. You partner well with Willow and Hazel.

Sept 30 - Oct 27 : Ivy, the Survivor
Compassionate, generous, loyal and helpful, you have the ability to overcome all odds. Life to you seems unfair and difficult, but you handle these unprompted troubles with perseverance and grace. You make friends easily and dislike offending people. Charming and spiritual, you are attracted to Oak and Ash.

Oct 28 - Nov 24 : Reed, the Inquisitor
You love to dig for information and reach the truth at the core. You are interested in gossip, legends and scandals, and you make fine historians, detectives and journalists. You can coax people and be manipulative at times. Yet you are truthful and honorable. Caring and passionate, you are a jealous, proud and fearless. You gel well with other Reeds, Ash and Oak signs.

Nov 25 - Dec 23 : Elder, the Seeker
You love freedom and enjoy thrills. You are an extrovert who is deeply thoughtful and philosophical. You are considerate of others and try to be helpful. Restless, curious, outspoken and ambitious, you dislike routine and being pressurized. Your brutal honesty can be a problem at times. Alder and Holly make good partners for you.

December 24 - January 20 : Birch, the Achiever

You are determined, reliable, ambitious and enthusiastic, and good at motivating others. You are tolerant, witty and resilient. You are cool-headed and charming though cynical, and easily take on leadership roles. Your partner signs are Vine and Willow.

Suits you?

See ya!!

-Princess