Aaaaalll IZZZ Welllll

Yeah... I'm back... Sooner than I expected... Courtesy the return of my soul-mate, a more relaxing work and family environment, and ... an unconditional acceptance of life, the way it is.

So, I guess I can safely say AAAAAALLLL IZZZZ WELLLLL :-)

Yup, checked out 3 Idiots the day before. The movie, in one word, is EXTRAORDINARY.

What else do you expect from the brilliant Aamir "Perfectionist" Khan? The man has his own benchmark of excellence to live up to... And just as he says in the movie, "Aspire for excellence, and success shall follow anyway." He's definitely gona amass success in this venture, and how.

You know I'm a die-hard fan of Shahrukh - not just of his films but also of his personality and character. But that doesn't stop me from saying that Amir and Amitabh are the best things to have happened to the Hindi film industry. The guys have a league of their own, and they're above any kind of competition, man!

3 Idiots brings back the freshness of Sanju-baba in Munnabhai, and the background is the same - a college with a khadoos dean and a Southie guy at whose expense most jokes occur; an engineering institution this time, similar to Chetan Bhagat's Five Point Someone. The movie is based loosely on the book, and quite a few jokes are taken from the hundred of mails and smses that we come across every other day. However, these are minor hiccups that one can easily ignore given the magnanimous way in which the entire plot is handled.

The 3 Idiots (titled so by Director of ICE, Boman "Virus" Irani) are Sharman Joshi, Madhavan and obviously Aamir Khan. I know Sharman could not make his mark on Bollywood as an independent actor, but I somehow find him very endearing, be it in Golmaal or Style. He can crack jokes as effortlessly as he can shed a tear, and I loved him in this movie though he made me bawl more than a few times! R. Madhavan reminds me of the very genuine, very lovable Maddy in RHTDM, and I feel his role has been underplayed in this movie.

The film undoubtedly belongs to Amir "Rancho" Khan who breezes by making the lives of people around him very funny, very enlightening, and very live-able. He uses his brains in a way not many of us do, and the way he applies his knowledge is stunningly basic. No wonder then, that his college mates love him and his teachers hate him. Very Taare Zameen Par, eh? You bet. Special and unforgettable nevertheless.

Amir's love interest is played by Kareena. Now you know I don't admire snooty Bebo on teeny bit, but she's cute in this one. No nakhra no tamasha, she plays the simple bespectacled, helmet-wearing younger daughter of Boman Irani, who is at his usual best. With a movie comprising some of the finest talent in the industry, how could the production NOT be fantabulous? Even the minor characters have done an excellent job - like Mona (urf Jassi), Millimeter (don't know his name/lineage), et al.

The plot is simple - young students with different backgrounds, out of their own desire or their family's, land up at Imperial College of Engineering (ICE) with the aim of becoming a sought-after engineer. Life is tough and life is fun, and the audience is enchanted into the real lives of the thousands of youths who cannot withstand the pressure and end their lives, or mug up their syllabus to impress and triumph, or just go along with the flow even as their hearts lie elsewhere. And in this crowd comes the unique diamond, a single student who studies for the love of learning and leaves a mark on others' lives by being selflessly caring. So, even as the headmaster screams "Life is a competition", this miraculous boy goes around helping people in distress. Of course he scores top marks and bugs the hell outta the senior students and profs! He even delivers a baby using his keen intelligence and his doc gf's instructions... No points for guessing who this might be... A scientist in the making, who later starts a school with a unique teaching/learning methodology, and registers over 400 patents. Funny name, though... Oops, have I given out way too much?! :D

The movie is lengthy according to the usual standards, but trust m when I say you won't grudge it. The scenes are so beautifully created and enacted, you will find it hard not to like the film! I myself was a little anxious, given that the reviews I'd heard were outstanding, and each time I go with high hopes, I fall flat on my face. Yet, this movie didn't fail my faith. You MUST watch it. I insist. This is a 10 on 10!! Any less, and Aamir will commit suicide :-P

(If he reads my blog, I'm sure the 10 will look unreasonable to him; he must be expecting an 11 or 12!)

So, that's the movie review for you... Especially for Parimaula :-) Thanks for writing in.

What else have I been up to? Well, I visited a new place called Club Ecco in Fatima Nagar, Pune. I loved the ambience and "house" music, though there wasn't much crowd to appreciate it. I hadn't been to a disco in ages and I let my hair down (literally) like never before! Even won a holiday package as a prize for dancing well :-)

Belated Merry Christmas, fellas, and I hope you're planning for a dazzling new year celebration! I'm still looking out for go-able party places. Well, that didn't stop me from buying a uber chic tube top to wear for New Year's eve :-P

Drop a word if you know of any gigs in town!

Cheerio!

Princess

Hi.

Sorry been missing in action for the last one week. I was battling my own life which is posing more than my fair share of misfortunes. November and December have been extremely hard months for me in every way possible - work, health, relationships, future plans - you name it. It was all I could do to stay alive, let alone live peacefully. But I'm too sissy to kill myself, and so the suicidal thoughts that hovered on my mind remained unfulfilled.

Fortunately...

... Unfortunately.

Either way, I'm here.

Its admirable, isn't it, that the one who touts herself as God's favorite child should feel this way? I know someone who used to be very close to me believes that I'm fond of being miserable, I look out for opportunities to be sad. But given the circumstances, I did not have to try too hard.

I parted ways with my soul-mate over 7 weeks ago and haven't seen him since. He's left the void in me which Edward left in Bella... except that he wasn't as purrfect as Eddie! Hah... Wonder why it still pains when I think of him, or when I move about in places that we/he frequented. Wonder why I keep counting days since I've spoken to him (today is the 14th day) and why I hate and miss him simultaneously - a fact my friends find hard to understand. Surely I'm better off away from an individual who has only been abusing, hurting and misunderstanding me for the last 8+ months. Guess not... I don't know why I can't forget him, why I still mourn his absence... Apparently, his reason for kicking my a** was that I lead a merrier life without him to spoil things, but how far away from the truth could this statement be?? I don't know the metrics for so great a distance... God bless him, and I hope HE is having a roaring good time. I'll survive. Always have.

(And... no, my meeting and partying with friends, and discussing p***ses and v****as is not successfully deleting you from my heart even for a second... Nor am I doing this to seek sympathy from people known or unknown to me. In fact for this very reason, I shall disable comments on this post. If there's on thing I hate more than laziness, it's someone pitying me.)

As if this blow wasn't enough, I got the denial of admission letter from Kellogg. I know I was being over-optimistic when I thought I could be a part of this world-best institution, but I swear all my intuitions were prodding me in this direction. I was broken when I read the reject note. Lost all will... it didn't even matter that I still had a chance at MSU and NYU and probably even Texas Austin. I was crying every single day and this obviously affected my already poor health. Not a day has passed within the last 4 weeks when I haven't coughed or been ill. My resistance gave away back then and only my will power had me going to work and social dos sporting a wane smile as my heart crumbled every moment. My friends and family saw through my facade and they found it impossible that ANUJA could ever be this shattered and frustrated. I don't blame them; I myself never imagined I'd be so damned...

You can imagine my state. Plus I could not take off for a vacation as the boss insisted I be here to do things that were a far cry from my KRAs : read creating line-ups and recruiting recruiters. Some days were good, and some days were bad. And this task was complicated by my poor mental and physical health. I yelled at my parents, I shed bitter tears, I cursed God and I implored death. All to no avail.

My friends and family insist this phase too shall pass. They say the same things that I would normally say to any unhappy being. It doesn't work. My hope's dead and my faith lies slaughtered. I've stopped saying the Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Raksha that I religiously chanted daily as a "Hi God, how you doing, thanks for everything, keep up the good work" kinda gesture.

Smiling now seems an alien act to me, and I tend to treat everything as a favor. I break down at the slightest provocation and I have a constant head and eye and all-over-ache. My memory has gone for a toss as has my confidence and desire. Pardon me if you come back here and see the same post staring back at you. May not write in for sometime. Only wrote this time coz I did not want you to think I was dead and gone :-)

Still alive,

Anuja

Rejected by Kellogg

I've got Lal Bal, Pal !

Breaking News!!

I streaked my hair... Had them streaked at a parlour I mean... (It's also called highlighting, for those who don't know.) Which means I now have strands of red hair (not the fire-van red, it's a maroonish kinda tinge,similar to this font color) on my crown (that's the top portion of the head). It ain't done as abundantly as I'd planned, but no sweat - I'm happy! :-)

Somehow any kinda beauty/body therapy makes me feel nice. (Proves I'm a woman, eh?!) Be it the last time I had a massage at Four Fountains Spa over a year ago, or the facial I had at Urvashi beauty parlor about 2 years ago, or the time I decided to crop my hair and return to my bouncy-hair look a couple of months ago... Giving yourself a makeover rocks, and pampering your body and soul sure makes one feel divine. We deserve it, ladies! Can't keep waiting and expecting men to make us feel good all the time!! Not to mention, your hopes are shattered half the time...

Well, the last time I colored my hair was about 2 years ago, a day before my M.A. Statistics paper. My friends were stunned coz they had less than enough time to study the rules and formulas of Stats while I jauntily strutted about with burgundy (coffee-shade) locks. This happens the first time I've colored my hair reddish, though I've contemplated it several times, and I'm hoping it continues to look good (to me and on me) after the initial novelty fades :-D

Amen.

Waise I am a very simple girl... And I feel all the more frugal when I see women around me dressing up for work everyday. (How will lining and kohl-ing your eyes and painting your lips help you be efficient and effective at tele-calling?) Of course, I tend to go overboard with my minimalism; even for parties, all I do is apply some earthy-colored lipstick and I'm all set, even as my gal-buddies blow-dry and iron their hair, paint their barn with foundation and rouge, color their eyes in dazzling blues and pinks, and outline their glossy lips. Whew! Each to their own; I inherited my no-nonsense-no-makeup attitude from my mum. But well, she is an angel to look at, whereas I could do with some help...

Anywaysssssssss...

While the hairdresser was Loreal-ing my tresses, I glanced through the numerous issues of Femina, Filmfare and other mags stacked on the counter. I read Sallu's cool-dude comments on his paintings and his hostility towards Shahrukh, I checked out fashion scares Mithun-da and Sonam Kapoor, and I read gossip about Hrithik and Barbara (Kites), Shahid and Amrita Rao (I thought she was going to get married and happily quit acting), etc.

I set hands on a Woman's Era magazine (November issue, I think), and staring at me out of the front cover were the words - HOW TO GET YOUR MAN TO TALK (or something to that effect.)

For ages I have been pondering over this very subject - why men gel so well and chat for hours with their buddies and colleagues and neighbors and roomies, but recoil every time their wife/girlfriend asks them to "talk" to her.

So, this article seemed God-sent, and I glanced through the words I've murmured a million times : Why men consider monosyllabic replies and grunts as perfect conjugal conversations, why they find nothing wrong in reading the newspaper as their disgruntled lady makes their chai / coffee in the kitchen, why a women's expression of her feelings or need to resolve relationship problems bores and irritates and annoys them, and so on and so forth.

Of course, the article did not answer these queries in anything more than a gender differences way; the usual "genders are wired differently" solution. However, reading the statements there assured me that I am not the only one who broods over these topics. The writer went on to relate how you can get a man to talk... And these ways are : just sit with him quietly (ahem!) and observe/understand as he goes about his tasks and activities, ask him about cars/bikes/politics/sports/gadgets or anything else that he's passionate about, avoid talking about his family, and the sort.

Nothing akin to rocket science, and all quite do-able, but my question is HOW LONG? You can do something a few times, and it's not unnatural to expect that the other person will also go a little out of the way to ease things... Taali ek haath se nahi bajti dost! You can rave on and on about gender differences and not head anywhere, and you can both understand and try to make things wonderful... Not impossible, right?!!

Anywayssss... The deal is I'm waiting for the admission results of Kellogg, Michigan State Uni (Broad), and NYU Stern with tremendous hope and faith. Not including Texas Austin Uni in this list coz they have told me they can do nothing about my application until I submit TOEFL scores. Hoga kaha se? Maine exam hi nahi di hai! First available date is Jan 31st, 2010... And if I get a Kellogg admit before that... Hee haa haa haa!! Khallaaaasss...

Baaki toh attending weddings and functions. Most people from my school and college and office and apartment and family circle are getting married. Good for them. Not good for me coz I hate these family dos. Compound it with the fact that there are horny old men lurking about and trying to grab a handful of you as they stare at your boobs and talk about stupid things. Grrr... It's all I can do to stop myself from slapping them... And then when some woman comes and starts inquiring about your profession as if she is planning to propose a billion-dollar business deal...

Time out.

Happy weekend!

-Princess

The Most Bestest Ever

Marvelous.

Simply outstanding.

The movie I was planning to not watch, is abso-flippin'-lutely fantabulous.

I'm glad the movie buff inside me overcame the hesitation I initially had on seeing Big B in such a scary, pitiable state.

Paa.

Dude, how can anybody be so darned gifted?

Amitabh is magnificent (as always)! He played the senior Buddhadev sporting a pony tail in Cheeni Kum with as much ease as he acts Auro, the witty child afflicted with progeria* in Paa. (Progeria is a rare genetic condition where patients age rapidly; so soembody who's 10 would probably look like he's 70, though his mental age remains 10.)

Incidentally, both the movies are by R. Balki, and I must say, they're two of the best things to have happened to the Hindi fillum industry; apna Bollywood has grown with these films. Way to go, cast and crew!! Dhaasu acting and mast make-up... Too good!!

The movie stars the very pretty Vidya Balan (wearing lovely sarees) and the handsome Abhishek Bachhan (no longer am I gona call him AB baby; he's proved his mettle and avoided being shadowed by his father in this brilliant venture), as Auro's Maa and Paa respectively. There is also a bunch of tremendously talented kids who keep the movie alive and interesting. Their innocence, humor and witty audacity create insights that are mind-boggling.

Say what, I failed to find even a single blunder in the fim - it's that perfect. I was afraid this would be one melodramatic torture, but the way the situation and varied incidents have been tastefully handled stuns me. So what if somebody is not normal, so what if there is an anomaly in an individual? Why stare at him with pity and murmur sympathetic questions/remarks? Treat him as a human, with respect and maturity, and you can see the beauty inside the person. And that's what this film teaches us. Respect and acceptance.

I am so tempted to divulge a few incidents and jokes in the movie, but I shan't. I want you to go and see this yourself - whatever your age, whatever your gender, whatever your preference in movies or hobbies. I promise you a lot of laughs and some superb food for thought. No wonder my rating is gona be excellent - 9.5 on 10. I'm gona cut half a point for the political rigmarole surrounding Junior Bachchan. You cannot get enough of the smart, lovable, sensible and adorable Auro... Obviously, the "breaking news" bits get into the way... Must watch regardless.

I was eager to catch New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, but the release got postponed by a week. So, you shall hear that review next week :-) And my take on the latest/last book in the Twilight series: Breaking Dawn - it's terrific... I was dazzled by the remarkable script and description. Steph Meyer, you rock! I always knew vampirism would suit Bella, and I can feel her elation (and relief) at having taken to this new life so gracefully and effortlessly. Making me wish for the nine-thousand-and-eighty-fifth time that I was a vampire myself - pretty, powerful, and proficient in every way possible... And the cherry on the cake would obviously be a loving mate like Edward... Sighhhh!!! And of course, their adorable daughter Renesmee... And a great mate like Jake... Super sighhhh... I would face the Volturi anyday given my lovely pale-skinned family.

Here I go again... What an obsession!

My acquaintances have been pushing me to take glimpses of the abilities of Russell Peters and David Blaine, and I must agree these guys are great! I don't think Peters is really extraordinary though quite a few folks think so; to me, his humor quotient is as good as apna Raju Srivastav (recently knocked out of Bigg Boss 3). However, R.P. deserves credit for his reach - the guy's got fans across the world, and his confidence is unbelievable. Fancy cracking racial and terror-related jokes about Arabs and Indians in front of an audience comprising every community in the world! Not a quality in my kitty for sure!

David Blaine and the things he does are amazing as well. His endurance, both mental and physical, is stupendous. Whatta creator God is... endowing different people with so many different and unusual abilities!

Right then. That's about it for today. I'm running out of superlative expressions :-P

But hey, I have one (two actually) superb news up my sleeve - my darling Scooty Pep completed three years yesterday, and my Abba has stepped into his 64th year. Happy Birthday, sweethearts! Mwaaahhhh :-) And a zillion thanks for being there...


Cheerio!
Anuja

As Long As You Love Me...

Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine,
I'm leaving my life in your hands,
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind, Risking it all in a glance.
And how you got me blind is still a mystery,
I can't get you out of my head,
Don't care what is written in your history,
As long as you're here with me.

I don't care who you are, Where you're from,
What you did, As long as you love me...
Who you are, Where you're from,
Don't care what you did,
As long as you love me...

Every little thing that you have said and done,
Feels like it's deep within me,
Doesn't really matter if you're on the run,
It seems like we're meant to be.

I've tried to hide it so that no one knows,
But I guess it shows, When you look into my eyes,
What you did and where you are comin from,
I don't care, As long as you love me, baby...


Backstreet Boys - my favorite boy band when I was a teenager; the songs make me smile and sigh even today coz the lyrics are so amazing...


And here's a short little addition from my side... Doesn't exactly rhyme, but matches the mood...

I try to immerse myself in things to do,
But I know even before I start,
That I won't be able to stop thinking of you...
All the faults seem small, my need for you so large,
As I imagine us hugging and kissing endlessly...
As long as you love me baby...



-Princess

Holiday Complaints

Hi,

I'm not feeling too cheerful today. The holiday I've been planning for the last couple of weeks may not be approved. I've been waiting to escape this city (despite the fact that my social life is rocking like never before courtesy a million lovely reunions - the most recent at KIVA in Koregaon Park), my work (despite the fact that I'm quite liking it), my family (despite the fact that they frankly don't do much to bother me) and my routine (which is actually quite decent, though I don't get to exercise much). In sum, my life is going good, but it sure would have got better had I been granted a short sabbatical. All down the drain.

Unless there is a sudden windfall. Quite possible.
God loves me. Most humans do, too.

But let me not kill your fun factor and weekend bliss by discussing disappointment and all that jazz. I'm gona share with you this hilarious post called "Holiday Complaints" that I found while surfing for some English training material. The site's called www.fun-with-english.co.uk and they have a list of educational (and amusing) articles that help one learn better English.

Now this list was allegedly compiled by Thomas Cook Holidays, listing complaints they had received. (Survey by Thomas Cook and ABTA)... Enjoy!!

"I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

"The beach was too sandy." (Hehehe...)

"We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white." (ROFL... Faaaaaantastic!)

"Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women." (Ahem, I heartily empathize!)

"It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned." (Couldn't agree more... especially in Goa!)

"On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."

"We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels." (No comments, this sounds logical; there's always have stuff on hire!)

A tourist at a top African game lodge overlooking a water hole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate". (Grin!)

A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she'd been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the "do not disturb" sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room. (Stupid styuuuupid!)

A guest at a Novotel in Australia complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time.

"We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five Euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake."

"No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled." (LMAO!)

"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home." (Pity!)

"I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller."

"The brochure states: 'No hairdressers at the accommodation'. We're trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?"

"There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners."

"We had to queue outside with no air conditioning."

"It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

"I was bitten by a mosquito - no-one said they could bite."

"My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

Keep laughing!

-Princess

December 2009

Hay Allah, there's so much to tell you and so little time... And this stupid keyboard with all the keys smudged sure doesn't ease my troubles...

(I am a good workman honestly assessing my shitty tools. Just for the records.)

So, I've watched 2012 and De Dana Dan over the weekend, I've visited Madhouse Grill, Malaka Spice (Street?) and Foodlink, and I've caught up with a few of my bestest pals. Quite am exciting inventory, eh? 8-)

But before that, leme do my duty - that of telling you it's World AIDS Day today. This day is observed on December 1 each year and is dedicated to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. (GK titbit : The first ever such day was in 1988.) Do your bit - wear a red ribbon today to support people living with HIV; this simple act is a powerful way to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV and AIDS.

2012 is a magnificent movie to say the least. The sense of doom I felt in Final Destination is comparable to the numbness I felt when I saw the world as we know it collapsing like a helpless castle of cards. The brilliant direction and graphics coupled with the authentic emotions of the main characters made the movie a fantabulous watch. I'm so glad I didn't miss this one... It could've been shorter, though. I personally don't like lengthy English movies (anything over 110 minutes figures as "lengthy"), that is the forte of Bollywood with it's song and scene rigmarole. But I repeat, 2012 is a must watch. A cool 9 on 10 from me. Excellent. Scary.

De Dana Dan is OK. It had the potential to be super, but they killed the fun by mixing too many characters with too many plots. Everybody seems wasted in their role - Akshay Kumar, Rajpal Yadav, Katrina Kaif, Archana Puran Singh, Suniel Shetty, Sameera Reddy... The only folks who landed meaty bits are the inimitable Johny Lever and Paresh Rawal. I must say the plots are woven intricately together to form a hilarious climax, but as they say "too many cooks spoil the broth". (This seems to have become a day and post full of proverbs!) The film definitely bestows a few laughs akin Hera Pheri and Hungama, but Priyan really needs to buck up if he wants to live up to his hit comedy brigade... This is a 6 on 10 from me. Decent timepass types.

Partying with the gals is the perfect way to blow away the cobwebs from your brain, and that is exactly what I've been doing. Met my college sweethearts (girls, obviously - didn't you read the above line properly?) and had a terrific time talking about everything factual, hypothetical, biological and rhetorical. Deepti, Natasha, Sana... you rock, ladies!!! I hope we do this more often :-)

And oh foodies, you may visit Foodlink to enjoy the Indian starters and Italian fare with some sensational drinks. It's located on Senapati Bapat Road in ICC - Wing B. What made my visit awesome was that I met a dear long-lost friend there. He's the Ops Manager, and he ensured my evening was wonderful. The staff is very sweet and young (handsome, too!) and the music was just what I wanted to hear - classic, relaxing and fun! It got chilly towards midnight but I didn't want to leave... Knowing that my amazing weekend is over... and I have to get back to work... slog all week... Shucks!

Will cope... I'm a survivor...

-Princess