mahableshwar!!

I was apprehensive and nervous like I always am when i'm confused which way to go before I travel out of the city. I had to fight my current frame of mind which compelled me to be on my own to travel to Mahableshwar to be with my school friends with whom I hadn't been out for a holiday for almost a year.

Thankfully, I kind of cajoled myself (still not convinced it was the best thing to go) to go chill out this weekend. I'm glad I did!

I have been going to Mahableshwar since I was in 9th grade with my school friends and going there is our yearly outing. But this time it was great living in a place that looks like some English countryside (Thanks Prachi for taking us to your lovely farm house). This old 18th century bunglow in the middle of huge lawns is aweseome. It was the ideal place for me to write a book or something. Anyway, I had a room to myself and guess what greets me the first time I enter that room at some 5.30 (it was still dark) am? a haunting painting of a girl whose looking straight at you as she is going about reading her book. I think it was scary enough to freak anyone out in an old mansion. But thankfully I found it interesting and that's it.

Anyway whole day of Cricket on a real pitch with stumps and stuff was good fun. I remembered all the times when I had played cricket with my school friends. I have played the maximum cricket with them and my brother. I had been waiting to get my hands on the cricket bat....and it was great fun with all the girls and guys playing on this small version of the cricket field. Cricket rocks and girls rocked. I was the girls day out, as all the girls outplayed the guys.

In the second match itself Pooja (who was bowling at me) threw the ball straight on my face spliting my glasses into two equal halves, and leaving a scar right in the middle of my forehead. God, it hurt but that didn't dampen my spirit. I borrowed spectacles from people but kept going..now that's what we call committment on the field. And then on started the war...Pooja vs Suparna....everytime we faced each others bowling...everybody would like wooo...we have a battle on. Next day we had dheele purze...with every inch of our body aching...but we still played. Just that everybody was a bit dead on the field.

Other than the cricket there was our favourite strawberry with cream, (we had loads of it) hours of video games, and lots and lots of awesome food...for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The nights were real chilly and windy, just the ideal kinds for a vacation.

The two days in the lovely weather of Mahableshwar were refreshing...I think something that I deserved...and needed...damn wish we cud stay there for long...and have more fun. why does all the fun have to end? I miss all you guys...hope that our next fun trip comes soon.

Rang De..rocks!!

In one word: Awesome!!

Rang De Basanti is the best movie I have seen in the recent times. On the lines of films like Ankush, Dil Chahta hai, Arjun and the others, the awakening of the youth is what the film is all about.
The cast is just perfect. You can't think of any other actor that fits into any one of those roles...from Aamir, Soha to Sharman, Kunal Kapoor... and all the others get into the skin of their respective characters with ease. Cannot leave out the chocolate boy of the south (all the girls seem to have gone nuts about him...that includes me!! somu claims that she owns the copy rights to drool over him). Siddharth, as the cool, reticent karan is adorable, and hot!!

The plot, characterisation and camera leave a mark. But what impressed me best was the narration. The merging of Bhagat Singh's story with the story of these boys was done beautifully. None of the relationships directly claim to be what they are. The brotherly affection shared by Karan and Ajay, the protectiveness of DJ for his friends, the bond DJ shares with Sukhi and the closeness between
Sonia and Aslam is subtle and comes accross beautifully without having to make it obvious.

Music flows with the story, and grows on you. Rubaroo surely takes the cake. Inspiring, fresh and versatile the music works strongly in favour of the storyline.

Rakeysh Mehra has definitely made a movie that won't be forgotten for a long long time to come. He revives the issue of MIGs which has been long forgotten. But the underlying statement that the film makes is that an awekened youth can bring about a revolution in the country.

Entertaining and inspiring, the movie made me sit back and think. Bollywood needs to come up with more such good original cinema for the Indian viewer. Small flaws forgiven! I loved the film!! Have seen it twice and I don't think I'll stop watching this movie for years to come.