Self Praise :-)

A little narcissism wont hurt I guess :-P :-) Some of the comments which matter....

 

Makes my day I guess!!!! Superlike!!!! :-)

7 Khoon Maaf

Based on Ruskin Bond's 'Sussana's Seven Husbands', Vishal Bharadwaj has done a good job of making '7 Khoon Maaf' wherein Priyanka Chopra plays the main protagonist while Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Irfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah play one of her 7 husbands.

'7 Khoon Maaf' is a story....just a story. Its no thriller, no romance and no - its not a sad story. Its a story about a woman who's quest for undying love ends in a very unexpected fashion with the death of all her 6 husbands. The story does not have the edgy touch of Omkara or a Kaminey...it flows...sometimes a bit slowly. Although the end wherein Sussana marries for the 7th time, could have been made more clear...or maybe it was open to interpretation...Christianity, Coorg, Kashmir and Puducherry play their very important roles in the movie providing a credible background to the story.

Priyanka Chopra has done a fabulous job of playing Sussana. She plays the character very convincingly of a woman wronged...who just didnt get the love she desired. One actually feels the death of all these men is justified simply because of the way they treated her / cheated her / exploited her.

Neil Nitin Mukesh, Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham, Annu Kapoor give a wonderful and convincing performance.

Comparing this movie to other of Vishal Bharadwaj's creation, it may not really match up. It may actually not be fair to compare them in the first place. Where Omkara and Maqbool were adaptations of Othello and Macbeth respectively wherein the feelings of love and revenge were strong, Kaminey was a racey thriller about the twins, their interactions with the underworld and the local politics. '7 Khoon Maaf' is a flow of events which unfold forming a story line. It is not required for it to be edgy or thrilling or romantic...It shows a state of mind, a state of being and the eventual ending...

'7 Khoon Maaf' may not turn out a favourite with a lot of people, but then I guess it was not meant to be.

Random Thoughts

I want to chronicle my life...atleast some bits of it... however I am finding it a bit tedious to do so... I realise that once I start writing, there is no stopping me... Refer blog post 2006 and 2003. Hence, I have decided to take a break from it... infact have decided that I will write one post a month for that bit of jotting my past...well little bit...

Changing the subject, I am not really sure what I want to write about right now... but am just letting my mind do the processing... as various random events are floating through my mind...and I am sifting through them to decide as to what could possibly be an interesting read...Should I write about how much I have hogged today - well thats already on my twitter account... or should I write about the in-house marraige bureau I am running - well sort of... or should I write about my thoughts on the way my career is shaping...or should I write about how I have not written one single original thought on my blog... or one original shortest, tiniest story ....

On a sad note, my aunt died a couple of days back...she had been suffering from kidney failure for the last 4 years...had not met for almost a decade.... she always wanted me to come meet her...somehow I just couldn't find the time... or may be the will....makes me realise, life is too short....just too short...to do all that you wanted to do.... to be all that you wanted to be.... to laugh, cry, fight, or just be.....cos you never know which day might be your last....

Mumbai Local

If you have avoided the trains (Local in Mumbai parlance), I must say that you are one of those really lucky few people...who either stay close to work or can afford not taking the Local...

But yeah, I must also say that you miss out, lets say "interesting", part of Mumbai...;-)

Well, for starters,
1. you miss out climbing the bridges up and down the different platforms....
2. you miss out on learning to jostle your way through a crowd without hurting or hurling abuses to others..in the crowd...
3. You miss out on the important dynamics of setting foot in the train... so that you do not get crashed by fellow passengers...while climbing in and getting out of the train...
4. You miss out on yelling at other "general" passengers who dare climb in the Ladies First Class....
5. You miss out on learning to fend for yourself when all the aunties and the oldies think that its their birthright to sit / stand / breathe first just because of their greying hair...
6. You miss out making "train" friends... who gladly exchange their place with you to sit / stand...
7. You miss out on eating all the chips and popcorn and wada pav on your way back home...
8. You miss out on doing some "Local" shopping of the cheap clips, book covers, etc sold in the train...
9. You also miss out on listening to music for full 1 hour (depending how far you commute)...one full dedicated hour...:-)


:-) there are a heck lot of things you miss out on... but most importantly I think I would gladly miss the Mumbai traffic...especially in long distance travel... but hey, no one's complaining...:-)

2006: The year when Munish and me decided to spend our lives together

Strange are the ways of destiny... sometimes things happen when you least expect them to happen... :-) Munish and me had been good friends during college...Well-we were never the best of friends...never ever thought that we'd end up spending our lives together...

But I guess what will be ...will be....

Like they say, 'The heart has its reasons... which reason does not know!!!! "

We, in our own little important ways, were moving towards another life...but I guess Destiny had other plans....

However, after all the hankering, running around, discussions - wise and otherwise, what did materialize was my life with Munish ....:-)

[Thank God - well literally :-)]

Now before I get all mushy, on a day post Valentine's day, I wish I could understand the patterns or paths our lives take ..... the twists and the turns... and of course, the everlasting, never ending....HAPPY ENDING!!!!

Our wedding invite :-)

P.S. Happy Valentines Day !!!!!

2006: The year I completed my MBA

I never thought that I would pursue a post graduation degree till I was in my third year of engineering. It was only in the final year, that I decided to get an MBA.... I wanted my last degree to be from a reputed institute....In my case - Symbiosis, SIIB (http://www.siib.ac.in/) .... Because, I have realised that the type and quality of education plays an important role in one's maturity levels in life...I took a break after my B.E....Joined a coaching class and started to train myself to score decently in the entrances so that I may secure admission in one of the reputed colleges in the country.

After all the entrances and the GD/PIs.... SIIB was it.... :-). The session was to start on June, 10, 2004. From then on, it has been one interesting ride. Hostel life of an MBA institute is strikingly different than what you normally see in engineering hostels. If engineering hostel is about growing up, making friends, having fun and lastly studying.... hostel life during your MBA is just the opposite... Well - for starters, you have individuals who already have formed their personalities...are focused (most of them), know for a fact that they have come here to get a degree and a well paying job, make an impression upon your peer group and faculty and lastly, if you have time, make a couple of friends...with whom you can hang out with.... you may / may not share the same level of comfort after you've graduated or one may just be in touch via a social networking site....:-) Well, thats MBA hostel life for you....Not to undermine it though, had a fantastic time out there ;-)

Going by my past experiences, I kept a very low profile here. Was cautious in my approach...at the end of it, didnt have grades to be proud of ...but yes made some damn good friends...:-)

Munish Aggarwal: A very decent bloke (especially coming from Delhi)....not at all like your typical Delhi MCPs.....We were in the same class, shared a bench in our Spanish Class....In fact I remember, sharing a bench with him for my entire 2nd year....almost...first bench in the right hand-side corner...:-) An honest and trustworth guy...He was trusted with the class attendence (inspite of a class representative already appointed) by the coordinators during the placement season and the guest lectures (which tend to be boring...) so much so that when word got across that Munish Aggarwal is taking attendence, automatically, the entire hall / classroom would start filling up with students....Oh...we cursed him a lot..., we are in the same group, ek proxy toh banti hai....but no....he wont budge...there were a lot of people who paid fines (running in thousands) due to their lack of attendence....thanks to him :-P well, Megha & Harvind were one of them ;-). To give him due credit, he was always there... for all of us...and many a times, him and me ended up arguing and not talking for months...but we shared the bench !!!!  A good friend of mine....who I realised very very very late in my life (well, relatively - will become my future life partner <3)!!!!!

Abhimanyu Sharma: Damn good guy.... my teddy bear friend.... hard core foodie...knew him from my coaching classes in Ahmedabad...and we landed in the same campus...well, he landed at SCMHRD...and me at SIIB...rival institutes....I think it was me who introduced him to beer for the first time at a local restaurant Tammanna...:-P ....

It was the 2 of us who hogged 2 family size pizzas at Pizza Hut along with 2 servings of Garlic bread and Pepsi...:-P (yeah - it was)...never hogged all at one go...soooo much...

I cried (literally like a baby) on his shoulder when I feared that I wont clear my Capital Budgeting project....:-)hehehe...But hell yes - he is a darling....:-)

Currently he is based out of Bangalore and engaged to be married in 2011.

Girl Gang: Well, to boast about ourselves...we were the only girl gang that exists even till today....from our batch.... well, there were others.... but most  of them had very bitchy fall outs...over boys / boyfriends / roomies, over rooms, over partying, etc etc... I mean we were infamous.... there was a lot of gossip about us....I mean what do these girls talk about....how come they are together...why havn't they fought....yet..... In fact one of batchmates, went to the extent of assuming that all of us had a thing for him o_O (what a nerve!!!!!) :-P.....but we stuck along....for good or for bad.... Shobha, Ekta, Soumya, Megha and myself...there were fall outs...and in future also, I guess, there we will be fall outs....but I guess, thats just a part and parcel of the game.

I remember our struggle to reach at class at 9:00 am sharp.... to eat break fast before that.... and if its a friday, we were in for one tough ride...it was compulsory for us to wear a sari...oh!!! how much we struggled....to get ready, eat breakfast and go for a guest lecture (usually from an eminent personality from the industry)....:-)....

I remember us hogging on food on special occassions...Republic Day, Independence Day, etc...

I remember us trying to atleast keep our eyes open while mentally we were elsewhere...to a greener pasture...

I remember us (in my case Ekta and me) struggling with our Capital Budgeting Assignment....and trying to submit it on time....

I remember, me struggling to keep awake in the middle of night (especially with books) since I am NOT a night person...

I remember me, awake till 5....when I watched the collection of 9 Drew Barrymore movies...in one shot...

I remember us, especially Shobha, Ekta, Soumya and myself awake for an entire night in their room watching movies till 5...

I remember our pool account for maggi...hogging maggi and relishing it....

I remember how each of us would take a book / novel for the presentation when a company used to come visit....waiting and reading...for the guest to ARRIVE and start presenting....

I remember, how each of us would wait with anticipation of all the interviews and their results...to see, if this is the company which is going to get lucky :-P...

I remember, how everyone was tensed..since I was the last in our group to get a campus placement...

I remember, how we went disc hopping, well, literally.....3 discotheques.....and all free free free!!!!! ;-)

hmmmm...I remember a lot of things...but cant really write them down :-)

Apart from them, there have been a lot of people with whom I had limited interaction in college.... but am in touch with them regularly...:-) apart from the social networking sites....:-)

Harpreet / Happy.... he was more pally with Munish....well, initally...;-)..but when we were all in Mumbai, got to know him better.... We both went to our Jive classes together.... and I must admit, he caught on the steps much faster than I did :-P... I was really really distressed :-P.... Ok..in my defence, he is Tall...i mean really Tall...atleast 6 ft 2 "...we look like bachaas in front of him.... When he left Mumbai, to join an IT company in Hyderabad, I felt very sad...much more than I thought I would be....:-(

He is now in Bangalore and is single....Looking for some Hot, single, Punju / Sardarni.... :-) to get married too;-)

Aditya / Adi...a very lovable guy....ready to listen....helpful....a computer addict....very very active on anything / everything related to the internet, social networking, blogging, word press, twitter, etc etc.... My best time with him was when we went to the German Bakery in Pune....and of course, whenever I landed myself in the computer lab :-). Someday, I hope to have nice blog like his... http://www.adityasanyal.blogspot.com/


Namit is one smart cookie.... very witty....full on chit chat.... we chat online a lot... infact, there was a time when we played online scrabble ( http://www.lexulous.com/ ) a lot.... :-) He is a smart person, yet single...looking for some Hot, single, sindhi female for him...... I've promised him that I will dedicate an entire post on him...

Well, I am in touch with more or less all of them....we've grown over the years...personally and professionally... we meet now and then.... especially when people keep flying for "official" work....:-).


Its been a good experience.... the range of the experience limited due to my overtly cautious stance.... but hey, no regrets!!!! :-)

2003: The year I became an Engineer

Studying from an not so popular town (*not city) with mainly 2-3 restaurants worth eating at, with movies being the only saviour, at 3-4 single screen theatres and a joint near college called "Maurya" which served a pathetic Rs. 6 coffee (*but served the purpose) would be main locations which I would identify with my years spent pursuing engineering.

From a convent education background from Ahmedabad, which is a major city in every sense, where "hanging" out with girls and boys together, going for late night parties and Navratris was a sharp contrast with respect to 'life' at Dhule.

I had got a rude culture shock (since all the above mentioned activities were highly looked down upon) when I started realising where I had landed and this is what my future moments would be comprised of....o_O ...Well, for starters, I was simply horrible at studies... simply horrible. Words cannot describe it. Wanted to be an architech. Had cleared the entrance for CEPT, Ahmedabad and JJ College of Arts, Mumbai but my dad was adamant that I pursue Engg (*sigh!!!!). Was more of people's person and without any discrimination made myself a lot of acquaintainces (*who I thought were friends). Well, there were a lot a teething problems but had not been for my cousin, adjusting to a life overthere would have been difficult. I learnt to make friends fast... well - I made enemies faster :-P. Enginnering hostel life taught me a lot. From being an easy going, non chalant character, I became a "relatively" cautious and a quiet person (People who know me know would not agree!!! :-)). I learnt to be on my own, I learnt to stand up for my beliefs and what I thought was right (but what may actually be wrong !!!).

There a lot of people who made a very strong impression on me when I was in college....Many of my "best" friends, I am yet in touch with (Thank God!!!). Many of my "acquaintances", I am yet in touch with o_O :-)

Many of my friends which I made there, are not a part of my life now....I realise that they can be easily traceable on Facebook or Orkut...but I lack the incentive and the initiative... But I am happy, everyone's at peace in their own world...settled...

Alka: We have a history :-). When I say history, it is one. There have been phases in our relationship. A phase where we have been roomies, a phase where we have been on a cold war, when we fought, when we flunked, when we were in the opposite "warring" groups :-P, when we were at each other's throat, and also when we spent 10 days together at Pune going from MG Road, FC Road to Lonavla :-), when she was working in Pune and I was studying in Pune.., when she got married, when I went to Mumbai (at her "sasural"), when she flew to Cannada...when she keeps coming back to India intermittently...:-) ... we've spent 12 long and wonderful years going through these phases...and I cherish the relationship we share!!! She is now based out of Toronto, Cannada and has a loving husband and extremely pretty daughter.

Seena: :-). She is such a darling. My coolest friend from T.E.. She is been one of my pillars of strength in the 3rd and the final year. I have relished the Mallu food at her place for 3 weeks in row and God, I cannot forget those gastromically delicious days, that to date I still remember those 3 weeks. She has married Rajanikanth Rao, my senior from college, an amazing guy, very witty and very smart...and what a sense of humour. They have a beautiful daughter and are settled in Bangalore.

Geetika: She has been one of my best buddies, my roomie for 2 years and the most funny and fun loving person. Have spent a great amount with her and Parminder (then boyfriend, now husband). A very very close friend. These two were my "backing" in college :-). We had a fall out in the last days of college but we got back in touch (thanks to her - my inflated and misplaced "ego" does not allow me to call people) a couple of years back.

Manjusha: Ho ho....Manjusha Singh became my guardian in College. She was my senior. We used to hang out quite a bit in college. She was one girl from whom even the guys were scared of taking panga from!!!! hehehe...But ya, she has a very peculiar habit of dissappearing from the horizon now and then...She is now in Mumbai... We meet on and off...and yes - I would really like her to married and settled down :-).

Himani: I knew her from childhood. My first roomie, Ahmedabad buddy, family friend. Our folks have known each other since the last 30 years. We came to this college together. We really didnt hit it off at the beginning, but over a period of time found our spaces with each other. She shares her birthday with my mom's and BTW, my mom suggested her name "Himani".

Bhawani: My buddy. The guy with whom I used to hang out with. Rumours floated amok. Then GF didnt like me. I didnt like her. We "separated"..... We got back in touch in the last year of my college and till date, we've been friends.... :-) I thought, he is going to  be an eternal bachelor...but thankfully, he has been hooked by the right girl in 2010 and is roaming the world with her :-).

Vikalp: I really dont know what to tell about him. Well, the guy is just there. Always, ready to listen, ready to give advice and yes - ready to eat (dont mean MTR, he is a hard core foodie). He is a "binder"... "glue".... if you know what I mean.... He "made" Geetika and me talk :-O :-) and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for this. God bless. He is married and has a good looking hunk for a son :-).

Babbli: My Manipuri friend. She left her engineering mid-way and dissappeared. But now I am back in touch with her again after a long gap of over approximately 7 years (maybe). She traced me on Orkut. She now works and lives in Noida.

Urvashi: I cannot cherish my memories of college without cherishing the relationship I had with Urvashi. She was my confidant. My problem solver. My agony aunt. My Mirror. My friend. We had a fallout (my fault). We never got back together again (my fault, my inflated ego, etc). I think I feel the void sometimes, but with time, I guess things..fade....

Puchu: My cousin. The reason my father could trust me in a strange land. I never thought we'd become friends. But then I never thought, a fight between us would turn ugly that even now after like 10 years... we dont talk. We "communicated" once or twice maybe, but then that was it. My mom keeps taunting me about it... but even that does not do any wonders.... I guess we just went on our different paths... I guess we both were stubborn...egoistic...(maybe)...

Pritesh: Nice guy. Been a good friend. But he found it hard to understand that a No means No. Would have been good to be friends with him though... but I am kinda out of touch...

There were a lot of other names... lot of other faces which I remember....lot of other events, happenings ....which is difficult to write about all in one go.... Regret not maintaining a diary...But over a period of time, as and when I remember, will keep posting...

There are a lot of people who came, impressed a thought and left..... They are one of my innumerable contacts on Facebook.... I know whats happening in their lives.... I keep commenting or "liking" stuff...give my contribution....and revel in the thought that "hey, we are in touch".... but its just not the same.... I guess, time flies...leaves a footprint...some are cast in stone...some in sand....some are washed away.... with time....

2003, shall and will always be an important chapter of my life!!!!