Thank you, 2009!

Thank you, 2009!

You showed me that it is important to:

• Be free, be yourself and never be afraid to learn.
  
  Rainbow
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Keep moving forward.
  
  Forward
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Appreciate the roses; thorns are there to stay.
  
  Roses
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Look closely - there is a lot of good out there.
  
  Double rainbows
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Count our blessings we are showered with.
  
  Showers
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Take a break.
  
  Gazebo by the lake
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Socialize.
  
  Friends
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Be Happy.
  
  Yellow flower
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  
• Be Green.
  
  Willow tree
  Originally uploaded by kananj
  

Happy New Year 2010!!!

Why 3 Idiots?

It's been more than 10 months since I watched a Hindi movie in theater. So 3 Idiots it was! More of my thoughts on the film below.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Please do watch the film, it's worth it if you still haven't seen it.

10 Things I liked about 3 Idiots:

1. Sharman Joshi's acting - his emotional scenes and comedy ones were great. How he took the jokes about his family lightly and didn't let them affect his mood. How he was not afraid to speak the truth about himself. His love and respect for his family. The scene where he gets the job. The scenes where he appreciates Rancho and his ways. This guy makes you fall in love with him because of who he is at heart.
   
2. Aamir Khan's acting - where to start? I think he portrays it in his character - go after perfection and success will come to you. 400 patents! (okay, that was a bit unrealistic but it's forgiven for you can't improve perfection :D) Go Aamir! Loved his dialog in the beginning where in introduces "aal izz well" and tells about heart being fearful in general and that it needs to be fooled. Did you see how cute he looked at the end in glasses?
   
3. The message it conveys about our schooling system. Ratta lagaofying - rote memorization isn't the only thing, it is the understanding of the subject that is needed more than that.
   
4. The message it conveys about expectations of parents and teachers from students. That it is about what one truly enjoys doing than to do what earns more. That grades aren't everything.
   
5. Kareena's charachter Pia and her acting - how she is all that a girl is - silly, confused, adorable, cute, lovable, caring and strong. Loved the scene where she finally confronts her father about her brother's death. The scenes where she disagrees with Rancho and is upset, but listens to him nevertheless. How she acts when she has to do a doctor's job: deciding about Raju's father's condition, her sister Mona's delivery, etc.
   
6. R. Madhavan's acting - the scene where he convinces his dad and also when he and Raju frantically search for their college pal/roommate Rancho. He looks oh-so-handsome, specially with this geeky-glasses look as well as macho-mustache look!
   
7. Omi Vaidya's acting - this dude can truly act! He was annoying and made everyone mad... even in the audience. It was hilarious when he receives a call from Wangdu. His best scene would have to be the one where he gets upset with Rancho and Farhan about messing up his speech on Sept. 5. Also him honking the car horn loud to disguise his farts was hilarious.
   
8. Millimeter's character - scenes likes when he knows exactly what ViruS is going to say as well as the one where he gets tipped by Farhan and he returns the favor by suggesting they wear good underwear tonight. He reminded me of Bholu from Hungama.
   
9. Boman Irani's acting - only he could have done justice to the character of Viru Sahastrabuddhe. Well, may be Paresh Rawal would have but he did it! The guy came across as the oh-I-hate-him disciplinarian who thinks only his ways are the right ways. He was the most annoying when he makes Raju write that letter and then when he refuses to give an extention to Joy for his project. Also, when he gets upset with Rancho when he tries to tell him what's wrong with our education systems.
   
10. The little things: The inventions at Wangdu's school in Ladakh and the long drives to Shimla, Manali and Ladakh. Oh, these places are gorgeous!!! I also liked the font used in the titles - as if it was written on blackboard with chalk. :) The way the shirts/clothes of three boys were color coordinated. The songs and music were nice too... my fav songs are "give me some sunshine" and "zoobi doobi".
    

10 Scenes that made me laugh out loud in 3 Idiots:

1. A drunk Pia (Kareena Kapoor) describes Gujarati food items - dhokla, fafda, handwa, thepla, khakhra, etc. What was the dialog? Something like "Bush ne Iraq pe do dhokla gira diya" as if they were missiles. :D
   
2. Chatur Ramalingam/Silencer's speech where chamatkar became balatkar and dhan became stan. The Sanskrit shlok was just outrageous!
   
3. Raju forgetting his pants when he frantically leaves to meet Rancho and his wife's reaction to it.
   
4. Farhanitrate and Prerajulisation scene along with how an induction motor starts and not to forget "aap ko pata hai hum kaun hai? hamaare naam, roll numbers?" and they mix up their papers with the rest in stacks, and then the not-so-simple definition of books.
   
5. Suhas (Pia's fiance) comes out of his room in robes and fluffly pink slippers looking for "kaun phere le raha hai?"
   
6. The ragging dialog "tusi great ho, jaahan-panaah". Well, most of the times, but I think they overdid it a bit in the beginning. Reminded me of "dola re dola re" ragging scene from Munnabhai. Chatur being James Bond ha-ha-ha funny.
   
7. Raju and Farhan come with Rancho to Pia's place at night where he is going to propose to her and Farhan removes the alphabets from the name plate and makes it "ViruS buddhe".
   
8. When Farhan, Raju and Rancho invite themselves to Pia's sister's wedding and Rancho spills chatney on shoes of Pia's boyfriend.
   
9. When Raju and Farhan try to flush down the ashes of Shamaldas Chanchad in toilet and real Ranchhod tries to save them.
   
10. When the man (I forget his name) shaves off Virus' mustache because Raju got a job and he comes home feeling naked. Reminded me of my fav film, Golmaal (1979) and Bhavani Shankar's world-famous mooch.
    

10 Things I didn't like about 3 Idiots:

1. The name of the film
   
2. Virus' phone call to Joy's father and his suicide
   
3. Raju jumping off Virus's 3rd floor office after he forces him to write the rustication letter
   
4. Virus' attitude and beliefs and discipline (of course, this is a major role and it contributed a lot towards the story blah blah blah, but still...) Him telling Joy how he was back to work the next day after his son died.
   
5. The peeing (it was too much) and undie-showing
   
6. Rancho and Farhan breaking into Virus' office to steal the exam paper
   
7. The delivery scene - it wasn't needed
   
8. Pia agreeing to marry Suhas after what all happened? That just made her look stupid.
   
9. Many scenes were similar to scenes from other films and that made them kind of not-so-original. e.g. Farhan running out from the flight/airport reminded me of "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na", the graduation scene at the end reminded me of the drawing competition scene from Taare Zameen Par and there were many more scenes like this.
   
10. The butt-chairs, okay I guess they aren't so bad, but I couldn't find the last item to add here so... :P
    

I leave you all with this fun video of a cricket match between the cast and crew of 3 Idiots. Enjoy!

Attitude is what life is all about...

This came as a forwarded mail to me a while back. Some of the thoughts are really nice and made me think.

1. Soldier: Sir, we are surrounded from all sides by enemies. Major: Excellent! We can attack in any direction.
   
   
2. Every one knows about Alexander Graham Bell who invented phones, but he never made a call to his family. Because his wife and daughter were deaf. That's life "Live for Others".
   
   
3. The worst thing in life is "attachment" it hurts when you lose it. The best thing in life is "loneliness" because it teaches you everything and when you lose it, you get everything.
   
   
4. Life is not about the people who act true to your face. It's about the people who remain true behind your back.
   
   
5. Egg broken from outside force... a life ends. If an egg breaks from within... life begins. Great things always began from within.
   
   
6. It's better to lose your ego to the one you love, then to lose the one you love... because of ego.
   
   
7. A relationship doesn't shine by just shaking hands on best time. But it blossoms by holding firmly in critical situation.
   
   
8. Heated gold becomes ornaments. Betted copper becomes wires. Depleted stone becomes statue. So the more pain you get in your life you become more valuable.
   
   
9. Why we have so many temples, if God is everywhere? A wise man said: air is everywhere, but we still need a fan to feel it.
   
   
10. Toleration is the greatest gift of the mind: it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle.
    
    
11. When you trust someone trust him/her completely without any doubt. At the end you would get one of the two: either a lesson for your life or a very good person.
    

Snow Songs of HFM

Winter is here and so is snow!!! And since it's cold and chilly all around, I figured it's a perfect time to cozy up in a blanket with hot chocolate (with marshmellows if you're like Calvin ;)) and enjoy these funfilled snow songs of Bollywood. Majority of them are super fun playing-in-the-snow, sliding-in-the-snow, skiing, throwing-snow-balls-at-eachother songs; some are picturized with snowy mountain backdrops and then some on ice-skating rinks as well. Btw, please do feel free to add more if I have missed any.

I think, the actor who got the best snow songs in HFM is none other than Shashi Kapoor! In girls it would have to be Sharmila Tagore. What do you say?

Happy Holidays everyone!

~~~~~*~~~~~

In a random order:

1. door bahot mat jaaiye... naazneen bada rangeen hai wada tera, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon
   Picturized on: Joy Mukherjee, Asha Parekh
   
   
   
   
   
2. yahoo, chaahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, Junglee
   Picturized on: Shammi Kapoor, Saira Banu
   
   
   
   
   
3. husn jab jab ishq se takra gaya, Neend Hamari Khwaab Tumhaare
   Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Nanda
   
   
   
   
   
4. zara sa jhoom loon main, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge
   Picturized on: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol
   
   
   
   
   
5. yeh haseen waadiyan yeh khula aasmaan, Roja
   Picturized on: Arvind Swami, Madhu
   
   
   
   
   
6. tera mujhse hai pehle ka naata koi, Aa Gale Lag Ja
   Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore
   
   
   
   
   
7. koi nahi hai, Patthar Ke Sanam
   Picturized on: Waheeda Rehman
   
   
   
   
   
8. kora kaagaz tha yeh man mera, Aradhna
   Picturized on: Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore
   
   
   
   
   
9. karvate badalte rahe, Aap Ki Kasam
   Picturized on: Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz
   
   
   
   
   
10. hum aur tum tum aur hum, Daag
    Picturized on: Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore
    
    
    
    
    
11. khilte hai gul yahaan, Sharmili [it's snowing outside!]
    Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Rakhi
    
    
    
    
    
12. maine dil mein chhupaya... tumhara sanam, Shukriya
    Picturized on: Aftaab Shivdasani, Shriya Saran?
    
    
    
    
    
13. hum ko humise chura lo, Mohabbatein
    Picturized on: Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai
    
    
    
    
    
14. kyon chalti hai pawan... na tum jaano na hum, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai
    Picturized on: Hrithik Roshan, Amisha Patel
    
    
    
    
    
15. mere khwaabon mein tu, Gupt
    Picturized on: Bobby Deol, Manisha Koirala, Kajol
    
    
    
    
    
16. naina barse rimjhim, Woh Kaun Thi
    Picturized on: Sadhana
    
    
    
    
    
17. tu mere saamne, Darr
    Picturized on: Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla
    
    
    
    
    
18. parbat ke peechhe, Mehbooba
    Picturized on: Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini
    
    
    
    
    
19. toone o rangeele kaisa, Kudrat
    Picturized on: Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini
    
    
    
    
    
20. mere peechhe ek ladki, Banarasi Babu
    Picturized on: Dev Anand, Rakhi
    
    
    
    
    
21. dekha ek khwaab to yeh, Silsila
    Picturized on: Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha
    
    
    
    
    
22. dekhe bhi to kya dekhe, Farz (new)
    Picturized on: Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta
    
    
    
    
    
23. chappa chappa charkha chale, Maachis
    Picturized on: Chandrachud Singh & Others
    
    
    
    
    
24. kismat se tum humko mile ho, Pukar
    Picturized on: Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit
    
    
    
    
    
25. kitni thandi hai yeh rut, Teen Devian [it's snowing outside!]
    Picturized on: Dev Anand, Simi Garewal
    
    
    
    
    
26. likha hai yeh in hawaaon pe, Darr
    Picturized on: Sunny Deol, Juhi Chawla
    
    
    
    
    
27. phool yeh kahaan se aaye, Kaash
    Picturized on: Jackie Shroff, Makrand? (kid)
    
    
    
    
    
28. logon na maaro isse, Anamika
    Picturized on: Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri(Bachchan)
    
    
    
    
    
29. nazron se keh do, Doosra Aadmi
    Picturized on: Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh
    
    
    
    
    
30. tere chehre se nazar, Kabhi Kabhie
    Picturized on: Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh
    
    
    
    
    
31. tere mere honthon pe, Chandni
    Picturized on: Rishi Kapoor, Sridevi
    
    
    
    
    
32. waada karle sajna, Haath Ki Safaai
    Picturized on: Vinod Khanna, Simi Garewal
    
    
    
    
    
33. jab se tum, Tum Bin
    Picturized on: Priyanshu Chatterjee, Sandali Sinha
    
    
    
    
    
34. dil dhoondhta hai phir wohi, Mausam
    Picturized on: Sanjeev Kumar, Shamila Tagore
    
    
    
    
    
35. ek tha gul aur ek thi bulbul, Jab Jab Phool Khile
    Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Nanda
    
    
    
    
    
36. hawa chale kaise, Daag [ice-skating rink]
    Picturized on: Shamila Tagore, Master Raju Shrestha
    
    
    
    
    
37. shokh nazar ki bijaliyan, Woh Kaun Thi [ice-skating rink]
    Picturized on: Manoj Kumar, ?
    
    
    
    
    
38. wada karo, Aa Gale Lag Ja [ice-skating rink]
    Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore
    
    
    
    
    
39. mil gaye mil gaye aaj mere sanam, Kanyadaan
    Picturized on: Shashi Kapoor, Asha Parekh
    (song starts at 32 secs)
    
    
    
    
    
40. rafta rafta haule haule, Hulchul
    Picturized on: Akshay Khanna, Kareena Kapoor
    
    
    
    

Values

Talked to Mama at length today after so long. It was wonderful. We spoke of so many things, one of them being your values. The things you learn from your parents, the things that you learn/not learn as you grow up (experience life), the things that make you who you are. The thing that makes you.

It is the thing that stops you from doing wrong or permits you to accept that it is alright to do a wrong. Sometimes, they make us realize it after the deed is done. and often never. We often call it "ethics".

Our values are something personal and each of us has a different set depending upon our personal, good or bad experiences.

When two people have similar values, they will get along more than say someone who has completely different values.

Values bring us closer to certain people and they are the ones that take us miles away from the person standing in front of us.

Values make us behave the way we do, when no one is watching us.

Fear

Having wordly discussions with Mama makes me think about individual words quite often now. So when I was watching Lage Raho Munnabhai the other day, this scene caught my attention.



The word is "fear". The thing that begins in our mind with "what if...".

Why do we fear?

~~~~~*~~~~~

Updated: December 28, 2009

It is because sometimes we are afraid to lose what we have... our people, our freedom, our comfort, our material happiness, our possessions, etc.

It is because we are too comfortable in the given situation and the new change seems impossible thus prevents us from moving forward.

It is because our thoughts are influenced by someone else, we trust the fears of people around us and go along with believing them. If 9 out of 10 people said I could learn how to ride a bike, I might. If 1 out of 10 people said I could NOT learn how to ride a bike, I will never. Of course, this is if and when I listen to this one person.

It is because we don't know what future is going to bring, there is the fear of unknown. It is easy to be doubtful and it is difficult to trust, specially when there is no or less familiarity. We have imaginary fears.

And then there is fear of death, above all.

Ziggy: Life