Heart Break Kid

From World No 1 to Whitewash… Why..?

2011-08-24T18:33:00.000Z

“This might take half an hour.” When asked to pinpoint the reasons behind India's disappointing series in England, Rahul Dravid's had this to say. By the looks of it, half hour may not be enough.

What constitutes a World No 1 team? An invincibility cloak wrapped around them, with competitors struggling to find loopholes to exploit and inflict damage. An Aura off the field, that transforms into ruthlessness on it. Some great players for whom conjuring Virtuoso performances are just another day’s work. The West Indies team of the 70’s, The Australian Cricket Team of the noughties, Indian hockey team of the grass era, Barcelona in recent times, Liverpool of the old. They all had it. When India rose to the top of the World Test Championships, many questions were raised about their longevity. Some good performances from their side and a lot of ordinary performances from their opponents made sure that it lasted longer than what many would have imagined. When they arrived for the 1^st day at Lord’s for the 2000^th test, in a series that was most anticipated to be exciting, nobody would have imagined the kind of abject surrender that this Indian team has given their opponents, who looked more like a lion starving for ages. No wonder the 3 lions had a hearty feast.

It’s true that both England played well and India played badly. But a deeper insight will reveal that the problems plaguing India is more off the field it than on it. This series was a reality check more for the management than for the players. Lack of form, bad selection, untimely injuries, mis-management, you can find a number of reasons for the failure but there is no need to press the panic button as yet. You cannot stop BCCI from thinking about making money because that’s what they are best at. But a strategic approach to the following is absolutely needed to make sure that they don’t lose the money making tree in the future.

There is a calling from experts about the opportunities that needs to be given for the younger batsmen to get used to different conditions. Yes, there is a need for opportunity but not at this level. The likes of Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Abhinav Mukund, Murali Vijay, Chateshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun, and Pragyan Ojha to be sent to different conditions like England, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, not on the Senior level but at an A level or the likes of Emerging Players tournaments. All these youngsters are promising but are not quite ready to replace a Sachin or a Dravid or a Laxman or a Zaheer. They have been carrying the team for a long time now and will continue to do so. One bad series do not make them dispensable.

No matter how many times this has been debated, injury management is where the BCCI makes repeated mistakes. Zaheer, Sehwag and Gambhir just didn’t look ready. Just after surgery and pushed straight into a high profile series was a major blunder. And BCCI’s management of fast bowlers has never been any good. We will keep losing promising youngsters unless BCCI changes its attitude.

He has been the frontline spinner for the country for some time now, but Harbhajan Singh seldom showed that responsibility. His line was too defensive and never quite looked like the guy who recently crossed 400 test wickets, where at one point he promised much more at this age. I reckon Harbhajan needs to be dropped, given the treatment that Yuvraj Singh was given pre-world cup. May be Ganguly will do to Bhajji what Sachin did to Yuvraj.

I sympathize with Dhoni. I mean the guy who just won the World cup for India and took CSK to a second successive IPL title cannot be a bad captain overnight. Too brain dead may be? I don’t think so. I think it’s the case of too many things going out of his control but Dhoni the test batsman needs to improve.

The money mongers of the BCCI, for a change need to make some wise decisions about things other than making money. Former captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi said he didn't anticipate too many changes coming into place. "The BCCI is not going to show a great deal of vision," Pataudi said. "Cricket will continue [in India] the way it is, but I sincerely hope that some sense does come in." Will the BCCI respond in kind?

The search for India’s Michael Clarke

2011-07-04T22:33:00.000Z

At the outset it seems a premature topic to write upon. A lot of you might think, why so soon..? Considering what Mahendra Singh Dhoni has done over the past few years some might think this is outright rubbish. But in the midst of enjoying a "Captaincy Calm" phase and a bright set of youngsters knocking on the selection door, we must not fail to realize that barely any of the bright young talents are captaincy materials. India must do similar to what Australia did with Michael Clarke. They have to find a good player who can also be a captaincy material and groom him. As much as captaincy is about instinct, a lot of it can be thought as well. Let’s look at the options.
He has been handed the ODI captaincy in Dhoni’s absence, but Suresh Raina has not showed great promise as a captain. He is more of a text book captain and lacks imagination to improvise and create a result out of tense situation. He needs to play and captain in domestic games to convince every one of his leadership abilities.
He might be credited for changes the fortunes of the Kolkata Knight Riders but Gautam Gambhir still has so much to prove as a captain. His temperament resembles more like that of a manager in a software company. Bossy, Orders, always angry and always complaining. The emotions that he shows on the field are quite not Gangulyesque as what some might think he is. This was on full display during the IPL where KKR rose and fell with his temperament. Plus his age is against him.
So that pretty much leaves with one choice and that’s Virat Kohli. He is young, confident and brash much like how Clarke was when he started. A lot of experts feel he has what it takes to be captain. His attitude is a problem although he has worked on it significantly. He did a fair job as a stand in captain for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. But then a lot more needs to be done and this is where BCCI can help by giving him more responsibilities and making him change his attitude to suit the needs of the team.
Personalities like Saurav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are excellent captains and outstanding leader of men. India has been extremely lucky that they had and still have an outstanding set of senior batsman and led by capable men. But its time BCCI realize that may not be third time lucky to get a brilliant leader out of nowhere. They have a mould one.
Will BCCI do a Cricket Australia..?

IPL4 – Champs all the way

2011-05-29T05:33:00.002Z

Let’s face it; this has been the boring of all IPL’s. It proved that not even IPL can top a World Cup Win. But beyond the Cricket overkill and the seemingly unstoppable no of lop sided games (Including the final) the real reason for the IPL flop show is the lack of quality in the teams. So it’s ironic that season 4 is won by the team that processed the best of all round qualities, the Chennai Super Kings.

Bangalore relied too much on Chris Gayle, Punjab left too much to do in the end, the newbies threatened for a bit and faded away, Mumbai and Rajasthan were inconsistent and Kolkata rose and fell with Gautham Gambhir’s temperament. Delhi and Deccan… Well… No comments. Perhaps Chennai’s victory is best summed up by Harsha Bhogle’s tweet after the match

“Eventually the best team, the best organized, the best selected and the best led won the IPL and that is how it should be”

An in depth analysis will reveal that CSK is also the team that had fewer distractions from their job of playing cricket. No controversies, No spotlight grabbing owners, No glamour. They won because they played Cricket and one that is of the highest quality. Their batsmen and bowlers did not top the list yet contributed collectively. The fielding was of the highest standard and led by a magnificent captain and a shrewd coach. In fact CSK’s victory was sealed in the transfer market (I prefer the term to the much cheaper sounding, auction) when they bought most of their own players back. I had predicted that it’s going to be CSK all the way and that’s exactly it turned out to be. This is what happens when you have team owners who are involved in Cricket for the past 60 years. It feels proud to be a CSK fan.

Much of IPL’s lack of quality is because of the organizing. Four years running and there is not a single defining rivalry in IPL. The quality would be much better if they let clubs (Again, a better term than franchisees) build their own teams through transfer market rather than stupid auctions. Only then we will be able to see a healthy rivalry and contests like Manchester United-Liverpool or Real Madrid-Barcelona in the IPL. CSK showed that IPL can only be won by quality, not glamour and glitz or star studded players. It’s about time other teams follow suit. Until then IPL will continue to be a grand circus.

Short and Sweet, The best team won IPL Season 4… Period..!

CSK ku Wistle Podu

India the World Champions – Reflections of the monumental triumph

2011-04-04T08:31:00.003Z

“He (Sachin) has been carrying the burden for 21 years, it time we carry him”

(Virat Kohli sums up what’s been an emotional world cup victory for India).

The best team in the tournament won the World Cup. Make no mistake about it. Along the way India huffed & puffed against England, choked (!) against South Africa but peaked at the right time to beat 4 former world champions on the trot to win Cricket’s most coveted prize, giving India’s greatest cricketer what’s been his due for a long time.

It wasn’t an Australia like domination from India but a very determined one, much like how they are holding on to their No.1 spot in tests. And who would want an Aussie like domination anyway? I find it boring. India played with so much resolve and their biggest motivation was most rightfully, Sachin Tendulkar. After what he has done for the team for 22 years & after 6 world cup appearances, team India gave him the ultimate prize.

The batting was always going to be the strong point. But it didn’t quite set the tournament on fire. Yet it was so strong that the slips ups didn’t cost much. The bowling after being under so much criticism improved leaps and bounds. Zaheer led the way and well supported by Yuvraj. But yet, Harbhajan needs a lot of improvement and a Yuvraj like treatment needs to be given to him. The fielding took an entire different picture once Raina came into the team. Some of the ground fielding in the final was outstanding to say the least.

The transformation of Yuvraj Singh from a mercurial basher to a matured all rounder has been the talk of the World Cup. No wonder its Sachin who’s behind this transformation. I also liked the way Mahendra Singh Dhoni handled him. Dhoni the captain has to be given a good share of credit for the win. His methods and decision hasn’t been very popular, but he has led by instinct and backed his players completely. He soaks up all the pressure that he relieves his team mates off it. The best example is his innings in the final and he chose the perfect stage to showcase his talent. World 20/20 triumph, taking India to No.1 spot in tests, IPL & CLT20 victories with CSK & now a World Cup winning captain of India.., he has been the man with the golden arm.

After all said and done, the real contest starts now. As experts would say, India is now the hunted team. Every team will breathe down their neck. How well they perform in the next 4 years will determine how worthy they are as champions. I reckon with the kind of steel, determination and resolve they showed it will be worthy. But just because they gave Sachin what he dreamt, doesn’t mean that they can let it go.

Go on India..! Show the World what you are Capable of..! For now, enjoy every bit of the moment..! You deserve it thoroughly...!

Enthiran Review – Watch it & be proud of being an Indian

2010-10-04T19:48:00.003Z

Actor Ramya Krishnan, when asked about the Rajni-Ash combo said ‘I’m here to watch Rajni and that’s enough for me’. It looks like she’s right. Because in ‘Enthiran – The Robot’, it’s the superstar all the way. For hardcore Rajni fans like me, the 2 year fasting is over and we are hungry for a Rajni feast. Ask and you shall be given seems to be Shankar’s motto & he has given a movie that not only stamps his authority, but also weaves Rajni magic throughout.

Dr. Vaseegaran (Rajni), a scientist introduces us to Chitti - The Robot, his look alike and a friendly robot. Dr. Vasi has ambitions to induct number of Chitti’s in the Indian army and hence teaches Chitti, human emotions which backfire when Chitti starts to develop romantic interest towards Sana (Ash), Vasi’s girlfriend. This creates a singularly unique love triangle. When Chitti was rejected by the army and banished by Vasi, he is rechristened Chitti 2.0 by Vasi’s enemy & former mentor Dr. Bohra who induces destructive programs into Chitti 2.0. Chitti kidnaps Sana and what follows next is an experience of the 1^st order in Indian Cinema. See it to believe it.

I have to applaud Mr. Shankar. I’ve been a critic of his seemingly unwanted expenditure of his films. But Enthiran was different. When you look at the movie, you know that the money that was spent is justified. The graphics and locations were perfect and every micro meter has been carefully handled. The CG work, especially the final 20 minutes is the best India has seen in its films. But I must admit that I felt that some of it were too much and could have been slicker. The final sequence was, in my opinion, one for kids and families and the mosquito mode scenes were unwanted.

Super Star Rajnikanth. He carries the movie on his shoulders and does it well. I liked the way he let Shankar realize his dream and not impose himself. If one was surprised by the simple introduction to Rajni in the movie, they would be even more taken back when Dr. Vasi resorts to fleeing with his girlfriend when she was attacked by a rogue in a beach. It’s in the role of Chitti that he shows his full powers. Be his comic timing, style or action he lives it up. But where he excels is when he transforms into Chitti 2.0. He’s always comfortable doing negative roles and in this, he brings all his villainous variety into play. His black sheep mimic was the cherry on top. As a critic you must say that in a movie scripted for Kamal Hassan, Rajni has certainly not let his best friend down. He has incepted his own style to it without affecting the soul of the movie. Well done Thalaiva.

Ash looks gorgeous and shares more space than any other Shankar movie heroines. Danny is adequate though I expected more from him. Rest of the cast is hardly noticeable and insignificant. A.R. Rahman’s music is not up his standards. May be he was too busy but this is just not his best. Technical crew of Enthiran has lived up to their billing and the result is a near perfect technical presentation that we see on screen.

The movie has be to seen and applauded for the effort that has been put to create it. You have to admire Shankar for this. He also drives home the message about now pathetic humans can be with all their so called emotions. Most importantly, you have to admire for the fact that without Rajni, this movie would not go so far revenue wise. A producer, no matter what kind of background he has, has to get his money back and Rajni has proved that he’s the safest bet yet again. In the business of cinema, not one can guarantee a profit for 160cr investment except him. That’s why he is the best. I liked the fact that he has underplayed his role to allow more space for Shankar. If Shivaji was a Rajni film directed by Shankar, Enthiran is vice versa.

Enthiran is a complete package, an experience that needs to be cherished. This one is for every Indian to see what they can do. Mr Shankar has just realized his dream, when are you going to???

What went wrong for England’s ‘Golden Generation?’

2010-06-28T07:51:00.001Z

A league that is proclaimed as world’s best domestic competition, a set of players who have worldwide admiration, and yet England were comprehensively outplayed in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. What’s wrong with the so called England’s Golden Generation? Why are they not able to transform their club form to the international stage?

For all the admiration I have for Stevie G, I wonder why he’s not able to inspire England the way he inspires Liverpool. Be it taking the attack to the opposition stand back & defend or scoring goals, he’s Liverpool’s inspiration for sadly not for England. There’s a surging run every now and then but the finish, nah!!! Tactially, I thought he was being wasted at left midfield when he should have played just behind the two strikers. A 4-3-1-2 combination would have suited England than 4-4-2 that they used. Frank Lampard and John Terry are the two guys that make me angry, literarily. Coming off his most successful season with EPL Champions Chelsea, Lampard looked every bit like a second division footballer. Notwithstanding the disallowed goal in the Germany match, he was totally disappointing. Every time he took a free kick, it’s imperative that he’s going to hit the wall. JT is the pillar of Chelsea’s defense, but for England his mistakes are way too unacceptable. The biggest disappointment however is Wayne Rooney. I mean, for a guy who inspired Manchester United despite the loss of Ronaldo with 34 goals, going an entire tournament without a single goal, is too much. He didn’t even make the keepers work, so much for being Wayne Rooney.

Fabio Capello, for all the tactics that took England to the world cup without a scratch, looked totally out of ideas. England lacked imagination, quick passes and speed. This is where Capello’s selection comes in for scrutiny. David Beckham was not fit, but where are the other dead ball specialists. Leaving out Theo Walcott was a big mistake. His speed and imagination would have been the turning point for England. Germany was so fast on the pitch because it’s a very young team. And I don’t know how many of you would agree with me in this, but I think Capello made a mistake in not picking Michael Owen. Yes, he’s not had so many matches under his belt, nor was he in best of form. But with people like Owen, who’s a naturally gifted goal scorer, England would have scored much more goals. He’s instinctive and a world cup stage would have lit him up unlike Rooney.

England made Algeria look like a strong side and Slovenia were generous in giving procession back to England whenever they gained it in the group game. But Germany was never going be this generous. If you lose procession to a young team, they are going to out run you and outscore you. That’s what happened in Bloemfontein. Germans would feel that justice was restored after the controversial Geoff Hurst goal in the 1966 final at Wembley. Bye Bye England. Start worrying about EPL player transfers and pay cheques. That’s the only thing you guys are worth for. If you ever think of claiming the Euro 2012 title, set your egos aside and start playing like a unit. But at the 2010 World Cup, you guys are an embarrassment.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya – First Love… Watch it, Feel it…

2010-03-02T11:37:00.003Z

It’s been quite some time that I had so much urge to watch a movie over and over again. But this one is Irresistible. Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya, a breezy tale about first love is one movie that you don’t want to miss. Gowtham Vasudev Menon, the quintessential romance director of Tamil cinema has once again given a movie that will stay in our hearts for ever. Each of his movies had breezy romances but a full length Romantic movie from him after Minnale meant expectations were soaring all the time. One must admit that he had delivered.

Story wise, it’s very simple. Two beautiful individuals fall in love for the first time in their life. Will they unite despite their differences? It is the screenplay that, despite its slow pace, captures everybody’s attention. Simbhu as Karthick and Trisha as ‘I don’t know what I want in my life’ Jessie have given their best performances till date. It was good to see them break from the stereotypic roles they did of late. Their careers have moved to the next stage after this movie. The chemistry between them is so good that I thought they should get married in real life. Producer Ganesh as Simbhu’s cinematographer friend is a revelation. The rest of the supporting cast was fine. But overall, the only person who stands out was Gowtham Vasudev Menon. God only knows how he writes those romantic scenes and dialogues. His one liners were amazing. There is no one quite like him in the romantic aspect of movie making. Sometimes when you watch a movie, you will know why you need an A.R.Rahman. Music carries the movie forward and not one piece of music is out of place. It helps that Gowtham takes extra care in music. Manoj Paramahamsa, the cinematographer is a welcome arrival.

It didn’t quite find anything bad in the movie, largely because I got so involved while watching it. The slow pace, some might say is a problem. But hey, this is no action thriller, this is romance. This needed to be nice and easy. This movie may not appeal to the masses. All I can say for that is, grow up People! You need to start appreciating movies like this.

There are several scenes that capture the viewers’ heart. The best of them all is the scene in New York’s central park. Wow. That took me by surprise. I mean, anybody who’ve had a first love can relate to the scene. It was pure magic. So is the climax. In the end, the movie didn’t make me cry. It gave the same feel that my first love gave me. It was magical.

Vengayin Mainthan (வேங்கையின் மைந்தன்) – The Movie

2010-01-28T07:56:00.002Z

It’s quite surprising that when we think about making a Tamil historical movie, we can’t think beyond Shivaji Ganesan. He was at his best in historical roles, be it Thiruvarutselvar, Appar, Raja Raja Cholan, Veerabagu or his multiple roles in Thiruvilayadal. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen good serious Tamil historical movie. Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi came as a surprise but that was a comedy. Even when someone thinks about making a historical movie, it’s quite difficult to think of a good star cast. Let’s take the case of Vengayin Mainthan.

The title character Rajendra Cholan carries with itself, respect and dignity. Kamal Hassan, Prakash Raj, Sathyaraj or Parthiban can carry the role.

Elango’s character is quite difficult to cast. But I think Eeram Aathi (with a toned up body and mesmerizing voice) could pull it off. Prithviraj can be a choice but his Malayalam accent lets him down.

Arulmozhi’s character, a stubborn princess who lets her eyes speak more than her mouth, could only be done by Sneha.

Rohini’s character is the most difficult one to cast. I thought about it but could not come up with a convincing answer. My thinking is a new comer with stunning looks and acting skills. But the only person who has the looks is the girl who compeers for Super Singer Junior in Vijay TV, Divya. She has the looks, especially with such expressive eyes but can’t say anything on acting.
Vallavarayar Vanthiyathevar is another difficult one to think of. More than the age, the mere mention of his name would bring memories of Ponniyin Selvan, so that makes the casting difficult than it actually is.

Kodumbalar Periya Velalar, Elango’s father and a fierce lieutenant of Rajendra Cholan could be enacted by Nasser.

Suggestions are welcome for the characters Veeramallan, King of Rohanam Mahindar, Mahindar’s Minister Keerthi and others. Suggestions are also welcome for my choice of actors given above.

Vengayin Mainthan (வேங்கையின் மைந்தன்) – A Review

2010-01-28T07:44:00.003Z

One of my biggest regrets till date was that I knew very little about Tamil history. Four magnificent rulers in Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallava claimed stronger hand in South India at various periods. They built such marvelous structures like the Brahadeesvarar Temple in Tanjavur, Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, The Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram to name a few. Tamil language and culture attained its peak at their time through times like the Tamil Sangam. Yet I had very little knowledge about them compared to what I knew about the Mughals or the British. It prompted me to start reading Tamil historical novels. Though essentially they are a work of fiction, the facts in them are taken from history books which add to their credibility. Ponniyin Selvan was the choice of so many people. I have heard so much about the book. But I settled down with Akilan’s Vengayin Mainthan. Generally this is read after Ponniyin Selvan but I kind of zeroed in on this.

The title character is Rajendra Cholan, son of Raja Raja Cholan. In his time Tamil Culture attained its peak when he conquered land up to the Ganges in the north to distant islands like Indonesia. He also built a new city, Gangai Konda Chola Puram to celebrate his victories. The novel’s central character however is not Rajendra Cholan, but one of his lieutenants, Elangovel. Elango, as he is called belongs to a small country under the Chola dynasty, Kodumbalur. His family has matrimonial exchange with the Cholas. Chola princess, Arulmozhi is in love with Elango, though she never shows it out. The novel starts with Rajendra Cholan’s quest to recapture Tamil Crown belongings from southern Ceylon, known as Rohanam. The novel revolves around the explosive love affair between Elango and Rohanam’s princess, Rohini. Each gives up secrets about their country in different circumstances which becomes both good and bad for Elango and Cholas. On the good side he is able to retrieve the lost property, able to know enemy’s plan and traps beforehand. On the other side, he almost leads his enemy destroy their new city and burn his Kodumbalur fort. How Elango thwarts their plan and marries both the beautiful ladies forms the climax.

The novel is expertly written with loads of history facts and imaginary characters which make us believe each and every part of it. The constant on off love affair between Elango and Rohini is the backbone of the novel. Rohini, though she belongs to the enemy camp, cannot ignore Elango because of her love. She is caught between her own loyalty towards her county & brother and saving her love, so many times in the novel. Elango is caught between his love and his duty, though for him, duty always comes first. The emotions that love can cause in a short period of time are beautifully imagined. On the other hand Arulmozhi’s character was scripted as an opposite of Rohini. Arulmozhi is very quiet woman, who hides her mind from others despite being in love with Elango, while Rohini is very expressive about her feelings.

Apart from the love triangle, what I loved the most in the novel is the way Akilan describes Tamil culture. Rajendra Cholan shows his broader side when he wants to make friends with his enemy kings, though he is never afraid of wars. In fact all his wars end in victories for him. Such was his army’s force and his command. Though his liberal policies were seen as a weakness, he has enough power and intelligence to overcome his enemies’ plan to use it. His and Vallavarayar Vanthiyathevar’s plan to allow Elango romance Rohini proves to be master strategy. The Tamil spirit prevails throughout the movie. Sundara Pandiyan who was defeated by Rajendra Cholan even goes as far to compliment his rival’s bravery and policies.

Vanthiyathevar, the hero of Ponniyin Selvan and arguably the most beloved Tamil fictional character, plays a smaller but significant character. He plays an elderly minister who is by the king’s side most of the times and takes care of Elango whenever Elango slips emotionally. Akilan created Elango’s character complimentary to Vanthiyathevar’s character in Ponniyin Selvan.

On the flip side, Rohini double sided loyalty baffled me at times. She repeatedly asks Elango for forgiveness after she had done things against him. It was understandable in the beginning, but in the later stages it bores the reader a bit. Also, the number of times a conversation was overheard by another person was a bit too much. I mean, coincidence doesn’t happen every day. Elango’s friend Veeramallan’s constant double crossing is also not so convincing.

But overall, a very enjoyable read. It was a valuable insight on the life of our great ancestors. It was a celebration of Tamil culture which arguably attained its peak during the reign of Rajendra Cholan.

Fed ‘Ace’ wins Wimbledon

2009-07-05T20:41:00.001Z

4 hours and 15 mins for a final with over 70 aces and most number of games played for a Wimbledon final. These were a few facts that sum up this year’s men’s final at SW19. But the real story was hidden. Let’s face it. Even a modest tennis fan would admit that Roger Federer did not play at the peak of his powers. Yet he managed to win his record breaking 15^th grand slam final.

One must admit that Andy Roddick played out of his skin. I was really amazed to see Andy play volleys this way. Previously he had a booming serve & inconsistent game. But his improved first serve percentage and much better volleys will no doubt shoot him up the table. Wimbledon 2009 was his 2^nd chance and will come a long way in erasing his reputation as a one slam wonder.

Over 70 aces for a championship final show how much of a power game it was. There weren’t many long volleys unlike a Federer vs. Nadal final. The quality of winners, however, was good.

On the flip side, Roddick wasn’t moving around the court so much and Federer had trouble in returning Roddick’s bullet serves.

The speed on Federer’s first serve was equal to Roddick’s second serve. Still Federer managed at least 15 aces more than Roddick. That’s an amazing quality but overall the Swiss master just did not bring his A Game. That he broke Andy’s serve only once in the entire match shows not just Andy’s rise as well as Fedy’s decline. With this kind of below par performance, Rafa would have steamrolled Fed Ex.

With the great Pete Sampras watching from the royal box, one would think Roger Federer would weave his magic around the center court. He had his moments, but this was just not his show.

Still 15 grand slams is no mean achievement. That he did it with a few good years left will argue well for him, for he wasn’t a burden for fans to see him complete it. As I see it, I honestly think it will take quite a long time to break his record.

Holy Memories - A look back at my School Days

2009-06-04T05:07:00.001Z

School days are everybody’s first love. No many would forget their first day at school, crying at the sight of parents leaving. I’ve had an interesting 1^st day at school. All my school’s sisters gave is chocolates & off I go. I did return that day with 3 stitches dangerously close to my right eye, falling off a small wall. Majority of my schooling was at Holy Cross School where I studies from 1^st grade until higher secondary. 12 years in a school transforms into lots of memories. Our batch was widely regarded as the best & worst of the school’s history.

Most of my close friends are from School. Vivek tops the list with Anne, Raju & Ramya following suit not necessarily in that order. We had our share of controversies to be named the worst batch. The earliest I can remember was 4^th grade when yours truly was accused of writing a love letter to my best friend in her diary. Handwriting checks proved otherwise but imagine a 4^th grade love letter. We also became the only class to rebel against a Vice – Principal’s decision in boys vs. girls issue when the boys were unfairly punished. Boys stood together in a strike that lasted for 2 hours which ultimately ended in VP asking pardon for her incorrect decision.

Part of Holy Cross’ success is attributed to its teachers. My favorite was Thilak Mam. She thought Biology but she was best regarded as the best English teacher of the school. She was famous for pinching students in the ear. Murari might remember because his ear started bleeding after repeated pinching. Then there’s evergreen Mr. Munuswamy. He’s our Tamil teacher who apart from teaching well, also cracks frequent jokes & double meaning dialogues to make classes more interesting (Mayilum Illa.. Mayirum illa). And of course, very few will forget ‘Can u catch my point?’ Very few escaped from the stick of Kalaiselvi’s mam. A smart Mr. Kishore was girls’ favorite while Meenakshi mam was guys’ favorite.

Almost everyone took to extra coaching for higher secondary exams. Friends would remember me wearing an overcoat & riding a Hero Puch for the early morning math tuition. There were times when we used to lie to gather even on non tuition days at the early hours to play cricket.

Many of us experience 1^st love in school. There were quite a few love stories which I’ve known of in school but will refrain from writing. Mine though was a different one. It was my friends who wrote the story, screenplay, dialogue and directed a love story between me and a girl, which was immensely popular not just with students but teaching staffs too. But then, looking back it was quite a bit of fun.

When I look back, I must admit that my school life was as great as my college days. There was enough freedom for us to socialize but seldom crossed the limits. There were enough opportunities even for an average student like me to take part in career enriching activities. Friends would remember me taking part in various GK competitions. Sadly, Holy Cross School never really scaled greater heights after we left. Still, in my world it’s the best school (4^th best in the state in 2002), that thought me so many things within and outside the syllabus.

Vaaranam Aayiram - Love you Daddy

2008-12-02T22:06:00.007Z

Gowtham Vasudev Menon’s attempt at meaningful cinema is a faithful adaptation of his real life relationship with his father who passed away when Gowtham was scripting the movie. The movie is about how a father a deep yet subtle role in defining his son’s character. He plays a significant hand in helping his son overcome different stages in his life thereby guiding him to greater heights yet preferring to stay in the background without being too proud about it.

Surya as Krishnan (Dad) and Surya (Son) has given his best performance of his career. Tamil cinema is rest assured that the Kamal Hassan torch will be carried on by people like Surya in the future. Among the heroines, Simran has come up with one of her best performances as an understanding mother. Divya hasn’t had much to do but promises much in a small role. However Sameera Reddy takes us all as a whip of fresh air with her casual ways and beautiful looks. One can be rest assured of two things in Gowtham's movies. One, the romance part will be very good. Two, a heroine will die. The trend continues here.

Music and Cinematography were pillars for the movie. Harris Jeyaraj has done exceptionally well in both songs and background score. Rathnavelu has done an inspiring job in giving the right mood through out the film. His contributions to the romance sequences are priceless.

What Gowtham Vasudev Menon (Director) does here is, he did not try to make a soap opera out of the storyline but prefers a more subtle approach to it. The scene where the son calls his dad over the phone and cries for the death of his girl and also confessing that he and the girl made love shows the extent of understanding the dad has on his son. There are quite a few scenes where you will remember your dad or at least wish your dad was like the elder Surya.

There will be criticism for the movie for its pace and for the fact that the movie shows more about the younger Surya than about the dad. To come to Gowtham’s aide, one has to understand that when a biography cannot be shown in any faster pace as that will affect the audience’s involvement in the film. We are also used to seeing movies like these as soaps where a dad’s contribution and sacrifice to a son was elobrated as a sentimental weapon to attract audience. This movie will not make you sit and cry, rather takes you on a nostalgic trip.

To like this movie you will have to get involved in it. If you are coming in just to have fun, don’t go for it. However, if u like your dad please watch this movie. If you don’t like your dad watch this movie, you will actually start loving him.

The Nostalgia of Deepavali

2008-10-14T21:16:00.001Z

India is THE country for festivals. If we do a rough calculation, almost everyday there is a festival being celebrated with importance by some community or the other. But the grand daddy of them all is Deepavali (I refer to it as Deepavali, not Diwali because of my Tamil roots). The whole day is so beautifully set up with Pooja, Sweets, Lights and of course Crackers. In modern times, Deepavali is also about special TV programmes and new movie releases. One thing that separates Deepavali from other Indian festivals is the buzz that it creates more than a month before it actually happens.

I still remember during my school days where new clothes bought weeks before were the biggest temptation as we were prohibited from wearing them before the festival day. The other irresistible stuff is the crackers. Once bought, crackers were spread in the terrace during sunshine for them to dry even more so as have the desired effect. We were not supposed to fire crackers until the final evening before Deepavali. Occasionally we were given 1 or 2 crackers to burn which gave us so much joy.

On the day of Deepavali is the real excitement. The normally late risers like me would wake up by 4am. The first thing that we would do is pick the most audible bomb from the box and burst it in front of the house. Kids have a competition on who would burst the first cracker of the community. Then oil bath and morning Pooja. Then kids would start with the crackers while parents begin their preparation for the grand lunch that would consists of at least 10 types of dishes. Until lunch, kids' attention is divided between the special TV programmes and the crackers. The excitement of bursting crackers never fades down till late afternoon. Crackers were burnt on various platforms like tins, pipes and even dog's tail. During late afternoon, sweets were distributed to friends, relatives, neighbors and for people in need. Children also share their crackers with less privileged children. By now its evening and the focus shifts from bombs to colorful crackers like flowerpots, rockets etc... The whole house is decorated with lights giving a real festival picture. So much happiness and so much goodwill in one day… Legend says that Deepavali is the day where good triumphed over evil. In modern times, Deepavali is the day where people share and spread love and brotherhood with others.

In a mechanical world that we live, there is a need for festivals like these for refreshment and to do a soul searching. After two years of celebrating Deepavali in the land of the British while mastering my technical skills, I’m going to be in my home for this year’s Deepavali. A childish excitement has embraced me again. The new clothes, the crackers and the sweets take me back in time to the good old days. I love this. Do u?

Buses, Roads and Marriage

2008-08-14T08:47:00.003Z

Indian marriages are always a complicate affair. It involves a lot of processes and like its population, a whole lot of people. It is also about meeting new people and a chance to see your kin and kith in one place. So, I was naturally thrilled when a close friend invited for her marriage in Madanapalle, Andhra. A buzzing mind of mine soon had to think of a grueling journey ahead. 7 hours of drive by coach is the only form of transport. Since US of A took over our work timings, we (me and a friend) had to start in the morning from Chennai. As opposed to an already planned direct bus, we took a detour via Thirupati largely owing to the comfort of A/C coach to the temple town. The real problem started in Thirupati from where, there’s only a so called EXPRESS bus to Madanapalle. 4 hours of bone wrecking journey led us to our destination which quite literarily was situated in the middle of nowhere. The only highpoint of our visit is the marriage and the way we were treated by my friend’s family. Royal is the one appropriate word. This is a feature of Indian marriages. Every guest is treated with so much care, the naturally the newly weds receives a heartfelt wishes. In spite of the entire festive atmosphere, we were still having nightmares about the return journey. The town’s incompetence for basic amenities didn’t help our cause either. Old habits like card games surfaced to fight of the boredom of not getting sleep. After the marriage, we were again off on a demanding 7 hour trip back to Chennai to be in time for another day (rather night) at office. Simply put, that was one of the pain stalking journey that I’ve had for a long time. All my bones were off the hook as I landed in Chennai. Still our wishes for the couple remain intact. That’s the price I was willing to pay for such a sweet friend.

Billa - Ajith's Billa, Not Rajini's

2007-12-17T12:46:00.004Z

Let's set the record straight first. Billa 2007 is a faithful not like don. It's adaptation of Rajini's 1981 classic of the same name. If you come to the movie expecting Ajith to do a Rajini, then you won’t like it. This is a complete Ajith show with a totally different viewing experience.
The story is same as in the original Billa. The elusive don David Billa (Ajith) is accidentally killed by the police assistant commissioner Jai Prakash (Prabhu) while trying to capture him alive. So, he changes a petty thief Velu (Ajith), a Billa look alike into Billa to get inside information of Billa's gang and capture them all. Velu successfully infiltrates Billa's gang. Just when the gang and its mysterious chief, Jagadeesh (Rahman) was about to be captured, Prabhu is killed by Jagadeesh. Velu is caught in an identity crisis. He has to survive both the police who think he's Billa and his gang who by now knows that he's not Billa. He has to trust a girl who tries to assassinate him, Sasha (Nayanthara) to reveal his identity and capture the mysterious chief. How he successfully accomplishes the two tasks forms the climax.

Ajith as David Billa is stunning. He has lived the role of a don. He is stylish in his looks and brutal in his actions. His killing of a leaving gang member and his girlfriend were proof of his brutality. Ajith in his Armani suits, Ray Ban glasses and cars (BMW, Jaguar etc) looks dashing. He does negative roles with relative ease which most will agree takes more than a smile. Ajith as Velu could have done better. There will be inevitable comparisons of Rajini's comic relief as Rajappa compared to Velu. Ajith's incompetence in comic scenes shows here. But his overall screen presence is amazing.Nayanthara's transformation from a chubby actress to a slim, sexy babe is stunning. She looks out of the world for a Tamil actress with her bold & sexy looks though she does remind you of tomb raider. Namitha as the second heroine fits the bill of a gangster's lover. Prabhu as the police commissioner and Rahman as the Interpol officer & Jagadeesh showed their maturity.

The movie's high points were many. The overall outlook of the films is stunning and cinematographer Nirav Shah need a special mention for giving the viewers a never before seen viewing experience. Stunts sequences were choreographed with a touch of reality to it. The car chase scene needs a special mention with no over the moon flying of cars, though it reminds you of Fast & Furious - Tokyo Drift. Costume designing needs a special mention. Anu Vardhan has really worked hard to give the stylish looks for not just Ajith, but for every actor in the movie. The use of cars and weapons were all up to the point.

On the flip side Velu's character could have coiled better. He lacks the comic flair that is associated with his character. The transition of Velu to Billa is so fast, that you wonder you wonder how his gang believes him. Song choreography is a let down. Blame it on his spinal surgery, but Ajith's performance in the two fast paced song sequences (Vethalaya Pottendi & Seval Kodi) were less than impressive. Even his usual energetic face expressions were missing in the Seval Kodi song. Screenplay of the movie could have been a lot faster. It creates a boring atmosphere which many would not welcome.

Yuvan Shankar Raja has done well in the background score for the movie but could have done well in the songs, given his proven track record, especially with Vishnuvardhan.

Vishnuvardhan has done well to recreate a movie that still remains as one of superstar's best and done so with aplomb. He did not try to recreate Rajini's magic. Instead he has let Ajith bring his own power packed performance to the forte. This is a movie with a totally new experience. If you try to compare this with the original, then you may not like it. Dialogues were all up to the point. But the director could not help but steal a famous dialogue from the Italian Job where Charlize Theron says, "I trust you... I just don't trust the devil inside you"... Does that ring a bell? It fits the movie though. The Director's use of latest technology and gadgets were applaudable, especially cars and suits. His choice of locations needs a special mention too. He brings to you a feel that Tamil movies are changing for the good. Actions movies getting critical acclaim is a rarity. This could well break that trend by being a critically acclaimed film as well, along with commercial success. It takes more than a smile to recreate a blockbuster film that had a superstar at his best. Special salutes to both Vishnu and Ajith for making this happen. Overall, Billa 2007 is a faithful recreation of Billa. Forget Rajini and you’re in for a totally different and refreshing experience.

The Agonising Wait

2007-05-14T15:54:00.002Z

8 m0nths ago, when i set out to the UK for higher studies, I dreamt of this day to come.. May17th is the day that I'll be going back to my beloved India for a 2 week visit. Family emotions, reunion of friends, catching up with relatives are all that's in store for me. Bike trip (my favorite of all the plans), meeting a best friend who I last met 10 years back, hill station tours with family and friends, release and the prospect to viewing 'Shivaji' on day one and my birthday will make this short trip, the most busiest and the most memorable one.

But the most agonising part of all this are the days that lead up to it. Days that went in a flash become longer and longer.. The more phone calls u make to ur dear ones, the more anxious u become.. Every dream that u experience will be either in a flight or in home or roaming with friends.. That's the part i'm in now.. The agony just cannot be described fully.. Lots of NRI's will go with my views (I mean the ones who WANTS to come back to India).. The one important fact that compunds that agony is my exams. Exams on the 14th and 16th is the last thing I want before the departure. The more I think of it, the more I hate exams and the more I love to go back. But i one way i think i got to experience this feeling... It just gives a burning drive to make the the 16 days, the most memorable in my life..

Shark above my head !!!! r u kiddin me???

2007-05-02T23:19:00.004Z

Sea always fascinates me. It looks like a big tank of water and nothing more. But there are hell lot more to it than just water. We humans and many other organisms occupy one third of the world. What about the remaining two third? Imagine the number of organisms under the water. Imagine diving deep down the Marianas Trench (11km deep). You would have bursted into pieces b'coz of pressure by then. If Mount Everest were placed inside of this trench, it would disappear. . Imagine being a witness of a huge valcano eruption or a great earthquake happening under the sea. U'll be first to see how tsunami begins after an underwater earthqauke. Even the world's tallest mountain range and the tallest peak is under the sea.

Leave the facts aside. Just imagine looking at the millions of organisms inside the water. There are milions of organisms unknown to the humans lying deep down the ocean. There is a giant squid of 14m length deep down the pacific ocean. Imagine coming eye to eye with it. Imagine looking at the largest of blue whales swimming next to u. Sharks, sting rays (too bad, one of them killed Steve Irwin) or a jelly fish in front of your eyes could be a dangerous sight. A little clown fish, a sea horse, dolphins are the ones that gives a smile on your face and joy in your heart. Looks like a fantasy isnt it. But its a dream that i lived under the submarium in Hull, England. Read on.

Hull is located in the East Yorkshire county in England. There is an underwater submarium in Hull called "The Deep". Three floors of water and 8 inch thick glass made it a sanctuary for water organisms and a great experience for sea lovers like me. It takes more than 10 hrs to reach Hull from my place, Brighton. But when u have an everlasting passion and interest, who really cares for time. So a gang of 8 friends headed by Vishnu landed in Hull by mid day. After a customary roam around the city centre we were off to our prime location, the submarium. Yes, I lived my dream. Sharks, Sting Rays, Clown Fish, Dolphins and all kinds of inhabitants of the sea swam over my head. It truly was an experience of a life time. Dreams do come alive. Mine just did.

I've published a few of the submarium pics over here for all you friends to enjoy. I now have a personal agenda to become a qualified scuba diver. That will only expand my dreams. Enjoy these pics.

My (former) Work place.. Or is it??

2007-04-22T14:23:00.001Z

When somebody goes for work in a place, the most obvious things he would expect are a calm environment, strict demanding managers, tip toe silence and most importantly formally dressed employees.. Now that's a myth in my work place... I walked into zenith call centre hoping to do what I did in Allsec.. The first thing i noticed in my work place is there was the music played on the floor.. I presumed they were having a break... Once my interview was successful (just another formality), i was asked to listen to one of the senior reps thr.. (She was only 10 shifts old by the way)... When she and others were making calls still the music was on and loud.... u can’t hear what the person on the line speaks... This female who TRAINED (couldn’t get a better word) me was unbelievably hot.... I was struggling to be on my own in front of her... Sometimes it becomes difficult to look only at her face.... sheeeesh.. Fine.. No more double meaning stuff..

After the so called training i was put into calls.. That was total fun.. The best pat was i really didn’t know what i was selling.. But still managed to make about 100 calls in a 3 hr shift.. One more funny thing is, there was no computers in that CALL CENTRE.. We had to take down all the information in a paper.. and the music was on all the time.. So u can imagine the situation.. The team leaders was another joke.. The two TL's that i had was of my age.. Will thr be any control? of course not.. They were the ones who increases the volume of the music when somebody reduces it.. Wow.. Perfect example of how TL's should be.. But on a whole the whole place was a bunch of crap.. No regrets when i left the job in 2 weeks.. Couldn’t take it anymore.. Holy crap.. Don’t wonder why ur work place is not like this.. This is one of a kind.. The only one..

Psychic model!!!!!!!

2007-04-02T15:05:00.002Z

U know I started doing modeling in the UK. I’m by far the most wanted model in Sussex today.. I’m not kidding.. I’m modeling but in a different field.. Psychology… Now that will make a few (even lots), very much relieved.. May the world be in peace..

As lots of u think being a model in psychology experiment is not as if you are going to be given an unchecked pill that’s gonna strangle ur brain.. (I’m a brainless freak anyway..) It’s more about ur mental abilities.. (see.. that’s again a problem.. but still…) Most importantly u get cool money.. Now I’m not talking abt money given from a fridge here.. (ok.. I know it’s getting a bit cocky here).. In simple terms ur getting paid for doing very simple experiments..

The first two of them that I have been in was the coolest.. One had a few questionnaires and a video clip to watch.. I was expecting some kind of a horror movie or even something like Baywatch (ok ok.. lets stop the imagination there) Actually I got to watch the song ‘Acuna Matada’ from ‘The Lion King’.. A few questionnaires and I’m done getting 3 pounds in half an hour.. The second one was even better.. A few questionnaires to start with and a little interview where the experimenter asked me ‘what is the one thing that u worry in life’, for which I told ‘nothing’.. She was a bit taken back by that.. I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I told that my memory absolutely sucks.. A few questions on that and 3 pounds again.. I got 6 pounds which I used for my haircut.. How cool was that?

The third was longer and involved non-smokers.. What an advantage!!! 5 hours of memory experiments, a pill that contained nothing and a nasal spray that did nothing. That’s all for 5 hours and I’m 25 pounds richer.. Now that’s what I mean by cool money.. Another experiment like the first one and I’m 4 pounds richer again.. Now stop dreaming abt coming here.. U need a 400 pound ticket and Visa for that.. (The first one is easier to get than the other.)

U know what’s even cool.. This will probably happen this month.. I’ve signed up for a psychology test where you’ve to go in the morning.. Eat what they give for breakfast, (Corn flakes) and give a feed back.. 10 non-consecutive days of experiment and u have 50 pounds in ur pocket… This is what they call “paying u for eating sugar cane”. . I can see a few bellies burning.. Don’t worry abt it.. Don’t spoil my rest room with ur jealousy.

To the Heart of Bioinformatics

2007-03-24T02:07:00.002Z

There are some things in life that are driven by instinct. This blind instinct has no reason but still has a lot of significance in somebody’s life. You will have a constant feeling like this, “I don’t know why, but still I feel that this is going to be mine”. It happened to me during my school days. For some reason I always wanted to be study in VIT. I did not know why. When I first encountered the name Bioinformatics, for some reason I liked it, which is why I selected it in the first place ahead of biotechnology. The same instinct stuck me with another name called EBI.

I was in the 2nd year of college when i first heard of the European bioinformatics institute [EBI]. It was actually in a bioinformatics training institute in Bangalore when its head spoke of how we have great future in places like NCBI, EBI, and EMBL etc. It got stuck in my mind since then. It was always a dream to be a part of EBI. Now I’m not saying here that I got a job in EBI. But I had a chance to visit EBI and Sanger’s Institute in Cambridge for EBI open day. But then, there’s an old saying that fits in the bill here. WELL BEGIN IS HALF DONE. You’ll never know!! Sanger’s Institute and EBI stood in the middle of nowhere in Cambridge. It’s a very quiet place to be in work. Dream place if you want to be a researcher. They have all the facilities inside their campus. Cafeterias, Gym, Sports Field, Park, Lake, you name it and they have it.

Me and 5 of my friends set of early morning from Brighton in a train. In a 15 min uphill walk to the station we were encountered by snowfall. What a perfect start for the day!!! I had a burning desire to be in semi formals on that day. That compounded my shivering. But again, if u got to have some, u got to lose some. Nevertheless, we were in the EBI campus well ahead of schedule. After a typical English breakfast, we were off for a little tour of the Sanger’s institute, home of the human genome project. We were briefed about the history and happenings of the place. We were able to see the EBI database and the sequencing machines as well. Then it was time for some conference in which we dozed off, literarily. Selva had to wake us up every time we dozed off. One reason is I had a night out, so I’m obviously tired. The other reason is that all the speakers were so boring (for that sake which speaker is interesting in any conference!!). The best part is the breaks where we got to meet a few other students and the ones who spoke as well. At least they were not that boring in a one on one conversation. I also had a chance to speak with Mr. Tim French, Asst manager with Astra Zeneca. He gave an industrial perspective on bioinformatics and his company’s recruitment needs. That was indeed helpful. With that it was all over for the day. Looks pretty simple and boring day but the sheer experience of being in the heart of bioinformatics and talking to a few good men made that day very special. Let’s see if my instinct lands me in the EBI. That’s quite a long way to go and worth another posting.

Chandramugi and Casino Royal - Out of the ordinary hits

2007-01-31T19:49:00.001Z

Now if u think that this is gonna be a review of the two blockbuster movies & comparing the scenes, then think again.. It's not a usual movie review that i'm gonna put but rather a different kind of a comparisn.. Read on..

Both movies were Blockbusters with a huge star value tag attached to them (Chandramugi - Super Star Rajinikanth, Casino Royal - James Bond). But the very fact that both failing to live up to the tag, still went on to become blockbusters is what amazed me a lot.. The general feeling after seeing both the movies was, "Hmmm.. Yeah nice movie.. but... not typical to the tag".. Here are the reasons why..

Let's start with Chandramugi... Super star movie after 3 years.. Big time hype.. Amidst all the expectations and ticket counter tussles, i watched the movie on the first day (It's a sin not to watch super star movie on the first day)... After 3 hrs, when i came out discussing with the friends, the common feeling among all of them was, "Very good movie.. But not like a super star movie"... I mean, I just watched a rajini movie that had no style factor, negligible punch dialogues as well as no cigarettes.. The only saving grace for die hard rajini fans was the climax where he dons the 'Vettaya Raja' avatar where Rajini does a negative role to perfection... Inspite of all the missing Rajini factor that the movie grossed a record Rs.1102 crores (33rd in the most grossed movies in the world) is a testimonial to Rajini's sheer presence in the movie.. I'm saying this with all due respect to a powerful performance from Jyothika...

Casino Royal... Bond movie after a long time with a new blond bond.. Sure its a blockbuster action movie.. But where is Bond in the movie.. Let's face it.. Bond actually gets hurt.. Bond falls in love.. Bond cries for his love.. Bond has an Aston Martin that breaks down in two scenes and most importantly, Bond sleeps with an unmarried woman... huh.. Are you kidding me.. But with some spectacular stunts and good acting from Daniel Craig (Now hailed as the Best Bond since Sean Connery), the movie was a blockbuster hit around the world...

The very fact that these two movies able to be blockbusters inspite of an underplay to the tag means that people's interest sure is changing all over the world.. In my view its getting better.. Movies with good story lines like United 93, Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Munich, Kanda Nal Mudal, Kaadal, and others relishing critical acclaim as well as commercial succss... So keep watching good movies... Peace..

Haircut, Ice skating, Pissing in a street.. err.. Am i talking about New Year Celebrations?

2007-01-21T20:17:00.002Z

Years after years after years we've seen new year celebrations all over the world telecasted in TV.. It's been one of my dreams to be in person in one of those places for new year's day.. Since the day Abilesh and me got offers to study in the united kingdom, we were determined to celebrate New Year's day in the city of dreams, london.. More fitting, it also happened to be our 100th day in UK and the first time we met after leaving family and friends back in India.. It was all about the excitement of meeting a best friend after a long time and the eagerness to be in the celebrations for a new year. Victoria Station in london was all buzzed up with people coming in for the celebrations. One could see the excitements on their faces, leaving me with a relief that i'm not alone..

When i finally me Abi I was pretty much amused than excited. The reason is, he havent had a hair cut since he came here and looked like a pre historic tribal in the forest of the amazon. He more so looked like the aryan nomads who settled in India abt 5000 years back.. I thot even the tribals in Apocalypto lokked decent.. So much for spending 6 pounds for a hair cut.. I was even more amused when he said he's gonna have a hair cut anly when he goes to India.. That's in the month of may.. I started to reconsider my decision to visit manchester often.. But then friendship came first to hair cut.. He told me that he's gonna look like great Kamal Hassan in Devar Magan by the time he goes to India... Kamal fans, forgive me..

After all these hair amusement we finally set off to East Ham, a south indian place in london.. It was nice to be in that place it typically looks like a street in chennai. Grocery stores with names in tamil, music stores playing fast paced tamil songs, temple with lots of people in sarees, traffic ignoring road crossings, Ananda Vikadan, Kumudam and Kunguman in the stores etc etc.. It was a virtual Chennai street. Amazingly i was able to give equal company to Abilesh in the buffet lunch.. Now that's surprising is'nt it.. I ate half of what he ate when we were in India.. Now its equal..

We were off to Greenwich, to say that we are standing right in the middle of the world, if not top of the world.. Fate decided otherwise.. The place was closed before we reached thr.. By this time all of our friends joined as well.. The next destination was Canary Wharf, the business capital of london with all those high rise buildings.. Thr was this ice skating going on.. I cautiously decided nt to try it.. A friend and his brother went for it, scratched along the walls, fell down n number of times and finally came out looking like drunk men.. Too bad they didnt follow a genoius' (that's me.. lol) decision..

The time was 8'o clock in the evening on New year's eve.. That was the time we were supposed to be at the victoria embarkment for the celebrations.. Victoria embarkment is a road perpendicular to the big ben overlooking the london eye just across the river.. The place was all crowded with people from all over the world who have come here for the celebrations. Its an electrifying place with loud music playing in the background and people dancing to its tunes.. It is a place to be with on a new year's day celebration. We then have walk back for abt half a mile to get beer.. As always i had pepsi.. As the countdown began, the crowd went crazy with all the shoutings and screamings.. Exactly at 00.00 on 1.1.2007 couple of crackers went up the sky and bursted signalling the start of a new year followed by the famous 12 gongs from the big ben... And then it's show time.. I can only describe the fireworks that went for the next 10 min in one word.. SPECTACULAR.. u gotta see it to believe it.. Every single person was glued to the sky... It's the best set of fireworks display i've seen in my life... After the fireworks started a slow walk back to the hotel.. Even a snail would have moved faster.. But that's abt the crowd.. It was just so huge and we had only one way to get out..

Then came a real problem.. I drank so much of Pepsi, (Yeah only pepsi) that i had to piss urgently... the hotel was abt 2 miles away.. I'm damn sure that my bladder is nt gonna hold up till then... Then i saw it.. Not a toilet, but a dark deserted street... What's more delightfull was the fact that i could see many men pissing thr.. i'm nt alone... So much relief for me that i didnt even mind a few girls who passed by me when i was pissing... who cares really.... The best part is we had planned to stay overnight in the victoria bus terminus.. But the friend and his brother (Remember.. ice skating) had booked a hotel room and asked us to join.. Thank u very much... What's more surprising was that was a 5 star hotel.. Change for fortunes...

We woke up on new year's day (when did we ever wake up early)... We were off to east ham again... This time to have idly, dosa, pongal and kothu parota.. Felt like heaven u know... After shopping some typically indian items (ananda vikadan, good day biscut, vellam, muruku), we were off to victoria bus terminus again for the trip back home.. I left london with a satisfying feeling of being a part of a gr8 celebration and with a amusement of when is Abi gonna have his hair cut.. I have a gut feeling he's nt gonna do it that early.. Kamal Fans, I'm sorry again...

So what do i miss????

2006-11-15T14:31:00.001Z

This is a question that i asked myself after i landed in the UK... When i thought about it for a while my mind returned with astonishing amount of 'MISSING' list....

Family is obviously the first thing.... (although sometimes u feel like missing ur friends more than ur family....that's the magic of friendship...) But yes, mom and dad r d ones u miss d most... b'coz they r ur source of genes.... ur blood.... ur everything..... personally i miss d bashes i get from my mom when i sit in front of d TV for a long time... nowadays my mom askes me to get a TV for myself if i feel bored here.... what a change??? ofcourse not doing a single job in home... no cooking, no washing, no cleaning.... I can realise that when i' on my own here....

Friends..... here comes the BIG miss list... Whenever i think of this thr is a sudden empty feeling that surrounds me... I had a huge gang of friends around me..... Terribly miss them.... It was like strings of a guitar... everybody were very different from one another yet the best of friends..... The other day when i was in London with my new set of friends, i thought how good it would have been if i had my VIT gang wit me.... I was almost in tears thinking abt it....

The no of fights i had with my best friend Abi (nayyy... hez actually my best enemy), the no of times me and abi tortured jeeva (karuvaya, kyana kirukk r d 2 decent words we used with him.. rest is censored), the no of time jeeva use d word F_ _ K, the no of times i bashed chinni, the no of bike rides i had with ash in my bike and abi, jeeva, prabhu and Dr in their bikes, the no of presentations that i did with raju, the no of times i asked kaivu to give me a smile , the no of time i called anshu as bokka, the no of times i was called 'ennada kanna' by pravs, the no of times i listened to kani speak (she'll speak some crap but still u'll never get bored), the no of times i teased sindhu, the no of times me and thee cried for fun (actually adu oppari...), the no of times i roasted kadalai with bhuvs, the no of times we listened to satish talk, the no of times we imitated rock's tamil (ennada pannudu), most importantly the no of times madhu teased me... (ni pant podarathuku ore karanam thaan),the no of times me, gokul and jeeva discussed virtually everything in the same of group study,and of course the no of times i spoke with Indu.....

and of course people who know me will never forget 'YES SIR' .....

Miss my college terribly(Sharp contrast to the way we used to curse the coll when we were there).. i was in the best college and the best department... (VIT, BIOTECH), KJ's golden words (what d fuck is happening in this dept), arnold sir stuggling in our classes, Sethu-the perfect teacher, one dumb headed A_ _ H_ _ _ _ called anand samuel, library...err...lovers park, food court..err...another lovers park, canteen (place whr most of d friendships and loves start and end), a comedy called assignments, an even better comedy called exams, passing chits across d class in the first year, when technology improved chits were replaced by sms's (the best part is that when the class gets overboring sms is sent to the person sitting next to u), the long walks around the campus with a girl next to u (nw that's one thing that i really miss here)...... thr is everything about VIT that i miss......

Yercaud and the training is one unforgettable one but that will take another post..... it has that much..... madhu, jeeva, sindhu, abi, satish will accept my point...

Chennai is another place that i miss like anything..... that again is with another post b'coz that simply is chennai... if i write along with this u guys will get over bored....

A single drop of tear from my eyes that dropped into Thames river is a clear testimonial of how i miss my friends, my coll and my family......

Life in the United Kingdom

2006-11-13T14:01:00.001Z

Since i landed in the united kingdom, the most frequent question i encounter is this, How is life there??? well... nothing much of a difference.. i'm still 6 ft... 68kgs... legs on ground.... talking thro mouth... seeing thro eyes.... hearing thro ears.... nothing has changed... no worries... i'm still alive...

But lifestyle????? May be thr's a difference... The only considerable difference here is the cost of living.. its pretty....eh nope... very costly... just imagine getting one kg of rice for 100 bucks in india.... poof.... its a reality here.... i get to travel a whole day in brighton by bus for 300 bucks... I love u india...

But... what surprised me here r d people here.... thr is just no hurry here (atleast it loks like..)... the other day i was travelling by bus at 4 am when d bus stopped for a traffic signal... the best part is except the bus not a single vehicle was nearby.... still the bus waited till d signal to turn green and then proceeded.... no hurries... that was a pleasent change from a relatively hurry burry india....

People always seems to have a smile on their face... When u abt to enter a place thro a door and thr is another person coming from inside, he/she would be holding the door open until u enter... that too wit a smile... they r all easily approchable for help....

the best part here is my studies.... no pressure... except for something called plagarism... (right opposite to Indian system whr ctrl c and ctrl v r the favorite comands while doing assignments..) its more abt thinking than just memorising..... open book tests r coomon place .. but nt for every subject.... still its better.... thr just too much time to do self study.... dont ask me if i'm doing that... having 13 hrs of classes every week is a far cry from 40 hrs of classes i had in my undergrad days... But still i bunk a few classes in those 13 hrs.. he he... somethings in life never changes.... like sleeping, bunking, flirting etc.....

well that's abt the life here.... thr r a few things i still ponder abt.. one such thing is i always wonder how girls over here can wear skirts a good 5 inch above their knee when the temperature outside is 2 degrees.... dont ask me why my eyes look at that... after all i'm a college guy.. what else do u expect... huh....