Saturday, December 27, 2008

My Take on MTV Roadies

MTV Roadies is a reality television show which airs on MTV India. The show was created by Raghu Ram and has travel, adventure, drama, touch of voyeurism.

Perhaps Raghu's nickname is Vicious and judging by his 5 years spell with the MTV Roadies it's an appropriate description. The moniker didn't come from his attitude but from the great teeny blooper tradition of nicknames evolving unpredictably - Dude, Vicious. None of them matters to me, but to occasional spring boopers like me, its a healthy sign.

I have been watching this MTV Adventure show, titled MTV Roadies show for the last 5 years. Yes, it makes me quite a senior citizen, which can be pronounced by my LIC Jeevan Policy. I have gone for the Bangalore audition this time, and I don't know if people will believe me, but I just found how focused and determined today's youth are.

Added to the fact that I was pushed by quite a few sovereign females just to come near to the camera. It was funny! not when you remember that a 68 kg fellow has two 100 kg fellas in front of him.

Auditioning for Roadies needs no prior planning. I understand every tom, dick and harry go through the earlier episodes of Roadies, but trust me all this prior planning fails. When you clear the Group Discussion round and sit in front of the two whizkids Raghu and Rajiv, everything goes for a toss.

I think the best strategy is to just be yourself. I think that should be the best strategy to handle the duo. Let me think if I were in that Interview room how would I be myself.Some people may say, "aha! it's an easy to thing to write an article, but when you step into that interview room, its a nut case". I agree to their theory.

But my point is just like MTV Roadies is like more of an bas freaky interview. If you can project what you have to be a roadie, why would you care to project something higher. Take the case of Ahmadabad roadies, Samrat Kaushik. He is a highly confident guy and demonstrated no signs of overconfidence during his interview.

Infact, when Raghu asked him to give them the 9 digit number for the division of 22/7, standing in one leg, Samrat tried to answer that showing no signs of overconfidence.

The next is playing mind games or defeating Raghu in his own game. You see these chaps sitting there are going to scrutinize your life completely, and see if they can pressurize you to lose your balance. The idea is to see how you can survive in trying situations.

So, if I can get into their shoes and try to cause a bit of imbalance, in form of whatever, you survive. Take the case of Delhi's contestant, Neha Kapoor, an air hostess.I love the manner in which she took both the bhai's case is great.

During the course of the interview she retorts and asks them "if you are trying your level best to know me that well, why shouldn't I know of both of you guys". And, if you folks remember, she has been selected for the Hell Down Under largely because she had that attitude. Delhi girls- I wish I had a girlfriend from there, since the Bangalore ones have beaten the hell out of me he he.

Next comes the panga taken during the course of the interview. Firstly, this machoism is deadly but ironically it backfires in most of the cases. Tamanna, a desi born with an angrez accent, took the panga of slapping the bhai's and than for some reasons got scared and backed out.

Post-Interview, Raghu himself said that he himself pushed Tammana to take this step. How true is that, I am not sure? I believe Raghu is no short of gimick.

MTV Roadies looks for interesting characters, and if yes, you can have 'bizzare' character like Poulomi, viewers are for a treat. Poulomi undoubtedly brought so much of colors to the interview panel that she can be a would be fashion designer. of course, she would face a stiff competition from Sonal, last year roadies. By the way, Sonal featured in DASVIDANAI as a secreatary to a director. Who needs knowledge anyway? Shambavi and Anmol have proved it time and again and MTV GTalk is another testimonial for them.

Be resolve. It is clearly demonstrated by the NCR Hills fella Kiri Timung. His confidence and determination is excellent.

Now my questions are, but not limited to, are the MTV Roadies tasks really tests your character? what sets it apart from a Big Boss show? after all you survive there too with enough of back-biting in this show too? what sets Roadies apart? is it because you have lot of youngsters there? I have mixed reviews on it. But I'll like to know what you feel on the same.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Reviewing GHAJINI

In ages to come they will say Aamir Khan's movies are like old wines. There is a sense of excitement as you uncork another bottle. GHAJINI (hope I spelled it correctly) bears another testimonial to this actor's majestic performance.

Infact, three intellectuals sitting just above me at the theater(who almost narrated the entire picture to us) complained more on Director Murgadoss rather than on Aamir.



The reviews are coming great for Sanjay Singhania (Aamir).A short-term memory lapse guy who seeks to avenge the murder of his beloved Asin. Have you seen Memento, the Hollywood flick? Na! its not a lift-off, but yes GHAJINI drags a bit.

I am sure when you watch a PREMIERE spanning across 3 hours, you assume that you are watching the uncut version of the movie. So, if I witnessed Hindi Ghajini to have a 'LATTU' number pictured on the sexy siren JIA KHAN (remember Amitabh's muse in NISHABAD), I am not sure if that is a justice and adds to the screen.



I wish Murgadoss could have utilised that time of Jia Khan item track to bring some more vitality in the movie. At some point I felt the commerical factor, often coming from the producers cast spell into a picture's doom.

The following scenes could have been shaped or enacted better. When Aamir loses his cues, destroyed by GHAJINI, and finds himself in a hospital, there is a momentary lapse of sadness. I wish the director could have exploited Aamir's trauma in the uncertainty of his life.

Also, I understand Aamir has got lot of cues in the movie. These are essential for the way he behaves and manages himself. Would it have been a bad if efforts were made to check if those cues in his body could be unravelled a bit?

The pictures moves at a very good pace. Asin does a profound job and it could easily be understood that she knows her character in and out. She acted opposite Surya brilliantly in the Tamil version, and equally brilliant with Aamir. Jia Khan, well the oomph factor of the babe is too hard to leave out. But she is OK.



A few scenes that stands out.Aamir getting up in the morning and has no clue where he is, the scene in which Asin gets murdered is chilling, Aamir's clash with GHAJINI in the climax- I love the way he reacted. He is animal at that moment and snorts instead of talking. Wonderful!

Lapses--well, one I could remember making a long distant call from London on Asin's cell, when she is travelling in a train. Yes, I am complaining too much.

Great show Aamir Khan! another varied role. I enjoyed your performance from QSQT to DIL CHAHTA HAI to RANG DE BASANTI to GHAJINI. It's been a great ride with you. Of course, all of us went to watch GHAJINI, praying its a super-duper hit.

I am a big fan of yours, but alas!I could say. GHAJINI is a HIT only. Never mind, thanks for the show! Parents: watch out the violence factor when you take your kids. Time to get up- it's 3 in the Xmas morning and PARAMOUNT hotel is still open.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

My Take on Rab Ne Bana De Jodi

For a few seconds, I wanted to go back to the initial phase of our conversation. I wanted to tell my friend that I am not interested in watching a Shahrukh Khan movie. But, than I found myself in a theater with three girls on my right. Aditya Chopra, the makers of DDLJ and Mohabatte has always baffled me.



It is because I expect a lot from this cinematic lad. He has all the ingredients to deliver movies of par excellence but seems to be stuck up in the world of romances only. Like father Yash Chopra who is the reigning king of romance, but than he did movies like KALICHARAN, KALA PATHAR & TRISHUL too.

Shahrukh Khan, big name, brand ambassador of almost all the products that my idiotic memory could think about does a desi punjabi guy- specks wale bhaisaab, 9-6 duty karne wale. So, when this honest lad marries a girl, jo pyaar nahin karna chati hai, than he is OK with it...

Anyway, see the movie works for me plainly because the chemistry shown by Anushka with Shahrukh. She delivers a power-packed performance. She is beautiful not that glamorous and her magic works.

It could have been much better movie had the director shown pathos of Surendra more when he identifies her wife's love for Raj (that's me!!!). It is a bollywood movie with its reality surmountable.

It will work in couple of centers but Aditya Chopra needs to change his genre. Else, he is another Karan Johar in making. One time wonder- Remember Bollywood has a short-term memory. Wake up Aditya

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Conversation with Sania Mirza



Some people have questioned my nobility of profession, and instead of addressing me as a writer have called me a COMMANDO. If Arnold (surname difficult to pronounce and spell. Apologies! my english has always been poor) would have heard that, he would have committed suicide.:) Anyway, Sania, just don't give a damn heed to what others have to say about us...:)

Monday, December 01, 2008

When I almost got Married

Martyrdom is not only about losing your life in a war for your country. In situations, it could be caused by world's most inevitable thing called Marriage. I have nothing to lie here, but I do defend the basic tenet of marriage.

My cell phone suddenly beeped at thirteen hours. Normally, on Sunday evening I chose to refrain from indulging in any sort of conversational activity. I prefer to sleep like a dead hog, which in some sense is pretty good, compared to my ex girlfriends who thought I was quite active :)



So, here is a friend calling me up to be at the FORUM, a mall in Koramangala, Bangalore. I did not intend to be there, since I was apprehensive after a meal at Barbecue Nation, I would have the energy to date a girl. But anyway, a Capricorn that I am do not misses chances. So, I told her to give me a buzz after 2 hours.

I received a call exactly 2 hours prior to my last call. Two of this girls implored me to come over to the forum. But hang on- if you were wondering that Raj got a chance of hooking up with not one but two girls, you are insane like me. I was surprised when she told me to come down to the forum, so that I could be her married husband to collect a gift on behalf of her friends.

All throughout the short journey of 10 minutes to Forum, I kept on asking myself "why me?". Infact, when we met and sat there in that Marlyn Monroe couch of Country Club, everyone were looking at us. The prospective wife of mine (for a single day)was quiet and shy during the interview taken by the manager. He grilled us with questions, which was ironical in a way since my wife (for that day) is a Lawyer.

Anyway, when we were done with the interview, I looked into her eyes and asked her a question. I popped up that if the club asked for a kid, what would she have done at the situation. As usual, I did not have anything to add anything new here, but just pointed out "I am interested but she probably wants to wait"..we bursted into a roar. Thus ended the day when I almost got married.