Why Do People Blog?

It is said, first there was a word and from it the world was bornIn the modern era, first there was the Internet and in that Blogs galore were born is more apt.A blog is the evolved version of a personal diary. Its a space where in a person can write anything, personal thoughts, articles, infotainment, general rambling or even venting out their frustrations at large.With no set format and the freedom to express, the blogger can use the written word in any manner they so choose.Blogging has become a booming new internet phenomenon for the writing community for many reasons. First of all, by definition, it offers writers freedom of speech in a published format for any viewer to read. Any thought, any emotion, any artistic piece can be posted within minutes giving a writer an immediate sense of gratification for their work.A blog promotes a sense that one's words are valuable and meaningful to viewers who often become loyal readers of some bloggers sites.Then there is also a financial angel to it. Especially if a blog attracts eyeballs, it also attracts advertisers willing to pay per click on their banners. Often blogging site offer it's blogger a percentage of this ad revenue.Blogs are a boon for people aspiring to take up serious writing in the future. They help such aspirants gain confidence in their writing skills. Consistent reader interest or viewer traffic to any page is like a proof of concept, an indication of the works potential.It is one thing to sit diligently, in solitude, typing away with perseverance and dedication, one's treasured novel or poem, believing one's work is great, but it is another when readers, people one does not know, actually take the time to read one's work, come back and read the posts regularly, and even take the time to leave a comment.This can do wonders for a writer's belief in their self and their dreams.Beyond the serious writers, a blogging site also offers a platform for people who just want to express their "voice". People who are passionate about something as use the blogs as a tool to get their message across the world.And finally, blogs with their infinite reach are a favourite as a free advertising vehicle. If you have something you are trying to promote on a limited budget, what better way to achieve this than to write a post. This instant reach does not cost the marketers a single penny!So, whatever be your trip in life, it pays to have a blog

GOD V/S BLACK MAGIC

Magic is supposed to be the use of non visible forces to change the course of events. Some people say White magic is good and black magic is evil. Black magic seeks to do harm, while white magic seeks to hear. White magic is about life and black magic deals with death.The perception of Good and Evil in itself is so relative that all these opinions on good and bad magic end up being only that, subjective opinions.This paradoxical topic is getting.a large canvas this August in the form of two much awaited movies.The first is Phoonk, a story that revolves around an atheist, whose beliefs are challenged when his loved ones encounter strange unexplained forces. His rationale is unable to accept it but it is difficult to ignore these occurrences altogether. The other protagonist of Phoonk is a obsessed devotee whose faith in God is shaken by the traumatic events she has faced.Turn to the other extreme, God Tussi Great Ho has an angry Salman Khan cursing God for making his life miserable only to find, to his astonishment, God appearing before him in human form.Not only that, God endows him with all of his divine powers and challenges Salman to take on the big job and see if he can do it any better. Now it is to be seen if God has more power over the box office or will the devil blow the crowd towards phook.I am not sure about the movies but the box office battle of God v/s Evil will be worth watching

SINGH IS KINNG

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - Lakhan Singh aka Lucky (Sonu Sood) is the 'king' of the Australian underworld accompanied by his acquaintances (played by Javed Jaffrey, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Pahwa, Yashpal Sharma, Kamal Chopra and Sudhanshu Pande.) Far away, in a small village in Punjab, where Lucky was born, there exists someone more dishonorable than him - Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar). The village is fed up of his generosity of spirit, which has resulted in a number of hilariously ruinous situations. Out of desperation, they decide to send him to Australia to bring Lucky back to Punjab, as his disgraceful deeds were damaging their image in Australia. They plan this in order to keep Happy out of the village for some time. Happy The happy-go-lucky, taking his charge a bit too seriously, goes on board accompanied by his friend, Tony (Om Puri), who hates Happy for setting up all the plan.The high point of his journey is his when he by chance meets up with Sonia (Katrina Kaif) with whom he falls in love, but upon reaching his destination, things take an uncertain turn as he runs into a series of comic calamities, leaving him penniless. He is fortunate to find warmth, love and affection in an elderly lady (Kirron Kher) who helps him meet Lucky.In a bizarre turn of events, an attempt on Lucky's life is thwarted by a well-intentioned Happy who fights off the attackers by risking his own life. Following the hilarious dispute, Lucky lands up in hospital paralyzed, and Happy, unexpectedly, finds the tables turned on him when he is expected to assume the role of the new 'kinng'!The series of confusion; shocks and comic misunderstandings that ensure eventually result in deliverance and an accidental wedding!
THE RIGHT: - Akshay lights up the screen every time he comes on, it is an out and out Akshay film. Om Puri is seen in a good role and he compliments well with Akshay to give the best moments of “laughter”. The music is loud and vibrant. In true Sardar style and the characters, keeping the Sardar’s in mind. What's appealing is that every actor who is not a sardar carries off the get up so well that it's difficult to distinguish a real Sardar. Five on five to the costume designer who has added color in the movie to go with the vibrant community. Katrina Kaif and Neha Dhupia both offer excellent support in their own way to the film.
THE WRONG: - The first half skims through without a hitch. There are certain flaws that crop up in the second half; the loose editing of two songs, which appear abruptly between scenes and disappear as quickly, and a sub-plot, which could have been done without.
WHERE TO HEAD: - The North Indians are going to go “wah wah” over the new Kinng while the overseas market is sure to gather in a huge turnover. Thus go ahead and watch it as it is an out-and-out entertainer; guaranteed to bring on the laughs.

NONU AND DALU

People called me keyboard but my husband called me Dalu. Today he is no longer there with me people called him laptop screen but I called him Nonu. But today his place is empty. I remember 5 years back when we both met it was love at first sight. I felt I got married when a chord connected me to him. He and I came alive together we complimented each other perfectly. In five years we never got separated we didn't even argue. In this five years we read beautiful mails together some were funny, some were romantic, some were happy while some were sad. We went through all the emotions. We visited many sites but at times he was burdened with a lot of junk files and I would pray those days that the junk should get cleared from his head as it would trouble him and I couldn't see him in pain. We even traveled far and wide. It would be fun to visit new places regularly. But the memories of my favorite place are Dubai as we had gone there for our honeymoon there. They say life has unexpected turns in the same fashion our beautiful life took unexpected turn when we met with an accident. I got saved but Nonu was hurt. I cried for two days as nobody came to check him he was just blank I knew he was in coma. I was very worried I prayed hard and then god sent our doctor whom people call as computer engineer but even after the necessary treatment Nonu was not completely alright all of a sudden he would start shivering and our master would say oh my god screen is flickering, I tried my best to tell him everything will be fine but he knew he would never be the same he would get sudden blackouts and I would not know what to do. Our doctor had regular visits at our house I would pray day and night I didn't want to loose him but I had learnt the divine has his own rules for us we are just puppets in his hand. Nonu knew that he would have to leave me soon and I would keep telling him what I will do after you I cannot even think of a life without you. He would keep saying that you will not be lonely. I would always think why he says like this did he think that I didn't love him so much that I would die without him. One day he had a sudden black out and then he didn't come back to life. A few days after his death I was sitting with my master and watching a programme on television with my master in that programme they spoke about good spirits becoming an angel and I knew then that my Nonu has become an angel. Suddenly I saw the doctor I wondered when Nonu is not there why is the doctor come again is there anyway that he can get my Nonu back but he himself said that Nonu can never come back what is it that he has got in that box. I heard the doctor saying "sir new screen" I cried to Nonu where are you Nonu how can you let me get attached to somebody else but then I softly heard a whisper saying that its me Nonu and I have chosen this new screen for you so that you are not left alone and he said that he will always be with me as my guiding angel. I replied to him saying that Nonu I don't think so I will be able to accept this new relationship but Nonu in his own way whispered I know Dalu but time is a big healer and I will live with peace in this new world only if I see you smile and for my sake you have to move ahead and tie the knot again. Before I could reply anything divine tied the knot between me and Knot it is now six months I love Raahil but no one can replace my love my feelings for Nonu

THE PARALLAX

I see you in the distance,
I gaze at you everyday.
If only i had the courage to speak to you,
I wouldnt know what to say.

I see you in the corridor,
your arm grazes mine.
The thought you are so near,
sends shivers down my spine.

I see you with your friends,
and i know we' ll never be.
Thus my heart remains locked forever,
and you hold the key.

I see us walking on the beach
holding hand in hand,
feet sinking in the sand.
I know its just a dream
cause you are far out of reach.

KISMAT KONNECTION NEEDS KORRECTION

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - Raj (Shahid Kapoor) was numero uno in academics, sports, dramatics. But four years after winning the best-student-of-the-year trophy from his architectural college, but even after five years is still struggling to find that one big chance to showcase his determination.

It's almost as though some negative kismet (destiny) is following him around because whenever something fine is about to happen, it seems destined to fail.

Desperate to get rid of the bad phase in his life, Raj meets a eccentric oracle, Hasina Bano Jaan (Juhi Chawla). She tells him that soon his stars will change and make everything work in his goodwill; but for all this to happen, Raj has first to find his lucky charm and never let go of it. But she tells him no more, leaving Raj puzzled, trying to figure out what this charm could be.

Suddenly, his life seems to be on the right track. He's managed to impress top builder Sanjeev Gill [Om Puri] into giving him a high-status project. Priya [Vidya Balan] is a tough-decision taking girl with a heart of gold. She is an optimist who is intent on making the world a better.

Raj succeeds in persuading Priya that he's the one who can save her dearly loved Community Centre from destruction. And also opens her eyes to her philandering fiancé (Amit Verma).

Recall Aziz Mirza's movies. In practically all his films, the protagonist is aspiring to make it big in life. There's a constant struggle on both levels, personal and professional. Kismat Konnection is no different.

THE RIGHT: - The characters we watch on screen are significant and relatable, their problems are the type that we've either heard of or experienced ourselves or around us. The love story and the disagreement in the tale also comes across so genuine. Kismat Konnection is primarily a love story that viewers may have visited several times in the past, but let's not forget, romance can never ever go out of fashion. In this movie they have succeeded to an extent in presenting the highs and lows in a relationship with maturity. Pritam's music is ear-pleasing. 'Aai Paapi' and 'Bakhuda Tumhi Ho' are lingering compositions, while Ahmed Khan's choreography in the former takes your breath away. Himani Shivpuri is fantastic and her Punjabi accent will bring the house down. Vishal Malhotra is proficient. Manoj Bohra acts very well. It's a simple, feel-good fare that charms its way into your heart.



THE WRONG: - Its an NRI world of Raj Malhotra who lives in Canada, only among Batra, Gill and Mehras. Everyone speaks Hindi, even if the character is gora. You get the picture. There is only joylessness around here.



The film you may believe is about the rise of this boy, as he takes up tough loans for his first design assignment. All those portions are forgotten somewhere along as well. You then feel this film is probably about a mall coming up that will take away an old-age home. This is a premise from Aziz Mirza's Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman or even Lage Raho Munnabhai.

Kismat Konnection takes its own sweet time to reach the finale Besides, it gets slow-paced as well. But Mirza should've taken care in maintaining its pace and length in the second hour. The film could've easily done away with a number of scenes.
Yet, all said and done, Kismat Konnection is a film that makes you smile and that is its biggest triumph.



WHERE TO HEAD: - Kismat Konnection is a movie with a lot of confusion. So don't spoil your weekend; try your kismat by doing some thing better on the weekend.

PAPPU PAAS HOGAYA SAALA!!!

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - Would it be Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak once again was the question among the audience with the arrival of Jaane Tu…. Ya Jaane Na?. Its an another innocent love story in the offering minus with any unnecessary mush, hence going truly with present-day times. It’s just a simple story told differently. Jaane Tu is about a group of friends and their discovery of love. Jai (Imran) and aditi (Genelia) are part of the gang. Each friend represents a type. And yet, no one crouches down to stereotypes. They're all characters with believable shades of grey.
Their friends believe that Jai and Aditi are made for each other, even the parents know it, but Jai and Aditi believe they are just good friends, no more no less. When their parents bring up their marriage they realize everyone has misunderstood their friendship. They set out to find the perfect partner for the other, and that’s where the twist lies. They fall for different people and the inevitable follows or as they say in old Bollywood films “Ek Ladka Aur Ek Ladki Kabhi Dost Nahi Ho Sakte.”
THE RIGHT: The movie is set in the mold of Imtiaz Ali’s socha na tha. Jaane tu deals with the emotional turmoil of a young couple in a breezy, romantic and seemingly truthful manner told in narrative. The realization of love part between Imraan and Genelia is heart touching, their camaderie has some brilliant moments. For instance when Aditi’s Fiance kisses her and Jai is taken aback. The best part is that director Abbas Tyrewalla gives ample scope to all his characters. All the friends have well sketched out parts, there is no overlapping of characters and the screenplay offers enough situations to keep the events of on a high. Scenes between Ratna Pathak Shah, and Nasiruddin Shah (talking from the portait) are hilarious. Arbaaz and Sohail khan’s guest appearance comes with a punch and adds zing to the film. Prateik Babbar is impressive in a small but interesting role. Manjari phadnis deserves a special mention. Imran has been presented like a boy next door and that adds to his appeal. The role fits him sop perfectly hat he breeze through it and Genelia with her spontaneity oozes her charm.
THE WRONG: The first half of the film could have done with better pace as at times the tempo drips but the movie is fantastic overall.
WHERE TO HEAD: Jaane Tu is a must watch for all romantics out there. Its sparkling, refreshing and entertaining. And a tip that it could be an eye opener for many ;-)

KUNAL KOHLI WITH HIS TOHLI

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - Thoda Pyaar Thoda Maig makes you nostalgic. It takes you back to the light-hearted, cheerful, feel-good cinema made by directors of caliber like Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It is a movie that puts a smile on your face even if you walked in with a puckered brow. It is a perfect film, so what if it is made from extracts from movies like Mary Poppins, The Sound Of Music and Enchanted. Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic may not be the most unique script, but the sweet and tender moments in this venture raise it to a watchable status. To put a long story short, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is a simple story, well told.
Ranbeer [Saif Ali Khan], a leading entrepreneur, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with an uncomfortable situation. In a rare and marker court verdict, he is to look after four orphan children Vasisht, Avantika, Aditi and Iqbal. The orphans hate him and want to settle of scores from him. The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them for certain reasons. Their life together is very gloomy. One day, the kids pray to God (Rishi Kapoor), who has the toughest task of all... He needs to make humans learn to live happily ever, just like the fairy tale for help and He does help them. He sends his most playful, childlike, lovable, endearing angel to the rescue, with a task to bring Ranbeer and the kids together. Geeta [Rani Mukherjee] who is the angel comes bicycling down a rainbow... and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny and then starts the roller coaster ride of entertaining, emotions, magic and love. It’s a story of an angel who doesn't know what love is, a man who always lost love and four orphans who need love. So its all about love (little love, little magic)
THE RIGHT: - It is filmed in bright, saturated colors with skillfully integrated effects and animated accompaniments, Kunal Kohli’s enjoyable family comedy. Has a enthusiasm and optimism that trump the expectedness of its story. Though feather-light, it manages to engage some substantial matters: the Indian family and nation building. In a musical number set in a museum the angel makes history come alive, showing the kids that India’s past is overture to its great future. And, the film gives the impression to say, that future will be built on strong families. When the businessman dashes a big deal in Los Angeles to guard the children, he becomes stronger and more human. It's the second hour that takes the film to a different level. How Saif bonds with each of them and the turning point, an incident that makes the kids see Saif differently, is simply excellent.
THE WRONG: - it’s a pleasure to watch Rani in a role that does justice to her talent. She's lovable but why is she sporting the same outfit throughout? Ameesha’s character is a stinging point, mainly because her character looks like an add-on as the film could do equally well without her character. Ten minutes into the movie and you know what's up next for the suave biz tycoon Ranbeer Talwar (Saif Ali Khan), who walks out of award ceremonies (of course, with awards) even before his name is actually called out for. But the first half isn't without its share of flaws.
WHERE TO HEAD: - On the whole, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is a simple story told very effectively and efficiently. At the box-office, it may be a slow starter, but should gradually gather momentum with a strong word of mouth. Strangely, for some reason, the film lacks the hype which is usually associated with a biggie. Perhaps, the series of flops the premiere production house [YRF] roiled out, indirectly, took a toll on this movie. But Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic should reverse the trend. It's one of those films you'd enjoy watching with your family, without feeling embarrassed or discomfited. It's sure to put a smile on your face when you exit the cinema hall, which, is a rarity these days!
Go watch it, it is a treat for your entire family, especially the kids!

PAPA....ARE YOU THERE?

My papa, my love my life,
Without whom I cannot survive.
I know you are there for me,
I can feel but cannot see.
I can feel you around,
I can hear your sound.
Your absence hurts me,
Your angelic presence can't heal my wound.
My eyes were filled with tears,
My life was surrounded with fear.
Just then I saw a ray of light,
It was you, my Angel shining so bright.
I wondered is it really you?
Is my belief false or is it true?
Just then you called out my name,
My heart started hurting, I know you feel the same.
I I asked, till when can I see you?
You smiled and said that depends on your point of view
He said, "I pledge I will be with you till end"
Because I am not only your papa but even your friend

The Lamp Of Knowledge

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the lord. In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some twice a day and in a few it is maintained continuously. All auspicious functions and moments like daily worship, rituals and festivals and even many social occasions like inaugurations commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion. But why do we light a lamp? Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness, ignorance. The lord is the “Knowledge Principle” who is the source, and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is worshipped as the lord himself. Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is an inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge. The traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by knowledge, the negative tendencies get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire knowledge that takes us towards higher ideals.

KHUDA KE LIYE WATCH IT!

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - The film is about the difficult situation in which Pakistanis in particular and the Muslims in general are caught up since 9 / 11. This state of affairs is causing a drift not only between the western world and the Muslims but also within the Muslim community. The knowledgeable and modern Muslims are in difficult situation because of their approach towards life and their western attire. They are criticized and harassed by the fundamentalist on the other hand and western world sees them as a potential suspect of terrorism just because of their Muslim names.
The movie revolves around two musician brothers – Mansoor and Sarmad - one of whom transitions into religious extremism and the other falls victim to racial profiling. It portrays an upper middle class family in Lahore with a mix of traditional and broadminded values. The movie plot starts somewhere in pre 9/11 timeframe and ends in late 2002 or 2003. The brothers have their own music group and are shown as beginning to make a mark on the music scene in Pakistan. The younger brother (Sarmad) gets involved in an extremist company whereas the elder brother (Mansoor) moves to Chicago to attend a music school. Two more angles enter the movie where Mansoor gets into a romantic relationship in Chicago and eventually marries a white American and when he is coming back to his house, his neighbor blames him to be a terrorist and Sarmad deceitfully marries his British born and raised cousin. In the latter case, the UK based uncle of the boys, worried by the outlook of his daughter having an affair with a white British, traps her into a visit to Pakistan and sends her into an Afghan village where she is powerfully married. The movie moves into post 9/11 territory when Mansoor is picked up by law enforcement agencies in the middle of the night from his apartment and detained allegedly in an extra constitutional prison and humiliated in all ways. Sarmad on the other hand gets involved in the battle between Taliban, US forces and Northern Alliance.

THE RIGHT: The story is interesting as it handles two major issues – religious extremism and racial profiling - and strings them well. There are other issues also that the movie tries to focus on; condition of women during Taliban days in Afghanistan, the illogical issues of acceptance of music and cultural contextualization of Islam and the way various groups are putting forward their own version of the religion. But overall Shoaib Mansoor (the writer and the director) has been able to put the things from his viewpoint pretty well. The portrayal of most of the characters is good. The acting by almost all the actors is very controlled. Shaan, who played the role of the elder brother Mansoor, plays his role with full solemnity, particularly when he is in detention. Rasheed Naz, who played the fundamental Maulana Tahiri, gives a great performance. The way he handles some dialogues like ‘jab aurat ko pyaar karte hain toh dil se sochte hain par jab allah ko pyaar karna hai to dimaag se sochte hain‘or ‘ye billo ke ghar jaane ka kya matlab hai‘. Shoaib Mansoor does a creditable job in direction.

The depiction of the protagonist family, the village in Afghanistan, the changeover of Sarmad where he is sandwiched in the thought processes of Mansoor and the radical Maulana and the nuances and the layers in the Pakistani society has been done very well. There are no song-only-parts that go on in the background wherever appropriate and that keep the movie on track. The movie was missing a balancing part on religious scholarship until Maulana Wali comes into the picture later in the movie. Up to this point the discussion between what is allowed in religion and what is not was happening between a radical Maulana and novice. Naseeruddin Shah, playing the character Maulana Wali, as expected gives an outstanding performance – arguably the best one in the movie. It is a short cameo but is one of the most important. He is a well known Maulana in Lahore who is invited by the court to give his opinion on religious matters.

The best dialogues in the movie have been written for Maulana Wali and Naseeruddin Shah recites them as good they could be. On Mariam taunting him that it does not matter whether he does his namaz before or after as it is just an exercise, he is amused and politely replies ‘meri ibaadat ko exercise kahne wali ya to bahut pahunchi hui hai ya bahut dukhi hai‘. On issue of dress he says ‘Kaheen aisa to nahi ki ham Abu Jahal bane rahe hain. Kyonki dadhi toh Abu Jahal ke bhi thi or holiya bhi wohi tha.’

THE WRONG -There are though things in the details where one may feel are over-simplified. The two glitches are that of the UK based uncle and American investigator whose actions do not always appear very realistic. There are some glitches like why Maryam did not send the letter to UK earlier which she sends later in the movie? Or why the family was not finding out about their younger son while he was away in Afghanistan? Or why the elder brother Mansoor’s wife did not intimate his family about his arrest in US? Or how the judges or the lawyers in a Muslim country are not aware about the Islamic rights of the girl in a marriage?

WHERE SHOULD YOU HEAD: - The interesting thing about the film is how it connects the activities in three continents unlike the western Indian and Pakistani films based on romantic sagas, dances and songs. Overall it’s an excellent movie. It is an eye opener for me and it has taken me to another realm of understanding how people perceive things differently. For instance how Maulana Tahiri interpreted the teachings of Allah in a different way compared to how Maulana Wali who interpreted the same teaching of Allah in a different way. There was a vast contrast between both the perceptions though the teachings were the same. It ends positively in various ways and has been handled by the director quite well. The last scene has Sarmad (who is back into tradition) and Shershah (in lieu of the Maulana Tahiri) competing for the Azaan. The competition for the mike for who speaks for Islam has been shown to begun!

WHERE STORY COMES ALIVE

What is entertainment? The roots of the word may surprise you.To entertain literally means, "to hold within" (tain, as in "container", and enter, as in "come in". For centuries, this idea of producing fun using myriad mediums has been the constant companion of humanity. According to me entertainment is when a person tells a story that has blossomed from the seed of an idea in his/her heart. The fruit of this idea might manifest in the form of a movies, a television shows, a play, a musical, a melody... the list is endless. It has the ability to take us to a different world where the artist wants us to witness his creation.Of the various forms of entertainment, films are closest to my heart as they have the potential to create the most colorful of fantasies on a large canvas. Entertainment has come a long way from the mindless fun to intellectual maturity. It is the most powerful force in mass communication. Thus movies like Hazaaron Khwaishain Aisi where the director portrays the political situation in Bihar evokes empathy that news headlines cannot come close to. Company, the underworld saga tore away the gloss of the fast life to reveal the grim realities of the system.Tare Zameen Par was a classic lesson in parenting. Child psychologists could not achieve in numerous parent counseling sessions what Amir conveyed through the story of Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary).

BABULNATH aka BHOOTNATH

WHERE DOES IT HEAD: - There’s nothing wrong in making a film targeted for kids as long as you can entertain the kids. Director Vivek Sharma’s Bhootnath merely comes across like a mystified effort - at the end of it, we don’t know who he’s intended the film at. Shahrukh khan, who works on a cruise liner, comes to Goa with his wife Anjali (Juhi Chawla) and son Banku (Aman Siddiqui). They hear stories about the bungalow they have leased for a year, being ghostly, but move in anyway. The father settles his family in and leaves for his job. But the in house spirit Kailash Nath aka Bhootnath (Amitabh Bachchan) doesn’t like anyone living in his bungalow and generally has a affinity to scare people away. Initially, he tries to scare Banku too but after a few failed attempts, they become friends. Trouble starts when his mother finds out that her sons been hanging around with a ghost. Father is summoned back from the cruise and Bhootnath’s son returns too, with his own program. Together, they take care of the spooky problem.
THE RIGHT: - The first half is cute and engaging; it moves at the right direction and in the initial reels, director seems to get it precise. The director captures the companionship between Bhoothnath and the Banku rather well, without which the film would have fallen plane. Exceptional points for making the children act their age. The special effects are first rate. Amitabh bachchan, as usual, is an apex and has carried the motion picture on his shoulders. Juhi Chawla is in the top form. The little boy Aman is natural and the King Khan stands out in his tinnie minnie role.
THE WRONG: - The problem with Bhoothnath is that it’s puzzled about his character. It starts out being a children’s film and at some point, it turns into a sad saga of dukhi father and his nikkema beta just like B.R.Chopra’s Baghban. The other dreary parts are the songs that have been packed in. But what I fail to understand is that if Bhootnath scares people away from the bungalow, where was he lost for two days when Srk was present in the bungalow with his wife Anjali and son Banku helping them to settle the house? Do you think Bhoothnath got scared of Srk and thus came to scare Banku only after his father left for his job : - )
WHERE SHOULD YOU HEAD: - watch it but there is no urgency to rush to the cinema. Wait and rent a DVD and watched the ghost kiddy or daddy flick at home.

D8t's gonna b Gr8

"What do I wear on a date?" I was asked.
Well, to start with I wear a charming, relaxed smile in my face. No fashion label can give you as much confidence as a pleasing demeanour. But then, cannot only wear that to a date can I? So let's talk about the clothes that go with it.
'Horses for courses' is my mantra for deciding what to don on a date. If it's a classic evening candle light evening with the special someone then it needs to be a formal pinstripes to go well with her elegant evening gown. But then one doesn't do too much of that these days now do we? One has to be ready for the relaxed evenings when the only agenda is to float together aimlessly. Have you tried that? It can be real fun when you know that there is no destination. You enjoy the journey together so much more.
On such occasions comfort gets precedence over vanity. A well worn jeans along with a white cotton t-shirt suits me fine. One can walk on the beach with the legs rolled up, stroll along the promenades of Carter road, letting the breeze flutter the fabric, as it blows her hair or do just about anything. If you are comfortable, it shows on your face.
Then there are those off beat dates when decide to go for a swim under the star filled night. Don't have to wear much for those. The swim is normally followed by a barbeque next to the pool with the towel draped around the shoulders.
Equally off beat are our late evening drives to the nearest village where we sit on the khatiyas of the rustic dhaba and dig into the baajre ki roti and kaali daal. Trendy shorts, comfortable tshirts are my favourite ensemble for such evenings. Shorts on a date, you may ask? Well, if you are unconventional enough to take your date to an outskirt dhaaba, you can get away with anything ;)

Unconditional Love

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is to love and be loved in return." I had heard it somewhere but in this case I am hoping that reel life is aping real life. Hoping that enough people exist who feel this for it to be written and filmed .Love, a striking word, might have a different meaning for everybody. But just try to say the word 'love' aloud. It brings so much of peace and joy to our hearts.From childhood I have been a romantic at heart. I have seen people express their love in so many diverse ways. I realised that love is a very individualistic emotion and it manifests in equally individualistic ways.A love between mother and child; the loving bond between father and daughter; the naughty love between brother and sister; an argumentative love between two friends; an unconditional love between a Guru and a disciple and what would you call a love between a girl and a boy?Is it always supposed to be a impractical love. No I think it can be the love of compassion; love that compliments each other. A love that is not fickle and changes with time...that is what I call love.When I talk about Love it reminds me of a beautiful story of Radha and Krishna, which I heard from my mother in my childhood. For me it is a beautiful version of "Dil To Paagal HAi". When I heard the story I thought can love be so pure?I have seen many Bollywood and Hollywood romantic flicks but I feel this is the most romantic story I have ever heard about true love.Once upon time in the heavenly kingdom, everyone were making fun of Krishna that he is more in love with Radha than his wife Rukmini. They continued telling him that you love her so much that if your disciple is in pain and he chants "radhe radhe" you reach for his help. Krishna,being the eternal charmer that he is, just smiled at all of them. One day when Krishna saw Naradmuni coming in his kingdom, he decided to play a prank on him. As he saw him coming Krishna kept his hand on forehead and cried in pain. Narad was shocked and asked lord "what happened to you my lord?"
Krishna replied " I have a terrible headache" Narad made a confused face and asked "how is that possible that you who help others to get out of pain can suffer from pain yourself?" Krishna looked at Narad without saying a word. Narad lowered his head and said "but lord don't you have a remedy for it?"Krishna smiled a little and told Narad " get me a pinch of mud from the feet on any of my loved ones, mix it in water and give It to me to drink and I will be cured" Narad laughed and said " that's all you need lord, I will give it to right away?"Since everyone knows that Narad loves Krishna till ecstasy he put his hand on his leg to take the mud but then he realised that if he makes Lord Krishna have mud from his feet he will go to hell. So he decided to go to Rukmini as she would be the right person who will give pinch of mud for Krishna.He went to Rukmini and told her the remedy and asked her to help him. Rukmini lowered her head and said " I am sorry Narad but I cannot give pinch of mud from my soul, as Lord Krishna is my husband if I do so then I will lower myself and I will go to hell I will be punished."Narad went to en th number of people but they all had similar replies. He went back to kingdom to Lord Krishna and told " you are the master of universe how will anyone give me a pinch of mud from their feet to mix in water, so that you can drink. They will surely go to hell and will be severely punished if they do so."Krishna acted as if he was in terrible pain but yet smiled and said " you went to en' th number of people, but did you go to my Radha?"Narad replied "No I haven't"Krishna said, "I m in deep pain please do visit her now and tell her I am in pain and that is the only remedy I have which can cure my pain""I will go but I am sure she will have the same reply too", Narad cried
Narad flew to Radha. As he reached the river bank he saw her playing with her friends, she was dressed in simple ghagra choli, her skin radiating. With a heavy heart he went near Radha. She saw him and smiled as she knew there was a reason for Narad to come. The reason was none other than Krishna"What brings you here?" Radha smiledStammering a little he replied "Lord is in pain"She laughs "the one who runs the whole universe and takes the other peoples pain is in pain himself. Anyways but how can I help?"Narad lowers the head and answers "yes! There is a remedy but its quite tough. Lord wants a pinch of mud from the feet of a person who loves him; he has to mix it in water and drink it""That's it? For that you have come travelling all the way" she smiles.Without wasting a minute further, she puts her feet on the wet sand and then fills her fist with the mud on her feet and gives it to Narad. "take this and give it to my Lord and ask him if he needs anything else I am there"Narad flies back to lord Krishna and gives him the mould of mud mixed with water. Lord Krishna drinks it and is Krishna drinks it and in a second is relieved of the pain.Krishna smiles and tells Narad " now you know why I run to my disciples when they say Radha Radhe?""yes my lord I know but I yet want to hear it form you…" "you all love me but yet when I was in pain and I need mud from your feet the first thought that came to everybodies mind was that of personal consequence. But for radha my pain was worst than going to hell."He laughed and said with a natkhat smile. "She never thought of anything at that time except for relieving me of my pain. That is what I mean by unconditional love.When you love somebody there are no conditions. With conditions you are in hell anyways. Heaven and hell both are within us.
We heard these stories in our mythology we see it in our movies but do we believe that in reality such love exist? I do!!Someone somewhere out there loves you unconditionally. When you love somebody, say it! Don't waste time. As every Krishna has their Radha waiting for him, she is just waiting for him to tell her…..As Yash Chopra portrayed so beautifully in "Dil To Paagal Hai": Someone… somewhere… is made for you!I totally agree!!Someone….somewhere ….is waiting for you!