'Rann' had a Run before its Release

A Ram Gopal Verma film and it won’t get embroiled in controversy has never happened in Indian cinema. So, prior to the release the director and producer had a run with the song Jan Gan Man as censor board feels that the song is a distortion of Indian National Anthem.



The story line of Rann is all about a private TV News channel, the rise of the founder of India 24X7-the news channel as Vijay Harshwardhan Malik. The role is played by none other than Big B whose last venture with RGV was Sarkar Raj. Vijay is Harvard educated most respectable media personality and journalistic ethics is the corner stone of his channel.

In this film you can find Ritesh Deshmukh in a makeover. From a non-sensical comic character in most films, Ritesh Deshmukh comes on the celluloid as Purab Shastri in Rann. A dynamic young man, educated in journalism believes in reporting news and not manufacturing them. An idealist individual working to see a better India tomorrow and does not have any selfish motives. This Purab is in a live-in relationship with Nandita Sharma played by Gul Panag. However, she is not bothered as to what’s happening in the country as long as she and her boyfriend are living on with life. In the film the other threads are played by Mohnish Behl as Amrish Kakkar and Rajpal Yadav as Anand Prakash Trivedi.

The twist of the story in Rann is when Jay Malik, son of Vijay Harshvardhan Malik is all geared up to transform the news channel of his father and wants to make it a profitable enterprise to justify being in media business.

Well, yes you have guessed it right. This latest flick Rann seems to reflect Pronnoy Roy and NDTV 24x7 on the big screen. So who’s Barkha Dutt? Just wait to see the performance of Suchitra Krishnamurthy as Nalini Kashyap, Programming Head of India 24x7 and see for yourself if Nalini fits the role of Barkha.

Once in the theater do not miss the opportunity to check out the fight between realism and idealistic thought in Rann. The release is expected on Gandhi Jayanti with a volatile theme where one needs to watch the high-voltage drama to find answer to whether faith in blinded tolerance is justified in today’s sci-fi age.

Do the Kefiyeh thing and sport a new style

Are you sporting that chekered triangle-shaped scarf around your neck to impress girls, simply to make the bold fashion statement or trying to symbolize a revolt? Gone are the days when this piece of cloth referred to as kefiyeh was used to protect from harsh weather conditions.

Way back in the earlier days of twentieth century kefiyehs were used by the people in Palestine and Syria. After some time in the late 1930s Kefiyeh became symbol of Palestine Nationalism. It became the embodiment for class struggle against British occupation. However, the movie industry was not behind and men sporting Kefiyeh was seen in the film Lawrence of Arabia in the mid 1960s.

From there to here, Kefiyeh are now being used by celebrity icons Shahrukh Khan and Akshay Kumar. Be it in the promos of IPL, owner of Kolkata Knight Riders or starring in Billu Barber, Shahrukh Khan dons kefiyeh to put a break on the neck tie. In the fashion ramp shows you can hardly miss on the colorful checkerboard pattern around Akshay Kumar’s neck.

So, for the Gen-Z kefiyeh is another fashion trend, little knowing what it was all about. From Palestine head scarf to one worn around the neck, kefiyehs are being sold in dozen to satiate the fashion-conscious young urban population.

Are you the one joining the bandwagon? Check it out in the nearest stores. You will be amazed at the variety of Kefiyeh!!!

Mothers Day thoughts

Beautiful is your face,
Gentle is your smile
Warm is your hug
And tender is your touch…
You have cast a ray of sunshine into my mind’s darkest place

Yes, that is you Ma…my mom!!!
Without whom I would not have been what
I am Today…

It’s been days, months and years of
Tireless efforts,
Selfless devotion,
Undaunting courage
And above all
Ocean of Love

To nourish my being and nurture my senses
To grow up…

And will you believe that Today…
I woke up to see a yellow rose on my bedside and got hugged with words whispering in my ears…. It was Happy Mothers’ Day wish from my 5 year old lil’ daughter.

And its here…
I pray on this day to Thy Almighty
That may You grant me the courage and the wisdom to sail on Life’s sea
And help me walk on the footprints of my MOM
So that years down the lane I can
Reminisce resplendent moments of togetherness
In the Sunshine of Today!

A tribute to Rabindranath Tagore

Its 7th of May today, some hundred years ago, in the year 1861 on this day Rabindranath Tagore was born to create a legend, to mark an era that centuries will commemorate until earth perishes.

Born in a wealthy family of Brahmin, son of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi, Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore was a literary icon. He was a poet, artist, novelist, composer and even educationist, besides being a social reformer. He is the founder of Visva Bharati University. His short stories, verses and novels received worldwide recognition. He is the first Asian to be a Nobel Laurete. It was in the field of literature that he was awarded the Noble Prize in the year 1913 for Gitanjali.

Rabindranath Tagore is twined with our daily existence. Bengalis eat, sleep and breathe with Gurudev’s creations. Bengali culture was reborn and it reached its pinnacle of glory under his aegis contribution. He brought name, fame and glory for the entire nation and every child born in a Bengali family is first taught to know learn and think on Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore to broaden one’s horizon of thought. His spiritual thoughts so well chained in words that it elevates your senses to some extraordinary realm of surrounding.

Though he left us on 7th of August 1941, at the age of 80, he still lives with us through Rabindra Sangeet, recitations and through varied cultural forms.

Would like to end this post with some of his quotes that guides me in the journey of Life

Faith is the bird that feels the light when dawn is dark.

Emancipation from the bondage of the soil is no freedom for the tree.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough….

From Kolkata Knight Riders to nightmares

My last post was a line or two on the drama that went perfect with Buchannan and well enacted by our Mr.Billu Barber. As IPL season II is on its way, it’s pathetic to see that Kolkata Knight Riders is already out of the race well ahead of anyone. Yes, IPL-2 is now a sport with only 7 teams. Out of the nine matches played they have lost 8.

The performances that needs to be forgotten not only by the performers (aha yes a pun intended) but mostly by the owner of the team-Mr. Shahrukh Khan. He hates to lose but clarifies saying that you never win if you do not fail. But will IPL- 2 again come back for the Kolkata Knight Riders’ Team?

And what about the Great Multi-Captaincy Theory of our Mr. Buchannan? Sounds multi-failure and sudden demise of the highest valued brand of IPL-2!!! The Economic Times have pegged Kolkata Knight Riders brand value at a whopping $41.2 million.

The team is demotivated with no energy to play. You must see Mr. Buchannan on the stands when his team plays on the field. With a laptop and a long face, this coach has neither rhyme nor reason to be what he is. The players need to freak hard to come and play back the remaining 5 matches… either to add salt to the wound or to apply balm to aches…..

Be there to watch Kolkata Knight Riders plying their shots to make-up their defeats.