Wicker park,worth a watch December 11, 2009

It was late in the night. I was channel surfing when suddenly I stopped with Josh Hartnett on my screen. He was a good enough reason to suspend my surfing for a while. But before I could know, I was hooked on to the movie.

The movie is “Wicker Park”. It’s not a sensational story or a story with sensational dialogues. But the plot is shot in a very captivating manner. The story is the usual: guy sees the girl, and it is love-at-first-sight for him. She reciprocates his feelings. They fall in love. SHE VANISHES. The story has 4 main characters other than an airport, a restaurant and an apartment. The direction of the movie is so sleek. It is like several plots happening at the same time and then all them coming up together and we see the jigsaw puzzle solved.

Diane Kruger looks stunning (I believe Hartnett can fall for her in the movie from her looks). In spite of the intrigue and switching of events between present and past, the romance is never lost. Kruger however gets less screen presence I think.

Good watch must say. Intriguingly simple, if you know what I mean. May be one should just watch the movie to feel it.

Why should Tendulkar be perfect? November 17, 2009

Are we a nation besotted with perfection? Some say we are deprived of heroes. Others say we cannot tolerate mediocre when some one else is being tested. Are we a nation where scales tip between GOD and MORTALS and there is not golden midpoint?

The guy opened the batting for India for almost 15 years now. He played well into 40-42^nd over many times. But yes, he may not have finished it. He bowled mind boggling deliveries at times and got the breakthrough. Yet, not many 5 wickets haul. Or he does not have a convincing strike rate either. Like a tagline for a TV commercial he did several years ago for “Home Trade”- MORE…… What ever his achievements are, we are as nation always wants MORE. Such has been the nature of his performance that he sets new standards every time he bats. As a 25 year old who won the Sharjah trophy and silenced a sand storm, we want him to fetch those winning runs for us. Like his match winning last over in Hero cup finals, we want him to pick wickets when we need one. So early in his career, has he set such high standards, that it proves too much for him to surpass them every time he walks on to the 22 yards strip.

 Look at the conduct of the man for last 2 decades. No disciplinary hearings against him, no bans (barring the Mike Dennis fiasco) or no security breach either. And yet every time, he says a small thing, it attains gigantic proportions. Whether it is about declaration on 194 n.o.

Why do we expect one and all from him? Why should he support rallyist, or support a political or social cause, or voice concern about players stress? Why should he score those winning runs? Ok, now I will like if does, but if does not then he still is Tendulkar. Why compare him to some other street smart cricketer or matchwinner and expect him to be so? Why belittle his achievments by comparing his skill set to a totally opposite cricketer temperament wise?

Just recognise his contribution and accept and appreciate and celebrate it. Why dissect and post mortem it always.

Stop counting how many matched we lost cos he did not score the winning runs or cos he did not perform in a final. Savour his 17k and move on. Do we have the courage to drop him from final matches citing any of the above mentioned reason?

What do I cook today? November 5, 2009

With a near empty vegetable tray, I am immersed in thoughts of what do I cook for dinner? I wonder how this question repeats it self every week. I can attribute this to my limited culinary skills or fallible memory. With only tomatoes at hands I am thinking. I will have to manage with a few potatoes.

and i have a blog!!! November 4, 2009

After deliberating for last few days, I finally have a blog. I may put in my favourite recipes, or lash out at a casual dismissal of Indian cricketer or I dont know what else.