Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 4

Is Arnab Goswami a Complan boy?

4. 1. 2013, Mumbai

Arnab Goswami of Times Now is on The News Hour night after night and debate after debate cracking the whip on politicians, judiciary, defense, police, security, society, infact anybody in the midst of a controversy!!

Recently during the Gujarat Assembly Elections he was on air talking to panelists from both the parties literally from dawn to dusk, quoting past, present year figures, elaborating strategies and offering insights into candidates, parties and public opinion and BJP candidate Ravi Shankar Prasad and Abhishek complimented for that on TV.

The regulars on the show are used to Arnab’s aggressive stand on issues and his characteristic style of silencing protestors by raising direct, hard hitting questions.

As a loyal viewer of the show I have a few questions to ask about the anchor on this blog :

1. How does Arnab Goswami and anchors like him preserve their voice?  Do they gargle with salt water or swallows honey with hot milk?

2. Where do they derive their indefatigable energy from? Does Arnab for instance drink Complan or does he take Revital like Salman Khan?

3. How many Blue-Black or Blue Grey suits and different colored ties does he possess?

4. He is taking on the mighty and the powerful night after night and month after month for a long time now. Has there been a threat to his life? Does he have personal security and if not, should he?

One last point, many panelists complain that Arnab Goswami shouts his points on the show. If that is true why do they agree to appear on the show? Is it out of fear or the desire to watch them on air?

Bhawana Somaaya/ www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 3

Internet turns 30!!

3.1.2013, Mumbai

IANS reports that Internet turns 30 this year. The computer network officially began functioning when it fully substituted previous networking systems on January 1, 1983. It was the first time the US Department of Defence commissioned Arpanet network switched to use of the Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) communications system. This paved the arrival of World Wide Web (www).

Computer scientist Tim Berners Lee discovered a system of interlinked hypertext documents in 1989 called World Wide Web.

In India internet was introduced in 1990 and only few people were familiar with the system at that time. Late Shammi Kapoor was the first to master the technique and therefore unanimously appointed as the Internet President. Chitralekha, pioneer in news journalism was the first publishing house to go on web and ‘g magazine’ that I then edited was the first film publication to go on web in India.

Amitabh Bachchan had done the honors and the high tech event explaining the use of net and email was elaborated via live projection held at Mumbai’s Nehru Planetarium, an ideal venue for satellite access at that time!

Today, when this revolutionary communication system is used by billions across the globe, it sounds strange to recall that we have also lived in times when 'www' seemed a bizarre way to begin a story telling!

www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 2

Chanting for change.

2.1.2013, Mumbai

The first time I heard about Buddhist chanting was from actor Mita Vashisht during a screening at a film festival. She revealed that she was a part of a group who met and engaged in collective chanting for the welfare of the needy. Over the years I came into contact with various people from all walks of life, they had all been through life transforming experiences and were now addicted to chanting as a way of life.

This evening I accidentally walked into a home where members of the family and immediate friends were preparing for a chanting session. ‘Would you like to participate?’ the hostess asked me politely. I nodded and was drawn into the adjoining room where all of them sat on the floor facing in one direction. The senior chanter led the group and everybody followed her rhythm. Slowly and gradually the room reverberated with echoes of Nam Myoho Rengge Kyon…Nam Myoho Rengge Kyon…Nam Myoho Rengge Kyon…

I discovered that I was chanting the lotus prayer myself, not as loud or as forcefully as the others or even conscious about it but absorbed in the mesmerizing and magical effect of the vibrations in the room.

As I emerged from the session I wondered if this is how it feels after meditation.

www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 1

Ink is better than memory.

1.1.2013, Mumbai

Keeping awake all night to ring in the New Year dawn was exciting when one was younger but today nothing is more precious than an eight hour undisturbed sleep. Sill starting a new diary on the first day of the new calendar year has always been a special feeling. Most people have moved to the mobile for reminders but the only way I can remember birthdays/ anniversaries/ deadlines/ appointments is through my one page per day diary. I begin my day with newspapers, diary and a hot pot of tea. I draw a list of all that I have to do for the day and all that I write is unfailingly accomplished and what is not noted is always forgotten.

There is an old saying that is always shared by a senior editor with a budding journalist which is: The palest ink is more reliable than the sharpest memory.

I endorse it.

www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Chulbul Panday Returns

Iss hafte ek ki release hai Arbaaz Khan ki Dabangg 2.

Aam taurpe filmein sirf do prakar ki hoti hain.

Ya toh filmein achi hoti hain ya phir film burri hoti hain.

Magar Salman Khan ki filmein na achi hoti hain - na hi burri hoti hain - wo sirf aur sirf Salman Khana ki  film hoti hain.

Dabangg 2 sahi mano mein Dangg ka sequel hain. 

Wohi josh ,Jalwa, jhatka matka - kuch purani aur kuch nayi baton ke saath.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday Lalganj mein thhe.

Iss baar Pandayji ki posting Kanpur mein hain isliye kuch Kanpur ki sadkein, kothiyaan aur wahan ki cheheal pehal film mein nazar aate hain.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday pita Vinod Khanna aur bhai Makhi Singh ke dushman thhe.

Iss baar saara pariwar Tv serial ke pariwar ki tarha saath saath hain.

Peechli baar Chulbulji Sonakshi Sinha se ishq ladaye the.

Iss baar wo apni patni par puri tarha se kayal hain.

Peechli baar Munni thi. Iss baar bhi Munni hain.

Peechli baar Zandu Balm ka item number tha. Iss baar Kareena Fevicol ka item number sajati hain.

Peechli baar Pandayji action cop the.  Iss baar wo sper cop hain -ahan jaate hain sena saath lekar jaate hain – ladne ke liye nahi hasi mazak karne ke liye.

Peechli baar jab wo gunde ko marte the toh ainn mauke par gunde ka mobile baja tha.

Iss baar bhi jab wo gunde ko maarte hain toh ainn mauke par gunde ka mobile bajta hain.

Dono baar call maa ka tha aur dono baar Panday maa ko Namaste karte hain.

Peechli baar Salman Khan ne trouser belt ko pakad kar ek special dance step kiya tha.

Iss baar unka trouser belt apne aap uchalkar dance karta hain.

Peechli baar wo action aur romantic hero thhe.

Iss baar wo bhavook hokar kabhi kabhi ro bhi lete hain.

Peechli baar climax scene mein villain Sonu Singh ko dekhkar  unka shirt gusse mein apne aap phat jaata hain.

Iss baar wo villain ko shirt utarte dekhkar apna shirt nikalkar unki jamke pitai karte hain.

Peechli baar Chulbul Panday ek se do hue the. Iss baar wo do se teen hote hain. 

Sach toh ye hain ki Salman Khan ki film ka review karn mushkil hi nahi namumkin hain aur ye namumkin  Dabangg se Dabangg 2 ka promotion karwaya hain producer director Arbaaz Khan ne.

Toh Dabangg 2 ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3 stars.

Searching for someone…

Film: Talaash

Producer: Aamir Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani

Director: Reema Kagti

Cast:  Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji

Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Iss hafte sirf ek release hain – Excel Entertainment aur Aamir Khan Productions ki Talaash.

Talaash police inspector Shikhawat Suri ki kahai hain –jo ek zyaati haadse ke baad kabhi chain ki neend so nahi paata.

Shikhawat saari saari raat shehar ki andheri sadkon par ghumta hain.

Aisi hi ek andheri sadak par unki mulakate Rosie yaane Kareena Kapoor se hoti hain.

Shikhawat yaane Aamir Khan ko talsaash hain ek suraag ki.

Rosie Shikhawat ko surag tak le jaati hain – magar na chahte hue use aur bhi pareshaan kar deti hain.

Roshni – yaane Rani Mukherji pareshan hain apne pati Suri yaane Aamir Khan ke liye.

Film ka pace unduly slow hain – aur saath saath ek constant tension bhi hain – jiski wajah se puri film ke dauran ek ghutan si mehsoos hoti hain…

Film sanjida hain aur devoid entertainment bhi toh koi romance, music ya item number ki umeed na rakhe.

Film ke plus mein main kahungi ki film ki shot taking bohat niralee hain aur ordinary se ordinary scene extra-ordinary tarike se unfols karti hain.

Director Reema Kagti ki sabse badi khubi ye hain ki who apne audience ko bilkul hi underestimate nahi karti jiski wajah se film ka har khayal-jassba -har rishta aur kirdaar understated hain!

Credit titles aur opening shot se lekar – saare close-ups- flashbacks aur montages bohat hi sensitively project kiye gaye hain.

Saare performances competent hain magar Kareena Kapoor ke screen par aate hi ek ruhani jadu chha jaata hain. – isliye Kareena film ka ikka hain.

 Zoya Akhtar aur Reema Kagti ki kahani emotional hain magar bohat saari memorable ki yaad dilate hain.

Film ka doosre ikka hain – Farhan Akhtar ke dialogues – jo teer ki tarha dil ko chubhte hain.

Ye do ikke aur technical expertise ke bawajood film mein kuch kummi hain – jaise kuch choot gaya hain – aur jisse hum bayyan nahi kar sakte.

Talaash ki ek aur anokhi baat hain. Fil dekhne ke dauraan aapka ka ek anubhav hain – aur theatre chodne ke baad -doosri subah aap ka alag anubhav hain.

Ye dono anubhav s ke liye Talaash ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3.5 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya

www.bhawanasomaaya.com

Not to be missed

Film: Life Of Pi

Producer: Ang Lee, Gil Netter, David Womark

Director: Ang Lee

Cast:  Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain

Genre: Drama, action, adventure

Life of Pi - issi naam ki prize winning kitab par adharit angrezi  film hain jo Broke Back Mountain jaisi  Oscar winning film banane wale director Ang Lee ne direct ki hain.

Ye kahani hain - ek saise teenager ki  jo lambe arse tak ek life boat par beech sarovar phas  jaata hain aur uske saath hain ek Tiger - jo iss muskil daur mein uska akela saathi bhi hain aur jaani dushman bhi.

Pi Pondicherry ki khupsurat gulliyon mein apne maa baba aur bade bhai ke saath rehta hain. Pi ke pita zoo ke malik hain isliye Pi ka janwar ke saath ek rishta hain aur Pi ke uncle swimming champion hain isliye Pi ka paani se bhi ek khaas rishta hain.

Aam taurpar kitabon par adharit filmein zyadatat audience ko disappoint karti hain. Ye  shayad pehli film hain jo kitab se bhi bahtareen sabit hui hain.

Iss film mein zindagi se juddi teen baton ka zikkr hota hain – prakruti – insaan aur bhagwan!

Film ki bemisaal cinematography aur computer imageries aap ko prakruti ki sundarta aur prakruti ka rosh  dikhati hain…

Pi ki bhumika mein bahtareen kalakar Suraj Sharma aap ko insaan ke dhairya aur hauslein ka saamna karati hain…

Aur aakhir mein bhagwan…Kya sachmuch mein bhagwan humari madad ko aate hain…ya ye humare andar ki hi koi shakti hain…

Irfaan Khan film ke sutradhar hain – Canada mein apne pariwar ke saath rehte hain aur accented English mein baat karte hain.

Tabu jisne Irfaan ke saath Maqbool ki hain ismein chotte Pi yaane Suraj Sharma ki maa hain.

Film ki likhawat – soch aur sandesh lajawab hain. Canadian author kitab ke akhri pages mein aapko bandh kar rakhte hain. Director Ang Lee film ke climax mein aapko deewana bana dete hain.

Ye shayad pehle film hain jahan lambe arse tak koi dialogues na hote hue - aap do ghante 8 minute tak  bade parde se nigah nahi hata sakte ho.

Life of Pi ko kissi bhi haal mein – kissi bhi film buff ko miss nahi karni chahiye.

Life of Pi ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 5 stars.