Documentary on Mumbai's 26th Nov Attack

Here is a very good documentary that chronologically, pieces up the events that took place those two days. Made by a filmmaker, Dan Reed, for Channel 4 in UK.
http://mobmag.in/seriously/dispatches-terror-in-mumbai/
Watching it you realise, how gullible people, can be exploited to make ruthless killers . You will notice as you go through the documentary that these terrorists are after all, young boys who get charmed by the lush interiors of the hotel. Something as simple as a computer monitor rivets them and at that moment they sound like a school kid who has set his eyes on an xbox for the first time. These 20-something guys are so caught up with their bosses that they need to right down 'filmy' dialogues that their bosses have ordered them to tell the media. You get to understand that these 'commanders' who are shouting out orders at these guys, are prepared to patiently sweet talk or else breath down their necks to ensure that the work is done.

On my last 3-4 visits to Lifestyle shopping mall, i noticed that the rigourous hand bag checks that were there, now has gone cold. Last month I visited Garuda mall and the lady there just took a peep into my bag and let me in. I told her to take a good look, in turn she checked my bag to somewhat satisfy me. She must be too sure that this mall isnt the kind of place that will suit the tastes of a terrorist. Poor thing, she is waiting for one such event to happen perhaps. And for those of us who do go through the entrance without having to be checked are all the more glad that we dont have to waste 2 mins wasting at the entrance.

This is the thing with us Indians. Misery, tragedy is a part of our lives. It does not get us paranoid, though it does temporarily scare us. And in due course of time, our fear fades away. We as citizens, are very laid back about everything thats not right - beauraucracy, population, littering, reservation, terrorism, etc. We can go on and on about it, but dont ask us to do anything about it. Though i am glad that we are not a paranoid nation, I now wonder, whether we were better off being one. Atleast that way we would have done something substancial before another attack. Oh! maybe thats what our terrorist-hosting neighbours are doing... they are trying to wake us up. But despite the best of their efforts, we fail to keep our eyes open for too long.

How many bomb blasts has India suffered in the last 20 years? We holdout candles for the 26th Nov. If we were to take into consideration all those blasts... I think there wouldnt be a day in the year where we wouldnt hold memorial services. India would have to import candles to meet the demand.

JAI HIND ! Its not the exaggerated exclamation of patiotism that we need here. Its a simple dot, a full stop to what stands in the way of our improvement.
JAI HIND .

A drizzle of goodness

I am sure you have experianced this somewhere sometime in your life... you could be sitting or standing somewhere and suddenly, almost out of no where, you feel a very very tiny droplet of water on your skin. It brings a lil surprise coupled with a smile ... atleast for me.

Just like that, today, the person in me, who had almost lost faith in the existance of something called goodwill, received a sign.

Today morning, I had a person from my automobile service center, come and get my car. So, I had to rely on my least favourite mode of transport - the autorikshaw. I have nothing against the vehicle, in fact I love it and hope that someone would have the guts to remodel the thing and turn it into a commercial vehicle. It's its drivers that get to me.

My home is about 10 km from my office and on days with traffic - it takes me in my car, max 40-45 mins to get to work, else it just takes me 20 min. Now, guess my surprise when the first few autos drivers I had stopped, tell me that they would charge me extra. And for what?!! Listen to this s*&! : "Madam, theres too much of traffic." Well if your thing runs on wheels it doesnt have a choice but to navigate through traffic. What were they expecting empty roads or they better get thier autos to fly - Now I am sure there isnt much traffic up there. As it is, on earth most of them can simulate a drive to hell, and if they were to fly, well I guess, it would guarantee that you get off safely at destination - HELL.

Then I boarded an auto that didn't make any such demand (Hmmm ... thats weird). I told him where I needed to go - just the area and not the specifics. The driver took me through familiar roads but not my regular route. Finally I reached at my office. The meter showed Rs.96. He asked me 'Madam, I did not have a clear picture of where you had to get off exactly. The route I took you thru was longer. Usually how much does it take you to get here?'. I paid him a 100. I told him Rs.75-80. He checks all over for change and then hands me over Rs.15. I told him that he needed to give me Rs.4 and he went on to explain that he took me on a longer route when I could have saved my money. I was happy, humbled, shocked, moved... all at the same time. I gave him back the tenner. Just so that I dont forget who he was - a curly haired, round faced man by the name of Ambrose from some JJR or JJP Layout or something.

Now, that must be a shock to all those of us (esp Bangaloreans) who have to grapple with autodrivers over longer routes, tampered meters, unresonable charges, rides denied for all kinds of reasons. How many 'Ambroses' do you think might be out there? Or does it matter? Is it just enough knowing that there is one, as of now, and there just might be more somewhere?

I felt happy for the reason that he respected my money just as he would his. I was carrying a laptop, clearly looking like someone who earned more than him. But thankfully he did not think that my Rs.96 was any cheaper or valuable than Rs.96 that lies in his pockets.

I have had another nice experiance once before... but Imight share that someday later.

So, dont lose faith over human nature. Its human nature to go against the definition of 'nature'... its in us humans to constantly bring up surprises.

NOTE: The picture is a cartoon drawn by the author of this blog http://iyermatter.wordpress.com/. I loved the image so much, I just had to use it.

Make Nita's Reel World Rich

Here are some movies that I want to collect. The ones in green- I have them. Share your list too.

 

Here is mine:

 

Duck Season/Temporada de patos : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporada_de_patos

Whats eating Gilbert Grape http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Eating_Gilbert_Grape

The Shipping News : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shipping_News_(film)

Anne of the Thousand Days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_the_Thousand_Days

For Keeps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Keeps_(film)

Sex, Lies and Obession http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sex_lies_and_obsession/

Blue Moon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0189397/#comment

The River Runs through it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_River_Runs_Through_It_(film)

Lions for Lambs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions_for_Lambs

Quiz Show http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiz_Show

The Milagro Beanfield War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Milagro_Beanfield_War

Ordinary People http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinary_People

Silkwood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkwood

Burbaker http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brubaker

The bridge too far http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(1977_film)

A Civil Action http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Action

The Moghuls http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405163/

Interview with the Vampire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview_with_the_Vampire_(film)

Donnie Brasco http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Brasco_(film)

The devil's advocate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_Advocate_(film)

The Crying Game http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crying_Game

Sweet Home Alabama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Home_Alabama_(film)

The Usual Suspects http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Usual_Suspects

 

I just want you to be happy LYRICS

I came across this by chance today. Thought it is something that many of us feel when we see a close friend or a family clamp up in pain. I know a lot of people have felt this way looking at me at times. I haven’t yet heard the song. But the lyrics sure is good. Simple and straight forward – just what goes on in the mind of someone who cares about you.  -NEETS

 

I just want you to be happy

I might not be the one to make you though

It hurts so much to see you down

I just want you to feel better

 

I just want you to be happy

I might not be the right one, who knows

It hurts so much to see you decay

I just want you to find the way out

I just want you to be happy

You might not feel like talking to me

But it hurts so much to hear the silence

I'd rather hear you scream from your soul

 

You never tell me what the pain is for

You let your heart be stuck in the fall

You don't have to share

Just come out of a cage

Then the sun will banish your fears

 

I just want you to be happy

I might not be the one to make you though

It hurts so much just to be around you

When you are too hard on yourself

I just want you to know (x3)

that it's okay to be happy in the fall

 

I just want you to be

I just want you to feel

I just want you to be

I just want you to be happy

 

NITA'S TALKIE TALK: Pazhassi Raja

Rating: 3/5
Language: Malayalam (Dubbed into Hindi, Tamil, Telugu)
Gener: Historical
Gist: Story of the 18th century popular king, Kerala Varma Pazhassi and his revolt against the British East India Company with the help of his trusted right-hand Edachena Kungan Nair and Kurichiar Tribe.

Director: T. Hariharan
Story: MT Vasudevan
Music: Illayaraja
Produced by: Gokulam Gopalan

Cast: Mammooty, Sharathkumar, Manoj K Jayan, Padmapriya, Kanika Sbramanium, Peter Handley, Harry Key, Linda Arsenio

REVIEW
Highlights:

1. MT Vasudevan's story
2. Good acting by Indian actors. Apart from Mamooty, performaces by Sharathkumar, Padmapriya and Manoj K Jayan were exceptional. Sharathkumar's mouth movements were very good.
3. Well-done publicity. Successful at creating a hype.
4. Locations
5. Informative for those who know nothing about this piece of history.

Drawbacks:

1. Some of the costumes look very synthetic. The British actors' costumes were very bright.
2. The malayalam spoken sounds more 'new age' than it ought to be.
3. Wigs were terrible. It looks more like hair that hasnt been washed in ages!
4. Action - the excessive use of the hung-from-rope action kills the intended effect and it has been executed badly in several places. Sharathkumar out-shines Mamooty in the sword fights- his movements have a better finish. Padmapriya has handled her action scenes very well.
5. Non-Indian actors: Peter Handley plays Major James Gordon. Harry Key plays Assistant Collector Thomas Hervey Baber. Linda Arsenio plays Dora Assistant Collector Baber's fiancée. To sum up their acting abilities - pathetic, below average, too theatrical in some cases. Infact, they look almost comical in several scenes. For example, the final scene after the king is dead and the Asst. Collector talks of how he respects the King dispite him being their enemy, made me laugh for two reasons - one, the dialogue delivery was highly juvenile and two, no where else in the movie did Harry Key's face ever show that he felt any kind of respect for his enemy, the king. (Compare it with the Last Samurai's scene where Ken Watanbe gets killed. You can see the honour that the enemies feel for eachother. Now you get me?!)
6. Narrator - It looks like the narrator is only a last minute addition for the sake of adding a crowd-puller's name in the credits of the movie in the beginning so that the movie finds it easy to warm up to the local crowd. The narrator has just 2-3 lines to say in the beginning of the movie and thats it. You dont hear the narrator ever again.
7. Had this been created some 20-30 years ago, this would have been good enough. But at a day and age where you get to see period movies being created more often and that too with such finesse, it is sin to create a movie which is known as the most expensive Malayalam movie (Rs.2,700,000) and that severely lacks detail and perfection.
8. Somehow the movie fails to anchor your attention and interest.

BOTTOM LINE:

Watch it for the history. It will ride on the waves of celebrity-power and hype. The hype will draw-in the initial crowd, but the loyal fans will keep the moolah flowing.

NITA EATS OUT @ Eurasia, Jayanagar

Vegitarian
Italian (Maj) + Arabic + Mongolian

RATING:
@ THE RESTAURANT
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5 - 250-350 per head
Service: 4/5 - quick - I was served within 10 min, the waiters are prompt and polite.
Ambience: 4/5
HOME DELIVERY
Delivery: 4/5 - quicker than I had expected for Italian fare(both home delivery and at the restaurant)
Packing: 4/5

COMMENTS: This is the first time that I have come across an authentic Italian restaurant in this side of Bangalore. And that too a good one. A place worth visiting. I have had food from here both, with friends and alone - and I find the food a little too expensive. It has taken them courage to start a restaurant of such nature in an area famous for its idli-vangi bath diet. They have taken up the challenge beautifully.

PICTURES: http://picasaweb.google.com/nitaarvind/NITAEATSOUTEurasiaOct09#

ADDRESS: #12, 32nd Cross, 7th Block Jayanagar

PHONE: 22452202, 22452203, 22452204

Tandoori Pomodoro Pasta

Ok... that name might suck... but the dish definitely doesnt. Or atleast my family enjoyed it. What lead to this? We had brought home a Tandoori Chicken parcel, but dinner was so good that we hardly had the Tandoori Chicken. Today morning, I walked into the kitchen and then remembered a friend saying that she wanted to try making something Indian in pasta.
Taking cue, I set out to do something, that turned out well.
We had brought the Tandoori Chicken from Imperial on Residency Road (their masala smells great and they dont use artificual colour).
Ingredients:
1 Tandoori Chicken
500gm of pasta/macroni
2 Large tomatoes
2 Medium Onions
2 tsp Ginger Garlic Greenchilli paste
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 pinch Garam Masala
1 clove staranise
1/2 inch cinnamon
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch rosemary
Procedure:
1) Cook, drain pasta and keep it aside
2) Chop the tandoori chicken and throw away the bones
3) Heat 1 tbl spn in a vessle (the vessle should be big enough to hold the cooked pasta), add in the staranise and cinnamon.
4) Add the chopped onions and saute till transparent
5) Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste till the raw garlic paste disappears
6) Add the pepper powder, chilli powder and saute
7) Add the tomatoes. Add salt to taste. Add the oregano and rosemary after crushing it. Cook the tomatoes till they soften
8) Add the chopped Tandoori Chicken. Mix it well and leave it to cook in the sauce for 3-4 mins
9) Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup water and bring to boil. (Add salt if needed)
10) Add in the pasta and mix it well with the sauce.

I know Im back

Yeah... perhaps i need to know this more than any of you out there. I need to know that i am back to bloggin and that I am going to enjoy it.
New look, new idea... lemme see what i can come up with.
Oh, this is the first time I have tried the post-by-email option. Nice, hunh?