The Indian Premier League. And why we will miss it...

The IPL is finally over.  What will we watch now from 8 pm everyday ? 

I have fought off the temptation to blog on the IPL till now, but isnt a review of a movie supposed to be writen only after the movie is over?

And a what an entertaining blockbuster movie this has been. I remember discussing the team compositions just after the player auctions. Questions arose. Which player was in which team ? Was every team suppossed to play each team once? Or twice? Would the IPL really work ? Would the regional patriotism catch on ? 

A mind boggling media blitz almost answered these questions even before the IPL began. Shahrukh Khan led the way with the Knight Riders, making them an instant neutral man's favourite. And then as the tournament unfolded, I realized it was not just working. It was becoming a runaway success. A BIG one. Jam packed stadiums, heavy sale of team merchandise, superb media coverage and a tele audience glued to their seats.

Why even the BIG DADDY of Indian entertainment, Bollywood, showed its fear and respect to the IPL by having just a single big release over 45 days, Bhootnath, which probably would have flopped even if the IPL wasnt on.

The IPL had everything a cricket fan would love. Close finishes, big sixes, important wickets, superb fielding, controversies and even celebrity appearances. Somewhere in these 45 days , I read an article somewhere which said, that cricket skills are important, no matter what the type of cricket played. Although I am a true blue Test Cricket fan, I sort of tended to agree. I mean, yes, playing out the first session on a green Brisbane pitch, with your team at 6-2, with 5 slips and a gully, facing Mcgrath and Lee is the real stuff but then getting 32 of the last 3 overs with 3 wickets in hand, under lights at the Wankhede is no child's play either. 

Twenty20 has no mercy. If you are a weak fielder, you'll be caught out immediately. If you are a slow scorer, excuse me , this isnt the place for you. If you havent enough control on your line and length, there is no place to hide. And lastly , if you are not a good captain, not a good leader of men, this is the worst place you should be at.

For me, there are a few lasting memories/impressions/observations of the IPL:

- The comeback of the Mumbai Indians under the leadership of Shaun Pollock

-  Jayasuriya's brutal sixes on the leg side

- Shoaib Akhtar's 3 over spell agaisnt Delhi

- Warne couting and then recounting the number of overs his bowlers had each           

   bowled, on his fingers, during a league game

- Harsha Bhogle, sitting in almost the same position during each match, with his elbows either on the table or on the back of a chair

- Shahrukh egging the capacity crowd on at the Eden Gardens

- Preity Zinta's huge smile and high fives

- Shane Warne hitting Symonds in the last over for six to win the match

- Sachin's shocking captaincy for 3 matches in a row

- Dhoni talking to his teammates in a huddle after the final loss

-  Warne raising the winners trophy ( the worst designed trophy I've seen till date)

A points though :

1. All the veterans , had their teams get knocked out. Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and 

    Laxman. Pure coincidence? Or more proof?

2. No Indian won either the Orange Cap or the Purple Cap.

3. The only non-Indian captain in the IPL,  lifted the trophy.

4. The team that won the trophy, had the least number of locals contributing to the 

     win.

5. From a pool of 25 x 8 that is 200 players, only two hitherto unknown Indian names really shone brightly . Manpreet Gony and Swapnil Asnodkar. Yusuf Pathan was a well recognised player even before the IPL stated. In fact, he was brought for more money than Shane Warne himself.

So what do we do till April 10th next year ? The memory of the public is short. But it seems hard to suggest that the impact of this IPL can ever fade from memory. Mr. Lalit Modi deserves a special mention in the annals of cricketing history.

IPL. Truly, a   Manoranjan ka Baap.

"Arrange" a love marriage....

In 2003, I debated on the topic " Love Marriage Vs Arranged Marriage " in college. We drew lots to select, and I drew Love Marriage.

The debate was held in a packed Oral Pathology hall. By the time my turn to speak came, there was hardly place to stand.

This is what I said:

" Everybody present in this hall, including myself, the judges and each and every one of you have loved at least once in your lives. You may have loved a person, you may have loved your school, your teachers, your friends, or you may have loved the last time you had dinner with your family.

You may have loved the first raindrop that fell on your cheeks or you may have loved it when your father wished you on your birthday. You may have loved any of these things, but yes, all of us have loved.

I believe that love cannot have a 12 word definition, but rather, love is defined by its purity. There is no other single emotion in the world which can be as pure a love. Anyone present here , who has ever truly loved, will know what I am talking about.

When you fall in love, that “someone” starts staying in your heart. You put that “someone's” happiness before your own. It hurts you deep inside when that person is in pain and your heart jumps with joy when you make that person happy. The day these feelings are reciprocated, is the most unforgettable day of your life.

Some of us are indeed this lucky. They marry the person they love and live happily ever after. I feel that marriage is like jumping from a plane flying high in the air.It is this spark of uncertainity when you jump, that gives marriage its high emotional quotient.

By not marrying the person you love, you are jumping without a parachute. My worthy opponents have said that marriages have to concieved with economic and social considerations. I would like to point out that while love may not be always enough to feed two stomachs, it is certainly enough to feed two hearts.

I agree that arranged marriages are not failures always, but then in these mariages, the real magic, the real chemistry is missing. It is this special touch of a painter, this special note of a musician, this special effort of an athlete , this special sprinkle of a chef, this special gesture of an artist  is what makes life so very special.

 Yes, there are hurdles in married life, but then what better weapon to overcome these hurdles that LOVE?

What better partner to fight these obstacles than the one person you completely understand and care for?

I think that by marrying someone you only hope you will like in the future, it is like going for the most important exam of your life, and not bothering to find out what the subject is.

Remember, we live only once, we truly love only once, and we marry just once in our lives.

By marying the person you love, you are taking a big step towards securing  a happy future for you and your partner.

 Someone has said  : “ Where there is a will, there is a way.”

 I say  : “Believe in love and love will show you the way.”

To conclude, A love marriage ensures that two people who love each other, understand each other and care for each other, spend the rest of their lives together. The relationship of mariage is considered to be one of the most sacred and respected relationships in the world. This descion is so important that absolutely nothing must be left to chance.

If two people are in love, there is every reason to believe that thier married life will be a success. A love marriage ensures that a couple knows each other`s likes and dislikes beforehand, thereby making adjustments very easy.

During times of emotional stress, love provodes that perfect cushion of relief. There is absolutely no doubt in our minds.

It is an open and shut case.We believe that a love marriage scores over an arranged marriage in every department.

I won that debate comfortably and to raptourous applause. 

But now, 5 years down the line, I think slightly differently. Sure, Im still in favour of a love marriage. But if I compare being single to being stranded on a deserted island, Id rather take my chances on a leaky, flimsy boat; than life my whole life on the island !!

Who knows, the boat might just take me to safety. Yes, maybe the journey wont be smooth sailing. I might topple over a couple of times, as long as I dont drown.

The girls of today have changed dramatically.  A very pretty girl whom I was talking to recently, was so calm when she told me " Yes, Ill be going in for an arranged marriage. That  way, my parents stay happy, and it isnt such a bad thing really."

Personally they scare the daylights out of me. Another girl I was talking to , said she like the guy so much during the first meeting itself, that she said  YES the very next day !!!  The meet lasted for about 6-7 hours, including a dinner and a movie. On the basis of that, she chose her life partner.

WOW. 

I take more time than that just to decide if I want to be really  good friends with somebody.

My 12 favourite scenes...

Its actually quite a task  to select 12 of your favourite scenes. Its much more difficult than selecting your 10 favourite movies, trust me.

In this selection, I have tried ( unsuccessfully?):

- to only consider movies released after 1994

- to select scenes irrespective of their length and importance to the movie

- to not be partial towards any particular genre

Listing these, starting from least favourite to most favourite, they are : ( the youtube video  links follow the headings )

12. Rang De Basanti :  www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Q7xgCu8oc

Aamir Khan in the car with Sue next to him. Very faint, almost imperceptible background music. He tells her how college days will come to an end soon, and life will change for everyone. The amazing metaphor about the being on either side of the college gate. Something we all have experienced.

11. Kabhi Alvida na Kehna: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-QZo9Um4QU

Contrary to public opinion, this movie remains very clsoe to my heart. It has so many scenes that are so special to me: Priety and Rani both crossing the road at the same time, the entire mitwa song, Amitabh's party speech, the dinner table scene, etc etc.

But his particular scene, when rani and Shah Rukh meet for the first time, on her wedding day, is the stand out.

Simply because it asks a simple question: What will you do, if you find true love after marriage ?

For me this remains Karan Johar's finest work till date.

10. Lagaan :  ( no Youtube link)

You would think that the final six hitting scene woyuld be my favourite, but I love two other scenes.

i) The sarat (bet) scene, when the villagers are sitting with Aamir standing. He is offered the bet of winning the cricket  match and not paying taxes for 3 years. The villagers plead with Aamir to refuse the bet. With pulsating background music, he locks his eyes into the Englishman's and says just three words, that emody the spirit of Lagaan. " Sarat manjur hai".

ii) The last scene of the movie, when in the pouring rain, all the villagers are watching the English troops leave their land. As Elizabeth says goodbye and the camera pans out, Amitabh's narration in his rich baritone says, " Yeh kahaani itihas ke panno me kahi kho gayi " and the end credits start rolling.

9. Mohabbatein : ( no Youtube link)

This scene was awarded the Sony Best Scene  Filmfare award  that year, and deservingly so. This is the scene just before the climax scene, where Amitabh, basking in his victory, adopts a patronizing attitude towards Shah Rukh, who meekly apologizes. Just as he about to leave, he puts things in perspective by telling Amitabh that it is he who has actually lost. In the background, a giant Aishwarya Rai portrait tells its own story. Very effective use of the thunder sound effect.

8.Chak de India: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPue3ESHN5A

After the final victory, you would expect a trademark presentation ceremony, followed by a long and emotional speech by SRK. In his speech he would thank the girls, pass cheeky comments agaisnt the selectors, say spirited lines against the media who branded him as a traitor and in the end, declare his love for the country. But all he does after Vidya saves the final penalty, is go weak in his knees and just look at the tri colour. I still belive that it is because of this one scene, that he was chosen over Darsheel Safary.

7. Taare Zameen Par: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeDn8VmMBtM

All of us have choked almost continously throughout his movie, even more so in the 2nd half. As the climax builds up during the final painting competition, with the song Kholo Kholo, Darsheel Safary finally cannot contain his curiosity any longer. He has to know what his Sir is painting. He tentatively peers over the canvas and sees his own portrait. Unable to hold back any longer, he breaks down and looks at Aamir Khan, who is about to break down himself.They hug each other. We, in the audience are spell bound. Outstanding.

6. Kal ho naa ho : www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo1Uo_DWvkM&feature=related

Another of my favourite movies, with almost 15 scenes that are really special. Shah Rukh has had many famous entry scenes in his carreer.. the jump onto the stage in Dil to Paagal Hai, the helicopter entry in K3G, the rose in Mohobbatein, etc.

But his entry in this movie is the best for me. A disspirited and dejected family kneels down in prayer together,  asking for Jesus to send them an Angel, a farishta, who will make all wrongs right.

And bang on cue, Shah Rukh appears, with a sweet flashback of the spilt coffee. The way the light comes on in his house, the way he sees them praying and looks up into the sky cannot be forgotten easily.

All this, of course, with the haunting Heartbeats instrumental in the background.

5. Dil Chahta Hai : www.youtube.com/watch?v=sleDFrWsIlE

One of the best friendshjip scenes ever, a repentant Aamir Khan  stops at the Wilson College signal on Marine Drive and realizes his folly as he remembers his college days. He calls up Akshaye Khanna, says sorry and asks him to Just Turn Around. 

4. Sarfarosh : www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMee9JlC2og

Aamir has trapped Naserrudin Shah into comminting a murder, so that he can be arrested. Naserrudin tries to justify all his actions and then Ammir launches into a fiery  soliliquie that shuts every one up. Who can forget " chand sikko ke liye apne desh ko bechne jaa raha tha, saala haramzada", a line that is cut from the version played on cable channels.

3. Black : ( no Youtube link)

One of the most delicate and difficult scenes of this path breaking movie, where Rani wants to  feel a kiss. Amitabh wrestles with his conscience and finally gives in. Totally devoid of titillation, there is a hushed silence in the cinema hall as the kiss unfolds. And then, flooded with shame, Amitabh leaves the room. Leaving us in tears.

2. Swades : www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITBc-mu-pz4

The famous "Cup of Water " scene, where Mohan Bhargav is returning from his journey. He has almost made up his mind, but not quite. At a station, a poor, almost naked boy pleads with him to buy a cup of water for a few annas. The boy doesnt have change, so he keeps fiddling in his pockets to find some. Meanwhile, the train srtas shugging out of the station. Mohan, only drinking mineral water till then, rasies the cup and drains it. And his eyes do all the talking. And hats off, A R Rahman, for a beautiful background music score, which incidentaly, won the Filmfare award that year.

1. Devdas : www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkiC09qIbKk

For me, this scene is the pinnacle of acting, the ultimate. Although the climax scene of Devdas is mindblowing, this scene is truly special. After Maar Dala, Devdas starts a long soliloquie , smashing bottles as he keeps talking. Madhuri provides ample support, her body jerking with every bottle breaking. The scene then moves outside, as he stumbles down the steps and staggers on to the bridge. The cresecendo builds up, with Devdas Narayan Mukherjee announcing a mock sentence of the court on himself  " To drink till death ".   Goosebumps all the way.