India: My Final Obsession

India: My Final Obsession?

2010-04-22T00:27:00.000+05:30

I am putting the blog on hold for awhile. First of all no one seems to care about the blog enough to comment or contact me. Second, the reality is; as a family man with two kids invloved in sports and actvities I would be hard pressed to find the time and money to go to India, Third, I have hit a wall with Hindi; partly, I'm guessing because if I'm not going to India anytime soon, what are the reasons to learn Hindi? Bollywood? Lately Bollywood hasn't held my interest, in fact no movies are. So until I get my Dharma back, it's

Phir Milenge

Katrina Kaif at the launch of 'Nakshatra Vivaah' collections

2010-04-10T02:20:00.001+05:30

ek bahut sundar aurat!!!

Delhi 10 Day Forecast

2010-04-09T18:59:00.001+05:30

Numbers are predicted highs, lows and percent chance of precipitation

Sat Apr 10 Sunny 106°/78° 0 %

Sun Apr 11 Mostly Sunny 105°/79° 0 %

Mon Apr 12 Partly Cloudy 105°/81° 0 %

Tue Apr 13 Sunny 106°/80° 0 %

Wed Apr 14 Sunny 106°/80° 0 %

Thu Apr 15 Sunny 108°/81° 0 %

Fri Apr 16 Mostly Sunny 108°/81° 0 %

Sat Apr 17 Sunny 108°/82° 0 %

Sun Apr 18 Mostly Sunny 106°/83° 0

Wonderful new Hindi teaching tool from Rupert Snell!

2010-04-06T20:33:00.002+05:30

http://www.hindiurduflagship.org/resources/glossaries/index.html

My Name Is Khan´ DVD May Release On 14th June!‎

2010-04-04T17:25:00.001+05:30

According to Planet Bollywood the DVD of ‘My Name is Khan’ should be released on June 14th but no official release date has been announced.

http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=n040310101802

2010-04-03T17:15:00.002+05:30

http://www.newsonair.com/

2010-03-28T01:35:00.002+05:30

http://www.gitainternational.com/hindi-audio.htm

2010-03-28T01:27:00.002+05:30

http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/mideast/hindi/index.html

2010-03-28T01:13:00.002+05:30

http://philae.sas.upenn.edu/Hindi/hindi.html

Indian military to weaponize world's hottest chili

2010-03-24T19:00:00.003+05:30

By WASBIR HUSSAIN, Associated Press Writer Wasbir Hussain, Associated Press Writer

Tue Mar 23, 7:19 am ET

.GAUHATI, India – The Indian military has a new weapon against terrorism: the world's hottest chili.

After conducting tests, the military has decided to use the thumb-sized "bhut jolokia," or "ghost chili," to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects, defense officials said Tuesday.

The bhut jolokia was accepted by Guinness World Records in 2007 as the world's spiciest chili. It is grown and eaten in India's northeast for its taste, as a cure for stomach troubles and a way to fight the crippling summer heat.

It has more than 1,000,000 Scoville units, the scientific measurement of a chili's spiciness. Classic Tabasco sauce ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units, while jalapeno peppers measure anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000.

"The chili grenade has been found fit for use after trials in Indian defense laboratories, a fact confirmed by scientists at the Defense Research and Development Organization," Col. R. Kalia, a defense spokesman in the northeastern state of Assam, told The Associated Press.

"This is definitely going to be an effective nontoxic weapon because its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hide-outs," R. B. Srivastava, the director of the Life Sciences Department at the New Delhi headquarters of the DRDO said.

Srivastava, who led a defense research laboratory in Assam, said trials are also on to produce bhut jolokia-based aerosol sprays to be used by women against attackers and for the police to control and disperse mobs.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_india_chili_grenades

1st Sikh in decades graduates Army officer school

2010-03-24T18:58:00.000+05:30

By MICHELLE ROBERTS, Associated Press Writer Michelle Roberts, Associated Press Writer

Tue Mar 23, 7:37 am ET

.SAN ANTONIO – The soldiers in standard-issue fatigues and combat boots stood side-by-side repeating their creed: "I am an American soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values ...."

Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan was no different except that he wore a full beard and black turban, the first Sikh in a generation allowed to complete U.S. Army basic officer training without sacrificing the articles of his faith. He completed the nine-week training Monday after Army officials made an exemption to a policy that has effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984.

"I'm feeling very humbled. I'm a soldier," said the 31-year-old dentist, smiling after the ceremony at Fort Sam Houston. "This has been my dream."

Rattan had to get a waiver from the Army to serve without sacrificing the unshorn hair mandated by his faith. An immigrant from India who arrived in New York as a teenager, Rattan said he hopes his military commitment will allow him to give back to his adopted home country and will help diminish prejudice Sikhs sometimes face in the U.S.

The Army in 1984 eliminated an exemption that had previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their articles of faith while serving, but officials can issue individual waivers to the uniform policy after considering the effects on safety and discipline, said Army spokesman George Wright. Only a handful of such individual religious exemptions are ever granted.

Rattan and Dr. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, who will attend basic training this summer after completing an emergency medicine fellowship, are the first Sikhs to receive exemptions in more than 25 years.

Rattan — who received a master's degree in engineering before pursuing a dental education_ and Kalsi both offer health care skills that are in high demand in an Army stretched by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Rattan said he encountered no trouble from fellow soldiers during training.

"The Army is all about what you have to offer. If you're sitting back there, not doing anything, they're definitely going to talk about you. But if you're up there running with them, you have good scores, you run neck-and-neck with them, they love you," he said. "I made a lot of friends."

1st Sgt. Jeffrey DeGarmo said he made sure the officers-in-training in his unit understood that Rattan wasn't a foreign national and had received the Army's permission to maintain his beard and turban. Once the other soldiers understood that, there were no issues, he said.

"It went pretty well," DeGarmo said. "I think he did an outstanding job adjusting."

During training, Rattan wore a helmet over the small turban, which he doesn't remove, and was able to successfully create a seal with his gas mask despite the beard, resolving the Army's safety concerns, said Harsimran Kaur, the Sikh Coalition's legal director.

Rattan also worked with an Army tailor to create an insignia patch normally worn on soldiers' berets that could be affixed to his black turban, she said.

An estimated 300,000 Sikhs live in the United States. The unshorn hair wrapped in a turban and beard are required to keep adherents in the natural state in which God made them, said Amardeep Singh, director of the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based advocacy group that helped Rattan and Kalsi push for Army admittance.

The Sikh community has a long tradition of military service in India, from where most adherents originally emigrated, and in other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Canada. Sikhs represent 2 percent of India's population but make up about 30 percent of that country's army officers, Singh said.

Before the Army's regulation change in 1984, Sikhs served in the U.S. military during every major armed conflict going back to World War I. Those who joined before the change were allowed to serve with their beards and turbans, but the policy effectively prevented new enlistment of Sikhs, Kaur said.

The coalition continues to push the Army to change the overall policy.

"If government can say to someone, 'You can't serve, not for any reason that has to do with your abilities,' that sends the wrong message," Singh said. "We don't want to be perpetual outsiders."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_army_sikh_soldier

2010-03-20T05:10:00.002+05:30

http://www.flashcardexchange.com/

Jassi Sohal - Saadhni {PunjabiRulez.com}

2010-03-15T02:32:00.001+05:30

Dasan Guruan Di Amar Kahani.flv

2010-03-15T02:29:00.001+05:30

I just found this lovely devotional song by Sukshinder Singh

status update

2010-03-13T21:02:00.000+05:30

a few quick things; I cancelled the Hindi package on Directv as a cost cutting move. I'm a little sad to be missing NDTV news, Filmy Rocks, Highway on my Plate, etc. Maybe in a few months I'll re-subscribe.

Also I started making flashcards for the Teach Yourself Hindi book. I also started working on the livemocha website.

Saw My Name is Khan 3 times in the theater.

2010-03-12T06:29:00.002+05:30

http://www.google.com/intl/hi/

Main Pratap Hoon

2010-03-08T20:35:00.002+05:30

http://mainprataphoon.blogspot.com/2007/04/prataps-little-problem.html

Teach Yourself Hindi Supplemental Learning Materials

2010-03-08T20:25:00.000+05:30

I found some supplemental learning materials for the "Teach Yourself Hindi" book. They can be found at:

http://www.hindiurduflagship.org/resources/tymaterials.html

Online Language Programs

2010-03-03T05:08:00.001+05:30

I found these two programs, will discuss more soon!

http://www.wordchamp.com/lingua2/Home.do

http://www.livemocha.com/

´My Name Is Khan´ Becomes Shah Rukh Khan´s Highest Grossing Film Ever! (Planet Bollywood)

2010-03-02T04:48:00.000+05:30

´My Name Is Khan´ Becomes Shah Rukh Khan´s Highest Grossing Film Ever! (Planet Bollywood)

Winners of 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009

2010-02-28T06:32:00.000+05:30

As expected; 3 Idiots cleans up. Haven't seen Paa so I can't comment on Big B winning Best Actor but am happy Vidya Balan won Best Actress for same film which I plan to see.

Winners of 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009

My Name Is Khan grosses Rs 1.50 billion worldwide in 10 days :: Businessofcinema.com - India's No 1 Cinema Business News and Information Portal

2010-02-24T04:47:00.000+05:30

My Name Is Khan grosses Rs 1.50 billion worldwide in 10 days :: Businessofcinema.com - India's No 1 Cinema Business News and Information Portal

A reply I made to another blog on MNIK

2010-02-21T02:05:00.000+05:30

Below is a reply I made on another blog to a post titled: "My Name is Khan overrated and a bad advertisement for a mature industry". The original can be found at: http://recordsinajournal.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-name-is-khan-overrated-and-bad.html

All of us enter a cinema hall with an array of expectations, hopes, prejudices, etc. about the film we are about to see. Unlike watching a film on TV or DVD where the motive might be boredom, pass the time, family member watching, etc., going to cinema is a conscious act. So if you are someone who went to see MNIK on opening weekend what was your motive? Are you a fan of SRK? or Karan Johar films? Were you caught up in the hype? Perhaps the subject of Aspberger's Syndrome has meaning to you.

We cannot separate our expectations from what unfolds. Each moment of the film plays against our own internal dialogue which evolves as the reels play on and our expectations gradually get replaced by the experience of watching.

I eagerly awaited the opening of MNIK for months so there was too much of that dialogue in my head the the 1st time I saw it last Friday. Yes I enjoyed the film but I expected a rapturous experience, a perfect resonance of seamless story, acting, directing, cinematography and music so in a way I felt slightly disappointed at first. But then the day after I began thinking about the movie frequently so I went and saw it again last night. This time there wasn't so much noise in my mind. As a result I can say it is fantastic movie that is very moving and uplifting.

Going back to our expecations, at the core of those expectations lies the very notion of what movies are to us. Are they just entertainment, distraction, diversion, time killers? Are they cathartic therapy? Or are they something more? Does a good film elucidate some feelings or thoughts within us in a way more powerfully than we could express ourselves? If you don't look for that illumination and merely want to be amused than I suggest you try video games.

Finally there is another reason certain people watch films. That is to dissect and criticze them. Some of this analysis can be very helpful as is done by critics who help us decide sometimes if we should invest the time and money in going to a film but some is done by those with a streak of misanthropy or nihilism who prefer to decry every thing in a movie that is not literally true or completely plausible and reduce and atomize every film. There is hardly a film that can stand up to that attack. So if your intent is to watch a film like MNIK only to criticize Johar or SRK or the scriptwriter than by all means. There is plenty of ammunition. In fact in the opening scene Rizvan misses his American Airlines flight due to the TSA agents searching him so he takes a bus. Wouldn't he just get exchange ticket for the next flight? Surely the decision to go by bus instead seems a bit silly? There lots of examples in movies where someone could stand up and say that but miss the deeper reason for the story which is about discovery and transformation,

My daughter's review of 'My Name Is Khan'

2010-02-20T01:20:00.001+05:30

Last Friday I took my 8 yo daughter, Jaine to the premier of MNIK. She was very impressed by the film and is anxious to see it again. In fact she wrote her own review. I have reproduced it here (please forgive the typos and mispellings, she is 8 after all). It is lovely to read her writing isn't it?

My name is khan is a movie about Risvan khan who has a brother and lives with his mother until his mother dies his brother left from India to go to America when he was 18 and after the mother dies Risvan follows him he meets a women named Mandira and falls in love with her and ends up getting married! Mandira has a son sammeer. His best friend is reece a american adopted boy and hisdad gets sent to war and dies. So reece blames sammeer like his fatther’s death had something to do with sammer. At one of sammer ‘s soccer pratice he gets beat up by reece and some other guys . He got killed they hurt him so bad. The mom and the dad don’t know who killed sammer yet. Mandira blames her husband risvan on sammer’s death and says there are 30,000 people in this town why don’t you tell every single one of them my name is khan and I am not a terrorist. Infact why don’t you tell the president! So he goes on a long journey and the people thinks that he says he is a terrorist!!! So these college kids are trying to find out why he wants to tell the president my name is khan and I am not a terrorist. So one day he gets released and he still hasn’t met the president! But he finds out a new president is getting elected and the president wants o say a few words to him! Then they go home.

My Name Is Khan review

2010-02-19T01:48:00.000+05:30

Here is a pretty accurate review of the film.

My Name Is Khan (Hindi)

Overseas Box Office :2010-02-17 11:05:43

2010-02-17T22:35:00.000+05:30

Overseas Box Office :2010-02-17 11:05:43

Learning Hindi for free - online!

2010-02-16T19:48:00.002+05:30

I am currently teaching myelf Hindi, mainly through the book 'Teach yourself Hindi" by Rupert Snell. There are however a few sites where you can learn basic Hindi for free.

The first site is 'A Door into Hindi' which is a wonderful multi-media site featuring videos, audio recordings of native Hindi speakers, transcripts of the dialogues, vocabulary, grammar, etc. The site is broken down into 24 lessons and looks very good. The link is: http://taj.chass.ncsu.edu/index.html

Another site which everyone who wants to learn the Devanagari writing system should explore is the hindi Script Tutor. Again, an excellent tool which shows how to form the characters and how to pronounce them. It can be found here: http://www.avashy.com/hindiscripttutor.htm

Finally there is another website with a free component and a paid subscriber area titled: 'I Speak Hindi'. The amazing thing is that the paid subcsription is $ 12.00 for 6 months or $ 2.00 per month. This site is updated daily with brief topical lessons and vocabulary. Also all lessons are archived for review. It can be found at: http://www.ispeakhindi.com/

MNIK thoughts 24 hours later...

2010-02-14T05:40:00.000+05:30

I'll be honest. I waited 6 months for last night and so I was probably too keyed up to watch the film objectively. I felt at moments that the movie was veering off course and that it was uneven. Not that I was bored or thought the film dragged, just that in my hyper awareness I was expecting a watertight, flawless masterpiece.
24 hours later I realize that there is alot going on in the film and that I cannot stop talking to my wife about the film. The film tries to be a love story, a story about a man with Asperger's Syndrome and a film about intolerance and treatment of Muslims in America in the post 9/11 world. Should the movie tried to do less? I don't know. I do know that Shahrukh Khan was fantastic and that in honor of him and Kajol I watched Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge today. I plan to go back and see MNIK again this week.

SRK/ Kajol Weekend Film Festvial

2010-02-13T22:20:00.002+05:30

Having seen MNIK last night we decided to watch Kuch Kuch Hota Hai today. I really like the 2nd half of the film and the music is great. The 1st half always makes me squirm a little. I feel like I am watching the Indian version of 'Grease' or something and I really hate the movie 'Grease'. Like Main Hoon Na KKHH makes Indian College seem a little too much like an American High School. Are they really like that or is that just the films. The real strength of KKHH is Kajol. She infuses so much emotional conflict and tension into the movie. Of course I am a huge Rani Mukerji fan so that is a big plus.

So MNIK, KKHH, that can only mean one other film to watch; Dilwale, Dulhania La Jayenge!!!

will we get a chance to watch Kabhie Khushi Khabi Gam tomorrow?

55th Filmfare Awards to be presented on February 27th.

2010-02-13T16:52:00.000+05:30

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lady-in-black-is-back-Filmfare-awards-on-Feb-27/articleshow/5482686.cms

‘My Name Is Khan’ Star Shah Rukh Khan Takes A Ride With MTV In New York City » MTV Movies Blog

2010-02-13T08:10:00.000+05:30

‘My Name Is Khan’ Star Shah Rukh Khan Takes A Ride With MTV In New York City » MTV Movies Blog

as a fomer NYC Cabbie I found this very interesting!

My Name is Khan

2010-02-13T07:30:00.000+05:30

My Name is Khan opened worldwide today. I took my daughter, age 8 to see it this evening at the the 5pm screening at Movies 10 in Brighton. I have alot of complicated feelings and thoughts about this film, which is quite unlike most Bollywood films and certainly unlike any other film starring Shahrukh Khan. I will need a little time to sort it out as it is such a departure from what I have to come to expect from the Director & Actor team that created Kabhie Khusie Kabhi Gam and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. The one thing that I can say immediately is that SRK gives a bravura performance that clearly shows he is one of the greatest actors in the world. Some might saw portraying a character with autism was already done by Dustin Hoffman in 'Rain Man' but SRK in actor known for playing over the top emotional roles so for him to play a character who avoided eye contact and crying was simply amazing. His character Rizvan Khan fills almost every frame of the film in a way that few characters since Travis Bickle in 'Taxi Driver'. This performance dwarfs some of the melodramatic and cheesy plot elements. I cannot say alot else about the film yet, except that I want to see it again soon. The Direction, Cinematography and Editing didn't intrude on my conciousness; the music is nice and I was already familiar with it, having bought the soundtrack a week ago, I'll have more to say about it soon. ..

Nominations for 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009

2010-02-11T21:56:00.000+05:30

The nominations are out. I am betting that 3 Idiots will sweep up most of them. I am disappointed that Rani Mukerji was not nominated for her excellent performance in 'Dil Bole Hadippa'. I also think the song Ishq He Rab shoudl have been nominated for Best Song. It is a lovely song featuring Shreya Goshal and sonu Nigam.

Nominations for 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009

HindiGym: Hindi Worksheets and workbooks to Learn Hindi Language and make it fun for kids!

2010-02-11T03:54:00.000+05:30

Since my 8 y.o. daughter is also trying to learn some Hindi I plan to share this site with her:

HindiGym: Hindi Worksheets and workbooks to Learn Hindi Language and make it fun for kids!

Movie Review: My Name is Khan

2010-02-10T17:38:00.000+05:30

Below is a link to Taran Adarsh's review of 'My Name is Khan'. I only took a cursory glance at it as I really want to see this film with as few preconceptions as possible but for those of you unsure of whether you might wish to see it here is some analysis of the film. I will post more reviews, including my own this weekend.

Movie Review: My Name is Khan

Toh Baat Pakki :

2010-02-10T16:58:00.000+05:30

Tabu, my first love of Indian actresses is in a film scheduled to release on February 19th. It looks good and the buzz says it should be a lot of fun.
Toh Baat Pakki : Previews, Synopsis and Storyline

New Music Sites

2010-02-09T20:19:00.001+05:30

new to me, that is. There are tons of ways to get Bollywood & Bhangra content online besides just Youtube.

http://www.chutneyradio.com//index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

http://www.raaga.com/

4 days and counting... My Name is Khan SHOWTIMES ANNOUNCED!!!

2010-02-09T05:52:00.001+05:30

Showtimes were just posted this evening for Friday's premiere of My Name is Khan.:

Cinemark Movies 10
******
2609 West Henrietta Road
Rochester, NY 14623

******
Friday, February 12th
5:00pm
9:00pm
runtime is listed at 160 minutes. I am taking my daughter, I can hardly wait.

http://www.mynameiskhanthefilm.com/

Weekend Encore

2010-02-08T19:45:00.000+05:30

Last weekend I watched the movies Salaam-e-Ishq & Parineeta. I liked both enough to watch them this weekend as well. For good measure we watched Om Shanti Om and Rab Ne Bana di Jodi as well!

Indian DVD site

2010-02-07T20:41:00.000+05:30

I found a site with great deals on Bollywood DVD's. Lots of titles, very good prices. I ordered a few sale titles I have wanted. The site promises that all discs are factory sealeds, authorized copies and promise 3 day shipping. If all goes well I will order more.
Here's what I ordered:

Bhagmati - The Queen of Fortunes

Delhi 6

Mangal Pandey

Hum Tum

Salaam-E-Ishq

http://store.nehaflix.com/

Salaam-e-Ishq

2010-02-01T04:09:00.001+05:30

Just watched Salaam-e-Ishq ( A Tribute to Love) a 3 hr and 36 minute long film directed by Nikhil Advani (who also directed Kal Ho Naa Ho & Chandi Chowk to China). Such a sweet film, even my wife liked it! The film weaves 6 love stories together. Go watch it!

http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=012507054059

Parineeta (2005)

2010-01-31T07:28:00.001+05:30

Just finished watching Parineeta! Although not quite great, the film has a lot going for it; a compelling story, a few nice songs, expert directing and an exquisite Vidya Balan who inspires her character of Lolita completely. I was kept rapt at attention and was a little nervous until the end, thinking the film was going the way of Devdas but I say too much...
do yourself a favor and watch this film.

here is a link to a review of the film: http://www.planetbollywood.com/Film/Parineeta/

Desi on Saturday

2010-01-31T04:24:00.000+05:30

Another thik day. My daughter and I watched Kal Ho Naa Ho again, took the family to Pabhjit & Romy again for Chola Bhatura, Samosa, Gol Goppa and Curry. Later I went to India Market for the 1st time since before Christmas, Mrunalini seemed happy to see me and I picked out a movie, Parineeta, got the soundtrack for "My Name is Khan" and grabbed some ladoos. On the way home I stopped to see Vimal Patel at his place, Spice Bazaar as I needed Rice and Thums Up. Had some Chai and met his Uncle & Nephew. Tonight I plan to watch the lovely Vidya Balan in Parineeta. All in all a good day.

A Good Day!

2010-01-30T08:25:00.000+05:30

Had a rare day off from work today so I got caught up on Unit 5 of Teach Yourself Hindi. My lexicon is at 320 words and translating the dialogues is not usually difficult and quite enjoyable. For me right now, reading Hindi is a lot easier than speaking it.

Another realization is that I won't be crushed if I have to wait until 2012 for my India trip. I want to have the money and time to enjoy myself and I want to really be fluent in Hindi so an extra year won't matter.

Finally, to celebrate a fine day we watched Veer Zaara again, probably the 7th or 8th time I 've seen the film in the past 8 months. It is always a treat:

Banaras - A Mystic Love Story :

2010-01-26T20:15:00.001+05:30

I dozed off last evening with Filmy on my bedroom TV to wake up to the beginning of a movie named Banaras. The movie features Urmila Matondkar and Naseeruddin Shah and eponymously features the city also known as Varanasi. I was too tired to watch the whole thing. I looked up a review, to which a link is posted below. The review is mixed but I still plan to seek out the film and watch it in full. Banaras - A Mystic Love Story : Movie Review by Taran Adarsh

Jai Hind! Happy Republic Day!

2010-01-26T15:59:00.000+05:30

The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on January 26, 1950.[1] The date 26 January was chosen to honour the memory of the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national holidays in India, and while the main parade, Republic Day Parade takes place at the Rajpath, in the national capital New Delhi, where the President views the parade, state capitals also have their state celebrations.

Ghajini

2010-01-25T00:14:00.000+05:30

finally watched Ghajini today. It is a very good film. The story itself is a little preposterous and the plot should not be examined too closely for holes. Nevertheless the film has a lot going for it; Aamir Khan is awesome and brings a maniacal intensity to the role of Sanjay Singhania. Second, Asin Thottumkal is lovely to look at and she really infuses life into the role of Kalpana, truly an award winnning performance. Third, a very good soundtrack by A.R. Rahman. Fourth good cinematography and editing, especially in the action/ fight sequences. Finally the story is told in a complex flashback structure that held my interest to the end. Definitely a must see for Bollywood fans. For the Planet Bollywood review click here: http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=f122408092422

Veer : Movie Review by Taran Adarsh

2010-01-24T15:52:00.000+05:30

I went and saw Veer last night and did not enjoy the film. In fact I left at interval. Pointblank the film was kharab. I could go into my own opinions as to why but Taran Adarsh's review sums up what I saw as the shortcomings of the film.

Veer : Movie Review by Taran Adarsh

Veer opens worldwide today

2010-01-22T05:09:00.003+05:30

Veer, starring Salman Khan opens Worldwide today. It is being shown locally at the Cinemark Movies 10, making it the 2nd consecutive Bollywood film to be screened there, following the 4 week run of 3 Idiots. I am very excited by this trend and hope that Movies 10 begins to screen Bollywood films continuously. I will probably go to the 9pm show tomorrow night

http://veer.erosentertainment.com/

Photos from mera dost, Paul

2010-01-21T05:06:00.001+05:30

Below are some pics from my friend Paul's trip to India a few years ago.

The 1st is from the Red Fort (Lal Qila) which is near the Taj Mahal. It was constructed on the site of a former fort by Akhbar the Great and finished in 1573. Over a million laborers were used in it's construction.

the next picture is from Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, in central Rajasthan, a massive complex of palaces atop a 400ft high hill. Construction on this fort was started in 1459.

the last pic is from a street in Delhi. Note the wide boulevard, antispetic conditions and scarce populace. Kinda reminds me of Tienamen Square. I wish I was in Chandi Chowk right now.

Dil Chahta Hai

2010-01-03T16:07:00.001+05:30

Dil Chahta Hai (The heart is desiring) is a Bollywood movie from 2001 starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Pretty Zinta. Like 3 Idiots and Rang De Basanti it tells the story of 3 college friends and how their lives interact. In fact, having seen the 2 aforementioned films (and loving them both) I actually felt wary after the first few minutes of Dil Chahta Hai, thinking; Is the Aamir Khan role that of catalyst and leader of groups of 3 friends? Obviously with movies like Lagaan, Mangal Pandey and Ghajini the answer is no, nevertheless he has made 3 movies each about 3 friendships formed in college. Of the 3 Dil Chahta Hai is my least favorite. I liked the film but didn't love it and am curious how it received Filmfare Best Picture of the Year. I think the film failed to inspire me is that it really is just 3 romances told more or less in serial fashion. Rang De Basanti, on the other hand is a powerful movie, interweaving the themes of Indian Nationalism and Government corruption. 3 Idiots is a beautiful story about how one person, Rancho completely changed the destinies of his friends and also showed the soul crushing power of elite education institutions. Dil Chahta Hai on the other hand seems like an extended soap opera. Only Aamir Khan's presence and a lovely looking Preity Zinta kept me watching to the end. It was an ok way to spend a Saturday evening but not a movie I plan to watch again.

My Treasure…My Pleasure Authentic Kerala Cuisine & much more

2010-01-02T17:22:00.000+05:30

found this blog, looks interesting:

http://deepann.wordpress.com/

Learn Hindi From Bollywood Movies!

2010-01-02T17:08:00.000+05:30

I stumbled upon a fun blog with 91 podcasts which play audio clips of dialogues from Hindi movies and then the host translates and explains their usage. It looks very tongue in cheek: http://www.cuttingchai.com/HouseFull/

नया साल मुबारक हो

2010-01-02T06:45:00.001+05:30

Happy New Year!

Rang in the New Year, first with my friends Prabhjit & Romi at Bombay Chaat. Had Gol Goppa, Papdi Chaat and some of Romi's homemade Kheer. Later mera patni, myself and some of her friends went to Tandoor of India, where there was a Grand Buffet, live music and Belly Dancing. Not sure why there was Belly Dancing as I thought that is Turkish/ Arabic. Oh, well it was fun. Had some ladoos at midnight. Today I have spent about 6 hours practicing Hindi. My goal is to finish Snell & Wrightman's Teach Yourself Hindi by Vaishaki time. I plan a trip to Toronto for April/ May where I plan to hang out on Gerrard, eat plenty of curry and see some Bollywood at the Albion or Woodside.

My goal for 2010 is to save $ 1500, lose 50 lbs and by end of year to speak खड़ी बोली

Teach Yourself Hindi

2009-12-28T03:26:00.001+05:30

Teach Yourself Hindi by Rupert Snell & Simon Weightman.

I finally started it today, after some procrastination. Tomorrow I meet Pratap.

3 Idiots

2009-12-27T04:29:00.001+05:30

Do yourself a favor, go see 3 Idiots. The promos totally misrepresent the film making it seem like a zany, slapstick farce. Actually it is a soul-stirring coming of age type film and somewhat reminiscient of Rang De Basanti. Like that film, it features Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. The plot is complex and full of surprises and keeps the viewer in suspense to the end. The love story with Kareena seems a little contrived but the heart of the story is really how one student, Rancho (Aamir Khan) enriches and changes the lives of two students (Madhavan and Joshi). The movie never indulges in melodrama but has plenty of crisis and catharsis and lots and lots of humor. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

Passport came today!

2009-12-27T03:48:00.001+05:30

My Passport book arrived today! Only took 2 weeks from the time I applied. Next Summer I will go to the Indian Consulate in NYC to get my Tourist visa!

Gajar Ke Halwa

2009-12-22T05:49:00.000+05:30

Work, family and Christmas preparations are robbing me of time to be Hindustani. I did manage to watch "Legend of Bhagat Singh" over the weekend, which was decent, although I like "Rang De Basanti" more. I did stop to see my friends Prabhjit & Romi yesterday with my daughter for Gol Goppas, Aloo Chat and some of Romi's beguling Gajar Ke Halwa. On a chilly day hot Gajar Ke Halwa is a great way to warm the soul.

btw: I found another Indian cooking blog with a nice entry on this: http://mydiversekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/02/gajar-ka-halwa-indian-carrot-confection.html

My Name is Khan

2009-12-17T22:29:00.003+05:30

Here is the official site and High Quality trailer. Enjoy!

http://www.mynameiskhanthefilm.com/

My Name is Khan Trailer premiered last night

2009-12-17T15:35:00.000+05:30

Last night at 10pm EST Star TV showed the three minute trailer for My Name is Khan. I was very excited. The film looks quite good and SRK seems to play a totally different character than he has played in the past.

Teach Yourself Beginner's Hindi Script

2009-12-14T19:36:00.001+05:30

I am nearly done with the book: Teach Yourself Beginner's Hindi Script by Rupert Snell. It is an indispensible pre-requite to learning Hindi. I know many people try to learn conversational Hindi through transliteration but in my opinion to pronounce Hindi correctly one should learn the Devanagari characters. Besides it is so much fun!

http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Beginners-Hindi-Script/dp/0071419845/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260799258&sr=1-1

Slight change in plans

2009-12-14T03:03:00.000+05:30

My original plan was to save my money for a November 2012 trip to India and stay 3 - 4 weeks. My wife does not want me away from the family for such a long period. Therefore I think I will actually go in 2011. The good part is I get to India a whole year sooner. The bad part is 2 weeks is probably going to seem like a blink of an eye. Therefore I hope to leave on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011 and return on Friday, November 18th.

(Diwali begins on my daughter's birthday, October 26th, in 2011). This is good as I will not miss any family events or Holidays and my son's football season should be over before I go.

My Indian birthday!

2009-12-13T16:50:00.001+05:30

Yesterday was my birthday. In the morning I practiced Hindi for an hour. I then watched Mangal Pandey: The Rising with Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji. What a great movie! AK seems to thrive in tales of Indian nationalism; Lagaan, Rang de Basanti, Mangal Pandey,etc.
After the film, meera beta, John and I went to see my friends, Prabhjit & Romi-owners of the Bombay Chaat House. John had Murgee Samosas and Seekh Kebab. Knowing we would be going out for a big dinner, I limited myself to 2 plates of gol goppas and Bel puri. I had chai and a ladoo afterwards. John and I then went to see 'Invictus', a very good and inspring film about Nelson Mandela and the South African Rugby Team's run to the World Cup in 1995.

afterwards my wife, both kids and mother-in law went to Tandoor of India for a Mughal feast! Kebabs, Mughlai Korma, Dal, Biryani, Chana Bhatura, Raita, achar, naan, parathas, rotis,etc. Our waitress was Simi who has served me in the past. She is quite nice.The whole meal was excellent!

We finished our night out with a return to Bombay Chaat House for Chai and Romy's awesome Gajar Ke Halwa and had wondeful conversations with them and many other NRI's who came in including a funny, charming man named Anil.

We finished the evening by returning home to watch one of my most favorite movies; Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi which came out on my birthday last year. The film is truly magical for me and I feel that every frame is perfect. The sotry is heartwarming, the music excellent. SRK is in fine form and Anoushka Sharma is quite lovely.

All in all it was a great birthday! Thanks to everyone!

DIRECTV South Asian

2009-12-11T00:45:00.004+05:30

Last week I had a 2nd dish installed so I could subscribe to DIRECTV's South Asian package, I get 12 channels:

Star Plus
Star News
Star One
AASTHA
MTV India
NDTV
NDTV Good Times
NDTV Profit
UTV Movies
Cricket Plus
India Now

and Filmy

MTV has lots of commercials but some good videos, Good Times has lots of fun shows and Cricket is great to watch when I am winding down at night. I am a huge baseball fan and Cricket is a good substitute during MLB's off season. Does anyone know about Jadoo TV?

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/international/south_asian?footernavtype=-1

Hello Indiblogger!

2009-12-11T00:36:00.001+05:30

http://www.indiblogger.in/

Namaste!

Welcome to my blog, which is about India in General, Bollywood, learning Hindi and Rochester (NY) Indian businesses. I am learning Hindi and love watching Bollywood films. I also recently subscribed to DIRECTV South Asian programming.

Devanagari

2009-11-27T20:16:00.000+05:30

I have spent the past week learning the 52 characters in the Hindi writing system, known as Devanagari. I still need to leatn conjunct consonants and am a little unsure about how to write a few of the Matras for certain consonants but I feel very happy!

नमस्ते मीरा नाम टिमोथी जॉन ब्रोफ्य हैं. मैं थोरी से हिंदी बोल सकता

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

2009-11-26T21:46:00.003+05:30

One of my all time favorite movies! The movie was released on my birthday last year. The song, तुझ में रब दीखता है is one of the greatest moments in film.

Thumbs up for Thums Up!

2009-11-20T03:25:00.004+05:30

I had my 1st taste of Thums Up today.Wow! I remember Coca Cola in glass bottles back in the 70's and this reminds me of that but with a zing, a little spice. I hear that is from Betel Nut extract in the drink. Whatever it is I am afraid I could get addicted.

http://www.coca-colaindia.com/brands/brands_thumsup.aspx

Dosa Night at Mysore Woodlands

2009-11-18T06:16:00.002+05:30

Tonight was the 1st Dosa Night at Mysore Woodlands. Turnout was good and I had 3 Dosas. The Andra Dosa was the best with a little heat and lots of flavor,made even yummier when dipped into Coconut Chutney. I also ate Raghda patties, Gol Goppas, Muteer Pulao, Chicken 65, Idli Sambar and various chutneys. I finished with excellent Galub Jamun and Chai. My waiter was a Kannadiga named Rohit, a very personable and handsome man who was an excellent guide to the food.What a great evening of eating! I'll be back soon. ಮೈಸೂರು

Going to India

2009-11-15T19:10:00.001+05:30

I turn 50 on December 12, 2012. Aside from Canada, I have never been outside of the United States. I have decided to go to India, hopefully for Diwali which begins on Tuesday, November 13th. This blog will chronicle my preparations.

These are some of the things I want to accomplish before I go;

1) Save $ 4500.
2) Become fluent in Hindi
3) Acquire basic conversational Punjabi skills
4) Lose weight

I will need to get a Passport.