Culinary Experiences

KC and I have tried out a couple of restaurants and cuisines recently.

• Kashmiri Kitchen: Located on MG road, it is a place we have passed by quite often. Located among the furniture shops, it looks quaint and cute. We have not yet tried Kashmiri food and decided to try out. Also, the reviews online were good. As we entered, there was a strange unpleasant smell. It was empty on a weekend. We asked for a recommendation and ordered chicken gravy made of red chillies. They were out of rotis and we had to order rice. The chicken tasted like the one made at home... the rice was a different kind.. small, sticky. We finished off everything but the food was strictly ok. I don't know if it was the cuisine or the restaurant... I don't think we will try Kashmiri food again.
• Barbeque Nation: I have to been to the BC in Bandra and Thane. Getting a table in Gurgaon is impossible. It needs to be booked atleast 24 hours in advance. We landed up (after an hour of searching for the place) on a Sunday almost a year back and were told it is packed. Recently, we got a table on Sunday afternoon. The kebabs are very, very good. Generally in buffets like this very common and ordinary (and sometimes crap) dishes are part of the menu. Not in BC. After the kebabs, there is little space for main course and yet the menu is exhaustive. The price is around 600 bucks per head (approx) which is very reasonable.
• Andhra Bhavan: Every state has a representation in Delhi. There are bhavans with canteens. The canteens serve the cuisine of that state. Andhra Bhavan is the most famous one. People flock here for the cheap and good food. We went there last Sunday. There was a long queue outside. We entered in, paid at the counter for the food and were seated immediately. I kept telling KC that I would have the Hyderbadi chicken biryani. I was disappointed when he only paid for that. I mean, a girl can change her mind... right? KC had a veg thali. The biryani was amazing. I love biryanis and have it quite often. Most of them disappoint me. A perfect... my perfect biryani has to have loads of flavoured rice... spicy... with gravy.... the chicken has to be small and full of flavour. Most of the time the chicken is bland... it feels out of place among the rice. Other times, the rice has no flavour. The biryani I had was perfect. The sambhar was so spicy. It cost us total 300 bucks. So cheap. A must visit if you are in Delhi
• Mozart Cafe: It is located on Golf Course Road in South Point Mall. There is a store in the mall that I visit once a month. Mozart Cafe is located in the basement and has an outdoor seating. We went there today since I wanted to try a new place. The outdoor seating was useless even though there was a breeze outside. Since it is in the basement, the breeze does not reach there. We were seated inside. The food is expensive... everything at 300 bucks and above. We ordered a risotto with sun dried tomatoes and parmesan. I asked the waiter if veggies could be added. He said "Yes... but we will charge 50 bucks extra". WTF!!! Nobody has said that EVER... I have never been charged for getting veggies added to a pasta/risotto. He then went to ask his manager and returned saying "We will charge it"... or something of that sort. When the risotto arrived it has veggies and ultimately I was not charged for it. Strange!!! But it ruined my experience. The risotto was good... very good. I ordered a creme brulee for dessert. Ok, I decided the dessert first and was waiting to finish main course to order it. Its an ok dessert.... not bad.. but not something I would have again. It has a custard and there is a caramel layer covering the custard. I did the breaking the 

Crazy Me

There is a show called 'Chrysalis' in Epicentre. It is a performance by students of Danceworx who are training to be instructors. I missed it 2 months back and was very happy to hear that it is happening again. I booked the tickets- front center. I was planning to go alone rather than drag an unwilling KC along. The show is on Thursday and Friday. I booked tickets for Friday. All week I have been looking forward to it. On Wednesday, I wished I had booked tickets for Thursday... Friday seemed so far away. On Thursday, I felt the same way. On Friday morning I messaged a friend who is a student in Danceworx at a senior level.
Me: Hey... coming for Chrysalis?
Him: Yep... Have you booked your ticket?
Me: Yep

Yesterday evening I rushed home and changed... after 3 dress changes- skirt to maxi to jeans, I was ready at 7.15 pm (I was planning to leave by 7 pm max). I locked the house... called for the lift... and went through my phone to check the booking sms to save time. Thats when I realized I am the biggest dumbo on this planet... the show is on 27th July'12- next Friday. Sigh!!! I went back... called KC who had a good laugh at my expense... changed into night clothes... put back the other 3 dress changes... and settled down to wait for next Friday.

Crib... crib... crib

Hey... I know, I know, my next post is supposed to be about the car... but I am going to postpone it... AGAIN.
My parents have always been careful with money, just like any parents of their generation. They try to extract a deal where ever possible... saving a rupee, driving a bargain. My parents, specially my dad, always asked for a discount. Sometimes it was embarrassing and we would tell dad ; "What are you doing? Nobody will give a discount HERE". This is something I have picked up. If you don't ask, you shall never receive. It works more often that not. Its not just about money, even when it comes to service. Service levels in India are definitely better than in USA (from what my sis tells me) and is getting better by the day. I think a local outlet is much better at this than a MNC. MNCs/Indian companies are too stuck in their systems and processes to focus on customer. The processes are for their benefit and not for the customer. This is not just for customers but even employees. I feel like all rules are for the benefit for the one driving them and not for an employees' convenience. 3 years back when I had joined my company, I was shocked to see there was no parking. There was limited parking which was given to the higher management. This is true for most companies but in my previous organization there was an alternate arrangement. I had called the admin guy in the HO and told him my problem. His reply; "Thats the way it is"...
Me: But... but... where do I park my car?
Him: Not my problem
Me: How am I supposed to come to office?
Him: Not my problem
Not kidding. I parked in the nearby mall and paid 100 bucks per day. I also spent lesser time in office- 5 days in a month.
But, I am digressing.
Here are a few instances where in tough dealing got me a good deal- monetary and non monetary:

• So, I bought a Honda Brio. It struck 1000 km mark last night and I have to get it serviced. On calling the workshop I was told charges for pick up and drop service are 150 bucks. Menial amount except I have never paid for this service at Maruti. Yes, the workshop is behind my office... yet... I called another workshop which has mentioned on their website that they give this service free. Guess what? I was told the same charges. Bugged and determined to get it free, I mentioned the website. 

The lady on the phone said- I need to ask the manager. Why don't you give me your address till then?
 Me- Nope... first confirm its free and then I will give any further details. 
Her- But we charge for it
Me- Then why does it say "free" on the website. I wont pay for it
(Calls back in 5 mins)
Her- Ok, we will not charge
Yoohooo

• In 2009, all the employees were given Bose Wave Player as gifts for meeting sales targets. BWP is basically a portal CD/Ipod/FM player. Its an ok device... not something I would spend money on. Many employees sold it off but I kept it as memento.. after all, it is Bose. I can count the no of times I have played it. Problem is it plays only original CDs and I do not believe in paying for something I can get free online. Anyway, during the shifting the remote was misplaced. KC and I searched... and searched... and then gave up. At the showroom, I was asked to contact customer care to buy a new remote. The spares are not sold in shops. I found that convenient... after making the payment I waited to receive the delivery. 2 days later, Bose called to tell me my IP address does not "match" and so payment will not go through. I called the credit card company... they said Bose has not claimed for it and so payment has not been done. I cancelled the transaction and paid from a different credit card. Same problem happened. I may not be a technical genius but I get by. I have never heard of "IP address not matching". I told Bose guys the same thing. The problem is at their end... I just want the damned remote. The guy on the phone was very condescending. 

Me: I just want the remote soon... I don't have time to waste. There is no such thing as IP address matching while making an online payment

Him: I am sorry but those are our rules and policies

Me: What is the other option? Can you send it to a showroom in Gurgaon?

Him: No... but you can come to our workshop near IIT and buy it there

Me: No ways.... I am not going through so much trouble

Pissed, I sent a stinker to customer care telling them I am selling off the player. Who cares about a shitty remote? 2 days later, my payment had gone through automatically and the remote was in my hands. 

I am never buying anything from Bose again. It maybe an expert in music players but I can do without this kind of attitude. 

Being tough with companies works most of the time. 

• There is a popular market near my house. Getting a parking is a big problem in the evenings. Sometimes I have to take 2 rounds to find some space. A lot of times, people park on the road even though there is space. Basically, they do park in the space and block it off for anyone else. Its a pain... also, arrogant (people here are filled with that emotion) and insensitive. I am ok with drivers doing that 'coz they are in the car and will move whenever you ask them to. But a lot of people park and leave. I came across the same thing today. Thankfully, the guy was in the car itself but my honking did not have any effect. I rolled down the windows and asked him to move the damn car.

Him: I have parked

Me: On the road? This is no place to park. Move your car so I can park inside

Finally, he moved and then stopped right in front of the market gate. What morons. 

• I used to shop in Spencers... they have the whole range and take Sodexo vouchers. But twice they billed me incorrectly and now I prefer the local outlet across the road. On confronting the cashier, he offered me a credit note. Unbelievable... first they over charge and then refuse to return my money

Me: I want my money back

Him: My system does not allow me to give refund. I will give you a credit note

Me: You have opened the bags... removed all the groceries... checked them twice... wasted 10 mins and want to give a credit note? I don't give a shit about YOUR system... according to MY system, you have to return my money. Call your manager now. 

They returned my money and I have never shopped there again. No such hassles at the local outlet- they bill correctly, any mistakes are promptly corrected, they carry bags to my car and give me home delivery. I don't care if they are not giving me extra discounts.

And then there are incidences where I know I am not going to win:

Airtel sucks... When we shifted to Gurgaon I had called the Airtel guy for a broadband connection. He promptly turned up on Saturday and committed to give the connection on Monday. I was joining work from Tuesday and wanted to get it over with before then. On Monday, he tells me that the process has not been completed and the connection will come on Tuesday. I asked him to fuck off and called the local cable guy. The internet was installed by evening. The Airtel guys kept following up for sometime. They did not even return the initial amount paid and I didn't bother. I know I am never going to get it back. 

When we shifted to the new flat the Airtel DTH connection had to be moved. After numerous calls directly to the franchise the engineer turned up. Our building has changed the rules. The wires have to be installed from inside and not outside since painting work is going to begin.It is a 2-3 hours job. The engineer did not want to do it... normally, installation takes half hour. After wasting 2 hours he left with promises of coming the next day. Same thing happened again. I had to bear the tantrums and rude behavior. None of them wanted to make the extra effort. They asked me to get an electrician to do all the work and pay the engineer only for connecting wires. I refused. Why should I pay 2 people for the work of one? The engineer refused to install. I asked him to screw off and got the local cable connection. Now, I am receiving calls asking me to recharge the DTH. I have given them my choicest abuses... I am supposed to recharge a DTH which has not been connected? Also, the franchise manager told Airtel that there is no connection in the building and so they cannot install it. Airtel did not even cross check if other flats have Airtel or not. Such buggers.

Being a consumer is tough. We have to be on our guard and wary about everything... the bigger the brand name... the worse we are treated. With all the hue and cry about modern retail boom, I don't think they can match up to the local guys... ever... atleast in India. 

Cheers to I, Me, Myself

Hey... I couldn't blog this weekend but I was busy getting KC to file his IT returns. Nope, it ain't done and I cannot post mine without his. Ok, I can and I will if he does not finish by this weekend...
Filing IT returns online is so convenient. The company accounts guy had introduced me to it in the 2nd year of my job and I have done it myself since. I also managed to get my IT refund 6 months back. Those guys are helpful... I just had to visit thrice. On the 3rd visit, they asked me to get address proof and then only the cheque would be handed over. It would have taken me 30 mins to make the trip home and bring the documents but I was bugged. I asked the relevance of address proof. How is the refund related to where I stay? My address could be the streets, why does it matter to them? The guy finally relented and gave me my cheque. But it was not as much of a hassle as I expected it to be.
I am addicted to 'Outsourced' these days. The serial is about an American guy sent to India to run a call centre. It comes on Zee Cafe after 11 pm and is hilarious. Do watch it.
I was talking to my sis last night and said to her; "If we look after our ownself somebody else does not have to worry". I am a strong believer in "I, me and myself". My first priority is keeping myself happy. Only when I am in the happy frame of mind can I think about anyone else. Over the years I have realized that the only one to fight my battles is me... its like Kareena says in Jab We Met "Main apne sabsi favorite hoon". If only we could all think like this. Call me selfish/self centered, this philosophy has kept me sane.
First I think about myself and once those interests are taken care of, I think about anyone else.

And cheers to that.

Next posts coming- New Car and "Being a Woman sucks"....

Sale... Sale... Sale

It is that time of the year again... sale time and if you don't buy now, you will have to wait till next Jan.
I take full advantage of sales 'coz paying full money later does not make sense. Also, I am able to afford high street brands during sale. Below is my view and pointers on the sale at various stores:

• Mango: I hate this outlet during sale... On a normal day, I cannot afford it and during the sale I get to see all kinds of crap... crap that have not been here during the year. Its like they bring back stuff from Sarojini Nagar and sell it at higher prices. I hate the merchandising... everything is cluttered and if someone is not careful they could end up buying damaged clothes. I always avoid entering this store during a sale. It makes Reliance Trends look classy.
• Zara: I always look forward to this sale. In Jan, I visited 2-3 stores and purchased as much as I could.... have not regretted that. I was reading online how sales have started around the world and there was a rumour that the sale started on 1st July'12. I actually went on 2nd to check it out but there was no sale... it started last Friday. It was too crowded over the weekend and I could barely check out stuff.... the 2nd visit was on a weekday and I picked up jeans and tees. I wanted white tees with a different cut and style. There was a nice dress also but I did not buy it. Most of the stuff has been sold off. I may visit the Vasant Kunj/Saket store tomorrow. Good stuff but still pricey. Only tees are priced at 1000 bucks... the cheapest jeans are 1800 bucks... and dresses are above 2k. I have been a blazer for months and had decided to buy it during the sale.... the discount was a measly 600 bucks... unaffordable even in sale. 
• Promod: I love this store during a sale. I do not purchase on a regular day 'coz it is pricey- nothing below 2400 bucks. But during the sale, its great. In Jan, the leftovers were further marked down 2 weeks into the sale. I managed to buy stuff for even 500 bucks marked down from 2000 bucks. Of course, it also means that an item bought at a higher price maybe available a week later at further discount. I must have visited this store atleast 3-4 times in Jan. This time I picked up a tunic, top, baggy jeans, a bag and blazer. The blazer was a steal... it is exactly the same as Zara but half the price. I wanted a bright color but it was available in lime yellow and brown. I picked up yellow... red/pink would have been most preferable... but... beggars cannot be choosers
• Esprit: The sign outside says 60% off... I could not find anything at that price. Everything is so damn pricey... I never buy from here anymore. 
• Inglot: I rushed to the store on Saturday night only to realize that the sale is running online only. Buy 3 eyeshadows at Rs 1250, 25% off on foundation/concealer, buy 3 sleep lip gloss at Rs 1250 and Buy 3 nail paints at Rs 1650. Here:  http://www.majorbrands.in/cosmetics.html
• La Senza: They generally have a sale - Buy 3 for "X" amount... I purchased my yearly quota of lingerie . Each piece costs me atleast 600-700 bucks of a premium brand in a regular store... in the sale I purchased 3 for 2k which works out to the same amount but is of La Senza. 
• Allen Solly/Van Heusen: Have not yet checked these out but they are on my list this weekend. I love their clothes... but their dresses are pricey. 

So, please make the most of the sales. It is like a treasure hunt. 

The light in the darkness

The entire week has been very, very hectic and horrible. I had work which lasted till late... then maybe the gym... the rehearsal... and then coming back to a tension filled home. Everything added to the stress... I have not eaten or slept properly in days. This has never happened to me... nothing makes me lose my appetite but thats fodder for another post.
This post is about the good thing that happened... the Summer Workshop. I was very, very excited. On Thursday we had a rehearsal and it was good. On Sunday I left early for the workshop, reached an hour early and decided to watch the earlier show to kill time. Thankfully, I had a pass and entry was easy peasy. I managed to catch the last half hour of the show and was zapped. There was a hip hop routine by the Delhi and Mumbai senior students and it was so so so so fabulous. The energy was leaping off the stage. It felt like I was watching 'So you think you can dance'... and since I am a regular viewer of the show, I know what I am talking about.
All of us were super duper excited for the show. In the winter, the show was in SiriFort where all the batches were separated and made to sit in different rooms above the auditorium... it was quite boring. Talkatora stadium is much better... we were sitting in front of the audience. There was a huge barrier or backdrop between the audience and us. If we moved to the extreme left, we could actually catch glimpses of the dance. During the final rehearsal I messed up a step or two and wanted to hit myself. After weeks of practicing, I should have had it right by now. I wished there had been time/privacy to practice at home. I was determined to get it right and perfect in the show. I kept revising the steps in my mind.
Another good thing about the workshop is the opportunity to make friends/acquaintances. During regular class, there is no time to interact with others unless someone already knows them beforehand. Most of my batch mates are in school... there are 4-5 of us who are above 25. I got to know 2-3 people a little... we even exchanged nos and helped each other with food, clothes and safety pins.
This time, the workshop was different. There were students from Mumbai who joined Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon batches. There were professional level performances between our amateur performances. The whole program was divided into themes- street dance, modern, contemporary, ballet, Jazz and musical. I loved it. I don't know about the audience... maybe most of them just wanted to watch their kids perform and had no interest in the rest. I loved watching the professional performances... imagine watching something on TV and then seeing something better in front of you. It also showed us that the sky is the limit.... whether we choose to reach out or not is upto us.
Coming to my performance, I did not mess up even once and wanted to scream once we were done. I was huffing and puffing once off the stage. I wondered how did the seniors perform 4-5 pieces.

And also for the first time, I drove alone at night from Delhi to Gurgaon. I generally drag KC along incase I have to go somewhere late and he obliges. I will not be taking such a risk regularly but am a little more confident. Yes- Delhi is unsafe but that should not and does not stop women from venturing out late at night. 

Midnight Drink

Hiya. Tonight is the only time I have been able to spend by myself in a week and I feel so relieved. Am having wine after a really long time.

Sometimes, it is nice to be up late, alone, drinking and watching a movie. 

It is so important to spend time with myself. I am used to also. My job has made me self sufficient. Sure, being alone for long periods of time without any support or company can suck but it is important to like your ownself and enjoy your company. When I even remotely mention it to normal, regular people (unlike us... they do not read blogs and lead a normal life in every sense of the word), they are shocked. Someone who is not comfortable with rules of society??? Thats not normal. 

I am watching Omkara. I have watched it many times and love it. I finished reading 'Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief' written by Stephen Alter (Tom Alter's brother). He has followed the movie (Omkara) from conception to release. Reading about it made me want to watch it again.

Ciao... Enjoy your Saturday night.

Tomorrow is the workshop and I am excited. 

Jhumroo

I have avoided going to Kingdom of Dreams for 2 reasons:

• Bad reviews online
• Expensive. Ticket prices begin at Rs 1000 on weekends

Jhumroo is a new show... Zangroo is the other one. My instructors at Danceworx are performing in Jhumroo and have been urging us to watch it. KC was not too interested and since he is not home this weekend, I asked a friend (from engineering college and also in Danceworx) to accompany me. We booked the cheapest tickets and R- the friend brought his friend along. This lady is also from the engineering college and had come to Gurgaon for a day... what a coincidence. 

The lead actors are Gaurav Gera (Jassi's friend in Jassi jaisi koi nahin) and Shweta Gulati (Tia from Remix). I like both of them. The show is a musical with Kishore Kumar songs. The story line is similar to Padosan but in a modern setting. Bhola (Gaurav) cannot sing but thinks he can... he is very naive and most people tend to walk all over him. He is trying to woo Mina (Shweta) who is a fan of India's Super Singer show. One fine day, Kishore Kumar's soul enters his body and he starts singing. He participates in the contest, wins Mina's hand... till the truth comes out and he is screwed.
Damn good.... the songs are amazing... the lighting is out of this world.... the whole setting and arrangement is too good. It almost feels like Broadway (have not been there but thats how I imagine it would be). The show is 2.5 hours long and worth every penny spent. In fact, next time I will spend more and get better seats.
The best were my instructors- Stan and Naren. Stan was the previous instructor who stopped taking Sunday classes for Jhumroo. I found the classes extremely difficult... he is a ball of energy... and really pushed us beyond our limits. I joined Naren's classes in May and then had to switch to the workshop which is taught by Anson. All the instructors are experts at Jazz which involves a lot of technique. Imagine ballet and then imagine a funky form of ballet, thats Jazz. Pointed feet.... straight hands... straight legs... Jazz walk... turned out... parallel feet... shimmie... pirouette... everything has to be thrown out of the window for a Bollywood dance... and even then these guys are amazing. They have so much energy and fun. I could not take my eyes off them.
Whenever we watch shows... we only focus on the main leads... I have started noticing the people performing behind them 'coz for me they are the heroes.
Worth a watch. Please come to Gurgaon only to witness these shows.
After the show we went to Culture Gully for dinner. The ceiling is lit like a sky and it feels like it is day. Beautiful. There are shops with cuisines from all over the country- Assam, Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra etc. I had Pau Bhaji and it actually tasted good. Not pricey at all. The PB cost me 130 bucks which is like nothing in Gurgaon.
It was a fun night. 

Movies...

I have watched a few movies but not blogged about it (laziness?)

• Shanghai: I was excited about the flick... Dibakar and Abhay. Everyone would have watched the movie by now so I will not get into the story. I liked the fact that it is based on reality... thats how politics works. It has not been given a happy ending as a compromise. It is not as exciting as it could have been... the end was predictable. Nevertheless, a good effort. 
• Madagascar 3: Watched it few weeks back. It was good but the magic of Madagascar was missing. It felt like a usual cartoon movie with a lesson in the end. Avoid. 
• Ferrari ki Swaari: I was excited about watching this one since the reviews are good and I like Sharman Joshi. Pathetic. All Sharman did was smile or cry. An overtly emotional Bollywood movie. But what was I expecting? It has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani. He is revered in the movie industry but I did not like his Munnabhai movies... they were too emotional. I had walked out mid way from the theater while watching the first part. Avoidable. 
• Brave: Last weekend we could not get tickets for Gangs of Wasseypur and decided to watch Brave. A really good flick. Loved it. 
• Gangs of Wasseypur: I have been hearing about the movie for a long time now and looked forward to watching it. I generally read reviews on rediff.com. I find them more reliable. I want to quote a few lines in the review:
•  The film never recovers from the unforgivably tedious first half-hour, and despite many laudable moments and nifty touches, never quite engages. This is partly because of every Indian filmmaker's befuddling desire to borrow plot-points from The Godfather whenever dealing with crime families, but mostly because Kashyap is defiant in his self-indulgence, piling on more and more when less could have done the job more efficiently. 
  
  He wouldn't have made a good hitman, clearly; Kashyap is a kingpin.
  
  It must here be remembered that mob bosses, at least the ones Hindi cinema have accustomed us to over the years, have hardly been an efficient lot. They growl orders, surround themselves by those applauding their every maniacal move, and, intoxicated by their own bluster, proceed to boast about their convoluted plot to the protagonist, resulting in their climactic downfall. It is this look-what-I-did windbaggery that constantly weighs down Wasseypur, a highly competent and occasionally enjoyable product, and keeps it from soaring like it should have.
• As you can imagine, there's a fair bit of Prakash Mehra [ Images ] and vintage Yash Chopra [ Images ] running through this film's veins, and while Kashyap doffs his hat to each of the directors in style, his film tries too hard to be more: more than just an actioner, more than just a drama, more even than a bloodied saga. This overreaching desire to be an Epic makes it a film that, despite some genuinely stunning individual pieces, fails to come together as a whole. There is much to treasure, but there is more to decry.
  
  Entire sequences that could be compressed into clever throwaway lines are staged in grand, time-consuming detail; while genuinely sharp lines are often repeated, as if too good to use just once. The characters are a wild, fantastical bunch of oddballs and trigger-happy loons, but attempting to do each fascinating freak justice with meaty chunks of screen-time may not even be film's job. Wasseypur may have worked better as a long and intriguing television series, one deserving a spin-off movie only after six seasons. Here it feels too linear, and even too predictable: scenes themselves often surprise, even delight, but the narrative is cumbersome and unexciting. And, as said before, Godfatherly. 
• http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-the-boring-gangs-of-wasseypur/20120622.htm

I did not understand the review. It felt like someone was going out of his way to malign the movie. There are a lot of big words... too much imagery. A person reading movie reviews only wants to know if the movie is good or not. Period. 

Anyway, the other reviews were good... so we watched it. I have seen Kashyap's "No Smoking"... "The girl in the yellow boots"... which are his worst movies (my opinion)... but they are still better than most Bollywood flicks. They are different... they bring a different experience. 

We decided to try the PVR gold class.... an indulgence, albeit an unnecessary one. 

The movie is good... the story is not new... but the setting, background and events are real. It could have easily been shorter. The first part introduces Manoj Bajpai's father and how he dies. That could have been cut short to 1-2 scenes. But after that, it is good. I like the fact that there are many new faces... and some we have seen here and there. Also liked the narrator... thank god, it has not been done by Amitabh/Shah Rukh. There are so many actors who are good orators... why only rely on Amitabh?

I am looking forward to the second part.

As for the gold class experience, it was ok. The tickets are priced at Rs 750 and include a recliner leather seat and welcome drink. Nothing great. We have a similar couch at home. An unnecessary indulgence.