Monster Vs Aliens

I have been gone too long but more on that later. This bloody strike has screwed up my movie watching experience. I have not watched a movie for a month.
Bugged and bored, KC and I headed for this movie...
It is a fab movie... very funny.... the 3D experience adds to the fun.
Very watchable.

PS: Love the recent Airtel and Vodafone ads... airtel with Vidya Balan and Maddy... Vodafone about the VAS

Reality Shows

I was watching 'America's next top model' today. I think Reality shows are the best thing to happen to TV after Ekta Kapoor. No.. no... I do not watch Kkkkk serials but know a lot of women and young nubile girls who get their home science education through them (a very scary thought for the men).

The other MTV Wassup (amazing advertising by Pepsico) surveyed youngsters and asked them whether politics, bitching, cat/dog fights, abuses on reality shows are representative of today's generation. Everyone's answer was positive.
The pressure that youngsters have to go through... top grades, well dressed, popular among opposite sex, talented... whew!!! The list is endless. Gone are the days when men only had to get good jobs and women husbands with good jobs. Life is much more tough now... we want it all (I am including myself in youngsters)... good jobs (well paying, good profile, good location), good hubbies (with good jobs, good companions who are madly in love with us), good lifestyle (nice house with maid, coffee at 5 star hotels, luxurious vacations, stints abroad). The competition is killing. Succeeding solely on merit is impossible now... PR is more important.

Coming back to reality shows... they are super duper time pass and have it all.... good looking men and women, loads of abuses, dumb tasks, bitchiness, skimpy clothes. Fultoo entertainment.

Roadies is quite good. I hate Palak... there is a community if facebook dedicated to her called 'I hate Palak'. Palaumi is cute with her obsession for make up. I was sad when Sufi left.
Splitsvilla is fun... I didn't watch the 1st season and don't miss even one episode now. It helps that the repeat is telecast everyday. I like Joanna... and I am waiting for the next episode when Mohit cheats on her with Sakshi. More entertainment.
America's top model is good too. Who said modelling is only about looking good? It is about the right attitude, confidence, good body, glowing skin, correct posture and lots more.
Big Boss was sad without Rakhi Sawant... The love triangle of Payal, Monica and Rahul was not spicy enuogh.
I tried watching the shows on Real but they were quite dull. Raghu is diluting his image by hosting them.

Any other good reality shows?

Train train ki kahani

On Monday I was rushing to catch my train from Mumbai to Rajkot. For 15 mins I could not find an auto from Goregoan to take me to Borivali. It was peak traffic time and I was afraid if I didn't find an auto/taxi soon I would miss my train. Finally, I spotted some taxiwalas chatting... I requested one of them to drop me to the station. He obliged but demanded double charge. I gave in... there was no option. While speeding through the traffic (if THAT is possible), I dialed the hotel's no to book a room for the next day. They didn't have any vacant rooms since it is wedding season (hate wedding seasons). I asked them to contact other hotels and get me a room. In the meantime, I dialed the no of the best hotel in Rajkot which is always booked and I had not managed to get a room ever. I was in luck... they had rooms vacant. I looked at the watch and prayed the train was late for once. The taxi dropped me at the station 10 mins late. I had given up all hope and didn't care where he dropped me... the train would have left. Balancing my luggage I reached the station... miracle!!!... the train was there. I jumped into the nearest compartment as the train pulled out.

It was a strange experience... I felt like 2 opposing forces were playing. One force tried to put obstacles in my way and another one was sorting out everything. It was a strange feeling.

If God was a banker... we would all be broke

This is book is by some Ravi Subramanian who is a hot shot in the corporate world.
It is about 2 men- Sundeep and Swami who join a bank as MTs... they go through ups and downs in their career and lives... Sundeep is scheming, immoral guy who shoots to the top using wrong means while Swami is a sensible, conservative guy who reaches the top using the correct methods.
The book does give an insight into corporate life... the pressures, pretty women, sexual harrassment, promotions etc... it covers the dull and the scandalous.
But... it reads like a child has written it... I don't know how to describe it... it reads like a short story instead of a novel... there is too much happening too soon.
Totally avoid. Reading books by such authors I am so tempted to write one myself. Hmmm... I think I should.

Shopping... with men or women???

Some differences between shopping with men and women:

• Women treat shopping as a relaxation technique... men treat it as a chore.
  
• A woman will be excited as soon as she enters a shop... a man will turn glumer and glumer as he nears the shops
• Women will pick up every outfit that looks appealing, try them all on and then decide which one to buy. Sometimes the best looking outfit may not look as good... a lady may either heave a sigh of relief at the thought of money saved by not buying it... or feel disappointed and blame her body. A man picks up an outfit only if he really likes it and is sure about buying it... he will try it on and buy it. So simple and straight forward.
• A woman will look at ten other things- shoes, bags, cosmetics etc even if she has no intention of buying it... a man will only visit that section which stock his preferences.
  
• A woman needs to know the partner's opinion on her trials--- does it look ok? does her butt look too big? does she look fat? can she wear it on so-and-so occasion? All a man needs to know is should he buy it or not?

What do you prefer.. shopping with men or women???

Data Overload

Yesterday I went to the gym a little late... women don't generally come at that hour. It was me, 2 other men and 1 instructor. I hate working out with only men around for below reasons:

• They always put on the sports channel even if they are not watching it. What is it with men and sports? Anything in moderation is fine... but this is too much. It is as if some of them have to prove they are "men" and sports is the way to do it
• They play bad music... the reason for this one I cannot fathom. It is ok to like soft, nice music... you don't have to listen to hard rock and weird stuff to prove you are macho
• They stink... it is all the hair on their body. I don't get it... women go out of their way to look hairless but men like to flaunt their hair. Any suggestion of shaving it off is met with a blasphemous look. C'mon... even Bollywood men have started flaunting shaved chests.
  

I was reading a post here and started thinking...

You know it is time to dump the guy when:

• He stops responding to you... phone calls go un-returned... dates are canceled... every effort to be with you seems like an effort on his part.... face it, he has lost interest... he is there for the sex only (maybe)
  
• He spends more time grooming himself than you do... The guy should not be more good-looking than you.. never break this cardinal rule
  
• He talks too much about work... finance guys tend to bore all the time with details about crap nobody cares about
• He talks sports despite knowing your total indifference towards it.... shows he is self centered
  
• He criticizes you all the time... run, if your relationship has reached this stage
• He thinks you are damaged goods... kick him where it hurts before stalking off
• He does not have any friends... something is terribly wrong with me
  
• He is not talking/hinting commitment after a year of dating... he never will
• He is too ambitious... you may get lost at the bottom of the list of things he wants to own
• He is Mama's boy and has never moved his ass off the couch to do any housework... thats just not acceptable anymore
  
• He still sleeps with his teddy bear... this is cute if you are a girl
  
• He borrows money all the time... even to buy his cigarettes

Ciao... got to sleep.

Maqbool

I caught this flick on VCD last night. It is an adaptation of 'Macbeth'... a wonderful story... adapted wonderfully. The characters are well etched... and the actors- Tabu, Irrfan, Pankaj, Om Puri, Nassiruddin are all fabulous. Tabu as Lady Macbeth who eggs Irffan to kill Pankaj Kapur is class apart.
Shakespeare is a wonderful story teller and not all the movie adaptations of his books do him justice.
Worth a watch... not once... but many fold.