Kesariya Balam

I am addicted to this song, from the soundtrack of Dor. The beat section with the Indian dholkis is AMAZING. It encapsulates the spirit of Rajasthan, ever so effortlessly.

Dor has a very curious storyline, and after an off-spinner like Iqbal gaining critical acclaim, it would be interesting to see what threads Nagesh weaves next.

In other news, Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay has me cattily eager to figure out what this man has up his sleeve. Especially with interviews like this one.

What's in a name?

A lot. Especially a surname. A lot of typical Indian surnames literally speak to you, and have a personality of their own.

Weak and tired surnames, (almost needy): Khanna, Das
Erudite and knowledgeable surnames: Roy, Trivedi
Surnames spelling confusion: Gupta, Dasgupta
Surnames spelling Elegance: Mehta, Mohan
Surnames that I can't spell: Chidambarambam, Kumaralinganma
Regal surnames: Rai, Rao .. and lets face it, Oberoi

Don't write me off, just yet!

Yes, I know. I did the disappearing act. I fell off the horizon of the Blogosphere. But it was all for a good cause. If you consider obsessive back-to-back pedicures to be a good cause. At least I'm keeping dem Chinese people happy, in contrast to them providing the happy endings.

So what have I missed while I was away. The blinking lights on my answering service tell me that there have been

• Shootouts and hostage situations at schools across the nation. (See I told you, education was bad!)
• Shrunken Well-endowed Starlets losing their sons to mysterious deaths, and then marrying their lawyer out of depression
• Musharraf on the Daily Show (UNREAL!)
• Celebrities appropriating nudity through mass parades (or was that a dream?)

Anyhow, basically - nothing's really changed, has it?

And we're on....

Keeping the Connection

If it wasn't for soundtracks like Omkara and upcoming Kukunoor's Dor, especially tracks like "Yeh Haunsla", the theme track and "Kesariya Balam", one would have very little hope for the survival of Folk/Classical Music, in the relative hip/hop-ization of Bollywood. Salim-Suleiman have brilliant composed these lilting melodies, and Shafquat "Mitwaa" Khan brings the house down with his flawless singing.

Check it out. That soundtrack is dynamite!

Twilight Blues...

Hui shaam unka khayaal aa gaya
Wohi zindagi ka sawaal aa gaya

Humein to yahi tha ghuroor,
Gham-ae-yaar hai hum se door,
Wohi gham jise hum ne kis kis jatan se,
Nikaala tha is dil se door,
Wo chalakar qayaamat ki chaal aa gaya
Hui shaam unka khayaal aa gaya

Switched at birth?

Diya Mirza and Alexis Bledel. I would think so. They both have that adorably small round face.

Mohe Rang De

Those in the market for a new home, rejoice! The Market slag is here, as sales have finally slowed down. Great time to buy. And before I sound like I'm marketing for realty, let me move to the crux of the situation.

Aamir Khan needs to erect a booth on Sunset Boulevard, or move to LA altogether, as it appears that only his films get to be India's Oscar entries. This year, its RDB. Wasn't too difficult a decision, as its opponents were (SRK imitation mode activated) k-k-k-Krrishh and k-k-k-KANK. Of course there was Omkara, but a Shakespeare adaptation is too familiar a territory to submit to the Academy, with nominees/winners like Laurence Olivier. Also, I'd like to see a Manga-flick actually make it up there.

In other news, New Yorkers craving home-cooked and piping hot desi food during the afternoon slump, to make us even more unproductive and respite with sloth, there's now a downtown Dabba service to have you finga-licking. Food's legit, one can never put a price tag on 'ghar ka khaana' and quality, especially when the management is the same as earthNYC. The business model works and when it comes to awesome desi food, IndianKitchen delivers - literally. Also, check out Indian Chinese.

Microleader

Apparently, its the new cussword at Goldman Sachs. How is it different from a micromanager, you ask? Well, a microleader is a manager/supervisor who wants to project himself as the leader/initiator/founder of every small concept/idea, rather than the overall authority. Basically, the kind of creep who doesn't want anyone but him to get credit for anything - regardless of how small or insignificant the issues are.

Alright alright alright.

Last one, I promise. This one is just so good! YES!!

Oriental Wisdom

Man, if this ad doesn't give you chills, I don't know what will.

The execution, the haunting piano theme, Sheer brilliance!!!!!



Dezined by MindShare Japan, baby!

Now THAT'S what I call a CAMPAIGN!



How Badass is that?

Wear your desi pride

Isn't that cool? More such maal at P's online store, Chaddis in a Twist(??), with his exclusive desi-gns. Don't think you get this stuff anywear. I know DesiWear had tried to do this, but they got too ghetto after a while. I like the ladkiwaale, ladkewaale range - can totally picture a whole wedding with the crew wearing this. That'd be hot!

My sincere request is for P to design a thong with the stars and stripes on it, and the words "Got Citizenship?". I know JUST the white girl(s) to give that to!! :-)

In other news, Bush is the devil. Chavez for President.

Great weekend, peeps!

Focal Chords

Checked out Anish Kapoor's new design, which he calls a "non-object". It was unveiled on September 19th, and faces Manhattan's Rockefeller Center, and quite like CloudGate at Millennium Park, Chicago, has a convex face which reflects street activity. 'Sky Mirror' once again outlines the Bombay-based artist's fascination for reflective art.

What's even more exciting is that Anish has been commissioned to design the 9/11 memorial at WTC.

The "All the world's a stage" Cafe

In other news, you know those typical people watching cafes that line New York. Like Digby's and Cafe Metro, where you have the table that faces the street. Isn't that curiously awkward? Kinda like all those walking the street are performing for you. You see people doing everyday tasks sauntering down the road, and then they spot one of these cafes with a row of people chomping away and inadvertently staring at them, and they become all proper. Random suited guy, who was formerly adjusting himself, suddenly gets conscious and pretends that he has lint on his pants which he's getting rid off. Woman on cell phone, re-aligns her posture. Its almost like your 3 and a half seconds of fame as you walk across that window.

Note to Starbucks: Too much caffeine, barista.

What's your Moniker?

A friend of mine from McKinsey has been invited to a fundraising dinner at the UN with Bill Clinton, and apparently is going to have a one-on-one with Bill. He sent out a query to us, asking us for the opening line that he should greet Billy Boy Hickcock with.

"Hey Bill. Do you miss the oral .. I mean .. oval office?"

Any others?

Another curious elevator freak finds the blog of their dreams

Only difference is he/she gets PAID for their curiosity.

IP Address: 192.249.47.# (United Technologies Research Center)

Continent : North America
Country : United States (Facts)
State : Connecticut
City : Newington

Referring URL: http://www.google.co...elevator&btnG=Search
Search Engine: google.com
Search Words: customer perception, elevator

I knew it! There are more elevator logisticists out there! Someone help me find my elevator buddy!

It says "press any key". But I can't find the ANY key!

Ah, Simple way to sum up global issues, innit? Whether its religious heads who need to lookup the word "repercussions" in their historical dictionary, or rebellious green veggies spreading sickness. Its an absolute 'no way out' in most cases. Interestingly enough, on one hand, the Pope called Islam satanic, and on the other hand, Chavez called Bush the devil. By which analogy (taking me back to the SAT days), Dubya is a radical closet Moslem with a red pointy tail.

In other news, I don't get this whole argument that people profess when they say that Americans are crass and cultureless. This is predominant amongst desis. Why? Americans are not cultureless. They just have a culture which is categorically different from ours. Their viewpoints, their inhibitions (or the lack of them) and their generic attitude is tangential to ours. But it would be near-fascist to say that they were cultureless, for chrissakes.

If Withers were in Goa...

kaise tere bin jeeyen
hai yeh saansein kis liye
hum pukaarein tera naam
kaise ab kate yeh shaam
tere bin, tere bin

kabhi kabhi humein hota nahin yakeen,
suraj ki roshni mein shaam dhal rahi,
raaton ke aad mein raat hai meri,
kya kahein, zindagi

This is Indian Sunrise.

And before you draw your sudden parallels to Anu Malik, let me just say that its not "inspired" .. its a tribute to genius.

Give her a hand!

Where are they now? Dhol Foundation: 'Healing with Turmeric' and 'Ek Din' (Big Drum, Small World) - unreal stuff!

In other news, sigh ....... what more can I say ... just read.

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (AP) -- A doctor has pleaded not guilty to stealing a hand from a New Jersey medical school cadaver and giving it to an exotic dancer, authorities said.

Ahmed Rashed, a 2005 graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, was charged Monday after voluntarily returning from Los Angeles, California, where he is in a residency program, said his lawyer, Hassen Abdellah.
Rashed, 26, is free on $1,000 bail.

Police discovered the hand, along with six human skulls, at Kay's home in July after being called there on a report that a roommate was suicidal. The roommate was not home, but Kay was.Kay, 31, has pleaded not guilty to unlawful disposal of human remains. Her mother has said she believed the skulls were bought from a mail order catalog.

The charge against Rashed carries up to 10 years in prison. The dancer, Linda Kay, kept the hand in a jar of formaldehyde in her bedroom. Friends have said she called the hand "Freddy."

My Life: The Soundtrack

Opening credits: The Story of O - Claude Challe & Ravin

Waking up: Wonderwall - Oasis (Unplugged)

Average day: Ayla - Nirwana

First date: Lover Lay Down - Dave Mathews Band (Unplugged)

Falling in love: In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel

Love scene: I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

Fight scene: Weapon of Choice - Fatboy Slim

Breaking up: Set Adrift on Memory Bliss - PM Dawn

Secret love: Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice

Life's okay: Lucky Man - The Verve

Losing a Friend/Lover: Don't Cry - Guns N' Roses

Mental breakdown: The Thin Line between Love and Hate - Iron Maiden

Driving: 9 PM - ATB

Learning a lesson: Ironic - Alanis Morissette (Unplugged)

Deep thought: Pay the Man (Guitar Solo) - Offspring

Flashback: Homelands - Nitin Sawhney

Exuberance: Release - Pearl Jam

Regreting: This Love - Maroon 5

Acceptance: Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Long night alone: One - U2

Death scene: Ni Sahiyeo Asan - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Nightsong, with Michael Brooks)

Closing credits: The Memory Remains (Metallica with the SF Philharmonic)

Tag all readers to put similar ones up on their blog. Makes for good reading and mental imaging :-)