Just a Coincidence?

A few days ago I saw an article titled 'Identity Redefined' with a tagline going as 'Re-branding seems to be the new mantra for telcos to make their presence felt'. It was the latest, November 2007 issue of a magazine called 'Voice and Data' from the CIOL group. I was interested seeing an article on a subject I have also written on.

I had written my article 'Changing Colors of Mobile Telephony' on almost the same subject in September this year. So interested, I took up the magazine and started reading. But there was something more in store for me. As i saw the picture they had used, can't tell whether I was surprised or shocked. The picture they had used was exactly the same as the one I had used in my article, in which the Hutch dog asks, 'Will they paint me red?'.

Think it should be a coincidence, but no big deal if somebody is inspired by my blog to write the article. In that case I should be happy that people are reading, but I was simultaneously sad that there are people who are paying so much to read the same thing I have provided here. (The magazine costs Rs 50 per issue and you can't even read the article online until you're a registered member)

Anyways, all I can do for now is wonder if the similarity of article and picture are a result of some guy copying from the net or is just a coincidence?

Harshit.

Will My Candidiate win this time?

It was the Indian Idol (first one), when the series started. I supported Amit Sana. Cause according to me, he sang better than Abhijeet Sawant. And Amit lost.

Then I happened to support Karunya from the very first time I saw him, in his piano round. Because generally I don't get to see all these shows in the hostels. I find wherever its possible to find them, though. The guy reached the finals. But lost there to some Sandeep Acharya who hasn't probably sung a single song in a movie.

Then there were two shows going parallel. In fact three, of which, the two ended earlier. The two were Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and the Indian Idol 3. I loved Saregamapa and was a Big Fan of Amanat since the day I heard his Mitwaa, though I had liked many of his songs earlier also. But Mitwaa he sang had a real substance in it. It was one song that I found better than the original, and surprisingly for me, Farha Khan also said the same. Though I am not a fan of hers, when she said so, I liked it of course.

But as it goes, Amanat also lost.

And on the other end, there was a winner called Prashant in the Indian Idol 3, the guy I expected to be out in the second round. Just because at that time he was not at all doing what others were doing, prepare. The guy was simply tensed, having problems with his partner.

Emon, the guy I hoped would be out soon, as all my favorites were, was out as the 2nd runner up.

Now starts the story of the Voice of India. I never used to watch the show, as I used to see Saregamapa even if I got some chance to find TV in the hostel. But one day, when I was in Bangalore at my cousin's home, while surfing channels, I just liked a Sardar guy singing a song beautifully. I simply loved the way he sang. I don't remember the song, but from that time I kept some track of the VoI too, though I lost track more than I kept it.

Finally, it was the time of final when I came to know that the Sardar guy, Ishmeet, was in the finals. I was happy that I wasn't wrong in thinking the guy was great. Then I found the other guy in the finals was Harshit.

Oops! Harshit!!

Well, I liked the way he sang, but not that much. Most of the times Harshit sang and I saw, I felt he took some time to pick up the soul of the song, noticed for the first time in Hare Krishna Hare Raam. And then, he looked playing tricks at times. Eventually, I didn't like the guy and kept on to Ishmeet only, as he has been singing really good since the first day I thought.

And then, yesterday I saw the current results, before every break, which came as:

South zone: Harshit 73%, Ishmeet 27%,
West zone: Harshit 70+, Ishmeet 20+, (forgot exact figures)
East zone: Harshit 70%, Ishmeet 30%,

So after three breaks, I was sure my candidate is going to lose again, until I found the power of north. The North zone figures said, Harshit 40% and Ishmeet 60%. Adding up to a final figure of 49% for Harshit and 51% for Ishmeet.

First of all, it was surprising to see that North's difference of 20% was able to cover up all the 40+ %age difference of the rest of India.

Secondly, it will be surprising if a candidate I support wins.

I hope, this time.....

Bomb Blasts! Again.

LUCKNOW: Bomb blast occurred in Faizabad, Varanasi and Lucknow area here on Friday. A blast occurred in the Varanasi Cantonment area. Another blast outside the Civil courts in Lucknow. The blasts occurred within five minutes of each other. Around six people are reported injured. Around seven lawyers have been injured in the blast outside the Faziabad Civil court. One lawyer is reportedly dead. [From: Multiple blasts in Uttar Pradesh, 23 Nov 2007, 1327 hrs IST,INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK]

From Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh, no place is safe it seems. It was Mumbai in 1993 that hit the worst, and since then, it has been hitting, time to time. Be it October 2005 New Delhi blasts killing more than 50, July 2006 blasts in Mumbai again, August 2007 Hyderabad blasts killing more than 40 people, or October 2007 in Ajmer, every bomb blast has made clear how unsafe we are. Whenever we are out on the road, in any town or city, we can be a target of terrorists. It can be a cinema hall, an amusement park, a Dargah, a temple or a mosque, a train, or even a government office.

And I really wonder if we can do anything about it. A cycle is there in a court premises and suddenly a blast is there and the lawyers say the police should have been there earlier. But it doesn't look like anybody could really do a thing about it.

Of course, Rahul Gandhi was saved from kidnappers as it was claimed. But I do not think we shall be able to see our country planning in way such that we can save our public also.

Seems that we can only hope. Hope that the next bomb blast doesn't take place in our neighbourhood or in our town, our city, and if possible, our country. Just hope.

Hopes. To hell and back!

It was heart breaking. I had expected a lot from No Smoking and Saanwariya. But it so happened that I did not go to watch No Smoking. So many people talking bad of the movie. And then it was the Diwali surprise. In fact a Diwali shock. Saanwariya. My first 'first day first show' in life. And the way it went, all I could do was suggest my friends not to go for Saanwariya, who eventually did, and came back during the interval.

Well, that happens. Because after fifteen days I got a chance to sit in front of the Idiot box with the remote in my hand. And I was again in the same world. I was in hopes again. With some things looking promising and some interesting.

Let's see what all it was.

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. The first thing that's coming. Hope a good movie if not exceptional. Billo Rani is already looking beautiful in the promos of the movie. The soundtrack is a typical Pritam mostly. The song Ishq ka Kalma is simply an extension of Bhool Bhulaiyya's Hare Krishna hare raam and must be a hit.

Aaja Nachle. The comeback of Madhuri. And a worth watch cast of Kunal Kapoor, Ranveer Shorey, Konkona Sen Sharma and Yashpal Sharma. The songs are pretty good. The Title track with its better version (reprise as they call it) and Soniye mil ja are worth listening.

Taare Zameen Par. The much awaited debut of Aamir Khan as a director. Not that Aamir had made some announcement years back or something. But the fans of Aamir Khan, who are of the belief that Aamir Khan makes directors (actually said in comparison with SRK who works for big name directors), had been waiting for the Khan to direct a movie. And now that its coming, its really seems so that Taare Zameen Par is gonna be a great movie. Let us wait for December 21st.

Khoya Khoya Chand. Not a hit to hope for. Even the songs are not going to be hit as much as I heard. But the movie should have some stuff, hopefully.

Dus Kahaniyaan. A collection of 10 short stories which will hopefully be worth a watch. the movie is directed by 6 directors, a record in the indian film industry I hope. The promos of the movie hardly show anything but still look good.

And then comes the hit of the year, as far as I can see. WELCOME of Akshay kumar, his yet another flick with Katerina Kaif. The cast goes Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Firoz Khan, and finally, Mallika Sherawat. The Nadiadwala movie seems to be all ready to be a hit at the box office. Songs are good with Anand Raj Anand doing all music-lyrics-singing work.

And then we shall be seeing Atul Kulkarni-Rituparna Sengupta's Gauri, a probably flop Akbar Jodha of Ashutosh Gowarikar, and a lot more. Just in the hope they are good.

Harshit

This Diwali No Blasts...

Saanwariya. One of the longest movies of I've seen. I mean, I was waiting for the movie to end at times. Actually it was about expectations. I liked the movie in many places but I do not think many will like it. I could even listen to people saying, "Why did he make such a movie?", followed by, "Why did he Make the movie at all?". As I came out I suggested people to go for Om Shanti Om. And came to know that Om Shanti Om was also a fused bomb. So, with two blockbusters going down, this diwali even the film industry is not interested in crackers it seems.

Well, Saanwariya was a huge disappointment to be true. It was just a play, going on in some unknown place, at some unknown point of time. Just with the beauties of cinematography and music. But how long can a movie go on them? Even on the few beautiful scenes the director has filmed? The movie lacks a solid story. Or maybe its something I do not understand, in terms of moviemaking. But one thing is for sure. Saanwariya comes as the weakest SLB movies till date and there is no justice done to the big names associated to the movie.

The only good thing coming out of the movie is Ranbir. Named Ranbir Raj in the movie, Ranbir enacts Raj (Kapoor) at times in the movie, and seems to be breaking into the Hritik Roshan market very soon. Even the voice seems so similar. And the guy is a great dancer and actor, besides the looks that were of course clear from much earlier.

Monty's music has been of great quality but doesn't show much new except the title song which is as good in the movie as it was when u heard it for the first time. The half sung Saanwariya in the start tells that the movie awaits another rendering of the song and it is superb when it comes.

Anyways, when it comes to recommendation, I'd suggest u better wait for some more time, maybe Madhuri's Nachle brings some kick, or Goal makes u dance. Currently, Taare Zameen Par looks somewhat fresh and promising. Akbar-Jodha seems to be yet another flop as Hritik doesn't look very good as Akbar.

Filhaal, Saanwariya is over. And the exams are about to start for me.

Harshit Gupta