Little Johnny wants to play

Y'know, if it hadn't been for the weather, a LOT of people would have struggled for conversation. And bloggers for content.

But this is a case of discontent.

First Delhi heats up like a veritable tandoor. The sun beats down mercilessly. Tempers rise. Water runs dry. Power cuts only add to the collective misery. Everybody prays for rain. The weatherman goes into overdrive and (without fail every year) announces - "the monsoon will be normal."

Then it clouds up. Dark clouds. Thunder. Stray bolts of lightning. Gusty wind. And a whole lot of dust that envelops the city just REFUSING to settle.

And finally, Hallelujah. It actually rains. Motorcyclists get drenched, pedestrians get stranded at bus stops and under trees. The earth smells amazing.

Everyone happy? Well, not quite!!

The pot holes fill up with water. And (horror of horrors) new ones materialise overnight. Traffic clogs up everywhere. The air is stickier than superglue (creative idea for Fevicol's next!?). The sweat doesn't flow - it just forms an irritatingly thin surface all over your skin and you end up sticking to anything you touch :(

Hot roadside pakoras or dal vadas and chai are the saving grace.

Winter is the only season which hints that God could be a Delhi-ite!

He's Good

Why can't people evaluate Abhishek Bachchan for the way he performs on screen? Why does Bachchan Sr have to creep into every comparison? The last few AB Jr movies I've caught have been real crackers - and Abhishek's perforance has been real good!

I refer to Dhoom, Bunty Aur Babli and Sarkar (missed out on Yuva and thankfully on Naach as well)

Incidentally, Abhishek Bachchan comes out tops in yet another role that sees him sporting a beard. Enjoyed him in Refugee way back in 2000.

Now waiting to catch Dus.

A bit on Sarkar. It was great that RGV dedicated this attempt to The Godfather at the very outset. He has this way of doing these things (remember that autorickshaw driver in Mast?). Abhishek is intense, there is minimal verbalising on his part. For that matter, the film dwells little on Big B's character that the title alludes to. There are other characters, incidents that bring out the power carried by Subhash Nagre. No songs, well done background score. Well worth the money (my first experience at Cinema Europa, Gurgaon. Yay!)

Noida

Finally broke the PVR/DT mould and hit Noida for an evening out yesterday.
Wave is good.
Will now seek to break the psychological barrier and go there more often.
I'd say Gurgaon and Noida are equidistant from my place but Noida just seems farther off!

Mr and Mrs Smith.
All about Chemistry.
And Angelina Jolie.
And Brad Pitt's irrepresible one-liner deliveries. (Best one comes at the very end: "Ask the sex question again!")
And Angelina Jolie.
And about slick effects.
And Angelina Jolie.
About a climax sequence that's choreographed to (what sounded like) Latin American music.
And Angelina Jolie.
(I think I've conveyed my point!)

Dinner: Lavanya
(Once vaguely knew someone by that name. Will check out the meaning.)
Standard North Indian fare.
Yummy.
Service could've been quicker though.
Waiting for roti with food on plate is not very pleasant.

All for now...

Of Priorities...

Late morning today, one of my friends was on his way to a weekend class for a course he's taking. Concern: backlog on assignments, pre-readings, this morning's opening two hours already missed. Then he sees this damsel in distress standing next to a (broken down) car on the roadside and pulls over.

He's no genius under the hood, but that's not an impediment. 30 minutes later, car heaved to safety, he's dropping the lady to her destination.

Mission accomplished, our hero looks at watch and promptly decides to skip his entire session (no point walking in late to the second half of a lecture, you see).

When we meet in the evening and I hear this story, I ask - "What if it had been a forty-something guy?"

Response - "Nothing. I had a class to attend!" *evil grin*

Cool friends I have. (Well, at least his hormones are working fine).

Update: Chatted with Superman today afternoon, looking back, he says, it was real philanthropic of me (aakhir main ek insaan ke kaam aaya). Wowza!