A woman in making?

I visit my home town very often. Usually during the long weekends, I am there. The last weekend I called on my uncle's home. A home usually bustling with playful kids(My cousins) was very quiet that day because of the exam season.

I, having majored in science, was soon given a job to teach my 10 year old cousin, a science chapter "Metals". Having explained all about what metals are, what non-metals are and their respective use for the mankind as heat/electricity conductors, insulators etc etc, I decided to quiz her.

After a few questions, which she answered correctly, .......

Me: You're doing great! This's the last question on this chapter and we'd be done with your studies for tomorrow's paper. Here's the question
Pick the odd man out: Gold, Silver, Cloth
She: Its the cloth
Me: Why?
She: Oh! But you can't make ear-rings and necklaces out of cloth. You only need gold and silver for that.

A woman in making? you bait!!

Best...Good....Worst

Well, I wanted to write more often than not, but only when I could offer quality that would please me. That explains the delay, isn't it?

The first look at the heading would make you think that this post would be something to do about the adjectives....not really....but the soul purpose of adjectives is to describe a noun, and the three adjectives mentioned above describe the works of few great artists very effectively.

Have a look at the lists below....
1. Lagaan........Swades........Jodha Akbar......(Let's forget Baazi for some time)
2. Dil Chahta Hai.....Lakshya.......Don
3. A Beautiful Mind......The Cinderella Man....The Da Vinci Code.....

Now you must have understood what people I am talking about. If you haven't figured this out, either you don't watch movies as often as I do, or you simply hate to have a "bad" opinion about anything.

As always, I have a theory why the third work has to be the "worst".
1. The first work is only a statement....It says...."I exist, and I am capable of...." Its the work of a dreamer who believes in himself.
2. The second work is usually the extension of the first.....
3. The third work comes when these dreamers have already tasted success.....and a lot of it....and tend to experiment(or to over-confide) themselves just to get a nasty blow.....

After directing two wonderful biographical movies, why did Ron Howard directed a thriller? What made Ashutosh Gowarikar direct a historical love story when both of his first films were not primarily love stories?
I won't comment on Don. I didn't expect that to come from a man who directed Dil Chahta hai.

These opinions are entirely mine. Maybe I expected too much from them after the first works and forgot they're human too :-)

P.S. :- Some people take a longer path to reach the WORST phase. Khamoshi The Musical....Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.....Devdas....Black....Saawariya. (It was not even the Best....Good...Worst way, for his Best came just before his Worst)

Of TV And Sops

I grew up watching TV like all other children in my neighbourhood. For life only meant school, cricket and TV for children. I remember waiting desperately for tuesdays so that i could watch the next episode of "The Malgudi Days" or for fridays so that I can watch "Salsud", (read marathi serial).
All the sops being broadcasted by then, had one thing common in them. "Quality". For there was only one TV channel to watch and it screened and picked up the best in the lot. I'd call it the golden era of Indian TV.
Then came the cable TV, and initially it was appreciated by folks, for there were now options available and people were free to switch channels if they didn't like the drama.

I think, having multiple channels on offer reduced the compitition for sop makers. If Sony didn't accept it, Zee would always :-) Nobody cared about the quality, for the mantra was "money". The TV channels were just concerned about the commercial breaks.

Well, all that was not for the worst. We were benefitted by the likes of BBC, CNBC TV 18 and HBO's of the world. Which was indeed, a very welcome change.
But would you dare and watch "Sauce bhi Kabhi Tamatar Thi"? I didn't understand what made the serial soooooooo popular in the first lot....and then there were many "me too" products that came up. I wouldn't watch them even if someone would offer me a million bucks (wanna try? ;-)).

Welcome to the new Indian TV, where you don't try and produce a quality product, but just make people believe that what you're offering is what's "qaulity", for how could you justify showing a scene three times consecutively and still maintain popularity? (read TRPs)

Perth Won!!

Since many days I was thinking to start blogging! The win at perth made me start it at last.

After the drama in Sydney, it was never easy to come back in such a gratifying manner. The win is more special for me, because it is a team effort. Not a ton by the biggies (Dravid, Ganguly, Sachin, Laxman i.e.) and India still won!

Every test match win abroad is something I'd never want to forget...there are not many....and that's what makes them even more special...

Kudos to Kumble's leadership!