Saturday, October 29, 2005

Z

Had my first visit to a theatre in months, and while it is hardly anything to cheer about, having spent 2-3 weeks in a maze of midterms, homework assignments and course projects, a relatively *free* weekend was cause for some much sought after recreation. So, The Legend of Zorro it was then, as a pre-cursor to the much eagerly waited Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.

Now, this post is not a review of the film for two reasons:
a) The film doesn't command a review
g) Neither does it need one

For The Legend of Zorro comfortably sits in its own class of movies which (the very few) people go to watch for the sheer enjoyment of the lack of any seriousness in the film, and well, Catherine Zeta Jones. But what makes watching this movie truly heartening is the fact that Masala movies have come full circle. For years Indian films have relied on Hollywood (apart from Bond movies) for its regular suply of ideas, stories, action, music and more. Now we finally we have a film that has outrageously ripped off equally outrageous and ingeniuos ideas from past Amitabh Bachchan starrer Bollywood films. I ain't kidding - you have in the film the protagonist demanding of Jesus the reasons for his predicaments (ala Amar Akbar Anthony) and metallic objects pertaining to religious faiths doubling up as body armour against enemy bullets. If it was the Billa no. 786 in Deewar, its the Cross here. Same difference. From the clash of the alter egos, to the final action sequences, the dialogues (literal translations of "main tumhari jaban kheench loonga"), the kidnapping of the heroin and the couple's son, everything is refresingly unoriginal. But I have no compaints... I got exactly what I had expected - nothing more, nothing less. Now if only these guys could look up to Rajni and Mithunda... they'll realize what they have been missing all these years!

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Blogs, evolved

Been a bit busy over the week with midterms and course work hogging up time. Yet I managed to sneek a peek at what was going on with the whole IIPM vs Bloggers battle. And while I wanted to write someting about it there was just not enough enough time!. Anyway, here's a nice roundup of the whole issue and how blogs have come of age as information regulators. Link via Amit Varma.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

विजयादशमी

माझ्या ब्लॉग च्या सर्व वाचकांना विजयादशमीच्या हार्दीक शुभेच्छा!!!

हा लेख (आता ह्या लिखाणास "लेख" म्हणणे ही जरा अतीशयोक्ती आहे हे मला मान्य आहे, परंतु सध्यातरी मला "post" साठी पर्यायी मराठी शब्द सुचतनाही) मराठी मधून लिहिण्याचे कारण की आज दिवसभरात मला दसऱ्याच्या ज्या शुभेच्छा मिळाल्या, त्यातल्या जवळपास सर्व इंग्रजी मधून. विजयादशमी हा पाश्चात्य सण आहे की काय असे वाटू लागले!. अमेरिकेत आल्यापासून ह्या वैशिष्ट्यपूर्ण सणांची उणीव भासते आहे, आणी त्यात दोन मराठी माणसं एकमेकाला "Happy Dussehra" म्हणत आहेत हे पाहुन काहीतरी चुकल्या सारखे वाटले. तेव्हा ठरवले, आज तरी सर्वांना शुभेच्छा आपुल्या मायबोलीतूनच द्यायच्या. रोजच्या वागण्या-बोलण्यात इंग्रजी चा प्रभाव दिवसागणीक वाढत असताना आपली मातॄभाषा जपण्याचे कर्तव्य आपणा सर्वांवर आहे. तेव्हा आजच्या ह्या शुभमुहूर्त्तावर विनाकारण इंग्रजीचा वापर टाळण्याचा निश्चय करावा आणी सर्व आप्तजनांस "Happy Dussehra" च्या ऎवेजी विजयादशमीच्या शुभेच्छा द्याव्या ही विनंती!


जय मराठी, जय महाराष्ट्र!!



मगाशी "blog" असा अपरीहार्य शब्द्शः वापर झाला ह्याची मला खंत लागून आहे,पण मी अजून "post" प्रमाणेच "blog" च्याही पर्यायी शब्दाच्या शोधात आहे. कुणास सुचल्यास अवश्य कळवावे :), आणी हो, तुम्ही जर हा मचकूर Firefoxमध्ये वाचत असाल तर संभवतः काना, मात्रा आणी वेलांट्या ह्यांची भरपूर अदलाबदल झालेली आढळेल... कारण Firefox चे देवनागरी अजून कच्चे आहे :). देवनागरी साठी (आणी केवळ तेवढ्या एका कारणासाठी :)) Internet Explorer चा वापर करावा :)

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Godspeak

The things people do in the name of God - and I ain't speaking about just those terrorist lot.