The title is apt for life as it stands for me right now.

Life's come full circle. I wanted to end the year with a post of anger conveying my present state of mind, but some people are just not worth the anger. It's time to look at the bright side of a dark night... to see the beauty of a single glistening star in a long, dark and lonely night.


URBAN SHOTS : BRIGHT LIGHTS releases in January 2012. It can be pre-ordered at a discount price from the Flipkart link presently.

It's the second paperback book after Chicken Soup for the Indian Doctor's Soul which features a short story by me.
If you click to enlarge the picture and read the synopsis, I think you'll agree that quite a few of the stories seem chirpy, intriguing and worth a read. I can vouch that my own contribution is indeed a bright and happy feel-good story and I hope you all love it as much as I do.

I wish you all a happy end to this year and a lovely beginning to the New Year.

Naive. Dunce. Innocent. Popat. 
We'll make him do it.
It's okay, if we continue, he'll back down. 
He won't ever raise his hand or his voice. 
Even if he fights, once we fight back, he'll look for a peaceful compromise.

All of you know someone like this. I see one everyday. Me. I keep convincing myself that by compromising, I'm doing the right thing. That turning my back to a fight makes me a better man. 

But the truth is it matters only in a civilization which is 'civil'. In a land of thugs and liars, being good is equal to being weak. It's a land where the simple act of drawing a chair back for a girl to sit is considered a sign of weakness. Chivalry is considered a lack of manliness. 
It's a land where even when people get caught for rape and murder, they don't break down and confess like we've seen all our lives in movies and books ; they just speak of their contacts and wealth and how they'll get out of trouble. 
There is no shame of being guilty.. if anything, there is a pride for their invincibility. 

For long I believed in my own lie that by not harming others and compromising, I am being an example. But I'm just a relic of an era that's gone by. To survive, I need to give up who I am.  

Every year end, I look back on the year that has passed. I see a few happy memories, a few new friends... but the sad memories outweigh the good. The memories of people taking advantage and backstabbing. Of people knowing I'm the one who can be cheated easily. Again. And again.

I don't consider it a crime to believe in the good of people. It isn't a crime to believe in the 'beauty of a random kind act' like all the videos we post in Facebook tell us. It isn't a crime to be naive like me. Heaven knows I'd prefer to have friends who are naive rather than people who use brute force.

But it is a crime not to learn from the past. To believe in the good of people even as they continue to cheat you. There are no magical moments of revelation when they realise the error of their ways and look to turn over a new leaf. 


They are who they are... And it is time I stopped being who I am.
There comes a time in everyone's life when you have to stop being a goody-two-shoes and let the claws out. 
You can't let a naive person survive in this world ? So be it. 

The one thing I find amusing is that there's always someone ready to sit for arguing with you based on silly assumptions.

This was an incident that occurred when I was in medical school. Our hostel mess had a fixed menu for every meal of the week. For example, Sunday mornings were dosa day, Friday afternoons were fried-chicken-and-ghee-rice day and so forth. Tuesday morning was bun-and-jam day.

We were sitting down for breakfast one Tuesday at the mess and were served our regular plates of bun and jam by the cook. While all of us tucked into it, a friend of mine came over to us and dropped the plate with a loud clatter on the table as he sat down.

Me : Something the matter ?
Him : I hate bun and jam.
Me : ( sensing a rant coming and trying to undo my previous question and act oblivious ) Okaaay.
Him : What "okay" ? How can you all eat this ?
Me ( resigned to my fate ) : Well, it's pretty good, you know. I don't really see the problem.

Him : You NRIs are all like this only. You'll eat bread toast with butter and sausages and cornflakes for breakfast. You should be brought up entirely in India. Then only you can understand what it's like for us.
Me : Really ? What's that like ?
Him : We need our dosas and idlis man. Their taste is different, man, from all these foreign foods. That taste of appam with stew...
Friend  #2 : .. puttu and kadala curry...
Him : Exactly. That's it. That's a good breakfast. Not this bun and jam.
Me : Look. I ain't arguing with you on Indian food. I just don't see what's wrong with normal things like bread and jam or a bulls-eye egg.

He looked at me with contempt. "You guys won't understand. For you, all this British and American stuff is normal."

I'd had enough by now. "Look. It isn't about US or UK or anything. I'm just saying you should be open to enjoying others food too. Infact, this is pretty normal stuff. I know a place where people actually eat Chinese food for breakfast.


He : No way. That's rubbish. I've never heard of any such place.
Me: Seriously.
He : What ? Chicken Manchurian, fried rice and all ?
Me : Manchurian, Schezwan.. you know, Chinese stuff.
He : I don't believe you.
Me : Bet ?
He : Bet.
Me : What do I get if I win ?
He : I'll draw the diagrams for your anatomy record books for a week. Otherwise, you should draw mine.
Me : Done.
He : Done.
Me : Neatly ?
He : Neatly.
Me : Okay.
He : Okay.

I continued munching on my bun. I looked up. He and the others at the table were watching me expectantly.
Me : What ?
Him : Hah ! I knew it. Simply you were bluffing. Haha. These 5 guys are witnesses. You can't back out now. You have to draw my record book.
Me : Wait.. what was the question again ?
Him : Haha. You can't escape.
Me : I just wanted to know what the question was.
He stressed out each word slowly as he spoke, obviously enjoying the sweet taste of success. "Where do people eat Chinese food for breakfast ?"
I smiled back at him. "Well... China, I'm guessing."
Him : ...

I didn't have to draw any diagrams that week. He tried to back out, of course, but ..well, I had 5 witnesses too, you see.



This is my entry for the KFC "Sets you on Fire" contest. Hope you liked it.

My friend and I were returning back to the operation theatre after lunch when we saw an unusual sight.

 We all have favourites... be it food, actors, drinks, people or even Gods. This is a rare photo for me : combining two of my biggest favourites in a single shot.

Which two favourites ?



A) Ruby, the wonder dog. 

Born in our very own house more than 12 years ago, she's been there as a caring companion throughout our lives and is a constant reminder that when it comes to loyalty, dogs are better than humans everyday. Age has diminished her eyesight and reflexes, but not her loving heart.
Oh ya, and she blogs too. What ? You don't believe me ? Check this out then.


B) Prawns.

What is your first memory in life ?
Mine is of me stealing a bowl of fried prawns meant for the entire family, going to my room and eating it all by myself.

Three decades later, it's still not safe to keep a bowl of prawns around me.
Judging by the look in her eyes, I think that dictum applies to Ruby too !!

P.S. For those who're worried/wondering, naaa..relax. We don't give her spicy food.She's just performing her ritual of being the official 'food sniffer' of my plate.
Some airports hire dogs to sniff out drugs. Ruby's too posh to work at an airport so she just sniffs out hazardous stuff which she can consume to save time for me : stuff like bones between chicken, meat between rice, peanuts between closed palms and the ever deadly - ice cream out of the fridge.


Quick question : Name the first 2 'favourites' that come in your mind.

I was always a gadget freak.
So it was probably kind of weird that in this day and age of IPHONES and ANDROIDS, I was still stuck with Symbian. That too, a Nokia E72 that, true to form, waited exactly for the 365 days warranty to end before it's software started acting like a drunk frog chasing after fireflies.
The fact that it went for an 'unanticipated' swim in a bucket full of water a month later just seemed to confirm it's suicidal tendencies, as far as I was concerned.

Thus began the search for a new phone and a shift finally, after 10 year, away from Nokia. For over two months, I was irritating everyone I knew - from interns, post graduates and professors in the hospital to friends on Facebook - and even those I didn't know on Twitter, as I tried to reach a decision.

After ruling out the Iphone ( I find their rules a bit too restrictive ), I was pretty much going back and forth between sticking to my budget and going for the best. Samsung Galaxy S2 was definitely on a lot of people's mind as the best option, but frankly it was beyond my budget. In the end, I went with a decision that surprised even me.

I got the HTC INCREDIBLE S , after reading possibly every review of it there was online and asking quite a few people who had it across the world.



Major plus points for me :
1. Comes bundled with the latest Android software ( Gingerbread )
2. An excellent rugged feel unlike the plasticky feel I got with some Samsungs.
3. Wonderfully large and bright 4 inch screen.
4. 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video chatting ( if that day ever comes !! )
5. Sense UI for a wonderfully smooth 'touch' experience.
6. Quite simple syncing between all my accounts ( mobile, Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Yahoo ) now.
7. Android market. 'nuff said.


Sure it has it's minus points too -
1. It ain't dual core which means someday in the future, the new android games may not work on it.
2. It ain't got as good servicing options as, say, a Samsung
3. Battery life, with me around, was always gonna be an issue. But I'm getting better at battery management now as I've learned to keep the battery guzzling Wi-Fi off, unless needed, besides getting a few battery saving apps. Incidentally, I met a few guys with other Androids as well, including the Samsung Galaxy S2, and all have the same complaint regarding battery life.

Overall, I'm loving my new mobile. For a kid who grew up watching Star Trek and the awesome technologies they dreamt of in the 60's before man had even landed on the moon, today it feels amazing to actually live in a world where all these gadgets are now a reality.
Everyday, I find new applications for the mobile : medical textbooks and drug encyclopedias, finding restaurants,hotels and even gas stations near me, chatting with friends all over the world for free ( WhatsApp ), online booking and what not, this mobile has everything.

Heck, who knows, someday I might even use it for making a phone call.

A friend asked me a question a couple of years back : "Who cares what you write ? You think many people read what you write ? Or that it affects them in any way ?"



I got a call yesterday while I was in the operation theatre in Mangalore. I was, assisted by three students, managing 3 cases simultaneously, and was pretty worn out. The call was from my former Head of Department in Pune... from the college where I learned to be an anaesthesiologist.

I had planned a surprise for her a few weeks back. Aided by a trustworthy post graduate there in Pune, I got a copy of "Chicken Soup for the Indian Doctor's Soul" with my story in it hand-delivered to her in the hospital, with a personal note from me. She called me almost immediately after reading it and the happiness at this unexpected gift was evident in her words. She was so overjoyed with 'the pleasant surprise' that she planned a 'pleasant surprise' of her own.

It turns out the senior students were due to have their semester exams the next day. Madam sent the message to all the seniors in the operation theatre that after lunch, they had to meet in our 'seminar room' for a surprise class. Apparently, all the students had their hearts in their mouths because they all figured the 'surprise class' was just a ruse and thought their semester exam was being preponed by a day. So you had half a dozen scared students scurrying all over for books to read the topics at the last moment. I'm sure it was an uneasy lunch for them too that afternoon.

However, when all the students assembled, they found all the staff gathered there as well and understood this was no exam. Madam then revealed to them the true reason she had called them all - to show them my book. She happily read them the letter I'd sent with the book and had my story read out to all of them.
I wasn't there which is just as well... some people don't take criticism well. Me ? I get really embarrassed when praised and prefer to stay in the background while working for my successes.

The students called almost immediately after ( by which time I'd finished my cases for the day and was relaxing in the ICU, imagining the late lunch I was gonna devour ) and I could just hear the smiles on their faces as they talked. They were 'obviously' overjoyed there was no exam but they also liked the story ( some of them knew the patient personally ) and it was a welcome distraction from the tensions and worries of everyday work in an operation theatre. They'd had some sad news earlier in the morning and this brought a smile back on their faces.

Of course, knowing that my story had been read aloud in a department where I had studied - where I had worked day in and day out for 3 years, where I had presented so many powerpoint presentations to my staff and peers, written exams and yes, eaten many a celebratory cake-piece as well - it was an honour and a joy for me which I can't explain.

I wanted to bring a smile to a person I remembered fondly with a surprise. She brought a smile to a lot of students today with her surprise. Everyone's happiness made me smile and brightened my day right back.


A friend asked me a question a couple of years back : "Who cares what you write ? You think many people read what you write ? Or that it affects them in any way ?"

Today I got my answer : Yes. It does affect people. I know it for a fact. If it brings a smile on even a single face a day, I think I've done my job. And that matters to me.  

Today marks 6 years of GODYEARS.
I won't deny it. I'm proud of it.

This same time last year, I was pretty pumped up with the technical stats of the blog :

2 blogs, 5 years, 322 posts, 3333 comments, 72702 page views. So what's this year's stats ?
2 blogs, 6 years, 361 posts, 3990 comments, 100908 page views... and 6 published stories.


That last bit is particularly pleasing to me.

I want to thank everyone who comes by here, reads and comments on these posts.. it feels nice to know people care. It feels great to meet people from all over the world and listen to their opinions as well.

It's while I was wondering what to type that Reflections sent me a tag that pretty much did my work for me.. asking me to choose worthy reads from 6 years worth of blogposts. I've done my best to be concise, selecting specific ones that I thought matched the needs of the tag.




What this tag is about: 
To unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again. 


Rules: 
1) Blogger is nominated to take part 


2) Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category. 
The links are:
- Your most beautiful post 
– Your most popular post 
– Your most controversial post 
– Your most helpful post 
– A post whose success surprised you 
– A post you feel didn’t get the attention it deserved 
– The post that you are most proud of 


3) Blogger nominates up to 5 more bloggers to take part.


4) These bloggers publish their 7 links and nominate another 5 more bloggers 


5) And so it goes on! 



Here's my list  :-

 - Your most beautiful post - HEARTSTRINGS
An Urban Shots Silver Winner, this story is as much fiction as it is fact. I loved it as I wrote it and I'm glad people who read it loved it too and related to it.

– Your most popular post - TO THE STRANGER I LOVE
Even 4 years after it was written, I still get fanmail over this post. If ever you've watched your friends happy in love while you sat alone and wished for similar happiness, this post is for you.

– Your most controversial post - TETRAPACK GODS
People used to wonder why I challenge God so often . The fact is I don't challenge Gods... I do challenge people's beliefs when they allow blind faith to supercede common sense and logic. "TETRAPACK GODS" is a pretty popular old post about blind faith in Godmen.

– Your most helpful post - I NEED YOU TO KNOW, MY CHILD
This is not helpful for the world in any way. It is for one woman... a dear friend of mine who was going through a phase no mother should suffer. She has been my shoulder to cry on many a time in my youth. This was me returning the favour.

– A post whose success surprised you - AMBERVILLE
Amberville remains the most read story till date from the short story site D.ustb.in. While I liked the theme, I was surprised by how people took up the "land where all is not well" theme of Amberville, resulting in sequels like Payback , Guardian Angel  and even Dr Rohan's Murders at a Hospital which was a BlogAdda winner itself.

– A post you feel didn’t get the attention it deserved - SHAKTIMAAN AND DIRTY GANGA
I really loved this comedy movie I created , even if I say so myself. I still laugh out loud reading it. I'd give my arm to be as creative as I was 5 years ago.


– The post that you are most proud of - JUNGLE PARABLE
People have messaged from literally 'different corners of the world', telling me how much they loved the moral of this post and how it affects them. Thank you.



5 dynamic people I tag because I know they've got supercool posts and I want them to rack their brains and choose their own bests :
Ratzzz
Alka
Suruchi
Nitisha
Nisha 

I recently met two people ( separately ) who'd been in a relationship a long time ago.

He : Is she doing well ?
Me : Yes.
He : Is she happy ?
Me : Yes.
He : That's great. She's a lovely person. She deserves it. It feels good hearing that.

She : Is he doing well ?
Me : No.
She : Is he ok ?
Me : No.
She : Damn. That's so sad. He's a great guy. He doesn't deserve it. I'll pray for him.

I recall their breakup was a bitter one. They had not been in touch for over a decade. And yet they had it in them to remember the other fondly and genuinely rejoice in their happiness or feel sad at the other's pain.

I wish more people were like this. It's a quality I don't see anymore. 

"You're sure you're not scared ? They say the highway between BC Road and GM Conservatory is haunted." The two men who'd just got into his car asked.
"Really ?"

6 months ago. 

"Beta. I don't think it's a good idea."
Ramesh looked at the old man sitting next to him in his Ambassador for a second, then turned his attention back to the rearview mirror and the woman slowly approaching them. The old man must have noticed his expressions because his tone changed immediately.
"Nahi... what I meant is we don't know this girl at all. What is she doing in the middle of this highway ? You read lots of things in the paper these days.. you just can't be sure anymore. She could be part of a gang to rob people by getting them to stop for her."
Ramesh : Look at her. You really think she's a robber ? She must weigh 50 kgs at the most. And there's noone around. Besides, you didn't have any issues about hitchhikers when I picked you up 3 hours ago, Mr Srinivas.
Srinivas : But beta, I am 55 years old. What harm can I do ? And I entered your vehicle from town,not a jungle. She looks scary. Look at her walking so slowly in the dark towards us... your taillights giving her a fiery look... Listen at those dogs howling in the night.
She came up to them, opened the door and got in the backseat. Both men stared at her from the rearview mirror.

Up close, she looked strikingly beautiful, wrapped in a thick shawl, her wet hair glistening off the various reflections of light within the car. Srinivas leant forward and whispered to Ramesh "It's just like in the movies. A beautiful woman walking alone at night in a lonely highway... I'm telling you there's something not right."
Ramesh : Arre, stop it !! Simply trying to scare people. Thank God she's not wearing a ...
But he didn't get a chance to complete his thought as the girl unwrapped the shawl around her and started drying her hair. Both men stared at the pristine white sari, then back at each other. Ramesh gulped.

Srinivas : Beti. How come you are alone so late at night over here ?
The girl continued drying her hair, but her eyes now fixated on Srinivas through the rearview mirror.
Girl : I and my husband were on our way back from a function and our car broke down. He's up ahead. We'd just had an argument and I kept walking. I didn't realise how late it was till it started raining. Could you give me a lift to him ?
Ramesh : Sure. I'm Ramesh and this is Mr Srinivas. by the way.
Girl : I'm Meenakshi. Meenu, for short.

As Ramesh started the car, Srinivas found himself staring at the woman. To him, it seemed like her eyes were fixed on him through the mirror. Her smile was inviting, but not necessarily in a good way. It was a smile that promised to reveal secrets, but were they secrets you'd want to hear, he wondered ?

If Ramesh noticed Mr Srinivas's nervousness, he appeared unfazed by it.
Ramesh : You know, you're really beautiful. If I were your husband, I'd never have gotten into a fight with you ever or let you walk away like that without coming running for you.
Meenu smiled again."That's so sweet of you. But all men are like that only. They say one thing in the beginning, but later on, they all don't care. They treat us like trophies to be put on a shelf. Nahi, Mr Srinivas ?
Srinivas felt the hair on his hands stand. Suddenly, the car seemed extremely cold. He leaned forward to turn off the air conditioner, only to find it was already off. He looked back at Meenu through the mirror. Again, those eyes.

Srinivas turned to Ramesh and whispered "I'm not kidding. She's scaring me."
Ramesh : Keep quiet. Nonsense.
Meenu leaned forward, her face peering in between them. "What are you boys talking about ?"
Ramesh : Nothing, ji. We were just saying, you looked really familiar. Are you a famous celebrity or something ?
Meenu giggled. "Of course. I'm Aishwarya Rai, na ? You guys have such cheesy dialogues while flirting, I swear. Does it ever work ?"
Ramesh smiled. "It worked once for me. Fooled the girl into marriage too."
Meenu : Wow ! Really. She must be really dumb to fall for that line.
Ramesh : She was. Hehe..
Srinivas watched this banter in amazement. "What a generation this is. Both are married and flirting with total strangers. Chee Chee. Luckily, my Sandhya's grown up to be a model girl. Tomorrow, at this time, I'll be at her wedding watching her become Anil's wife."

Srinivas absent-mindedly turned his attention back to the rearview mirror. As they crossed a turn, the streetlights fell on Meenu's face and it took him a second to register what he saw. He turned around and stared at her.She smiled at him. As they passed the next streetlight, Srinivas saw her face directly for the first time. Her eyes, like her sari, were pristine white.

He caught hold of Ramesh's shoulder tightly.
Ramesh winced in pain. "What's wrong with you, old man ?"
Srinivas : She's..she's... she's not alive.
Ramesh : Stop it. You're embarrassing yourself.
Srinivas : Listen to me, boy. She's already dead. Can't you feel the chill in here..
Ramesh : The AC..
Srinivas : IS OFF !! The howling dogs when we stopped..
Ramesh : It's a full moon night.
Srinivas : STOP IT !! STOP DEFENDING HER ! JUST LOOK  AT HER !!
Ramesh turned around and looked at Meenu. "I'm really sorry. I don't really know him. Don't feel bad."

Meenu smiled scornfully. Her white irises sparkled back at them. Ramesh yelped and hit the brakes. The car screeched to a halt. All around them, the trees swayed with the heavy rains.
Ramesh : Shit ! Shit !
Meenu : It's people like you who trap women with your lines and destroy their lives forever. Players...Khiladis. Today, I will rid the world of one more..
Ramesh : ABEY CHUP KAR !! Shut up, yaar.
Srinivas and Meenu stared at him.
Ramesh : What the hell yaar. How did this happen ?
Srinivas : What..what are you doing ?
Ramesh : Shut up, you geezer.
He turned to Meenu.

Ramesh : "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE !?! THIS IS MY REGION ! I DIED HERE ! I get to haunt this section. You can't just waltz in here and start haunting whichever place you feel like. Baap ka maal thode hi hey."
Meenu and Srinivas watched as the blacks of his iris turned white; Srinivas in shock, Meenu in amazement.
Meenu and Ramesh stared at each other. All of a sudden, Meenu burst out laughing.
Meenu : This is hilarious. Oh My God. I'm so sorry yaar. I usually haunt the forest area off Highway 26. But now because the roads are so bad, nobody comes by that way. So I figured I'd try my luck elsewhere. I had no idea this highway was already booked. I'm so sorry, man.
Ramesh : It's ok. I've only just come here a few months back. I pick up strays who need a lift and then ..well, you know the rest.
Meenu : Achaa.. mine is the old 'white lady in the rain' technique. Arrey, you won't believe how effective it still is.
Ramesh : Always a horny man thinking he's gonna get some, eh ?
Meenu : I know..
Ramesh : Still, this must be the first time a ghost was trying to scare another ghost..haha.
Meenu : Chalo. Atleast we have something to do for the night.

She turned her gaze towards Mr Srinivas who was still staring in shock at her.
Ramesh : Ya. I guess we'll have to share him now. So how do you wanna go, old man ? The lady or the driver ?
Srinivas turned towards him. Ramesh bared his teeth, revealing pointed canines that surely weren't there earlier. Srinivas looked at the two companions of this car ride, then slowly started to smile.
Ramesh and Meenu stared open mouthed at him as Srinivas's eyes too turned a familiar shade of white.
Srinivas : Bachoo, Jis school mein tum log padte ho, nah....udhar ka Principal Tuition leta mere se. For 15 years, I've been doing this. I'm on my way to Delhi to attend my grandchild's wedding. I just thought I'd pick up a driver along the way for some fun.
The three of them stared at each other... then burst out laughing. It was going to be a fun ride after all.

Present day

"You're sure you're not scared ? They say the highway between BC Road and GM Conservatory is haunted." The two men who'd just got into his car asked him.

"Really ? I don't believe in all that. Besides, we have nothing to worry about. We'll be picking up a couple of my friends along the way." Ramesh said with a smile. "Strap on your seatbelts, boys. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now, would we ?"

In 2009, Imtiaz Ali released 'Love Aaj Kal' after the grand success of his earlier film 'Jab We Met' and divided viewers into a) those who loved its sentiments and simplicity and b) those who wondered what the heck the movie was about.

Enter 2011 and he's back with Rockstar, another movie that's bound to do the same with viewers across the nation. So let me be clear where I stand here : This is a 'must watch' movie for so many reasons.

1. For starters, this isn't a story about the life of a Rockstar... rather, it's the story of a naive young guy( Ranbir ) who wants to be one and is led ( correctly ? ) to believe that the key to becoming great is through pain/ heartbreak.
His efforts towards breaking his heart deliberately leads him towards Heer ( Nargis Fakhri ), but things take an unexpected turn when they actually become friends. This sequence has some of the funniest moments of the movie. It also leads him on the path to a destiny he desired - though the path is more painful than he ever imagined.

2. Their moments together are magical by any standards of Bollywood : whether it is while fulfilling her wishlist of being a 'bad girl', the drives across a breathtaking Kashmir landscape or even their silent moments beside each other.
The constant confusion of the characters about the status of their relationship is actually a refreshing sight in a Hindi movies - it's how relations are in real life.

3. Imtiaz Ali intentionally keeps jumping back and forward, across many timelines - but it isn't confusing.  Cinematography was excellent - be it Kashmir or Prague.

4. The late Shammi Kapoor has all of 5 scenes... but they're bittersweet, especially the moments between him and Ranbir.

5. I liked a couple of songs when I first heard the album. But as weeks passed by, I found myself loving a couple more songs, then a few more and so on. It was lovely, because it was the A R Rahman of old - songs which grow on you, unlike Pritam's songs which you know are an instant hit/flop. Rahman has outdone himself here, sticking to a lovely blend of retro rock, some amazing guitar work and Mohit Chauhan's amazing voice. The second half of the film literally turns into a musical as the songs are a constant feature in the background. Personal favourites - Saadda Haq and Tum Ho.

6. Ranbir Kapoor has outdone himself, performance wise. Note the naive boy at the starting who wanted to feel pain and then, much later, the tearful superstar begging his mentor to save him from the pain - I doubt if any of the other young guns could have pulled off this role. I can think of a couple of Khans who'd overdo it, too.
Nargis is wonderful as the fiery spirit who is unsure of herself. I liked her characterisation, though I do have a few complaints with the person who dubbed her voice.

7. This is a film that focuses exclusively on these 2 characters. The others... well, it's like watching people at the train station while you're on a moving train. You register their presence, but they're gone before you can focus on them. Still, everyone played their role well.  

8. Where I can see people pointing out flaws : the characters constant confusion of their feelings, the non-linear method of story telling and the slightly ambiguous ending. For all 3 flaws, the answer remains the same - It just shows the confidence of a director who doesn't feel the need to spoonfeed his audience anymore.
And I appreciate that.

I feel you should definitely watch this movie. Tell me what you think after watching it.

One of the first things that strikes you as you walk up to a person is his/her scent. A good perfume can, literally,  be a very attractive turn on. Conversely, a bad perfume or a sweaty odour can really put me off and have me taking a step back or looking to walk away.


We all have our distinct tastes when it comes to perfumes. Some like the woody scents, others are enamoured by the fresh fruity aromas, some prefer aquatic and floral touches while others prefer to go for oriental notes.

As I started searching for perfumes for myself, the Aquarian in me took over and I started going into the 'whats and how's of perfumes. And I started to realise that there are so many things to consider and not just the first fragrance that hits you when you spray it on your hand. You have to consider :
1. the notes ( top, middle and base ) which determine how the perfume's scent changes over time,
2. the sillage ( how close a perfume stays to your skin : does it diffuse, leaving behind its smell even after you've left the elevator ? )
3. the longevity and
4. strength.

Personally, I'm more of a citrusy perfume guy myself. I guess I just like that summer kind of aroma as opposed to a musky woody odour.
My present perfumes ( and ones which I'd strongly recommend for those who love fresh scents ) are :

1. Paco Rabanne One Million ( distinct, long lasting )
2. CK One Summer ( very 'summery', strong sillage, average longevity )
3. L'eau par Kenzo ( good longevity, average sillage )
4. Armani Code ( distinct )

My wishlist for the future :
1. CK Eternity
2. Bvlgari Aqua Marine

So the question for you all today - What's in your perfume closet presently ?

While I really liked the previous template, I just felt the need for a more youthful look for the blog and so began working on this for the past few days.
This is the final result. You'll have to go to the main page of Godyears for the full effect as the dynamic pictures are not available once you go into an individual post.

Please do comment and tell me what you think about it.

P.S. All the 'pictures in motion' do lead to the respective category on clicking.

Anyway, for those who're interested, my ( real life based ) article is in "Chicken Soup for the Indian Doctor's Soul."

The link to buying it (with 30% off, Free Home delivery and Cash on Delivery too !!) via FlipKart is here.
Hope you enjoy reading it.

A few weeks back, I was shopping with a friend late at night when my phone rang.
It was my P.G. student from the college where I teach. 
Since it was late, I wondered what was up when I picked up the phone.
Me : Hi, A.
A : Sir, are you busy ?
Me : No problem, man. Tell me.
A : I needed some help, sir, and I figured you're the best person to ask.

My chest swelled up with pride. Sure, I was the youngest of the staff in my department, but apparently, the students had already seen some spark of genius in me. In a department filled with professors and associate professors and people with 30 odd years of experience, they obviously felt I was the most knowledgable in patient management. That's why even late at night, when the poor kid had a doubt while studying, he immediately called me.
I mentally prepared myself for tough questions on neuroanaesthesia, drugs and side effects, complex formulae and classifications.

Me : Of course. What's your doubt, man ?
A : Sir...
Me : Yes...
A : My Facebook homepage has changed. Can you tell me where the 'Sign out' button is ?
Me (and my ego) : .....

"Where are you going? School's this way."
Akshay turned around. His friend, Imran, was staring at him with a quizzical look.
"I have to go to the temple. There's something I have to do."
"Are you mad ? The exam's in 30 minutes. If you don't enter the hall on time, you won't be allowed to write."
"Don't worry. I'll make it. Bye bye bye." Akshay called out as he continued walking.

"Are you mad?" Imran had asked him. Fair enough question, he presumed. Imran wouldn't get it anyway. He didn't believe. After all he wasn't one of them now, was he ? He remembered the conversation his mom had with the temple pujari the previous afternoon. He had taken the trouble to come home with the packet that now formed a good 40% of the weight in Akshay's bag.

"Thank you, Swami" his mother had said. "He's been really tense this last week. Not able to concentrate at all on his studies. And it's the board exams also. He needs to get first class to get a good college."
"I understand, child. You don't have to worry. This coconut has been sitting in the temple during the entire puja, right at the feet of the Devi. What more do I have to say ?"
"I don't know, Swami. He gets very scared whenever exams come. During class tests, he writes well but always in the final exam, the tension gets to him."
"Tell him to break the coconut tomorrow morning before going for the exams. All your child's worries and sorrows will disappear with that. He'll write excellently and get distinction. You don't worry."



Author's note : There is a saying in Malayalam which literally transalates to "May your faith save you." I don't know if it's derived from any other book, but I do find it's use annoying, to say the least. There is a place for faith in all our lives, no doubt, but it is not as an antagonist for common sense and logic.    


 

I'm sorry. I really have tried to like this show but it's hopeless. Between the tarot cards, the Lolita alter ego, the questionable choices for guests, the cartoonish drawings at the end and the frilly dresses, you've lost me.

The sad reality is you've destroyed Simi's 14 year TV credibility in the matter of a dozen shows.

"Luck is the sense to recognize an opportunity and the ability to take advantage of it." - Samuel Goldwyn

"You're just lucky."
I hear that a lot and I'm sure many of you have heard it too. I wonder if it irritates you as much as it irritates me. I always found that statement annoying because I felt I'd been dealt a bad hand in many important issues in my life by God/myself.

Funny. That's the same thing I heard at another mall in February where I was the first one to win the "Click at 1000" game, winning a Motorola mobile.
It's the same thing that staff have said for the past 3 years when I won half a dozen stuffed toys playing the 'Click at 1000' game in other gaming zones.

The fact is I can control when I press the button. I can aim for the number. I always felt it was a honed skill. I can prepare for a difficult case because I can anticipate what can go wrong.
But I can't aim for picking a winning lottery ticket whose number I don't know. I have tremendously bad luck when I play in the stock markets ( I'm sorry guys. The whole market crash which everyone blamed on the Greeks and the U.S. was actually me putting money into the market and the 'miraculous' recoveries matched my exiting the market to the minute ! I really should warn you guys the next time I invest. )

I don't really know where luck ends and skills begin or vice versa. I don't buy into the "it's a fine line" theory. For me, there's a big gap between these two facets of life. It isn't about wearing gold rings or whether astrologically speaking, my Pluto is in UrAnus.

I don't have all the answers as to why we're so lucky in some aspects of life and so unlucky in others. Just a random roll of the dice, I guess. Oh, and by random, I DO mean a Shakuni styled roll of the dice, of course, where you know how the dice will land.

What's been your best experience with Lady Luck till date ?

"There is a certain inexplicable joy in seeing a creation of yours inspire someone else." - Me.

I don't have any answers to this ; no solutions. It is just an observation that has always angered me. People bringing others down to their level of indecency and then destroying them with experience. I wish I knew a cure. I wish I could help.