Same Old... Same Old

My previous post ended with me waiting for the answer with bated breath, and the reply was heartbreaking one more time, "Not this time either!" said destiny . The Proteas have yet again failed to deliver when it mattered the most. Yet again. And this time, it was even more humiliating, falling prey to the rejuvenated Englishmen who did seem to be Men on a mission.  All my dreams and hope seemed to come crashing down on me when Smith departed after playing one of his best one day knocks, Alas! he had to end on the losing side, and I have to bear the ignominy of the Proteas being labelled "Chokers" yet again by people who knew nothing about the word "Chokers". The loss was quite hard to handle, especially when you were quite certain that this was the team that has the potential to go all the way, accepting the fact that you were beaten by a bunch of no- hopers was even hard , South Africa is finding new ways of humiliating itself.

Sleep was hard to come by on Sunday night, by the time Smith was declined a runner my temper soared to new heights, the levels of profanity was reaching dizzying levels, from the umpires to Andrew Strauss(England's Captain) who refused to provide a runner for the struggling Smith, they all were the victims of my venomous tongue which changed dialects between English to Hindi to Tamil (my native tongue) to again English as easily as changing gears. By the time the game had ended, I had exhausted all the abuses from my Vocabulary of Filth. Crushed bottles lay around me, TV remotes lay elsewhere, and my specs fell somewhere my hands could not reach. Sleep came at 4am and the mind shut out, and my heart went to rest hoping all this was a bad dream. When I woke up, that sinking feeling crept into the pit of stomach, getting up from bed was an ordeal in itself, I wished I could bury myself in the mattress, unable to read what the newspapers had to say, unwilling to switch on the TV.

Having been a Proteas fan since time immemorial, one has to learn to accept failures, they have always stuck with us like a dark shadow in every showcase event. It is as if a crime for us to dare to dream, for our dreams will be shattered with complete ruthlessness. Many times after such shameful exits(and match fixing scandals) I have always reasoned with myself on why should I lose my sleep over a bunch of guys whose victory or loss would not matter anything to me? Why should I keep supporting the most ridiculed team on the planet? Why should I vent my fury here at Chennai over what is happening miles away in Cape Town? Those guys don't even know me, they wont even care if there is one less guy from their fan base. Many times I have said to myself "Thats it!! No more watching these chokers play". But trashing them away as if nothing has happened is not easy, especially since "Jonty Rhodes" was the first name you came to know in Cricket and not a "Sachin Tendulkar".


I have been their fan for nearly two decades, I have seen them drop catches which cost them the World Cup, I have seen them mess- up taking singles which could have won them games, I have seen Hansie cry on TV admitting to match fixing allegations, I have seen them collapse like a pack of cards from being in strong positions, I have seen them misread calculations from a piece of paper, I have seen them numerous times being tormented, humiliated and ridiculed by our old foes from Down Under. And I've cried like I lost my best friend in my arms (which btw I haven't done since 2002). And yet I remember Hansie lifting the inaugural Champion's trophy in Dhaka, I remember Jonty's numerous catches and runouts, I remember those swinging deliveries that Donald served at will,  I remember those countless knocks Klusener played in WC99 snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, I remember Pollock bowl with ruthless precision, I remember Kallis clinging on to those catches at slip with his huge bucket hands, I remember Gibbs' epic knock at that Game, and I remember Boucher finishing it off in style in that Game, I remember Smith's brave knock at Edgbaston that handed us that monumental series victory in England, and I remember young JP and AB create history by chasing a mammoth fourth innings target at Perth. Those were the moments they have given me to cherish and there were many more.

AB may have said "This is our time" at the start of the season, he may have been proven wrong, but our best time is yet to come, and I shall dare to dream one more time, and I shall live long enough to see the Proteas wrap their hands on an ICC trophy, the time may not be now, but the time will come!

Proteas: Destiny's Unwanted Children

When big ICC events are around the corner, I go all out in browsing about South Africa's preparation for the event, from their team composition to their match fixtures to the stadiums in which they will play, to their opponent profile, I do a complete analysis as any sports junkie would do of his favourite team. South Africa since their readmission in 92 have always entered every tournament as hot favourites. Be it the 96 WC or the recently held T20, they have always entered the arena as serious contenders, but its in the last mile they have always faltered. In 92 Rain plus a mind boggling Duckworth-Lewis calculation shattered their dreams, in 96 a Brian Lara special saw them go out of the tournament during the Quarter Finals, 99 WC was the most heartbreaking of all, and will be etched in the memory of every Proteas supporter piercing through our heart, we could not make it to the finals because of that fateful single. In 03 rain and misreading of the Duckworth Lewis table cost us an entry into the next round, in 07 we were demolished by our old foes Australia. We have always found bizzare and inexplicable ways of crashing out of the tournament, our only crowning glory came in the 98 Champions Trophy in Dhaka under the captaincy of the late Hansie Cronje. 

A Proteas supporter has never had any moment to cherish during crunch games in big tournaments, and when our team falters the "Chokers" tag are thrown at us which was coined by Steve Waugh, the legendary Aussie captain after he had steered his team to victory in that epic game at Leeds. And since then we have never been able to get rid of that tag no matter how many steep targets we managed to chase. 

But of all the South African squads to have taken the field over the years, this is the most formidable of them all, and now in their ranks they have not one but two capable spinners, and one young left arm quickie, is this the change that was needed? It remains to be seen if Smith could get his hands over the trophy which he is eyeing so hungrily. Will the many times Vanquished emerge Victors this once? Starting tomorrow, I will lose my sleep and my hair rooting for Destiny’s Unwanted Children. Will Mother Destiny smile upon us this one time? For the answer, I wait with bated breath....

Disney buys Marvel - A reason to cheer or to sneer?

The makers of Mickey Mouse and Gang have bought Marvel Comics who have given us superhero figures like Spiderman, Ironman, and the X-men over the years. It may benefit the shareholders of both these entertainment giants what with more than $4 billion dollars being spent in the acquisition, but what about the average movie lover? Is this a great news for him? Disney and Marvel make comic characters, but both with varying characteristics. Disney is all cotton- candy entertainment who have over the years entertained kids and adults alike through thier goody- goody saturday morning cartoons. Marvel had a different range of comic superheroes who were toughies ranging from Captain America to Fantastic Four to Iron Man who were all macho, they were all about kicking bad asses all around the park. Sure it may help spread the name of Marvel's action icons by merging it with a top brand like Disney, but this is a merger that seems as wierd as a Lion mating a Deer ( with Marvel the Lion and Disney the Deer).

Now by keeping in mind that Marvel has upcoming action flicks like Iron Man 2, SpiderMan 4 in the near future, how much of its content will be affected with this merger? Disney's movies had an appeal to the whole family audience, The Lion King, Toy Story were films which the toddlers and kids ranging between 6-10 could relate to, with a saccharine coated story line with no guns and violence laced with neat humor. But Marvel's movies were out and out action films which even showed that their superheroes could have a darker side to them and were vulnerable to being beaten. With Disney having the upper hand does this mean that there will be a change in the presentation? Will the dark and brooding storyline make way for a happy ending? or worse will Spider Man just be reduced to a comic character like Mickey Mouse?

Its that time of the year again...

So its that time of the year again, where I try to shed my "wannabe yuppie" lifestyle and embrace a little more serious life of being a Holyman for a little more than a month. This is what they say in Hindi as "Nau sau chuhe khake billi Haj ko gayee", which roughly means seeking pardon after committing a crime. I have put on the Holy Mala and am on vratham(fasting) before I go in search of redemption to Sabarimala to thank the Big Man upstairs for the grace he has showered on my life.There wont be any radical changes that I may have to make in my lifestyle, but they are changes nonetheless, they are these little things which I have to cut down, for the Lord Almighty may not appreciate it much if I keep on sinning while I keep hoping that He turns a blind eye towards all my (mis)deeds. 


There are times when I don't understand the funda of leading a sin-free life for just a month, as if God is gonna say "Son that is enough, I forgive you for being a sicko that you have been in these eleven months" just because I stayed away from the temptation of being a little naughty for just a month. But going to Sabarimala is not just about asking for forgiveness, its about thanking the Lord too for giving me reasons to be content with my life, and even asking him for more. I was never specific whenever I asked God for anything, my wishlist was a hurried one like this:


1. A proper job after college (I never specified the post and the company, I had no clue myself)
2. Good health for my family (everyone included)
3. Completing atleast this degree without any hiccups (which I did!!, that was my first professional degree,B.A doesn't have that professional ring to it like my M.B.A has)
4. I even pray to God that the Proteas should win atleast one major ICC tournament.(Hope that happens soon) 
5. I even used to pray that I get a gyal, but you just don't "get a gyal", you gotta work for it. (So I struck that off my list ...)


Living a month, warding off carnal desires and censoring your thoughts and minding your tongue can be really hard, and I tend to go bit off the track occasionally. Maybe that is because Iam not an 8 yr old anymore when all I used to think about was a G.I.Joe action figure and comic books and had this misconception that you just get pregnant by kissing. And as you grow old, puberty hits you, you meet like minded boys (read horny) and all you talk about is the hanky panky stuff. Its different now, the older you grow, the more experienced you become in controlling your thoughts, I may go a bit wayward for the first few days, but the fear of "someone is watching you" will soon creep inside my conscience. 


But probably there is an inner meaning to go through this ordeal of living a pious month, braving steep terrains, and sultry weather and scores of other frenzied devotees to just get a glimpse of Him, and when you catch Ayappa at all his splendour you get a satisfied feeling that all this was worth it. Nothing comes easy in life, not even a glimpse of God.   

The Graduate – Passes with flying colors!!

“Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you?” – Benjamin Braddock

To my knowledge besides “The Graduate” there has been no other movie that has handled an affair between a young man and an older woman with a humorous tone to it, a relationship that is a taboo in any society has always been handled with care and sensitivity on the screen (“The Reader” a latest addition to that genre). But “The Graduate” is quite different, the baby faced Dustin Hoffman and the gorgeous Anne Bancroft share some sensuous scenes laced with dry humor. Dustin Hoffman may not have played any larger than life character like a Pacino or a Deniro or a Nicholson, yet he has always excelled in playing an ordinary everyday kind of character to whom we could relate. Benjamin Braddock of "The Graduate" is one among the many common, realistic characters that Dustin Hoffman had gone on to so effortlessly essay. He shines as the naïve and gullible Benjamin, a character in whom we all can see a bit of ourselves shy, unsure, clumsy at times, this will be one of his famous portrayals on screen. His initial scenes with the seductive and strong minded Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) set the tone for the rest of their encounters. The scene where Benjamin calls up Mrs. Robinson to meet her at the hotel and the way he tries to impress her by trying to look under control are sure to bring more than a smile on your face. Benjamin starts as a young confused individual in the beginning of the movie, but by the time his stormy relationship ends with Mrs. Robinson, Benjamin grows on to be a man completely sure of what he wants.

Enter Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) daughter of the Robinson’s, in spite of Mrs. Robinson’s pleas and warnings Benjamin is forced to date her (by his parents initially), a reluctant Benjamin at first tries to repel her by being aggressive, a complete opposite of the Benjamin we saw in the beginning of the movie, but falls in love with her much to Mrs. Robinson’s ire who goes all the way in trying to break their relationship,the latter half may look like one borrowed from a Bollywood love story with the boy wooing the girl and the usual trouble that comes with it. The direction is quite solid and the dilemmas that Benjamin goes through have been well presented on screen.The scene where his parents show off their son to their friends during the barbeque egging on Benjamin in that clumsy swimsuit, and in the hotel where Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson decide to hit the sack, and Benjamin’s recurring dream when he is in the pool are some scenes well directed. Anne Bancroft as the seductive and ruthless yet insecure Mrs. Robinson is a treat to watch, all the supporting cast play their role quite well. This movie is more than an illicit relationship between a young man and an older woman, hidden behind it is the growing up of a confused and clumsy boy to a man who knows what he wants.

“The Graduate” depicts the rebellious form of love, where Benjamin goes all out to conquer the girl he cant have, a theme which has been used many a times till date. But this is the one that set the bar for other rebellious love stories to catch up with. A love story with a plot where the hero romances the mother as well as her daughter must have raised some eyebrows back then, but the light- hearted way in which "The Graduate" had been handled well deserved the best director oscar for Mike Nichols. 

Home Alone

The sun is shining bright on me this weekend, no folks at home and I have the place to myself!!, a great time to spend a weekend in the company of movies, movies and more movies!!. Time to turn up the volume and sit back and enjoy as my collection of films expand and am spoilt for choice on which ones to watch. It should be a Classics Movie Weekend, thanks to "Daring Dil" and his vast collection of classics(which I slyly copied to my pen-drive much to his chagrin). The itinerary has to be made on what to watch and when to watch, a problem which I would like on my plate. My blogging duty for the weekend is over, am off to catch a movie on my dvd player, Over and Out!

The Wrath of the fellow Traveler

Travelling in public transport teaches you lessons which no school can teach, from reserving your seat with a kerchief, to accommodating a fourth total stranger next to us in a seat which can only seat three people, to small couplets that seem nonsense but yet make some weird sense. A public transport at times is an institution for those little yet essential things. We travel with people belonging to all classes of the society, we see them everyday and at times we wonder about the lives they lead, the problems they face, and secretly scoff at their eccentric mannerisms. But there are times when the calm looking middle-aged stranger sitting next to us can explode and unleash his fury, this is one such instance when it happened, and thankfully I was not at the receiving end.

I was on my way from work to meet my folks in Nungambakkam, I was at Tiruvanmiyur waiting outside the severely waterlogged bus depot, and with me there was a sea of humanity waiting restlessly for their bus. After a lot of cursing under my breath and getting some awkward stares from the bystanders my bus finally arrived. I launched myself into it along with the rest of the crowd, and grabbed a seat next to a man in his late forties, he wore a checked shirt and plain trousers and his shirt was tucked out and had worn a cap, he had the tired look on his face like rest of the other passengers who were returning from work. He did not look like a software engineer nor some bank clerk, he seemed to be a man who must have had a tired rough day, which probably must have involved taking a lot of crap from his bosses, yet doing his job diligently. All he was praying for must be a peaceful ride back home, God had planned something else for him.

The bus comprised of largely youngsters in their early 20s (the techies and yuppies) and the women folk (techies and yuppies and oldies), there was just a scattering of the middle-aged men. Near Adyar in the middle of the road, stood a drunk bum, he had the khaki uniform on, turned out that he was an off duty bus driver. He waved his hands and charged at the bus a la Don Quixote charging at the windmills mistaking them for dragons. The driver did not bother stopping the bus and sped away much to the ire of the drunk bum. The bum caught up with the bus when it stopped at the bus stop, and sat at the front seat opposite to the driver. The boozer was slowly getting into the groove, threatening the poor bus driver about the consequences he will face for making him (the boozer) run all the way. He was boasting about the people he knew and the ass kicking the driver is gonna get, the passengers could feel the tension that this may just get ugly, and ugly it did get….

All this while the man next to me was watching the drama unfold, probably gritting his teeth, when out of nowhere Don Quixote started throwing punches at the bus driver who was driving, this act unleashed the caged fury within my co-passenger. He jumped from his seat, and along with another valiant passenger pulled away the miscreant, the confrontation turned out to be so ugly that drunkard was forced out of the bus, all this while we yuppies could only sit and watch whereas the middle aged men took matters into their own hands. Theirs is the breed of the battle hardened warriors who have been fighting all their lives, earning bread for their family by putting up with the crap that’s thrown on them, they march on without any complaints, they remain a face in the crowd, pissed of at the injustice they have to deal with- the corruption, the overpriced groceries, the never ending calls from the banks. All they asked for was a trouble free ride back home, and they were not gonna let any drunk bastard take it away from them. Fuck Kandasamy he shall remain a Cock , these were the real heroes that day. While we, the self-obsessed youth are busy living a fast-food life chasing cushy jobs, a six-figure salary, and in the end not satisfied with what we attained, these men of the late 50s and early 60s march on with their lives. They have seen it all, and they have suffered a lot too, there is a volcano waiting to erupt, and when tempers soar they just might explode. The youth may be the face of the nation, but it’s men like these who are the nation’s heart.

P.S: This post is not meant to be preachy or act as any sort of eye-opener. This is a post dedicated to that passenger who had the cojones to right a wrong.