Though music bands were not much striking in Indian soil, Euphoria got attention in a way back with their popular albums like, to name few, Dhoom, Phir Dhoom, Gully, Mehfuz. In 2008, Re Dhoom was launched. The band’s portfolio has lots of Dhooms. Interestingly even they have their official website in the name of Dhoom.

It was curious for me to see the Chennai audience’s response to this music band. But hardly had I seen Tamil speaking audience at the venue. Generally people in South India are not much in-line with music bands. Many Tamil bands flourished some time ago and all lost their address. If it’s film music, then the response is always huge at the height of Himalaya. Here is one static, for the recent A.R.Rahman’s concert at Chennai, the total number of heads turned on was amazing 50,000 plus. Of course, A R R is A R R, incomparable. Just made a point to hit upon the film-band music responsive differences in India.

The lead singer Palash Sen was just amazing. He was full of energy. Imagine a guy shouting non-stop at his high volume and yet cool himself with the sip of water in between. Just today came to know that Palash is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession… interesting. Palash also acted in Bollywood movie Filhaal directed by Meghna Gulzar. The movie also starred Tabu and Sushmita Sen. Beautiful!

Palash’s funny traits apart, he tried well to connect with the audience. I could forgive him speaking (Enna neenga readyaa?, Enna pasangala, ponnungala? – I should find his Tamil teacher!!) in Tamil, but the hilarious statements, he made, still ringing in my ears… Those were like ‘You are the best audience, I have ever seen in my life’, ‘Tamil girls are the best beauties, I have ever seen’, so on and so on. All best statements, he made to impress the audience all the way, even without bothering our screaming.

Other members of the band were really fine tuned with the event. Benny, DJ, Rikki, Verma, Bhardwaj, trivedi… two female singers…. all were equally good. Definitely the crowd must be impressed with Benny’s long hairstyle. He used it so well too.  

Palash began with ‘Dil Tho Jeethange’. More than their own album songs, ‘It’s my life’ from Bon Jovi, ‘Dil Se’ and ‘Dil Chahta hai’ got much applauds, audience sang along; danced along. Euphoria must be disappointed with a minimal crowd but and that too found their way out during the action. Better Dhoom next time, Euphoria!

The author, Chetan Bhagat, is pretty well known for his past two more acclaimed works, ‘Five point someone(2004)’ and ‘One night at the call center(2005)’. He is the one, who delivers funniest fixation in his own notable style of story telling. So not surprisingly, the third one also was expected to beat the rest in the line of funny tale. But it is bit serious.

The story is about the story of three plus one young chaps (and a girl), having different desires, different aspirations and different attitude and yet walking together. Not willing to open the knots of the story (If you are not yet read), here I give you some vistas for guessing the story (if you can).

Only with the intention of stimulating you to read, here it starts,

Chetan got the mail.

Govind convinced Ish and Omi to start a business.

Omi’s mama invited three guys to attend Parakh ji’s function.

Ali sent Ish’s ball to six.

Initially Omi refused to train the Muslim guy, Ali.

Govind was sober with Vidya.

Earthquake.

Guys met with Fred, Australian pace bowler.

After-Ayodhya effect.

Twin tower air-blast.

Govind committed mistake no. I

Govind gifted Australia’s Bondi beach soil to Vidya.

Govind committed mistake no. II

Godhra event.

Govind committed mistake no. III

Ish and Govind did not speak each other for 2 years, 3 months and two weeks.

Vidya laughed at Govind and Ish crying.

Chetan got the message.

With the belief that my job is done, here it ends.

Though few pits and falls in place, this narrative promises thorough enjoyable reading and makes the reader to THINK also. Non-stop reading is being guaranteed. This time Chetan Bhagat has come with funny serious thoughts!!  

2. Should I shave today?

3. What Bill Gates might be thinking at this moment?

4. Why should I like my boss?

5. How many heads are standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower now?

6. What will be my wealth after 15 years?

7. What if, I don’t wake up tomorrow morning?

8. What if, Google doesn’t exist?

9. What imthias is writing now?

Those were the search strings, I did just before in Google. Why don’t you try at least the last one?

‘Are you joining with me for a morning walk?’, friend asked.

Me, ‘At what time?’

‘5 in the morning’

‘Where?’

‘Thiruvanmiyur beach’

‘OK. That’s cool. Done’

‘No Kidding’, my friend exclaimed at my reply. And I kept my promise too. I didn’t mind waking up at 5 am after sleeping at 2 am and driving back from Velachery to Thiruvanmiyur. I couldn’t refuse such ecstasy proposals, though I am not routine in it. Morning walk is always a joyful experience. 

Shouldn’t I relate with my early days? Gone are good old elementary school days. Me with my native-mates used to walk 10 kms for swimming in Thamirabharani River every weekend. At that age, I was not even conscious about the goodness factors involved in it. It was like a journey to cheer. It was truly a blissful ride while walking on the farm land, crossing railway tracks, jumping into mango garden, and hiding into banana farm. We discussed about almost all, from neighbor home to neighbor country, from intelligent wits to ‘A’ jokes, from school life to old age, nothing left out. Many a times I realized that my thirst for next day’s pleasant walking experience started Friday night itself.

As grown up, it happened to gave up weekend morning walk for the sake of banking time for studies(still I used to wake up late in the morning, that’s the different story). Then resumed jogging while at NCE. For that I used to ride 5 kms every morning from my home to VOC ground, Palayamkottai. It also stopped at once I met with an accident. Then became a sleeping goat for a couple of years. Now started work out at office gym early in the morning. God only knows how far it will reach. Thus my morning work out is discrete itself.

Well. Background stories are enough.

At thiruvanmiyur beach…

Diversity of people joining in the morning walk. Each one from different path of the life. Couples. Aged people. A group of youngsters. Dad and little laughter. Mom with little son. The path is full of mixture of different ages.

They discuss variety of issues while walking. Talk about the yesterday watched cricket match. Debate about India’s stand in nuclear deal. Show due concern about increasing inflation rate. Apart from (inter)national interests, could hear personal talks also. One young chap is upset about failure of his favorite actor’s latest movie. A fat girl anxious of her fatty figure. One worries about his son’s college admission and another is sharing his struggling of building own house in the city. My God, every individual in this earth is walking and talking problems. Well. Word of this blog, ‘problems are the source of our happiness’. What a philosophy!(Jboasting myself?!)      

Group of people(most of all 60+) standing in a circle and what they do? Just laud laughing. For what? Nothing. Who cracked the funniest wit? None. It’s called ‘laughter therapy’. The scene is very common at Anna nagar tower park. They say that laughing is a good meditation. I agree. There are lots of human faces to smile at and lots of happenings surrounding us to laugh at. Why to control laughing throughout the life and compelling for the same in later stage? Let laughing free flow forever. J

It’s beautiful to see young kids in karate uniform. There is a karate training going aside of the beach road. Boys and girls in different age groups and in equal ratio do listening, running, fighting. The sync of noise ‘ha-hu-ha’ is lovable to listen. Nice. Interestingly one little girl commands bunch of elder guys. Later we noticed that she, the black belt holder, is training yellow belt group. Guys, never underestimate ‘chotti’ girls.   

Above all, one cluster of people impresses us very much. They never bother about the degree of heat the sun is scorching, the magnitude of light, the crowd of people surrounding them and nothing they sense about. They stick to each other. Never mind it’s a storm or thunder or tsunami. I really salute those ‘lovely pairs’ sitting at the side of walls and busy in love making at the early morning. :)

LP: Never fail to taste the coconut water, once you are done with, as we do.

One girl from the sales counter, ‘what you would like to buy, sir?’

Instead asking what I wanted, she would have rephrased her asking with something else, I wished for.

Felt uneasy, as I was not sure that what I look to buy. I hadn’t made my mind yet that should I go for clothing or toy items. I felt, the term ‘customer care’ is often misplaced and ends up with ‘customer snag’. Btw, I was there to shop for my family kids. Finally I made up my mind to visit home in this weekend.

Well. Finally I came out with what I was thinking through, ‘Sorry. Not sure, what I want’. Huh!

I could see weird reaction from the girl’s face. ‘Can I browse through the shop just?’, I moved without expecting a reply.

I approached the girl again with a picked ‘gift pack for new born’ in hand. This pretty girl well explained the pack, what are all it consisted of. I could hear all the way until she came to the price part. I asked the price again, took a deep breath and found the answer for why I was alone shopping, not anybody else, provided much more motivational factors.

By now I started asking crooked combinations in a pack so that I could avoid the purchase and extend my conversation with. Went to some extend by asking that do they have a pack which consists of collection of wear which may be used from 1month to 3 yrs. I thought myself nuts while asking this, but I am helpless. If she had said ‘yes’, then I would have asked for schooling kits attached with the pack. Fortunately she didn’t.

Finally the girl got my intention and gave a look, which said, ‘just get out of this hell’. That’s what I wanted.

Then, City center or Spencer?

I always find Spencer plaza to have good luck for my needs. Many a times I have found the goods at Spencer, for which I had been probing so long.

Well. I stepped at landmark’s kids section at Spencer. Among the other family/couple buyers, I was the only single little chap. Thank god; there was no snagging from sales personnel. Very soon I picked the gift pack for a new born, which was well made.

I understood that shopping toys for kids is truly complex task as well it’s lovable. I feel that clothing could be quickly chosen. Have to have a lots of mind calculation like whether she likes it or not? Whether he is able to understand the function or not? How long it could be used without broken? Whether their parents appreciate or not? Whether does it fit to their interest or not? I found some toys, which are helpful in developing kids multi skills. Got an attention from co-buyers, while I imagined myself as a kid(might be, true) and tried the toys.

Kids section is beautiful. A small boy was adamant to have his most interested toy and his father tried to convince him for another toy. Other side, one mother was choosing a comic book very carefully after a glimpse of reading for her little daughter. The shopping culture at kid’s section is pleasant watching. All are joyful, as behave as kid.

Guess how much time I took for finishing the toy shopping. Six long hrs. No wonder, few sales people closely smiled at me, when I was leaving the place. Not a big deal. I just wanted to make it a worth shopping, as I always wish for. After all, imagine the exciting smile on the kids face when you gift them. Priceless.  

Though ‘Santhosh subramanium’ is a remake from Telugu, ‘Bommarillu’, the movie stays in fresh form. Director Raja proved again that he is good at remaking. Watching SS is truly a joyful experience. This movie takes audience along with the flow. The special mention in the movie is Genelia. Simple traits in the movie, like holding a tea cup, phone talk, horn sentiment etc. are beautifully told.  Let that be a friendship or love or family relation, everything is eye catching. Watching SS matches with the experience of having ‘vennila milkshake with icecream on top’ for the summer heat.

They say that the movie, ‘yaaradi nee mohini’ is commercially hit. Perhaps true, as it is a mixture of different aromas to make it as a masala package. But the proportion of mixing was not proper, which I felt. Many amateur scenes let the audience to laugh at the scenes, instead to take along with it. For example, the hero studies the java program and build a successful project over the night are the height of sick imagination. Could not believe that the story is from one of the somber directors in Tamil cinema.  This movie promises sluggish story with funny screenplay.

In ‘Arai en 305il kadavul’, Simbuthevan tried to give an image to his non-materialistic thoughts. The crux of the movie is that what if, God appears in front of you. Sounds interesting, but he failed a bit to present able-bodied. It’s a full length fun story. Director’s take on common men’s lifestyle, foolish religious sentiments etc. are well established in the screen. And the narration of how small we human being are fresh thoughts. In the second part, movie travels in very stagnant mode, which could be pierced better. All negatives apart, can watch once for the director’s odd attempt.

But that Sunday morning was different to me. I kept on watching those kids playing, running across. Parents were trying to control them, so that they don’t create any nuisance to the customers. But they were in full joyful mood, reluctant in listening to their parents.

I asked their mother, ‘Why don’t you place them in a school. Don’t you want to educate them?’

She responded very quickly, ‘Which parent don’t want to give education to their kids? We also want. We also wish to see them as like you all guys. But the fact is that we are not capable of. Whatever small profit we gain from this shop, it’s not even sufficient for our daily food. How could we think about their education?’.

I asked then, ‘What about their future?’

‘First let me get away from the worry of their today’s hunger. You are talking about the future. I don’t know the answer for your question’, continued serving tea for other customers. 

This kind of scene is very common in our country, which stands tall in world population. While some portion of people leading comfort living, other portion is in height of deprived form. Why this disparity? What’s the fact hidden in a way, our living has been designed?

Keeping the grown-up people aside, why kids to suffer? Provided an opportunity, we were born in an affluent family, were given good education, attained social status, having fun and leading a worry-free life. Are we really overwhelmed with good deeds even before our birth? What about the children, who were born in the roadside? Whose fault is this? Who is to be blamed? How an almighty chooses a kid for so-so family or say, society? Number of un-answered questions is revolving. A big mystery!

Are really rulers worry about? Or at least think about? They are convinced that their job is over after announcing a periodic plan to micro-population(how far it reaches the needy people, that’s another sad story). To hell with those selfish, shameless creatures.

My concern here is that why can’t government adopt the underprivileged kids segment under the defined age group from the entire nation to provide food, cloth, shelter and education and groom for future India. In front of the expenses, government make for sports, defense, and security etc., the cost needed for this holy effort is defensible. After all, it’s for making a human race with humanity.

You can not directly go and sit in your boss’s desk and attend his calls. Your father won’t produce the bill for your stay at his home every month. Your girl friend never allow you to watch the movie with another pretty(J) girl. So, there is a limit. With that limit, keeping in mind…

Imagine yoy are writing an application to the corporation authority by requesting to take care of stinking problem at your residential area(you can write similar to your boss also, you please try yourslef)… UNCONVENTIONALLY, breaking all the etiquette of ‘formal’ letter writing…

hi dude,

howz u doin yaar? nd ur wife, children, parentz, left, right, opposite neighbors? All fine naa?

my side s quite okay.. my family, my boss, my boss’s family…J all fine. Job s cool… comp s doin so far so gud… how come?!… fine wit tht… this scorchin sun… my god… irkin me yaar… is tht bcos f tht opposite party? Huh!!

wat else dude? Ystrday I saw in tv tht u wr screamin at one guy like anytin.. man.. was frightened… control yaar.. control… screamin s not gud for health… okay… btw, i wantd to ask u.. wats d secret of ever glowin white outfits? how u protect frm stains yaar… ny undrground agreemnt with HLL… u lucky chap, ’dhoti’ s cool for ths summr.. y dont u advise to corporates?? dont wory.. v dont pull each othrs… huh!! one more thing,  congrats for the last big fight won at assembly… wow.. I wanna see ur stunt master… hey, juz jokin… keep rockin…

hey, I forgt… last weeknd I saw ur family at cc mall… guess, ur kids r njoyin their summer hlidaz.. ny plan u have for their holiday trip to nywhr? Chck out ‘mahindra holiday package’.. my frnd told tht its worth.. my goodness, I hv juz born baby.. otherwise, my wife would hv dragged me to some corner f ths earth, which is more injurious to my bank balance.. huh!! J wat abt urs??

thn… how bt ur diet n xercises? Hv been watchin ur belly xpandin day by day… ha haa… kiddin!! Y dn’t u join n O2 r sumtin? It’s cool, u know…

hmm.. comin to the point.. comon man… do sumtin for stinkin pbm at our place… else u also come n stay with us… nothin happns, f*** uoy…

okey, wil catch u latr…

take care.. bye bye…

xxxxx

Like the above one, below is another kind. You are composing a mail to your friend about weekend movie plan. UNCONVENTIONALLY, breaking all the etiquette of ‘casual’ writing to the friend.

Respected friend,

Sub.: Confirming your availability for this weekend’s movie plan – Reg.

As we have decided, I have booked tickets for the movie, ‘I don’t care crocodile’s arse’ on Sunday(20.04.08 )  for 11.30pm show. Here by, may I remind as well as kindly request you to be available for this commitment without fail. Attached is the copy of movie tickets, I bought. I will let you know, if any changes in plan occur.

Thanking you.

Yours obediently

Xxxxxxxxxx  xxxxx x x

Xxxxxx xxxxxx

Xxxxxx

(Very imp.: CC to your friend’s Mum and Dad)

Unconventional acts can not be rooted to the core. Still it’s limited up to an imagination, won’t harm any(including usJ). If this thinking brings smile on your face, it’s good for your health. For me too.

The guy at the counter, “No sir, you asked for coffee”.

Me, “No boss, I might have asked for tea”.

“No sir, I am sure that you didn’t ask for tea, but for coffee only”, the guy replied.

I had this quarrel at Om Muruga canteen, Velachery, the one place I prefer to have a cup of tea over coffee almost everyday atleast one time.

Why he should lie? I might have asked for coffee only. Yes, I asked. Because I knew that coffee means a lot to me.  

“OK… no issue… I take this coffee”, moved to the corner. But consciously unconscious asking of coffee centered out in my mind.

Coffee means grey, coffee means warm, coffee means energy, coffee means hi, like many gives the definition. The movie, ‘Pyar ki side effects’, gave a naughty definition too. But, what coffee means to me? More than a drink, it means a lot. My morning, work, mood, break, fun, bliss, gloomy, end etc etc. So no wonder that I was easily convinced that I might have asked for coffee only.

During my MBA days, it was believed that B-School guy’s typical day cycle rolls with coffee/tea, cigarette, google, bench and beer. Still at this career life, same routine trails, with the addition/deletion of something, but coffee/tea never get replaced. I start a day with a mini cup of hot coffee(hot is very important to me) at Hot Chips, Ashok Nagar. If I miss a cup, it makes me to feel like that I miss something in the fine morning.

In my early days, I used to get scolding from my mum for my numerous coffee consumption. At that time, my coffee schedule inclined like this, pre-brushing, post-brushing, pre-breakfast, post-breakfast, goes on and on. But these days, mum reminds me, “take the coffee from the flask, kept at the kitchen”, during my rare visits to home. She might be understood that I could not get the best coffee outside like the one, she serves me. Though we have CCDs, Qwiky’s and baristas, mum prepared is always special. Right?

Despite my friends’ severe warning on outsized consumption of coffee, which may lead to health hazards, me showing ‘never care’ attitude, but with a little fear in my mind. Is that serious?

Corby Kummer has traveled all across the nations to find out all the possible methods to make a great cup of coffee and has written a book, ‘The Joy of Coffee’. Interesting. We are no more in front of him to talk about coffee. Let me stop here to browse through the e-book and you?

Very late at nights, still I stay awake, as though I don’t know whats’ that activity. Feel very much reluctant to close my eyes. Some times, do think that the activity is the waste of time, since we live so short in this long life. Same reversal feelings when I wake up also. Why I should I wake up? I enjoy long stay at the bed. Should I disturb it? I love the moment, even though its’ a laziest thing. Wish to get up at a reasonable early time, while setting the timer. Switching off the timer, when it cries. Set the new time, say with half an hour gap, and repeat on-off till the neck reaches. Do I stop? Nah.. Now just reduce the time gap from half an hour to say five minutes and enjoy the sleep back. It keeps rolling for n times. It’s really a joyful ride. You can also try!! And finally I wake up, reluctantly.  

One thing, I understood that I am fighting sleep, either to win or to lose. Does everyone?