Vande Mataram.

Hey guys, remember that time we won a cricket World Cup and it wasn't 1983?

I am so incredibly happy right now that I can barely even articulate it. It's incredible to think that the team has actually won the World Cup, but at the same time, of course they should've won the World Cup - they deserved it. It's just... I am over the moon now. Thoughts:

+ It was a match worthy of a final. I thought I was nervous during the Australia and Pakistan matches; boy was I wrong. This match literally had me hiding under my sheets and peeking at the TV from behind my pillow. I'm not built to take such tension, ha!

+ As I see it, our win was perfect. The only things that could have made it better were Sachin's 100th century and Sehwag slamming the first ball for a boundary. Neither happened - QUITE the opposite, really - but I'm very glad that the team has proved it can sustain itself without their two powerful openers. Earlier in the tournament, we found that they relied on Sachin-Sehwag too much (Sachin in particular), and collapsed later. It was the opposite this time, and I'm glad to see them prove that. Also, while a part of me would've loved to see us pummel the Lankans, victory is much sweeter when you've had to work for it. Again, earlier in the tournament, we've found India slipping from winning positions - but this time, they upped their game from a losing position (high score to chase, Sachin-Sehwag out) and won. It was a beautiful thing to see.

+ Great, great innings by both Gautam and Virat to level the game and bring India back into it. Their runs, the way they operated under pressure... both were crucial for India. 

+ I am, above all, happy for Dhoni. I think he's a brilliant captain and one of the best things to happen to Indian cricket, but he's heard a lot of criticism lately - for his selection choices, for his decisions, for his lack of runs. He silenced them all today with a fantastic innings and an amazing six to end the match. Could not be prouder of that man.

+ Very smart cricket overall by the Indian team. They were under pressure, but they did what they had to do. No unnecessary risks, just enough runs to keep the current rate on par with the required one. They played as a true team today.

+ The most poignant moment of the entire World Cup was when the crowd at Wankhede Stadium started singing Vande Mataram. It was just... beautiful. I would have given a lot to be there with them, singing along, cheering my team along, seeing the match to the end. But even so, it was one of my proudest moments just experiencing it.

+ Just seeing India lift that cup and hoist Sachin on their shoulders has filled me with so much joy my heart could actually burst. They did it. They did it, for Sachin. They did it, for the nation. So proud.

+ LOVELY words by Virat about Sachin: “He’s carried the burden of our nation for 21 years. It was time to carry him on our shoulders today.” Beautiful, just beautiful.

+ Very happy to see the boys also hoist Gary Kirsten on their shoulders and take him for a victory lap. That man deserves much of the credit for this win. Thank you, Gary. Please don't leave us.

+ Thank you, Sri Lanka, for a great match. Full respect to you for the fight you gave.

World Champions! :D
Photo credit: ESPNcricinfo

Happy happy happy happy happy! :D

By the way, if you think you're done with my cricket posts, you're wrong. I've got one more in my system. ;) It's probably going to be up tomorrow. And with that, I think my blog almost requires a name change... :)

IND vs PAK: Post-match Thoughts

INDIA WON!!! WE DID IT! So proud of the Men in Blue. They pulled through again and now we're just one step away from the cup. Some thoughts from the game:

+ The most baffling thing about the match was how many lives Sachin was given. Or rather, how many he took, because the almighty Sachin isn't given things, he takes them. ;) He lead a seriously charmed life today. Nope, he wasn't playing at his best, but you know what? Ordinary innings by his standard are extraordinary innings by everyone else's standard. Having said that, I'm actually glad he didn't make his 100th century today - I'm not going by the "when Sachin makes a century, India loses" myth, I'm just saying that I think he'd rather achieve this milestone when he's playing an innings he's completely proud of. Today was probably not the day, but no matter - it gives us something to look forward to still.

+ Glad Ashish Nehra silenced the doubters. Yes, Dhoni misread the pitch - as did everyone else - and that's why he opted for Nehra instead of Ashwin, but can we stop getting on his case, please? He has to make decisions and he has to take risks, but he's putting thought into them and he's doing what he thinks is right. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't, but that's how the game works and that's what makes it interesting.

+ MUNAF PATEL. Did Yuvraj share some Revital with him prior to this match? Munaf has been the butt of all jokes for a good portion of this World Cup, but he totally showed up today. He bowled tight overs (including a maiden over), he took two wickets, and he fielded also decently. Good job, Munaf.

+ Speaking of Yuvraj, I was heartbroken to see him get out the way he did. Was hoping for another fabulous innings because he has totally been in the game this World Cup. He made up for it with the ball, though, so that's okay.

+ Raina is the man. He shows composure and calmness while batting, but is absolutely enthusiastic on the field. He fields excellently and is always jumping on and hugging players when there's an opportunity to celebrate. Watching a player enjoy his game thoroughly is one of the most heartening things to see, so thank you Raina for your show of enthusiasm.

How is Raina even MANAGING to hold these two? :)
Photo credit: ESPNcricinfo

+ Loved the spirit of the game. It seems too easy for players to succumb to the pressure of an India-Pakistan match, but all the boys played with complete dignity. No sledging, no out-to-get-you attitude, no sore losing. It was a wonderful thing to see.

+ Full respect to the Pakistani team. Not only did they make us work for our win, but they were absolutely gracious in their loss. Afridi showed great sportsmanship - he accepted his loss like a champ, and it was great to see his interaction with the Indian players. We need more like you, Afridi. Thanks for a great game and I hope you get all the respect you deserve back home.

Photo credit: ESPNcricinfo

That's all from me for today. Really hoping and praying for an Indian World Cup win this year. I will not be able to settle properly until Saturday; I'm already feeling the nerves and butterflies. We're so close. So close. Pleasepleaseplease win this, India. Please!

The Epic Match

So I realize that this is supposed to be a filmi blog, but I can't help it - I've been eating, breathing, living the World Cup these past few weeks, so I must talk about it.

THE match starts in a few hours, and there has been absolute pandemonium all over, the kind of pandemonium that only an India-Pakistan cricket match can create. Ever since it has been guaranteed that there'd be an IND-PAK semi-final - and, well, even before that - it's all anyone has been talking about. One would expect that - the competition in India-Pakistan matches always transcends the sport and goes into the realm of war and politics. Cricket-wise, they're already two teams that can set off sparks when they clash, but you go and add India and Pakistan's history to that, and you've got something else.

For this reason, the Indian media has touted this semi-final as being a "peace" match, a bridge between India and Pakistan. Actually, I don't understand the concept of a "peace" match. Cricket is the one thing that makes us more fiercely competitive than anything else - it is, in a sense, war. It seems that a lot hinges on the result of an India-Pakistan match - a win is extra sweet while a loss is extra bitter. But if you think about it, it's unfair to bring all these years of rivalry and tension onto the field during a cricket match. Why do we suddenly look to our cricket team to exact revenge on our rival? Why should the players have to feel the pressure of the match being used as a vehicle for peace talks between the Prime Ministers of the two nations? Cricket is war, yes, but the war should be limited to the game currently being played. Allow it to transcend beyond the stadium and make the game into what it's not, and we'll never achieve the peace we're talking about.

So, today, try to take the match for it is - a match. Cheer for your team, be hyper-competitive, feel free to make good-natured jokes about the opponents. But keep the match in perspective and don't look to it to create either war or peace.

Having said that, it's no doubt that this match is a biiig one. Both teams want the win, both teams deserve the win, and hopefully both teams will play for the win. It's going to be an epic clash and I absolutely cannot wait for it - hence the reason I'm up late writing this post instead of trying to get a few hours of sleep before I wake up at 4:30am to watch the match.

I'd love to be all diplomatic while ending this post, but I'm not going to pull a Ravi Shastri on you all and say that hopefully "cricket is the real winner." No, the real winner better be India. I'm praying and crossing my fingers for an Indian win on this one, so hopefully the boys will pull through with victory. To borrow a quote from Atul Kasbekar: "Today we won't Go Green, we'll just Bleed Blue." That is all.

Bollywood Playlist #3: Best of Mohit Chauhan

So I'm working on a new Character Profile (any guesses for which character?), but it's slow going because I've been incredibly busy lately. Hopefully it will be up soon, but for now I'm putting up a playlist because I've been on a music kick lately. This is the Best of Mohit Chauhan list - he's my favourite singer; I don't think I've disliked even a single song he's sung. However, I definitely have my favourites, and they're listed below. :)

Best of Mohit Chauhan

Click the title for YouTube link

tum se hi; jab we met

raastein mil jaati hai
manzilen mil jaati hai
tum se hi, tum se hi

roads are found
destinations are reached
only with you, only with you

[This is not just my favourite Mohit Chauhan song; it's my favourite song ever. Nothing I ever say about this song will be enough.]

pehli baar mohabbat; kaminey

dil ne kaisi harkat ki hai

pehli baar mohabbat ki hai

what tricks has my heart played

i am in love for the first time

[Mohit Chauhan's voice + Vishal Bhardwaj's music + Gulzar's lyrics is a beautiful combination.]

dooriyan; love aaj kal

kabhi hua yeh bhi

khaali rahoon peh bhi

tu tah mere saath

there was a time

even on empty roads

when you were with me

[Who doesn't relate to this song? Distance is the one thing I hate the most. You can feel that quiet sort of sadness in MC's voice, which is exactly what the lyrics are trying to convey.]

tujhe bhula diya; anjaana anjaani

tujhe bhula diya

toh phir kyun tere yaadon ne mujhe ruladiya?

i have forgotten you

then why did memories of you make me cry?

[Again, who doesn't relate to this song? The above lines in particlar.]

tujhko jo paaya; crook

ab yeh lamha teher jaye, tham jaye, bas jaye

hum dono ke darmiyaan

now this moment pauses, stops, lives

between us two

 [This is such a soft, serene song that always manages to put a small smile on my face. MC's voice flows beautifully.]

pee loon; once upon a time in mumbaai

tere sang chain bhi mujhko

tere sang bekaraari hai

with you, i am at ease

with you, i am restless

[This is probably my favourite track of 2010... if you don't count Sheila Ki Jawani. Um, let's not go there...]

masakali; delhi-6

itdi se mud, ada se ud

kar le poori dil ki tamanna

turn with pleasure, fly with style

fulfill your heart's desires

[What a unique song! You can tell MC's having fun with this one.]

khoon chala; rang de basanti

sawaloon ki ungli

jawabon ki muthi

pointing fingers

got fists in reply

[If I'm right, this was MC's first film song - and what a debut it was. His voice is haunting here; exactly what you want for such a song.]    

And that’s my list! There are, of course, a number of other Mohit Chauhan songs I love—Tune Jo Na Kaha, Jingle Jingle, Bheegi Si Bhaagi Si, Is Jahaan Mein, etc. Not to mention, he has non-film albums as well—solo (Fitoor) as well as with his band Silk Route (Boondein, Pehchan). All of his songs are worth a listen, but my favourites are those above. What are your favourite Mohit Chauhan songs?

Character Profile: Aisha; Wake Up Sid

I'm one of those people who can become heavily invested in characters (see: Bollywood Characters I'd Marry), and therefore the characters are what will make the film for me. I'd even be willing to put a film's plot on the backseat--not hard, considering too many of our films are basically the same plot rehashed--if I can feel a real connection with the characters. And there really have been some memorable characters that stay with me well past the film's ending credits--therefore, one of the new fixtures on my blog is a profile of some of my favourite Bollywood characters. To kick things off, I'm profiling Aisha, Konkona Sen Sharma's character in Wake Up, Sid.

Aisha is probably not the most typical choice out there, but I absolutely adore her for how understated she is. Oftentimes, a character needs to be over-the-top in order to be memorable, but Aisha's manages to shine through her subtlety, perhaps because she is a realistic and well fleshed-out character--she has her strengths and she has her flaws, and somewhere there is an Aisha hidden in all of us. Aisha is actually the one character who reminds me most of me, and therefore I thought it'd be fitting to start with her.

When we first see Aisha, she is hunched over her journal, possibly recording her thoughts on her first day as an official Bombayite. The journalist in her cannot resist making notes, even if it is at the risk of being anti-social; she very happily ignores the party around her in favor of writing.

However, don't be hasty to judge Aisha as a meek and timid person. She quickly opens up to Sid (played by Ranbir Kapoor) and asks him to show her around Bombay, but immediately specifies what her intentions are (or are not, as the case may be).

From there on, we learn a few facts about Aisha: she lived all her life in Calcutta, she wants to be a writer, and she came to Mumbai simply because she craves independence.

In an industry fraught with "damsel in distress" plotlines, it's refreshing to see a character who is strong, independent, and does not need any form of 'saving'. In fact, she ends up being the one doing the saving--when Sid gets kicked out of his house, it's Aisha he turns to for help, Aisha who takes him in and helps him get his life back on track.

Meanwhile, Aisha's busy getting her own life on track. She has explored Bombay and no longer feels like a stranger in the city...

...she's turning her dump of an apartment into her home...

...and she has interviewed for a job where she meets her, um, rather good-looking boss.

Oops! But who can blame her, really?

How YOU doin'?

The film then continues to explore Aisha and Sid as individual characters and as friends. To say more about the film would be to give plot details away, so I won't. Instead, I'll continue to examine facets of Aisha's personality, through screenshots taken from the film.

Aisha's Style

I love how the costume designers (Manish Malhotra, Priyanjali Lahiri) have managed to give Aisha's character that "modern Indian woman" look--they do not stick her in salwar kurtas, nor do they insist on dressing her solely in skirts or dresses. Instead, Aisha's look blends traditional with modern, and you'll usually find her in a kurta and jeans. It's very typical of what the ordinary Indian woman would wear out and about, thus increasing Aisha's relatability.

I love her payal!

Absolutely adore this camel-print kurta... WANT!

I really like this outfit. It's like an Indianized version of the LBD. Plus, the SHOES!

It's not only Aisha's choice of clothing that reflects her style, but also how she chooses to decorate her apartment. Let me just say that I absolutely love what the set designers have done with her room. It's simple and classy and very reflective of Aisha's character.

Love her use of the bird cut-outs.

Very pretty bird cage to go with the bird cut-outs.

I love hanging up pictures of the people I love too, so I adored this concept!

Aisha's Inspirtation

Again, I love how well-fleshed out her character is. The director does a wonderful job of throwing in little snippets of Aisha's favourite things in the movie. It's done subtly and mostly integrated into song sequences, but it really opens up a window to Aisha's personality.

Books!

Aisha receives a shipment of her things from home.

She collects post cards.

More books!

I love smelling books, so I totally relate to this scene.

Even more books! And you wonder why I love Aisha so much...

I've said it before, but the great thing about Aisha is how easy it is to relate to her. She has her flaws--I wanted to shake her when she kept calling Sid immature; I can't imagine how annoying that must have been, especially after he did a lot of growing up--but she's also extremely endearing and unostentatious.

That's that for my first character profile! I'll be back soon with another. In the meantime, do let me know who your favourite characters are, and whether you feel the same way about Aisha as I do!

By the way, as a side-note: If you're a LiveJournal user, you can follow my posts on your LJ Friends Page by adding this feed. :)

Happy birthday, Shahid: 30 Reasons I Love Him

If you know me at all, you know I'm a huge Shahid Kapoor fan. Huuuge. I remember liking him from the first time I watched Ishq Vishk - he was cute, a good actor, and had that distinct 'star-like' quality about him. After that, his movies came and went, but I hadn't watched all of them... then came Vivah. He completely won me over with his performance. Not only was he talented, but he oozed sincerity - he was incredibly likable. Jab We Met just cemented my opinion. After that, I started YouTubing him - I watched his interviews and appearances on talk shows and I was bowled over. He came across sensible, humble, and very mature. That's when I decided I liked Shahid the Person far more than I liked Shahid the Actor - which is saying something, since I believe he's one of the most talented actors in Bollywood today.

On February 25th, Shahid celebrates his 30th birthday. It's a big milestone, no doubt, so to join in on the celebrations, I give to you a list of 30 reasons I love Shahid Kapoor! ;)

30 Reasons I Love Shahid Kapoor

1. He’s a subtle actor. His real talent lies in those small nuances, those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, and that makes for highly natural acting. He adds so much to a scene that we as an audience may not take explicit notice of, and I think that’s where great talent lies: it’s not overt and showy, it blends in perfectly.

2. He’s a highly intelligent actor and seems to be able to ‘feel’ out a scene very well. One example: Anushka Sharma said during the shooting of Badmaash Company that in one scene, she and Shahid were walking down a street and talking, but Shahid found something ‘missing’ in the scene. He asked for it to be reshot with them eating watermelons, thus giving them something to do with their hands. The thing about such a scene is that you do not realize what the watermelon adds to it until you think of the scene without it—something does seem to be missing.

3. He has a great work ethic. Several of Shahid’s directors and co-actors have praised his ability to be so focused and dedicated; he really does seem to give his all to a film (case-in-point: taking a year off to work on his dad’s film, Mausam).

4. He’s an unbelievable dancer. I don’t even think I need to say anything more about this—just take a look at his Michael Jackson tribute, and you’ll see!

5. He’s extremely good-looking. Oh come on, you didn’t think I’d make a list and not include this, did you? I mean, just look at him! *dreamy sigh*

6. He has a very mature attitude about his career. In many interviews he has said that he doesn't lament a failure too long and he doesn't take the success of a film to his head. I think this is such a healthy attitude to have, because success and failure (especially in an industry such as Bollywood) comes and goes.

7. He’s very sincere. He comes across as extremely straight-forward in all his interviews. And he says it himself all the time: “keep it real.”

8. He’s extremely devoted to his spiritual beliefs, which I admire above all else. Being someone who places great importance on body building, it must be difficult to not eat meat to get that kind of protein. And being someone from the Bollywood industry who has to attend many parties and whatnot, it must be difficult not to drink. But he does neither and is serious about it—I admire his resilience to not ‘give in’ to the trappings of Bollywood and to remain firm in his beliefs.

9. He’s really humble – it never seems like his success goes to his head; he seems as down-to-earth as always.

10. His philosophical tweets always put a smile on my face!

 

11. He actually drinks his coffee when on talk shows. I dunno, I find that extremely endearing, since most people tend to ignore it entirely! :P

12. He’s really sweet to his fans – he took time out to talk to me on the phone even though I think we were disturbing him! He was really nice about it, though, and wished me well. (I’m posting this story again soon for those of you who haven’t heard it yet.)

13. He’s a total family man, and there is something really endearing about that. He’s always talking about his father, and the Twitter conversations between him and Ishaan (his brother) are always so cute!

14. Whenever he’s shooting, he tends to post pictures of his surroundings – it’s so interactive and makes us feel like we’re there! ;)

15. His eye-wrinkling grin makes my heart happy.

I'm grinning like an idiot now too!

16. He’s a great host. His hosting stints on SSA 2010 and 2011 had me in splits. Also, he and Shahrukh Khan make a great team—when are we seeing them in a movie together?!

17. He’s surprisingly good at mimicry. He was hilarious and spot-on in his imitation of Aamir Khan during SSA 2010.

18. He made replacing the ‘s’ in sentences with an ‘f’ cool – itf the new hotteft thing to do!

19. He is the first actor in the world to fly an F16. How awesome is that?!

20. He looks hawt in a suit…

21. … and in a uniform…

MY HARRY!!! <3

22. … and even more so in a kurta-pyjama!

23. He looks adorable when he makes the peace sign while posing for photos!

24. He sounds feckfy when he speaks Punjabi! “Big deal – tenu ki farak penda hai?” “Correct – menu ki farak penda hai?!”

25. He usually ends the day with a “shabbakhair” tweet – how fweet! (That rhymed? :P)

26. On the ‘shabbakhair’ note: how cute is it when he uses the word ‘neeni’?! :P

27. He always sends sweet messages to ShahidOnline.net, his biggest fanclub.

28. He’s actually pretty funny – not only does he act out comedic roles with ease, but he also posts funny lines on Twitter!

Read from the bottom-up!

29. He’s an all-out good guy at heart, the kind of guy you just want to take home… yet he has a bit of that “bad boy” edge (his bike, anyone?) that’s so appealing!

30. And the final reason why I love Shahid Kapoor: he brought to me the lovely #Shanatics, some truly special girls (and guys!) who have made Twitter a better place to be. :) Love you all!


Okay, so there you have it—30 reasons! Feel free to share your own reasons in the comments, so that we can celebrate our favourite badmaash’s birthday in style!

Happy birthday, Sasha! :)

Bollywood Characters I'd Marry - Part One

Here's a bit of an embarrassing fact: I'm a big sap at heart and I completely eat up the idea of a Bollywood romance; you're very likely to find me staring googly-eyed at those Bollywood scenes that others may call cliché and cringe at. For this reason, I've always maintained that Bollywood has ruined my chances of finding the 'perfect' guy, simply because it has raised the standards so high that I can't ever imagine someone meeting them (waiting to be proven wrong, btw). I know we all have our fictional crushes--mine can perhaps be contained in a book the size of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix--so I'm doing it Bollywood-style on this blog and telling you about the characters I'd marry in a heartbeat (in no particular order). I'm splitting this up in two posts, because apparently I can get really ramble-y when talking about the characters I love. ;)

The All-Out Good Guy
These are the complete good guys. Sincere, lovable, and always doing the right thing.

Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor; Jab We Met)

There's something undeniably appealing about a quiet, brooding guy who seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders--you inexplicably want to fix things for him. But then there's something more appealing about the guy when he snaps out of it and you discover that beneath all the sulking, there's a guy who is fun, loves to sing, and is genuinely good. And good he is--which other kind of guy would travel across India to accompany a girl home just because it is apparently his fault that she missed her train? And which guy would help the girl (whom he has fallen in love with) run away from her home and into the arms of another man? Which guy would then track down the girl after finding out that all's not well with her, bring joy back into her life, reunite her with her family, and then still try to patch things up between her and her estranged lover? Only an all-out good guy, that's for sure. As Geet rightly says in the movie: "Tumhare upar koi bhi ladki flat ho sakti hai." ("Any girl would fall for you.") 


Prem (Shahid Kapoor; Vivah)

This character is almost single-handedly responsible for me falling in love with Shahid Kapoor. There's nothing to not like about this guy: he's got that endearing innocence, he's charmingly awkward, he tries to accept Poonam's completely traditional ways even if he doesn't understand it all the time, he studied Literature (*swoon*), aaand he doesn't turn his back on her even when tragedy strikes. Perfection.

The Urbane Gentleman

The smooth, sophisticated, smart guys.

Kabir (Rahul Khanna; Wake Up Sid)

I see a lot of myself in Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma's character in Wake Up Sid), but the one thing I would have done differently is pick Kabir over Sid. He's suave, smart, an editor (brb, dyinggg), and incredibly good-looking. Sorry, Sid, as much as I love you, your immature self doesn't hold a candle to the amazingness that is Kabir. Of course, what adds to my adoration of this character is that Kabir seems very similar to what Rahul Khanna is actually like, so my affection for Rahul Khanna transcends into this character. But either way, Kabir managed to win my heart--and I'd even be willing to tolerate all that jazz, just for him! :D

Arjun Burman (Abhay Deol; Aisha)

People the world over are in love with Mr Knightly--how could I possibly resist a Bollywood-ized version of this well-loved character? Arjun is the perfect mix of snide and kind, the guy who tells it as it is--and has the ability to bring larger-than-life Aisha down a peg or two--but is still undeniably gentle in doing so. Add to that his confidence, sophistication, and dimples, and you've got me swooning. To top it all off, he confesses his love for Aisha in true Bollywood fashion: by climbing up a ladder to her window! And you expected me to resist this guy? Pffft, as if. 

Okay, that's enough of the guys for now. Part two is coming soon and features four more of the Bollywood characters I'd love to marry. Till then, share your list with me! ;)