Agneepath - First Day First Show

I am just back after watching ' Agneepath ' and trust you me, this was first time i ever i watched a movie on the first day that too first show. The experience has been mind boggling, awesome , superb , fantastic, impressive , interesting , excellent , exceptional , and one of a lifetime !! Before i write anything more, all i can say is don't go and watch the movie....................just run and grab yourself a seat.

Agneepath - Movie Review

The promos were intense and did show a glimpse of what to expect but the overall movie has shaped up so well that this kind of effort happens once in a blue moon. When ' Chikni Chameli ' was aired and Ms Katrina Kaif became the talking point i even thought this will be a ok movie with a blockbuster 'item number'. But No! i was wrong and Karan Malhotra and Karan Johar have fabulously produced a gem of a masterpiece. Their have woven their craft of direction, production,songs,sequences, dialogues so amazingly well that one is left asking for more and more.

Let's talk about some acting now. Hrithik has once again proved that he is the right contender of 'Mr Perfectionist' after Aamir Khan. He has done full justice to an aggrieved son's role who has to wait for 15 years to get revenge for his dad's murder. It looks to me that none in this entire industry could have brought out the brutality and wickedness of a satan other than our 'Kancha Cheena' - Sanjay Dutt. He suited so much in this role that it makes us wonder if he should re invent 'madness in the badness'. Priyanka is a seasoned actress and needs no mention, only flowers of praise and appreciation for her commendable performance. Very naturally she carries it forward from her role as a slum girl in 'Kaminey' . Now let's come to the surprise package of the movie and i will give this gift hamper of praise to Rishi Kapoor. Wow ! Of all the movies you have acted in your heydays this one stands out. Your acting in a negative role has a hefty weight and none can ignore your stupendous effort. 'Special thanks to Katrina ' says the cast in the beginning and i would agree with the producers. Katrina's acrobatics and athleticism  as 'Chikni Chameli ' has raised the benchmark for the artists as well as the choreographers. The song is full of energy and exceeds all the parameter for an item number.

Agneepath - Moview Review

All in all this is a movie that one should watch without fail. I give full marks and all five stars to this amazing movie. Most importantly this movie did not belittle the performances of Amitabh Bachhan and other artists in the original cast. I had this skepticism that this remake might not even come half way closer to the the first one , but Karan's Agneepath is refreshing ,promising and very well made.

Congratulations to the crew and the entire cast for putting in an effort that demands a wow and a bow . Well Done ! 

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Random Quotes #53

If you think life is all fun it is, but then i don't need jokers like you around me :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #52

I have stopped working for monthly wages, bonus and  incentives are enough to keep me afloat :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #51

What's in a name ?? I don't mind using a Tata or a Hilton :) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #50

Winning and loosing is a part of the game, the only thing that matters is if i have won :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #49

My paintings never fetched a dime,  i renamed them abstract art and they are selling well :):) - Vivek

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Decoding Sunny Leone

Over the past few weeks the media, the newspaper and internet have gone berserk in reporting about Ms. Sunny Leone. Nothing sells faster than sleaze, sex and scandals and the marketers and news makers know this mantra. Even if you consider the print media, reports about molestation and assault on women are read with more interest than other important issues. Probably that is the reason it is more sensationalized as it gives vents to one’s inhibited fantasies.  The moment we are faced with a prospect of involvement in a tabooed topic the involvement quotient becomes higher. (I will use SL for Sunny Leone hence forth)

  

Let me try deciphering SL in multiple ways. Before we delve further, to clarify, I am addressing SL as a whole, the part that has been shown to us so far and the ulterior motives of people who have brought her in the system.

Sunny Leone - The Bombshell

1.    Free market – A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. Here in this case the audience is demanding certain level of content and the media is supplying the same. There cannot be curbs imposed on the demand as people end up finding multiple channels to satisfy their needs / urges. If the forbidden fruit is keep under wraps the levels of curiosity and perversions rise. SL has in a way legalized this search that was earlier done in secrecy. Her message is clear; I am here to supply what you want.

2.    The Original – I have been taught from my childhood days that if you are original and you have good content you will always succeed. There are good channels, print media, journals, literature that have wide acceptance in the masses because of the quality and the value they add. Flimsy things will vanish as quickly as their meteoric rise. 

Here there is a segment of people who are trying to ‘sell through’ SL in order to get higher viewership and TRP ratings, finding ways to gain publicity in the quick run. Now one interesting thing I would like to point out here. In this era of instant gratification when the span of the mind is getting shorter and shorter there are people who are making millions in this short run. Consider cases of Shah Rukh Khan who could get a positive ROI on a trash like ‘Ra One’. So here again SL proves that I know I am short lived and will never match the content but what I provide has a quality and will earn all of us money.

3.    Acceptance is deeper – I have been toying with the idea for the last fortnight that how criminals commit a heinous act, how we know gods existed, how we know there is a world beyond , how we know about so many things that are abstract and abstruse. The answer is simple; before we act we think and we visualize; we imagine and prepare a blueprint. The vague thoughts find a real running example on the idiot box and the clutter gets cleared. We then act.

Sunny Leone in Indian Outfit

4.    Handing Baton to Gen X – I did spend some good time working in US and came across NRI’s on various occasions. During events they sang Indian songs, performed on hit Bollywood numbers and gathered attention of the whites under the garb of “Pseudo Indian”. These parents felt happy when their kids gathered praise for their Indian values, culture and upbringing. Somehow I felt the hollowness in their eyes. A true national from their very own country could easily make out how little they had to give back to the next generation. They have adjusted to the limit possible and accommodated to the hilt, all for the sake of a ‘better future’.

SL is a giving of the Gen X and is another bug fix for more customization. My only worry is after so many fixes the original Indian might even feel alien in his own land. There has been a gradual degradation of our minds and if there will be no one left to preserve and nothing to preserve we will be like ships without an anchor.

Sunny Leone as Anarkali

5.    The Hypocrisy & the Metamorphosis – I openly accept we are a nation of Hypocrites, praising things at one moment and denying then later for personal gains. Historically India as a nation has been open, warm and inviting expats. Our culture shaped up over the centuries with influences from multiple foreign invaders and dynasties. One thing that remained common all across was our willingness to adapt and appreciate ‘right things ‘. We have been good observers and equally good learners. During the last two decades I have seen more adoption of the liberal views than anything else. On one side there is a wave of multinationals and the world that has no boundaries, one the other hand there is an urge to limit ourselves. Here again we end up being hypocrites and act in a way suitable for the moment.

SL stands for metamorphosis and makes a mockery of our double standards. We are labeled as ‘hot’ and sex starved nation and on the other hand we talk of a restrained culture. Let’s choose our stand that is what SL is asking us!! The important thing here is how we will switch from one identity to another and can we remain fixed to our new face. The choice is between being a conservative and a liberal!

6.    SL is even a ‘Woman’ – The most important aspect of SL is that she herself is a woman. The atrocities against women are rising day by day and she is more often than not treated as an object. Every other day the news headlines are hit by MMS scandals, rape cases , assaults ,molestation of the unsuspecting females who become victim of ‘bastards’.

Ms. SL I understand you are in the adult entertainment industry and according to the western world your job is dignified and is completely legalized. Few Questions for you:

Are you not promoting yourself as an ‘object’? Are you not degrading the value of your own clan? Are you not portraying to the masses what dignified job has earned you a better career? Are you not showing the girls a shortcut to fame, glamour and money?

Sunny Leone Doing Pole Dance

7.    A role model - My last observation is for Mr. Mahesh Bhatt. What ‘potential’ did you find in her?? Why do you want to give to the Indian audience reasons to celebrate sleaze?? Why can’t you find a better idol for the masses than SL and such similar ladies in the past?? You have a reply to give because years later when you are dead and nailed people will be at a discomfort because of your cheap acts in the present. Your contribution to the society will never be seen in good light.

Sunny Leone with Mentor Mahesh Bhatt

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Random Quotes #48

I never lost in any game, because i only played till the point i was winning :) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #47

After marriage i realize that bachelorhood is the best time of life, not childhood :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #46

'Girlfriend' is a name the mention of which invites sparkle in the eyes and tickle in the voice :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #45

With each passing birthday i turn more younger , but wiser people doubt :):) - Vivek

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Sunny Leone's entry in Bigg Boss 5

Hot Sunny Leone

I have been seeing and reading lots about Sunny Leone on (Indian) TV, Print media and Internet these days. This made me think about her and what she signifies or stands for. My next post will decipher the impact of  Sunny Leone's presence in bigg boss house, and her latest bollywood offers for doing movies.

Keep glued !!

Read the post here http://viveksheel-blog.blogspot.com/2012/01/decoding-sunny-leone.html

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Random Quotes #44

I don't claim to be a hard worker anymore, people often mistook me for being inefficient :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #43

Beaches provide a perfect backdrop for a uninhibited body and a liberated mind :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #42

Election is a contest that can be won on false promises only :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #41

Training schools don't produce as many F1 drivers as alcohol does :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #40

My ignorance does not surprise people then why my foolishness does ?? :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #39

You are getting old, if you more than often look for the service lift than the staircase :):) - Vivek

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Pirates of the Malacca Straits

Indiblogger Contest by KFC

This is a real incident from my own life and what could be more fierier than a 45 minutes ordeal as a hostage in the hands of Sea Pirates. The day was 22^nd June, 2003 and I was keeping navigational watch as a 2^nd Officer on the bridge.

To help people understand what these terms mean:

 -Bridge is the uppermost deck of a ship that houses navigational equipment, multiple controls, communication devices etc., needed to navigate the ship at sea.

- Navigational Watch is like ‘driving’ the ship in the sea and taking her from one destination to another.

- 2^nd Officer is an officer who holds certificate of competency to keep independent watches on the bridge and executes other duties like ship communication , route planning , cargo watches etc.

Inside the Ship

My Ship M.V. Rishikesh (M V stands for Motor Vessel) had loaded coal from Australia and was bound for India. During the passage we had to cross Malacca Strait which is a narrow waterway that extends nearly six hundred nautical miles from the Andaman Sea to the South China Sea, between Malaysia and Indonesia. The strait provides a vital shipping lane for vessels sailing from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia, as well as smaller vessels on local voyages. This place is notoriously famous for different types of piracy which include robbery of vessels at sea, the hijacking of vessels, and kidnap-for-ransom attacks.

Malacca Strait

The robbery of a vessel by pirates usually takes place while the ship is under way, often at night, and most often between one and six o’clock in the morning. The pirates board the vessel using grappling hooks and then take any cash and valuables from the ship’s safe and crew, including high-tech navigation equipment or whatever else they can seize quickly. The attack is carried out by five to ten pirates and the whole incident gets over within an hour.

Pirates in a rubber boat

Around 2 AM in the morning, I was plotting ship’s position in the chart room and suddenly the bridge door opened. At this hour of the night I was not expecting any visitors but what I see here!!  My God!! One by one ten armed pirates (all masked) enter the bridge and take me on the gun point. My hands are tied at the back and personal belongings like watch, finger rings and gold chain are taken by them.

Taken as a Hostage by Pirates

The Pirates ask me not to shout, raise alarms or do anything that might threaten them. I am told that any such action from me will yield only one end; and that is cold blooded ‘Murder’. It dawned on me a bit late that I was a ‘Hostage’ and I had no control over my life beyond this point. I requested the Pirates to allow me to change the ship's course in order to avoid collision with another vessel, and they agreed to it. Once i felt safe about the heading i put the helm to auto pilot.

Nothing can get fierier than this, not even the chicken that is put on the grill!!

The Pirates instruct me to call the Captain on the intercom, and ask him to open his room. With a trembling voice I narrated the entire incident to the Master and the demand of the pirates. A gun is on my temple and a knife at my neck to prevent me from running or taking any evasive action. Trust you me, although my life was in grave danger it was my mind that refused to accept a death like this. I was shaken to the core but my mind kept on telling me to remain calm and find out a way to be alive.

Ten minutes passed but there was no response from the Captain and this is when the Pirates started getting jittery and furious. I am then dragged from the Bridge to the deck below, where the Captain’s room is situated.The Pirates are getting restless and put in crowbars, long screw drivers to break open the door. Suddenly one of them flashes a thick knife and makes a movement to poke me in the stomach. I manage to just escape in the very last minute. This is when I perceive a serious threat to my own life and urge the Captain to open the door or else i will be killed. 

I am too frightened to speak but gather lots of courage and regain my composure to bail myself out of the situation. It was a moment where i was battling for my life and the  only assets i had was my mind and a tongue to speak, not even my free hands to fight..I plead, I shout, I scream and kick the door with all might to show to the Pirates that I am helping their cause.They realize my efforts and decide not to harm me. This is when the Captain opens his cabin and invites heavy bashing. We both are kicked and made to sit in a corner of the room and witness the loot. The Pirates break open the Cash Vault; take away all electronic gadgets and other personal belongings of the Master. They even get access to the bond store located on the same deck and plunder liquor bottles and cigarette packs.

Hostage Drama

This once in a life time horror continues for a good 30-40 minutes and then the sea robbers decide to run away. I guess the entire effort yielded them goods that had a value of 30-40 thousand dollars. Now as they make a retreat we both are again dragged on the stairs (going down) like a sack of potato bag. This is to use us as a cover for their escape. We both are made to stand on the main deck  and the pirates start getting down in their rubber boat. We are at gun point and the decision about our lives is still unclear. I closed my eyes and pray to the almighty to get me out of this sticky situation. My heart is pounding heavily and I am gasping for breath. I keep my eyes closed and tremble with deep fear.  

I expected a shot in my head or a dagger poked inside me but nothing happens. After few minutes I open my eyes and there is no one except the captain and me. We both see the rubber boat moving farther from our ship and the pirates sailing away. We untie each other and check if anybody of us received serious injuries. Apart from few blows and bruises we were safe. The crew is all up by this time and they come running to help us.

After 5 days we reached India and this is when I decided to quit shipping as a career. I sailed on one more ship after this incident and then finally gave up my career. It has been 9 years but even today the memory of the Piracy attack sends down a chill in my spine. I owe my second life to the almighty , my composed mind, sensible actions and off course the Captain.

(*** Images are taken from Google and used solely for depiction of the event)

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Random Quotes #38

God always gives us a 'commercial break' , when we have to choose between the right and the wrong :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #37

I practice the virtue of forgiveness for an entire year, after a bad appraisal at work :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #36

At home when i start a job its my work, when my wife starts its always ours :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #35

The quickest way to cover a mistake is to do another mistake :):) - Vivek

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5 New Year Resolutions with a difference

So friends another year is winding up its business and creating space for the new one to set up its shop. We all at some point or the other, around this time of the year make New Year resolutions. They last till the will to carry them lasts but still the fun to make a new one every year is exciting. Here are five of the few resolutions that are a bit different but you may like to consider!!

1.  I will not eat what I like – Why would I suggest a resolve like this?? Well if you stay home with parents why not give mom a reason to feel that her kid has come out of age. Anyways once you step out of home there will be no home cooked food to pamper you. In case you are married your spouse can experiment with lots of other alternatives and you never know your home could become famous for your refined tastes and varied cuisines. J

2    2.   I will not wear what I like -   God now this is not acceptable!! I am sure many of you will put your foot down on this. Well if your friends and family praise you for your dressing sense it can become lots better if you choose to take some new tips to dress. In case you dress like a bore or an oldie or say out of fashion why not dress the way icons do. Worth considering if you want to innovate with your looks and bring in some oomph factor with the clothes you wearJ

Getting dressed for office

3    3.  I will not talk to my old friends – Jesus this is insane!! Well I agree but what is great in carrying same old conversations with the same set of people. Some of them are close no doubt, some just good to have and few are even intolerant. They all have known us for years and they have stopped pointing our good or bad. Moreover I feel some take us for granted and don’t value our ‘special company’. So time to take a diversion and make them long for you. The more you go away the better will be their choices of abuses and ways to get you back J

Friends are life

4.  I will not follow the same routine day after day- I guess this could be interesting for some of us. I am sure daily chores like cooking, laundry , housekeeping bore homemakers, studies, college, make the students hate it, and same old job doesn’t interests working men/ women too. Will it not make sense if we swap some roles at home? Bunk some classes at college? Or change the way we work in office? This will keep us unsettled and excited for the new challenges that we create for ourselves J

Daily Routine 

5   5.   I will not do the right things everyday - This is getting curious as to why am I suggesting doing things wrong!! You all would agree we stop learning beyond an age. This is not because we have become pundit of all trades in life, but because all the mistakes have taught us a lesson. These experiences make us more intelligent and wise. I say start doing mistakes again, appear foolish, laugh at your own self and then enjoy life with a new motto to learn fresh J

Learning from own mistakes

Don’t do different things in life do things differently J  .Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year 2012 !!

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Random Quotes #34

My new year resolution is, to stick to my resolution if i happen to make one :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #33

All gf's  have a common characteristic and that is, to vouch for every other movie as a blockbuster :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #32

I don't need 'lots of money', credit cards are just fine :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #31

Get me some bad friends i have had some good enemies so far :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #30

You might dream of a penthouse, but those who really afford it, do not dream of it :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #29

For most of us life is a rat race and our bosses the cats :):) - Vivek

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Merry Christmas

Santa Claus with Gifts

Christmas brings to our mind gifts, greeting cards, church celebrations, cakes, Christmas trees and decorations. In addition to all this, one prominent figure shapes our definition of the festival and that is our very own ‘Santa Claus’. He has been the one for whom the kids wait to receive their surprise gifts and indeed Santa never disappoints. Little they know that their own parents most often or some good soul plays the role of this benefactor. Today for an instance I decided to play in my mind the role of Santa Claus, the gifts I would distribute and to the people I would reach to. Since this is a mere thought funds do not matter and there are no limitations to my imagination.

The first place I would go to is traffic signals of Delhi and give 100 Rupees note to all the kids who are begging for alms. At least for today they need not worry where the bread will come from. I pass by these young children everyday while driving across the city and feel a sense of pain and sadness for them. The world beyond my car window is so starkly different. I am dressed well and have a heater on to keep myself warm, in contrast the beggars are scantily clothed, under nourished and look from one vehicle to another for their survival. I know poverty is a vicious cycle but when basic benefits of a society are not provided to its citizens I feel cheated. To eat less is acceptable, to not clothe well is understandable, to be not able to afford luxury is still ok but to still fight for the very basic needs of food, cloth and shelter is deplorable. So all you unfortunate kids for this one day come and take this money and feed yourself well.

The second place I would go is to all the women of this ‘civilized society’ and distribute to them arms and gadgets for self-protection. Every other day my morning gets spoiled reading about a woman who gets murdered, assaulted or tortured. I ask all you ‘guys’ out there will there an end be to this pervert behavior?? Did you forget that we all were not manufactured in a factory but were conceptualized in a womb that gave us life, shape and form. The same female species protects you as a mother, wife, sister or a friend but doesn’t feel safe after doing so much. As a Santa Claus I give all you ladies the power to protect yourself and obliterate anyone who endangers your safety and existence. I will not mind reading in newspaper that few men are killed every day by females who had to save themselves from their murderers and assaulter's.

Last but not the least I will play Santa for my family and send them wishes and give them my time. They are the ones who do not long for gifts or surprises. All they want is my presence without the garb of ‘Santa Claus’.

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Random Quotes #28

Singles look more happy and more fortunate in company of couples :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #27

A valid yet unacceptable alternate, to hard work is no work :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #26

To do or not to do, arises only if, when you know what to do :):) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #25

Either you consider me 'absolutely' good or else change the parameters of your 'relative' comparison :) - Vivek

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Random Quotes #24

A secret will remain a secret until you share it with a woman :) !! - Vivek

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Random Quotes #23

Intelligence deserts me more than often as the same problem poses new to me every time - Vivek. GM !!

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Random Quotes #22

Bank is a place that gives us notional happiness for the real money that we put in there :) - Vivek

  *** Also read my post 21 Reasons to send Good Morning SMS.

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Random Quotes #21

When I take decisions i have to follow Democracy,
when my wife decides she follows Monarchy :):) - Vivek GM !!

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21 reasons to send Good Morning SMS

Beautiful Good Morning Messages

1.You add a smile to someone's face.
2. You never know when a heartfelt wish for someone comes true.
3. You make your own day with a simple deed that means so much.
4. Your dreams are bright because you have to pen something beautiful every morning.
5. Your first act of the day is probably the best.
6. Your morning message goes viral and you become famous among your friends.
7. Your sweet messages will still be used after you are gone. Fame still comes.
8. You are seen as a creator.
9. You are original.
10. Your love life can improve.
11. You can win your love.
12. You harbour good thoughts and that improves your own life.
13. You make it as a hobby and go on to publish your own book.
14. Your blog traffic improves if you put them online
15. You will be an early riser throughout your life.
16. Your English will improve.
17. You might win a contract with a SMS portal or Archies or Hallmark.
18. You give a new dimension to love and people start with morning sms's.
19. Your sweetheart doesn't need any more alarm clocks. Your sms serves the purpose.
20. You keep your love guessing every morning. Her mental abilities improve a lot.
21. You read them, smile and say it all was worth a thought :):)

Please check the label 'Good Morning SMS' in my blog and find some lovely messages.

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Random Quotes #20

High tea facilitates more fruitful discussions which would otherwise not happen later, once you get high - Vivek :)

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Why Milan Luthria fails in ‘Dirty Picture’

National award for Vidya Balan

Everyone is heaping praises on Vidya Balan and even termed her as the only female hero of the industry. After watching Dirty Picture I quite agree with this statement but don’t hold the director of this movie in the same league. I can also write a good review and talk about Naseer sahab’s brilliant work , Emraan Hashmi’s incensed performance and Vidya’s antics but one person who has not done justice to this movie is the Director. It pains to see so many good performances weaved into an incoherent and ineffective story line. Here are my facts to substantiate my claims.

It has been projected that this movie is inspired by Silk Smitha’s  life but nowhere it touches Silk Smitha’s  reality in true sense. Her rise was meteoric and she went on to star in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and a few Hindi films. Her career spanned across 17 years where she starred in over 450 movies and acted in iconic movies like ‘Sadma’ and ‘Reshma ki Jawaani’. Vidya was only depicted as a moll to Naseer and it seemed as if he was the Godfather and her career was solely dependent on him. Excuse me Mr Luthra, a career spanning over 450 films and 17 years can’t be depicted dancing and singing with one old haggard. 

Moreover you forgot to capture the rise and the fall the way it should have been. Neither could you bring out any intensity in Vidya’s love for her Demi god, justify Emraan’s anger nor could you even portray Tusshar Kapoor’s infatuation properly. The animosity that you wanted to show through Emraan was baseless and did not convey why it was there in the first place. You could not capture the loneliness of a star when crowned by the public nor could you really show her happiness at the prime of her career. The depiction of her financial woes in the end is flimsy and I could not understand the last part where you showed Vidya’s movie completely washed out by Emraan’s. There is no compelling reason for your portrayal and you have taken events for granted. Aspects like stardom, rise, fall, competition, insecurities, addiction, failures need a deeper understanding of human joys and sorrows and a sensitive eye for showcasing it. You fail here entirely and leave so many things to imagination for a confused audience. 

Mr Luthria ! I was saddened by the entire effort that you have put in. The story line is utterly flawed, loosely stitched and calls for good sense to capture a biopic like this. The only place where I quite agree is  you have really created a ‘Dirty Picture’.

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Random Quotes #19

My Dear Lord !! Protect my friends and land me in all misadventures, i don't mind becoming famous :):) - Vivek . GM !!

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