Life In A Metro - Review

This is yet another story based on, though not limited to, the contemporary subject of extra-marital affairs. Revolving around the turbulence in the married life of Shilpa Shetty (Shikha) and Kay Kay Menon (Ranjeet), the story also touches beautifully the love life of three other couples. The film is well balanced, though focused solely on the subject of love and related emotions in a city life like that of Mumbai.

The entire movie is based and shot at Mumbai, which is getting difficult to find out now-a-days. It is good to see that, some directors (like in this film Anurag Basu) are courageous enough to be creative and different than just roam around the world in search of beautiful landscapes and sky scrappers. The story line is strong and the screen play engrosses the audience into the theme. Based on the glaze of rapid economic development in the metro life of the people, many fall prey to imbalance in personal and working life as well as to keep up their moral values.

Irfaan Khan (Debu) is a star performer and once again after “The Namesake” he proved that, he has the ability to involve the audience in his character. He represents the common man in the movie who is less ambitious than some other characters. Shilpa Shetty plays the key role in the movie and the whole story moves around her relationship at the brink of breaking down with his unfaithful husband. The husband is too busy for his family happiness and is involved in an extra-marital affair since last two years.

The other characters are equally notable. Konkana Sensharma (Shruti) is young working girl and looking for a perfect match. Kangana Ranaut (Neha) is involved in an affair which she thinks is love but is never based on the required strong bonds and her boss compensates her well to have the relationship with her. The only emotional part of her story is that, the person she is involved with in the affair is her room – mate’s (Shruti) brother-in-law (Ranjeet). Her colleague and friend Sharman Joshi (Rahul) is always in search of her love and ultimately finds that. Rahul is an ambitious guy looking for some thing big and fast in his life.

Meanwhile Shikha falls in love with a small time theatre actor Shiney Ahuja (Akash) who has lots of emotions and some dreams in his unsuccessful life. He is separated from his wife and family and gets emotional chord with Shikha in their local transportation life of Mumbai.

Not the least, the love life of Nafisa Ali (Vaijyanti) the dance teacher of Shikha, has got new life after 40 years of separation with her ex-boyfriend Dharmendra (Amol). They are courageous enough to have a fresh start at the fag end of their life and in the way inspire the other characters to express their love.

The closure of the story is reasonable and acceptable to the audience. Most of the characters did justice to their role and never suffered from stardom. The music by Pritam is good, based on powerful lyrics and unique style of presentation. Especially the numbers “In Dino” and “…Alvida…” are catchy and already much popular with the audience. However, the appearance of the street band in every song sequence was too repetitive and should have been restricted to 2-3 songs at the most. The most humorous moment in the movie is when Irfaan is proposed by Konkana while he is on the way to his marriage and Irfaan’s only concern is “…par petticoat to sab uske naap se silwa liya…”.

Overall I’m generous enough to mark three stars and worth watching once.

National Policy on Retailing

National Policy on Retailing

This article is on the backdrop of Traders' Attack on Reliance Fresh Outlet in Ranchi.

There should be a National Policy on Retail Sector immediately. Also, the MNCs and Large Corporate houses should be banned from specific sectors in retailing. The Food Corporation of India and other similar bodies in the Public Sector should play a major role in ensuring best prices to the consumers, small traders and farmers as well.

The government should come out with a proactive policy on the same which is justifiable to Indian circumstances and be acceptable to all. The Policy should not benefit only a few industrial houses or MNCs. It should focus on equal distribution of wealth, upliftment of farmers and small traders and should provide ease and convenience to consumers. Public discussion should be held in all major cities to generate a national consensus.

Based on the experience of last few years in the retail sector, the government should take into confidence all sections of the society and economy. On the one hand, the consumers' best interests should be ensured such as quality product at reasonable prices and accessibility to market. While on the other hand they should not destroy the existing retailing structure comprising of millions of marginal traders in India, should be focussed upon.

Before further diley daley and more attacks on organized retail players which is equivalent to vandalizm, the central government should spell out the much needed policy at the earliest in the best interest of all.

Have a Bath...

Have a Bath...

Perhaps you'd wonder why taking a bath makes you feel fresh and energetic? Ever wondered we hear lots of times that "...he's a good bathroom singer...". So is there anything really in it? We do have our bath everyday, so what's the big deal in it? Well...there's big deal in it...Taking a proper bath actually stimulates our mind and body for a healthy living. The systematic flow of water creates energy in our mind and fills our body with immense power. Just like powerful and systematic flow of water creates energy in a turbine. The nerves and muscles in our body are far less strong and smaller than the wheels in a turbine. However the simple and systematic flow of water while bathing creates immense energy in our senses to fight our daily fatigue and give strength and energy throughout the day. Having a proper bath everyday at proper time and in proper manner can lead you to a healthy living. Taking a bath makes you feel more private, ignites your senses for creative ideas and action, and relieves the pain and fatigue from various muscles. It further gives you mental strength and courage. It generates freshness in your mind and body. May be a bathroom singer won’t ever think of singing otherwise, but just taking his bath makes him energetic and free in mind that way. Taking a proper bath obviously gives freshness to your mind and that’s where all the creative ideas are generated.

So what's a good bath after all?

Now that you're convinced that, taking a bath can actually stimulate our body and mind through activating various nerves and senses let's understand it deeper and better. Every one of us takes our bath in unique way and at our convenient hours. But let's try to find the better way of doing it to make most out of it.What's a good time to take a bath?Well you can take a bath anytime you wish...or you need...yet there are different benefits and at varying degrees which is dependent upon the time you take the bath. The old saints in India have always propagated for an early morning bath preferably while sunrise. But even if that's unmanageable taking a bath early in the morning certainly gives you more edge over doing otherwise.

The morning sunrays generate energy in our body that is required for activating our mind and body. So if we can coincide our bathing with the morning sunrays then obviously it has more impact. If you wish to have a session of yoga in the morning then try to have it right after the bath. The reason is yoga is more an activity of mind than physical exercise, hence the energy created during bath can be better organized and streamlined while yoga. But for other exercises like jogging, aerobics and swimming, the bath should succeed them and there should a time gap of at least 20 minutes.

Having a bath late in the evening may not be advisable, but if one is very tired and need some energy, then it may be a good idea as an additional one but at least before half an hour of sleep. Now you understand, why most people take a bath after being back from office even if it is very late... . Having a bath at odd hours are not very effective and hence the daily bath is strictly not advisable to have it after 5 or 6 hours of sunrise.

Obviously bathing just an hour or half an hour before your study or office, makes you more powerful and helps to concentrate more in your work.

So what's a good bath?

In a pool, bath tub, under a shower or using simple mug and bucket...? Well, using a swimming pool for a bath simply isn't a complete bath. Obviously you need more than that. Tub is not a good idea either simply because the water does not flow enough to generate the energy that we're talking about. Staying under a shower is a good idea and so is mug n bucket, but keep the shower gentle and expose all parts of your body to the water. Also try to precede it with a sprinkle of water in the abdomen area.

Water hot or cold?

Hot water or warm water is simply not good, but if it's very cold and then mixing up some hot water with cold one just to kill the chilliness may be negotiated. The natural water with natural temperature is always the best one.

There’s lots of research all over the world over spa and new bathing techniques, but even if you can’t make it that big, just try to make most of your simple daily bath routine without adding any additional pennies.Also try to feel your great bath every time you have it.

So do you have any more great ideas about a great bath? You can reach me at this blog or mail at mangalalok@gmail.com. May be you can just try out taking a fresh bath to get the creative idea.