Helmetting

...the government comes up with a rule for helmets for all two wheelers...and the dudes come up with workarounds for the same ;-)

taken on Sirsi Circle Flyover on a sunny day....

Fellowmen to help

On a cloudy Bangalore evening, April 12, amidst the light drizzle of the first showers of the year.....I was enjoying the nice drive from office, with Radio Indigo blasting out the great numbers to suit the mood.....just then...caught these guys in the act.

The auto rickshawallahs, though form the most rowdy crowd of the service industry in Bangalore, form a tight knit community.

Tell me, would a colleague help you like this, if your vehicle breaks down in the middle of the street?? ;-)

Awarded

junta,

Good news.

This picture has been awarded second runner up in the pictorial section of the members contest in Youth Photographic Society of Bangalore.

the Hampi Rendezvous

junta,

I had been to on a wonderful trip to Hampi. The place is enchanting, to say the least.

Here are some of the pictures of the same.




Hope you like them.

Visit it for sure.

Achievement Article

here's something that gives me an insight..... hope it helps you too :)

--------------------------------------------------------

Get Off the Nail! by Jerry Clark

Over the years I have met and observed thousands of people and each and every last one of them say they want some improvement in certain areas of their lives. In fact, most of them flat out confessed that they hated certain situations they were in. But after further evaluations, I discovered that they weren't willing to do anything about it. It seemed to be good enough for them to just sit there and wallow in their pain, anguish and misery.

Several years ago, motivational speaker Les Brown and I were chatting after we had both conducted trainings for a Network Marketing Company. We were talking about the number of people who say they want to make changes but don't seem to ever do anything about it. I told him it reminded me of a story I heard him tell an audience over 10 years ago. Here's how the story goes… One day a man was walking down the street on his way to work. As he walked down the street, there were dogs on just about every front porch and they all would bark as the man walked passed them. However, there was one dog that he remembered, because this dog was just sitting there and he was whimpering and whining and moaning, you know the little whimpering sounds dogs make when they are wounded or in some sort of pain. Well, this particular dog was just sitting there on the front porch making those sounds. The man was curious as to why this dog wasn't barking like the other dogs and why he was whimpering. He couldn't figure it out, so he just kept walking to work. The next day he was in the same situation where he was walking down the street and saw the dogs once again and this same dog that was moaning and groaning the other day was doing the same thing today and he just couldn't figure it out. Well, he walked passed for an entire week and everyday the dog would be there moaning and groaning. So, finally, the guy got fed up, he said, "let me find out what's going on." So he went and knocked on the door and a guy came out and said, "Yes, how may I help you?" He said, "Sir, is this your dog?" "Yes, that's my dog." "Well, what's wrong with him?" The owner of the dog said, "What do you mean?" "Well, he's been sitting here moaning and groaning, whimpering and whining for an entire week. The rest of the dogs are barking, your dog should be barking too, why is he moaning and groaning?" The owner said, "Well, he's actually sitting on a nail." And the guy said, "What! Your dog is sitting on a nail. Why doesn't he get off?" "Well, it just doesn't hurt him enough."

Wow! You know most people are like that dog sitting on a nail. I mean, sure, they would like to get off the nail, but what if they got off the nail and they died or something? They never seem to stop to consider that maybe they would be healed, maybe they would be free, maybe they would be able to move about and discover some new and exciting options for their lives. But, noooooo. Instead, they just sit there on that nail because they're not sure what's going to happen if they get off. I mean, there are no guarantees of safety so to speak. Even though, it's not the best feeling in the world, sitting on a nail, I mean, it's not comfortable sitting on a nail, it kind of hurts, but at least they know what to expect. They know that they have $900 per week coming in so they can pay their bills and put food on the table and they can put some clothes on their back and a roof over their heads. You know, that's enough for most people. They may even get upset with you if you question their so called security, I mean, if you hand them a book or tape program or tell them about a seminar that can give them some effective strategies for getting off nails, they may resent you for it. Well, you're different. You are willing to learn some effective nail removing strategies that could set you free because you and I both know that there is no such thing as security. Well, maybe I should take that back. I do know of a place where security exists on this planet. It's called the graveyard. And you know what, most people tip toe through life so that they can arrive at the graveyard safely. Of course this will not be you… Right? That's right… Simply because, instead of Moaning & Groaning, Whimpering & Whining about not getting the results you desire, you are a Developing Charging Rhino… And Rhinos always choose to GET OFF THE NAIL and create the conditions they desire… So Until Next Time, Be Sure to…

GET OFF THE NAIL & Always remember to Go, Go, Go!!!

good news

this picture taken by me in the Dandeli Adventure Trek in Jan 07, has secured the III award in the category 'Holiday Moments' in the annual salon conducted by Sagara Photographic Society.

This picture has also been featured in the popular local magazine 'Sudha'

junta,

Here are some of the pictures of a three day adventure camp in the jungles of Dandeli.



Hope you like them.

the Havyaka outing...

It was like a thousand guns being blasted into my ears. I could see the crystal clear, thick and heavy water jump out from my back onto my legs, hands, and from my head. It was a lil scary too. I turned back, and crawled up the cement/stone combo up the small waterfalls at Balmuri. Just then, I could see Krishna Bhat jumping into the river on the other side, and swim out into the large, silent river on the other side of the waterfalls. He called me too. As I stood at the shore skeptically, he swum to a spot, where he remained stagnant, and called out for me to come. "There is a rock underneath. We can stand here," he screamed. It seemed as though he was floating in mid water. I decided to try it out, and jumped into the river. As I swam towards him, I reached out to the underneath stone with my legs. There it was!!!
It was just magical. How had he discovered it??!!! He just smiled.



"Trip of only Havyakas? How many will come?" I had asked Sumanth Hegde, my cousin. "We estimate a little more than a hundred," he told me. WOW!!! That was a huge number. In all my visits to the various functions at the Havyaka Mahasabha, Bangalore, I had met up with a lot of my Havyaka brethren. But, I had noticed that the youngsters generally avoided these functions. This would be a great occasion to meet up a lot of youngsters in the Havyaka Community, I thought.

And so it happened. Though we started out a little later than planned, as we were sure that the birds at Ranganatittu would not complain if we had not lived up to the appointment, we took a small break for breakfast at a location in Mysore Road. Fresh idlis, juicy vadas, and mouth watering 'Kesari baaths'. God bless the catering incharge!!!

Half hour later, we were singing our way to Balmuri. Yes, the crowd was loud....very very loud. Three buses brimming with energetic crowd, screaming and laughing all the way. The anthyakshari being played in our bus, almost had the curious onlookers in surrounding vehicles wanting to join the fun. :D

OOPS..... a wrong turn, and we landed at the entrance of Ranganatittu. "All the birds would have gone dating now. Let's go to Balmuri, and return back to this place in the evening," someone screamed. A quick decision, and we turned back towards Balmuri falls. Half hour later..... "LETS JUMP INTO THE RIVER"... at Balmuri.

Some dudes jumped into the river right away, swimming, resting below the falls, above the falls, and playing around in the water. Some dames took a raft ride around the river.
It was some rough fun, I haven't had in the recent past.
Yess...the hundreds of digital cameras shot everything at sight.

After the Balmuri falls, we rushed back to Ranganatittu, for some amazing lunch, ladoos included. God bless the catering incharge!!!
Then it was the time for the quaint boat trip into the islands where exotic birds flew all around us. Any attempt to capture them in my digicam failed, and I had to satisfy myself with the pictures of the boatman, and some gorgeous females I was sitting beside. But, well, here are some of the pictures that I took of the beautiful birds in my last trip to Ranganatittu.




But for the failure to take amazing pictures, I did enjoy the boat trip, with the intermittent sound of the oars wading through the water, the occasional chirp of a bird, and the sudden flight of a painted stork gliding smoothly over still waters.

This world was so very different than the mundane life in Bangalore. This was a life that was gifted to us by the almighty. In the quest for success, money, and the illusion of satisfaction, we had created a world that was so much predictable, so much pale, and devoid of freshness. Life was so simple and beautiful here. Why did we make is so complex, at home, a hundred kilometers away?

My thoughts were broken by "Please come out of the boat carefully," said by the boatman, as he pulled the boat to the shore. Ah! yes. Shucks!!!

But, before we boarded the bus, we did manage to take a huge group photograph.

The bus journey back home was filled with the noisy Anthyakshari again, to camouflage the "Tomorrow office again!!!" blues. The memoirs of this beautiful trip would definitely linger for a long time to come.

Kudos to all the organisers to have made this happen.

Here are some of the pictures of this exciting trip.

Riot and Shivajinagar Bus Stand

The usually bustling bus station of Shivajinagar, almost empty but for a few people already stuck.... amidst rumours of burning police stations and vehicles....

I was one of them.... but, had the comfort of running back to a hotel nearby, where I was attending a workshop.....

Bachchans won't stop Aish from acting

err.... when did she start?? :D

on day on Hosur Road

Driving on Hosur Road

yup...everyone has the right of the way but for the decent driver :D

inverted umbys

one sunny day in Gandhi Bazaar....

WHY ARE THE UMBRELLAS INVERTED???

to avoid the sun from spoiling the goods.... thatz innovation for ya ;-)

Rogue Ad.....

Kajol looks very pretty, I agree. But why is Devgun so excited???

Looks like he is talking to the 'other woman' on the Tata Indicom phone....

KANK IN PROGRESS, eh?

Indian women should protest against this ad .....

walmarting ;-)

nope...this ain't the walmart india .... a local greenery shop in bangalore.....following the design of the giant.......

rotten tomatoes amidst good ones, pale greens amidst fresh ones.... and a kid with a sprouting moustache smiling at the billing counter.... walmarting ...desi style ;-)

Le Couperet - a quick review

“Did you watch Crime Dairy yesterday?” Bharath asked me over the breakfast, one-day, three years back. It was a TV series about crime in Bangalore city.
“Yup. They covered the case of the murder of that software engineer,” I said.
“Ma’an. How grouse. The girl is the daughter of an eminent lawyer of the Bangalore, and the guy engaged to her was a highly paid software engineer at INTEL. She got him murdered using her boyfriend, who is an unemployed rogue, and looks like a lizard,” Avinash added to the benefit of the rest of the crowd.
“Yes, he was a handsome chap too. Dunno why she opted that rogue over this nice guy,” I uttered in melancholy.
“It is a tragedy that he was killed,” said Bharath, “Dudes, be careful about whom you get engaged with,” he added with a sly smile.
“What about the vacancy that got created in Intel? Can we apply?” Avinash got right down to the business. :D

Well, if you have found this idea a lil crazy, wait till I tell you that a French movie ‘Le Couperet’ is made on this line of thought. A chemist (Garcia) loses his job in a Paper Company, due to outsourcing. He stays on his savings for two years, but finds no job. He has bills and mortgages to pay. He has to find a job, and soon.
He watches on TV, a top executive of a rival company Arcadia, giving a presentation of the company’s economic prosperity. He observes that the top executive’s profile matches with that of his. He strikes upon an idea.
He could kill this executive, to create vacancy for this post!!!
But, then, he realizes that after killing him; he would have a lot of competition for that post. Hence, he devises a plan.
He posts for a similar job in the newspaper, and invites people to apply. Among the huge number of applicants, he notices that there are five resumes that have the capability to beat him to the job. He plots to kill all of them, before he kills the top executive.
Formerly, a highly paid executive in one of the top firms, Garcia has no idea about how to kill a person. He flounders like a naïve, groping at the art of killing, sometimes successful, sometimes getting confused about the turn of events that lead to the murders. The cinematography is good, the performances are excellent. The narration is gripping, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Also, there is a bit of humor added, which enriches the work of art.

It lacks the huge canvas of the Hollywood movies, but is a treat to watch because of the interesting storyline, and the strange situations where Garcia finds himself. The climax is mind blowing. Watch it, if you can get hold of a DVD of the movie.

This movie was screened in Tribhuvan theatre, as a part of the Bangalore International Film Festival, from 22nd to 28th December 06. The Film Festival consists of a great lot of good international movies with subtitles, being screened at Tribhuvan, Kailash and Movieland theatres. ( Tribhuvan and Kailash have been refurbished, to beat the PVR standards. Yes!!! Believe me, they beat the PVRs in cleanliness, and seating arrangements.) You can get the schedules and ‘about’ information for all the movies at the ticket counters of the theatres.

For those of you who can make it to the festival, see you there.

i wish you a ...

Arguments for fun…and….

Arguments run the world. Arguments ruin the world. If Benjamin Franklin had not argued with the mundane, and tried out the iron kite experiment, I would not have been able to pen this blog on a computer that runs on electricity, nor would you have been able to read this on the monitor that runs on it. It was the ‘argument’ that led to this wonderful discovery.
But, weren’t the arguments between powerful nations that led to all those wars???
Are arguments good, or bad?

“This coffee is very sweet. I should have opted for the tea,” my friend, a chronic argument specialist, blurted out at a breakfast table, at the workplace cafeteria.
“How is it going to be different? The tea is going to have the same milk, and hence the same amount of sweetness,” I uttered, casually.
The presence of two sweet looking dames along with us, at our table, called my friend for a show of his incorrigible arguing skills.
“The sugar is put into the decoction. Not the milk,” he said, smiling at me.
“Nope. Sugar is generally put into the milk,” I spoke, recalling the incident when my uncle had requested for a sugarless coffee at a self-service restaurant, the thin bearded ‘coffee-guy’ at the smoke charred corner of the restaurant had scooped up milk and a lot of froth, from a different container.

The smile on the face of my friend withdrew back to a mild frown.
“No, I perfectly know. The sugar is put to the decoction,” he said, now more of an argument. A sweep of my glance at the girls in the table told me that they were getting unnerved as my friend readied himself to another battle.
“I don’t agree. There are two containers in all hotels, one for sweet milk, and one for sugarless. The decoction is placed in a single filter, and it is always sugarless,” I said, firmly this time. I wanted to win this argument. Yes, I had witnesses too, which made the game exciting.
“You don’t know anything about running a hotel. Having sweet and sugarless milk in huge containers is a loss to them. They might as well be maintaining the sweet and sugarless decoctions in small containers,” he argued, now with stronger points, with a try to attack my ego.
“I agree that I don’t know anything about running a hotel, but I know for sure that sweet and sugarless is determined by the milk, and not the decoction,” I refused to budge from my point, not to be towed away by his secondary lines of argument.
He nodded furiously.
It was getting very exciting, and the idea of a perfect kill suddenly erupted in me. “What say we have a bet on this? I will bet you for a hundred bucks on this…..no…no….let us make this a thousand bucks,” I said, trying to trap him, in the presence of the two uncomfortable girls, who had not wanted this, early in the morning.
“Sure,” he blurted out.
And then, he did not drag it further, as would he would have done in normal circumstances, with his regular gyan about general things in life, and many other special things that he knows, that I didn’t knew, etc. He had been cornered. And I had won the argument. And I felt elated.

On a Sunday, at home, “Dad, I need this place free of clutter today,” I told my dad, pointing to a corner in the sitting room, where my father had heaped old newspapers. He was searching for some old articles. “Give me a few days, I will have them sorted out,” he said.
“No, you had already promised a month back that you would free the place from this clutter. Then you went on a tour for a week. The week after that, you were involved in your seminars, and hence I did not tell you to get it done,” I argued. I had the facts with me.
“The tour was very important for me. I had to get stuff done for my photography exhibition next month. I had to go. I met up with a lot of people at the seminars, who are useful to me. Give me one more week, and I promise to have this sorted out,” he said.
“No, I am sure you would come up with some other convincing reason, not to get this thing done,” I said.
“You think that I am giving you reasons?” he was irritated now.
“Yes. They are reasons, and they are convincing enough. But, reasons do not get the work done,” I said. Yes, it was a valid argument.
“Do you think I am lying?” he asked me.
“No. You have very good reasons. But, at the end of the day, reasons do not help me. Action will,” I put in a point, which he was not able to refute.
He just stayed silent.
I had won the argument.
I had been the victor.
He was sad, and angry.
I refused to reconcile, because I was right, and he was wrong. I had just won the argument. How could I be wrong?
But why was the voice in me screaming, that I was wrong?
Why wasn’t I elated after winning the argument?

Now, looking at these two scenarios objectively, in the first instance I was arguing to win, and in the second instance, I was arguing to make my father understand. But, in the second instance, I messed up when I began to argue to win, rather than argue to make him understand.
I had won.
But I had lost.

It is not an isolated case. Isn’t it very general for us to take up arguments because we don’t think that something is right? But, during the argument, we tend to take things personally, get agitated and in result ruin relationships.
Do you remember the last time you had started out in an argument to criticize the Indian cricket team for their performance, and got badgered by the others who supported the team passionately? After a while, the concept of logical discussion disappears, and what are left are the personal insults, victories, and a lot of judgments about each other.


Arguing to win

Drawing a clear distinction between the two types of arguments, I would say that ‘Arguing to win’ to be treated as a game. In a game, some teams win, and some teams lose. But both the teams are better off than where they were prior to playing.
In a game, if you win you feel good. But if you lose….. c’mon… it is after all a game. Don’t forget the learning, though.

When you win, while ‘Arguing to Win’, it also becomes your job to respect the losing side. It is because of the other side that you got a chance to play this game. It is very possible that there could be another chance to sharpen up your skills, if the losing side picks up another argument. This is only possible if the losing side is given due respect after losing the argument. Hence, an ambience for a lot of arguments open up, which fosters clarity of thought process, share of knowledge and quick thinking. More the arguments, merrier are the surroundings.
To exemplify,
“Ram Jethmalani is my idol,” a friend told me sometime back.
“Why?” I was curious.
“Wait, I will forward you the interview that he had with Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN,” he said, and sent me an excerpt of the interview. After going through the interview, I felt that it was a waste of time. Karan and Jethmalani had been loitering more time in personal insults, rather than discussing real issues dealing with the esteemed lawyer representing Manu Sharma. Manu Sharma is the prime accused in Jessica Lal murder case that is rocking the Indian media currently.
“Budd, did you make Ram Jethmalani your idol after going through this interview?” I asked my friend.
“Yes, he is a great lawyer. If he can get Manu Sharma out, he can get anybody out,” he said.
Ah! This was a great opportunity to ‘Argue to win’.
“What is there in the interview that makes him a great personality?” I asked him.
“He was able to answer all of Karan’s answers back in the same way he received it. He almost slapped Karan, the hardest of all TV interviewers,” answered my friend.
“Jethmalani has been a supreme court lawyer for more than 50 years. He has been arguing even before Karan was wearing chaddis. Do you really base your idols on this kind of logic?”
There was no response from my friend for a while.
“Budd,” I continued, “I think that this interview is a big waste of time. There is nothing of importance discussed but a mutual exchange of personal insults. A great TV interviewer against one of the top lawyers of the country…and they come up with this??? I am no smarter after reading this interview.”
The bubble of my friend seemed to have been burst.
After a while of silence, “Let’s discuss this after lunch,” he said.
The topic was never discussed again.
The next day, I sent him a message, “Don’t take our arguments personal, I was just arguing for the sake of arguing.”
After all, he did have the right to make anybody his idol in this world.

In this approach, you can get down and dirty in the arguments, where you can try to manipulate the interpretations of the facts, and present them to support your case. This would more resemble the reality shows on TV, in front of a hidden camera, where the TV crew irritates the general public. Then, when the reality is revealed, the targets end up with a smile.
An open mindset in very essential for this, to accept victory or failure with a smile. Victory or failure should not be taken personal, but just as a part of the game. So what if you lost this time, it is a game. You can always win it the next time.
No, it doesn’t require a different ‘YOU’ to win the argument. Just better preparation. ;-)
Just remember the part about ‘respecting the losing side’. A very essential point, to prevent the relationship from going haywire, after the argument.

Arguing to understand

There are no wins or losses in ‘Arguing to make one understand’. There needs be understanding between the participants of the arguments, irrespective of the result of the argument. This type of argument is more to understand each other, and move towards a better future together. The readiness to accept defeat on being proved wrong logically, for the greater good of the relationship is to be borne in mind. Deliberate misinterpretations of the facts in this scenario, would not only ruin the relationship, but also would prove detrimental in the move towards progress.
The move should be more towards understanding, rather than arguing.

In the context of difference of opinions, it becomes your job to find different methods of making the other person understand what you mean. Also, you will need to address the deep-rooted fears that are driving the individual to come up with his/her opinion.
If you would go on these lines of thoughts, whether you win or lose, you would definitely move towards the better future of each other.

But, does it mean simple surrender of beliefs?

No. A big NO.

How can you convince the other person of your point of view?

I have a personal example. Let’s see if this helps. J

A wall of a well-lit room in my house had to be painted. Each member of the family wanted his/her colours. My mother wanted a light yellow, sister wanted an electric blue.
This was a well-lit room. Actually, it was a glaringly lit room, and I wanted a dark wall to balance the light in the room.
My mother is against any dark walls, as she believes that darker shades lead to depressive moods. Further, she argued that she was the one who would be staying in the house for most of the time, and she did not want to have depressing shades on the walls.
I had seen the blue coloured dark ‘Armada Blue’ in one of the restaurants I had been to. I had loved the colour, and thought that it would be an ideal colour for the wall.
I put across my suggestion, but was shot down.
On arguing, I felt that I was not moving anywhere. As I did an analysis of my type of argument, I realized that I was trying to prove my point, rather than understand the fears that my mother nurtured.
She had not seen the colour, and hence, was skeptical about it.
She had not seen what I had seen. No amount of explaining would make her see what I am seeing.
Suddenly, I struck upon an idea.
I took out my digital camera, shot the picture of the wall in the room, loaded it in my computer, and digitally added that colour to the wall in the picture. I had my sister and my mother have a look at the picture.
Two days later, the wall stood gracefully, attired in dark ‘Armada blue’. ;-)

In here, argument takes a back seat, but the person/ people become more important. Understanding the other person’s point of view is very essential before putting across your argument. For all you know, the other person may have a suggestion that is better than yours. Accepting the other person’s suggestion should not be considered as defeat, but as a mark of progress.

Hence, irrespective of the result of the argument, you have won in the relationship.

Isn’t that more important?? ;-)

Just to summarize, decide beforehand whether you are arguing to win or arguing to understand. If you are arguing to win, try winning at any cost. If you lose, it is a game. If you win, it still is a game. ;-)
But, respect the losing side.

If you are arguing to understand, don’t try to win. Try to move towards betterment than the present.

Hope you have a great time arguing.

Thejas
(ps: only the examples where I have won the argument have been quoted. There are equal number of instances where I have lost, and many times have been treated with respect after losing ;-) )

King of Torts by John Grisham - a good read

I am one of those law abiding citizens, who has no clue what is the 'law' that I am abiding. I have never appreciated the study of law, considering it to be the job of the 'smoke-coated-lips' old men, sitting behind heaps of stale smelling files, in teak panelled offices. A bloodline of lawyers from my mother's side didn' t make me love the law either, or the study of law by my mother when I was in her womb. Nope, even the 'Abhimanyu' effect didn't happen with me.

But recently, when my friend got into an imbroglio, which may involve legal issues, and no one including himself had thought about consulting a lawyer yet, my overture to take him to the legal counsel surprised me. After the assurances of the attorney, my friend is able to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing completely well that he will win the case if there is a trial.

Thank you John Grisham.

It wasn't a Grisham that I consulted. I just read his novel, 'The King of Torts'.

A typical Grisham literature, a good one at that, 'The King of Torts' talks about a mediocre, limited ambitioned lawyer Clay Karter, working for the Government, suddenly thrust into riches and stardom, due to a tip off by a mysterious man. The mysterious man is a 'fire man’, who helps extinguish financial fires of the corporate companies that land up in disastrous situations.
Together they team up, to settle issues with huge Pharmacy companies, and pull down some others, in the game of mass action lawsuits, where they make millions.
These mass action lawsuits involve the detection of possible victims of bad drugs of some miraculous medicines of huge Pharmacy companies, by the lawyers, enrolling them in a huge group of clients, and threat to sue the companies. The companies that realize that they have screwed up come to the negotiating table, where the lawyers dictate terms, which is more detrimental to the clients than the companies. The lawyers treat the companies only as sources of money, with the main intention to make millions for themselves, rather than get justice to the clients.
The clients end up getting some amount of money, which they would not have expected to begin with. Hence, they are happy. The companies are rid of fear of losing billions in lawsuits, settling for millions, and they are happy. The only people not happy are the lawyers, who, despite getting the best of the deal, pursue their greed of amassing more millions.

This is a revelation to me, who believed that the lawyers battled more in the courts. Clay Karter never goes for a trial at the court, but makes his millions by sheer entrepreneurship, and of course, illegal suggestions by his mysterious friend. The novel details about the tumults that these mass action lawyers (torts) go through, the strategies they employ to bring the companies down on their knees, and they constant battle with their conscience for not getting their clients a fair deal. Also, the novel ventures into the settings of some of these lawyers, suing their own brethren to get justice to the cheated clients.

Clay Karter makes an interesting character, a respectable man in a dicey job, with a drop-dead gorgeous lingerie-model for a girlfriend, but a different woman as the love of his life.

Though the ending lacks the punch that made ‘The Runaway Jury’ by Grisham a runaway hit, ‘King of Torts’ surprises you with the details of a specialized job, that needs different types of skill sets than any other lawyer in his other novels.

It is the story of the rise and fall of the King of them all, the story of the ‘King of Torts’

Have fun reading it.

pictures from Parambikulam, Kerala

most memorable weekend of my life ...in the moist Parambikulam jungles, Kerala.... on the first weekend of Nov 06....

DON

Would Akshay Kumar be a better Bond than Brosnan? How would a Jerry McGuire look with Shah Rukh in it? Can Amitabh better Al Pacino if he was Hollywooded?
What would happen if our Bollywood actors were put on the International pedestal? How would they look? What would they wear? How would they move?

These questions always haunted me.
The fantasy almost came true.
In a true Hollywood flick style, the 'Don' by Farhan Akthar is an impressive piece of work. The look and feel of the movie ( including the 'green' tone found in a lot of Hollywood action flicks like 'the Matrix' ) induces an exquisite touch. Living up to the expectations, the action sequences pull you right amidst the fighters, as you zip around the corners with the lashing limbs. You zoom on the Malaysian highways in a convertible, crouch under a huge moving truck at a very high speed, jump around swinging legs at goons.
Exciting???

But, before you build your expectations, there are glitches. Nope, not minor ones. They are pretty huge.

The Roma of the movie, the hot than the hottest girls, Priyanka Chopra, is the worst heroine of the recent times. She is dangerously bad. She has the ability to manage her part of the act, but fails miserably to create the necessary chemistry with the hero. She had repeated the same disaster in Krrish, but went unnoticed by the Roshans. She does it again here, but am sure, will go unnoticed by Farhaan. The acting that she does for 'her self' is dangerous to the movie when she does not show the eagerness in her eyes for her lover.
She draws a lot of passion with the liberal show of her skin, but is dispassionate herself.
With a killer physique, she lives up to the action sequences.

The aging hottie, Isha Koppikar, does her act. Though playing the female companion of the Don, she has only a small part to play. The Khallas girl does her miniscule job well, but will not make the heads turn, as Farhaan is not comfortable in unleashing her. He puts all loose attires on her, because he wants Priyanka to be the hotter. Thats unfair, both to Isha and the movie. But, that is life!!!

Boman Irani is his natural self, and does a great job. Though he is made to look awkward in the latter part of the movie. We expected a better job from Farhaan, than to make the obese Boman fight, moving around in the arena like a kid of the early twenties.

Om Puri is a joke here. The great actor is a high ranking detective, but is made to run chasing the Don in some scenes, which is not credible. The old bones would have done a better job in using his head rather than his sagging muscles.

Arjun Rampal looks excellent due to great camerawork, tries to act, succeeding occasionally. He lives his own story, not very much connected to the main plot, in this new version of the 'Don'.

Kareena has a special appearence. Though the initial TV trailers of the movie had her gyrating to a remade song, where a lot of her was promised, the lot of her is shown in that six minute song. Comparisions have been made between her and Helen, of the original Don. But, whom are we kidding??? You would not prefer a sixty seven year old Helen dancing to seduce the new Don. Would you?

The star of the show, the star who steals the show is the King Khan. He is the ruthless killer, the passionate playboy, the daring gambler, the agile fighter, the streetwise strategist, and a lot more. He is the busiest don ever. He has a lot of people working for him, loyals and moles. He has to battle the unending conspiracies dished out to him, and come out a survivor. He has to be thinking all the while, about his enemies' next move, a slip may prove disaster. He is what is expected of him, and more. Just that, he does not exude the class of Amitabh, but wait!!! Haven't you seen Amitabh already??? Why not enjoy this new Don, in a different avataar.

I am sure that you would know the story, enough to repeat it backwards. I would not be discussing that here. I remember that I had watched the Amitabh's Don, during the days of Sunday Hindi movie screenings on Doordarshan, at home, with a plate of 'Bondas' and tea, prepared by mum. I do not remember any part of the movie though. Hence, I sat back and enjoyed the chase. With detachments during some slow moving scenes in the second half, I was occasionally surprised by the strange twists in the plot. The story, I am told, deviates a lot in the second half, from the original Don.
But, I debate to give a higher rating to the movie than the 2.5 stars that the Times Of India awarded to the movie.

To summarise, you can give it a shot.
Watch it for sure, if you have not watched the Amitabh's flick, or do not remember any of it.