Complicated Love: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

"Ek tarfa pyar ki taaqat hi kuch aur hoti hai, auro ke rishton ki tarah yeh do logon mein nahi bathti, sirf mera haq hai ispe"

Love is complicated, and often hurts. Why can't you simply run away from the person who hurts you the most? But is that so easy? You do realize what needs to be done, but conveniently ignore the calculated move suggested by your brain, and choose to step on a button which is bound to trigger a psychological devastation. Unlike a zero-sum-game, it is an arena where everyone loses out, the quantum of loss depending upon the intensity of desire.

Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil perfectly sums up the complexities arising from relationships where the priorities and expectations differ.  It is an  interwoven tale of five individuals, each of them looking for redemption through a means which is bound to cause further breakdown. KJo plays in his comfort zone: exotic European locations, rich NRIs and lavish lifestyles. But he does well to capture the different shades of emotions. Ranbir Kapoor yet again successfully brings out the intensity that can be invoked by an  unfulfilled and incomplete love (Remember Rockstar?). Anushka's character is even more complex, sandwiched between passion for her college time love interest, a handsome DJ played by Fawad Khan and the selfless devotion of a rich and charming boy (Ranbir) whom she refuses to acknowledge as her lover, though she admits him being everything to her, everything but a lover, and gives the relationship name of "friendship". Aishwarya has cast magical spells with her timeless beauty infused with urdu poetry. SRK leaves a mark with barely 5 minutes of screen space.

Rating : 3.5/5

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Agent Ethan Hunt is back with his team for yet another "Impossible" mission. This time he faces a highly secretive international syndicate of special agents. However, this time there is no IMF (Impossible Mission Force) to back him up. The IMF has been disbanded and Ethan himself has been declared a fugitive by the CIA. Ilsa Faust, a disowned British secret agent comes to his rescue. But can Ethan trust Ilsa?

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation has all the ingredients which made earlier installments successful. High octane plot, unbelievable stunts, suspense,  story hopping from one country to another. There is hardly anything which Tom Cruise can't do. If the Burj Khalifa sequence in MI4 left you speechless, the shot in the opening sequence of Rouge Nation where Tom Cruise hangs from a airplane is going to send chills through your spine. It's hard to believe that Tom Cruise is not anymore in 20s or 30s, but a 53-year old man. Even Rebecca Fergusson as Ilsa Faust has not left any stone unturned and matched toe to toe with Tom Cruise. The bike chase sequence though the mountain terrains is just terrific.

My Rating : 7/10

Sweet, Brutal Revenge ?

"I'm not real big on repentance ... I like revenge better." 

Badlapur is a dark and cold tale of grief, anger, desire, wait and revenge. One can easily draw parallels with the Argentinian thriller The Secret in Their Eyes (2009). The elements of surprise interwoven in the script keep you on your toes. Sriram Raghavan had made a promising debut with Ek Hasina Thi (though grossly inspired from Double Jeopardy) , but lost the track  with Agent Vinod which was a complete disaster. Now, with Badlapur  he seems to have rediscovered the recipe of a revenge thriller. 

The world is not all good or bad. Everyone has that shade of grey. The thing you love the most, can turn you into a monster. Revenge becomes the sole purpose of life and you begin to see it as the only way find solace from agony of  loss. But, is it truth contrary to the belief ? Is the revenge as comforting as the victim perceives it to be? 

Badlapur starts with a bank robbery where the protagonist's (is he ?), essayed by Varun Dhawan, wife (Yami Gautam) and child are killed by the robbers. One of the robbers, Liak (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), is caught by the police. But his accomplice (Vinay Pathak) manages to flee with the loot money. Hoping to one day lead a good life with his love Jhimli (Huma Qureshi), a prostitute, he refuses to name his partner in crime. He is sentenced to 20 years in prison. But, is the judicial punishment enough to soothe Raghav's (Varun Dhawan) wounds?

Rush to the nearby multiplex to find out more !!

My rating : 7/10

Battle for the Mountains

The enthralling journey through the Middle Earth which had begun 13 years ago with the formation of the fellowship, ends with the battle for the Lonely Mountains. With the battle, ends an era of fantasy envisaged by Peter Jackson.

The Battle of the Five Armies picks up at the point where the Disolution of the Smaug had ended. The enraged Smaug wreaks havoc on the Lake Town. But before everything is reduced to ashes, Bard ( Luke Evans) slays the dragon with his black arrow. As the news of Smaug's death spreads, the armies of the Elfs and the Oarks begin marching towards the Mountains. Lonenly Mountains not only have huge reserves of gold and other precious jewels, but they are also strategically located. The matter is further complicated when Thorin (Richard Armitage), submerged into the madness induced by the vast treasures, refuses to honor his word to share the treasure with the residents of the Lake town.

The last installment of the Hobbit trilogy is fast-paced and hardly wastes any time before the armies engage into deadly combat. The one-to-one fight sequences between the main characters keep you glued to the screen. However, there are not many elements of surprise and the freshness factor is missing. The central character of Bilbo Baggins has little to do in the film and is portrayed more like a spectator. Any comparison with the LOTR series is going to leave you high and dry.

Nevertheless, this last installment of the Hobbit series is worth a watch is certain to cross the figures grossed by the first two films of the series.

My Rating : 7/10

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Ridey Scott's much awaited Biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, is a visual spectacle shot on a grand canvas. But just like most of the other cinematic adaptations of various Biblical stories, it (somehwat) fails to grip the audiences.

It introduces Moses (Christian Bale) as the young Egyptian prince. Moses is favored by the Pharaoh Seti over his son Ramesses (Joel Edgerton)  to succeed him as the next ruler. But the Moses' destiny was much bigger than ruling a kingdom. He was the chosen one to change the course of the  history. Nun (Ben Kingsley), a Hebrew elder, reveals to Moses his true identity that he is a Hebrew and is destined to liberate the Hebrew people from the oppression of Pharaoh. Ramesses succeeds Seti and soon Moses is banished from Egypt.  He takes shelter in a village, marries a village belle (charming Maria Valverde) and starts a family. Years pass on and it seems that the Moses has forgotten his old life . But an encounter with the "God" convinces him of his real purpose. He decided to liberate 'his people' from years' of slavery.

The movie has not been able to connect with those audiences who have little background knowledge. The character of Nun is very much under-cooked. Even Moses looks like a mook spectator when the God inflicts Egypt  with the ten plagues. In spite of all these shortcomings, the flick is a visual marvel. The battle sequence (against Hittites) in the beginning of the film has been wonderfully filmed. The depiction of the ten plagues leaves one speechless. Exodus has certainly not turned to be the epic which Ridley Scott intended to make, but it's not a bad film either. I would recommend you to watch this film only if the slow pace of the story does not bore you and you are not averse of exploring the Biblical stories.

My rating : 6/10

Rishikesh : The Land of Spirituality and Adventure

Backpacking is always great. It helps you see life from a different perspective. You get to meet new people, explore new places. You can have a lot of flexibility in your plans.

Mid-term exams got over on Nov 14. It was time to set off for yet another solitary trip. I chose Rishikesh as my destination. Located at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, Rishikesh is known as The Gateway to Garhwal Himalayas. It also holds a significant place in Hindu mythology. Rishikesh is another name of Lord Vishu, the divine protector of the world. It has also been a popular destination for the adventure sports enthusiasts. 

The train left Lucknow at 5 pm on Nov 14 and arrived at Haridwar Railway Station at 6 am, the following day. Rishikesh is situated at a distance of 25 Kms from Haridwar and is conveniently connected by rail and road. Buses ply frequently. Alternatively, one could hire a taxi which is easily available. The Haridwar bus stand is situated adjustment to the railway station. After sipping a cup of hot tea, I boarded a bus for Rishikesh. The bus took  45 minutes for the journey and arrived at Rishikesh at around 7.30 AM. Since the trip was not a well-planned one, I didn't know where to start from. I hired an auto rickshaw and asked the driver  to take me to tourist places in the city. He took me to a couple of places : Triveni Ghat, Bharat Temple, Birla Temple, Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula. Triveni Ghat, a confluence of three holy rivers : The Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswathy, is a sacred river bank. Bharat temple was constructed by Adi guru Shankaracharya in 12th century and is devoted to Bharat, the younger brother of Lord Rama. As per the mythology, one must revisit the temple if his wish is granted. The temple also housed a small museum where artifacts discovered in excavations were kept. Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula are identical suspension bridges built across the holy river Ganges. It is said that Laxman crossed Ganges on ropes at the same place where Laxman Jhula is situated. A number of temples and ashrams are situated in the vicinity of Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula. The evening Aarti at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram is  quite famous. They also rents out rooms at quite affordable rates.

Ram Jhula

Parnarth Niketan Ashram

Triveni Ghat

Museum at Bharat temple 

Next, I took the auto to Tapovan, which is very close to Laxman Jhula and released the auto there. It was already 9.30 by then. It was a pleasantly warm sunny day. The main motive of my visit was to do the Bungee Jumping. Rishikesh has India's only fixed cantilever bungee platform, build and operated by Jumping Heights. I walked into the marketing office of Jumping Heights at Tapovan.  The Bungee facility (Jump Zone) is located at Mohanchatti village which is 15 kms from Tapovan. At the marketing office, I paid Rs. 350 ( 250 for to-and-fro transportation and 100 as the entry fee). Their bus arrived at 11 am and shortly after we left for the Jump Zone. After traversing through various sharp turns,we arrived at the Jumping Heights. They had three different activities : Bungee, Giant Swing and Flying Fox. I decided to to do Bungee and Giant Swing only. The combo price for both the activities was INR 5,000 which could be paid in cash or by card. Any adventure sport do involve certain risks. So it was mandatory to fill the disclaimer form before proceeding to the Jump platform. After completing the formalities, I proceeded towards the jump platform for Bungee Jumping. It was 83 meters (approximately a 25-storey building)  high fixed cantilever platform built on a rocky cliff. The Jump-masters briefed me about the jump and the safety measures in place. Two harnesses were fitted into my body. The primary harness was attached to my ankles, while the secondary one was fitted to the waist. The secondary harness would serve just as a precautionary measure and come into picture only if the primary harness fails. Then I slowly walked towards the edge of the platform. A look toward the ground was enough to send chills down the spine. But this was not the time to ponder much. This was the moment to make a decision. The decision to jump off the platform, preferably a head jump. 1..2...3.. Bungee and I jumped. I jumped with my eyes open. Closing the eyes would have defeated the purpose of the jump. I could feel the acceleration and it was a great feeling. Once the rope reached it's full length, it recoiled. The elastic cord fitted to the legs absorbed much of the stress . But I could feel slight heaviness in my head ,which I think was perfectly normal. After two or three recoils and swinging for a while, the rope came to the equilibrium position and I was left hanging upside down at a height of 10 meters from ground . Soon after, I was lowered down and handed over a badge which said "I've got guts". Next I had to trek up the hill to go back to the Jumping heights office. The office housed a small cafeteria where the jump videos were being played on TV screen. One could see his video and may choose to purchase. After relaxing for awhile, I again headed towards the same jump platform for Giant swing. Giant swing is carried out from the same Bungee platform. But  instead of attaching a chord to the ankles, a seat harness is provided. So instead of a free fall after the jump, the ropes attached to the harness start swinging you like a pendulum. Once the harness was fitted and security checks were done, I moved towards the edge of the platform. Had I not done the Bungee , this would have looked scarier. But now I was feeling more comfortable and confident. I jumped off the platform and started swinging like a pendulum. For first few seconds, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach . The same sensation which you get on descending path of  a giant wheel. After completing the swing I walked back towards the office. I had a feeling of accomplishment. At the office I purchased the videos of both the activities after paying a premium of Rs. 1150. They charge Rs. 750 for the video of one activity and Rs. 1150 for two ( 2nd order price discrimination ).

I returned to Tapovan by the same bus. The time was 4.30 PM . On the return journey from the jump zone, I was fascinated by the riverside camps. I decided to spent the night in one of those camps. At Tapovan , I inquired about the riverside camps. Two types of camps were there : River Camps and Jungle Camps. They hosted similar activities except for the fact that the Jungle camps arranged for jungle treks as well. I decided to rent a tent in one of those river camps. After a little bargaining, I got the deal for Rs. 1250, which included evening snacks, dinner and morning breakfast. The camp was situated at a distance of 15 kms. from Tapovan. One could feel the coolness of water in atmosphere. The gushing sound of the fast flowing river was adding pleasant music to the atmosphere. The camp had all the necessary amenities. Snacks was served soon. As night's darkness engulfed the region, the calmness in the environment reached it's epitome. I sat on one of the riverside rocks and lowered my legs into the river. The water was cold enough to induce numbness. I sat there staring at the nearby mountain peaks, immersed into my own thoughts. It felt heavenly to be in an isolated world, far from everything you knew. As it became colder, I moved inside the tent and rested for a while. The darkness of the tent was being pierced by a faint ray of light emitting from the lantern placed outside. At around 9 PM, I was called for dinner. After the dinner, I along with other residents sat around the bonfire. Music was being played in background, though I would have preferred to listen to the gushing sound of the river. At around 10;30, I moved back into the tent. The music stopped soon after and I could listen to the magical sound of the flowing river. The warmth of bed in cold winter Himalayan night is surely one of the pleasures of life.

I woke up early morning. The chirping of birds makes you feel the nature. The scenic beauty around looked even more captivating in the morning light. I spent some time on the river bank before saying goodbye to the wonderful place. My plans for the day included experiencing Rishikesh's famed river rafting in river Ganges and visiting  the Neelkanth temple .

Three rafting packages were available : 10 Kms, 16Kms and 28 Kms. I decided to go for the 16 Kms package, which would cross through 8-9 rapids. Rapids are those sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. I left my bag at the booking office and started towards the starting point of the rafting which was at Shivpuri. The other members of the crew included two Germans, One Dutch, a Swedish, an Indian and two local boys as guides. After the life jackets were checked and valuable put safely put into a waterproof bag, we set off for the rafting. The guides gave us the required instructions i.e. how to paddle forward, paddle backwards, lock the paddles when not in use  and  position to be taken in case of any danger. The rapids were given fancy names like Double Trouble, Golf Course, Roller Coaster etc. Every-time a rapid was encountered, we really had to struggle to keep ourselves on the raft. The Ganges water was extremely cold and in no time all of us were left shivering. Each rapid seemed more challenging than the previous one. The  rocky mountains on either side of the river were adding charm to the scenic beauty. The guides asked us to jump into the river. I trusted my life jacket and jumped into the cold river water. However, I tried to stay close to the raft by holding a rope attached to the it. Climbing back onto the raft was not so easy though. During the entire journey, we jumped into the river 3-4 times. We had started to find solace in the river water which  had felt extremely cold initially. The crew members, who were all strangers some time back, had developed some sort of bonding and the were able to paddle in synchronization. The raft sailed for almost 2 hrs and 30 minutes. It was brought to halt near a cliff from where one could jump into the river. The cliff was almost 20-22 feet high. One could also find refreshments ( Noodles etc.) being sold there. I made the jump from the cliff and could feel the weightlessness, albeit for very short duration. After an interval of 30-40 minutes, we sailed again towards the destination. Shortly after, the journey ended at the Ram Jhula. It was an wonderfulexperience. If someone has the constraint to enjoy only one adventure sport in Rishikesh, I would suggest it to be rafting.

Cliff Jumping location

I came back to the booking office and changed my wet clothes. The time was 2 o'clck. I quickly finished off my lunch. Now I wanted to visit the Neelkanth Mahadev temple. I couldn't afford the luxury of hiring a cab, so decided to rent a bike. Unfortunately bikes were not available, so I settled for a scoorter (100 cc) for Rs. 350. To reach the temple one needs to ride 30 kms up the hill. The roads were extremely narrow with many hairpin turns. Nevertheless, I started on the scooter. On the way to temple there was the Neer Gaddu Waterfall. The road to waterfall was very dusty and steep. But since I didn't have to deviate much from my path, I went to witness the nature's beauty. A waterfall is always a feast to the eyes. The water seemed very clear, far from being polluted.

Neer Gaddu waterfall

Way to Neer Gaddu

I resumed my journey to the Neelkanth temple. The beautiful surrounding forced me to stop several times to click photographs. Mountains, rivers, dense forests : I realized how good it feels to be close to the nature. But the terrains were very difficult to ride and any mishap could have resulted into dire consequences. I also realized that it was not a good idea to set off on a scooter as scooters skid very easily. A bike would have been a better companion. Or may be I could have hired a cab only. Nevertheless I slowly moved towards the destination. After riding for  90 minutes, I reached the temple. The temple is situated at a height of 1330 meters. According to Hindu mythology, the temple stands at the place where the Lord Shiva consumed the poison that originated from the sea when Devas  and Asuras  churned the ocean in quest of Amrit. I offered water to the holy Shiva Linga. After spending some time in the temple premises, I set off for the return journey to Tapovan. It was already dark and I had to be very cautious while riding. The roads were wet and slippery at many places. I rode as slowly and cautiously as possible and managed to safely reach Tapovan.

At Neelkant mahadev Temple

I returned the scooter, picked up my bag from the booking office and went to have a light dinner. It was the time to bid adieu to Rishikesh. The fun filled, adventurous, exciting and exhilarating trip to Rishikesh came to an end. However, the memories of the trip are not going to fade in long time to come.

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Fury : Courage and Glory

Fury is set during the last few days of the Second Great War. Allied forces are closing-in on Germany and it seems only a  matter of time when the curtains falls on the European theater of the war. But, "War never ends quietly". German forces put in last ditch effort to block the advancing allied forces.

Fury tells the story of US Army Sergeant Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) who commands a Sherman tank named Fury and its five-man. The crew includes a recently enlisted Army typist Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) . Norman has never before experienced the battle front and is shaken by the horrors of war. Sergeant Don has a task at hand : To protect his tank and men. Inexperienced and horrified Norman seems to be more of an liability than help to the cause. Don forces Norman to accept the realities of war and kill to survive. However, gradually bond between the two strengthens. Meanwhile, Fury the tank hits a landmine and is left immobile. Before the tank could be repaired, a German SS infantry column is found to be approaching. The crew is left with the option to flee the tank. But will they abandon Fury, their home? 

Director David Ayer has been quite effective in capturing various human emotions of fear, anger,  horror, love, pride, glory and sense of duty. The movie is nicely paced and the war sequences are wonderfully filmed. It can certainly not be compared with the like of "Saving Private Ryan", but there are enough compelling reasons which make it a must-watch. 

My Rating : 3.75 / 5

Reliving the Glorious Past : Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri , Agra

Date : August 15, 2014
August 15 is a special date for every Indian. It bring immense joy and fills you up with the undying spirit which even defeated the world's most powerful imperial power. This time it was even more delightful for IIM Lucknow students as it marked the beginning of a rare 4-day long holidays, which is a luxury in any  B-school.  At 0030 hrs , the idea of going on a solitary trip crossed my mind . A trip where there will not be any companion, not much of pre-planning and no acquaintances in the city. Quickly, I zeroed-in on Jaipur, the pink city . The next step was to figure out the ticket availability. A little search on Internet and I booked the ticket  in rsrtc Volvo starting at 1820 hrs. Before going to bed, I browsed a little regarding the popular tourist attractions in Jaipur.I packed up the required things in a backpack and was at the Alambaug bus terminal well before time. The bus left at the scheduled time. Though one cannot expect the luxury of a train in bus, but I would say it was a pretty comfortable journey. 

On the way to Jaipur

Date : August 16, 2014

I reached Jaipur Sindhi Camp bus terminal at  0730 hrs and checked-into a nearby hotel.The next decision was to decide upon the means of communication for site-seeing . There were two available options : sight seeing bus or auto. Sight seeing bus was available for Rs. 250, but they would show only those monuments which were within the city limits. This excludes the Nahargarh and Jaigarh forts. So I decided to hire an auto for Rs. 700. The auto driver also served as a amateur guide. We first reached the Shiv temple (situated on the hill) and the Birla Mandir. The Shiv temple opens only once a year i.e. on the Mahashivaratri day.  Since I had shortage of time, decided to witness the Birla Mandir from outside only. Next we reached Albert Hall museum. I bought a combined ticket for several monuments which I had planned to visit. I was elated to get the student discount on producing the IIML Id card. The museum had a rich collection of artifacts like paintings, carpets, ivory, stone, metal sculptures, colorful crystal works etc. The one thing which attracted my attention was the Norton's patented turnstile. 

 Norton's patented turnstile at Albert Hall Museum

Next we headed towards Jantar Mantar, which is a solar observatory consisting of various geometrical devices and structures.  En-route we crossed the Pink City. Though the Pink City looked more of orange color rather the pink color.

The Pink City

Jantar Mantar looked magnificent . There were several huge structures for the purpose of measuring time, predicting eclipses and calculating shoeshines. It was build by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh.

It was already 1300 hrs and I as feeling very hungry. So , before moving to next destinations, we decided to have lunch. After filling up stomach, we moved towards Hawa Mahal and Jal Mahal, respectively. Hawa Mahal needs no introduction . Jal mahal is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake . But the public is not allowed the access to Jal Mahal. So I had to be content by witnessing it from a distance. 

Our next destination was Nahargarh fort, which is situated atop hill and one has to climb 10-12 km. up the hill. Nevertheless, it took us 30 mins from Jal Mahal .Nahargarh Fort has gained prominence recently, after Bollywood movies like Rang De Basanti and Shuddh Desi Romance were filmed here. The boundaries of the fort were visible from quite a distance. The fort itself was mostly in ruins. But the view of the Jaipur city from the fort was mesmerizing. It was a feast for the eyes. The scenic beauty coupled with pleasant weather, was making the environment magical. I couldn't resist myself from spending close to 2 hrs at the monument .

 

Nahargarh Fort

Jaigarh fort was not very far from Nahargarh fort. Jaigarh fort hosted the world's largest cannon on wheels : Jaivana, which was the center of attraction there. Jaigarh fort also had the remains of cannon foundry. The structures and the instruments used for the purpose were preserved and gave an insight of the process. Fort also housed a small war museum.

 Jaivana Cannon : World's largest cannon on wheels

View from Jaigarh Fort

It was already 1600 hrs by the time we left the jaigarh Fort. We headed towards Amber (Aamer) Fort. which was probably the grandest of all. The fort overlooks the Maota lake. I had to climb up hundreds of steps to reach the monument. The palace was spectacular. Two cannons were placed at the entry gate. The entry gate led to a parade ground, called as Jaleb chowk , derived from a Arabic word which meant gathering place for soldiers. Architectural design and the wall paintings had the features of both the Rajput and the Mughal styles. Probably this was the effect of the matrimonial alliances between them.

 

Amber (Aamer) Fort

I closed the day with Amber fort and returned to the hotel room. It had been an eventful day. Now was the time to chalk out the plan for the next day. I had two options : i) Return to Lucknow, ii) Extend the trip to cover the the historical towns of Fatehpur-Sikri and Agra. I was excited at the idea of visiting the Taj, one of the new seven wonders of the world. So, decided in favor of  the second alternative. 

Date : August 17, 2014

I got up at 0530 hrs and checked out from hotel by 0615 hrs. I went straight to the Sindhi Camp bus stand looking for a bus to Fatehpur-Sikri. Soon I was inside a bus . But , somehow I had the feeling that something is wrong. I asked the bus operator to confirm that the bus is headed towards Fatehpur-Sikri which lies near Agra. I was taken aback to find out that the bus was destined to some other place in Rajasthan, called Sikar Fatehpur. Without wasting anymore time I got down from the bus and took a rickshaw for the bus stand. This time I ensured that I boarded the right bus. However, 45 minutes got wasted in the process. The bus left at 0715 hrs. 

After crossing several towns and villages , I reached the historic town of Fatehpur-Sikri at 1215 hrs. Once upon a time it was the capital of the greatest Mughal emperor : Akbar and the epicenter of political activities. I took an auto reach the fort. The monument can be broadly divided into two parts. The first part consisted of Jama Masjid and the Mazar(tomb) of sufi saint Salim Chisti. Emperor Akbar was a adherent  disciple of the sufi saint, who blessed him with his heir. The  structure which housed the Jama Masjid and the Mazar was characterized by two massive gates : Buland Darwaza and Badshahi Darwaza . Bulnad Darwaza, in particular, was a grand structure and depicted the architectural splendor of the Mughals. The Salim Chisti tomb was constructed in beautiful white marbles.

Buland Darwaza

The second part of the monument consisted of several buildings: deewan-e-aam, deewan-e-khas, Panch Mahal , Birbal house etc.  The buildings were spread over a large area and echoed the royal glory.

Panch Mahal

Deewan-e-Khas

I left for Agra at 1415 hrs. It took almost an hour to reach the city which boasts of one of the seven wonders of the world, a symbol of eternal love. From bus stand, I took an auto to reach the west gate end of the Taj complex. I had not eaten anything since morning, but was hardly feeling hungry. This could be attributed to the excitement of witnessing the everlasting beauty of Taj. After depositing my bag at the cloak room, I proceeded towards the ticket counter and bought an ordinary ticket which cost Rs. 20. Soon after I realized that I should have bought a high value ticket as there was a lot of rush, probably because of the extended weekend. Nevertheless, this didn't deter my spirit. 

As expected, the exquisite first look of Taj was magical. I remained frozen at the gate for few minutes to feel the moment.

After waiting  in queue for a long time, I could step onto the grand mausoleum. Next , I entered in chamber which housed the tombs of emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaj Mehal, side-by-side.

In the whole process, I clicked several photographs of Taj mahal, from various angles.

I left the Taj complex at 1830 hrs and immediately rushed into a nearby restaurant. By the time I finished my meal, it was 1900 hrs and the darkness had started to envelop the surrounding. My bus for Lucknow was scheduled to depart at 2200 hrs, so I still had some time in hand. Therefore, I thought of making good use of this available time. I reached another grand monument , The Arga Fort or the Red Fort of Agra. Constructed with red stones, it was another spectacular building telling the story glorious past. But it was dark by the time I reached there, so couldn't explore the monument much.

The Agra Fort

A "Sound and Light show" was scheduled to begin at 1930 hrs. I decided to attend it. The show gave an insight of Agra's history ( or rather Mughals'). I suppose most of the visitors would be missing this show. But I would recommend people to attend it. The show ended at 2020 hrs . With the show, two days' of exhilarating and memorable trip came to an end. A trip which took me through realms of time and gave a chance to relive the glorious past of India.

Humpty Sharma Dulhania Le Jaayenge

Remember those immortal dialogues :  "Jaa Simran jee le apni zindagi" ? 

There are numerous examples wherein the remakes have been critically and commercially more successful than the originals and in certain cases have gone to achieve the cult status (An Affair to Remember , Departed etc) . Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania is surely not going to enter that elite league. Dharma Production's attempt to recreate the magic of Raj and Simran falls flat on the ground and is no where close to DDLJ which , once upon a time,  had become the face of Bollywood.
                                                    

 The film is NOT completely useless though . Varun Dhawan (Humpty) and Alia (Kavya), backed by some cheeky dialogues ,  do bring a refreshing feel to the generation old love story.  Kavya, a 'pataka' Ambala girl, is  all set to marry a perfect NRI in a month's time . She comes to Delhi  to buy the designer lehanga for the wedding. There she meets this Delhi Ka Munda Raj....hmm Humpty. And as one would  anticipate, they fall in love. Just like the old Raj, Humpty decides to win-over  Kavya's family, even if it means risking his life.

The music is average. "Tainu  samjhawan" is soothing but the remaining songs fail to impress. The supporting cast , including Ashutosh Rana, has been almost wasted . Though, Alia needs special mention. The Hindu had mentioned in one of it's articles on Alia, "She has a tremendous range; she’s Bollywood’s Carey Mulligan — a picture of vulnerability, great beauty and the promise of youth." This is certainly not an overstatement.

My Rating : 2.5/5

Shadi Ke Side Effects : Review

Warning : Watching this film with your newly wedded wife may have few side effects!!!

Sid  (Farhan) and Trisha (Vidya) are happily married  and have unique ways to keep the spark alive in their married life.  Once in a while they meet in a bar like two strangers, have drinks and spend an 'exciting and happening' night together in a hotel room. Everything is like a fairy tale until 'unplanned' pregnancy strikes. Suddenly Trisha, the wife is overshadowed by Trisha, the mother. The complete focus shifts towards the baby and the romance takes a backseat. Sid tries hard to be a good father but all his efforts are futile and in no time their marriage is on rocks. As a last refuge, Sid turns towards his brother-in-law (Ram Kapoor), whom he considers as an absolute idiot but is supposedly an ideal husband and father. And here's Ram Kapoor's million dollar advice : ' Log kehte hai na, happy married life ki buniyaad hoti hai PYAR, BHAROSA..BAKWAAS..Happy married life ke liye chote chote jhuth bolne padte hai. '  Upon his advice, Sid masters the art of lying and carves out  a pseudo-bachelor life for himself which would balance his otherwise frustrating family life. But is it really going to  help , or is the situation going to screw up further?

The films starts off quite well.  Farhan has brilliantly and effortlessly essayed the role of a confused, frustrated husband turned father. The dialogues make you laugh uncontrollably , "Tum chahhti ho ki main nahi chahu  ki tum kya chaho...kya chahti ho tum...", and you feel sympathetic towards Farhan . A large number of married or soon to-get-married audience will be able to relate themselves with his agony. But as the film progresses, it fails to capitalize on it's start and gradually start to bore. It's almost intolerable towards the climax. 

I would recommend this film for it's brilliant first half, even though the last an hour or so makes you feel as if you are watching one of those boring Indian TV soap operas. 

My Rating : 2.75 / 5

The Monuments Men : A Disppointing Quest

Towards the end of WWII, while the allied forces are successfully marching towards Berlin , there is the fear that the Germans might destroy the valuable works of art which were looted and stolen by them. With those marvels, an entire chapter of human excellence might get lost forever. A special task force comprising of art experts is formed with the aim of recovering the 'monuments' before they are destroyed by the Germans or acquired by the Russians. But is it worth risking human lives for  lifeless monuments?

The Monuments Men , directed and co-written by George Clooney , rests on this interesting premise. It is  based on the  the quest and adventures  of  the Monuments Men.  But the the story moves at  snail's pace and has hardly any interesting sequence which could keep the audience guessing. It requires a lot of courage to sail through the two hour film. The background score is equally disappointing . The film boasts of an impressive star-cast which , apart from Clooney himself, includes Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett.  But contrary to the expectations, it fails to impress and is a big disappointment. 

My Rating : 2/5

Highway : A Complicated Journey

With Highway, Imtiaz Ali  explores yet another dimension of Love. The fondness developed  in one of the most unusual circumstances. A feeling which is difficult to understand or justify and may sound completely irrational. But the impressive performances by the lead actors combined with the picturesque locations and magnificent camerawork leave you speechless. Randeep Hooda has always been an understated actor and has showcased his brilliance  His silence speaks a thousand words. Alia Bhatt has proved that she is much more than a cute little barbie doll. 

    

Veera (Alia) , a bubbly girl from a rich and powerful family, is kidnapped by Mahaveer (Hooda) and his men. But she finds solace with her kidnappers . She feels like a bird liberated from a golden cage and wants to go away from the fake world of lies and abuses. She doesn't want to go back, neither does she want to reach any destination. The captivity makes her feel free for the first time in her life. There begins her journey with Mahaveer, who initially sees her as  a bait for hefty ransom but later submits to her innocence and cheerfulness. A journey that takes you from highways to the breathtaking scenic altitudes. The beautiful terrains are well supported by the magical background score.

Highway scores high on the emotional quotient and  also raises the issue of child abuse in a strong manner . The locations will tempt you to take a break from your usual  routine and go on a journey of self discovery. But given it's slow pace, it  may not strike  a chord with all sections of audience. 

My Rating : 3.5/5   

The Insane Money Wolf

Martin Scorsese : Is that name not enough a compelling reason to rush to the theaters? 'The Wolf of Wall Street' is the latest jewel in the crown of the genius filmmaker. This time he chooses to tell the riveting 'rags to riches' tale of the real life stock broker Jordan Belfort, based on the memoir written by Belfort  himself.

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Soon after Belfort starts his career as a stock-broker, he loses his job after the 1987 stock market crash. But in no time he figures out a way to make big bucks by selling worthless penny stocks . He  starts his stock trading firm, hires a bunch of 'good-for-nothing' chaps and trains them well . There begins his extraordinary  journey which transforms him into a maniac billionaire. He snorts cocaine off his girl's bosoms, hires prostitutes, buys a luxury yacht to his wife as the wedding present, sinks that very yacht  , crashes Lamborghini and even tries to bribe the FBI officer. There doesn't seem to any limit to his insanity. Belfort represents the inner-black-desire of each one of us and you would feel jealous of his lifestyle.

Leonardo DiCaprio has time and again proved what a terrific actor  he is (Blood Diamonds, catch Me if You Can, Departred, Aviator, Shutter Island...and the list goes on). He does the complete justice to the complex character of Belfort. The work of supporting cast has been equally impressive, especially Jonah Hill ( 21 Jump Street fame ). 

My Rating : 4.5/5