Review of LAFANGEY PARINDEY

We have another film, LAFANGEY PARINDEY from the Yash Raj banner who prodused RAB NE BANA DI JODI in 2008, You will ask what is similar in both the flims, then i must say that both are based on Reality Show.Reality shows on television have climbed up the popularity charts. So much so, they have even made it to the big screen.

Set in a small Mumbai bsed  locality, LAFANGEY PARINDEY is the story of One Shot Nandu (Neil Nitin Mukesh), a street fighter who knocks opponents blindfolded every Thursday and does tapori giri on other days. Pinky Palkar (Deepika Padukone) aspires to make it big through a reality show. 'Life mein bada cheez karne ke liye bada kida chahiye', she says and believes. Unfortunately, she meets with an accident and loses her eye sight. Nandu, who is an expert in fighting blindfolded, takes the onus on him and helps Pinky in achieving her dreams.

LAFANGEY PARINDEY kicks-off promisingly with a refreshing first half. However, drags and disappoints in the second half due to poor script .

The accident portion of Pinky is ingeniously written. Also, the exciting training sequences between Nandu and Pinky are the film's highlight. The chemistry between the lead pair is excellent here.

Moving on, some uproarious moments keep you entertained like the one in which Neil dresses up in a girl's outfit or the one in which a character says Ijjat hath me nahin paon mein hai, just before Nandu and Pinky are about to dance. Ha Ha Ha   

   
On the other side, the dance training sessions in the second half, become boaring after a while. Director Pradeep Sarkar (who gave us films like PARINEETA, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG in the past) takes his own sweet time to arrive at the film's humdrum climax. The investigation of Pinky's accident becomes so ludicrous that one wonders why it was there at the first place, if the climax was anyway so convenient.

R. Anandh's music is decent. Nain Parindey and Mann Lafanga go well with the film. Gopi Puthran's dialogues are catchy. Editing by Sanjib Datta could have been a lot better, especially in the latter half.

Neil stands out. He is very convincing in his fighter avatar. However, with his charming looks he doesn't seem to be a tapori from a petite Mumbai locality. In other words He is not fitting on that role.Deepika Padukone is infallible as the blind girl. With her poise, she also proves she's a good dancer. After all six month she trained her self for this.

From the supporting cast, Namit Das (WAKE UP SID fame) is admirable. Kay Kay Menon is completely wasted in his two scene role. Manish Choudhary doesn't have much to do. Child actor Amey Pandya is funny.

LAFANGEY PARINDEY has some amazing performances but is marred by a feeble script. For the 'records' this LP doesn't seem to be a long playing one.

The conclusion this this movie is so so type.

Miss India Universe Goes Topless

The universal truth – controversy sells. So does sex. Club them together and they are likely to breathe life into a dead beauty pageant.
Once upon a time the ticket to easy fame and money, beauty pageants are now struggling to remain afloat. Even the Grand Slam or Big Four of the pageant world – The Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth and Miss International – are encountering tough times. TV viewers have plummeted and sponsors are hard to come by.


In an age of women’s emancipation, ladies have so plenty of means to accomplish the life of their dreams. Look at self-made hi-achievers among ladies around the globe. They haven’t taken the pageant route-far from it.
This year the contestants are grabbing eyeballs without the twirl of a single pretty gown. In a new type of pre-event hype, a number of the contestants are posing topless and/or covered in body paint.
Of the 83 contestants, Miss USA, Miss Japan and Miss Trinidad and Tobago faced the camera with body paint on.
Miss USA 2010 has already stirred up controversy in this year’s Miss USA competition when they wore lingerie and fishnets. When they won the Miss USA crown, “TMZ” reported that they was the winner of a stripping contest in 2007.
Rima Fakih has said that they was well aware that there would be controversy when they decided to pose topless for her publicity shots.
“Well, there were options and they were all asked what they would feel comfortable [doing],” they told “Access Hollywood.”
“I told them I feel comfortable with beauty and with being unique. I’m known to stand out and always enthusiastic to do something different.”
Miss USA Discusses Topless Miss Universe Photographs Controversy
At the finish of the day, the Miss Universe pageant judges a contestant on beauty attributes. Each one may interpret beauty and what makes them stunning in their unique way. Posing topless cannot be a great or unique idea. If anything, it is likely to bring down the already flimsy picture of the pageant where contestants pledge to spread peace, tolerance and mutual understanding.
After this, who will take them seriously?
Update: Uh oh. India’s contestant, Ushoshi Sengupta isn’t lagging behind in grabbing eyeballs. For wrong reasons though. Take a glance at the picture alongside. It’s not a gown borrowed from Barbie as the Island Princess. That could be the inspiration though. This is the gown Ushoshi Sengupta wore for the National Costume round of the Ms Universe pageant, in Las Vegas, US, on Monday. Designed by Kolkata-based designer duo Dev R Nil, the dress, which appeared to lack structured tailoring, looked like a gown gone horribly wrong, say Indian designers.

 
What the designers were aiming for is anybody’s guess. I am wondering why Ritu Kumar, who has been designing for the national costume round at the pageant for years, was overlooked.

Peepli Live - Review

When Aamir Khan produces a film, or is associated with any film in the capacity of an actor, be prepared for the unpredictable. Films like Taare Zameen Par & 3 Idiots took pot shots at the schooling process in India & Peepli Live, directed by Anusha Rizvi, is a tongue-in-cheek satire on the farmers' suicides & the role of vote-hungry politicians & the over-enthusiastic, TRP-seeking desperate electronic media jostling for eyeballs.

Come to think of it, the idea [farmers' suicides] would instinctively translate in to a serious, thought-provoking film. But Peepli Live takes a grim & solemn issue, turns it in to a satire, garnishes it with populist sentiment & makes a far greater impact than a mere documentary, had it tackled the burning issue. In fact, like all Aamir Khan films, Peepli Live marries realism with a winning box-office formula most wonderfully.

A tragic fact of our society is that bad news attracts instant attention. In Peepli Live, an impoverished man offers to commit suicide so that his relatives can benefit from a government grant - a dark subject matter which is handled in a delightfully comic manner. In fact, it is a terrific satire about a troubled India, the shining India, the industrialised India that is seldom depicted on the Hindi screen.

Peepli Live focuses on the poorest of the poor in India & it not only highlights the plight of a farmer in a small corner of a sizable country, but also throws light on the varied individuals who exploit the situation to their advantage, right from the politicians to the bureaucrats to the TV reporters to the local people. In fact, Peepli Live makes a scathing assault on the functioning of media in India & how media persons, depicted as vultures, usually stoop to the lowest levels to increase the ratings of their tv channel/show.
The best part is that at no point does the film gets preachy or starts offering solutions to the grave issue. It is a mere device that the makers have used to discuss bureaucracy, the rural & urban divide & lack of concern of the administration.

Final word? This tragi-comedy, a amazing satire, is not to be missed.
Natha [Omkar Das Manikpuri], a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India, is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid government loan. A speedy fix to the issue is the government's program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a way of survival, Natha chooses to die. His brother [Raghubur Yadav] is happy to push him towards this unique honour.
Local elections are around the corner & what might've been another unnoticed event turns in to a cause célèbre, with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high-ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen & the ever-zealous media descend on sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. Natha's brother [Farrukh Jaffer] screams at his spouse [Shalini Vatsa], while his young son urges papa to go through with the suicide so he can use the money to become a policeman.

One TV journalist, in a desperate search for a used angle, tries to examine Natha's faeces to choose his emotional state. Nobody seems to care how Natha feels.
Peepli Live tells the story of today: Rural society, the games politicians play, the bureaucracy & the manipulative electronic media. It is a well penned & well executed film that deals with a serious issue in a witty & entertaining manner. Although actual, it creates a world filled with vivid characters & incidents & keeps the viewer engrossed throughout.

First-time director Anusha Rizvi handles the subject material like a veteran. Her script is tight & witty & her handling of a difficult subject deserves kudos. What sets the film apart is that it is unlike a typical Bollywood film. In fact, you cannot draw parallels with any film, past or present. & that is what goes in favour of this film, since virgin subjects handled with utmost sensitivity & maturity is the order of the day. Even the finale is most appropriate & absolutely befitting the content of the film. In a nutshell, Anusha scores a sixer in her debut.
The music, composed by multiple artists, is Indian to the core & borrows heavily from folk music. The hugely popular - 'Mehangayee Daayan' - is the pick of the lot, without doubt. Cinematography is appropriate. Dialogue, laced with expletives, are truly fantastic & most importantly, actual.

Manikpuri is amazing as Natha. Raghubir Yadav shines as the opportunist brother. Malaika Shenoy [as the TV reporter] is exceptional. Shalini Vatsa [as Natha's wife] is outstanding. Ditto for Farrukh Jaffer [Natha's bed-ridden mother]. In fact, the constant tu-tu-main-main between the saas-bahu is thoroughly enjoyable. Nawazuddin Siddiqui [as Rakesh, the local journalist] is natural. Vishal Sharma [as Kumar Deepak, the rival journalist] is top notch. Naseeruddin Shah is first-rate as the conniving, shrewd politician. The remaining cast - there're lots of actors in the film - pitch in believable performances.

On the whole, Peepli Live is definite to ride initially on the strength & credibility of its iconic actor/producer Aamir Khan & one time that is achieved, the powerful content is definite to speak for itself. Peepli Live is a film that would not only appeal to Indians, but is definite to reach out to audiences beyond India. Basically amazing!
Director: Anusha Rizvi
Cast: Omkar Das Manikpuri, Raghuveer Yadav, Malaika Shenoy, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shalini Vatsa, Farrukh Jaffer, Vishal O Sharma

India to become world's fastest growing economy by 2013-15

India to become world's fastest growing economy by 2013-15. Where China is expected to come down with a growth rate of 9% in 2012 and 8% by 2015, India's economic growth will be persistent with an expected rise in the rate of growth to 9-9.5 % within 2013-2015 due to the restructurings and globalization.

This was found out in report by Morgan Stanley which also reveals that with economic prosperity, the birth rate and mortality rate decrease and increase simultaneously thus elevating the working population and diminishing the non-working population which includes children and old people.

This factor boosts the rate of savings of the country on one hand as people are able to save more and on the other hand it also gives a hike to the number of people capable of supporting the country's economic prosperity.

GDP would be increased with just an increase in the number of workers without any rise in per capita income but with the boost in the productivity of each worker, the GDP would be accelerated at an even faster rate and this would be the result of reforms brought about globalization which ensures greater job opportunities, more savings etc. 

NEW DELHI: The two hands to produce count for more than that one mouth to feed, after all. Driven by a sterling demographic dividend, continuing structural reform and globalization, India is poised to accelerate its growth rate to 9-9.5% over 2013-15, even as China will cool down to a more sedate 9% by 2012 and to 8% by 2015. So finds a new report by Morgan Stanley, authored by Chetan Ahya (managing director for Asia and India economist, who writes a monthly column for ET) and Tanvee Gupta.

India has one of the lowest median ages among the major economies. When an economy prospers, first its death rate and then, its birth rate falls. As this trend proceeds, there is a big bulge in the working age population while the non-working population (the young and the old) shrink as a share of the population. The lowering of the dependent (non-working) population to working age population ratio has twin effects.

One, it allows people to save a large proportion of their income, raising the country’s rate of savings; two, it boosts the number of people who work and contribute to growth. Thanks to structural reform, the additional hands available for work find work. Even with stagnant per capita output, the sheer increase in the number of workers would raise GDP growth. With reform pushing up productivity per worker, GDP would rise even faster.



  Globalization gives additional job opportunities, additional capital to augment rising domestic savings and additional know-how. With this happy combination, the report expects India to become the world’s fastest-growing economy. The government’s chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu has been forecasting such a development as well.

“Real GDP growth in China has averaged 10% annually over the past 30 years, compared with 6.2% in India. During this period, China’s GDP grew 16 times to $5 trillion whereas India’s rose seven times to $1.2 trillion. China’s exports (including services) surged 65 times over this period to $1,330 billion while India’s exports increased 22 times to $250 billion” says the report.

China has overtaken Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy. China’s demographic transition pushed up its savings rate above 30% in 1985, while India’s savings rate crossed that level only in 2005. India’s consumption level will now come down, even as China’s will rise.

Underlying the Morgan Stanley forecast is the assumption that India will significantly jack up its expenditure on infrastructure and in plant and machinery. Infrastructure expenditure has gone up from 5.4% of GDP in 2005 to 7.5% in 2009 and is poised to go up to 8% of GDP in 2010. Over 2012-17, the forecast is that India’s infrastructure spend would be $1 trillion as compared with $530 million over the previous five-year period.

Another assumption is on the quantity and quality of the young people coming into the workforce. While India will be the largest contributor to the world’s workforce — all of 136 million people — over the next 10 years (fully a quarter of the entire world’s additional workforce), China will add just 23 million.

MPs who want a raise now ..Is this right time??

 
MPs are often criticized for their less-than-impressive attendance in Parliament, but today, few could be faulted for skipping work.
They came together to back Lalu Prasad Yadav who passionately urged the government to sanction the 300 percent hike in salaries that MPs have been eyeing. "What is our wage...it is less than that of a junior clerk's," said Lalu, chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
On Monday, divisions in the Cabinet led to the government allegedly deferring the issue to the winter session of Parliament. Ministers like P Chidambaram and Ambika Soni feel that the multiple allegations of corruption surrounding the Commonwealth Games, as well as the recent increase in fuel prices, make a raise inappropriate at this time.
MPs currently earn Rs. 16,000 a month; they require to be paid Rs. 50,000 a month. Compare this, they plead, to a secretary to the government who makes Rs. 80,000 a month.


Senior BJP leader LK Advani asked his party's MPs not to join a public debate on the issue - advice that wasn't heeded.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee tried to report, "This has to be done through a legislation. A bill has to be brought to adjust the Salaries And Allowances Of Member Of Parliament Act, 1954... They are trying bring the legislation in this session."
Lalu didn't miss a beat. "We are prepared. Bring the Bill tomorrow, they will pass it in one minutes," they said, prompting a smirk from Mukherjee.
The Left parties called for an independent mechanism to select hikes like this one. Lalu retorted, "Let us take the hike....and you take the elderly wage."

The issue of hike in wage & allowances of MPs figured in the Rajya Sabha today with members desirous to know by when the government proposed to increase their wages.
Defending their demand, a member said cost rise pinches them .
Rajniti Prasad of the RJD raised the issue when the House met for the day & instantly found support from members in the opposition benches.
"What has happened to the proposal to increase MPs' wage, they would like to know," they said citing media reports that the Cabinet on Monday deferred a call on the issue.

Chairman Hamid Ansari said only questions can be taken up in the coursework of the Query Hour but members were inexorable.
But interestingly, senior BJP leader LK Advani has now asked his party MPs not to indulge in an open debate on MPs' wage. They advised the MPs to wait for the government to come up with a proposal.
"We are public servants but what is our wage? It is lower than the junior clerk & they work round the clock for three years. They are the representatives of the public. I don't query Pranab Babu's purpose that there's corrupt MP's but they ought to have a glance at our pay. This is an insult. The wage of an MLA in Goa is Rs. 1 lakh," RJD president Lalu Yadav said.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the matter was under consideration of the government.
"The document of the Joint Committee on wage & allowances of Members of Parliament has been received by the government. It is under consideration," they said without giving a timeframe by when it would be implemented.
"The document will be made effective from beginning of 15th Lok Sabha. Whenever the bill is passed, it will have retrospective effect," they said.
Mukherjee's reply did not satisfy members who insisted on knowing by when it will be implemented & why Cabinet deliberations were being selectively leaked to media.

3G Mobile Services in India

India is seeing an unprecedented increase in the mobile users. According of one of the latest TRAI reports released in November 2008, the total number of mobile users in India has reached 325 million. In October 2008 alone, 10.42 million new subscribers added. These figures are bound to shoot up with the launch of 3G network. Some of the major mobile players in India are BSNL mobile, Airtel mobile, Reliance mobile and Tata mobile. At one time Aircel mobile was leading the market; however, it has now lost the market share to BSNL mobile, Airtel mobile and other leading mobile players.

With 3G network, mobile internet will have its internet capabilities enhanced and we will be able to have mobile broadband. BSNL mobile is planning to launch 3G network in January 2009. Airtel is expected to follow suit with 3G network. Airtel has already launched the Apple 3G iPhone in India in August 2008.

With so much of competition in the mobile telecom industry, we can expect the tariffs for mobile broadband network from BSNL broadband, Airtel broadband and other leading players to be highly competitive. We can expect a great reception from the Indian mobile consumers. Mobile broadband is bound to change the entire internet experience. People who are currently using GPRS connection to surf the internet while they are on the move using their mobile phones, PDAs and Laptops know how convenient it is to have ‘internet on the move’. You can accomplish a lot of work even as you move from one place to the other and your business will not suffer because you are travelling. However, one of the pains of using GPRS connection is their painfully slow connections. We can over come these internet speed issues with 3G mobile network. We can enjoy internet at the speed of broadband not only at our homes and offices we can enjoy high-speed internet connections even while travelling.

Most of us are closely following the announcements from all leading mobile players in India on their efforts to bringing 3G network to the Indian mobile community. It is rather surprising to note why Airtel who brought a revolution in the mobile industry, competitive rates and excellent services have not managed to launch 3G service yet.

All those who have been waiting for the 3G network in India has reached the state of frustration as there is no word from the telecom department regarding when exactly we will be able to enjoy mobile broadband in India except for the occasional remarks from the leading mobile players in India such as BSNL mobile. Though BSNL mobile has plans to launch 3G network in January 2009, we can never be sure when exactly this will be realized. Interestingly, not many international players are interested in bidding in the 3G network auctions. However, if international players come in there will be an increased competition in the industry that will work for the advantage of the end users in terms of better-priced 3G solutions.

Winner Of Indian idol 5

Indian Idol 5 was being closely followed by the fans in India and the rest of the world. After a spectacular grand finale tonight, the results were announced by Bollywood's legend, Amitabh Bachan, and Sreeram was declared the Indian Idol 5 winner.

Sreeram was amongst the top three contestants, who had made it to the final round to become the Indian Idol 5 winner. The other two top three finalists were Bhoomi and Rakesh.

The grand finale of Indian Idol 5 featured famous celebrities of Bollywood like Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachan, amongst many. Singers like Alisha Chennai and Kehlash Kher gave mesmerizing performances with the top three finalists of Indian Idol 5.Kareena Kapoor

Nervousness was clearly evident on the faces of the final three as Amitabh geared up to press the button that showed a screen, which was to show the face of the Indian Idol 5 winner after excruciatingly slow 10 to 15 seconds. The face turned out to be Sreeram's, who was stunned and was actually at a loss of words when the host asked him how he felt about being the Indian Idol 5 winner. At this moment, Bachan helped the Indian Idol 5 winner say a few words of gratitude to the audience and public.

 

Today was the season finale of Indian Idol season 5 and the competition was between the three top-finalists which included; Sreeram Chandra, Bhoomi Trivedi and Rakesh Maini. The show was filled with anticipation until the announcement of the winner of Indian Idol season 5, and when the winner was announced as Sreeram Chandra, then the audience went mad with joy.

Indian Idol has taken the franchise from American Idol and like American Idol here, the show enjoys a lot of popularity in India. The three judges on the show are known celebrities in the world of music in India.

Amongst the three finalists on Indian Idol, the top bets were being placed on Sreeram Chandra and a girl from Gujrat by the name of Bhoomi Trivedi. At last, after a lot of deliberation and voting by the nation, it was Sreeram Chandra who won the title of winner of Indian Idol season 5.

Bhoomi Trivedi on the other hand has been selected as Radio Mirchi’s new RJ, which might prove to be a consolation for her.

 

Taj Mahal

 

 

Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, has been the pride of India since its inception. Hailed as the ‘Epitome of Love and Beauty’, the great monument was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, after the death of his dearest wife Mumtaz Mahal, as a memorial. It is situated in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of river Yamuna. The exceptional beauty of Taj Mahal has been luring visitors to its gates since ages and will continue to mesmerize them for centuries to come. In the following lines, we have provided some fun and interesting facts about Taj Mahal.

 

Fun & Interesting Facts About Taj Mahal 

• Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
• Apart from being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
• The name Taj Mahal, with Taj meaning Crown and Mahal meaning Palace, literally means ‘Crown Palace’.
• The construction work on Taj Mahal was started in the year 1632 and carried on for the next 16 years, ending in 1648.
• It is believed that 20,000 workmen, who worked on a daily basis, were involved in the construction of Taj Mahal.
• Taj Mahal is made purely of white marble, which was brought from the quarries of Makrana, in Nagaur district of Rajasthan.
• It is said that as many as 1000 elephants were used to transport the white marbled used in construction of Taj Mahal.
• The main entrance gate of Taj Mahal faces the Southern gate and is 151 feet by 117 feet. It rises to a height of 100 feet.
• A very popular myth surrounding the Taj Mahal is that after its construction, Shah Jahan ordered amputation of the hands of all the workers. It is said that he wanted to make sure that no person on this earth will ever be able to recreate the magic of ‘Taj’.
• The cost of construction of Taj Mahal, even at that time, came to 32 crore rupees.
• The inlay work in the Taj Mahal has been done with 28 kind of rare, semi precious and precious stones.
• Shah Jahan got Red sandstone from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and Diamonds from Panna, for Taj Mahal.
• The calligrapher of Taj Mahal was Amanat Khan Shirazi, since his name appears at the end of an inscription on one of the gates of the Taj.
• The main red sandstone gate of Taj Mahal is 30 feet high and stands adorned with verses from the Koran, in Arabic.
• The central dome of Taj Mahal is 187 feet high at the centre.
• The architecture of Taj Mahal represents a kind of fusion of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture.
• The main building of Taj Mahal is surrounded by gardens known as Charbagh (four gardens), measuring 300 X 300 mt.
• Taj Mahal stands on a raised platform, with one minaret at each of the four corners of the plinth.
• The minarets of Taj Mahal measure 41.6 m in height and have a deliberate outward slant.
• The interior of the Taj Mahal comprises of a lofty central chamber, which has a crypt immediately below it.
• There is a mosque on the left of Taj Mahal, made of red sandstone. It is used for conducting Friday prayers, even today.
• There is another mosque, standing on Taj Mahal’s right hand side. Since it faces west, it is not used for prayers. It is believed to have been built for maintaining symmetry.