Prologue

The plan: visit Sanchi (50 Km from Bhopal), Bhimbetka (45 Km from Bhopal) (both UNESCO World Heritage site) and maybe 1-2 places in Bhopal if I’ve time.

Started at 6:50 AM. The Bilaspur Passenger departs at 8 AM from Bhopal. I caught a local mini bus just for the experience. A bad idea. The Bhopal people are laid back and the driver/conductor were no different. The guy had breakfast, went to attend nature’s call, washed himself and had a darshan at a temple—all this with the passengers still in the bus! The amazing thing was the passengers weren’t restless!

When I reached the ticket counter, the train was already departing! 5-6 people were ahead of me in the queue. Ran like crazy after buying the ticket all the way to overhead bridge and onto the platform. Got into the S1 coach (with an open ticket, you can’t board reserved coaches). After 30 minutes, the ticket checker came! Luckily by the time he came to middle of the coach, the train stopped and I rushed to the general coach.

Close shave. Almost missed the train and got penalized for boarding S1.

Sanchi

Sanchi stupas, temple was an educational institute for monks/priests built by emperor Asoka around 3rd century BC.

Love at first sight

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My spectacle was damaged this morning. Was without spectacles for over 6 hours.

When I wore one, felt like I’m in heaven.

Imagine how it would feel for a blind person to get back vision!

Decided to donate my eyes after my death.

Let me “see” even after I die.

There’s nothing more joyful in the world than vision, sound, speech, mobility, etc. Real pleasures in life are the simple things that everyone possess. Material things are redundant.

Even though Mamallapuram (Mahibalipuram) is less than 50 km and well connected from Chennai, this was only my second visit to the town. The visit was totally unplanned and has a story.

Mom was going back to Marthandam (between Kanyakumari - Thiruvananthapuram, in TN) in a week and wanted to visit some temples. We planned Thiruverkadu and Mangadu. Bought the MTC’s Rs 30 ticket - travel as you please ticket, entitling us to take unlimited trips (except AC, night services) for a day. We started early and was back by noon. I wanted maximum return on investment and this is how thought of hitting the ECR and Mamallapuram.

MTC now operates buses from various parts of Chennai and even AC Volvo buses or take buses from CMBT which go via ECR (will be marked in the windscreen) to other towns in Tamil Nadu.

The scenic East Coast road

With the Bay of Bengal on one side, cool sea breeze hitting you, fir forests (super ideal for picnics), backwaters and unspoiled beaches, this road is one of the best I’ve travelled in India.

The east coast road, state highway - 46 connecting Chennai and Cuddalore via Puducherry (Pondicherry), for the uninitiated, is one of the “smoothest” road right along the Bay of Bengal.

You can drive 120+ kmph and has a lot of places of interest from posh beachfront resorts, pubs for party yuppies, Crocodile Bank, amusement parks, something for art lovers (DakshinaChitra and Cholamandalam Artists Village), Prarthana drive-in cinema and not to forget serene, unspoiled beaches. There’s an old joke that Chennai is better than Bangalore (”entertainmently”) because it has the ECR.

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I so loved Delhi 6!

Pulp Fiction is one the greatest Hollywood movie ever made. I’m not saying Delhi 6 is as good as it but there are many similarities.

This is a fell good flick. Like Pulp Fiction. Has multiple sub plots. Again like Pulp Fiction. Drives home a message. So like Pulp Fiction. Has good dialogues (would you believe that people were clapping!). Can you hear Pulp Fiction? All things get all right in the end after getting so screwed up in the run-up. Aren’t you convinced yet?

I can compare with Swades too. The protagonists from USA come to India, be reserved at first, then fall in love with India and never return back. New actors, Gayatri Joshi and Sonam Kapoor do a good job (not to forget both are pretty with that next-door-girl-look face), AR Rahman music, Ramayan is narrated.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, like in Rang De Basanti, has told many message. But in a totally different way from RDB rebellious way.

Makes you think. Makes you laugh. Entertains you. Feels good. Awesome cinematography. Brilliant songs. I’m sold.

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Here comes the review of rest of the Oscar nominated movie I’ve watched. It’s not possible for me to watch all the movies and closing this series with this post.

Vals Im Bashir (Waltz with Bashir)

So memorable!

I’m sure you wouldn’t have seen any animation movie like this. Ohh.. forget animation, you wouldn’t have seen anything like this before. A soldier takes a Kalashnikov and does a waltz while on a shooting spree. I’ll never forget this scene!

The war recollections will haunt you. This movie is supposed to be depressing and sad. But I wasn’t depressed only sad that some people had to go through such bad phase in their lives.

A mention about the animation. Again nothing like this seen before. Didn’t look like a cartoon or an animation movie. Had a nice comic book feeling.

7/10

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Let me save you from filler words at the start and get straight to the business.

It is only when you see a great performance, you’ll notice how bad the other actors are. Point in case is Kate Winslet. She’s sure to win an Oscar. Angelina Jolie - nice try, better luck next time.

The Reader

A romance movie with a difference.

Sad movie. Your heart will melt by the time the movie ends.

I think Kate Winslet has given a good performance than any actor nominated this time. It’s a no surprise that she’s holding the monopoly over the best actress award this year.

Too many nude scenes. Kate looked “nice” in Titanic but her breast is sagging now and I feel bad that she has done nude stuff.

7.5/10

Nominations: 5. Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, best direction, picture, screenplay and cinematography.
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I almost feel like an Oscar judge.

I saw a grand total of 6 movies from friday to monday. And I’m not a kind of person who watches movies back to back. I don’t even watch a full movie at a stretch. That’s why it took time for the next post in my Oscar ‘09 Nominee Movie Roundup series.

Instead of doing a random movie roundup, I thought of doing Best Actor, Actress and the rest roundup. Will try to publish the rest of the posts by this Friday.

Meanwhile the BAFTA Awards has been announced and as expected Slumdog Millionaire has swept across the board.

Milk

So boring…

Is this a documentary? Unless you are a gay/homosexual you might not like the movie.

I almost cried in the end. Sean Penn is a wonderful actor. Watch I Am Sam and Fast Times at Ridgemont High along with this movie and you’ll know the kind of actor he is. He should won Oscar for I am Sam. Hope he wins this time.

Casting was good. Josh Brolin (nominated for actor in supporting role), Emile Hirsch, Alison Pill gave good performances.

4/10

Nominations: 8. Actor in a Leading Role, supporting role, direction, best movie among others.

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