LATEST AND MOST RECENT DHOOM3 NEGATIVE REVIEWS

*Disclaimer- Don't read this review if you have already spent a fortune buying those highly-priced tickets for Dhoom-3. Life sucks as it is, so don't make it harder for you than it already is.

I have always believed that God never subjects you to a massive problem in life without giving you some sort of prototype first. An irritating-as-balls roommate could mean you are going to end up with an equally slimy boss. A sticky landlord might be a warning for a similar father-in-law. Insatiable laboratory assistant- tough Team leader. Possessive boyfriend- wifebeater husband 

Using the same logic, was God trying to prepare us for the Apocalypse by giving us Dhoom-3?

Either that, or maybe Aamir Khan should take a break, after all. All this social activism that has gotten into his head after the wide critical acclaim of "Satyamev Jayate" is clearly affecting his output as an actor. 

He should know that when we, the audience, go to see movies like Dhoom, we are not looking for some multi-layered narrative laced with high-brow, award-worthy acting. We want to be entertained, we want to be thrilled. We know it's all CGI but hell, we want to be fooled. Taking a fun-movie that Dhoom is, and getting all brainy over it is inviting trouble.

However, this is not unusual. It has happened to many; it happened to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra too. After seeing the influence "Rang de Basanti" had on the Indian youth, he started picturing himself as a Modern Day Evangelist, created the character of Monkey Man, and completely ruined the lovely, delicate, plotless character-study that was Dehli-6.

I had walked into the theater expecting some high-octane action, death-defying stunts and cheesy one-liners, which I got for most part of the first half. But ten minutes post-interval, I understood that it's a movie for those who fancy "Fast and Furious" and "Taare Zameen Par" in one movie.

Boy, you should have seen Aamir Khan tap-dance. It was more like a handcuffed man trying to shake ants off his crotch. He even had an annoyed expression on his face to match. What was that intensity, buck-face and arched eyebrows all about? 

And while still on this topic- Is Katrina Kaif the most glorified item girl in the history of Bollywood, with her "two songs and one scene" routine in every movie she acts? But then, as they say- Never change a winning combination. 

Lastly, using your star-power to lure in the audience and then pissing on their expectations is not cool. It's like inviting them to a gourmet restaurant but ordering paalak-paneer for them, no matter what they desire. I had gone through the same turmoil when I had waltzed into a theater thinking "Main aur Mrs. Khanna" to be a Salman Khan movie, only to find Sohail Khan grinning like a village idiot in every scene.

Aamir, this was not expected of you. Seriously.

DHOOM3 NEGATIVE REVIEWS

INOX Bhubaneswar Odisha reviews: R... Rajkumar box-office collections in Odisha

I finally got to see 'R... Rajkumar' last night and I have to say it was good fun. I had asked my friend to book some tickets at INOX, but as Luck would have it (and also because he happens to be the laziest guy in the universe) he could only get tickets for the late-night show.

So, it was close to freaking eleven 'o clock in the night and there we were- all tired and shivery, and I feeling like a pimp standing out there with hands in my jacket pocket. Good thing that they allowed us in quickly and also had the common sense to shut off the ACs within the hall so within minutes, we were all back feeling comfy and cozy. 

One of the prime reasons I was interested in this movie was to see Shahid Kapoor act beyond his comfort zone. And what a delight it was to see him back in form! I have always appreciated Shahid Kapoor's acting acumen. If you remember, he was the first one of the current lot of actors, who had actually preferred acting to being a star- playing characters instead of cashing on the "Mr. Cute Looks-with-Dimples" persona he had got after the success of "Vivaah". Something which a Ranbir Kapoor manages brilliantly now.

First of all, the film begins with a superb background score that I will personally rate as the best among all films I have seen this year. It didn't blast my ear-drums like Agneepath's constant roaring of " Hare Ram Hare Ram", nor did it put me off to sleep like Lootera's, nor did it bring out suicidal tendencies in me like Raanjhanaa's.

And true to the nature of a Prabhu Deva masala movie, 'R... Rajkumar' had every kind of emotion in it- action, romance, pathos, comedy, drama... even a slight touch of horror- when Sonakshi Sinha walks out out of a pool, completely drenched, and dressed in white. 

But my favorite moment was when the song- "Kaddu Kategaa" started playing. Every drowsy body in the hall was thrown into "Shock Alert" when the girls came on-screen. You could have practically touched the 'hawas' in the air, and boy, wait till you hear the lyrics... All I can say is that the Censor Board sure has grown some balls.

All in all, a laavley treat for the senses. Something that was due for a long time. Trust me, nothing beats a night out with friends. Nothing. And nobody.

Sonakshi Sinha sketch: Bollywood's official 'Scarecrow' since 2013

The latest and best pictures of Bhimkund (Bheemkund), Keonjhar: The Switzerland of Odisha.

Jahangir had once visited Kashmir and on viewing the superb scenery all around, famously said- "Gar firdaus ruhe zamin ast.. hamin asto, hamin asto... hamin ast ( If there ever were heavens on earth... it's here, here, only here), it showed that he had an incredible love for Nature.

If he had traveled half the distance, he would have taken a journey to the east of this country and witnessed a place that I call "Nature's knock-out"- The Bheemkund Falls. 

There is an old saying here that if you want to enjoy Kashmir in Odisha, visit Daringbadi. And if you want to enjoy Switzerland in Odisha, visit Bheemkund. Why, you ask? Just check out the pictures. Everything will be clear as daylight :) 

So, Ladies and Gentlemen. Without further ado, for your kind consideration- The Bheemkund Falls of Keonjhar! Enjoy! :)

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: Look at these serrated, white-as-marble rocks.

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: This is the top view.

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: This is, well..err, our own version of Bhimkund Falls 

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: There' s a temple as well, to keep your religious juices flowing.

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: A beautiful shot of rock and green.

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: There was a giant feast going on by the time we reached there

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: There's a small view-point at the top and it's breezy there.

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: And this was my favorite place- vast stretches sand and rock. Ideal for beach-cricket

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: Amazing, isn't it, how still waters cut that deep through rock?

Latest pictures of Bhimkund, Keonjhar: Our guide cum local priest told us that we missed the best time to take pictures- the early morning, when there is mist floating below in the valley.

Nelson Mandela dies: India's Reaction

"Nelson Mandela is dead, long live Nelson Mandela." 

The 'Madiba' finally proved to the world that he was, after all, a mere human. He proved that he was made of flesh and blood, and was suspect to all the earthly diseases that we mortals are subject to. He proved that he is not the "God walking the earth" individual he is made out to be. 

But then, where is the fire? Where is the usual blowing-up of this issue? Where is the 24*7 coverage on his life- starting from the day he learnt to speak "Hi, Dad" to the day he said-"I'm free, at last"?

In sort, where are those soppy-sad stories that play around perennially on our television and computer screens? We pride ourselves on being an emotional nation- a nation where even superficial television characters are loved so much that control-freaks like Ekta Kapoor also have to resurrect dead characters back to life (hint- 'Mihir' in "Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi")- but what has happened to this very nation when one of the greatest and most inspirational advocates of peace and humanity has finally passed on?

Where are the salutary posts on Facebook? The signatories? The messages? The pictures? The paraphernalia? In short, where is the love?

Oh, I get it- this is India, after all. This is the nation where you are jailed for kissing your girlfriend in a park, but are considered 'Minister material' if you kill people. Funny thing that the police who are so dutiful as 'self-appointed moral guardians' are also the same police, who can't tell their elbow from their ass when it comes to catching the riders of those 150 kmph-speeding bikes. 

You see, what I'm trying to drive at is- the cat-fights between Congress and BJP is being repeatedly given so much footage that if any more of their "Saas-bahu brand of jhagdaa" comes to limelight, I'll fucking puke.

However, the man who got inspired and followed our own "Father of the Nation" is not getting any importance. And ours is supposed to be the country of secularism, love and affection. The East has since long met with the West and yet, here we are- the "Bastardized Generation", who'll believe anything they see on TV. If they say on TV that clouds are raining wine, we will fucking run to our terraces with a mug.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh and rest of the guys died fighting for this very same country, which is now full to the brim with morons and ass-kissers. And all we can talk about is the next foldable tablet (which might be Finland-made), and the next 15K smartphone (which might be China-made).

How shameless and superficial we are, really?

Nelson Mandela sketch- Nelson Mandela dies: India's Reaction

Who's the actress in Windows 8 advertisement india /commercial? who is the Indian Actress in Windows 8 advertisement india / indian actress Windows 8 commercial Tanuja lookalike

Is it me or there are other "Hindi-movie-watching people", who think that the lady featuring in the "Windows-8" commercial is a spitting image of the actress Tanuja in her peak years?

Because this got conveyed to me by a close friend with whom I committed the harakiri of disagreeing to (which cost me my dinner for the day but that's a separate story). 

In case you disagree, there are a few snapshots which may convince you of the eerie resemblance:-

actress in Windows 8 advertisement/commercial India?

The latest, most recent and best pictures of Chilika Lake, Berhampur (Bramhapur) Odisha

A train journey to Bramhapur from Bhubaneswar is a true-blue Indian treat for the senses, although this treat may pan out to be slightly more unusual than you had imagined.

So you wake up one fine morning to catch an early train. You get yourself a window seat and wait for the journey to begin. The train starts to roll and you lean by the window to soak in some fresh, dewy morning air. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a strong, thick, retching odor of urine hits you. 

And if you underestimate it as just a minor inconvenience, think again. Cause this isn't just some old, bad smell; it's that heavy-duty, pungent reek which has enough horse-power to knock a pair of iron lungs out, and if inhaled twice, could cure the worst case of consumption. Worst of all, this reek trails the train for atleast five minutes.

Anyways, a more welcoming treat is reserved for the senses of touch and taste once your reach Balugaon Station. There, towards the end of the platform, is a small stall that serves some of the most flavourful fritters. Pakodas, vegetable chops, black-lentil baraa, aloo chops (that's the way aloo bondas are known here), you name it.

Hot and tasty, their aroma will flush out any of those poisonous residual fumes that you might be carrying in your nasal cavity from that five-minute "passage through hell" near Bhubaneswar.

Similarly, there's the pure, rustic, cuss-ridden dialogue native to the people of this place, that does a good work of warming your ears, but more on that here.

And as for the eyes, few sights can match up to the beauty of Lake Chilika on a winter morning. When the sun rises and shines on the wide-spread vista of water, you would feel as if somebody has lain a huge mirror underneath the sky. 

The calmest lake in the country

Check out the dazzle off the lake's surface.

Quoting S.T Coleridge-"A painted cloud on a painted sea"

The mist adds to the mystery, and is half the charm of this snapshot.

Best homemade and home-cooked biryani in Odisha: Best home-cooked mutton biryani, chicken biryani and emu biryani in bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Few sights in world are as comforting as a plate of steaming hot biryani. High eyebrows drop, creases on foreheads smoothen, bodies unwind and smiles sprout forth on seeing this aromatic dish being served on the table. The world suddenly seems a marginally better place, and life more bearable.

However, in today's world of rampant adulteration- where you are more likely to find stones in rice, pebbles in lentils, potato mash in "shuddh ghee", margarine in butter and molesters among ‘babas’- it's impossible to find purity in food as well.

So imagine my surprise when I was strolling around the city in search of something (if not someone) interesting, and happened to chance upon this place that serves some of the most unbelievably delicious biryani. Just have a look at the color, the gloss, the steam, the long grains of rice... I mean, splendid.

And I haven’t come to the best part yet- It's purely home-cooked. Just in case you weren't able to believe what you just read, let me repeat:

Yes, 100% home-cooked!

So you don't have to mortgage a kidney to afford a sumptuous biryani meal in a posh eatery. You also don't have to risk purchasing biryani from that seedy roadside stall and chomping down on a chicken leg, which tastes like a chicken leg, but somehow reminds you of a slippery frog.

Prices are steep, though- A single serving costs upwards of Rs. 150. However, once you tuck one spoon of biryani in and let the cooking cast its spell, I assure you that the only other time you would open your mouth is when you would feel the craving to order another plate. But that is, if your belly has the space for it. One serving can feed two easily.

And what's more, there’s good news also for those who are cholesterol-conscious. This place also dishes out a superb emu biryani, which is simply another name for “heavens on earth”.  Low on fat, ghee and oil but high on flavours, it’s a foodie’s dream come true.

You see, that’s the magic of home-cooking. You can actually taste and distinguish the ingredients that have gone into the preparation, as opposed to dining in a restaurant, where practically anything you order tastes the same- what with the biryani, pulao, fried rice, mixed rice, etc, etc. It’s the same big, bland, over-puffed mold of stale rice, with a few pieces of meat that seem to belong to the Dark Ages. You are left to figure out the ingredients by reading from the footnotes of the menu-card. 

The final frontier is religious sentiments, which have always come in the way of a good meal, hence the following info- The meat is pure halaal. The chicken and mutton both, are dressed by a Muslim butcher, however, all the cooking is done by a Hindu lady. I don't think you could get anything more secular than this, apart from Manmohan Desai films.

And vegetarians, you don't need to sulk- Place serves delicious veg biryani as well! Just replace the meat with paneer, aloo, soyabeans and raw jack-fruit. Yumm...

All said and done, I highly recommend you to try it when you get the chance. Rs. 150 may not be that big a deal for most of you, but getting a 10-minute trip to paradise and back is a big deal, indeed.

Best home-cooked, home-made biryani in Bhubaneswar, Odisha: Look at that!

Best home-cooked, home-made biryani in Odisha: This is the tastiest biryani I have tasted in Odisha

Best home-cooked, home-made biryani in Odisha, India: And this is the mutton biryani

Best home-cooked, home-made biryani in Odisha: And this is a nicely-prepared mutton curry that can be ordered as an accompaniment to the biryani

The latest and most recent pictures of Rajhans Islands: A review of Rajhans Islands and how to get there.

Fancy going to Rajhans on a vacation? I wouldn't blame you. The inviting sea, the gentle breeze, the privacy of an island, the much-needed solitude... what's not to like, you'd say. Right?

Only this- that if you are planning a trip there and you are strapped for cash, you will realize pretty soon that the expenditures are getting WAY too pear-shaped way too fast for your taste. 

Hard-pressed travellers going to Rajhans, beware- Money will flow out of your wallet like rain-water from a gargoyle. There's no supply of electricity there- understandably so- it being an island. They do have a solar-cell set-up which takes care of the electricity and yet, you'll have to rely on natural breeze for the major part of the day.

Having said that, one thing that I would like to mention is that the quality of the all-round sightseeing is phenomenal. Also, with the exception of Kali Jaai Temple, I can hardly recall any other island in Odisha that can be touted as a tourist spot.

Hence, we had decided to cut loose this time and to just soak in the experience. My friends, these are a few snapshots I had taken during my recent and very memorable visit to one of the finest island tourist spots in Odisha.

This was when the Sun was beating down on us mercilessly. Thank God for the thatched roof of the boat that saved us from any direct exposure to the sun rays. However, on the flip side, there was a gentle breeze blowing all over and that made life somewhat bearable. 

 On the way to the islands

We were all eyeing for the famed dolphins, but it was only on our way back that we managed to catch a glimpse of those friendly mammals. I tried to take a snap, but they had disappeared back to the depths of the lake before one could say 'click'!

This was the sun beating down on us.

There's dense vegetation all around this island. I had also heard rumors of wolves and jackals being there but since I hadn't seen any, I wouldn't validate those claims. In any case, all the fishermen said that these animals stay well clear of the guesthouse, so that takes care of it.

 

The guest-house in Rajhans. It's comfy and spacious.

This is the front-side view. Looks to be quite a welcoming sight, doesn't it? Well, if you were carrying a backpack weighing close to a quintal, you would see the thing differently.  This guesthouse is atleast a mile's walk from the shore and as if that's not enough already, you have to walk against a steep upward slope with your feet sinking into hot sand every few steps. If you have got something  heavy to carry, you will have your lungs on fire by the time you reach here. Check out the solar cells, anyhow.

This a more frontal view

That doesn't take anything away from the beauty of this guesthouse, though. It doesn't have electricity and I don't think it has any air-conditioning as well. But you know what, you don't complain chewing down a cardamom when the entire plate is costing you a thousand bucks, do you? So,there.

 Dense vegetation all around.

And this is the rear-view, which incidentally, happens to be my favorite view. It has a long, winding path to the sea, and you have to see the size of the waves yourself to believe me. And if you are one of those who pray for a beach with no one in sight for miles, then you have hit the motherlode here.

This is where the lake meets the sea.

This was on our way back. A lovely snapshot of sun shining down on the ripply waters. This one was an experience of a lifetime: one, which you might not necessarily be interested to relive again but one, which you wouldn't want to let go off just that soon.

 On our way back from the islands.

How to become a Ninja at home? Best tips on becoming a Ninja

There are knights, there are samurais, and there are the Ninjas. Uncountable childhood stories of them disappearing into thin air, leaping across moats, and throwing lethal star-blades from dark have influenced the work of world-famous anime' artists, who continue to draw heavy inspiration from the legends and folklore shrouding these mysterious figures. 

They might not enjoy the glorious on-screen depiction as the other two, but Ninjas have a much stronger cult following of their own: the knights may be more flamboyant and the samurais more honoured, but when it comes to ruling the fertile adolescent minds, no one comes even close to the ninja. The extremely popular anime' character Ninja Hattori is just one example of hundreds.

Famed for their agility and prized for their deadly accuracy, it is however, their highly developed skills in spying that made the ninjas such an indispensable tactical force during the regime of the early Japanese Emperors. They were masters in espionage, although cases of them being assassins are not altogether unheard of.

Needless to say, their training consisted of various stealth-based techniques such as camouflage, assimilation, and intimidation. All these tricks are extremely time-taking to master and in today's times where everybody lives a fast-paced life, it may not be plausible for somebody to dedicate even a few hours, let alone years, to the rigorous training of Ninjutsu.

But as I had mentioned in the title itself, I am going to stick to my word and reveal the notoriously guarded secret of How to become a Ninja in five steps. Read on attentively, this article might not remain posted for long.

• Get yourself a suit made of black, slippery, water-proof material.

• Make it even slimier by either dousing it oil, grease or water.

• Get yourself a protective gear for your head- avoid taking any lethal blow.

• Get something that you can hide your face with- the primary objective is to be unrecognizable.

• You have to be dressed in black- Darkness is a ninja's best weapon.

In the end you will wind up looking like this, which is laavley, except for the only obvious observation that you could look like this on any rainy day with a raincoat on you. Just the way my friend does here.

GOT YOU!!! HA HA HA!

HOW TO BE A NINJA IN FIVE EASY STEPS: READ ON

Maati handi (mati handi) mutton in Bhubaneswar reviews and latest pictures

When we Odias talk about our "maansha-bhaata", the  first image that springs to our mind is a soft-focus snap: a tall heap of piping-hot rice, a deep bowl of fiery red mutton curry, and a plate with sliced onions, salted lemon juice, crushed green chillies in it.... we can almost smell the gravy by now.

We fondly recall how spoons and forks would go for a toss that day while we go hunting for that elusive, semi-oval piece of potato found right at the bottom or middle of the molten-lava curry. We would tentatively dig out the piping-hot potato, scoop it up to the rice plate, mash it with some curry, mix it with rice, grinning from ear to ear all the time, and down it with the spiritual satisfaction of a monk.

This idea of using bare hands to have meat steeped in oil, fat and turmeric instead of spoons might be a more fulfilling dining experience but it has a flip side to it as well: you are left with a pair of rather unsightly, yellow and greasy hands, but then- you can't have everything, can you?

 

Can you?

Seems that if you are dining in this lovely thatched-hut restaurant known as Maati Handi Mutton, the answer is a resounding- YES! 

This restaurant derives its name from the earthen (maati) pot (handi) they use as a utensil to cook mutton here. Dining out in this restaurant was my friend's idea of a memorable birthday treat. To my pleasant surprise, we got to enjoy a nice square-meal of rice, some really tender mutton and my favorite- lamb liver. All at a very affordable price. 

The food gets ticks in almost all boxes from me- Quality of rice, taste of both the mutton and liver curry, quantity in the servings, the use of minimum spices and very less oil in the gravy, the side-dishes, the works. And no yellow hands, either! 

There is some bad news, though- The restaurant is a typical thatched-hut dhaba bang beside the highway and there's no AC. So if you are one of those prim & proper types, steer away. Also, they don't serve any soft drinks here and the quality of drinking water is, at the very least, questionable.

But you have a betel shop nearby that provides bottled mineral water. There's also a beer parlor down the road, in case you are interested in concluding your meal with a "different" kind of bottled beverage.

There are a lot of look-alike restaurants along this road that claim to be the first one to come up with the idea of serving authentic "maati handi" mutton, and truth be told, there's no way to check the veracity of their claims. I have had mutton in quite a few of these but I find one particular restaurant to be consistently good with its preparation:

You will find it to the left of the road if you are traveling from Cuttack towards Bhubaneswar. It's the one immediately next to a sort of big warehouse with "Vodafone" painted in red all over it.

So if you love mutton, just the way half of the population in Odisha does- look no further. Here is the picture of an excellent lunch that I had the chance to enjoy, and in a  very comfortable budget bracket as well. You might wanna get hold of a napkin, to help you with the drool ;)

Maati Handi Mutton in Bhubaneswar: Worth the hype? Check out the reviews and rating here.

Rohit Sharma vs. Virat Kohli: Batting Styles and Aesthetics

Keeping the on-field swagger and the identical way of celebrating milestones by raining down cusses aside, these guys couldn't get more different from each other in batting if they made a deliberate attempt. One's slogging it out in the middle calls to mind the old "war-horse" ethics of Michael Hussey, while the other's strokeplay resembles the languid, feline elegance of Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Watching Virat Kohli batting is like seeing an architect at work. The cautious approach to batting, deliberate pacing of the innings, patting the ball gently into the gaps, running the hard singles- you could sense him laying a strong foundation that is so important to build the tall innings he has come to be known for. It's this methodical, workmanlike approach to batting that makes him excel at chasing the kind of steep targets that would be considered night terrors by many.

Virat Kohli in Sketch: A still head and a non-fussy follow-through

Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, is the closest batting could come to a form of art. When on song, his batting is as spectacular as Tuscan sunset. Not for him are the chores, the rigorous drills and the frenetic running. In his world, everything happens in its own sweet time. The unhurried running between the wickets, the casual flicking of the ball, even the scoring of the double hundreds.
The intention of this humble blogger is not, in any way, to insinuate that Virat Kohli's strokeplay isn't beautiful, or that Rohit Sharma is loath to take quick singles. It is just an observation about the way I like them batting. 

Virat Kohli hitting a cover drive is textbook cricket, but somehow when Rohit Sharma hits one, it looks... magical. I have never seen him look ugly while hitting the ball; you can take a picture of him literally at any random second during his playing a shot and put it on the cover of a magazine.

It's as if he uses all that extra time he has to play his shots in posing for the cameras. Rohit Sharma taking quick singles is like 'Mona Lisa' being painted by a juggler. You can compare both the pictures and notice the difference yourself.

Now check Rohit Sharma out (in sketch). The same stroke, but with a pronounced, free-flowing style.