Movie Review: 3 Idiots

Aamir Khan is one of the superstars of the Hindi Film Industry, he can make a movie work entirely on his shoulders. He proved that as a mediocre film like "Ghajini" achieved blockbuster success mainly due to him. Few years ago Aamir started a trend of doing one movie at a time, so he has one release every year. First it was "Rang De Basanti" which was a big hit and then "Taare Zameen Par" which was another big hit. I didn't watched these two movies on the big screen so i decided that from the next time i will surely watch Aamir's movies only in theater. Then came "Ghajini", i went only because of Aamir, the movie was decent but i didn't liked it. One year later "3 Idiots" came and this time i thought to give Aamir another try. Another main reason for me going to this movie was the director Rajkumar Hirani who has given us two wonderful movies of "Munnabhai" series. From the trailers it seemed like Aamir has over acted to compensate for his age, so i was skeptical but i still decided to give it a go. Thank God i did.

This is one of the best Hindi movie i have ever seen. Like all other Rajkumar Hirani movies this one is a satire and places some messages subtly (and sometimes loudly). The story is broadly similar to the famous novel "Five Point Someone" but is no way identical to it. It has an entirely different storyline and a wonderful one. Three college friends dealing with the pressure and the problems faced in the college is really heart touching. Anybody who has gone to a college would instantly identify with the characters. The connect which Rajkumar Hirani makes with the audience is instantaneous and amazing. I am not an Engineer, i am a Commerce graduate but it doesn't hamper me in any way in enjoying this movie. Aamir Khan, Madhavan and Sharman Joshi plays their characters perfectly. Mention should be made of other nice characters like Millimeter and Silencer (Omi Vaidya), this guy Omi Vaidya is also a star attraction of the movie. The funny scenes featuring him are simply amazing. These scenes would make your stomach ache with laughter. All the credit to him for pulling off such a role with panache. Boman Irani as a stereotyped villain is as usual good, he is at his best in Hirani's movies and once again he delivers. Kareena Kapoor is endearing in her small role. Aamir Khan as expected takes the movie entirely on his shoulders and delivers a flawless performance. R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi provides adequate support by giving a good performance.

The crackling chemistry between the trio is amazing. I was puzzled by the director's choice of these actors to play college boys when there is immense young talent out there, Hirani said that he wanted three guys who looks like genuine friends, do these 3 look like genuine friends? oh yes they do. They touch our hearts with their friendship with ease. Many heart touching moments in the movie are created by this trio so easily that they don't seem middle aged anymore. Once you see this movie, you cannot see any other actor playing these characters with such perfection.

The dialogues are funny, the one liners are well delivered by the entire cast. Some funny scenes are simply amazing. I won't divulge them here as i don't want to be a spoilsport. Rajkumar Hirani's narration style is brilliant, he has a unique style of showing things. For e.g. The family of Sharman Joshi is shown as a 50s house with a paralyzed father, coughing mother and an unmarried sister. As soon as the focus is on the family the camera turns black and white and an appropriate music starts playing in the background. The situation in reality is grave but the audience sympathize and laugh both at the same time. This is in reality Hirani's biggest achievement, to say something deep in a humorous tone. Many issues prevalent in educational system are touched like excessive pressure and stress on students, excessive importance on grades, difference between learning by rote and by understanding, how our current education system rewards learning by rote and is just treating students like a product out of a factory rather than teaching them to think, invent and innovate.

New concepts like "Aal Iz Well" works well (like "Jadoo ki Jhappi" in Munnabhai series). Some scenes are over-the-top but that adds to the entire drama. There is not a dull moment in this movie. I don't like many hindi movies, if you look at my blog i haven't given rave reviews for any Hindi movie, but "3 Idiots" deserve it. Its a superb movie that is lighthearted and sends out a message at the same time. When the audience walked out of the theater everybody was smiling and laughing. Thats the main strength of this movie, the feel-good factor which will touch every person who will watch it. Don't watch it on your laptop (by downloading or buying pirated DVDs). It would be an injustice not to watch it in a theater. Go and watch it on a big screen. Not many Hindi movies would make me say this but this one is a "Masterpiece". I loved it!!!

Movie Review: Avatar

I am a big fan of James Cameron, i have liked all his works like Abyss, Aliens, Terminator 1 & 2, True Lies except Titanic. I know people would hate me for saying this but i found Titanic to be too long and boring at times. Titanic was good but not great, and not James Cameron's best, it went to be the biggest box office success in the history is something for which i give due respect to Titanic but it will never be one of my favorite. So after a relative disappointment of Titanic as we don't expect "good" from James Cameron, comes Avatar. So how was Avatar?

Only one word: Breathtaking. This is the only word i will use for this movie. This movie is out of this world. A visual spectacle. Luckily i watched it in 3-D and the effect is amazing. The movie barring its clichéd storyline is amazing, you gotta see to believe it. The alternate world created by James Cameron is simply amazing, it looks strikingly real. The amount of thought that would have gone in designing the entire ecosystem like plants, animals etc. would have been astounding. I heard that James Cameron had scripted this movie many years ago but didn't made it because he thought that the technology to justify the script was not there, he was right as the movie special effects are groundbreaking even according to the current standards. The wait done by James Cameron is well justified. The characterization of the leading characters at times seems like a caricature. There are stereotyped characters which some people might find annoying and too old fashioned but then it was scripted many years ago so some old styles would be reflected in it.

If i say about the direction it follows the signature James Cameron style. A good beginning with introduction of various characters and their motives well set, then for some time the script just goes at a slow to normal pace with some twists and turns, sometimes some of the scenes would seem unnecessary, then the build up to the climax and in the end an elongated epic fight or battle scene which seems worth the wait. Also the unnecessary scenes comes together in the end and becomes relevant. Another signature James Cameron style is that the movie is long and to some people would seem like half an hour too long. I won't divulge much about the script but all the characters whether it be side characters are well defined and every character gets enough screen time. Even the love story is handled well. The performances from characters are decent, Sam Worthington as expected gets most of the screen time and he does well. Another thing which should be mentioned is the soundtrack, the background music enhances the impact of many scenes.

I would highly recommend this movie to be watched only in 3-D to enjoy it fully. The effort invested by the technical team becomes all the more evident as compared to 2-D. This is not James Cameron's best work but still it is good. And if you can keep your eyes off some small glitches this movie would definitely work for you.

So, go out there and book your ticket for the next 3-D show. Its going house full every show so it would be tough, but trust me it would be worth it. James Cameron is back and that too with a bang!

India No. 1 in Test Ranking

India managed to get on to the no. 1 spot in the test rankings by beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the recently concluded test series. Its the first time India has reached the top ranking and only two other teams - Australia and South Africa - have managed to get to the no. 1 spot since the introduction of these rankings in 2001.

This ascendancy to no. 1 started in 2001 when Sourav Ganguly's team stopped the Australian Juggernaut of Steve Waugh who were rolling along with 16 consecutive victories in tests. Who can forget the performances of Harbhajan Singh, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in arguably the best series of modern times. Specially the 2nd test at Kolkata when India came back from a follow-on to defeat the mighty Aussies. VVS Laxman's 281, Rahul Dravid's supporting act, Harbhajan "The Turbanator" hat-trick and the flurry of wickets which he used to take whenever he came to bowl is unforgettable. This killer instinct and the belief to be no. 1 was instilled by Sourav Ganguly during this era. India started winning test matches overseas during his tenure in Australia, West Indies and England but they never were able to win a series there. The other notable achievement was winning a series against the arch rivals Pakistan in Pakistan for the first time in more than 55 years. Then came Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble who in my view were just short-term replacements so that a next generation captain could be appointed which eventually was MS Dhoni. MS Dhoni has taken forward the legacy of Sourav Ganguly and has managed to raise it by one more level. Now, India has the batting talent to stay at top with people like Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. The bowling is decent with bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh. On their day these bowlers can prove to be a handful.

Now the big question - Is India no. 1 in tests?. I rather doubt it, for various reasons. Firstly India doesn't have a bowling attack that can dismiss quality batting line-ups twice in 5 days on batting friendly pitches. Secondly, India is yet to win a series in Australia and South Africa, though they have managed to win a test match in their previous trips. Another reason is that the batting which is looking so good nowadays is mainly because of presence of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid And VVS Laxman in the middle order. These all-time greats would retire in 2-3 years, and then they would be replaced by younger guys like Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma etc.etc. who are no match for these all-time greats, this would leave a big hole in the Indian batting line-up. According to me Murali Vijay is a nice exciting prospect in test cricket and he should be developed by keeping an eye on the future. I believe that the batting which is our main strength would come under a lot of strain within 2-3 years, people like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina are not suitable for test cricket as they are technically not correct and also they have that one-day and 20/20 mentality of hit-every-ball philosophy. Another area of concern is that India doesn't play that many test matches as compared to Australia and South Africa so that also reduces their chances of staying at no.1.

To conclude i would say that these ranking doesn't matter in the long run. India is a seriously good team, but i don't think it is the best team in the world. Indian team is one of the best along with other teams like Australia and South Africa. When India starts beating Australia and South Africa in their own backyard on a regular basis, then India will be no. 1 for sure.

Movie Review: De Dana Dan

A comedy movie made by Priyadarshan featuring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal, that resonates of Herapheri in my memory - one of the best comedies ever made. The trio of these actors recreated their magic in Phir Herapheri but for me that movie was inferior to the first one (it was not directed by Priyadarshan also).

Herapheri came around 10 years ago in 2000. During that time Priyadarshan was known for making remakes of south movies and was never known for making good comedies. Akshay Kumar was just another actor in the fray. Johnny Lever was the only famous comedian at that time and Paresh Rawal was known for his serious character roles and as a villain sometimes. Then came Herapheri and it started many things that are still true today. It shot Akshay Kumar to fame and that was the beginning of making of The Star Akshay Kumar. Paresh Rawal achieved prominence as a comedian and after that he got known in film industry as one of the better comic actors. After that Priyadarshan churned out various comedies of a similar genre but was never able to repeat the success that Herapheri achieved.

Now the trio is back along with the same director in "De Dana Dan". The story is on a similar lines as Herapheri. Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty are friends and want to get rich as soon as possible otherwise their girlfriends would be forcibly married by their family to someone else. Their scheme of getting rich lands them in Pan Pacific Hotel where Paresh Rawal is trying to get his son Chunkey Pandey married with Sameera Reddy. Now starts the confusion of mistaken identity, lies and what not.
All the confusion reaches its summit and explodes in the end. The only regret i have is that the trio of Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal doesn't feature even in one frame together. Crackling chemistry between these 3 actors in some scenes could have enhanced the impact of movie a lot more, the reason of it could be that Priyadarshan didn't wanted audiences to compare this movie to Herapheri.

First i would write about the bad parts which are not that many......there are some scenes where actors go overboard and the humor becomes slapstick to an extent that it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Thankfully such scenes are not many. If a person is willing to put his brain to rest while watching it these scenes are also not bad. The pace of movie slackens a little bit at some places.

Now the good parts.....Akshay Kumar's comic timing is amazing. The chemistry between Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar is excellent. Paresh Rawal is nice in his role as a fraud business man. Other actors play their part well. Johnny Lever as a professional killer with his special solution that can make any person unconscious is funny. Rajpal Yadav who has become a permanent fixture of all Priyadarshan movies is impressive in his small role, he is funny as a foolish waiter. Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy are just there to soothe the eyes of audience. There are other supporting actors like Neha Dhupia, Archana Puran Singh, Asrani, Aditi Gowitrikar etc. who did justice with whatever they were given.

The amazing thing is that Priyadarshan has been able to manage all the commotion and confusion between all the characters. Its a big achievement to pull off this amazing feat while making people laugh hysterically. The one thing that went wrong was that Akshay Kumar was locked in a cupboard for around an hour. His presence was missed. Barring that drawback the movie was well handled.

Some people have criticized "De Dana Dan" for going overboard but for me this movie remains one of the better comedies i have seen in recent times. Its humor of a different kind and according to me it should appeal to masses. There were instances when i was laughing out loud hysterically and in some scenes i just couldn't stop laughing. If it was released before "Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahaani" and "All The Best" its box office collections would have been all the more. Nevertheless, i would recommend this movie to everyone. Don't miss this one, watch it and have a laugh!!!

Rocket Singh: A Very Very Exciting Prospect

Rocket Singh, an upcoming movie from Yash Raj Films. For the past 1-2 years Yash Raj has not been able to maintain the type of success ratio expected from them. But i believe to break the series of flops comes Rocket Singh. There are various reasons for this - Firstly it has Ranbir Kapoor in it, he is the next star in the making. Second the director is Shimit Amin, who made a wonderful movie named "Chak De India", if the director of a movie is good then i feel all the more assured. Thirdly Ranbir is donning a role of sardar in this one - A salesman Rocket Singh who has to go through various ups and downs (the plot is not officially out yet). Now for me the USP(Unique Selling Proposition) of this story is its connection with the roots. Try to see around you, there are hundreds of sales persons following you with one product or the other, some of my fellow friends are one of them. I myself have been a sales person for a few months and i know how difficult it is to sell things. So the connect with the ground reality is their, which has been missing from Yash Raj Films of late. The character of protagonist has been cleverly written so that people can easily identify themselves with it. Till now promos and the reports that i have seen, heard and read are good. One of the most anticipated movies for me. Will keep posting more content on the blog if i get more news regarding the exciting "Rocket Singh".

Michael Jackson: This Is It

I watched it in a theater in a gold class seat in full comfort so that i can enjoy it fully. My expectations were high even before i stepped into it, and after the first few scenes in which some dancers expressed their views on Michael Jackson and how he has been an inspiration to people world over my expectations went sky high.

Its a movie made on the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his "This Is It" concert, which unfortunately never happened. This documentary cum stage show gives a peek into the genius Michael Jackson. The meticulous preparations whether it be in dancing, singing, music, videos you will see it everything here. The dancing and all are amazing but special mention needs to be their of the creativity incorporated in video making scenes of Smooth Criminal and Thriller. An amazing piece of art, the value of this movie would be enhanced by the fact that Michael Jackson is no longer in this world with us. Its amazing right from the word go and if you are a fan of MJ's music then rehearsals of every performance are sure to entertain you, except the first rehearsal of Wanna be Startin Something in which Michael keeps forgetting words and doesn't looks too good all other songs are mind blowing. Another experience i would like to share is that in the theater after Michael displayed his skills as a vocalist in a song few persons started clapping, i liked that but i didn't clapped because i was entranced by the genius of Michael Jackson. The only thing which i felt during the movie was that if this concert would have happened it would have been a blockbuster success, this feeling of what-could-have-been still lingers. After all was over i left my seat with an empty feeling inside on the loss of the greatest entertainer ever, i think with this empty feeling now the entire world has to live with. Watching this movie makes that feeling more profound.

Movie Review: Wake Up Sid

How many movies have been made in which the protagonist is a confused boy at the beginning and when movie ends he has completely transformed in a responsible man, the answer is many. So whats new in this movie, the narration. The movie is told in such a way that today's generation can relate to it. It caters more to people living in metros, people in small cities would understand it but won't be able to connect with the characters.

The direction is ordinary. I don't see anything outstanding in this movie. It is for me a rehashed version of movies like Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya etc. The director does a good job in narrating it, but its not anything of special mention as the predictability factor is very high. By good job in narration I mean the sweet and charming college scenes showing friendship, love, heartbreak etc. and conflict with family. Other than that Ranbir's journey from a young confused boy to being responsible is something which we have seen so many times before.

The performances from the cast are normal. Ranbir looks every bit a confused youth. Konkana Sen is as always convincing in her role. But the problem is that the script is so very ordinary that it doesn't gives any scope for any actor to perform out of his skin. According to media this movie has been a big hit, for me this movie is average. It is charming but has got nothing new in it, its just a time pass movie.

Movie Review: All The Best

By the promos this movie positioned itself as a laugh riot with no logic. These are the movies in which you are expected to leave your mind at home. Such movies are found in abundance as in the name of comedy actors are asked to make faces and do silly things. Govinda and David Dhawan were masters of this genre but now experts and analysts say that even they have lost grip over audiences as people have got tired of this nonsense genre. But to prove them wrong once in a while comes a movie like "All The Best". Experts should understand that people will always love a good comedy as everybody likes to laugh but the main point is that people should laugh when they are watching it. "All The Best" succeeds in doing this.

The movie's plot is simple. Fardeen Khan to get more pocket money from his step brother Sanjay Dutt tell him a lie that he is married (he gave this idea on suggestion of Ajay Devgan). Ajay Devgan is Fardeen's best friend and he designs cars. One day when Sanjay Dutt shows up all the confusion starts of mistaken identity and lies to cover it up.

Except the leading characters all the characters are designed solely for the purpose of making audience laugh. Johnny Lever as a don is funny, the actor who plays Shukla in "Office Office" makes you laugh with its "Just Chill", Asrani also does a good job. The chemistry between Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan is amazing, both actors have amazing comic timing and they contribute to the humor generated in many scenes. In the end a happy ending comes where everyone is happy.

Movie's length could have been trimmed to some extent. But this fault is hidden by the fact that maximum scenes have some joke or funny situation in it. Don't expect to laugh at each and every joke. Some people will find some scenes funny while some people may differ. Still overall its an enjoyable ride which will make your mind light. Enjoy it and do remember the minimum expectation which the director has of you "keep your mind away while watching it", if you do this you are sure to find this movie a one time watch.

Movie Review: Wanted

Salman Khan is back with a bang with this one. I have read reports that this movie has struck gold at the box office. A much needed hit for Salman as he has had debacles like God Tussi Great Ho, Heroes and Yuvvraj in the past 1-2 years. The problem with Salman is that he is still doing the same roles as he was doing 10-15 years ago. The maturity that usually comes with time in a actor is not visible in him. Shahrukh and Aamir have raised their acting to another level altogether. Anywayz back to the movie.

Wanted is just what suited Salman Khan. A complete masala movie with not much thought behind it. A simple story of a guy taking on underworld on his own, as if he is a superhero or something. Salman is projected as a one man army (his name is kept Radhe to remind people of his "Tere Naam" fame). South Indian touch is pretty evident in many scenes which is because this has been directed by Prabhudeva. If you like seeing hero unfazed in all circumstances and even beating 10-20 people alone without any fear then this is the movie for you. Other South Indian touches are like a person traveling a long distance after being punched or kicked by Salman. The characters also exude similar touch as a underworld don, a female secretary to the don, an honest police commissioner etc. etc.

The main reason for me not liking this movie is that I hate South Indian movies and the Godly portrayal of their super confident heroes, i think it is too far fetched from reality and far too ridiculous (and in some cases stupidly funny also). But there would be a large audience out there who loves such things, that is why this movie has struck chord with the audience. Also Salman's star power adds to the charm. Salman's performance is decent and he doesn't do any stupid antics which we see him do in his so-called comic movies. The role of a cold blooded killer suits him, he gives good expressions and his superb physique goes well with it. Salman has a mass fan following and he would be able to carry this movie entirely on his shoulders alone. Ayesha Takia has a small role which is not that significant. Some scenes between Salman and Ayesha could have been avoided to give better pacing to the movie. Some songs also were forcibly included. Performances from Govind Namdev, Mahesh Manjrekar and the other cast is decent, they do justice with whatever they were given.

If you like South Indian movies in which Rajnikant, Chiranjeevi are portrayed larger than life then you would love this movie. For people who like to see some logic and reality, better stay away from it.

Movie Review: Public Enemies

I always wanted to see a Johnny Depp movie on the big screen. Finally i got the opportunity with "Public Enemies". It is based on the real-life story of John Dillinger, a bank robber during the great depression of 1930s. Johnny Depp is the star of this movie, he gives a steely performance. Everybody knows he can do different and weird roles but with this he reminds us once again that he can play a real life character also (he has done similar roles in movies like "Finding Neverland"). Johnny Depp has an excellent screen presence, audience just get captivated as soon as he comes on screen. Excellent performance from him. He is one of the major reason for this movie being good.

I would like to praise the director and the cinematographer for the 1930s atmosphere they created on screen. Whether it be in terms of surroundings, cars, buildings, clothes, music etc. The cinematography is absolutely stunning. The fault lies in the pacing of the movie. The movie after some time starts to drag on. Also John Dillinger's character is not much explored, he is shown as a person about whom everybody knew everything, but for someone like me who isn't aware of his history it becomes difficult. More should have been explored about his past, about the person himself so that the other side of the character could be showed. All the famous things he did would be known to many, but if in the movie they would have shown what kind of a person he was it would have helped in making this good movie a great one.

Christian Bale looks mechanical as if he is still doing the Batman role. Always looks serious, but probably that was the requirement of the character so here i would give Bale benefit of doubt. Otherwise, Christian Bale performance is nothing to boast of, decent but not great. Also there are not many scenes between Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, if they would have featured in more scenes together probably it would have spiced up the movie.

Overall a good movie, not entertaining but still a good one. Watch it for good performances, excellent cinematography, to gain some knowledge of the 1930s depression era and the bank robbers. But after you come out you will have a lingering feeling that something was missing, more could have been done. Michael Mann screwed up this wonderful opportunity he had. Still you can't criticize someone for making a good movie, but somewhere i felt that a great movie was reduced to being just good. I am saying all this because i had sky high expectations before i walked in to see it, and as it is said that expectations is the root of all disappointment, in the case of this movie it applies perfectly.

Movie Review: Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince

First of all let me make it clear that i am a huge Harry Potter fan. I have read all the 7 books at least twice. I remember plots of each novel as if i have to recite them in front of an examiner. All the character details i remember as if they are somebody who are very close to me. So my interest in Harry Potter movies is obvious. I am not one of those fans who wants the book to be made into movies exactly as it is, a director cannot fit a 500 page book into 2 hour movie, to do that he has to remove some things which are not that relevant in the broader scheme of things, but if a director removes relevant and the best part of the book then i think the "creative liberty" concept is being exploited. This movie is a classic case of exploiting the creative liberty given to the director.

This remains one of the best books in the Harry Potter series primarily because it delves into Dark Lord Voldemort's past. It gives us a rare insight into the character Voldemort which was not explored till the 6th book. But in the movie the focus has shifted from Voldemort to love stories of teenagers. The best parts of the book like past memories of Voldemort are skipped to give other plot points screen time. I never understood what the director David Yates was thinking here. If they are in a constraint from the studio to make a movie within 2-2.5 hours then the director should prioritize which things to show and which not to. Basically the most essential points should be shown and irrelevant plot lines should be skipped. Here, the director did exactly the opposite, only 2 memories of Lord Voldemort are shown, one when Dumbledore goes to the orphanage and the second one is in which Voldemort and Horace Slughorn have a discussion regarding Horcruxes. Other memories were shockingly left out. Other memories constituted around 1/2 of the book so you can be rest assured that the director has taken extreme creative liberties, unfortunately in the wrong direction.

Few examples of the creative insertions done by the director: I didn't understood the logic of the scene in which "The Burrow" burns down. Burrow plays an integral part in the next book and it would be interesting to see how they fit this into the next part. No explanation is given of the love between Remus Lupin and Tonks. The focus is more on Lavender Brown, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger love triangle. Harry's love life is also one of the focus area. The worst part was the ending in which Harry is looking from the floor below as Dumbledore is being killed. Harry Potter would be expected to fight till his last breath for his loved ones and Albus Dumbledore was one of them. But in the movie he just watches as a spectator to his death. They could have used the Petrificus Totalus charm to justify that, as was done in the book, but they didn't did that. The fight in the climax which was another highlight of the book, is not shown, the conversation in the end between Snape and Harry is trimmed. The use of cupboard is not explained that well, only people who have read the book would be able to understand what exactly was the use of the cupboard. There was no discussion about the possible Horcruxes which would help Harry in finding them in case if Dumbledore is not there. I could go on and on about the bad points of this movie, it is nonsensical and on entirely different lines as compared to the book. Creative liberties if taken by director is fine if it enhances the overall impact of the movie, but in this case all the good points are left out and he has stuffed this movie with irrelevant things.

This one is the biggest disappointment in the series so far. I have heard that Warner Bros. have contracted David Yates to direct the 7th part also. Lets hope he does justice to the book in that.

There would be people who haven't read the book and would love this movie, for them "Ignorance is Bliss" applies. If there is some one who liked this movie, give the novels a try, you will surely fall in love with the books, all 7 of them, they are simply amazing.

Movie Review: Dil Bole Hadippa

Nowadays i am busy so i don't get much time to watch movies. The only reason i watched this one was that I am a cricket fan so i thought to give this movie a try on my laptop.

Cricket is probably the biggest thing in India (after things like religion, caste etc.). Many movie makers have tried to harness the popularity cricket enjoys among the masses. The list includes famous people like Dev Anand who tried to do this by making "Awwal Number". I remember a movie named "All rounder" as well, i haven't watched it though. After these unsuccessful attempts came "Lagaan" by Ashutosh Gowariker. The only movie that featured cricket and could enthrall audience with it. Then came movies like "Victory" and finally came "Dil Bole Hadippa".

A sort of female version of "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi". Mixed with some "Chak De India", a few rip off scenes from DDLJ and "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun". But the movie fails to create any sort of impact. First of all the plot is unrealistic, nobody was able to identify Rani Mukherji till the climax when her contact lens falls off. The premise itself is bad but the movie could have worked if the things would have been handled differently. The movie drags on sometimes and some supposedly funny scenes like Shahid Kapoor's blackmailing of Veer to meet Veera were not funny at all. This is just one example, many funny scenes were forced in, which reduced their impact by far. The climax was again too dramatic to be true, with 40 for 9 they managed to make over 200 which is nearly impossible.

The plot is pretty simple, there is a Aman Cup played every year between two villages of India and Pakistan that are at the border. India have been losing for past 9 years so the coach Anupam Kher decides to call his son Shahid Kapur from England to lead his team to victory. Then Rani Mukherji to get selected becomes Veer Kaur and here starts the boring part.

The performances from Shahid and Rani are honest. Both have played their parts well, Rani Mukherji does goes overboard in some scenes as Veer, but probably that was the requirement of the character. Shahid Kapur justifies his role pretty well. The biggest problem lies in the treatment of these characters. Unnecessary scenes are aplenty and that drags the movie down. And when in the final match the audience are expected to get involved but alas the involvement level further goes down. In "Lagaan" audience cared about the outcome of the match, they wanted Bhuvan to win and England to lose, their was a feeling that so much is at stake and India deserved to win as they have been treated unfairly. In "Dil Bole Hadippa" its like moving mechanically. The connection with the characters is just not there. The movie is a decent attempt but lacks in connecting with the audience, in the end this is what is that matters most.

Movie Review: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Everywhere critics were panning this movie down saying that it has got no script, no logic etc. etc. I have seen Michael Bay previous works and i am not a big fan of his, but this one will count as one of his better works, not in terms of the best storyline, but it is his best work in being true to the concept. By concept i mean the concept of Transformers - which is supposed to be a action movie, no deep plots, no deep thinking required, just sit back and enjoy the fights between the Autobots and Decepticons.

The criticism of the previous movie and this one is on similar lines, the focus is not on robots, last one was more of a teenage love story and here this one although features more fight between robots but we don't get to know them as characters, they are more like fighting machines. The one good thing i liked about this movie was that when one of the main character dies everybody in the theater were shocked and felt sad, that i would say is a big compliment to the director, the sadness and the shock in the entire theater was palpable, everybody would have felt the same. About the performances, Shia LaBeouf is average in his character and Megan Fox is there just as an eye candy for the audience, both don't get much time to showcase their acting skills, nothing to take away from them as this movie is not based on them, its a transformers movie, not any college comedy.

I felt that the action scenes in this one are too confusing at times, especially when there are too many robots crammed in one scene. Except for autobots like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee who are distinguishable because of their color, most of the robots look similar, especially the decepticons. The facial features are not visible in fast paced action scenes. Here the technique of showing action scenes in slow motion could have been applied which would have helped to some extent. Except the clarity part the action scenes are out of this world, other directors could not even dream of such scenes and Michael Bay has managed to put them on screen, that is in itself a monumental achievement. The ending scene got too long for comfort, it could have been curtailed by at least 5-10 minutes. Other minor flaws are there which i won't disclose here as it would act as spoilers.

Even with some weak points the movie just blows you away with the sheer scale of it. And do watch it in a theater, the sound effects and the special effects are too good and can only be enjoyed with a superior audio and video system. Go and experience this one on big screen, some movies are just meant for fun and enjoyment, this one is one of them!!!

Movie Review: Iron Man

Honestly speaking i didn't liked Robert Downey Jr., this was the reason why i haven't watched this movie till now. Then i downloaded it and finally managed to spare 2 hours out of my usually packed schedule. In the end it was worth it.

I had heard that this movie was one of the best to release in 2008 alongwith "The Dark Knight", so my expectations were high. I didn't knew anything about Iron Man in general except that he was a member of Avengers. So in the beginning for viewers like us this movie provides a detailed background of Tony Stark, owner of a weapons making company. Some interesting twists and turns and Tony Stark gets involved with the terrorists, here starts his journey of becoming Iron Man.

The plot is nice, unlike other superhero movies which are far too unrealistic this movie has its plot grounded in reality. Action scenes are really well done. The best thing about this movie was that it showed the transition of Tony Stark from being a billionaire playboy to a superhero who fights against terrorism.

Direction of this movie is well paced and the movie doesn't slow down even when the story is heading nowhere. Some nice plot points like in the end a hint of making Avengers in future was nice. The only stupid thing according to me was that in the end Tony Stark admits in front of the whole media that he is Iron Man, that was unnecessary, exaggerated and over dramatic. Except the ending a superbly made movie, even if you are not aware of or interested in Iron Man do give this movie a try, its not a usual superhero movie, this one is a treat for movie fans. I have heard a sequel is in pipeline and it is likely to come within a year or two, that would be exciting.

Movie Review: Yes Man

A Jim Carrey movie. Now thats an exciting prospect for me. The reason for it is because for me Jim Carrey have always been an excellent comedian. His movies like The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Liar Liar, Ace Ventura etc. etc. have left a positive impact on me. Jim Carrey recently has been unable to find his place at box office because his recent movies have failed, the last notable one being "Fun With Dick And Jane". I didn't watched that movie but i have heard that it was awful.

Back to "Yes Man". The story revolves around a man who always says "No" and has isolated himself from the rest of the world including his best friend. He just stays at his home, watch movies, goes to office and comes back. A purely routine lifestyle. His life changes for good when he attends a self-help session in which it is advised to say "Yes" at every possible opportunity. Jim Carrey follows the "Yes" philosophy and here starts the real fun. The story is very similar to "Liar Liar" but is different in its own way. The best thing about this movie for me was that i could relate to the protagonist in a unique way as i also live a very routine lifestyle and to pass my time on weekends i like watching movies. The "Yes" philosophy is very powerful if we look at it carefully. If we start saying "Yes" to everything, only if we want to, our life would change for good. The concept is really nice and the implementation in the movie is also not bad at all. The power of saying "Yes" is shown effectively by some strange situations that Jim Carrey lands up in.

About the screenplay and direction, it is poor in some sections. The movie loses its pace for few minutes in the middle but overall its a nicely paced movie. Performances from the entire cast is good. Jim Carrey is excellent without going overboard. The actress Zooey Deschanel looks cute and gives a credible performance. The only problem was that the age difference between her and Carrey was too apparent to ignore.

Some logical problems remain in the script but the excellent performance from Jim Carrey covers the flaws to a very large extent. In this movie Carrey demonstrates that he can still pull the audience to the theater solely on his "Star Power", the movie entirely belongs to him. Watch this movie for Jim Carrey and the idea of "Yes" philosophy.

After watching it do try to implement the "Yes" philosophy in your life. Its a very powerful concept, and who knows it may bring about a positive change in your life.

Movie Review: New York

I was apprehensive about the movie before i watched it. The reason was that movies on similar themes have been made in Hollywood regarding the 9/11 incident. Thankfully my apprehension proved to be wrong and the movie turned out to be really good. Right from the first scene the movie has a grip on the audience which it doesn't relinquish till the end.

The stars of the movie for me were Neil Nitin Mukesh and Irfan Khan. Neil Nitin Mukesh looks extremely cute. One of my friend commented that he is like a "Tubelight" because of his fair complexion and a person would have to wear sunglasses to look at him, rightly said. Neil looks natural in the role, the confusion, the conviction... all the mixed emotions are expressed well by him. Irrfan Khan's acting prowess needs no introduction and he does it again by doing justice to a role of cop. Irrfan contributes to the funny moments with his well delivered witty one liners. His scenes with Neil are good which adds intensity to the movie. The first half belongs to Neil and in the second half John takes over. John has also given a really good performance. Katrina gives her best in whatever she was given.

The direction is good overall. From a new director an extremely mature treatment of such a sensitive subject is a pleasant surprise. Still there were few scenes that could have been avoided, the screenplay lets you down at some occasions, sometimes the sequencing of scenes could have been better, but such occasions are not many. Its a well-paced movie right from the first scene. After the so many flop movies by Yash Raj camp comes a movie that is sure to satisfy the audience. Well done Kabir Khan, the director for doing justice to a complex script and well done to all the star cast for pulling up such good performances. This movie will surely be a success.

Movie Review: Kambakkht Ishq

Before watching this movie i had heard many negative reviews about it. Many critics giving it one or two stars out of 5 in leading newspapers or magazines. Critics were criticizing Akshay Kumar on the same grounds that they were doing during "Chandni Chowk To China", that his movies don't have any story or script, they just rely on Akshay's funny hysterics. Even one of my close friends said that her friends had gone to watch it and they left the theater half way during the movie.

Still i had the determination and the courage to watch it, and in the end it was very satisfactory to say the least. The movie entertains you during its 2 hour 16 minute run. The first half passes swiftly and during the second half somewhere the movie pace slackens but it makes up for it when judged in its totality. The biggest criticism of this movie that's doing the rounds is that it is cheap and vulgar. Except the liberal use of words like "dog" and "bitch" i didn't felt anything was vulgar. Other topics or jokes have been presented in an exaggerated manner in other movies like "Kya Kool Hai Hum", a movie notoriously famous for its vulgar comedy. There have been many comedies with a vulgar touch like Masti, No Entry and i would put this movie in the same league. Its bordering on the edge of vulgarity but nowhere crosses it. And also nowadays Indian censor board and movies are getting more and more open.

Lets get back to the movie again. Akshay Kumar as usual delivers in his role which he has now enacted multiple times. Kareena Kapoor looks uncomfortable in some scenes but still does justice to the character. Aftab Shivdasani and Amrita Arora are there for few minutes only, still they do justice with whatever they were given. I found Javed Jaffery's overacting funny in few scenes. Boman Irani is good in the only scene in which he featured. Kiron Kher is as usual playing the same role which i have seen her play in her past 10 movies or so, a caring mother or aunt. Cameos from Hollywood stars are insignificant and they are there for a few scenes only so they don't make much of an impact.

The movie works in parts, somewhere very good, somewhere bad. Some scenes are funny, where as some scenes tries painfully to be funny with no success. Also the movie lacks where all the critics point out. There is not much of a story, we have witnessed similar stories for years. Screenplay is not that good, some scenes are unnecessarily loud. If this movie succeeds, which i have heard it has as it has grossed Rs 100 crores in such a short time, it would be only because of Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor's screen presence. They both carry their characters with absolute panache. The movie has many funny moments in first half and some dull moments in the second half, but overall its a joyful ride and can easily be considered a one-time watch. Finally Akshay Kumar delivers a hit after his recent debacles like 8x10 Tasveer, Chandni Chowk To China and Jumbo. And he does that in the similar fashion in which he is criticised time and again by critics, here is one actor who doesn't gives a damn about critics' views and audiences loves him this way only. Way to go Akshay!! Well Done...

Roger Federer: 15th Grand Slam And Counting

Oh yeah! I witnessed tennis history in the making. This is what i can say years down the line after today. Many years ago i saw Pete Sampras broke Emerson's record of most grand slams victory and today i saw Roger Federer breaking Sampras's record. And to cap it all what a great match it was. Wimbledon has got a history of coming up with great finals every now and then and this one too would go down as one of the best finals ever. In the stands were watching great players like Sampras, Laver, Borg and in the commentary box McEnroe. The finals i think wouldn't have disappointed any of them.

Roger Federer lost the first set and was on the verge of loosing the second too in the tiebreak when he was 6-2 down. But amazingly Federer came out of nowhere to win six points in a row to win the set 8-6. Third set again a tiebreak but this time it was easier for Roger Federer. In the fourth set Roddick managed to break Federer's serve and eventually win the set. But the highlight of this match would remain the fifth set. Longest ever in a men's final. Finally Federer prevailed 16-14.

These guys should stop playing so thrilling finals as it would be bad for their fans health. First was 2007 final, which Federer won in 5 sets, 2008 final, which Federer lost to Nadal in 5 sets and now this. My heart was beating much faster than its normal speed in the 5th set at many moments. My heartbeat was highest when at 8-8 Roddick was 15-40 up on Federer's serve and i thought this is over for Federer. But he is not the greatest player ever for nothing, he kept his temperament and went on to hold his serve and eventually win at 16-14.

This was No. 15 grand slam for Federer. How appropriate it is that Federer started his rise to greatness here as his first grand slam came at Wimbledon. Today, six years later he stamped his greatness at the same tournament by winning the 15th grand slam, the highest in tennis history.

In the end, i felt really bad for Andy Roddick. He threw himself around and played his heart out. He should not feel bad as he did whatever he could. Roddick is one of my favorites and i believe him to be a good player. The problem is he is a good player in a generation of the two best players ever...Federer and Nadal. This is the reason why he has not won more grand slams, nor does he gets much media attention. Going by this tournament's performance Roddick is playing a lot better tennis than what he was playing one year ago. He always served well, but now it has become more consistent. He also moves on the court well, creates awkward angles for opponents, attacks nets whenever an opportunity comes and lastly is fitter than before. Overall he is a nice guy, has a nice sense of humor, always gracious in defeat, and if Roddick can maintain the standards he showed in this tournament, he would go on to win at least 1-2 slams more, lets hope he does. I think he deserves it after the hard work he has put in and the improvement he has shown in the past year.

Now, back to Federer. In this match Federer didn't outclassed his opponent, as he usually does, today he outlasted his opponent. While everybody is showering accolades on Roger Federer for becoming the greatest tennis player in the history, even though he is my favorite, i don't think he played his best tennis. Federer was not able to score many points on Roddick's serve. Roddick was serving well, but the way Federer looked helpless on many occasion was a matter of concern. Federer managed to break Roddick's serve only once in entire match and that was in the 5th set. The last game of the match was not won by Federer, Roddick lost it. Roddick's shots went into the net, wide, over the line to gift Federer the only break of the match and with it the grand slam trophy. Federer was not attacking even the second serves of Roddick. Today Federer sliced the ball a lot, the attacking Federer who went for winners by creating opportunities, today waited for opportunities to come and then grabbed it. That's not Federer style and if he continues to slice the ball so much and wait for the opportunities he won't come out victorious against younger and more athletic opponents like Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. I hope that today was just an aberration and we all would again see an attacking Federer. But today he was a shadow of his own self, his shots were going long, into the net, he didn't hit passing shots that well, sliced the ball more than it was needed, played defensively. All in all Federer today was holding his serves and was hoping that Roddick loses his nerves, or breaks under pressure. Finally Roddick was fatigued in the end couldn't get anything right (his first serve) and got everything wrong (his shots going in the nets or going wide or long) in the last game. Nobody can deny that Federer is the greatest player ever to play the game but for how long can he continue winning grand slams against younger opponents is a thing to watch out for. For now lets enjoy the moment as we all saw Roger Federer making tennis history. Congratulations Roger Federer....the greatest tennis player ever.

Michael Jackson - A Genius

Today we had some celebration in our office. There was placed a Karaoke machine in which you can choose among a list of available songs and then sing it. The machine will provide you lyrics as well and would give you the rating for your singing ability out of 100.

I gave tribute to Michael Jackson by singing the two of my favorite songs - "Beat It" and "Bad". In the "Beat It" i was rated 56 which i would say was "Not Bad", but my singing in reality was horrible. But that's not the point, the point is for the first time in my life i sang in public a song of Michael Jackson, that made me feel proud and in my heart i somewhere said to myself that "Michael, this one is for you". Whenever i will dance anywhere my heart will say the same thing again and again, because Michael Jackson is one of my childhood heroes and nothing in this world can change that, not even his death.

After his death, his old albums, more than 10 years old and even 25 years old are back in best selling category. This shows what he meant to his fans and the music world, he wasn't treated well in the last few years of his life but the satisfying thing is that just after his death his critics are also beginning to appreciate what he really was...A Genius.

From now on whenever i will sing or dance that would be for Michael Jackson. My tribute to him won't be restricted to one or two blog posts, it will continue for my entire life.

Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

I was still upset because of Michael Jackson's death so i decided to watch a movie to get the sad event out of my mind.

This film is a prequel which means it tells story which has already happened. Like Star Wars I, II, III came after its ending. In this prequel we get to know how Logan became Wolverine. Hugh Jackman is back in his most famous role as Wolverine. Hugh Jackman is the star of this movie. He delivers an excellent performance. He looks the Wolverine character through and through, when you look at him you get a feeling you are not looking at Hugh Jackman but at Wolverine. An excellent performance from him. Also is shown the rivalry between Wolverine and Sabretooth. I was impressed by Liev Schreiber's acting, i have seen him in other movies like in Scream (part 2 and 3) and have always believed that he can act well. This rivalry between Wolverine and Sabretooth is the highlight of the movie. There are other mutants also, plenty of them, the team which was brought together in the beginning was exciting and provided a lot of scope for special effects and a few action sequences in the beginning of the movie. Also of notable mention is the way starting credits are shown, I was really impressed by it.

In this movie, many things about Wolverine's past are told here. How he was as a child, how he agreed to that experiment which made him a lot more stronger than he really was. The plot is normal, don't expect big things out of it. Action sequences are really good. But here is where the good things end, except the special effects and the action sequences being strong, the storyline in weak. Its full of cliches which we have seen many times before, i won't divulge them here as it would reduce the movie's impact. The most cliched scene i thought was Logan looking up at sky and screaming, which we have seen in hundreds of movies before. The good thing is it doesn't look that awkward on Wolverine's character. Other scene was the one where Wolverine sets fire on a helicopter which explodes and he doesn't even looks back even once. These kinds of scenes are cool and look good but have been repeated so many times that they don't make much of an impact. One of the scenes in which i thought screenplay and direction was really poor was the one in which Wolverine and Sabretooth are fighting outside the club or the bar and Gambit was also there. Wolverine elbows Gambit in the face and continues fighting with Sabretooth. After few minutes Gambit was shown running (from i don't know where) and jumping in between their battle, in a matter of few moments that looked out of place, just see that scene to believe it.

The other criticism i have heard of this movie is that it is not true to the comic book history of Wolverine. I haven't followed the comics so i am in no position to comment on that. Deadpool's character or Weapon X treatment's was similar to the treatment bestowed upon Venom's character in Spiderman 3. Gross Injustice. Just few minutes into the climax and over.

In the end all the loose ends of the puzzle are brought together to form a picture of the character "Wolverine" which we all know. The one who doesn't knows much about himself, suffers from amnesia and sometimes get glimpses of his past.

Overall if i judge this movie, it doesn't have that much repeat value. Its not as good as the X-Men Series but still is good enough to watch at least once. It won't bore you, neither it would blow you away. Its a good movie, one of those pure summer blockbusters which are meant entirely for entertainment, full of action and special effects. Watch it once, you will enjoy it. And yeah one more thing, there is a good scene after ending credits are over, don't miss that.

Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop - The Best There Is, The Best There Was And The Best There Ever Will Be

I was, am and always will be a die-hard fan of Michael Jackson. My first childhood memories starts from seeing music video of Michael Jackson's Thriller, i got scared of it at that time, but still used to enjoy seeing ghost like figures dancing. Videos of Black and White, Remember The Time, Jam, In The Closet and Many more are etched in my memory. I was always mesmerized by the amazing Michael Jackson, i wasn't an exception, the entire world was crazy about him. I have been trying the famous Michael Jackson dance move "Moonwalk" for years, well who hasn't. Every boy who has seen him do Moonwalk would have definitely tried it.

Today when i heard the news of Michael Jackson passing away, i got very upset, the whole day i felt empty inside.

June 25 holds a very important place in my life for few reasons: India won the Cricket World Cup on 25 June 1983, One of my friends birthday is on 25 June
and now last but not the least it is the date on which Michael Jackson died. From now on 25 June holds negative memories for me.

Michael Jackson story is a tragic one. He was a talented boy and after seeing his natural talent his father forced him into stardom since his childhood days. Michael spent most of his time in limelight, thats the reason why he said once that he is very lonely. He missed being a child and having friends. And after all who would like being in public scrutiny all his life.

But no critic in this world can say that he wasn't talented. He had talent as a god-gift, but he improved on it so much by doing hard work that he achieved success at a very young age. He changed many things. MTV didn't used to show black artists but Michael Jackson's Thriller changed everything. Black artists started to get recognition because of him.

His art of making music videos changed the way videos were made and the impact is felt still today. His singing and dancing revolutionized the entire music industry. One of my friends appropriately called him the innovation in music industry personified. His dancing style changed the way people danced. Whether it be Moonwalk, Side slide, Lean, people followed him blindly. Even today many Michael Jackson's steps are copied. All of Michael Jackson’s dancing/singing were like a spell that had a magical effect on whoever watched, heard or experienced it.

People nowadays talk more about his scandals rather than his achievements. They forget that what Michael achieved has never been achieved and would never be achieved again. Many Ricky Martins', Enrique Inglesias', Shakiras', Britney Spears', Linkin Parks', Metallicas' will come and go but nobody can reach the heights of Michael Jackson. It seems as if others are mere mortals and Michael Jackson is somebody who is way above the rest, as if he had special blood running through his veins.

I will always remember dead bodies dancing in "Thriller", Fight between goons in "Beat It", lighting of path blocks in "Billie Jean" when Michael would step on them, his all world encompassing journey in "Black Or White", The amazing video of "Bad", Too hot video featuring Naomi Campbell "In The Closet", Dancing in Basketball court with Michael Jordan in "Jam" and many more.

Michael you were the best entertainer history has ever witnessed. Whenever you set foot on stage people just looked at you no matter what you did, that was your charm, magic, power over your audience. You commanded audience to do what you did, that was your biggest strength. I don't think the world will ever get an entertainer like you. You were, are and will always be the best. Whenever i will hear your songs the empty feeling inside will crop up again because somewhere i would know that you are not alive anymore. But you will live on through your fans and the enormous songs and achievements you have mounted. No one is going to forget you, least of all me.

His impact would always be seen on the way people sing and dance. "Michael Jackson" had immortalized himself. He was a phenomenon. A phenomenon that lasted an entire generation and his legacy is so strong that the phenomenon named "Michael Jackson" would last for many generations to come.

I pray to god that he gives Michael Jackson's soul peace. May Michael Jackson - King Of Pop, Rest In Peace. Amen

World T20 2009 Comes To An End

I never thought that such a day would come when i would have to post a image of Pakistani cricket team on my blog, but alas, the unfortunate day has come, and a little too quickly for my comfort.

I am not a jingoist who hates Pakistan, but i am an Indian who somewhere or the other feels that if we don't win then neither should they, we always compare ourselves with each other, after all we are neighbors and comparisons with neighbors and that too your arch rivals are inevitable.

After India were knocked out of the tournament every person that i talked to about cricket had the same view - That if India has not gone through super eights so neither should Pakistan, after Pakistan went into the semis the view changed to that any of the 3 others team should win the world cup, but please not Pakistan. But in the end Pakistan finally won. Honestly speaking i was supporting Sri Lanka in the finals, but their batsmen choked, except Jayasuriya (who was a little unlucky) and Sangakkara. I really felt bad when a Pakistani supporter was holding a banner on which it was written "I hope India you are watching", after seeing that i came to conclusion that they also compare themselves with us, like we do and hates us probably more than we do because we are ahead of them in almost all aspects whether it be economic, social, political etc.

Enough of distraction. Lets get back to the World cup. Here i will review each team one by one. My review would be limited to Top 7 teams which would be Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, England and India.

Pakistan - The champions of T20 2009. This team was at a point when it was one defeat away from tournament exit but they peaked at the right time, very similar to the 1992 world cup and eventually they triumphed. They played excellently in one match against New Zealand which ensured that they went through to the semis and then followed it up with good performances in the next two matches to take the cup. Against South Africa they really played well, Shahid Afridi clicked both in batting and bowling. In finals also Shahid Afridi's knock was very crucial. When looking back at the tournament i wouldn't rate this team too high, yeah its good with some nice players but its not the best team in the world, not by far, that honor would either go to Australia, South Africa or India. They are champions because they played well in the crucial matches. The best part is that the reality of this teams consistency will come to the fore when next T20 world cup is played after 9 months. Don't worry Indian fans, this team won't be called champions for long, the day Pakistanis were crowned i can say that that it has been decided or written somewhere that this title would not stay with them for long, it would be snatched away just a few months down the line. Oh Yeah, we Indians are watching and will surely watch that moment also few months later!!!

Sri Lanka - A good team overall. Too good in bowling but lacking depth in batting. Relied heavily on its openers as the middle order was not in form. In the final when the time to deliver came Dilshan, Jayawardne, Mubarak everybody failed. Only Sanath Jayasuriya can claim himself to be unlucky as he got bowled by an inside edge, but i don't think anything should be said to Sanath, he tried his best and he just happened to drag one ball onto his stumps. Sangakkara played well but was not able to pace his innings nicely. The acceleration in the end was provided by Matthews which stretched their total to 139. In the finals Mendis disappointed, his entire tournament's economy rate was 4.75 but in this match he was not able to restrict Pakistanis to less than 6 runs even in one over, he still lacks the ability to deliver onto the big stages, Mendis needs to learn that in order to be called a great bowler. Muralitharan bowled well but had one bad over. Lasith Malinga bowled excellently but it was not enough as in the end one over from Udana went for far too many. In spite of all its weaknesses a team to look out for in the future.

South Africa - Only one word for them "Chokers". 7 victories on the trot going into the semi finals and then throwing it all away. Nothing to take away from Pakistanis but Pakistan didn't won the match, it was South Africa who lost it. They rely too heavily on Graeme Smith on big occasions, if he fails then everybody fails. In normal league games AB Devilliers would play well but in the most important match he got out cheaply. This team has history of choking from 1992 world cup semifinal (1 ball 22 runs), 1996 world cup quarter final (against Lara), 1999 world cup semifinal (against Steve Waugh and Shane Warne), 2003 world cup in the first round(calculation mistake), 2007 world cup (bizzare tactics against Aussies) and finally this T20 2009 semi final. Leaving aside 1992 world cup in which they were unlucky all the other instances were the one where South Africa themselves were the culprits or in other words "chokers". In the middle i have missed many more choking moments like not able to score 6 runs from the last over against Sachin Tendulkar in a Hero Cup semifinal, another would be losing to India in Titan Cup final. Except the 438 in Johannesburg South Africa history is filled with choking examples. This team has some very very good players, but it would never be a great team because you need to have great achievements in order to be called great. I think only a mentally tough captain like Graeme Smith can help these chokers to rise to the occasion someday. Till now it hasn't come, lets hope because of Smith it does comes.

West Indies - Mercurial batting display carried them till the semi finals but finally the inconsistency for which they are famous came back and it all crumbled on the day it mattered. But still many positives for the team, it showed that they are a force to reckon with in international cricket, at least in the shortest format. Even when Gayle didn't played well they won matches which shows that they are not entirely reliant on Gayle. The inhuman slaughter by Gayle of Australian bowling attack is something which would be etched in my memory for times to come. Nicely done Gayle, keep up the good work.

New Zealand - Self destructed in one match against Pakistan to such an extent that the last match became do-or-die for them as their net run rate had crept far too low and that of Pakistan had gone way up. A good team but highly incapable of performing in big matches especially against Pakistan. They have got a history again Pakistan. In 1992 world cup New Zealand lost only two games in the whole tournament both were against Pakistan. In 1999 world cup semifinal they again crumbled against Pakistan. Looks like they have got some mental problem against this team.

England - Their batting is far too conservative for a T20 game. Reverse sweeping or switch shots don't mean aggression. For aggression big hitting needs to be there, which England lacks of course with the exception of Kevin Petersen. Whenever Petersen played England looked a different team. And the guy has got a good habit he always comes good in big matches like he did against India and West Indies but unfortunately as always happens didn't had much support from the other end. Bowling is above average which includes Broad, Collingwood, Sidebottom and Anderson. They lack the cricketing skills as compared to other teams on the international scene. For The Ashes i won't bet on England.

India - The defending champions who went out in the super 8 by losing all their 3 matches. Against South Africa they were not able to chase a modest total of 131. I have already said enough about them in my previous posts. In short everything went wrong for them whether it be injury to key players or star batsmen not being in form to bowlers not bowling that well. Still a side with lots of talent that can be tapped, how they will respond to this defeat, we will know in 9 months time.

Overall a nice tournament but still i would keep the previous tournament above this one for many reasons. Many matches were exciting last time, whether it be Semifinals of India vs Australia or the final between India vs Pakistan. The adrenaline that the last tournament had was to some extent missing in this one. Another T20 world cup is there after 9 months, lets see how that turns out to be.

India Knocked Out of World T20

India got knocked out of the World T20 thanks to two back to back losses against West Indies and England. It was a dismal performance by India especially in batting. Bowling was not great but still it was at an average level. Indians were the favorites coming into this tournament and they have been knocked out in Super 8s. If they would have lost in the semi-finals or finals, it still would have been better. But getting out in Super 8s is in no way acceptable. India had a famed batting line up which could chase down any total. It was dented by Virender Sehwag's shoulder injury which kept him out of the whole tournament. But still looking at the warm-up games India still were the favorites, but the story turned out to be entirely different. Lets look at how India's players played one-by-one:

Gautam Gambhir: He seemed totally out of sorts in this tournament. He never struck form whether it be in warm up games or against weaker teams. He got starts and then just couldn’t get the tempo up. A below average performance by his standards.

Rohit Sharma: Touted as the next big thing of Indian cricket. He is expected to take the baton from guys like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid whenever they decide to call it a day. But by going by his performance in this tournament it shows that he just hasn’t got it in him. The boy has surely got talent, technique, to some extent even temperament. He showed that by his good form in the warm up games especially against Pakistan. But in two big matches he failed. There is no use playing against Bangladesh and Ireland if you follow it up with a poor performance against better teams like West Indies and England. As soon as his weakness of short balls was targeted he seemed helpless and in an effort to break free by pulling his way out, he just managed to loop it high in the air right down the fielders throat or dragging it on his own stumps. You can hit 21 runs in one over in IPL but can’t score even 10 runs in an over against better teams in crucial matches. Sorry Rohit, more was expected from you. The thing that separates boys from men are qualities like guts, passion and the ability to rise to the occasion. That’s missing.

Suresh Raina: Another guy who promises a lot but never delivers. In IPL he seemed unstoppable along with Matthew Hayden. Well international cricket is so different. Its on an entirely different level as compared to IPL. Suresh Raina’s weakness against short ball was exploited by bowlers earlier in his international career also. He was a rising star thanks to an exciting win against England, but as soon as short balls came his way, his performance dipped and he was rightfully dropped from the team. Now when he came back I hoped that he would have worked on his weakness. Here also disappointment as Raina is as useless against short balls as he was a few years ago. Indian players have got tendency of not improving on their weaknesses. But when we look at Sourav Ganguly, he didn’t corrected his short ball weakness till the last part of his career, thankfully he finally did. Virender Sehwag is another batsman who worked on this same weakness while he was out of the team and now he is a different and better player. Suresh Raina got time to improve on himself, but sadly he never did improved on his weakness and it was exposed badly against West Indies and England.

Yuvraj Singh: Yuvraj did as much as he could. The only criticism that can be done is that he should have stayed on for a few more overs against England. But he was unlucky to get stumped by that way. If he would have been sent early, that is, after the fall of Raina things might have turned different. Another slip up he had was in the field in the last over of England’s innings when he misfielded a wide from Harbhajan Singh which went for four. If he would have fielded the result might have been different as India lost by only 3 runs.

Ravindra Jadeja: The culprit who took so many deliveries in getting his eye in that the required run rate shot above 11. And yeah as soon as he got his eye in he got out. So all the balls consumed by him eventually were a waste. His innings of 24 from 35 balls reminded me of Dhoni’s innings of 11 from 23 balls against West Indies. In both situations the batsman thought that they should consolidate and then afterwards they can cut loose. Against West Indies Dhoni’s dot balls proved too much and Jadeja’s dot balls against England pushed required run rate beyond limits. He would be criticized for this innings for a long long time. He bowled well but no one would talk about that. His disaster batting was far more costly to the Indian team.

MS Dhoni: The captain amazing. The man with the Midas Touch. Finally his Midas touch his gone and he did everything wrong possible. Against West Indies he himself played a very slow innings by T20 standards. And against England some of his decisions were questionable. For instance not bowling RP Singh’s full quota of overs when his 3 overs had costed only around 15 runs. The icing on the cake was his decision during India’s batting. He send Ravindra Jadeja at no. 4 and after Jadeja was dismissed he should have sent Yusuf Pathan instead he himself came and played a very very bad innings, which consisted of only 3 boundaries (2 by edges, where are all the sixes gone) when the team required a run rate of above 10. Such an innings from a captain is inexcusable. Wrong decisions, bad batting, poor captaincy. The only thing I can say is that no matter what people/experts say that Dhoni is the best captain India has ever had, probably at the end of his tenure even statistics would put him ahead of Ganguly. But in the end what matters is the way they did things. Ganguly was a superior captain in all aspects. Dhoni can’t even imagine in his dreams to touch the heights Dada did. Sourav Ganguly aka Dada was and is the best captain India has ever had. Coming back to this tournament this defeat is gonna have its backlashes. One thing is for sure that Indian public won’t forget this defeat that easily. Forgiveness this time would be difficult to come for Dhoni. Honestly speaking Dhoni deserves it, he has disappointed an entire nations' expectations. People would have understood if the opposing teams would have come up with inhuman display of cricketing ability, something like Chris Gayle against Australia, but it was nothing like that, India had both the matches in their hands and they gave it away. For such mistakes forgiveness should and will not come easily, he would have to earn it. As of now, whether it be Dhoni’s batting or captaincy. I was completely disappointed.

Yusuf Pathan: He tried to pull off an improbable victory in the end, but it was too much for him also. He remained not out till the end and still India lost, that is a big thing. He tried his best, scored around 33 odd runs on 17 balls, did his part, but sadly didn’t got support from the other end. When 3 balls and 15 runs were required he hitted an six which reduced to equation to 2 ball and 9 runs. But Yusuf couldn’t pull it off. It was too much to ask of him as he did maximum scoring in the end all by himself. The boy showed guts and courage. And most importantly the ability to withstand pressure, he has got tremendous potential and is a pure match winner, he surely will go far.

Harbhajan Singh: Bowled well apart from the two wides four he gave. Also did his bit in the batting when he came against the West Indies. Scored 3 boundaries in the final over to cross the 150 mark. In the end it was not enough.

Zaheer Khan: Was a little expensive by his standards. Needs to get his yorkers correct if he wants to contain the batsmen. Overall a below average tournament for Zaheer.

RP Singh: Just got one game and did his bit by giving 15 runs in 3 overs and taking 1 wicket. Should be included in the team in future as well. The problem is that he has been inconsistent in the past. Lets see can he maintain his consistency this time.

Irfan Pathan: He is considered more of an all rounder rather than a pure bowler. His bowling has reduced its sharpness since his heydays but still he is a good package overall. If he can improve his economy rate a little bit, he would be a sure selection in future. Against West Indies bowled with a good economy rate and picked the crucial wicket of Fletcher as well. Wasn't included in the team against England.

Pragyan Ojha: He was the highest wicket taker of India till the England game which means he has performed well. But when I look at his bowling he just doesn’t seem that good a bowler deserving a place in the side ahead of Harbhajan. Harbhajan has proved himself in the past and Ojha has to wait for his chances. No selector should put him ahead of Harbhajan as Ojha’s skills haven’t been tested against quality teams like South Africa and Australia. Overall a potential player, lets see how he evolves.

Ishant Sharma: He reminded me of Javagal Srinath. Why? Because he just kept bowling short balls one after the other to good back foot players. He was pulled and hooked for sixes and fours but still he came in and banged it short. That’s what I call persistence, but in this case, foolish persistence. He is young, has time on his side, and more importantly captain’s trust on his side.

Virender Sehwag: How much Virender Sehwag matters to this team was showed by their performance in his absence. India didn’t got a decent start in both the crunch games against West Indies and England. People criticize Sehwag on the grounds that he hits a few boundaries and one or two sixes and then he throws it away by getting out. But thats how Sehwag is, he completely demoralizes the opposition by his brutal hitting. And even if he stays for 3 overs and ensures that India gets to around 30 to 35 and gets out, it doesn’t matter as the initial thrust that is needed has been provided, now its upto the middle order to consolidate and build upon this advantage. By giving such starts he releases the pressure on the middle order. I don’t mind if Sehwag gets out after 3-4 overs as he makes sure that India’s innings is on track before getting out. The value of such starts was felt when India didn’t got off to a flier in both the games they lost. Sehwag you were sorely missed, you are the backbone of this Indian batting line up, your importance can be compared to not exactly but very similar to what Sachin Tendulkar was to India in mid 1990s. Hope you are there in the next world cups (both 50-50 and T20) to ensure that India wins them both.

The campaign has ended in disappointment. As in life things move on, in sports also things move on. Now comes another T20 World cup after 9 months and after two years 50-50 over World cup. Dhoni's best chance of redemption can come in next T20 world cup. Winning one series here and there wouldn't matter. If he wants to erase this ignominious exit from the public memory he needs to win these major tournaments or at least one of them. Dhoni's team was always victorious and on the roll till now. Here now they face a test of character. Can Indian team bounce back and perform at the same level at which they were doing before this tournament. Lets hope they can....