It's not aisa waisa pur, its Wasseypur!

Yes, it is the epic saga of Indian Coal Mafia, running over three generations, with power packed performances, a taut script and and excellent,fresh dose of music and background score!(In fact Sneha Khanwalkar was certainly the champion of this movie) It did not have a single ingredient of the making of a blockbuster, but then it surely will go on to be one! No big stars, no romance, not a  typical masala film, but then yes it had innovative ingredients, the rustic feel, and of course performances by the lesser known actors Richa Chadda, Tigmanshu Dhulia (a great director), Nawazuddin etc, and trust it works wonders for the movie, atleast it worked for me.

The uninhibited mouthing of Galis, double entredes, the skin show, all prove that Bollywood has certainly come of age. The fact that the director has dared to shoot almost a six hour long movie, and have already shot the sequel without even waiting to see the reactions of the audience goes on to speak how much belief he had in this script and the taste of the maturing audience. It was no less than a gamble to shoot almost a 20 crore film in this fashion, and moreover this has never been done before! This film obviously got the much needed popularity, when it was the first commercial Indian movie to be premiered at the Director's Fortnight .

The character of Manoj Bajpayee as Sardar Khan was that of a revengeful son, who is out on a mission to finish his father's killer. I know it sound's cliche, but that's only until you go and watch out this movie. He murders ruthlessly and has an insatiable appetite for sex. After a point even his wife accepts and asks him to eat well "Khana khao, takat aayega, bahar jaa ke be-izzati na karana". He gives those lecherous looks to Reema sen, is a womanizer, yet he is lovable! The music is just too unique and more importantly is good with the rendition of "Teri keh k lunga" by Sneha stealing the show.

However, the movie was just too rushed, and although Kashyap has a very strong script but it seems like he has fit in just too many characters in it. I won't say that they are not good, but then you need to be on alert while watching. If you happen to miss anything, you would remain confused till the end as to who this character is!

Nevertheless, there is so much and more, and wait...this is just the 1st part! The movie ended with a twist and I believe Nawazuddin will have the major part in the second part. But till its release we can only wait..!!

Signing Off

Nirvaan Baid

The P(olitics) connection!

A statement made by English Prime Minister David Cameroon certainly will be a slap on the face of all the anti Sachin Tendulkar creatures. In a recent event, the first citizen of Britain did not hesitate to announce in public that the bat autographed by Sachin is one of his most prized possessions. In a nation where soccer is the big thing and footballers are considered to be the Megastars, the Prime Minister making such a statement is indeed incredible. That just goes out to prove the immense fan following of  “Brand “Tendulkar”. It’s not just the British Prime Minister but also the Indian PMO who is in such awe of the Master, so much that they have gone all out to offer him a nomination to the Rajya Sabha. These gestures certainly go out to prove that this entire world can be divided into two kinds of people- The Sachin Fans and heartless zombies. (Trust me, it’s not a exaggerated statement!) :P

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

KKR - Expectations in season 5

Ever heard of a roller coaster ride…??? I know most of you must have experienced it at least once in your life but guess who’s had a hell of such a ride, the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team which started its journey with extraordinarily strong players on papers, the team which showed what strength it possessed and what all it can do in the very first match of the IPL edition-1 went on to be a team which struggled even to manage a spot in the upper half of the points tally. Yes, this is the journey of Kolkata Knight Riders, the team with the maximum fan following, the franchisee which was the only one to reap profits right from the beginning of the saga of Indian Premier League. Things kept on changing for KKR and it changed quite dramatically.

Though the team has shown a remarkable recovery in the last edition and if truly cricket is the real blend of ‘form’ and ‘class’ then the team is one of the most favorites to make a place in the top 3 in IPL edition-5. The captaincy of Gautam Gambhir, the inclusion of Yusuf Pathan and many more amendments makes KKR the front runners in this edition and more probable for a winner than it ever was. Now, when the stage is all set for the battle of the title to begin, the expectations and hopes of Kolkata fans is at its peak. Their captain is performing extremely well. He has brought a new energy to the team and now this team is not only with a new logo and a new marketing campaign but also with a new attitude.

The team has been one of the most unpredictable and unfortunate teams among all others in the same category. Who can forget the innings from Mccullum which is still one of the greatest innings in IPL history, who unfortunately could not live up to the high expectations he generated, in any of the further editions. The same Gayle, who played a series of a lifetime for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, could hardly do anything substantial for the KKR’s. Who can forget the unavailability of many foreign cricketers at the most critical of times for the team? But now this team of Mr. Khan is creating new hypes after the performance in IPL-4. This time no one will dare take KKR lightly because the team is now having players, full of energy, class and more importantly, form. Team is not at the top but it is all set to make a difference. May be the performance of KKR in this season can give SRK a new life (G-One). So, as the IPL is getting closer and closer, the team management and administration is leaving no stone unturned in order to live o the expectations of the fans and finally win it for them!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

Return of the Dark Knight...!

Brendon Mccullum, whose name itself is enough to send down shivers across the opposition is the comeback guy for the Kolkata Knight Riders. The ex-captain of the same team in the 2rd edition of the IPL, he certainly knows the tricks of the trade. He has the record of highest run scored by an individual in a Twenty20 match to his name. The better part is that this score of 158 came for the same team, the Kolkata Knight Riders and that too in the very first match played in the history of IPL. McCullum singlehandedly gave the IPL the sort of high voltage start-up any business would cherish. One might say that with the presence of Brad Haddin, (also a classic wicket keeper batsman) in the side, and his not-so-brilliant performances in the recent past, there was no need of whiling away such a huge amount on him, but then as they say "Form is Temporary, Class is permanent"!

Moreover, another advantage of having a player of his stature on their side is that he has a got huge experience and a typically aggressive frame of mind, which is an extremely important element of any T20 match. He is also going to bring in the much needed stability in the side as they now have two regular world class openers in the form of Gautam Gambhir and Brendon Mccullum. Having played three years in this franchise it would not take him much time to adjust, and being the ex-captain, and a swashbuckling batsman he is certainly a big crowd puller too.

The other team players are also excited about him joining the side, as stated by Yusuf Pathan in the recent interviews “He will be a great boost to the team. He can score runs quickly at the top of the order and can keep wickets - an asset to any team. His inclusion will surely make KKR more formidable”. Another reason which for absorbing him in the squad is that there are no matches of New Zealand team during the IPL season and he will be available throughout. The critics might still find flaws with this selection as his earlier stint with the side was not a memorable one, barring a handful of innings. So, Brendon Mccullum would be hoping to put his criticisms to rest and prove that even after being on the wrong side of the thirties he can contribute handsomely with bat, and finally help them win the elusive IPL trophy

The Mystery Bowler..!!

The shy, lanky, unknown guy from the Caribbean was no doubt one of the most sought after players in the Indian premier League Auction 2012. Sold at 14 times his base price, the auctioneer had a hard time to carry out his bidding. From one franchise to another his hands just went going up and down and finally the hammer was put down by the 700,000$ bid by Kolkata KnightRiders! The slow right arm off break bowler who took all the ten wickets in a match in a trial match and got a call from Trinidad and Tobago, but did not get any match, however he proved to be a great pick in the inaugural edition of Champions League in 2009, with an average of 10.50.

Initially people did criticize Kolkata for their choice, but then after his good performances in the recently concluded Australia-West Indies ODI series, he has silenced all his critics. But the outcome of these performances might get him a berth in the West Indies test series as well, and if that actually happens, it is not going to work out well for the Kolkata Knight Riders who would certainly be having him in the thick of the plans. If we are to evaluate how important he is going to be for the team and whether spending so much on him was justified I would say that being a foreign players and with the limitation on the foreign players allowed to play in the side, he might not even get a game. With the likes of Brett Lee, Shakib Al Hasan, Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Ryan Doeschate, Brad Haddin, Brendon Mccullum, there are very thin chances of him being included in the playing eleven. But still, whatever be the case, the recent performances of Sunil Narine can totally justify his selection in the franchise.

All said and done, (I know I would sound a bit selfish here for the team), but then all the Kolkatans would be hoping that somehow Sunil Narine doesn't make it to the West Indies test squad and is available for selection for the Knights!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid