Balvir Chand is in trouble. There was a time when all of India said “Iski To Chandi Ho Gayee”, once he got branded as Duplicate Tendulkar. The man even got an audience with Sachin Tendulkar.
It seems that recent poor showing by Sachin, apart from causing million heartbreaks, has also left one person in financial tatters. But Chand’s magnanimity knows no bounds, he holds no ill will towards Sachin if one has to go by the article
But Chand bears Tendulkar no grudges. “Sachin is a kindhearted man and if he knows that his lookalike is in distress, he will surely help me.” In fact, he says, Tendulkar has given him the courage to pick himself up despite the odds.
Thankfully the social justice crusade from MidDay bore some fruit and Balvir is in less trouble. However as the report says
he was a little sad that Sachin, his God, had not responded.
Just a little sad? I thought he would be seething mad. Such a forgiving man !!!
Balvir Chand, remember you are 3 years elder to Sachin so you have all the claim to this particular facial contour before Sachin. Yes man you have all the rightful claims to help from Sachin after all he looks like you.
Let me give you a tip. Get your face copyrighted/ trademarked/ patented etc and maybe then you will get royalty from Sachin for all his earnings and you will never ever have to run around for help.
Last weekend in a bookstore I came across “Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin. It reminded me of a very interesting discussion with a friend of mine way back in 99. The usual ones which happen when one gets drunk and starts the meaningless discussion on the meaning of life. While talking about Hindu Philosophy this friend mentioned that how he had read that evolution of life has been very nicely described through Vishnu’s incarnations in Puranas.
Well if anyone who has basic ideas of Vishnu’s Dashavtaras (ten incarnations) and theory of evolution would most certainly agree. Consider this, life was supposed to originate in the oceans and then moved its way up to land through various evolutionary changes. Vishnu’s first five incarnations closely seem to follow the evolutionary sequence. Look at the list of first five incarnations -
Matsya or Meen (Fish) – Aquatic Life originates
Kurma or Kachchap (Tortoise) – Amphibians come into picture
Varaha (Boar) – Life moves to Land
Narsimha (Man+Lion) – Mammal
Vamana (Dwarf) – Early Man
Yes it does not describe the microbiological life or Avian life but the essence is beautifully captured. I do not think this can be a coincidence and most probably the Ancient Indians had some idea about the evolution. However, it must have got lost in time and I am sure the presence of Gods & Humans in each and every incarnation story diluted the basic premise of origin of life.
If Darwin had got his hand on Puranas maybe he need not have taken the journey on Beagle. However it still would have been his theory and rightly so as only he could see the connections between various forms of life.
P.S. I still remember all ten incarnations because of that great knowledge source for children in 80s – Amar Chitra Katha
Today by chance I stumbled upon the movie “Ek Ruka Hua Faisla” on Google Video – Hindi remake of 12 Angry Men directed by Basu Chatterjee.
I remember watching this movie back in 1986 on TV. Even though I was in my early teens I remember being totally engrossed by a Non Masala Movie most probably for the first time. As 12 Angry Men storyline & characters have been discussed to death umpteen times there is no point in writing a similar critique for this movie. Also I would not like to ruin the tension & suspense for the people who have not seen these movies.
However, only thing which I would like to say is that some of the ills of Indian Society have been brilliantly reflected in this adaptation . Shades of Religious Bigotry, Social Hierarchy, Regional Prejudices etc.
Do not know whether it was ever released commercially for the box office. Back those days there were a number of very good movies which were telecast on good old DD like Janam (Mahesh Bhatt), Yeh Woh Manzil to Nahin (Sudhir Mishra).
Pankaj Kapur is brilliant and watch out for Annu Kapoor as an old man. An impressive cast of actors most of whom appeared in various TV serials in 80s. A must watch for any Hindi movie fan. Enjoy!!!!!
Do you remember the movie posters the way they used to be back in 80s & 90s. Not the glossy posters which we see today but the painted paper posters, stuck on electric poles, walls etc , like the one below
However crass they may look now with all those distorted faces, garish colours they still hold some charm. I have been able to find some of them, would you believe at a Pakistani site on South Asian movies. Some of the other posters are
You would hardly see such posters now a days – Something’s got lost with all these glitzy posters. And if you don’t believe just compare “DON”
Just saw “Thank you for Smoking”. There’s a scene where Aaron Eckhart, in a role of tobacco lobbyist, is explaining to his son the virtues of argument
“That’s the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you’re never wrong
The movie is a satire on how logic can be turned over its head provided one knows how to argue. I have edited two really classy scenes and you can enjoy the “arguments” here
Scene 1 – Tobacco Lobbyist fighting against activists
Scene 2 – Not even sparing innocent children
Another one of my favourite scene is where his son is trying to convince the mother to let him accompany his father on a trip to California
Son: Mom, why can’t I go to California? Mother: Because, California’s just not a safe place. And besides, I’m not sure it’s appropriate for your father to bring you on a business trip.
Son: Appropriate for who? Mother: What?
Son : Mom, is it possible that you’re taking the frustration of your failed marriage out on me? Mother: Excuse me?
Son: This California trip seems like a great learning opportunity and a chance for me to get to know my father. But if you think it’s more important to use me to channel your frustration against the man you no longer love I’ll understand.
Anyone who has ever worked in a corporate world would have seen umpteen instances. As the last line of movie goes -“Its a Talent”. Do watch this movie.
P.S. There is not a single smoking scene in the movie
This is what Jahanvi Kappor should have said. She did it all wrong. Maybe she had not seen many Hindi movies in her life where a non-descript abla nari comes unannounced at Hero’s marriage mandap, shouting this earth shattering line, when in reality she is carrying Villain’s child.
No wonder after being ridiculed she is now even thrown out of her house. For those who do not know, Jahanvi Kapoor is a small time actress, who a day before Shaadi No 1 (as Rajdeep Sardesai’s channel calls it) claimed that Aby Jr had promised to marry her.
Only if she was better looking AbyC would have stepped as a saviour in place of Aby Jr
No the article does not surprise me. Its one of those monthly sex surveys which keep on appearing in Indian Media and still seem to be popular – check on the the right hand side of image where this story has been mentioned as the most read article of the day.
What actually caught my attention was the Indian Oil Ad on the right hand corner. I strongly believe Indian Oil is thinking of launching a human performance boosting product and they could not have got a better advertisement and a better place than this web page to announce their new product line. Consider what this article says
Indians have sex the quickest, devoting an average of 13 minutes to each session as opposed to the global average of 18 minutes
Now look at the ad closely and notice words like, “Xtra Premium”, “Best your vehicle can get”, Makes your engine outperform”. It also explains very succinctly the secret of its success “with Friction Buster” – less friction means longevity, as opposed to dotted/ ribbed items which are more aimed at pleasure seeking people. A group responsible for bringing shame to the Land of Kamasutra by lowering the average by 27.8% compared to the world average.
And finally no one can miss the punch line INDIAN, OUTPERFORM”“. A war cry to a country lagging behind the rest of the world in one of the most important parameter to measure a nation’s success.
Only thing which is making me doubt my theory is the line “Issued in public interest”. Have I got the product wrong? Is Indian Oil launching a prophylactic with similar qualities? Remember those Public Interest Ads on Nirodh.
Balvir Chand is in trouble. There was a time when all of India said “Iski To Chandi Ho Gayee”, once he got branded as Duplicate Tendulkar. The man even got an audience with Sachin Tendulkar.
However it still would have been his theory and rightly so as only he could see the connections between various forms of life.
