"Yeh Dill hai meri jaan ... Masti hai mastano ki Dilli, Gali hai deewano ki Dilli 6"
Last night I got to watch Delhi-6, one of the most anticipated movie of the season. And it wasn't a letdown. Raising nostalgia in me for the city I have been brought up and leaving me flabbergasted with the capture of quintessential essence of the city in this less than 3 hours movie. And bow down to Rehman ... the best album in recent times. I can't get my ears off at all.

Amazing performances from everyone. I am stunned with the growth of Abhishek Bacchan as an actor ... he is just free spirited yet calm and within the skin of his character. Good to see him coming out of the shadow of legendary but melodramatic BigB and defining a new persona for himself which conveys more of mischief with a twinkle and rather being natural. Sonam Kapoor is adorable ... she is the best thing to happen to Bollywood in recent times. One can feel the ease and effervescence she brings on to the screen, and a great screen presence to top it all. My favourite actress in the new lot.

All the ensemble cast is amazing as well ... Om Puri, Pawan Malhotra (his brother in the movie) from the DD days, Waheeda Rehman, surprisingly Divya Dutta, Vijay Raaj, Deepak Dobriyal, Prem Chopra, Atul Kulkarni and the women in family are apt with their characterization and everyone has done wonderfully well. However, Cyrus Sahukar was ordinary and script did not allow Atul Kulkarni to bring in the effect which he could have ... maybe a price to pay in order to avoid melodrama. And never ever the least, hats off to Rishi Kapoor. Elegance and royalty just oozes out of this gentleman and he is proving to be the best character artist among contemporaries in his second inning. He has less screen time but he delivers. Vijay Raaj similarly deserves a special mention as well.

Now this movie is surely flawed! But I will still give the benefit to the maker because it is a very hard thing to capture. The plot harped alot on the Monkey Man and Delhi's Ramlila throughout, which was becoming a little annoying at times; though former was an important factor in the storyline, but might be little too much to swallow. Ramlila is important in depicting Delhi's culture but its endless repetition took away the scope of bringing more novelty into the screenplay. All 'n all a brave attempt and something which will touch you when you walk out.

There is a li'l news item I read today about BigB wishing SRK a speedy recovery after his operation. Lemme confess first that "yes" I have some interest in BollyGossip .... but Hey! I accepted it :)
Anyway ... so that news item eventually took me to BigB's blog, and there I read his post today which outlined his daily routine. MULTITASKING in a real sense!

I am now stunned! Somebody getting up at 5:00 in the morning, going to temples, hitting gym for a couple of hours, whole lot of appointments, studios, shooting, travel, shows, attending events and finally getting to lay down straight by 1:00 AM only. What more can be amazing than this ... and I am sure the way SRK is, he would be no less. What are these guys ... workaholics!

And now when I look at my routine in a sleazy and apologetic way, I find getting up at 8:00 in burning sunshine morning, struggling with breakfast, stumbling and reaching office between 9:30 and 10:00. Some browsing, some work, a couple of tea sessions, thankfully lighter lunch, an attempt not to doze off before pushing for a tea break again, some more work/browsing and off to gym for 1.5hrs. Come back, eat light, think a lot and eventually sleep. This all is an improved version and still put me to shame, because I believe, even if I don't practice diligently, that you need to push yourself all the time. And this is certainly not the way. Admiring BigB or SRK is easy, but it is very very hard to become like them. Objective, passion and focus are the things which one need to imbibe and build within oneself to reach higher altitudes. And sure should I turn up things and do it ... Just do it!!

Happy Valentine's Day !!

As the history of this day goes, it was celebrated in the memory of two Christian warriors knows as Valentine. Later in the middle ages, as the courtly love flourished, the day got attached to expressing love. And well, the cupid started shooting all around since then!

This time Valentine day has unfolded interesting set of events. At the national politics level, there is a right wing outfit called "Sri Ram Sena", which became talk of the town after publicly assaulting girls in a pub in Mangalore. To be fair they have their own conservationist point of view to which many, including myself, do not agree in larger context; but adopting to violence to put your case forth can't be justified by any means. However, it has triggered a debate in more or less all the strata of the society to draw a line in what is appropriate in public and what is not. And I am waiting for tomorrow morning paper to read about their adventures and an outcry. I know its cruel of me but it is fun!

On the other hand, Mr. Cupid has struck many of my known people as well and I just realized that around 8-10 guys/gals I knew are getting married within next 3 months. Its like Wow! I have read stories like "14000 marriages today in Delhi" and 'am feeling the same magnitude even now when so many of my known are getting into matrimony. God bless them all! But interesting stuff ... as human mind can't really sit idle, so perhaps recession has given an opportunity to stop, take a breath and fix your life and engage yourself. And this is what people around are doing ... getting married. Economy has always more than one way of touching your life.

And what I did today? Usual stuff ... half of the day at Office, a movie (Seven Pounds *ing Will Smith) and a leisurely dinner with friends. Bizarre movie and not-so-great food in good company ... and now heavy eyes lurching me into calm darkness. Good Night!

"I long for it so much that I can free fall and die ..."
A quote which one of my friend has kept as his status on gtalk. But it conveys so much that I couldn't stop staring at it. I have never longed so much in life as I am now, and realising what it actually means to pray something from all your heart and with utmost purity.

As SRK also said in OSO ... "kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko pure dil se chaho to puri kaynat usey tumse milane ki saazish mein jut jaati hai!" Aur picture to abhi baaki hai mere dost ... hic :)

It was a thrilling T20 match between India and Sri Lanka. And India Won !!
I always had my doubts in the way we have played our cricket in the past; it would rather not be an exaggeration to say that we were particularly very notorious with ruining our own chances. But times are changing and we can really say the "real" professionalism is coming into our team. MSD is a cool head and a shrewd enough guy to take things forward.

Good show and off to a good long night sleep :)

Whenever I put on my headset and listen to "Arziyan" from Delhi-6, I just go bonkers over this song. Perhaps, the best spiritual song I have ever heard ... Sufism is definitely in and how engaging it can make you into its process.

Kailash Kher, Gulzar and AR Rehman has a knack of coming out with such beautiful creations all the time. Give a little thought to the nuances of divine lyrics, the thumri effect in words and qawwali style in music, and find yourself with your arms raised upwards and humming "maula maula" ....

Of course, I would need to explain the bizarre title of my blog. As it is said as "Desultory Delusion of My Trysts"; it means a series of inconsistent aberrations in my routines ... quite vague indeed, but that is how the life unfolds when you actually deviate from the norms in a given situation and break the myths and surprise yourself and people around you as well.

So this is an attempt of mine to put my mind here, as regular as possible. Open myself to the world and improve myself by looking back at it in retrospect!

Chao ...
Nilay