Ideally! I should be saying Thank you radio Mirchi! for this article, Well it was indeed my long time desire to point out ‘India’s 5 best adds’ that changed the way we all saw television and Sunday evening Dooradarshan!  By far radio Mirchi helped me today morning with their campaign through one of their morning show where they asked people to vote for their favorite or top 5 adds, well it matched my top 5 as well by a large extent! so here it goes India’s TOP 5 ADDS

5th position:- Shot in late 80’s, 1988 to be specific, this add took ‘Sangeetha Bijlani’ to a top spot; ‘VICCO TURMERIC, NAHI COSMETIC…” from VICCO Industries stands as one of the most memeorable and nostalgic add. The first of the skin cream and antibiotic cream VICCO industries created a huge wave when they for the first time started to showcase their add in Cinema theatre halls. VICCO turmeric Ayurvedic cream was also by far the first add to be translated by all the regional Dooradarshan’s to their regional language. VICCO turmeric’s music almost dominated television sets for nearly 2 decades now and Sangeetha Bijlani will always be remembered for her appearance in VICCO.

4th POSITION:- Shot in 1985, LIRIL Soap add was a revolutionary add in many sense, shot very boldly with heroins showing off bathing on screen LIRIL shocked any average Indian television viewer. The beauty soap was more famous for its charismatic onscreen sizzle!  For over years LIRIL’s add became an Ultimate target for the upcoming actress in the film industry, there was a famous myth, any actress who was featured in LIRIL was known to make big on the silver screen for many years. The music of LIRIL probably was more appealing than any on today’s jingle. In the day’s where medival India was slowly turning its face towards Westernization, LIRIL was a ‘breaking’ ADD in many sense.

3rd POSITION:- It was an era where cricket was never looked as an ordinary game! shot in early 1990’s Cadbury Chocolate’s ultimate add where a girl jumps over the cricket stands and dances on the middle of the cricket field after her fiancee sends the last ball for a sixer to win the game. Probably the most Imaginative add ever made on Indian television where a chocolate add was shot on cricket field, showing people that chocolates are not only meant for children or kids, one of the very few add which showcased adults on a chocolate add. The scene of the girl running onto the cricket field is remembered even today!!! hats off Cadbury!!!

2nd POSITION:-Shot in late 1982’s or early 1983, ‘Nirma Washing Powder’ made its way on Indian television with a big bang! “Doodsi safayye NIRMA se ayyee..” Washing POWDER NIRMA is one add which cannot be erased from the memory books of India. Shot with ladie’s wearing pure white Saree’s NIRMA was a household name and detergent but more than that it was a household Add that every lady remembers. The product was targeted at ladies of India and it took more than ladies of those times.

And for the grand TOP Position there could have never been a better add than this

1st POSITION:- Shot in 1980 this add not only sold its product but also was responsible for ‘National Integration’; “HAMARA BAJAJ” was every Indian’s pride then, BAJAJ scooters were any Indian’s affordable means of Communication and the BAJAJ sccoter add was any Indian television’s theme. The add showcased Indians of all ages, cast, creed and religion coming together with one sound, ‘Hamara Bajaj”. I still remember the day when I sat opposite on my dad’s scooter after seeing the same on the add. Bajaj scooter add brought in that feeling of ‘Togetherness” or “Oneness”, the slogan “Hamara Bajaj” remains fresh in the minds of people today. I salute the add agency, the creative team and the company Bajaj to have shot such a commercial at the times when India needed

Here you go, the top 5 adds that lighted Indian television in  early 1980’s and 1990’s, Well just to end I will add one more add which has always remained as my favorite add.

DHARA:- “JILEEBEEEE…” the cute young boy screeches after hearing “Jilebee..” The Dhaara food oil’s ever green add which raised eye brow’s for its  cute factor remains as one of most memorable and favorite add and i am sure it remains in every Indian hearts as well.

(The article was first published in TIME OUT Bengaluru)

The original article can be read online at http://www.timeoutbangalore.com/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=134&source=2

Time Out Magazine’s Brain recently interviewed Bharath Kashyap of WeMove Productions about his new Directorial venture

Confessions of an Assassin

Catch this unique Devised performance at

On 22^nd November, 2009

At 11:30 A.M

@ Kyra Theatre,

2001, katti-ma centre, Above Adidas showroom,

100 feet road, Indiranagar

For more information log on to www.wemove.in

Buy Tickets online @ www.indianstage.in/www.buzzintown.in or call 9886062324/9980169269

WeMove’s latest production Confessions of an Assassin was conceived as a part-fiction, part-fact exploration of a famous assassination, through the eyes of the perpetrator. An original piece devised by the group and performed without a script, the play probes the layers of motivation, the reasoned choices, the compunctions and larger moral landscape that impels the assassin towards his defining moment. Bharath Kashyap, who conceptualised the piece and directed the production, tells Bryan Richard why he felt compelled to play confessor to the assassin.

How did the idea first take shape? Which actual assassination forms the factual inspiration for this larger exploration of the theme?

The play is based on a very famous assassination, but the identities of the assassin and the victim are not revealed till the very end. Even the characterisation of both these personalities is very different in the play to ensure that it isn’t an easy guess for the audience. The reason for this suspense is to make sure the audience doesn’t carry biases from the history books. I’d like them to come with an open mind and not hold the assassin guilty. Of course, the more perceptive audience members will guess who it concerns somewhere along the way.

The idea of the play largely stemmed from the fact that there are hardly any films or plays made about this assassin, and the ones that were made were either banned or ignored. It is almost taboo to talk about this person. Yet, not a lot of people have asked the question: “why did he do it?” That set me out on a fact-finding mission, which resulted in the urge to put my findings on stage.

Why was the performance not scripted?

At some level, this was an experiment with the cast. I wanted to explore their opinions, perceptions, ideologies, and even their biases. I didn’t really hold auditions for any of the roles. It was more like an activity session where I put people in certain situations and asked them to react to them and we created a piece that showed their thoughts. I asked questions and had debates with them. That’s how I chose the cast.

How did your own fascination with the mind of an assassin evolve, as the piece developed?

My fascination initially began with the victim, who is obviously the reason behind us even knowing the assassin. But killing someone is an extreme step. I wanted to understand what would motivate somebody to take that recourse. As I started reading and looking at things from his perspective, I could see the reasoning behind his action. I still don’t condone the killing, I don’t agree with what he stood for and I’m still inspired by the victim, not the assassin. But there are a few simple, mundane things that make his actions seem right.

At the heart of matters, there is the somewhat slippery question of whether some motivations for taking another life can be more justifiable than others. Is there a moral hierarchy even among assassins? How does the play negotiate it?

What the law calls murder, people might call something else. The British sentenced Bhagat Singh to the gallows for murder, but Indians still celebrate him as a hero and call it an act of patriotism. Political assassins have almost always claimed the moral high ground, often expressing no regret. The play explores the ways in which an assassination may seem justifiable, but killing another person is ultimately not the solution. To quote a line from the play, ‘you can kill the person, but not the ideology.’ The play tries to ask these questions without really taking sides or judging things as ‘right’ or ‘wrong. We want to ask people what they think.

When a 5 feet 16 year old small kid stood in front of Cricketing big-wigs back in 1989, even the cricket pundits hadn’t imagined he can be the tallest cricketer and even taller human being in the history of cricket. Yes, it was none other than our own Sachin Tendulkar, the little master who not only created history but also inspired many to do so. Today, after 20 long years he is still standing firm on the cricket pitch intimidating the world’s greatest bowlers and entertaining crores of his friends back home. If you didn’t know what passion was, you have got to see his face when he is on field.

So, what is the big deal? We all know about Sachin, his feats, and we all praise him for what he has achieved till now. But have we ever wondered he can not only be an inspiration to cricketers but also to anyone else who is not at all related to his profession? Have we ever paused for a moment amidst praising him to think “why cant I achieve something like that in life? “ Yes, its not enough if we remember each innings of Sachin Tendulkar and clap at every milestone he surpasses. But it is more important to draw inspiration from the little master in our own life and try and achieve great heights in our profession.

Whatever be our profession, the way we are passionate cannot change. We just have to develop the interest and focus on what we want to achieve in our lives. It could be as trivial as dreaming to become an artist. In today’s Bangalore, it is not really difficult to choose your own path. You don’t have to be a doctor or a software engineer. There are people who have dreamt and made it big. They are today’s youth icons.

The options have opened up, be it in music, be it in Theatre, or in sports (not only cricket), or even politics which used to be a stigma once upon a time. To name a few Arundathi Nag, Pankaj Advani, Saina Nehwal, Shashi Tharoor, and the list goes on and on. They all are Sachins or on the way to become one in their own terms. Similarly if everyone can discover Arundathi Nag, Pankaj Advani, Saina Nehwal, Shashi Tharoor, Raghu Dixit in themselves, our country will be in a position to inspire the world and others will follow suite. To complete this write-up, hats off to the Tall “Little Master” who has showed us the way how to find himself in us.

“Yeddi is suffering, each day he comes up with a new statement, Karnataka politics is too bad, I must say worse…” utters an aged man who might be in his 70’s enjoying his plate of pani puri.

Location:- First block, Rajajinagar, Pani puri Adda

Situation:- A casual conversation with the Pani puri vendor

Occasion:- Time pass

Type:- Common man!”

No this is not a Database schema, well this is what the common man had to tell when he was enjoying his plate of spicy pani puri, the vendor took time form his hard work to listen to the words of the old man and react quickly! Common man in India huh! talks and talks and only talks! Not withstanding the political talks I did ask the old man..

“Sir did you caste your vote this time?” he shrugged his shoulders with a irritating voice..

“The authorities are robbers, young man! they don’t know how to issue Voter’s ID card.. They have removed my name from the list..” he raised his voice thinking that I am from Election commission

Trying to calm him down, I questioned “Then why din’t you register yourself with the election commission when they called for Registrations..”

“NO! They are bloody thieves, they din’t call the registrations properly, I was left out and they said that the date was over..” he shouted raising to on goers agony

“Why are you complaining the government, you never choose them, basically you never have any right to question, are you aware about that uncle..” I tried to explain him

“Array! look young fellow, I am an Indian Citizen.. I was born here, I am in this soil from past 45 years.. not like you young brats who work as slaves for MNC’s” he challenged at me (well only through words!)

“Uncle, Do you have a valid passport..?” I questioned out of curiosity trying to cut his anger..

“How dare you question me that..” he rose with anger followed by ..”By the way NO..” in a voice that was hardly heard! huh! “I never needed one, now you note that, I have never gone out of Bangalore why the hell I need passport?” “I am not like you people who are waiting to step outside the country.. mind it!”  The air was heating up with the pani puri guy all ready for a bonus business, the onlookers soon ganged up to save the senior citizen (I guess!!)

Not keeping quite, I continued ” Do you have a valid birth certificate?”

“ha ha ! this boy has gone crazy, well look I was born before British left India, there were no birth certificates then, all those paper certificates are today’s ware, we always believed in WORDS!!!” he started laughing at me..

Not taking back and a revolutionist by nature “Hey do you have a valid Driving license? you own a vehicle..” I quickly turned my attention towards his 2 wheeler

“What? license ? well it got expired 4 years ago when i went to RTO, those people told that I need to take smart card! and they asked for 200 rupees, do you think I am MAD to pay for my license! you must be joking..” he shrugged his shoulders..

“But what if the Traffic police catches you……?”

“You don’t know the protocol, boss the traffic police will not harass or catch Senior citizens.. so they cannot catch me..” he proudly announces.. trying to prove that I am mad constantly.. for no reason!

“So you will never have a DL is it?”

“Only if government gives me free…”

“Why is that..” I fired the question..

“Common Man should get everything for free, that is what government is there for..YEDDI and REDDY cannot waste their time to fight and common Indian should suffer paying is it..?” he replied back with out wasting a second!

“Uncle were you in a Government service..?” I asked the old man who was then was sure that I was MAD and had come from NIHMANS

“I did my OWN business.. I was never dependent..” He  declared proudly paying the Pani Puri guy half the rate of the MENU card just because he was regular and a SENIOR citizen

With this I broke aloud; not with voice but with laughter.. The old man was happy declaring me MAD, the Pani Puri Guy did not miss the chance to claim the money that I had eaten for and the On goers had no clue.. Finally the old man uttered in a voice which was in a way confirming that he had won the “Battle of words!”

“Here you go! let me explain..

You are a 70 year old man who obviously doesn’t have valid birth Certificate for all the logical reasons, you never went out of the country and hence you never bothered to take a valid passport, You never worked for any government service, so there might not be any chance you paying any tax and thus not having a PAN card for sure, You wanted the license for free hence you never cared to renew your old invalid driving license, you wanted the government to come to your door step to issue you a voter’s card, hence you never cared to get one or choose your leader..

Now you are standing at a pani puri shop which doesn’t have a legal registration or a TAN number eating pani puri which is given to you at half the rate of the Menu’s rate and you have parked your vehicle in front of ‘NO parking’ board on a main road causing misery to all the motorists, with a confidence that the police will not catch you just because you are over 60 scolding YEDDI, REDDY to work for a COMMON MAN who never VOTED and DEMANDING that COMMON INDIAN should get everything for free when there is a faintest chance of you proving yourself to be an INDIAN LEGALLY because you always believed that ‘Paper is only today’s fancy ware’ assuming that people believe more in WORDS….” I continued my laugh

There was a silent pause, the old man sat on a bench near the chat shop ordered for another plate, stuffed the puri in his mouth, enjoying the taste.. he uttered…

“INDIAN CRICKET TEAM SHOULD BE BANNED.. see how they were beaten by AUSTRALIA….” he continued to the shop keeper..

huh! I sighed with a pain paid my money and returned back..!

Karnataka Celebrated Kannada rajotsava on November 1^st, Ah! Well very proud Kannadigas did repent the fact that November 1^st was a Sunday and they were ripped of one calendar day holiday. Anyway “Kannada maatadu, Kannada usiraadu.. Kannada alavadisu.. Kannada na belasu..” Well great poets and writers stressed upon. The marking of start of the state Karnataka from Mysore holds high regards in the minds of authentic Kannadigas but spare a thought “Is kannada Rajostava today remains just a celebration?” ah! Go deeper and think you will find the impact even today almost after a week of rajotsava.

Our activists have taken the celebration day to different terms! The very symbolic and meaningful Karnataka flag today acts as a Security barrier for all the flashy glassy buildings. Talk about Stone proof glass for your own buildings then take our Karnataka Flag paste on the glass shield and voila! Here you even a Tsunami cannot destroy the glass shield. Many IT companies, Shopping malls and other buildings resort to such kind of activities, but why? I mean we all know the reason or the implication behind it but the real question is “Is it required?” The fear of “Kannadism” is something that can actually break the zeal of real “kannada patriots!”

November 1^st, almost all the city’s theatre houses fear to screen non-kannada films, Ya right! Huh! ‘Being a Kannadaiga’ or ‘Being Kannada’ is not “Watching Kannada films” Alas! Our activist can understand that majority of Kannada films are only remake of other language films, who is the real culprit here? The theatre owner or the very creative Kannada film industry?  Autos zoom in with Karnataka Flags flying high only if they had realized that the smoke they emit using kerosene kills of Karnataka or even the path they drive on easily can reduce half of Karnataka’s population.

Fighting out politics when relief work was the main priority or counting the number of seats using an abacus is all what the people who are accountable do, Not screening Kannada film on Nov 1^st or not hoisting a Kannada flag on top of the buildings is not a sin against “Being Kannadiga”, The real sin lies in the blood of the people who try to increase tensions by spreading riots and rumors. None of the greats from past in Karnataka called for any violence or riots, be it Kuvempu or Dr. Rajkumar; all that they said was to encourage and spread Kannada; so lets do it, The important deed that we should be doing on November 1^st is to teach children the history of Karnataka, Kannada, the richness in the language, encourage people to learn the language, create an open forum where they can try and do something w.r.t Kannada or Karnataka. Use the stones to write on the board rather than to throw, Use the language to teach and talk something better rather than use at one. Use the energy to add to the glory of the Karnataka flag rather than keeping it as a “GLASS defender” hoist the flags spreading a sense of proudness rather than creating a environment for fear.

Kannada rajotsava is for our better, our development not for other’s misery! I hope atleast now that people will spread and safeguard our flag and our respect.

Well, this is the first look into the experience one gets when he moves from a Service industry to a product industry! Well The incidents and experiences are completely my own, any resemblance to any organization or any incident is purely co-incidental and not intentional!

For more than 3 years I did spend time in finding out the best proxy that can be used to access one simple website called “Google.com” huh! before that! The basic thing that differs when it comes to Product industry is “Code of conduct!” They way these company function is very western and have there own way of working!

First day as I step into the company I found a precious jewel that was missing from past 2 years! My mother was finally relieved when I told her “You need not remind me the hand kerchief” Yes!! huh! There was toilet papers kept here and use them to your own discretion! No one to question or no one to remove them! there were plenty! and what was extinct from past 2 years suddenly gushed into me as flood! Well I know that I did use them on the first day to my discretion! ah! finally free from those old cheesy “Save trees” “Be green” was all gone!

My constant search for change took me to the heart of the infrastructure, massive building with countless floors and an amazing interiors did make me uncomfortable especially when i spent my previous years in a more factory’ish style, or a Cyber Center style! The lifts here work! and act as an important means of transportation! Quickly I noticed that I was the only one wearing Formals! huh! Finally! No need of irritating full arm shirts and decently tuck in trousers! ah! You wear what you like! unlike the previous school’ish environment where they used to inspect the kind of polish applied too.

The Security guards in service industry are your real BOSSES they restrict you, argue with you and cut you down! yes even the appraisals might be affected for a simple reason that you are entering the Parking lot without an helmet and security guard reports it directly to the CEO! what crap!! Don’t be too shocked too if he takes down your employee number, well here BYE to all you are always have that air and there is that distance always maintained. ah! yes there is no PT period in any product industry! PT period? well Imagine the days of Service industry where you had to wait for the clock to tick 5.30 to touch your Table tennis bat! err! uff!

From laptops to docking stations, you get what you want in any product industry unlike where you fight for a company pen and sign at hundred places in the service industry! Well that’s the way it is guess! Things here in product environment come to your place expect the cabs or the buses unlike the times in Service environment where you literally fight out for things to happen! be it a phone connection or even a simple access card change! Every damn request there goes to the CEO and every thing in Service industry has a tag called “Cost cutting” which is felt and visible to the least level! Of course the same might be as well applicable to the latter but atleast not felt by the lower level.

From coffee to range of snacks and biscuits, there are plenty to offer as compared to the days where we used to literally struggle for that one ‘Plastic coffee cup!” From Unlimited internet access to struggle to find out the ‘best untraceable proxy’ Service industry stands on Darwin’s theory of “Survival of Fittest” with changing economic conditions and deteriorating market Service industry is better renamed as “SURVIVAL industry”

Well these are just my initial inputs, as days are far ahead and words never fall short especially for me! I will surely come back with more real time incidents which draws huge lines between Product and a Service Based industry!

An IIT professor in delhi killed a young 18 year old girl form east! The brutal killing happened after the professor’s proposal was rejected by the girl from the east!  I was watching the interview of one of the girl’s friends on Television; Scared, graveled and tensed she uttered “We don’t feel safe here!” huh! what hurt me was the word “Here”. I am sure we all have our preference with respect to cities to live! and completely understand the point that our home state comes on top in our priority charts! Be it delhi or Mumbai or even any other western or norther frontier parts of India, we feel that we belong to India but the tome used by the young lady did not signify this same feeling.

I think it is right to some extent, just imagine us, for us “Chinkis” as we call them always pathetically always come from either nepal or external world! for most of us even Manipur and other eastern states sound external! thanks to our politicians that many youngsters feel India is all about MUMBAI, Delhi and now Bangalore! Somehow we do not largely account the people form the eastern world! The girls are looked on in a bad way and the boys are always considered as Nepali or Tibetian refugee. With physicalities resembling there might have been chances of such mis-conceptions but these mis-conceptions are slowly turning towards inducing a larger outlay of Fear in these people. The tears of the female counterpart who was killed really invoked my feelings against eastern state people.

They are here or in any other state for the same reason as to why we are there, Yes! food and occupation, They are here to work and they have every right to work anywhere in India as they are a integral part of India. With raising tensions between the Ind0-Sino border issue and also the Dalai Lama Arunachal Pradesh visit issue, things like this can errupt into a different wave or even into a volcano! they are as much as citizens of India as any one are, then why to look at them at a different angle? Why to hurt them? This unseen issue which is under the wraps of political turmoil might soon change its direction if we all don’t realise it. Lets stop ill-treating these people, lets pray for their safety and protect them in our lands if time araises.

City based Radio Fm channels are often tend to create the awareness and other publicity stunts, Well another feather int he cap is Radio Indigo’s “Engage” an awareness created to Save TIGER, Being Citizen of India I take pride of having Tiger as our National Animal, completely agreeing to the point that TIGERS are becoming extinct but completely baffled by the Promos and other adds that is running on the radio to save tigers! To be frank it is pathetic!

Well lets take it from scratch, celebrities or “So-made” celebrities come on air and extend their support to the project, be it “Charu Sharma” Ya right! or ‘Anil Kumble’ or even Biocon giant “Kiran majumdaw shaw” Now explain me this! I am a normal citizen staying in Bangalore struggling to get out the idiotic traffic with a hope that I reach my destination on time and not die in between because of all the polluted air i breath or get caught by a non-nonsensical traffic police who thinks that his pocket is asking for more! Now Listening to the radio, I support the project, But what next? what can I do? is there a plan or a solution? is there anything that is framed so that citizens like us can do something about it? No all that a METRO citizen can do is to text message telling “I SUPPORT” and end up paying chunks of money to the service provider, and we call it a SUPPORT! Or is it that We got to start taming the wild animal! go to Bannergatta park pick yourself a tiger and start taming at house! Well if that was feasible then believe me, robbery would have been a fossil by now! or is there nay other way?

Absolutely nonsense! theme music with perfect sound mixing and an amazing voice to go with it wount serve the purpose of “Protect TIGER” The real awareness has to be in the ares where they poach tigers, I had been to Bandipur recently which is otherwise called the “TIGER RESERVOIR of INDIA” Intially i was very skepitcal of going to the forest of Bandipur as i had grown up listenning to the stories of “Killings” in Bandipur, It was only later I realised when i landed in the middle of the forest that TIGERS are hard to see nowadays there, may be various reasons starting from climatic variations to.. well I am not too sure about the reasons to pen it.

Project Save Tiger has to propoganded in these areas, If only RADIO INDIGO WAS HEARD in the thick forest of Bandipur, Sitting in the AC room and propagating SAVE TIGER in bangalore is absolutely a publicity gimmick! or if it is really needed in METRO cities, then a solution should be propaganded.

Nelson Mandela qouted in one of his speech “Solve the problems which is right in front of you!” For bangalore and Radio Indigo there are several problems to tackle with, be it the “Proper use of Flood relief Fund” or “Metro construction” or “Traffic congestion” etc etc. You can only come out with a solution if you have undergone the problem or atleast witnessed it. All in all Publicity can take to any means when it comes to bringing fame! and for RADIO Indigo all that i can do sitting here is to stop using leather goods which i dont use it anyway!

The remake of ‘Wednesday’ in tamil drew lot of eyes! UTV’s first major venture into Tamil film industry had a great backing! Kamal Hassan known for his own style, creativity and uniquness found something really worth in remaking a hindi film! Well Unnai Pol Oruvan- was the result of increasing intelligent audience, Gone are the days where film makers can fool people with idiotic one liners and stupid tree scenes. People now  need logic! ah! ya right!

Being an Ardent fan of Kamal, watching this film was inevitable! Banking on the fame the hindi counter part had got! I knew the film’s in out and out butI scouted the movie only to see Kamal hassan and Mohan Lal’s acting! Though late this is what i though of the film very frankly!

Mohan Lal was an absolute disappointment for me atleast! I mean the guy is a great legend, no doubts about that but the character in thsi film needed more firm! and stern outlook! Anupam Kher in hindi nailed the character to perfection! He was decisive and looked the part! On the flip side Kamal delivered a perfect 10! No Second thoughts but the man pulled off the role up his left sleve as smoothly as he could! It matched the temper, the character, the energy levels were high and there were no loop holes in between!

I loved the part where Kamal hassan’s calls up the Police commissioner and says “Mr. I.G. Mara, I am sure you have the heard the State of the art checkoslovian plastic explosives!” Now thats what I call as an Intelligent film!

The technicalities of the film could have been imporoved, The use of artificial sim cards, Router hackings and other system hassles could have been more prominent just to attract people! The fight scnes could have been more crispier but they were definately watchable! The Characters of Sub-Inspector and task force inspector have deliverd what was expected! The TV reporter’s character was bit tonned down, what was surprising for me in both the languages was the simple point that there was no other TV channel covering expect the one chosen by the protagonist, Now who will not believe that media wont rush to the spot when they hear about a bomb in a police station reported on their counterpart channels!

Another important thing to be noticed is the local politics involved in the film, surprisignly the character played by legendary actress lakshmi as the Chief Secretary of TN was absolutely not nesscary, for most part of the film lakshmi so called Chief secretary is not seen and the actress has been under utilized literally! There was no need to dub the voice of the real CM of TN on the phone when the chief secretary talks thus showing that South Indian films are some what biased to some or other politicial parties. The lines where Lakshmi tells that “Ayya i wil handle because no stranger can speak to CM like this easily” was absolutely not needed and was very cheesy! The chief secretary being over courteous to the CM was again way too much and it is a very well know fact that beaurocracy is not a small position according to our Democracy!

The sarcastic fight between Police department and IAS was just an added effect which was really not needed. If you are game to watch an interesting intelligent movie coupled with Kamal’s acting then surely catch this movie as i assure that you will not get bored! however do not expect much out of it at the same time!

Yesterday! after a days of hard work in office ya right! I went to have lunch at Maiya’s Jayangar, Well knowing very well about the fact that Maiya’s is just a offset clan of MTR, I expected another SAGAR in making! huh! Situated right after the Jain temple (location courtesy- Bharath) in Jayanagar opposite to jayanagar bus stand, the building did look like a SAGAR externally! The 2 storied building has a serving halls on both floors and it is only after we were pushed to the second floor we realized that this hotel was buzzing with people! What else you can expect in bangalore? anyway!

Carved out of MTR’s hype and fame I thought Maiaya’s was not going to live up to the mark! come on! For any Bangalorean MTR is like a temple of food! and having personally interviewed Jagadish Maiya and Hema Malini Maiya (CEO, MTR- old one) I always knew that MTR was known for its simplicity and authenticity! Soon I entered the hall and was directed towards a 2 seater! table obviously i was with my friend! The first thing that shook me was the Hospitality, was lot more polished and grace! This was definitely an edge over the older version, There we no waits, no fights and no greasy faces, the operations seemed to be smooth and clam even though one can see a same type of crowd!

The Menu was simple, Special Meals! there are also normal meals available and don’t be surprised if you end up thinking the difference between the two expect the rates, I was very excited and curios to see the way meals was served, remember the whole MTR fame was in stake keeping aside all the business and professional differences!

I was very surprised to see the legacy of silver tumbler juice to be continued here err! the only change was the old grape juice was now replaced by an appetizer drink which every one of us would have drunk in our house, The look of the silver tumbler made me regain my hopes! The juice immediately followed by a cute small cup of non- artificial soup! No regrets there asthe soup keeps your stomach wanting for more! This was soon followed by course of Palyas or veg curries, the very authentic BELE Palya took the center stage or should i say center of the stomach! Not before the very MTRish pooris were served and yes it was unlimited with Allogadde palya (potato curry) The taste was finger licking and the service was mind blowing except for their own limitations!

The coarse of pooris was immediately followed by “vegetable bath” and the very own “raitha” Now this was definitely a bid to follow the tradition I guessed, the look was too MTRish and the taste did match up! if you are full by now then hold on! as you will be served 3 different kinds of sweet by this time and followed by the potato chips(again self made) and Sandige (fried papads) The white rice is served hot and the style of pouring ghee was kept as it is! even though 8 out of 10 refused the ghee! The Samabar and Rasam tsated delicious and the curd almost looked like an ice cream! If you are done by now then hold on as you will be served everything once more ofcourse left to their own choice and stomach! but once this is finished you will served one more sweet and if you on special meals then you will be given the authentic “Fruit Salad” To wrap it the beda (indian style) raises your taste buds! and of course the afternoon sleep.

As you get up with great difficulty to wash your hand, you will be surprised to see that the handwash is also an exact replica of main MTR where you press the pedal by leg to wash your hands! and all this will cost you 130 rs /- per head! Now The main resemblance is only noticed when you come out and see the stone benches  set up for on goers and regulars to have a seat and chat sipping the fresh coffee! Now coffee DAY! beat that! All in all Try having a meal at Maiyas and i am sure if you are ardent MTR fan you will be not dis appointed! for sure! And you will be loaded with extra happiness because there is no much wait time here!

Its a complete THUMBS-UP for MAIAY’S certainly a restaurant to look forward and finally something decent than the SAGARS!