The strike strikes unexpectedly

The first bit of news about today's BJP-sponsored state strike that reached me was that a bus had been torched at Kestopur (the next bus stop to Baguiati, my home stop), buses were hardly visible on VIP Rd and some shops had been damaged by strike supporters. It followed with a news of damaging a private car at Baguiati junction. Apprehensive, it was a little late for me to go out to work.

The busy Baguiati junction (the busiest on VIP Rd) wore an absolutely unusual look- no buses (just saw one overcrowded mini bus of Airport-Jadabpur route in about 30 minutes apart from empty chartered buses refusing to entertain anybody attempting to stop and board them), hundreds of people in the middle of VIP Rd, police personnel and police vehicles. People were making calls to office or business associates updating the situation and giving an estimate of possible delay in reaching the destination. What beat me was the total absence of any govt bus, while today's Ananda Bazar Patrika reported about state govt's announcement to run as many buses as possible for the people who want to make it to work.

The news that shocked me after reaching office was that some strike supporters have wrecked havoc in DLF building (the major office complex of New Town, Rajarhat) and beaten up people including employees of IBM and Vodafone for defying the bandh. What, possibly what, can give BJP and/ or other seven marginal political parties supporting the strike the courage to do so and the other acts of violence, while BJP, the biggest of them doesn't have a single legistator in the state? Did they have patronage from some unexpected and powerful 'friends' in the political circuit?

Laugh Aaj Kal

Caught the second episode of the new comedy show on Star Jalsha- Laugh Aaj Kal yesterday. This 10 pm show is one of the two new shows (the other is the celebrity talk show 123 Star) that started on September 23 to be telecast Monday-Thursday.

The show borrows heavily from the first and second versions of Mirakkel. In the first version Mir would do stand-up comedy, followed by a celeb interview. It gave way to the second version (as, apparently, Mir's stock of good jokes dangerously diminished) Mirakkel Akkel Challenger which was basically a stand-up comedy championship. Laugh Aaj Kal blends stand-up comedy by star performers of Mirakkel Akkel Challenger and other similar shows with a celeb interview by the anchor Anindya Chattopadhyay. It also has a band playing along with a comic name, called 'James Band' (Remember 'Bandage' of Mirakkel?).

The only novelty of the show is Anindya, with his brand of humour peppered in the interview. Yesterday's guest was actress Payel Sarkar. She looked glam and at ease in a purple off-shoulder dress, facing Anindya's volley of witty, humourous questions and one-liners.

The show also marks Raj Chakraborty's debut as a producer, with direction by his erstwhile assistant Abhimanyu Mukhopadhyay (who has also scripted Prem Amaar). From an experienced television director like Raj, the expectation was higher. Let's see how it goes.

The new buses- a revolution on street

The new JNNURM buses filling the huge void of private buses (after the phaseout of old buses) besides adding to the govt. bus fleet are a welcome change, no short of a mini revolution for Kolkatans familiar dealing with 'tin boxes' called private bus with uncomfortable seating, small wooden windows and more space for standing than seating (See picture 4).

In a stark contrast the JNNURM buses are big, airy, has modern, comfortable seats with more leg space, large glass windows and low footboard. And, as it should be, they have more seating space. The best part is that the govt. and private buses have similar models and the the private JNNURM buses have the same fare structure as their older counterparts.

A big 'thank you' to the Govt. of India for the new bus scheme under JNNURM. It's a bliss that possibly every Kolkatan using buses for regular commuting are embracing with open hands and craving for more.

Photos
1. A new JNNURM bus
2. Interior of a new JNNURM bus
3. An old private bus typical of Kolkata
4. Inside of an old private bus

First attempt at microblogging

My first and experimental attempt at microblogging on my blog, besides Twitter where everybody's doing it. Shall see how this works for me.

'Ekti Tarar Khoje' (the first film produced by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's Screenplay Films but not directed by him) shoot started. Today's was in the filmmakers' favourite heritage haunt 'Laha Bari'.

Wake up Sid- the review

Steaming, freshly brewed coffee- that's what I would like to feel about Wake up Sid. It's indeed a pleasant surprise coming from Karan Johar's stable and yet so non-conforming to the familiar Karan Johar product.

The wafer-thin plot is about Siddharth Mehra aka Sid, a carefree, happy-go-lucky college kid with no goal in life (and knows no reason for having one, thanks to his super-rich industrialist father). For him life is all about hanging out with friends, clicking photos, i-pod, parties and shopping. He crosses path with Aisha (Ayesha) Banerjee, a wannabe writer from Kolkata looking for an independent life in Mumbai. Two opposite personalities happen to get along just fine. And then Sid's journey of life takes a bumpy road forcing him to take a hard look at life. What happens to him and how Aisha helps him rediscover himself forms the rest of the story.



The treatment is realistic and very, very contemporary, the characterizations are believable (script by Ayan Mukerji), the storytelling is cool. It's definitely one coming-of-age urban flick that reminds us of Dil Chahta Hai that showed a new way of making Hindi films years back. Anil Mehta's cinematography complements the storytelling and treatment perfectly, Amrita Mahal Nakai's sets are brillant and superbly echoe the vibrance and youthfulness such a movie demands (The exterior and interior of the office of Mumbai Beat where Konkona works and her apartment, after doing up, were particularly outstanding), Niranjan Iyenger's dialogues are very 'today' and help build up the characters in the right fashion.

The background score is a fine job, and though there aren't too many songs that you possibly can take back home, 'Gunja sa koi iktara iktara' (lyrics by Javed Akhtar, music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) is soul-touching.

Ranbir Kapoor (Sid) and Konkona Sen Sharma (Aisha) are perfectly cast in their roles and are on top of their game. They are easily among the finest young acting talents around. Sid's mint-fresh, innocent, hard-to-miss charm couldn't possibly have been brought to life by anyone other than Ranbir. And the way Konkona has carried the female lead- a matter-of-fact, ambitious, confident and hardworking girl who wake up her confused friend Sid to life, opposite such a popular, sought-after young talent like Ranbir, this movie will serve as a very important milestone in her Bollywood career. Among others, Anupam Kher (Sid's father) and Supriya Pathak (Sid's loving mother who makes a sustained effort to speak good enough English so that she can be friends with her 'gen Y' son, despite being a school dropout) are superb. Namit Das as Rishi, Sid's nursery buddy and Shikha Talsania as Laxmi, Sid's obese college friend, are absolutely natural. Rahul Khanna is good in the small cameo of Aisha's boss. The entire gamut of actors is well cast.

Due to the thin plot, director Ayan Mukerji had a tough job on hand in telling a 2 hour-34 minute story. And the young chap, all of just 24 years, impresses with his craft in both script and direction departments. Thanks to Karan, we are gifted with another talented, young, new-age filmmaker after Abhishek Kapoor and Sagar Ballary.

The tribute to Dil Chahta Hai is evident in the storytelling, especially where Ranbir speaks one of Aamir's lines (' Usne tera khuddar ko lalkara hai. Kya karta hai yaar? Be a man.' ). But Wake up Sid is more progressive anmd braver than its inspiration in the way that it didn't have to depend on formula music. While DCH had a disco song, a dream song and a romantic song between Aamir and Preity, Wake up Sid doesn't have a single lip-synched song, though there was ample scope, and yet it never lets you miss music.

Long live new-wave Bollywood. Go for Wake up Sid folks.

Pujo images 2- Bijoya Dashami

Some picturees of the 'Sindur khela' (Playing with vermillon- women, especially married, smearing it on each other's cheeks and forheads) on this year's Dashami (the 4th and the last day of the Puja) shot by my photographer friend Abhijit Das aka Chhobiwala. The participating women look more beautiful with the dash of bright red on their faces.

The last picture is that of a television actress Rajonya.

The living legend is honoured

He famously replaced Hemanta Mukherjee's voice on Uttam Kumar's lips at the later part of the superstar's career. He amazingly blended his training in classical music with winning melodies. He shuttled between Mumbai and Kolkata to lend his voice in Hindi and Bengali movies and made it to the top at both places. His 'Jibone ki pabo na' can still rock any party and recently got remade by the no. 1 music director in Bengali cinema and made the current heratthrob dance to it. His evergreen hits still encapsulate Hindi films to reality shows to TV commercial of India's no. 1 mobile service provider featuring a top celeb couple.

Mohd. Rafi once confessed as people love to hear his songs, 'he' was his personal favourite, Sachin Dev Barman, who he was a favourite of, thought of him only everytime he had a difficult song on hand, famous composer Anil Biswas firmly believed he could sing any song of Mohd. Rafi, Talat Mahmood, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar but so wouldn't be true the other way round.

Manna De's receiving the Dada Saheb Phalke Award this year has surely delighted every Indian and Bengali in specific, this blogger included. His songs mesmerizes generation after generation. The only hitch is it is pretty late to do this honour to an achiever of his stature, who's still performing all over the globe at the age of ninety.

Pujo images

Top to bottom:
1. The Yuba Brinda Puja at Chiria More, Barrackpore
2. The Nityananda Byayamagar Puja, Barrackpore
3. The 'Hara Hal' Puja in Anandapuri, Barrackpore
4. An apartment Puja in 'Ganja Gali' (Shahid Mangal Panday Sarani), Barrackpore
5. A Puja near Telengabagan, North Kolkata
6. The idol in the Kashi Bose Lane Puja (My favourite idol in general)
7. The Kashi Bose Lane puja pandal with glasswork all over

'Dujone' in US- a KC exclusive

Above is a picture of the US tour of the team of 'Dujone'- the first-ever Bengali movie to have commercially released in US this Puja, thanks to networking efforts during last NABC by noted distributor-exhibitor Arijit Dutta, who's also played a dreaded assassin in it. The oven-fresh picture is a Kolkata Curry exclusive- a 'Bijoya' gift for the visitors.

Dev, the hero, is seen first from left; Srabanti, the heroine, is third from left; Rajib Biswas, the director, is third from right and Arijit Dutta is first from right.

Pujo 2009

Countdown meter on top of TV screen on Bengali channels.

Shows on puja-based themes (like around goddess Durga and her sons and daughters).

The economic downturn effect...budgets of star Pujas (including those abroad) cut down...lack of sponsors.

Mad rush for shopping...no discounts on bigger brands.

Articles on this year's themes of pandals and idols. New trend: greenery themes (with painstakingly grown real green over months).

Untimely rains.....but no holding back shoppers.

Mahalaya....various actresses playing Durga on various channels..including Sandipta (on Star Jalsha) who plays a housewife named Durga in a soap on the same channel.

Outdoor advertising bounces back....hoardings at prime locations all booked.

Makeshift hoardings set up by Puja commitees dotting the roads.

Eco-friendly LED lights the new trend in many Pujas...as well as solar lights.

Finally...Maha Shasthi- the 'Bodhan' day...It's difficult to concentrate on work any more...rush of pandal-hoppers sends traffic movement haywire..with the stretch from Gariahat to Ruby Hospital taking one-and-a-half hour insted of 20 minutes (The same stretch has the superstar puja Bosepukur Shitala Mandir).

Puja awards anouncement starts.

Puja is on.....enjoy!

(Photo sourced from: www.anandautsav.com)

'Greener' roads

Nobody knew when it would be a reality but prayed for a life relieved of it. But law took its own course and achieved the impossible. The Kolkata roads are finally free of ' kata tel'-run auto rickshaws labelled the worst pollutant among all vehicles thanks to the Supreme Court-ruled phaseout of all 15-year old or older vehicles, and LPG having been made the only 'fuel' for auto rickshaws. The state govt. decided not to fight it with the legal system once again and it was the death nail for the venomous three-wheelers starting August.

The roads are a lot greener, with an increasing no. of green-coloured LPG autos taking the roads every day. And most importantly (the reason behind this post)the air is far more breathable and lighter. It's breathable enough for my kid daughter, and finally I can live without the guilt of bringing her up in toxic air on the roads because of alarming level of automobile pollution in the city, a situation made worst by the 'kata tel-run auto rickshaws ('kata tel' is a sphurious mix of petrol, kerosene and other elements causing poisonous fume).

The people are reportedly ready to take the pain of jostling in much fewer public vehicles simply because they can breathe much better. And as one of them I too welcome the outcome, though it has made my journey to work costlier on some days when due to shortage of buses that I can get into I have to change the route to reach office in time.

Shob Choritro Kalponik starts well

Rituparno's long-in-the-cans controversy-marred Shob Choritro Kalponik produced by the biggest ever corporate in Bengali cinema- Reliance Big Pictures and released 28 August '09 has been received well by the audience in the first week. The distributor Piyali Films, the distribution arm of Priya Entertainments run by the well-known exhibitor-distributor Arijit Dutta has done an experimental release in a larger-than-average number of single-screen theatres besides the plexes and it looks like paid off.

Ananya- the glam avatar

Ananya Chatterjee sizzled in an off-shoulder designer outfit at the premiere of Bengali film Dwando at Priya Cinema on 24 July, Friday. She's played the female lead in the arty film directed by US-based Suman Ghosh (of Padakkhep fame) and produced by the US-based Databazar group run by four non-resident Bengalis.

A helpdesk tid bit

A funny experience from Priya Cinema's helpdesk: As soon as the person manning it greets the caller with 'Good morning, Priya Cinema', the caller promptly asks 'Priya Cinema? (Meaning 'Is it Priya Cinema?'). This happens 4 out of 10 times at least.

Priya Cinema (managed by Priya Entertainments), by the way, runs one of the most efficient helplines (033-24641313) among single-screen theatres in Kolkata, open from 10 am to 7 pm (Manned by ticket counter/ office staff from 9 am to 10 am and 7 pm to 9 pm). One can do a telebooking as well.

The Foodie Tolly

Wednesday's t2 survey of the fav foods of Tollygunge, the 'film industry' locality, threw up some lesser known food facts about the city film folk. The survey checked on their favourite home food, street food, light bite, Kolkata restaurant, restaurant outside Kolkata and the dish they love to cook. The respondents were Anjan Dutta, Rituparna Sengupta, Jisshu Sengupta, Koel Mullick, Chandreyee Ghosh, Rrishii Kaushik, Indrani Halder, Arjun Chakraborty, Ananya Chatterjee, Sohini Pal, Riingo, Churni Ganguly and Shrabanti.

1. Vivekananda Park , one of the street food hotspots of Kolkata, is the single most favourite street food destination of most actors.

2. Sandwich is the favourite light bite of 33% of celebs out of which 25% like chicken sandwich.

3. Sher-e-Punjab on the highway at Kolaghat is the favourite restaurant outside Kolkata for Chandreyee Ghosh, Indrani Halder and Shrabanti. The possible common thread among them for this selection? The trips to the districts for shows and 'jatras'.

4. The cooking bit was a true revealation. Though the list was dominated by male actors/ directors and maiden actresses, the preparations they can make ranges from Yakhni Pulao (Anjan) to chocolate cake (Sohini) through meat ball soup (Ananya) and pork (Rrishii).

Of all, Arjun emerges as the greatest foodie, mainly for his wide range of favourites in home food (Parshey machher jhal, chholar dal, cauliflower fried in mustard oil, shukto, kasha mangsho etc.).

Three 'strategic' gifts

The recent central rail budget looked like no short of an angel's gift to Bengalis. For everyone who's not a follower of the Rail Minister, the announcements, touching every strata of the society, were too good to believe. Among them the optimists' brigade may have thought even if 60% of the projects come through, it will change rail travel in Bengal.

And today marks a memorable follow-up to the budget. Two inauguration announcements and changing the name of one of the erstwhile metro rail terminal stations promise to leave a lasting impression on the Bengali's life. Inauguration of extension of metro from Tollygunge to Garia, kickstart of the first Ladies' Special train from Bandel to Howrah and renaming Tollygunge metro station as 'Uttam Kumar'- Bengal's greatest matinee idol- in the month of his death are something every Bengali concerned anywhere in the world is surely taking note of.

In the political perspective, it doesn't take more than common sense to see that timing all the three on the same day, that too a Sunday when everyone has the privilege to catch a live telecast of the same and just before the 21st July roadshow of Trinamool Congress, is a strategic move, keeping in mind the 2011 assembly elections. And by that count it has indeed hit the bull's eye.

The sensational Sens

For long I wanted to write on the sensational Sen family of Kolkata, that has made a mark in tinsel town generation after generation. Making an impromptu beginning here with the content of a mail I shot to t2. It's my brief take on what I like about them.

Suchitra Sen: Beauty, grace, poise, carriage, gravity. She didn't unlock her true acting potential and chose to stay within a stereotype that changed with time and her maturity.

Moon Moon Sen: Glamour (the true embodiment of the word in the history of Bengali cinema), sex appeal, carriage. She never took the craft of acting seriously and flowed with the wave. It has always been her glamour and sex appeal that have been cultivated by the Bengali cinema audience and her acting skill hasn’t found much favour. Her true potential hasn't really been tapped. To be honest she even took her looks for granted and didn’t put in as much hard work for maintaining it as required despite being an actress in mainstream cinema.

Raima Sen: She's inherited her grandma's grace and poise. She's beautiful and charming. She's taken her craft seriously and is pursuing her career with focus. She's lucky too in getting the early breaks (Godmother, Chokher Bali) and getting noticed through them.

Riya Sen: Characteristically she’s closer to her mom than her sibling. She has inherited Moon Moon’s glamour and sex appeal. She hasn’t shown a keen interest in acting so far (Abahoman and Noukadubi can’t be discussed as they are yet to release) and has leveraged her looks in a focused manner. Unlike her mom she seems to work hard in maintaining it.

(Pictures top to bottom: Suchitra Sen, Moon Moon Sen, Raima Sen, Ria Sen)

Not so wow

Sampled mushroom momo, a new variant of the famous Tibetan food to me, at the Wow! Momo counter in Spencer's Hyper at Rashbehari Avenue yesterday. Was keen to try it being a mushroom freak. But the taste left a lot to be desired. I could hardly feel the mushroom slices. The soup was too salty and not exactly the kind you expect with momos. Also four pieces for Rs 40 is a little too premium for a hypermarket.

All in all, a thumbs down.

Random observations

Two things amused me on MG Rd on a recent trip to Hindu School. A new Bengali restaurant calls itself a multidimensional restaurant on the signboard (actually meaning multicuisine). It indeed looks 'ambitious' to perceive (and trying to make the customers do that too) each cuisine a dinemnsion, huh?

And New Raj, the old 'pure' veterian sweet shop, adjacent to Moonlight cinema, showed up with a takeaway roll counter at one side with all kinds of rolls including popular non-veg variries like egg roll and chicken roll.

Food for thought, indeed!

A green revolution?

First, the stunning sweep in Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections (25 off 42 seats) in May 16, followed by the not-so-unexpected municipal elections (13 off 16 municipalities) end-June, the Trinamool Congress- Congress (Indian National Congress) combine is riding on the rock-solid anti-left wave. The fate of KMC elections next year is clearer and the predictions for the 2011 assembly elections in Bengal has probably started. Is a green revolution waiting to unfold two years from now?

Very interestingly the image of the Trinamool supremo has visibly started evolving since before the LS elections. Mamata Banerjee looked unusually calm (even on the face of provocative questions), smiled a lot (and with ease!!), used a rarely-witnessed sense of humour and quoted classic literature in the long TV interviews on Star Ananda in the build-up to the Lok Sabha polls. She has apparently discouraged victory processions even after the historic LS results and now telling her party's supporters to become 'modest' after victory.

All this is in a stark contrast to the Mamata we always knew. Needless to say she's scored quite a few brownie points among those who've never exactly liked her way of doing things. This Mamata is calm, more in line with strategic thinking, shows a healthy temperament and on a single-minded mission that is a complete washout of the Left Front in the 2011 assembly elections in Bengal. There are reasons for increasing creases on the foreheads of Alimuddin's top brass.