"Cheeni Kum" mein Cheeni kum hain !!!!???

You should see "cheeni kum" if
1. You want to see the stellar performances of Amitabh, Tabu, Paresh Rawal and Zohra Sehgal.
2. If you want to see an indian film in the backdrop of tasty indian food. Amitabh runs an Indian restaurent in london.
3. If you are okay with an older man (60+) falling for a younger woman (30+); but not like a dark hued film like nishabd - its a satirical comedy
4. If you believe that kids should speak like adults even if they are 6 yrs of age.
5. If you think that the girl should not leave her lover even if he is older than her dad (six years) - and this means trouble
6. If you believe that just by covering yourself in khadi and wearing rounded frame glasses, you can't claim to be the follower of Bapu.
8. If you want to laugh on a cook's malayalee accent.

You should not see "cheeni kum" if
1. You are very conservative and feel that such an age gap is not allowed between lovers.
2. If you believe that kids should be kids.
3. If you don't digest a satirical comedy.

Overall, Cheeni Kum is a good film. Nothing is misplaced and they have handled a good subject by means of a film. Amitabh is great - He looks fit and fabulous. What a comeback to Hindi for Tabu! Zohra, Amitabh's mom, is constantly insisting Amitabh to join the gym - this gives us some lighter moments - they both share a great chemistry. Amitabh and Tabu - trust me! look great together. Paresh Raval - you can see a typical "old" indian dad who threatens his daughter that he will go on a hunger strike till death if she chooses Amitabh as her soul mate.

But, at times I felt that this film has a feeble story line - all the ingredients are there - par cheeni kum hain. However, I recommend - worth watchable for the above reasons.

Chicken curry for your soul... :p

Chicken tastes really good if prepared like this!

Chicken -500 gms
Tomatoes - 2: blended
1.
Onions - 3: finely chopped (you can use a grinder for this but don't make it a puree; just chop each onion into six halves and grind it for 4 secs - this worked for me)
Green chillies - 2 nos
2.
Curd - 1 tbsp(thick)
Turmeric powder - one tsp
Ground red chilly powder - one tsp
Chicken masala (Everest)- half tbsp
3.
Ginger - chopped - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped -1 tsp
Garlic - ten cloves
Green chillies - 2 nos
4.
Mustard seeds -half tsp
Sunflower oil - 4 tbsp
5.
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chicken masala (Everest)- two half tbsp
Coriander powder - two table spoon
Salt - to taste

Cook's Way
First, mix the cleaned chicken pieces with ingredients no.2 and marinate it for an hour.

Grind the ingredients no.3 into a fine paste.

Now, in a deep pan, add oil and mustard seeds; later, add ingredients no. 1 and ingredients no.3 and saute it nicely on low flame. Next, add and blended tomatoes when the onions become slightly brown and allow thenm to boil for five minutes. To this, add ingredients no.5 and continue mixing them at low flame. Add chicken pieces and two cups of water along with salt to taste. Boil this for 5 mins on high flame with constant (slow) mixing. Finally, close the vessel with a lid and allow it to cook at low flame till the chicken pieces are cooked well and the gravy thickens.

More chicken masala (maybe a tbsp) can be added, as the gravy is slightly sweet because of the ground onions.

This dish goes well with rotis.

Evolution: Adding curry leaves is also recommended.

My Verdict: My husband loved this curry. The gravy was lip smacking :P I was happy that I used less oil and it turned out well.

The Reptile that (((((Shrunk)))) my Soul!

I woke up and moved to the kitchen.
My sleepy eyes!
My groggy mind!

And LO!!!!!!
I saw that huge reptile crouching on the wall!
It ran with great vigour towards me!
I ran out of the kitchen.... (poor weak- hearted me)

My heart became a pin head
My mouth went dry
I experienced goose pimples on my head!
(In seconds, I carried a Cruella hair do!)

How can this reptile torcher me like this without hurting me?? I wondered
I summoned up all my courage and moved back into the kitchen.
(As you see in some scary movies, the hero advances towards the ghost)

I looked around! I couldn't find the lizard
I ran back to my room and took my glasses so that I can believe my eyes
Slowly, with soft steps I moved towards the sink and started washing the vessels ...

I moved towards the gas stove, suddenly, something fell on me!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...............!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (echo!) I screamed with all my might and ran out!

Damn! the lizard was back
It attacked me!!!
I was travelling on the thread between life and death!
I don't remember what went through my mind that time.
All that I remember is that I was screaming on the top of my voice with closed eyes and I could see some red sparks...

To some, the lizard is cute with beautiful eyelids and a pink body (YUCK!)

I found that the lizards in my native were far better - at least they were tiny
This lizard was ugly, huge and had warts :(
I wondered how Steve Irwin could handle four comodos together with no fear!
And here, poor me cannot even handle a tiny lizard.

I waited for some time and slowly peeped into the kitchen
All that I could hear was a thumping sound - by the way, that was my heart

People laugh at this phobia but later I discovered that my colleague had this too!
Phew! so this is not abnormal! I felt relieved!

Every time I enter the kitchen, I feel that I am in constant scrutiny by that reptile!

When I told regarding this encounter to my friend, he smiled and replied "Maybe the lizard got scared and was trying to exit!"

I don't believe this!

Picasa tales - I

Scene 1
Me: I need ur pics
Friend 1: For what?
Me: am editing pics?
Friend 1: So? why u need mine?
Me: To enhance it!
Friend 1: ?????????????
Me: Hey! I will make it look better
Friend 1: But????? why only meeeeeeee??? oh will see u later! hold on! am busy! (escaped!)

Scene 2
Me: I need ur kid's pics
Friend 2: For what?
Me: i will show my capabilitites in photo editing
Friend 2: ????? ...okay but whats the need now?
Me: To enhance it!
Friend 2: ok! :S
Me: Hey! hows it?
Friend 2: Baby is looking paler!!! :D:D:D:D
Me: Oh ! learn to appreciate my creativity. I will send one more!
Friend 2: hehe! wait i am mentally preparing to see the pics :D
Me: :-#
Friend 2: Hey this looks cool! (applause!!!)
Me: thanks!!!! :p


Scene 3
Me: I need ur pics
Friend 3: For what?
Me: Can't u trust me??? I am not any fraud!
Friend 3: ????? ...NO
Me: what??? :-o
Friend 3: pics are not mine..it belongs to nature..it is paper and dye..if its jpeg its electrons and protons
Me: :( (omg!)
Friend 3: what is the purpose?
Me: do u trust me?
Friend 3: NO
Me: then don't send!!!bye! X-(
Friend 3: How would i know if you will put an ad in paper that i am missing or that i am in search of a bride?
Me: How can yu think like this????????? :-o :-o :-o (faints!)

Egg and Bread Masala

This is tea time snack! I happened to go through several recipes of Egg and Bread masala and finally thought of trying it.

Bread - 8 slices and powder (one tbsp- can be prepared by grinding a bread slice)
Onions-cleaned and sliced finely- two
Green chillies - three to four
Sunflower oil - 3 tbsp
Tomatoes- finely sliced - a small one
Eggs-3
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt-to taste

Cook's Way
First, cut the bread into small pieces. Heat the oil and fry the onions and chillies in a pan. Add the bread pieces to it and just fry them till they slightly turn brown and crispy.
Next, add the beaten eggs to these bread pieces and scramble them.
Then, add the chilly powder, salt and tomatoes and fry them till the tomatoes become dry. Finally, add the bread powder and mix it well into the dish.

Evolution: You can avoid the tomato, the snack tastes different.

My verdict: This dish tastes a little spicy and (somewhat like a sandwich) its tastier with less oil. My husband told me to add more chillies next time. :) Moreover, its very easy to make. A healthier option is to use brown bread and two tbsps of oil.

Editor in Love!

This poetic passage is dedicated to my editor friend who recently got engaged! (Strange are the ways of love!)

My friend got engaged!
His eyes gleamed with happiness, I gauged!!!

Oh!!! he fell into a deep trance...
No chats, no messages

I wonder how he changed so :D~
That's the power of love - don't you think so?

Long distant calls started taking toll
He confessed "I didn't know that I could speak so much?"

He longed for her presence..
His heart rippled with joy!

When I buzzzz!!! him, he says
"Oh I am in the trance ... Let me be there! I love it" :-o

I asked him "How's she?"
He replies, "Oh! she hardly speaks, just she has a limit on how many words to be told in a stipulated time"

"Before she used to tell yes/no
Now I get some sentences
Hope i get to hear new sentences
and a few complex clauses,
but let it be in such a way that it does not complicate my future"

I smiled! :)

He enjoys to day-dream now!
He loves to make long-distant calls now!
He loves to keep his dame happy!
He loves to be in love!

P.S. He justifies, Follow Abdul Kalaam's policy "Always dream about your future"

Four months to go for the marriage - he fears bankruptcy due to phone bills!!

Friend! now you are a busy man - hope your love lasts forever!!
Enjoy such beautiful moments to the fullest!

Koushambi

The brutal and cold-blooded murdering of Koushambi Layek is now all over the headlines. Manish Thakur was arrested by the Police from a hotel room in Andheri!

You can find love in the strangest places, indeed!!!

Koushambi Layek, a 24-year old software professional working for TCS would have never expected that she could have ever faced such a brutal death!

Koushambi met Thakur, a navy officer, online two years back and the story goes like this. Manish, in spite of being married lured her to marry him. Koushambi had informed this to her family, but they advised her not to marry him. Their relationship continued and the Police suspect that he might have murdered her because she denied to marry him. Manish tried to convince her several times that he will divorce his wife to marry her. In fact, he had not informed her inititally that he was married. Her body was found in a pool of blood in hotel room in Andheri. They had checked in as Mr. and Mrs. Thakore on May 12. She had been killed in Sunday night and by Monday afternoon her body was found by the hotel employees. By then Manish had sneaked away.

Police confirmed that this murder was preplanned.This is because Manish was already carrying a chopper and a gun with him. They also suspect that he might have shot her in her sleep. The latest updates on CNN-IBN say that after shooting her (through a pillow to avoid noise of the gunshot! and he even turned up the TV volume), Manish wanted to chop her into pieces. But, he couldn't and he stayed almost 5 hours drinking (a whole bottle of whisky - to summon up courage??).

Now where does orkut come into picture: Both of them had their profiles on orkut!
Condolences are pouring into her scrapbook (http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=11725203022944506305) and some "great wishes" into his (http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=348385650417627297)! Using this site, the police tracked the killer at Vasco (in Goa)

I was shocked to see the testimonial written by a girl to her future killer:

Koushambi: Well, what to say about this sportive guy... He is really caring and loving guy... He is amazing, awesome and friendly. I need not describe him as anyone close to him must surely be aware of his abilities. He is an all rounder.. Be it in the field of studies, sports or music. He is a champo...Don't u think so???

According to her, he seems to be intelligent - an all rounder - well his so-called intelligence killed her!

Why did u do this? She was the only financial support to her mom, who is a widow. The deadly roots from the net just squashed her life and a family's hopes. When matrimonial sites make relationships online, we should be aware that there are so many deadly pits in the Internet where you can fall to never return. Can you imagine such an incident happening to your friend? Her friends are all in a shock - they can't believe that she could get involved with such a Psycho!

This reminds me of another incident - One of the girls whom I know met a guy through the net - It all started with friendship and later after an year or two they started dating. They fell in love (that was expected!), but before getting too involved she asked for commitment. His reply was "Oh ! I can't guarantee that I will marry you - you may have to wait for two years till my younger sister gets married. I can't forget my sister's marriage and start thinking about mine."I couldn't help thinking myself: Okayyyyyyyyy!!! MR. PERFECT!!!! - your love for family is like"WOW," but where are u luring this second female into - for time pass? Is she not a sister to her brother? What is this downtrodden mentality? [Lolakutty says: "Doodh ka doodh aur nariyal paani ka naariyal paani??"]

I dedicate this blog post to all those who have got anonymous friends on the Internet. Next time you get involved with someone, at least be meticulous. Not all the prince charmings or drop dead gorgeous' are worth a relationship!

U can pay your tributes to Koushambi here: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=32445399