Namashkar on Pankaj's Funtertainment.

2011 - A Year of Marketing

2011-12-26T11:56:00.013-05:00

Meri Jaan, as we move into 2012, all I can think about is - What is this-what is this-what is this Kolaveri D?

This song probably broke all records of an absolutely-ridiculous non-musical-but catchy song. It had probably the highest audio and video downloads in just 30 days.

Apart from been attached to THE RAJNI - the big buzz that worked for Kolaveri was Marketing - and same goes for the year 2011.

This was a year of - Marketing, Marketeers and Musketeers !!

Globally, one of the most popular marketed event was 'The Royal Wedding'. It shut down offices, business and the country. The biggest marketing from the event was of the back side of the designer gown that Pippa Middleton wore.

D-amn, a gown took away all the hoopla of the grand wedding, well atleast for few weeks the Eurozone economy was on Back-burner.

If we just look at events in India - The ONE marketing event that shook the country, apart from Sunny Leone's entry in Big Boss (that just shook Ramdev Baba's dhoti) or the slap to Sharad Pawar (that just shook Mr. Pawar) was 'Mee Anna Aahey'!

What a wonderfully scripted and marketed campaign in a country ruled by corruption and corrupt people?

This event was so successful that even the FDI's could not stand in front of this front. Just like all marketing campaigns are created to promote that specific product, this movement was to market -Anna.

Now another campaign is been launched to re-market the same product - 'Jail Bharo'.

Damn - idhar bhi we had to copy the west - we used 'Jail Bharo' and not 'Deewaar-Sadak Bharo' !! (Occupy Wall Street anyone :)

Well, some politicians in India like Kalamadi, Kani and Raja really had a pre-feel of the 'Jail Bharo' movement and they participated pre-maturely to mature their A$$ets.

Similarly, some of the jump-on-maiD politicans, also did amazing marketing and diverted the attention in their countries from their corruption scandals to their personal scandals.

After 10, 15, 30 days and 60 days of jail term, they eventually got released to enjoy their jail-term bonus dividends and returns of 3000 crore+ scam money!

Well, atleast they all did a wonderful marketing campaign by staying in the 9-star jails for a few D-ays ! Woh kya kahte hain - Anna-dho main Kani Raja :)

A very interesting and baap-of-all-marketing campaign that actually shook the world was "Osama is D-ea-D". This mother-of-all-campaigns actually shook everyone because supposedly this person was captured and buried even before anyone knew about it. Damn - now no one knows if this was real or fictious?

How will anyone ever know if Osama was a bird or a person or just a paper character?? Hey, who cares, God Bless America's created characters !

Talking of characters - one character that really met his fate was Colonel Gadaffi. What a showman (oho- not Subhashiji - he is really busy in casting couch).

Gaddaffi was a real show-man and his audience was his-body-girls-ooh-la-la !!!

Talking about bodygirls and bodyguards - Desi Bollywood released some of the most hyped-and-marketed movies this year with Hamster Khan topping it off with RA-1 and DON-2 and now we have a Mannat-3. Mr. Ham-burger please stick with what you know best (make love stories and market your movies) and do it good, DONT-T try another DON - EVER!!!

Sallu Bhai also did an amazing campaign of 'Being Human' with his movies Rea-D and Bodyguar-D. Another bollywooD fare that was marketed exceptionally well was the ooh-la-la Vidya Balan starrer Dirty Picture.

While there were lots of other events, sad news on the Indian cultutral front involved passing away of the Ghazal Maestro - Jagjit Singh, Classical Lion - Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, The voice of soil - Bhupen Hazarika, Yahoo - Mr. Shammi Kapoor and the evergreen romantic - Dev AnanD.

Dev Anand changed the face of Bollywood Hero with movies like Baazi, Taxi Driver, CID, Funtoosh, Hum Dono, Jaali Note, Nau Do Gyarah, Munimji, Paying Guest, Kala Paani, Kaala Bazaar, Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hain, Guide, Prem Pujari, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Johnny Mera Naam and Des Pardes to name a few. May you RIP Sir !

So people while life goes on, what I observed this year is that world is truly changing - Climatic changes: the number of earthquakes and floods (Tsunami-Japan) this year have been abnormally high, Political changes: the number of public uprising against regimes globally is a reflection of coming times; Financial changes: With the economy playing see-saw, changes are bound to be carried over next year - no one can predict - good or BA-D; Technology changes: Paid services and Cloud are taking over - soon kids might be singing what is this ACD, VCD and DV-D?

Meri Jaan - while we all go through the events that will unfold next year, one thing is sure - 2012 is here, whether it is Happy-D or Dooms-D, we will all C!! For now Yenna Rascala MinD-it and enjoy Kolaveri-D !!!

Till we meet next, make plans and do-able resolutions for the New Year, enjoy precious moments with friends & family, and always-always Stay in LOEVE !!!!!

- Pankaj Purohit

Raja Ki Kahaani

2011-11-05T12:00:00.004-04:00

Nov 2011.

Meri Jaan, recently, I was speaking with some folks that have moved back to India. We were talking about what they really missed of the US, and apart from the obvious basic civic sense, Infrastructure, People-n-Courtesies, Overall cleanliness in the environment, most mentioned that they really missed those feeling-desi days.

Days like going to events like an Indian concert, or those Indian Independence Day parade or those Heritage India events. Those small moments of bringing home desi grocery, CD, DVD, desi paper, enjoying apna food, apne stalls, the desh-bhakti-ka-jazba, some remote celebrity sightings (hey I saw Ranjeet) and the desi celebrations (lets play antakshiri) !

Some said they missed the fact that sometimes they would really park their car in the garage and wait to listen to my radio show (in Hindi) on EBC, or even things like watching AVS used to be something not to be missed.

Its like they were trying to re-create every moment of India in the US, and now that they were back in India, there was nothing to look forward to.

In India, Paani Puri is in abundance, Chole bature, hakka noodles, dosa-idli, gobi manchurian, chicken lolipop is everywhere, and so is the Indian-ness. So, now they were feeling lost back in Swades :)

I think it is very natural to be lost. I also had that desi longing for a long time, and every year when I used to see the desi flag in full flow, I used to get that layer-of-moistness in the eyes. It is very normal Meri Jaan, to miss that Paani puri or Chaat because internally we really do miss apna desh when we live abroad.

Its our country, our food, Meri Jaan, its apni identity in this world !!!

But, is that not the same here? I still miss those Mexican-Chevys joints, Macaroni Grills and Olive Gardens, or the TGIFs?? I miss the ease of walking into a BJs, or Sams club, or even a Walmart and buying all that you need.

But things are changing this end too. Malls are becoming bigger, shops like Walmart and joints like TGIFs are coming up in abundance. Tou, time tou lagega, but the bigger thing is and I am sure most will agree is that it is tough-er to make the move from Vides to Des, than from Des to Videsh !

Also, because we have made our lives abroad, to simply abandon it and move back and dstart from the base, takes a lot of courage !!

But, if you look at it a little differently; Even in the US, if you walk into any Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Citibank, JP Morgan or for that matter any IT floor, all you will see is more than 60% apna desi public and few mix of chinese and then some Gora/ Latino public.

If you live in areas where you can have your mix of Indian and Videshi crowd, you are ok. Same is happening here too. Whoa !!! Tou phir problem kya hain? Does it matter - if it is Nariman Point or Hudson Pier?? Epiphany - kyun?? Why are we still thinking in terms of des-pardes?

Bottomline, being lost is OK !! And then again, this is 2011-going to 2012. Life has changed, it is no more the 70s or 80s, when videsh was still - Phoren.

Depending on where you decide to live, atleast in Swades, from what I have seen, kids will defnitely be much free-er, they will have more sensory perceptions, they may be a little more protected but they will always have more street smartness, and I dont have to mention about studies and the curriculum in schools and then basically you have Apne-Log as against the Yule-log (American TV on a Christmas night, anyone :)

Tou Meri Jaan, there is really not much difference between the Hamptons or the Himachals, Pointpleasant or the Aksa beach.

If you are still with me and reading this blog, to keep you motivated, Ek Story yaad aati hain about a parrot in a Raja's palace.

There was once a parrot in a Raja's palace.

Every day, the parrot abided by the Raja's demands. To keep the Raja happy, day in and day out, the parrot used to sing to the Raja's tunes. He used to pay his dues to keep the Raja happy, and was scared that if it did someting wrong, the Raja would throw it out of the cage and palace.

The Raja was very happy and used to kept the parrot in an ironcage. The parrot also felt great staying in the iron cage and yes, in the Raja's palace.

The Raja used to feed the parrot very well, and used to give him lots of jawaar to eat. Raja used to tell the parrot that if he did what the Raja said, then one day, the Raja would give the parrot a golden chair.

The parrot was very happy, always waiting for the day he would sit on that golden chair and maybe one day he would get THE golden cage.

One day the great day came and the parrot got the golden chair, but after sitting on the chair, he did not feel any different, as he was still inside the cage, just a little higher. One day, he also got the golden cage, but he still did not feel free.

Finally, one evening, the parrot was looking outside his cage, looking up in the sky.

The parrot saw all the other parrots flying outside the palace. They were probably not given that much to eat, but most of them seemed very happy, well spirited and free. Ek Din, a fakeer went by the palace singing a song "Sone ke pinzre ko chod ke dekh, zindagi ka saamna karke tou dekh".

So, one fine day the parrot decided that jo bhi ho, I am not going to stay in this golden cage, I want to be free!

I have the golden chair, I have Golden Cage, I have unlimited jawaar, but where is the life?

Next day, when the Raja asked him to do something, the parrot did what he felt was right! He refused to abide by the Raja's orders. The Raja got really furious and told his soldiers to remove the bird from the cage, and released the parrot out in the sky!

The parrot was a little shaken, but once he was in the sky he could see the open skies, the horizon-zenith, the limitless expansion, and most importantly, his freedom and his happiness.

Alas ! The parrot was free, he was no longer in that cage. The parrot had become Ek Azaad Parinda !!!

Tou then, coming back to our discussion, dont worry too much if you are really keen and planning to come back or Return to India (r2I). Things have really changed and the people too.

Meri Jaan, you can never make India - America/UK or vice-versa. But dont be scared to come back to apni country. If you want to, seize the moment and take the leap !

Ek Sheyr pesh hain: (Irshaad tou bolo !! )
Nazar aur Nazaaron ka aisa nazraana hota hain kabhi-kabhi,
Ke Uski nazrein karam nazar hi nahin aati !
Raah hoti hain, safar hota hain, aur humsafar bhi hote hain,
Lekin, Zindagi door door tak nazar nahin aati !

Bheja Fry message in this post Diwali week:
In the end, it is all about what makes YOU free from YOUR Bindings, YOUR miseries, gives YOU what YOU need and makes YOU happy.

If thats what it is, tou phir it really does not matter - chaahe woh videsh ho, ya apna desh !!

Tou Meri Jaan, with Diwali week almost over, I am really enjoying the most in Apna Swades! Aapka kya hogaa?

Meri Jaan, till we meet next time, stay Safe, stay in Holiday mood, and stay in Loeve !

- Pankaj

Anna's Tea Party !!

2011-08-18T13:11:00.004-04:00

Meri Jaan, while the US Tea Party is already rattling the next Presidential nominations, and the so-called-tea-party movement's in the "rest of the world" are already rocking the Middle East and African nations, apna "Desi Tea party" has turned into a rave party.

Anna Tum Aagey badho - Hum tumhare Saath hain !! Mee Anna Aahey !

When you hear words like these at your work place, at the street corners, on signboards, bridges all across the nation and in your residential community, whatever said and done it is honestly great to see this level of unity for "some movement" in apna yeh unity-in-diversity waala desh!

I am not sure of the outcome of this "jan morcha", but somehow Anna's popularity reminds me of a movie called Main Azaad Hoon.

It is is very less-er known movie. Lots of people may not even be aware that Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was the lead actor in this movie.

The story goes that a group of politicians and newspaper folks come together to create a character called "AZAAD." He is created to boost TRPs of the newspaper and to boost some political agendas.

Azaad is brought in to portray all that is bad in the existing world.

Azaad talks about "Corruption". Azaad talks about "farmers problems", he talks about "educating villagers". Azaad talk about the "education system" and the "mill worker" issues.

Essentially, Azaad becomes a symbol to bring forth problems of the "RK Laxman" man.

What happens is that the newsmedia folks, the judicial counterparts, the politicians are little aware that "Azaad" no longer just stays a name; Azaad becomes a movement, he becomes a Superhero who comes back to hit the same politicians like a boomerang !!

Meri Jaan, I dont know if Anna is a politically created character or is this a fictional work-in real life, par somehow, kuch aisa hi - idhar bhi ho gaya hain.

Daddy look - is that a bird - is that a plane, or are those taarey?
No Honey - that is the common man- thats Anna Hazare !!

Tou aagey badho Anna - we are with you !!! Aao Aa-jao is corrupt desh pe chaa jaao ! Corruption is one issue, we need to tackle a long list of Anna-nya and Hazar-on Khwaishein aisi ke har khwaish pe dum nikle !!

Meri Jaan, till we meet next, stay safe-from corruption, stay involved-in the movement, and stay in love with Yeh-Mera-INDIA !!!

- Pankaj Purohit

Debt Man Walking !

2011-08-03T14:24:00.002-04:00

Meri Jaan, so the US debt standoff has taken a seating and the fragile economy has been VIRTUALLY lifted. All Hail Obama!

Tou, While you enjoy this moment of upbeat market and start planning for a beach-trip to Ocean City, let me share a small story.

When I reached the Yankees shore in the late 90s, I would walk into the grocery stores, Sears, Walmart, JC Penny's and macys carrying cash bills of 100+ and 500+ USD Greens. One day, a friend who saw me use those greens said "dont walk around with so much cash - no one does." I asked - But how would I pay for purchases? Arre yaar - use Credit Card - US runs on plastic and the plastic card !

His mantra stayed with me, I took a note of his advice and started applying for as many credit cards that I could. Some rejected me, some dejected me, as I did not have enough credit history in the country.

Soon a very pretty sounding voice called me up to offer me a card. "We are offering you a PLATINUM VISA CARD with a limit of X amount. We are offering a promotional 18%APR and blah-blah". I was ELATED !!! Yeah - Now, I can live the plastic dream !!! I HAVE an Uncle $am issued CREDIT CARD.

Slowly and slowly I started using the card and kept paying off the amounts and it started building my credit. Initially I had a limit of X and that eventually became X multipled by 500 and manifolds.

Then one day, I realized, why pay off the complete balance? Why not pay only the minimum amount and keep rotating the cash in hand for other uses. So, I kept paying the minimum amounts, and kept moving my cash in hand for other purchase needs.

On the other hand, I also kept asking the credit companies to raise my debt ceiling, as I had already built a good credit.

We really dont need to go further into the story, as the larger idea is to point towards the FOREST, rather than being stuck in the trees and the shrubs!

Are you telling me that in the whole world, the economists are not forseeing the burden of the US debt-ing? Are we as lay folks missing something here?

Should we be rooting at this decision like a hollywood movie scene where the lead actor saves the world from a asteroid or a meteor strike and all the NASA folks start clappping and cheering?

Hey - the crisis has been averted - FOR TODAY!! But, there a need to seriously do some prob-ing? The larger picture is that US has about $10 to $20 trillion in debt and this does not account for the additional liabilities of about $60+ trillion, plus, not accounting the biggest fact that the entire country runs on - CREDIT CARDS!!!! This debt is going no where honey - un-hun !!

Meri Jaan, looking at my story, If the credit card companies raised my debt ceiling from 20K to 100K, it helped me purchase to the extent of 100K and that is fine if I could repay 100K. But hey - if I could not even repay 20K, how the hell am I going to repay trillion dollar debt??

See the forest? Dont you think it is still really a sad state 18months post the Lehmann debacle?

The point of the above bingings is not that US economy will not improve or should the govt have let the country go in another economic grave? Certainly not, these are just my ramblings because as tax payers, we should just have some awarenesss of the ground on which we stand.

I think the debt ceiling raise was the only option the house had to prevent the US economy to go in any more bad state. This decision has certainly bought some time till 2013.

Again that makes sense because the world ends in 2012 - right? So, while we all keep searching for the Economic SINGHAM post 2013, for now, from where I see - US is a debt man walking, tou bhaag DK Bose :)

Meri Jaan, till we meet next, stay focussed -plan for the labor day weekend, stay financially safe and stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

Run Baba Run !

2011-06-08T08:31:00.013-04:00

Welcome folks to the mid-summer edition of this blog.

Meri Jaan, I am really humbled by some of your emails and responses. For some of you still looking for me on EBC Radio, I have moved from New Jersey to Pune, India (The move to SWADES is permanent FOR NOW, becoz to be honest even I dont know whats coming next, but I will definitely be coming down to visit Oak Tree town in the next few years :)

But, I can promise that I will always respond to you on email, so please keep those wonderful emails flowing.

Meri Jaan, while summer has picked up in the US, it is hot, and raining around this side of the world.

For folks from around Pune, rains mean Lonavala, National Chikki, Joshi Vada, Khandala, Sinhgad, Ambey Valley, Tiger Point, Mahabaleshwar, Bushy Dam, Mulshi and endless fun in the rain.

Sahee main, Baarish ka mazaa in apna-des is something else !
Kahin bhi garam-garam chai and vada paav, pakode, samose, or those bhajias ummm.. !!

While rain brings in those kind of fun in our lives, it is interesting that politics also starts to get rainin-ly funny around this time!

Recently there was almost a scene from a desi flick - It was time for Baba Ramdev to come on-stage in the morning, the crowd was cheering "Baba-re-Baba yeh kya ho gayaa" all night long, and at the crack of dawn, local police authorities did a WWF smackdown on his supporters and followers. To prevent getting from arrested, Baba wore a salwar-kurta and asked two of his followers to take him away.

While Baba was on-foot, a police van saw a lady been assisted by two other women and offered help. No longer did they come close they realized, hey, this is no lady, but someone with a beard - hold on, this is Baba trying to escape amidst the hoopla dressed as a lady. Pakdo !! Pakdo Pakdo !!

Phones start buzzing all around - Fas gaye re Baba, Yeh kya ho gayaa !!

Now thats a night of some lathi action for these overweight police academy mamas!! All right everyone now time to go back on that DK Bose action ! And the media goes abuzz again !

For some of you Bheja-fry-types-that know all-or-want-to-know-it-all types, Baba Ramdev is a yoga and health-fitness guru. He has a business empire that goes beyond crores, billions and trillions of USD. He even has a island in Scotland given to him by his devotees to teach Yoga and offer the perfect spa relaxation.

He travels in his chartered jets and swooshes in "imported" cars. It seems someone poked him the wrong way on his empire's accounting status and now he is going to not let them sleep peacefully.

Well, lets hope some crackers fly as this time lots of I wanna be in the limelight kinds, some lone crusaders and Anna Hazare's might join Baba in his demands. Not sure where all this will end, but like they say, its all fair for the love of poli-tics !!

So, while Baba is on his crusdade, another old man is on his crusade, and that is the Young looking BBuddah in the industry - and I dont mean Dev Anand !! Amitabh Bachchan is coming in a new movie called "Bbuddah hoga tera baap", and the promos look dashing !

So, all the best Bachchan saab, hopefully we will get to see the good old man doing thoda action-thoda jackson, kyonki tum jahaa khade ho jaate ho line wahee se shuru hoti hain !!

If you are not into Bolly-wood or Poli-tics, well tennis was brilliant in the last few weeks as Nadal beat Federer in the French open. It was a brilliant game in Men's segment and if you did not know this already, the new French open winner in the women's segment is Chi-na's Li-na (damn!! China is picking up everywhere)

Meri Jaan, if you are not into any of that, and all you do is travel for work day-in-day-out and keep searching on travelocity for travel deals or on ubid and cnet for tech stuff, watch out for that Apple iCloud, its going to create a big Thunderstorm, and yes another on your radar should be the Chromebook laptop with Google OS and not MS Windows !

Meri Jaan, duniya-ki-happenings se away, if you are one of those who has been away from all this because of the dilemma of Des-Prem V/s X+1 US Syndrome and What will happen to my kid's education if I move, and still keep asking urself if it is a good or bad idea to move back to "woh jo des hain tera". All I wil say is that decision is all YOURS.

Each place has its good and bad attributes, its all about where and how you want to end up, Note: Tomorrow never dies, but you will and so will the people around you! So a lot actually depends on your circumstances and priorities in life !

Meri Jaan, so, whether you feel happy about Kanimozhi in Jail, or Rajni Superstar feeling better and getting ready for RANA, or sad because 26/11 Rana getting aquitted or why was READY made without any storyline or Picasso of India passing away at an early age of 95 or why did I MF Strauss do what he did or who is Ranbir dating next or who and what is Mallika doing next, or Which Euro-nation is going out next, or which Middle eastern country is going down next, or Is US debt going to go away ever, go ahead and do some soul searching on those thoughts, grab a hangover-tini, stay happy, but most important-ly stay in lo-eve !!

- Pankaj Purohit

Clean Up -Clean Up !!

2011-05-08T11:24:00.009-04:00

May 2011.

Meri Jaan, summer is almost here !! For some of you in the US and still in hibernation, be ready to work on those dry grass patches and give a quickvisit to the nearest pottery or flower barn.

Bring on those blooming flowers and start looking into the landscape, lets get ready for some cleaning.

Bring out the mulch, the weedwackers and lawn mowers out of the shed and those CHILLED BEERS out of the refrigerator!

Its cleanup time people. Osama is out clean-hopefully, Obama is born clean, Royal wedding showed the nice and clean part of Brits, and the Asteroid supposed to hit earth at the end of this year may just miss it clean !

So, pack your bags and get out of bed to sip-dose-martini's!

I had a great start to the summer with a short visit to the 'lake district of India', an area called Nainital in a state called Uttaranchal. It is a surreal town - called 'hill station' in desi lingo - due to the surroundings of lakes and valleys. It is like a combination of Vermont and Poconos but without the snow.

Nature-sque Terrains and breathtaking views are at each and every curve of the drive, kind of like a vista point throughout the mountains. The area also has specific 'touristy' points up high in the mountatins from where the Himalayas are a stone's throw away-via a binocular !

I also went to such a place called "Zero Point" in a town called Binsar. The hike up to the point was a killer, but what a view !

You sometimes wonder why those 'Guru's & Rishis" that went to the Himalayas never came back, and if you even the slightest of the spiritual kind, you can understand why, as you will want to stay in those 'vadiyan" for ever !

Serene-Serene-duniya ke shor se door, jannat ke itne kareeb, dharti par swarg kahin hain tou yahin hain-yahin hain-yahin hain !!

Apart from the speactacular nature, the good thing about a road trip in 'apna des' is the road side dhabas with dal makhani's. kadhai paneers, chulha naans, chole-pooris and lassi galore!

And yes how can one forget those road signs and behind the truck signs. Some of them are awesomely-amusing, like the ones shared in this post!

Well, Meri Jaan while I get back to my routine, please gear down from those jackets into shorts, skirts and snickers. Get ready-n-started for the summer has just begun!

Till we meet next, stay safe, stay cool and stay in loeve !!

- Pankaj

Walk Like An Egyptian !

2011-02-05T06:37:00.011-05:00

Feb 2011.

Meri Jaan, Wishing you all a Very LOVE-filled month of February. Its time for Valentines Day !

If you are still wishing others Happy New Year, wake up people. It is February ma-love !!!

And it seems this year is going to be a great one.

First, I got to meet Mr. Amitabh Bachchan at his residence ! Oh yes, so I got an invitation to meetup with the old man at his new abode called Janak.

As I sat in his meeting room looking at the poster of Sarkaar and all the award trophies, I thought to myself what an amazing 68 yr old man and the energy that he still has for life.

The best part was my daughter screaming "Anthony bhai -Anthony bhai - Daddy is that Big B? and I smiled 'nd said Yes Meri Jaan!

Think about it people, 1975 to 2011, and this 5 yr old kid still laughs hysterically at the Anthony bhai antics! Thank you Manmohan Desai for giving us Anthony bhai !!

Well, we will talk more about that some other day, on the next news front, the continued Julian Assange action with ongoing WikiLeaks update was good to catch up; Oho - not the Ranbir-Deepika-Sonam spat, but, if you ever expected to know the names of all the Swizz Bank Account holders, this is our man !

WikiLeaks brought forth the power of freedom of speech and what an effect all over the world! Thank you Tehalka for taking the cues and finding out about other accounts in Liechtenstein.

Again, though politically the scams are very short lived in the minds of people and specially in apna des, atleast some more news came in the forefront with the 2G scam, Adarsh housing scam, ISRO scam, and the oversized Kalamadi loot !

While the loot in India continued, the third and the biggest news of em all was the Egyptian Walk . Like they say, if Mummies ever walked pyramids would come down. Egyptian people seriously showed the world the power of people.

The world woke up to the stunning demonstration and political walk to bring down Mr. Hosni Mubarak, and what a Mubarak walk it has been for the people of Egypt.

Whatever said and done, this really goes out to the people of Egypt. Egyptians walked all over the world from Times Square in NYC to Tahrir Square in Cairo, and down came Hosni !

So, the world is eagerly awaitng that post Egypt, who is next in line? Sudan, Libya, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan or Iran...one thing is clear that the Egyptian walk must have given the US a strategy and push to destablize the already in-peril middle-east??

You dont need armed action - now its time for the people movement !!

Meri Jaan, with all these topsy turvey political affairs going around the world, please dont forget this is the month of St. Valentines, so do something special for the love in your life and I am referring to that special one in your life.

Romance ka mahina hain, tou whether you are singing tujhe dekha tou yeh jaana sanam or tumse milke aisa lagaa, my loeve birds, stay awake, alert for this year is going to be a BIG one, but most importantly, stay in loeve !!

This goes out to Ms D: Aye Kash ke hum hosh main ab aane na paaye, bas nagme tere pyaar ke gaate hi jaaye !!

- Pankaj

R2I Princeton to Pune - ONE YEAR DOWN !!

2010-10-02T23:50:00.004-04:00

Oct 2010.

YES !!! Meri Jaan, I completed one year back home. Its time to reflect on some of my thoughts post the BIG R2I move from US to India !! (In case u dint know: R2I - Return to India)

As I drove to work today, I remembered the sprawling skyscrapers, the Hudson Bay, the New York skyline and the sunny sailing day! A vista view embedded in my eyes because that was where I worked for quite a few years.

Like many of us who went to the US in the late 90s, I probably never envisioned that I would spend so many years of my life in that part of the world.

While I really enjoyed those times and will cherish those moments for the rest of my life, today, I look back on how things felt versus how they feel and reflect in different perspectives & scenarios.

Looking back at those times, US was a techie’s dream. My early years in the US were some strong formation years, both on the career and personal front.

While career was always very important as a whole, a wholesome life called for a life partner.

I still remember sitting at RockerFeller center and I could feel my heart slipping away to the person sitting across. This person had an impressive charm, she had the prettiest smile, and yes, she could talk non-stop !

Opposites attract, and post that day, I could not find my heart !!!

Meri Jaan, moving from away my soul-curry, I think most of us would agree that initial years in the US are tough and a little lonely for all, and if you are at that age looking for companionship, you will meet your soulmate and then together you form the mutual front towards achieving that American dream;

But some pieces of life are much different; No one envisions the immense distances, commuting for hours, little public transport, credit history, insurances, immigration laws and complexity of simple chores, food and needs that we don’t have to think twice about back home.

Most importantly there is always an inherent and internal loneliness to life and the day-to-day struggle for survival can sometimes be brutal, initially. Life as perceived and as experienced can be very different in the US.

Post a few years in the US, life starts to take shape. You progress through work, education, move from simple rentals, to lavish homes and apartments. Everything is Happy!

But, like they say, “Happiness is a very relative term. What could seem happy to you may be really un-happy for someone or it could be vice-versa.”

Now, let’s cut to today! I re-located to Pune, India last year. Today, as I remembered those Hudson Bay vista images, I thought to myself about what had changed between my life there and here!

There is no denying the brilliant Infrastructure, the roads, the law and the law abidance, the concept of moral lawfulness; the cleanliness, the environment, and the small gestures of please/ sorry and holding the doors with a smile.

I miss never having to worry about gas, electricity, water, power voltage, and power cuts, phone being dead, Internet down. I miss the basic traffic and driving sense, overall, I miss the basic ease of things !

Whackjobs, nuts and psychos are everywhere, but I really miss the basic culture of been civic and accountable for your behaviour at work and in public.

Most Importantly, I miss all my friends, social get-togethers, invitation politics and all our efforts to recreate a mini India in pardes! I really miss all those wonderful calls on EBC Radio;

That really seems like a whole different world and thanks for sharing your life events, thoughts and beliefs with me. I sincerely thank you for all the ongoing communication, responses and blog following.

Well, moving on, I do feel that after spending a huge chunk of your life in those lands, I think, the living space has been a MAJOR shift. But then, what I have been observing is that most of the new developments and communities this side also have great places and amenities to offer.

Real Estate providers are providing exactly the same kind and much better options of apartments, duplexes, pent houses and twin bungalows, row houses, as are available in the US, UK or Australia (minus the neighborhoods ofcourse :), but you can even have a swimming pool, a playground with huge terraces, and car parking area in your own apartment, if you can afford it!

So, things have changed a lot with the reverse brain-drain, and builders this side want to give you the best of that world - but, it comes with a price !!

A very positive change that I have noticed is on the work front; If I look and compare my primary work, it is still global; and so is the work environment and team mates. Work flexibility, time offs, and basic work attitudes have changed.

Some things are pretty much similar, while I sat in this office overlooking the Hudson Bay for so many years, today, I sit alongside a window looking at the mountains in Pune.

If traffic jams and people spawned those NYC streets, nothing is much different at this end too. Actually on the better side, the distances to and from work have reduced drastically.

If I could walk to the corner for a local deli, a Mac-snack, or a Pizza, it is pretty much the same around here. The Deli is now a Tapri and the Large Coke is now a cutting chai !

Some differences do need to be taken in humor; like, if sailboats and ocean liners razed those bays and seas, I now see cows and buffalo’s grazing the mountain greens and roads.

If HOV lanes were reserved for 3 people or more, here, one lane is permanently reserved for cows, buffaloes or basic non-functional vehicle parking :)

But, moving on to the most important pieces in life: Friends and Family, OH!!! No comparison ! Abundance is thy name in India. The whole perspective of family, friends, festivals and relationships changes once you start living in India.

It’s like you suddenly move from the loneliness of life to the abundance of it (sometimes too much :)

The most wonderful part is there is so much happening around you all the time, that you really do not need that **myspace** time.

So, if work is the same, and living space is a bit of adjustment, the happiness of being with friends and family is beyond any comparison in India.

If I extend the feelings to my 4 yr old kid, well, she is enjoying every moment. My lil one can rush around to the neighbour’s house without a **playdate** appointment, or me worrying about her **safety**.

She can still play down in the complex without supervision and post her dinner. Also, as a result of the cosmo-crowd, she has actually learned 4 languages in the last 6 months. Plus she still gets to see all her favourite programs on TV (Disney, Nick, Dora and likes plus many more).

Meri Jaan, no one can control destiny of a person, but I always feel that 4-14 years of a person's life form the basic upbringing format of attitude and vision for life, and I hope, I can build a very positive format for my kid.

Family and relationships are the core fiber for life, and above everything, the happiness of been able to visit or be visited by Grandma’s, Grandpa’s, uncles, aunts, cousins and enjoy their company anytime lays the foundation of basic social format for any individual. I think that is brilliant in "des" !!

If I talk about my RockerFeller mate that became my checkmate, she is all set to never set her foot in the kitchen again!

No Dishwasher, No Weekend chores - thank God for the house help! Cleaning, Washing, Drying, Folding, Grocery Shopping, Cooking, Even Driving – she needs to do none of the above, if she does not want to!

Meri Jaan, THIS IS THE REAL PRIVILEGE LOBBY!

Sometimes, it really makes me think if that $ollar comes down, would you still be there?? If you can make around 2-3L a month, tell me honestly, is life not much wholesome in "Swades" ??

Well, there is no denying on so many things and areas where "Apna Des" is still galaxies behind these much newer and developed nations. Day to Day struggle can be a nightmare sometimes and the bureaucracy and legal formalities can be abolutely PROPOSTEROUS !!!!

Honestly, though there have been lots of improvement in India in the last 10 years, but our core societal fibre will take decades to change, and that’s a big killer.

We can have BMWs and Mercs spawning the roads, but we cannot maintain basic lanes systems! We can have skylounges and Huge penthouses, LEDs and Multi-Sim phones, but we cant provide basic 24hr water and electricity.

We can portray the best of our tourism, but we cannot prevent those crimes and rogues on the streets. We can talk about Tiger savings and wildlife tourism, but we cannot keep dogs, cows, buffalo’s and goats off our roads.

So, you might ask, has it been a good or a tormenting one year??

Meri Jaan, let’s say if I survived a WHOLE YEAR, it cannot be that bad !!!

Also, lets not go into comparing the individual attributes, because whatever said and done, I seriously believe life has its pro-s and cons in every part of the world.

I am in my late 30s, and I have stayed 22+ years of those 35 years abroad, I do feel that overall - life is much much happier and wholesome in India; but thats because of my experiences in life, my personal values of family & relationships, my enjoyment of events, functions, marriages, my upbringing with my cousins, siblings, my parents and my upbringing format, the same may not apply to you !!!!

So, let’s just say, when today some of my friends ask me if I feel happy or sad retuning to India after so many years, I always say, Pune or Princeton, Hinjewadi or Hudson, “Happiness is a very relative term. What could seem un-happy to you may be really happy for me or it could be vice-versa" :)

Meri Jaan, so till we meet next time, Stay Safe, Stay Happy and Stay in Loeve !!!

- Pankaj

Happy Monsooning !

2010-08-08T06:20:00.006-04:00

Aug 2010.

Meri Jaan, I did not forget this month's edition. I have just been really rekindling my romance by visiting the wonderful nature in tis monsoon season !

My part of the world is called Pune. It is a relatively decent size city in a state called Maharashtra. To complete your geographical positioning, all these names are in a country called India.

Monsoon is really big around tis part of India; you can have rains for days and days. I literally mean days-n-days of non-stop rain. This keeps the city water reservoir's filled with water and it is also a great time to visit neighboring areas like Lonavla and Khandala !

The best thing about visiting anywhere in India is food ! Cutting chai, pakodas, paav, idili's or samosa's can be found anywhere around those wonderful vista points! Jai Ho !

Well, thats India Meri Jaan, always awake and eat-xciting !

But, if you are still in a state of slumber denial because Chelsea got married , Waka-Waka season has ended, Big B has been signed to endorse ESPN for the Airtel Champions League Cricket T20 tournament or Wiki-leaks are all over the place, let me WAKE YOU UP, before you say lady Gaga !!

Next month, I will be completing A FULL YEAR in India, and so all those well wishers that made those bets of non-survival with me, I have survived a full year in India, so please make sure my cheqs are ready with the amounts ! YEAH BABY !!! SHOW ME THE MONEY!!

So, while you still look at the US economy and the ever increasing unemployment figures, let me tell you something to upswing you - Ms Mallika Sherawat has signed her 3rd Hollywood film, she has also made a house in Hollywood and yes, Julia Roberts has now accepted Hinduism ! Jai Ho.

Tou, Meri Jaan, till we meet next month, stay wet, stay safe and stay in Loeve !!!

- Pankaj

Viva Vuvuzela !

2010-06-26T01:28:00.003-04:00

July 2010.

Meri Jaan,

This week no post, only FIFA FEVER in 7 points !!!

1. Ma blog readers and fa'ns, if u be no interested in So-kaa, dan dis post is nat fa u!

2. If u no go buy vuvuzela, dan dis post is nat fa u!

3. If u no herd waka waka by ma gal Shakira, dan dis post is nat fa u !

4. If u steel cry becoz soud afrika, frans, nigeria, idaly is oud, dan dis post is nat fa u!

5. If u no know Diski Dance, samaya dancin styl or makhari styl, dan dis post is nat fa u !

6. Befo Ma Leave, led me tel u, Diski is local soud afrika lingo fa Soccer

7. If u cheer fou Argentina, Pordugal, Brasil, Jermany, Slovenia, Ghana, Uruguay or even Koea, hav a chillin beea ma man !

Go Vuvuzela !!

Meri Jaan, Till we meet next, pray u neva hav to sid and wach Tennis like the mach bidween Isner and Mahut, so ma peepal, stay safe and stay in loeve (wid sokka)!

- Pankaj

Collapsitarians Boom !

2010-06-06T05:42:00.009-04:00

June 2010.

Meri Jaan, is the doomsday really coming near?

North Korea- South Korea are already on brink of "tan-tanaa"; Israel-Gaza is always doing "aaja-aaja"; Ranbir-Katz have decided to do "dil nichode" of Deepika and the oil rig in US has already created the "raat ki matki phode" effect.

To add to this mix - the ambassador of IIFA did not attend the event, so I am sure others are looking for "Koi good luck nikaale" there, and with all the European countries going bank-corrupt, financial biggies around the world, and specially in Greece and Portugal, must be waiting to "koi gullak tou phode" :)

Its catastrophically and ri-donk-i-louslily sad really!

No, Na-Paro, I am not a Collapsi-tarian or looking to gain blog-eadership in these doom times, "par sacchai chup nahin sakti, banaavat ke asoolon se, ke khushbu aa nahin sakti, kabhi kaagaz ke chand $$ikko se."

How much more $olar money is America going to print or how many Euro$ more?

If you are really wondering whatz up with this guy today, well I just came back from a refreshing time off without watching any world news, and it is no fun to return to this jhamela Meri Jaan.

The world economy has not recovered! We all need to keep waking up to this news everyday.

We cant keep sitting and becoming fools to the false media projections of low employment rates, improving company financials, great memorial day sales and all these false stock indexes.

Seriously, I just hope and pray for three people that the world economy is not on a break brink?

1. Mallika Sherawat!

She has still not found her suitor people? Will she find her suitor before Boney Kapoor releases his Milenge Milenge, or before Salman find his mate?

Think about her? Will she just keep "Hissing" between Google and Giggle? Rocking between Bolly-woods and Tiger-woods?

2. If not her, think about Baba Ramdev's single family Island in the Caspian Sea.
Kya hogaa unke karodon baccho ka, kahaa jaayenge??

3. Gud-Ol George-of-the-Dallas-Bush Jingle - he finally had the time to come on facebook to face the world and the bush virus spread all across his face and facebook.

Twitter ka tou Ra-van ya phir Ra-1 Jaane !

Tou Meri Jaan, till we meet next time, stay safe (go to FIFA - they are giving 2 condoms per visitor to the event) and try to Stay in Loeve (atleast till the doomsday :)

- Pankaj

Hooray - Its May !

2010-05-08T06:31:00.011-04:00

May 2010.

Meri Jaan, lets all give a lovely welcome to the Springing-n-Blooming Summer.

C'mon people Mother's day is already here !

We only have the next 5 months to n-joy! So lets get in the groove for some landscaping, turnover dat soil and add that mulch to the new flower beds. Gear up to join Gold-Gym !!

If you are one of those who still needs to be in bed, not a bad idea, as lots of people just want to stay in their beds after getting stuck for dai-es in the UK airspace. It might just be a good time to catch up on "Space Jam" again :)

Meri Jaan, wherever you are get ready for a lot of axn comin your way.

Oho ! Not the Lady Gaga American Idol Action, or the Kasab Ka Kasoor Series or the Times Square action !

If you follow the Indian sports scene, the IPL volcano is done with and people have already moved on to the 20-20 cup !

Once that gets over, you have the FIFA world cup coming this year, and by the time that ends, you will be in October awaiting the deadly snow-zilla's, going to those desi diwali, halloween and xmas parties and watchin some gud-old American basketball and football.

If you love movies and specially apna Bollywood, tou roll up your sleeves for the biggies coming your way.

SRK comes in "RA-ONE" a James Bondish flick with Kareena, and the same duo will be seen again in "DON-2"

For Hrithik Roshan fans, the long wait is over and you will see the star flying some "KITES" along with Mexican star Barbara Mori.

He is also in "Guzarish" alongside Aish. This one is by Sanjay Leela, so it better not be another "Blue-ish Savariya"

Aish's next is RA-van, this is with hubby Abhishek Bachchan. When you have Mani Ratnam, Abhishek, Aish and AR Rahman, the combination better be lethal on the Box office.

Akshay Khiladi Kumar has 3 releases this year with "Housefull" already rocking the "Apni Tou Jaise Taise "floor, Akshay's next is Vipul Shah's take on Back to the Future with "Action Replayy" and end of the year will see Akshay in Farah Khan's "Tees Maar Khan"

If you love the new Bollywood beau-s, you have will see Shahid Kapoor in "Badmaash Company" and Ranbir in Prakash Jha's "Rajneeti" rocking the screen alongwith Ajay Devgan and Soniya Madam-aka-Katrina.

So, watch out, while all this action is coming your way, dont forget to let another year just go into digging "Gold" man or trying to dance to the tunes of "Greece" :)

Meri Jaan, till we meet next - stay safe, stay-in alive and Stay-in loeve !!

- Pankaj

The Changing World

2010-03-21T08:17:00.007-04:00

March-April 2010.

Meri Jaan, sabse pahle tou apologies to the folks who eagerly await the next blog.

Like I mentioned earlier, I will be posting the blog only once a month. In Bollywood bhasha - "Mere Paas waqt thoda kam hain varna apun tumhare liye yeve-ry week blog likhtaa."

So, while some of you get ready for St. Patricks Day, or Easter; Whether you enjoy the March Madness in Basketball or the IPL Kraze in Cricket;

While some of you lament over the Desi budget and some are rejoicing Obama's healthcare reform plan, dont fret Meri Jaan as I am ready to take you through the OTHER devastations happening all around you! (Oho - apart from the Pune IPL team :)

In case you did not know, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Cuba in the last few days and as we speak Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland is erupting Lava on Ice.

What the hell is happening people?

Volcano under Ice and 10 earthquakes in less than 3 months? Is the Godzill-ing or is the Earth hill-ing?

For the Deemag ka Bheja fry types, the seismologists are associating these quakes to the San Andreas Fault in the earth Line or the "Newtons Cradle rule".

But, is that really the reasoning behind all these events?

First, in January, we saw the earthquake in Haiti.
Second - Big one occurred in Indonesia - off Sumatra Coast
Third - Earthquake in Okinawa, Japan
Fourth - Earthquake in Chile
Fifth - In Turkey and in Hawaii around same time
Sixth - 3 Earthquakes in succession in Chile again
Seventh - Earthquakes in Himachal, Los Angeles, and Melbourne
Eighth - Earthquake in Indonesia again
Ninth - Earthquake in Chile again - 90% power outage in the country
Tenth - Next one in Southern California

Let's not forget the other ones in Taiwan, China, Kashmir, and Illinois.

Meri Jaan whatever the other reasons, I dont want to say "Sky is falling", but I also don-wanna believe this is just a fat guy walking down the road causing all the tremors.

Yeh kya ho rahaa hain Raja? Something is not right people!!

You also know for sure something is not right when Warren buffet moves from his New York home to his 5 BR house in Omaha, Baba Ramdev starts owning a Scottish Island, Google decides to shut its shop in China and something is definitely wrong when you have an IPL team for Puneri people.

Aai-gaa, Amaalaa pann Kirkit Khelaa-ychey Aahey :)

Amongst all these events, one person that is happy is Tiger Woods wife.

Tiger has finally asked for forgiveness for being the "ghar ka bhoola- jo ghar ko lauta" and has given a NOTE of Sorry to his wife.

The only thing to add is the note was a cheq of 150million USD.

Tou Meri Jaan, till you hear about the next Dharti-Quake, stay safe and stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

Sach Mere Yaar Hain!

2010-02-28T05:11:00.005-05:00

March 2010.

Meri Jaan, while I write this blog, I am extremely saddened by the events in Chile ! Do you know that 53 countries on a Tsunami watchlist? Something BIG is coming people, what-n-when, lets keep a close watch.

Moving away from all that uncolorful news, I wish you all a VERY HAPPY HOLI !

May the Colors of this Holi keep you Rangeen and in vibrant spirit of Gulaal, Gubbare, Pichkari and Bhaang !

As we move through this season, whether you are stuck in snow-daggon, snow-zilla, shovelling through the snowi-cane, or simple stuck in traffic; lets give a BIG SALUTE to the im-mortal com-BAT-ting of Sachin's double ton.

Sachin Tendulkar IS THE BEST CRICKETER IN THE WORLD, and any doubts on his recent capabilities, or fitness must have got slashed post his world record innings of 200.

Sachin has changed the face of Indian Cricket since 15th Nov, 1989 - remember that debut against Pakistan? It is not a small feat that Virgin Comics is starting a new comic strip by the name of the one and only superstar of Cricket - Sachin Tendulkar !!

Nothing more can be said except - "Sach (in) mere yaar aye, bas tuhi yaar hain, ek tu hi hain jo hamesha apna saath de - baaki bekaar hain - yaar mere" !!

Looks like India is on a great start this year. Apart from this great start in Cricket, we also saw the Indian movie going audiences becoming smart and smart-er.

They acccepted an offbeat movie like Ishqiya and outrightly rejected a movie by someone, whose Name is Khan :)

Also, while the Winter Olympics witnessed Ice Skating on Bollywood beats, Buckingham palace saw Vedic chants in Sanskrit. India Rocks !!

So folks while I enjoy the Bhaang-ke-pakode, and Gaanjey ki roti with Charas ka saag, you can open your vocals to some Holi ke Raag - Rang Barse or Holi Khele Raghuveera !!!

Meri Jaan, till we meet next, enjoy Holi, stay safe, and satay in Loeve !!!!

- Pankaj

Hola My Valentines !

2010-02-10T10:12:00.012-05:00

Feb 2010.

A Very Happy St. Valentines Month to all of you !

Meri Jaan, while you cheer for the New Orleans Saints, feel pain and sorry on the SRK-Sena episode, Laud over Palin's hand notes, Shovel out the snowmaggadon or Love and hate the I-Pad or the upcoming Aperture 3, Do not forget to enjoy this 14th Feb with your love !

Its St. Valentines Month yaar !

People, Its the month of romance and lets all blush into the romance that lies in the petals, the fall, the snow, alps, the khets and the whole mohabbat ka mo-jo.

Whatever you say, you cannot deny the fact that you all fell in love once. Remember - once, at that time. Woh pahli baar jab tum miley, haathon-main haath jab hum chale!

They say that love knows no lakeerien or deewarein and always goes beyond those lines, bricks and walls !! Some people's love gets into those walls and for some, it stays out, but everyone, kabhi-na-kabhi does fall for that FIRE-WALL or the Disease called Loeve-aria!!

So, lets today break all walls and take a peek into I love, u love, we all love Bolly-love movies.

If you ask my favorites, well I grew in the era of Rishi Kapoor, so you name a Chintuji movie and it had ROMANCE written all over most of those movies. Oho! Not the Kumar Gaurav one !

Movies like Khel Khel Main, Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hain, Rafoo Chakkar, Karz, Doosra Aadmi, Sargam, Laila Majnu, Badaltey Rishtey, Yeh Waada Rahaa, Bade Dil Wala, Prem Rog, Kabhi Kabhi and yes the movie that started it all - BOBBY.

Rishi Kapoor's movies were very romantic, and his potrayal of loeve was very youthful. I think movies in Bollywood have changed a lot over the years but Loeve has always been a very Eternal theme.

Whether you go back to days of movies like Rattan, or Street Singer, Awara or Aah, Kashmir Ki Kali or Rajkumar, Guide or Taxi Driver, Devdas or Deedar, Mere Mehboob, Dil Ek Mandir, Mera Naam Joker or Sangam, loeve has been the quintessential note in the movie's script.

I do not need to say that eternal movie loeve-rs always swear by the feather romantic scene between the king of dard and the queen of beauty - Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in the epic movie - Mughal-E-Azam.

As times changed, the backdrop of Classical music, the huge sets, the costumes, the strong dialogues changed into regular life romance and issues.

Rajesh Khanna -Kakaji changed the face of the Indian lover boy in movies like Aradhna, Kati Patang, Do Raaste, Safar, Mehboob Ki Mehandi, Aan Milo Sajna, Daag, Prem Kahani, Anurodh, Anurag, Aap Ki Kasam, Amar Prem and many more such movies.

While 80s was primarily about the angry young man, movies like Chitchor, Baaton Baaton Mein, Gharonda, Rajnigandha, Chashme Badoor, Saath-Saath and many others changed the scene and loeve started flowing into day to day lives.

Over the recent years, with the onset of globalization, things on the loeve front have changed a lot. If Aamir took the Romeo-Juliet approach in QSQT, Salman went the Kabootar route in Maine Pyaar Kiya.

People have also moved a lot for loeve globally. Sometimes from UK to Patiala (DDLJ), UK to Delhi (Cheeni-Kum), India to Pakistan and back (Henna, Veer-Zaara), and even stopped weddings (KKHH, Jaan Tere Naam) or gone beyond weddings for loeve (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam).

I think this later re-trend of Bolly loevy-Doevy movies started from the one and only sarson-ka-khet and that beautiful cow with the bell. Oho- I am not talking about animal-loeve but that khaliyan, the dusky Kajol and the desi cow-beau apna SRK RE in the Come Fall in Love movie - DDLJ!

Aur Baat SRK ki chali hain tou who can deny that he is the King of Mohabbat Meri Jaan. Lets not forget his trio-twist with Mads and Karishma in Dil Tou Pagal Hain, With Rani in Chalte Chalte, Aish in Mohabattein and Preity in Veer Zaara.

Meri Jaan, from Saigal to Dilip Saab, From Dev Anand to Shami Kapoor, From Rajesh Khanna to Rishi Kapoor, the list of Bolly-loeve movies and romantic stars is so long that we can keep visiting each and every romantic movie, but instead, lets just keep humming ...

Tum-mein hum-main kuch tou hain, kuch nahin hain kya?
Aur kuch ho jaaye tou, kuch yakeen hain kya?
Dekh lo yeh dil jahaan tha, woh wahin hain kya?
Arre Re Arre Yeh Kya Hua koi na yeh jaana !
Arre re Arre banta hain tou ban jaaye afsaana !

Kya karein, Meri Jaan - Yeh Pyaar to aisa hi hota hain !!

People, this valentines day, spend time with your loeved ones and please try and spare some time for your someone special.

Remember - Good Times & Bad Times will come and go and our lives will keep moving, but you might not get that moment to say - I Love You !!

Till we meet next time - Stay Safe, Stay Happy and Stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

Namaste Avatar-ed's !

2010-01-15T10:53:00.011-05:00

Jan 2010.

Meri Jaan, humble apologies for the delay in posting the new blog. "Woh kahte hain na, ke main deyr karta nahin - deyr ho jaati hain."

My sincere thanks to all of you for bringing all your intensity and passion to this blog and tuning in with all your fervour.

So, let's begin this month's blog with a "Katot täftxu-oel" to all you Avatar'ed's.
(Is that really a word?)

Incase you are still a nubee to Planet Pandora, in Na'vi dictionary that means - "Greetings" Meri Jaan!

Once again - Katot täftxu-oel !

Well, word or not, If a Terminator converted everyone into a fan-inator and Titanic mesmerized all into becoming titani-cians, James Cameron's new flick Avatar has created a whole new fan world of Nu'vi's, Toruk's and home tree worshippers.

So, whether you did or did not believe the story of man setting foot on moon, or if you changed or did not change your PC wall papers to the shuttle that kept running all over mars, you better believe in this PANDORA's Box and its Princess Nyitri!!

Meri Jaan, if you have still not seen this flick, atleast go see it one time to see the visual splendor created in a movie that has production costs equivalent to the annual GNP/GDP of Lithuania :)

And - LITHUANIA is not a Na'vi word !

Moving beyond "Din-Mahiney-Saal" (Not funny people)

If Avatar was about a Paradise - lost to our Greed, the disaster in Haiti was a sign of the omnious.

Like I mentioned in my last post, YOU KNOW NOT WHAT IS COMING !!!

Haiti's earthquake should be a wake up call to all you waiting for the next moment; please do not wait, for THERE IS NO NEXT MOMENT.

Call up your loved ones, apologize for any hurt feelings, reach out to someone you love and/or who is in need, do it today - for there may be no tomorrow.

That paradise is lost for ever - 3 million people injured in a population of 5 million.

Not to forget the real and surreal dust that has accumulated in the hearts and lungs of rest of them. This has to be one of the most horrific disasters that I have seen after 9/11.

Meri Jaan, but you please Do'nt wait - do'nt lose your chance to make your paradise ! Jo bhi karna hain woh aaj karo! Remember that song - Har Ghadi badal rahee hain roop zindagi, jo hain aaj samaa - woh kal ho na ho !

Talking about Kal Ho Na Ho, I recently saw promos of Shahrukh's new movie "My Name is Khan" and it seemed like a mixed version of "A Beautiful Mind" and "Forrest Gump".

While Kajol definitely appeared effervescent- as usual, Apna SRK kept up the lame look- as usual. The movie will definitely hit the bullz-eye not only for SRK and Kajol but the music seems kewl too.

I really love the Sufi sound of Tera Sajdaa and the Naina song. Kudos to the team of SEL! Good luck KJO, you did not have to say it, we know that your name is Khan - Mrs. Khan :)

With that people pump up your Bollywood spirits for the New Year! Rann from Pyaar Impossible and if you meet Ravan, be Veer and do some Rajneeti. Just one Guzarish that Don2 get into Action Replay for Teesmaar Khan will take the Kites from your Dhobi Ghaat.

Ishquiya Nahin if you dint get the above, we will talk more about it next time.

Meri Jaan, till we meet next , dont wait to reach out to your near and dear ones, keep them loved, you stay safe and always stay in loeve !!

- Pankaj

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!

2009-12-25T17:26:00.003-05:00

Dec 25, 2009

Meri Jaan, as the ball drop begins for another year, I am sure most of us are making plans for next year.

What more can be achieved, should I get married or stay solo, will I find that love of my life, should I stay steady or move on beyond the current Gf/Bf/job/house/place, should we plan for a kid, how much more can we save, where else can we travel, where to plan the kid's next birthday party, how much % of my next pay will go towards this asset, house, or investment?

Oh Yeah !! We take life so much for granted - Don't we? :)

We get so engrossed in our specific lifestyle, that we start believing in our day-2-day schedule and start framing our lives around that schedule.

Well, most of us will say, schedules and routines are part of life and then we have to plan for the future? Don't we?

True! But, who knows about the next moment Meri Jaan, Predictive schedule and future is a very lonng way?

I am pretty sure all of you know this, but one thing that I have learn-ed over the years is that the greatest thing about Life is im-permanence: Life is always changing and it has its own schedule.

Do you know the most read story in Time magazine this year was of this lady who missed the flight from Rio De Janeiro?

Johanna Ganthaler had been on holiday in Brazil with her husband Kurt and missed the doomed Air France Flight 447 that went missing over the Amazon. Ironically, Johanna safely reached her hometown and the very next day she died in a car crash.

So, events constantly keep happening around you pledging to move you away from a frame. Sometimes we keep moving with those events and sometimes we choose to ignore those events. But things will keep changing and so will the time frames in your life.

Think of the people who attended the Obama inaugration? Or, those that survived the deadly recesssion that was deadlier than the Swine-Flu? Think about the pedophile MichaelJ who was really working hard on his stage comeback show, OR, poor Brittany Murphy who was still trying to move on in Hollywood. The Time Frame just changed the surroundings around all these people.

So, should we stop making plans? Should we not do anything? No resolutions?

Meri Jaan, dont make any resolutions, dont make any plans - but just go DO SOMETHING!

Do anything to break beyond your existing routine and time frame - for you know not what is coming.

Go sailing, go travelling, learn an instrument, language or go dancing, go fishing or dive into cooking, run a marathon or exercise a ton, but just dont follow a routine and stagnate in your so called - protective front.

I remember the story of a Raja.

Once, there was this ruthless king.

In the day, he used to be a very strict ruler with no-mercy on the people of his kingdom. But, every night, in his dreams, he used to wander into the villages to go help these same villagers in every possible way.

One day, he called his local counseller and told him about what had been happening.

The Raja said, every day I do my job, I follow my routine of what I am supposed to do, but every night I wander off to help the same people. So, then what it the true world - is it after I sleep, or is it when I wake up? Sach kya hain?

The counsellor smiled and said - Raja, I cannot answer that question, for it is you who dreams of a different world. So, Neither state - day or night is a true or definitive state. The only truth in this world is time and its feature of constant change !

In the day, you are stuck in a routine of your governance, this is what a Raja should do - be strict, ask people to obey those ordinances or bear strict consequences. In the night, your heart takes over your mind, and you start doing what you really believe.

So, it is you who has to decide which is the true world. Night or Day?

If you really believe in something, then why not bring that change in the world? Why be so merciless on those peasants during the day?

Why just follow a track or routine of kingdom governance? You have the power to change it, you can do it King.

Meri Jaan, the Raja's dilemma is not a new one. For the Raja, it was kingdom governance for most of us it could be life-governance. Keep the thinking cap on, and never leave the thought-flux; is this the real life, or somewhere else?

All, I will say is that - You Decide, but you better decide fast for you never know when those lights will change from amber, orange to red !!

Tou Meri Jaan, till we meet next year, stay safe, be aware of those changing time frames around you, and most importantly stay in loeve !

Wishing you all a great Holiday season and a Very Happy New Year !!

- Pankaj

SuPaa !

2009-12-12T22:30:00.005-05:00

Dec 13, 2009.

Meri Jaan, does DA man ever stop to amaze the viewers?

How much can you praise this actor? If it seems like I am repeating myself, I am not sure what happens with the critics and the column writers.

What do you write more about an actor who just outperforms his previous performances?

This is an open question to you all ! If you have not still seen the movie, you can respond after you see the movie, but honestly, did you find Amitabh Bachchan in Auro?

From what I saw - NO! It was simple a character called Auro, there was no presence of Big B.

That my friends is the power of the actor that just amalgamates into the character. What a performance - Splendid Indeed.

Well, whether you gave Auro's performance a hit or a miss, I know that some of you asked about the other political performances going around. I have not been following too much, but these are some from the top of my head

Hillary Clinton performing fantastically in Pakistan and speaking beyond political diplomacy

Obama's Die-Hard performance to get the health bill passed in the US Obama's pacifying performance to appease political parties and V-Vets on the Afghan troop recall/deployment issue

Dr. Chandrashekhar's idiotic fasting performance for separation of Telangana as a state in Hyderabad (this has now gone beyond a pandora's box)

Bal Thakre's lacklustre performance in criticising Tendulkar for saying he is an Indian first and Mumbaikar second

Mukesh Ambani's media performance in praising and honoring Tendulkar

Mukesh Ambani's political performance of travelling with the PM to tap on Siberian Oil fields

Jaimee Grubbs emotional performance with the media to tap on Tiger Wood'$ re$erve$ (Bechara Tiger, no CLUBBING with Golf anymore :)

Sarah Palin's non-literary performance with her book writing skills

Lady Ga-Ga's suicidal performance in front of the Queen in UK

Toy industry's marketing performance in selling Zhu-Zhu/Go-Go hamster as THE toy for christmas

Meri Jaan, with all these performances around, I think I will stay in the background for some more time.

Till we meet next, stay safe, stay performan-tic and stay in loeve,

-Pankaj

Bugle Salute Boss !

2009-11-10T10:59:00.003-05:00

12 Nov, 2009.

Meri Jaan, give me a BUGLE salute people!
I have completed 2 months of my re-journey in Apna-Des.

What a fundu dimaag ka bheja fry these 2 months have been! It seems like a lifetime.

In this lifetime, I have dealt with the local electrician, plumber, mail-man, watch-man, and the highly reputed, respected and dignified kaamwaali-bai. (Beezlee bai maantyaa-e malaaa :)

I have dealt with the local sabzi mandi vedors, the local small store grocery sellers (aate daal ka ab bhaav maaalum pad gayaa :).

I have also dealt with sales people in the Shop Rite, Baja Fresh & Wegmans wannabe stores like Reliance Fresh, Food Bazaar, More, Spencers and likes.

On the “Go verna- u-will-be-tor mented” office side (Oho- the government office Meri Jaan), I have dealt with the Puneri RTO (local DMV), and BSNL (telephone exchange).

I will tell you more about my RTO experience in the next posts, but on the other hand I also have dealt with people that ring the house bell at 5:30 in the morning, sales people calling on your cell at 10:30 in the night, and numerous sales and marketing people that come by/call up to sell their product at any hour of the day.

The funny thing is that in these 2 months, I have met so many people who have come back from the US, and not a single person dying to go abroad.

For folks who do come to me for advise about US, I tell most people that:
It is REALLY EASY to go to the US,
but it NOT EASY to come to India
You will not even blink once to pack-n-go to the US,
but you will think a lifetime to come back to India.

Just keep in mind that Videshi Money, Comfort and Success has no end, but people do !

Tou jo bhi ho, this is apna swades, apne log, apni khushiyan, and apne bhog (food options :)

Meri Jaan, till we meet next, stay safe, and stay in Des-loeve !

- Pankaj

The Scent of Diwali !

2009-10-18T06:28:00.011-04:00

Oct 18, 2009

Meri Jaan, wishing all of you a Very Happy and Prosperous Deepawali!

Its the time for the Diyas, the Decorations, the Dhoom dhadaka and Daawat-e-Dishes !

Happy Diwali - It’s the festival of lights in India !

For some of you who might not be aware, the festival of lights is also celebrated in many other countries like Nepal, Mauritius, Guyana, Fiji, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Indonesia, Japan and in Thailand around this time of the year.

This festival in Thailand is called "Loi Krathong" and the Thai Kingdom just lights up during this time.

The ritual involves setting adrift traditional "krathong's (banana leafs with a diyas on top)" in the local rivers.

Generally, people take a boat till the middle of the river and float their diyas or "wishes" in front of the "Wat's (Temples)".

I don’t need to tell you the sight of a layer of millions of simmering lights, floating candles and lanterns, the firecrackers all across the rivers and the waterways !

Its literally a sight of Taare Zameen Par !

Meri Jaan, for years, I spent Diwali with friends, family and loved ones away from India!

Par jo Diwali ka real mazaa hain, woh hain to celebrate Diwali with loved ones – In INDIA.

Yeh Roshni ki chamak-dhamak, lines at the mithai ki dukaan, mob and shopping frenzy in the stores, da festive feel on the roads!

The frenzy kids at the local pathake ki dukaan, the mystere of that “pathaaka jo nahin jalaa”, the smoke of the burning anaar and zameen chakkar, the rangoli ke rang, woh different styles of diye!

Above all, the happiness of being in India and with family, the music of rejoice & the real mood of celebration !

Ohh yes, how could have I missed this scent of Diwali?

For people in the US, let me paint you a picture: Think of the times around Christmas, when all the shops are lit with glitter and shining shimmer.

Now, multiply that by a million and now imagine the feel.

Meri Jaan, tou khoob deep diwali ke jalao, and Laxmi Mata aur Buzurgon se Sukh aur Smriddhi ka ashirwad lo !

Till we meet next, Stay Safe, Stay diwali-social and Stay in festive loeve !!

- Pankaj

Boss - You R Bigg !!

2009-10-07T07:29:00.030-04:00

Oct 8, 2009

Meri jaan, so another week is almost gone. For Desi public, Dussera has gone and now everyone is looking forward to Diwali. (ofcourse for the day off :)

For Uncle $am ki junta, say bye-bye to the Happy summer days and welcome those Sad-n-Gloomy evenings of DST.

Its time to stay home, watch football and stay glued to that TV :)

Well, Meri Jaan, I am not sure how many of you really care about Idiot box (TV) in US. In India the new season of Bigg Boss started last weekend.

This show is hosted by the one and only Big B - Amitabh Bachchan.

Bigg Boss 'Triteeya' has started with a huge bang and I caught a glimpse of the opening show on Colors (TV Channel).

Whether you like the actor or not, no one can deny the charismatic style of Bachchan Saab, and yes his epitomic eloquence! Hindi or English, he is par exellence !

Incase you have not heard the name, Amitabh Bachchan is a huge actor in India (Bollywood) and is also very popular across all over the world.

Today, let me share a small nostalgic story of my liking for the actor, and my fan-ism journey for this actor. The year was 1980 and friends, romans, country men, I remember watching a movie called NASEEB.

Now, many of you may have not seen that movie, but there is a sequence in the movie, where a baddie is boxing the hell out of this actor (Big B), and Big B does not want to fight, because he is waiting for his lady love.

Suddenly, his lady love appears, and this actor regains his power to fight. Now imagine, a Kid, and the Fight sequence, where Amitabh goes JOHNNY !! JOHNNY !! and the crowd goes berserk!

This guy right there was my HERO !! This was AMITABH BACHCHAN !!

Such scenes alongwith the n-numerous scenes in movies like Trishul, Deewar, Kaala Pathar, Dostana, Yaarana, Ram Balram, Sholay, Don and then songs like John, Johnny, Janardan (that inspired Deewangi from Om Shanti Om), My name is Anthony Gonsalvez, and so many other kept me-da-kid dreaming away :)

I am pretty sure millions of individuals were not the same after watching those movies, and many more similar ones, and then I was only a kid! :)

Deewar Ka Billa, ya Trishul ki ambulance, people just adored Big B !

I am a chronic movie fan and critic. I watch more than 65% of the popular movies made in Hollywood and Bollywood.

It is not just my adore for the actor but his acting capabilities that make me say - AMITABH BACHCHAN IS FAR MORE VERSATILE THAN ANY OTHER ACTOR IN THE WORLD.

Most actors have a specific style of acting and act in a specific genre of movies. Amitabh Bachchan's roles and style of acting cannot be summed up in any special genre of movies.

Big B is one star & actor who rises much beyond and way above the basic screenplay or movie script.

In all - even if you create a blend of Clint Eastwood, Howard Keel, John Wayne, James Dean, Sean Connery, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, De Niro, Richard Gere, Al Pacino, and add in Johnny Depp, Denzel alongwith Robin Williams, Peter Sellers and Dudley Moore, this ensemble of stylish stars will still fall short of the versatile and dynamic style of AMITABH BACHCHAN!

Anyone who really does not know about this Bollywood actor and wants to know more about Mr. Bachchan and has any doubt on my claim will easily take back his/her claim after watching BIG B's (as he is popularly known) movies.

For some of you who may want to start watching the Bollywood movies that pedestalled Amitabh Bachchan's stardom should watch - Sharaabi, Silsila, Bemisaal, Zanjeer, Deewar, Kaala Pathhar, Mukaddar Ka Sikander, Main Azaad Hoon, Agneepath, Black, Dev, Trishul, Anand, Namak Haram, Mili, Abhimaan, Sholay, Shakti, Suhaag, Khuddar, Akhri Rasta, Cheeni Kum, Khuda Gawah, Yaarana, Jurmana, Satte Pe Satta, Namak Halal, Amar Akbar anthony, Naseeb, Lawaris, Coolie, Hera Pheri, Shaan, Kaliya, Eklavya, Inquilab, Don, Sarkar Raj, Baghban and Hum to see for themselves - THE DYNAMICISM OF THIS ACTOR's PERFORMANCES and HIS RANGE OF VERSATILITY..!!

If you have not guessed it by now, I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Bachchan and a simple example of that was when I bought my first car in the US.

When I filled the form for the special name tags, I did not have to think twice, my name plates were - AKAYLA ! (a Bachchan movie)

11th October is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan's birthday. Meri Jaan, lets wish him good health and all the best for his forthcoming movies Aladin, Paa, Teen Patti, Shoebite and many more !

Bachchan Saab, may you keep us entertained for many many more years to come! Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday!

I have said this many times that Amitabh Bachchan has re-defined old age in India.

He has broken the myth and proved that old age is not only about retirement, but it is about livin-n-enjoying life by proving your experienc-ial excellence to the world !!

Now, people in India, want to grow old to be as young as you Mr. Bachchan !! We salute your Energy and Enthusiasm even as you ride the summer of 67!

With that Meri Jaan, Stay Safe, Stay AB-Magical and Stay in Loeve !

- Pankaj

Dussera Mubarak !

2009-09-28T06:22:00.018-04:00

Sep 28 2009

Meri Jaan, sabse pahle, a very big THANKS to all of you who try to visit this blog once every 7-10 days. Its absolutely great to hear the feedback for my rumblings.

Honestly, I am not in an India-bashing but Dashing India mode :)

Especially today on this auspicious occasion of Dussera and Durga Puja, I am glad with all my heart to be in India. I feel so more connected with the environment and the things happening around.

I feel so glad to really enjoy the kasav-dahan, or the garba's, and the festivity foods, and not just worry about petty-people-playing-party-politics about where to plan the next time-killing event and on top who to call and who not to call for their meetups or get-together :)

Some of you folks felt that I was bashing India, but what I wrote in my last few posts were mutterings of just a few of the observations that I have been seeing around me. They were not a reflection of India-as-a-whole.

Meri Jaan, I don’t think any desi who has been out of the country for the last 10-15 yrs or more can deny India's progress and future global impact.

There is no denying there are lots of areas that need to be looked at, but I personally think India has progressed a lot in the last 20 yrs and especially in the last 10 yrs.

Look at it from a broader perspective, every metro and semi-metro cities now have fantastic fly-overs and bridges that has reduced traffic congestions immensely across these cities.

Lets not forget the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the upcoming Signature Bridge over Yamuna Nadi in Delhi. That is an amazing feat in itself (Especially with the political-politics in apna Des :)

There have also been great initiative by leaders in some states to better the infrastructure of the roads, and have the proper signs, lanes, dividers etc.

Most of you already know about the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which is almost at par with roads seen abroad!

If you go anywhere in Gujarat, or parts of Karnataka or Bangalore, Chennai or major highways around Maharashtra, or near Delhi or in Rajasthan, you will be amazed at the width of the roads and the construction of roads with lanes/ signs etc.

If you move beyond Infrastructure to public awareness, there has been immense outburst for prevention of spitting on the roads.

For some of you khopdi-ka-bheja-fry types, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued a notice that any person found spitting in public will be fined Rs 1,000 starting September 26. There have been 500+ volunteers across all major Chowks and areas to enforce this ordinance.

Beyond infrastructure and public awareness, I am amazed at the number of mini-best buys and mini-circuit cities in India.

You can walk to your gali-ka-nukkad and see atleast one Sony Center or a Croma store, or some other shop selling electronics that includes everything from Laptops, TVs, Blu-Ray players to n-variants of phones.

You might also find some electronic stuff that people in the US/UK might still not even have imagined (Cell phones with dual sims, LEDs in abundance, variants of mp3 players etc).

You are no longer limited by the option of going to only a Best Buy or a Circuit city. You can shop online as well as walk to the store to see the piece in actuality. Most of these shops have layouts which are almost a replica of a Circuit City or Best Buy.

Malls are getting huge and huge-er. I walked into a mall called Ishanya and it was a combination of Home-Depot, Bed Bath, Walmart, Circuit City, PC Richardson, Home Improvement, Ikea and n-number of stores all under one roof. (Same items, except the prices were in Rupees :)

Tou Meri Jaan, if you can look beyond some of the issues, I can tell you one thing that when you dont have to worry about cleaning the house, getting groceries, washing the clothes/and or/ vessels.

When you dont need to worry about food-n-cooking needs, When you can have a dependable 24hr nanny for kids, and a driver at your disposal to take you around in your 8 SEATER MUV.

When you dont have to worry about leaving your kid with the neighbor, or about that whackjob redneck in the neighborhood, the grass will stop appearing gr$$ner that side :)

Tou, before I let you go beyond this day of Vijayadashmi, let's not forget to wish a very Happy 80th Birthday to the "Nightangle of Indian Music - Lata Mangeshkar".

Lata Mangeshkar has sung so many wonderful numbers that it is simply not possible ot pick just 7-10 numbers, but here are some of my favorite numbers sung by this queen of melody.

- Lag Ja Gale Ke - Woh Kaun Thi
- O sajna barkha bahar aayee - Parakh
- Aaj Phir Jeene Ki - Guide
- Aap Ki Nazron ne - Anpadh
- Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hain - Anarkali
- Na tum Bewafa Ho - Ek Kali Muskai
- Ja Re Ja Re Ud Ja Re Panchi - Maya
- Uthaye ka unke sitam - Andaz
- Tu jahan jahan chalega - Mera Saaya

Meri Jaan, till we meet next week, enjoy Dusshera, have fun, stay muzical and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj

Desi Diary - III

2009-09-17T11:46:00.008-04:00

September 18, 2009

Meri Jaan, while I look around apna-des, I am noticing a world so diverse that it is just amazing to see the disparity in lives simply due to the social circumstances that surround different individuals.

Honestly, I am not trying to give a bhashan on gareebi-hatao, par c'mon, if everyone is writing that India will be a world power by 2020, Meri Jaan, World power in what? Dogs and cattle on the streets? Messed up traffic? Power-n-water cuts?

Forget it yaar, we cannot even provide basic needs of food, water and electricity to the people! Infrastructure and development is in a land far far away !!

Oho! Dont do Dimaag ka Bheja Fry, apart from some of these issues, life is fantastic because of small-small things Meri Jaan !

Every day I wake up with an alarm, not my alarm clock, but the cycle waala's trin-trin !! That dude has to ring his bell while driving through the streets at 6 in the morning!

Meri Jaan, why do YOU need to hornk? To scare those street birds?

Horn is a big thing here! Cycle, Scooter, Mopeds, Bike's, Cars, Trucks, Buses you name it, and they all have to honk to keep driving or riding off their lanes !

Talking about lanes, no one drives in a lane here ! So, if you need to drive, you better be off lane !

But, think about it, if one of the lanes is always occupied by grazing cows , then where are people going to drive those sprawling-n-crawling cars !!

Meri Jaan, we really-really ought to think!

The country is sprawling in MNC's, Skyscraping apartments, Luxurious cars, Malls etc. but we are still missing the basics and that is not going to even build together a life, forget a nation !

Till next time Meri Jaan, stay safe, stay conscious and stay in loeve !

Bollywood Diary

2009-09-11T09:35:00.013-04:00

Sep 10, 2009

.....and one more 9/11 passed !

Meri Jaan, moving on from 9/11, as I continue my re-journey in India, I should not forget the Bollywood piece of swades. So lets see whats goin-on in Apna Bollywood.

I am sure by now you all must have seen the HISS-ing growth of apni Maal-ikka SHE-RA(wa)T in Hollywood. She has been officially awarded for her TALENT by the Newark Jersey City Mayor and the City Hall Council of Chambers in LA.

She has been hanging around Yanni, Usher, Tarantino, Jackie chan and yes Twitting around the Twitter headquarters.

And did you see her at the latest Hope Charity Ball in California!

Phew ! This gal has really been busy ! (Doin what :)

While Maal-ikka has been dressing down into 12 cuts, Priyanka Chopra has been ramping her style-avatar into 12 roles.

Yess, in the new movie "Whats your Rashee?" Priyu baby is performing 12 roles as 12 gals from the 12 zodiac signs !

For the khopdi-ka-bheja fry-types, the movie is based on a novel called "Kimball Ravenswood" written by US-based Gujarati writer Madhu Rye.

This might just bring her a Guiness ! Oho - not the dark beer, but an entry in the Guiness book of awards for performing 12 roles! Well, we wish Priyu baby all the best in continuing her hat trick after the very successful Fashion, Dostana, and Kaminey !

Another star who has really been busy bee is apne Sallu-miya. He has back to back releases in the next few months including Wanted (with Ayesha Takia), Main aur Mrs Khanna (already making music waves), Veer and London Dreams (with Ajay Devgan and Asin).

To top it all, his show on Sony TV (10-ka-Dum) is a huge hit. It appears that Sallu miya is striking back with a vengenace (against someone who is not smarter than a paanchvi paas :)

Talking about small screen, Big B is returning back on TV in the 3rd season of a show called Bigg Boss.

Oho! he is not one of the contestant, but Bachchan Saab will be the "Pop Philosopher" who will try to understand the psychology of the contestants.

Apart from TV, Bachchan Saab is also finishing up other movies like Aladin, Teen Patti, Shoebite and RGV's India 24X7 or Rann (already in controversy because of the modified national anthem - jan, gan, man-rann hain ).

Meri jaan, beyond all these movies, Bollywood has lots of other new releases coming up - SRK's My Name is Khan, Rani and Shahid's Dil Bole Hadippa, Sanju Baba's All the Best, Priyanka's Pyaar Impossible, Ranbir Kapoor's Wake up Sid (Reminds me of those Adam Sandler movies)

Let's also not forget Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots, Hrithik Roshan's Kites, and Akshay Kumar's De Dana Dan & Blue. Other ones are Rajkumar Santoshi's next - Ajeeb Prem Ki Ghajab Kahaani with Ranbir and Mani Ratnam's Ravana with Abhishek !

Tou, Bollywood is going to keep you berry-berry-busy but before I leave you with today's post, some of you had asked about the latest songs.

These are some of the popular ones lately:

I wanna chiggy-wiggy with you - Blue
Dont say Alvida - Mr and Mrs Khanna
Sang mere bol Hadappa - Dil Bole Hadippa
Tum ho tou, Jao Na & Kahi Do - Whats your Raashee
Bebo - Do Knot Disturb

Till next week Meri Jaan, stay safe, stay muzical and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj

Desi Diary - II

2009-09-02T08:56:00.022-04:00

Sep 5 2009.

Meri Jaan, continuing from where we left last, I am really having a blast in India, and that is a big Thumbs Up - WHOA !!

But lots of scenes just flash back and forth between US and India (not as a comparison, but it just happens Meri Jaan :)

The other day, my life almost flashed past me when I thought we were approaching a traffic light, and we were going to stop. To my baffle, no one stopped at the red light. Everyone simply zoomed through the red light.

Suddenly, I saw a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, about 20 people and a truck coming at the same time to blow our car away. Not sure how it worked out, but all of them passed our car with just a few flashing light signals and yes the deadly HONKING !! ?

Phew !! This is what I am talking about - a 360 degree change from a place of basic civic conduct to a state of no basic conduct !

Not that it really matters, but it got me thinking that why would people cross a red signal? Is’nt that the basic rule of driving, be it a bicycle or a car. Maybe they are in a hurry (for what - to get pass the next light ??)

Well, let me move past these issues to the festival of the season and that's another Whoa !!

I went down to the dariya to see the ganpati visarjan, and let me tell you this was an absolutely sensory fascinating and visually captivating event !

There was an absolute fair like atmosphere.
Kids running in the water, parents doing the rituals (making sure the diya does not die down by surrounding themselves around the diya), others were sitting over the concrete sides and watching the fun.

The best deafening part was 5000Watts of Ganpati Bappa Moriya on a local totalled up truck that had these huge speakers ! No wonder people start using ear plugs sooner in India? :)

Amidst all this mela, I could feel the dariya-ki-breeze and see the neon-ly lighted bandra-worli sea link bridge, and lots of firecrackers lighting up the sky – and trust me these crackers had loud sounds (these were not the 4th of july silent ones :)

To some, this might appear to be just another event, but most rituals and rights in apna swades are bound to or specific to one religion.

Ganpati visarjan is one such event that is not bound to one religion, this is done by everyone !!

Even all the Bollywood stars like Shahrukh, Salman, Aamir are the first ones to do the visarjan ! Oho Meri Jaan!! I am not trying to go into the Mile sur mera tumhara national integration lecture, but it was great to be right in the middle of all these happenings.

The sad part was seeing all the garbage on the side of the the dariya, now only if the municipal corporation could have kept that clean, I would have said another Whoa !!!
Well, cant complain because garbage is another of the desi surroundings that we just have to accept and live with!!

Honestly, it might seem like a pyscho-culturally-360 degree-shock just walking your way through the hustle-bustle, dust, traffic, dhakkam-dhakka, pollution and scorching heat !!

Still, in the end it is apna des Meri Jaan :)

Tou meri jaan, aaj ke liye itna hi, till next time, stay safe, stay in loeve and sabhi maanus bolaa Ganpati Bappa Moriya !!!

DESI DIARY - 1

2009-08-27T19:58:00.016-04:00

Friday, Aug 28 2009

Meri Jaan, tou finally I am in India. I will try and keep updating you with some of my experiences in Apna-Des.

So, lets get set go - As I stepped out of the 14hr non-stop flight aircraft into the airport area, I saw multiple baggage trolleys available to be picked up.

What? Carts and that too available for free without paying the $3.50? Whoa !

What a life saver it is to put that "stuff-it-as-much-as-you-can backpack" and the hand (break) luggage on a cart right as you get off the airplane.

This was really nice and the good thing was that I could see these carts at each and every 10 ft. Absolutely Great !!!

Feeling great about the Desi airport, I came to an area, where I had to park these carts, and there were about 3-5 people helping the passengers offload the carts. (Help without any tips ? Whoa again !!)

Dude, Where am I? Courteous people waiting to help you merely take the cart without giving me THE LOOK? (this cannot be the desi patel store guy :)

To top this, if needed, some of these porters were later helping passengers pick their luggage from the baggage area, pass it through the antique x-ray machine, reload it onto the trolley etc.

Now, thats REALLY an experience for someone who flies economy class!

As I walked down the escalators, I was greeted by a thermal scan to check my flu conditions. Thank god, I took a combiflam just 2 hours back, or else I would have come under the scan :)

For some of you khopdi-ke-khopche-main-know-it-all-types, the way these thermal scanners work is that on detecting a person with body temperature above normal (98.6 degree F), the camera sounds an alarm and also captures his or her photograph.

Essentially, these scanners are very sensitive to body temperatures and, in case the doctors miss out on any passengers with fever, the machines won't miss them. But they cannot judge you if you took the medicine in the flight. So, then how effective is this scanner?

Hey - sochne ka nahin bidu, psychological treatment bhi kuch hota hain.
Whoopie - I passed the thermal-flu scanner, now let me pass on the swine-flu :)

As you get past all the lines and the luggage pick up areas, you see the familiar sights of a STD (unrelated to AIDS :) phone booth and the lipton and coffee stands.

Mumbai International airport NOW has a multi-level parking area (imagine what was going on in the parking scene for all these years :)

So, there is now a passenger pickup area where people pickup passengers - Oho !! not literally pick up :)

Imagine, everyone getting a pick up welcome on arriving outside the airport, that would become a heaven for the pick-pocket types !!

And here was the best part, as I came out of the airport, I could smell THE AIR (for people from India you know what I mean :)

I thought to myself, I should better put on my mask, it might just be a good idea, maybe not for the swine flu panic but for the SMELLY AIR-SMELLY AIR (I could sing the Friends-Phoebe song in my mind :)

Tou Meri jaan, here I am - on another Re-Journey in India ! I will keep updating this blog with more experiences.

So, till the next one, stay safe, stay in loeve and all you public bolaaa
Ganpati Bappa Moriya !!!!

Yeh Jo Des Hain Tera !

2009-08-11T13:38:00.021-04:00

August 12, 2009

Meri Jaan, pahle tou bahut-bahut maafi for not continuing the show on EBC, but I will keep writing on the blog. Tou aapka aur mera communication channel will still stay open, bindaas, and azaad !

That reminds me that Indian Independence Day is coming this week, so definitely go attend one of those pardes parade-s, be it in New York or Oak Tree.

Go enjoy the food, the stalls, the desh-bhakti-ka-jazba, celebrity sightings and the desi celebrations !

I have done this for some time now, and every year when I used to see the desi flag in full flow, sometimes, I used to get that layer-of-moistness in the eyes (kya karein, the paani puri is always very spicy yaar :)

Meri Jaan, is it really the Paani puri, or deep in our hearts, do we really-really miss apna desh??

It is funny, but one of these days, I was sitting across the Hudson pier and looking at the Manhattan Skyline, and I was just observing.

I was observing the surroundings, the landscape, the trees, the buildings, the water, the people.
What did I see?

All I could see was apna desi public around the riverside, some sitting and eating food, some lazying around, some walking their kids, some taking a break from work, others were just enjoying the breeze !

Whoa !!! Is this Nariman Point or Hudson Pier?? Epiphany strikes!!

Am I in apna desh, or is this videsh?

Meri Jaan, what qualifies this to be Videsh? Is it non-Apne log, or is it the Yule-log (American TV on a Christmas night, anyone :)?

The sights around me seemed to be a frame right out of any office area in any place in apna des (without the manhattan skyline ofcourse :), but all I could see was apne log everywhere !

Tou then, since I had similar desi surroundings around me, was I not in our desh? :)

Is the US our desh becoz we live here, we abide by the laws, pay taxes and this is where we have made our small get together community and this is where we earn our bread and butter?

Or, is this merely a Rozi-Roti place to cha$e those green$ and make a financially better life for ourselves and the family?

Well, in this Azaadi week, I wont go too deep into this beaten to death conversation, because I think it is is no longer about Apne log or Yule log.

My khopdi-ka-khopcha thinks that circumstances are different for each person, and each and every person has his or her priorities that they need to stick by; Other than that, there is really not much difference between the Hamptons or the Himachals, Pointpleasant or the Aksa beach.

Ek Story yaad aati hain about a parrot in a Raja's palace.

There was once a parrot in a Raja's palace.

Every day, the parrot abided by the Raja's demands. To keep the Raja happy, the parrot used to sing false praises about the palace and the Raja. Day in and day out the parrot used to sing on the Raja's tunes.

The Raja was very happy and used to kept the parrot in a golden cage. The parrot also felt great staying in the Golden cage and yes, in the Raja's palace.

The Raja used to feed the parrot very well, and used to give him lots of jawaar to eat. Raja used to tell the parrot that if he did what the Raja said, then one day, the Raja would give the parrot a golden chair.

The parrot was very happy, always waiting for the day he would sit on that golden chair.

One day the great day came and the parrot got the golden chair, but after sitting on the chair, he did not feel any different, as he was still inside the cage, just a little higher.

One evening the parrot was looking outside his cage, looking up in the sky.

The parrot saw all the other parrots flying outside the palace. They were probably not given that much to eat, but most of them seemed very happy, well spirited and free!

Ek Din, a fakeer went by the palace singing a song "Sone ke pinzre ko chod ke dekh, zindagi ka saamna karke tou dekh".

So, one fine day the parrot decided that jo bhi ho, I am not going to stay in this golden cage, I want to be free!

I have the golden chair, I have unlimited jawaar, but where is my life?

Next day, when the Raja asked him to do something, the parrot did what he felt was right! He refused to abide by the Raja's orders.

The Raja got really furious and told his soldiers to remove the bird from the cage, and released the parrot out in the sky and the Raja ordered a new bird for the golden cage!

The parrot was a little shaken, but once he was in the sky he could see the open skies, the horizon-zenith, the limitless expansion, and most importantly, his freedom and his happiness.

Alas ! The parrot was free, he was no longer in that cage.

The parrot had become Ek Azaad Parinda !!!

Meri Jaan, this is not the Aastha channel :) but Woh kahte hain na:

Nazar aur Nazaaron ka aisa nazraana hota hain kabhi-kabhi,
Ke Uski nazrein karam nazar hi nahin aati !
Raah hoti hain, safar hota hain, aur humsafar bhi hote hain,
Lekin, Zindagi door door tak nazar nahin aati !

Bheja Fry message in this Independence week:
In the end, it is all about what makes YOU free from YOUR Bindings, YOUR miseries, gives YOU what YOU need and makes YOU happy.

If thats what it is, tou phir it really does not matter - chaahe woh yeh desh ho, ya apna desh !!

Tou Meri Jaan, with that I am almost packed up to move out to Apna Swades!

Before I leave, in this Independence week, Ek song yaad aata hain:

Zindagi maut na ban jaaye sambhalon yaaron,
Kho rahaa chain-o aman, mushkilon main hain vatan,
Sarfaroshi ki shamaa dil main jagaa lo yaaron !!!!

Happy Independence Day Week !

Meri Jaan, till we meet next time, stay Safe, stay Azaad, and stay in Loeve !

- Pankaj

Woh Jab Yaad Aaye !

2009-07-31T10:19:00.006-04:00

July 31, 2009.

Meri Jaan,

I really apologize for not making it to the studios, par kya karein: "aur bhi gum hain zamane main .." :)

But I hope none of you forgot that July 31st went by and hopefully all you absolute music fans remembered that

"Na Fankar Tujhsa tere baad aaya,
Mohammad Rafi Tu bahut yaad aaya ! "

Meri Jaan, July 31, 1980 was the day when THE VOICE of Rafi Saab left us to sing for all the angels, up in music heaven.

Mohammad Rafi was undoubtedly the greatest singer and his voice still echoes in reverberations across all the music channels and more importantly in our hearts!

Today, let me make this blog a small memoir diary of my memories associated with the one and only Mohammad Rafi ! My association with Mohammad Rafi goes back to the times when I saw an Actor, acting like a waitor on screen kept running around singing "John Johnny Janaradhan, Tara Rum Pum Pum".

I probably did not know at that point in time that the voice behind this actor had been in the industry for more than 30 years then, and I was completely oblivious of his best work !

For me the voice had only sung songs like John Johnny Janardhan, Chal Chal Mere Bhai, Ek Rasta Aha-Aha, Dard-E-Dil, Maine Poocha Chand Se and likes.

But, Rafi saab's voice was way beyond those numbers from the 80s. This was just an era where shamaa ki lau thodi teyz thi, akhiri baar bhjune se pahle !

If we really go back into Rafi Saab's career, it was the music composer Naushad that actually moved Rafi Saab from being just another Sehgal Clone to the pedestal of THE VOICE.

Rafi Saab started his career in the early 50s and his asociation with Naushad saab made him the choice and voice of the all the lead actors of that time and specially the tragedy king, Dilip Kumar. In movies like Mela, Babul, Deedar, Amar, Anmol ghadi, Tarana, Udan Khatola, Aan, Azaad, Mughal-E-Azam, Kohinoor, Ganga Jamuna, Dil Diya Dard Liya and endless movies Rafi Saab's voice became the voice of Dilip Kumar.

While Rafi Saab's association with Naushad Saab, continued in endless other movies like Baiju Bawra, Shabab, Mother India, Mere Mehboob, Palki and many more. During the 60s Rafi Saab's voice and combination worked magic with composers like SD Burman, OP Nayyar, Shanker Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, Roshan, Ravi, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji and many more.

So be it Dev Anand, Joy Mukherjee, Shammi Kapoor, Bharat Bhushan or Biswajeet, Johnny Walker or Mahmood, if there was one playback voice, it was of Mohammad Rafi.

From the 50s to the 70s, Rafi Saab pretty much sang for each and every actor and every music director of that era, and rendered classics after classics be it O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, Madhuban Main Radhika Naachi Re, Man Re Tu Kaahe na, Pukarta Chalaa Hoon Main, Yahoo, ya phir, Aye Dil Hain Mushkil jeena yahaan. Rafi Saab's touch converted any disc into a Golden hit.

But, the 70s saw the rise of Rajesh Khanna as the first super star of the Bollywood silverscreen, and they say that SD Burman had recorded the first 2 numbers for the movie Aradhna with Rafi Saab when SD Burman fell ill and RD Burman took over the responsibility of assigning a singer to the remaining compositions; and RD Burman chose Kishore Kumar for all the remaining songs in the movie.

The rest as we all know is history. Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar took the Bollywood silverscreen and playback scene by storm and Rafi Saab had to take a back seat.

During those years, Rafi Saab also had conflicting arguments with Lata Mangeshkar over the royalty and monetary gains that a singer should have above and beyond singing the song. Rafi Saab always stood by his belief that a singer's monetary gains ends once he/she sings the songs.

He was a very noble person, never demanding or expecting more than his share !

There always have been fan clubs and groups that have compared the two singers, but the fact always remains that Rafi Saab's voice quality, versatility and range is par zenith !

I am not going to go into the songs of this behtareen singer, but lets all salute the Gods for giving us a singer like Mohammad Rafi !

Nakhush Hai Khuda Apne Farishto Se, Varna,
Dharti Ke Farishte Ki, Zarurat Use Kya Thi?

With that Meri Jaan, I will be taking a break for a few weeks ! I will try and update some information, but it will be very impromptu !

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Till Next time...stay safe and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj

The Diamond Ring !

2009-07-22T15:51:00.016-04:00

July 23, 2009

Meri Jaan, by now all of you must have heard about and seen the once in a life time Eclipse pictures.

It was absolutely fascinating seeing the diamond ring that emerged during all this sun-moon-submerge.

I heard that in Varanasi, India, it became pitch dark at 6:45am in the morning.

Oh well ! It became dark right around that time for me too.

The Eclipse really was not that great for me, because 2 days back, Ms. D was very upset and asked me to show her one diamond ring in the house, and all I did was turn her face towards this Ring.

But, so much for the diamond ring that I showed Ms D, she immediately punched me in the eye and it was a permanent e(ye)-clips-e for me :) .

But the eclipse was great for the Pundits in India.

During the time the sky went dark, these so called pundits in Varanasi decided to DRrrrrink (not water ofcourse) because the pundits thought it was night time ;)

Woh kahte hain na, Peene waalon ko peene ka bahaana chahiye ! Phir chaahe Mandir ho, Madira ho, ya ho Mandira ka saath.

That reminds me what's been happening to Mandira Bedi?

After the Wierd hairdo in the IPL 2009, Rumor-Report is abuzz with information that lately she has been seen a lot in the company of apna Yuvraj Singh.

Looks like after Kim sharma and Laxmi Rai, now Yuvi baby is shaking his leg with Mandira.

Lately, the duo has been seeing going out dining to clubbing and even dancing in the hotel lobbies?

Meri Jaan Yuvi, Mandira Bedi ne yeh kaunsi Madira Dedi?

Vaise, if you are in NJ, Mandira is coming in the India Day Parade at Oak Tree! You gotta go, not just for the good food and the overall feel, but its absolutely funny to see all those oldies trying to be as close to these female artists as possible. Its freakin hilarious!

Hopefully, no one will give their man-ka-diya to her (remember the Bipasha incident :)

Madira and drinking se yaad aaya that Salman Khan, mera bachcha has decided to not drink till he gets married or Veer gets released.

Salman, tu tou peena chod hi de, because none of those 2 things seem to fall in place for you !

It appears that Amir Khan was instrumental in making Sallu bhaiya take this decision. Aamir, Peena tou chudwaa diya, par peetna kaise band hogaa?

But, it does not hurt to be hopeful, so let us see how much Rum-less is Salman Ka Yeh Dum !

Talking about all the Diamond Ring and non-drinking, reminds me of one gem of a person in Bollywood who never drank alcohol and was THE DIAMOND RING for Indian Music and that is none other than Mohammad Rafi.

He was the greatest singer in Bollywood and the noblest person in the fraternity.

In his circles, he was known as "The Voice" or "The Aawaz", and truly, Rafi Saab's voice was the softest, most versatile, and could go from the lowest notes to the highest range with the smoothest transition and that too absolute effortless.

We miss you Mohammad Rafi !

Rafi Saab's death anniversary comes up on July 31st. We will have a detailed blog next week, but till then these were some of the songs played in our show.

Song List:
1) Parda Hai Parda - Amar Akbar Anthony
2) Tere Mere Sapne - Guide
3) Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya - Guide
4) Choo Lene Do Nazuk - Kajal
5) Koi Sagar Dil Ko - Dil Diya Dard Liya
6) Voh Jab Yaad Aaye - Parasmani
7) Tareef Karoon Kya - Kashmir Ki Kali
8) Ehsaan Tere Hogaa - Guide
9) Hum Bekhudi Main - Teen Deviyan
10) Poocho na Yaar Kya hua - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hain

Meri Jaan, we will be playing Rafi Saab's songs next week too, so keep your requests and dedications flowing at pankajonebc@yahoo.com.

Na Fankar Tujhsa Tere Baad aaya...
Mohammad Rafi tu bahut yaad aaya !

Till we meet next week, stay safe and stay in Loeve !

- Pankaj

Scary Pl-otter is Back !

2009-07-15T13:04:00.019-04:00

July 16 2009.

Meri Jaan, while the weather continues to bloom and U-all Jhoom, lets not forget that Multiplex Owners in Bollywood are having a V-Rrroom success with the recent releases New York and Kambhakht Ishq hitting the box office Jackpot.

With the success of KI, Akki baby has proved that one floating 8X10 Tasveer from Chandni Chowk to China is not going to stop him. He is going to blow his critics Blue by giving them De Dana Dhan hits and that too in Action Replay!

(Oho!! those are the names of his upcoming movies).

Talking about replay, but musical and not action, there is another Mangeshkar Clan making her entry in Apna Desi Sangeet.

She is the daughter of Pandit Hridayanath Mangeshkar and she is following the footsteps of her aunts Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Her debut album “Naav Mazaa Shami” was recently released and this new singer's name is Radha Mangeshkar.

She belongs to the Mangeshkar parivaar and we can only hope that this one has THE vocal talent and not only a tag, a name, a gharaana.

If you thought, Whats in a name? "My Name is Khan" Shahrukh Khan is now Dr. Shahrukh Khan.

He was recently felicitated with an honorary doctorate in arts & culture from the Bedfordshire University in Britain.

For the khopdi ke khopche ki recipe types, wondering why and who gave SRK the award?

The actor was chosen by an association called Routes to Roots, a member of the World Association of Non-Governmental Organization (WANGO). If you really must know all the details, Juhi Chawla and Mahesh Bhatt are among the agency patrons.

Now, I hide my face and rest my case in DeHonor!

Meri Jaan, since SRK is getting recognized in Bedford, lets move on to Hogwart.

The latest Harry Potter movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has hit the theatres.

So Chunnu, munnu, tinki, rinki ke papppa, take them for this one.

I saw the movie last night and this one has less action, is less scary, and is more on the lines of a romantically magical (not like the romantically muzikal Karzzzz - the burden ON people :)

It seems that recognitions are raining-n-pouring in Bollywood. Asin got awarded the highest state honor in Tamil Nadu.

Let's not forget that early this year, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Akshay Kumar were both awarded the Padma Sri !

Why? A-Mar-tini and A-mar-Tina se bahut Politikal Konnections bante hain Re !! :))

Talking about politics, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in Egypt recently attending the dialogue on bilateral and international matters, and he was surrounded by a large group of Egyptians asking him lots of questions, not about economy or political affairs but about Apna Senior Bachchan Re !

For some of you who may be completely unaware, Amitabh Bachchan is collosal-ly popular in Egypt, and people still call Big B the only i-con of the Egyptian masses !! (they really do need to chak-de-ir eyes :)

Aur kyun na ho, did you hear about what the aging actor did in Mumbai recently?

I am sure have you all seen images of the rain paralysing the ever moving Mumbai. The rains has been so bad that the road outside Big B's house Prateeksha was also in waist deep water.

So, when the actor decided to take a ride in his SUV to his second home Jalsa in Juhu, he found few women wading through the waterlogged street, and so Big B graciously gave these ladies a lift through those logged streets !

Bachchan Saab! We all know your passion of saving-the damsel-in the rain!! (Kaun Kab Rapat Jaaye??)

Next day the same women were back on the same street hoping to be Lift-ed again, shaayad this time Shahrukh ya Hrithik mil jaaye :)

Meri Jaan, tou Chaahe Hrithik miley ya na miley, with rain crippling the city, Mumbai ki public must definitely be singing:

Is baar mausam mehka hua hai, Is baar saawan behka hua hai… Jaane pee ke chali kya pawan, Sulag sulag jaaye man..

So keep beh-king and hum-ming those tunes, and keep sending those requests and dedications at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Dont forget that 31st July (Mohammad Rafi's death anniversary) is coming up, so next 2 weeks will all be about Rafi Saab and his songs.

Some of the songs played in the show:

1) Yaara Dhol Bajaake - Dhol
2) Raunak Shaunak - Love, Aaj, Kal
3) Teri Yaadein Leke - Runway
4) Dhan Tana - Kaminey
5) Dance Pe Chance - RNBDJ
6) Thirak Thirak Jaane De - Khoya Khoya Chand
7) Tumhein Jo maine Dekha - Main Hoon Na

Before I let you go, a Bheja Fra saying for you:

Teen baaton ka kabhi bhi bharosa nahin karna chahiye,
"Producer Ki Baat Ka, Donkey Ki Laat Ka, aur Mumbai Ki Barsaat Ka" :)

Tou Meri Jaan, till we meet next week, Stay Safe and Stay in Loeve,

- Pankaj

Budge-t or Fudge-it?

2009-07-08T11:40:00.014-04:00

July 9, 2009

Meri Jaan, hopefully some of you are still on vacation extending your looong weekend and n-joying the Tequila sunrise on an island villa !

But, if you still miss me blue, I am right here with all the non-stop bl-ews (blog+news).

For starters, Roger Federer made Tennis history in his record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title in Wimbeldon by defeating Andy Roddick in a thrilling match [5-7, 7-6, (8-6), 7-6, (7-5), 3-6 and 16-14], and like Bjorg said, Federer has won all the Grand Slam tournaments and he's probably broken almost every single tennis record you can break; what else can anyone dream about?

I dont know about everyone else's dream, but the Indian Annual budget was announced and if you dream-ed that it would help in the infrastructure development of more schools, Or, aid in development of sports, other than Cricket, keep dreaming !

We are very happy just with one gold medal in shooting!!! Keep it up government! If all fails, people can atleast shoot themselves !

But, I am sure that Business folks and Gangst-as are very happy because tax relief has been announced if you make more than 10,00,000/yr INR. (I honestly do not know too many people that makes more than 10 lakh Rs/ yr. )

The pappu-pagers, and the sutta-suprari's must be having a blast buying the LCD's (yes the LCDs are now cheap in India) and forget buying Nano, go buy the expensive cars (Excise duty is reduced on big cars, but not on the small cars).

So, thanks for the Bud-get Mr. Singh Is King, the aam-aadmi can now go out and Buy-Jets (though they may not have money for the water-jets in the bathroom, uske liye dabba chalegaa :)

Talking about Singh is King, that reminds me that Kambhakht Ishq (the movie got released last week) had a phenomenal box-office opening.

Akshay Kumar displayed his "khatron-ke-khiladi" attitude in the spice-n-liven up press meet for the movie. Akshay jumped down from the 10th floor (60ft) billboard at the Skywalk Mall in Delhi. Now thats a real daredevil !!

But Kasam Bollywood Ke writers ki, the movie still entered the worst movie of the year contest along with Kal Kisne Dekha (that additionally is also in the worst debut actors of the year contest :) !

But keep it locked on the blog, I am sure some other movie SOON will break the record.

Talking about athletics and bollywood, there is another actor getting involved in some form of athletic activity. (Oho! not Salman - he is already an expert at BOX-ing others :)

Well, I am talking about the doubles badminton match between Deepika Padukone V/S Aamir Khan and it was a big shock for the badminton duo of Deepika and Dad Prakash Padukone, because Aamir's side defeated Deepika and her Dad! Great Play Aamir !

For some of you who want to know it all or the Khopdi-Ke-Khopche-Ki-Recipe types: Prakash Padukone was once a national badminton champion in India and Deepika Padukone is his daughter.

But - If you do not know that Aamir Khan is an actor in India Or, Deepika Padukone was the female lead with SRK in Om-Shanti-Om, I guess send an email to me in Private. [Ek Kaan Ke Neeche Bajaoonga :]

Well, whether you send me an email for that or not, do send me an email for your requests and dedications at pankajonebc@yahoo.com.

Some of the song's played in the show: :

1) Jaisa Des Vaisa Bhes - Des Pardes
2) Raunak Shaunak - Love Aaj Kal

3) Aaya Re - Jashn

4) Angrezi main kahte hain - Khuddar (Thanks for this req, long time)

5) Mere Sang Chal Zaraa - New York (Shameera, I'll walk with you any day :)

6) Tere Bina Zindagi Se - Aandhi (Geeta, hopefully this worked for you?)

7) Jaane Kyun - Dostana (Thanks Pari, thats your first on-air presentation)
8) Kal 9 bajey - ShorKut, The Con is On (Melodious slow number)

Meri Jaan, if you did not know it already, Shiney Ahuja's bail has been declined, and his last farewell statement to the court was "Good-Bai" ! :)

So, till next week, Adios, Good-bye, Stay safe and Stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

Happy 4th of July

2009-06-30T12:54:00.026-04:00

July 2. 2009

Meri Jaan, Wishing you all a Very Happy 4th of July weekend. After all those chilly and rain soaked weekends of the past 2 months, finally we have A WINNER WEEKEND !

So, let me start of with some special 4th of July Bheja Fry vacationer definitions:

Stay-cationer: One, who has a vacation by staying inside the house. (Oh, I have so much to do in the yard.. kinds)

Day-cationer: One, who has a vacation by going somewhere within the daytime only (Kids, we can only go to the park and come back in 3-4 hours)

Join-cationer: One who is always looking to join someone on a vacation.
(Where are you going this long weekend? Can we join u...types?)

Deal-cationer: One who is only looking for deals for a vacation [but never goes] (You know there is a great deal going on from EWR to Baghdad :)

So, whether you are a stay-cationer, day-cationer, or a real vacationer; dont be scared of the recent airline or train events ! Think about the only boy who survived the latest Yemenian crash with all the other 150+ dead.

Hey, atleast you still have 150:1 probability (of what?) !!

Parwaah nahin! Bhool jao sab kuch Meri Jaan, and take a break from those work dead-lines and look at those sad-lines on your face !

Go somewhere, go to Aruba or Atlantis and whichever category you fall into-or not fall into, but pleaz-pleaz enjoy your summer !

And then with Ponzi Made-off sent to prison for 150 years, Shiney Ahuja inside for atleast 3-4 years, South Carolina governor finally revealing his flings with so many other women than the alleged mistress, and MJ off to his moon-walk, I think we all should feel a little safer.

Even if airlines crash in the Indian ocean, gas trains flip over in Italy, and Parking lots and bridges crumble in Atlanta , hey we still have 150:1 chance right? Tou, live -n-enjoy this weekend like there is no tomorrow !

Well, while bridges are breaking in some places, they are getting built in some others (even if it takes 10 years to build a bridge).

Did you take a look at the recent 5.6 mile Mumbai Worli Bandra Sea Link? That is an achievement worth Rs. 1600 Crores (original budget was 400 crores) and will need Rs. 9 Crores spent/yr just to light the bridge.

That reminds me that New Delhi CM Sheila Dixit who has been complaining about the power crisis in Delhi should really think about the Khuda Gawah dialog:

Roshni (Bribery) agar Khuda (corporates and govt) ko ho manzoor, Tou Aandhiyon (andhon ko) main bhi chiraag jaltey (miltey) hain, Khuda (Koi) Gawah hain?

All criticism apart, I think it is a real big deal for Mumbaikars and this bridge definitely worths a mention in the Indian Construction history book as

1 - It was a project mar-red by lots of obstacles and bag filling (both $ands and Grands) but the project finally did see the end of day and not end of De (Damn ! She is still alive :)

2 - People can now reach Bandra 2 Worli within 10 minutes at 80-90 Kmps speed limit (Or in 3 hours 10 mins at Zero Kmps: Did you see the traffic snarls on the bridge?

It has no offshoots, so all the traffic is essentially running into a BIG CHAOTIC JAM !! (Don't blame the govt if the suicide rates increase in Mumbai, bridge ka toll-tax tou mil gayaa na?)

I am sure lots of people are just going to jump off the bridge and either swim in or swim across!

Tou whether you are the swimming types or a to-be-suicider on the bridge, I am sure you will see lots of people taking a life-long vacation on this WBS bridge. (finally gareeb in our desh can also live the long awaited dream of dying on top of the bridge, rather than under the bridge)

But people, yo-all do'nt think of dying because you still have to get tortured sitting through -n-watching New York. Did you see that movie? OMG !!

These actors should be really sent to an acting school instead of letting them spending time at the Gym ! To top it all, why did they have to imitate issues and scenes from Crash?

I am not going to review the movie because I dont want the best brown bread, I am ok with Shop-rite or the Family brand, and I also love Pasta !

Tou Family fun or brown skin, it is definitely raining movies in Bollywood this summer, starting with Akki's Kambhakht Ishq,
followed with Saif's next Love, Aaj Kal, and Shahid's Kaminey.

To add to the heat, Yash Raj just released previews for Dil Bole Haddipa with Shahid and Rani, Rocket Singh with Ranbeer and Pyar Impossible with Priyanka.

Meri Jaan, while summer looks all that HOT, here are some of the song previews to kewl-down your weekend drive:

Some of the songs played:

1) Om Manglam - Kambhakht Ishq
2) Aaya Re- Jashn
3) Yaaron - New York
4) Raunak Shaunak - Love Aaj Kal
5) Khuda Ke Liye - Runway
6) Patli Gali - The Con is On, ShortKut
7) Chor bazaari - Love Aaj Kal
8) Mareeze Mohabbat - The Con is on, ShortKut
9) Teri Yaadein - Runway
10) Mere Sang Chal - New York

Tou, whether you bar-be-que, surf-on-the-beach, or just sit around and watch the fireworks, have a blast this 4th of July weekend.

Till next week, stay safe and stay in loeve,

- Pankaj

Are these Signs for 2012!

2009-06-23T16:01:00.028-04:00

June 25, 2009

Meri Jaan, He's Bad ! Yes, He's bad, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson finally takes the moonwalk to the unevitable!

Call him Whacko-Jacko or Mai-Ka-Lal-Jaikishan, there never-ever will be an artist that can touch the entertainment industry's height of popularity as did this Dirty-Diana Mickey.

I am not going to psycho analyze his childhood, or all those lurid accusations, but as an musician, entertainer and perfomer he was an ACE. (though in real life he was an ass).

This Thriller-Beat It-Billy Jean-Bad-Black or White-Smooth Criminal really needed to look at the Man in the mirror (not only the planet of the apes face).

Michael, I am sure many of us will miss you, not for the creepy and freaky pedophile that you were, but definitely as a performer and yes that incredible Moonwalk.

Now lets move on the next sad news ! Lets wish congratulations to Pakistan's Cricket team for winning the recent Twenty20 series !

Think about it: The Pakistani cricket is still reeling under the most harrowing incident of the game (death of the coach in SA). Add the Taliban infiltration, the Mumbai attacks, the attack on the Sri Lankan players, the constant bombings and the Swat valley events !

Whatever said and done, I am pretty sure the disintegrating political arena in the country does have a mental impact on the team's morale.

But, I think some of the above pieces worked in their advantage, like the team players were completely fresh (not having played in the IPL and other recent matches). So, I think there was some sort of non-fatigue advantage in playing against the other burn-ed out players, and thus finally making through the championship game of the 20-20 series.

Either which way, Congrats to the Pakistani Cricket team!

I was speaking with a friend (who is hugely into Cricket , Cosmology, Culture and Couture and not to mention was seriously disappointed on Pakistan winning the tournament) mentioned this is a sign that we are slowly and steadily moving towards 2012 - The Doomsday!

Oho! Do not be too excited, you still need to wait 3 years to see the Dooms-Day!

Meri Jaan, 2012 is almost here (Just 3 more years to go) and as I look at the news events that have been unfolding over the past year, it does make me think

Is there really a big event waiting to happen in 2012?

Look at the recent news of the missing airplane that was flying over the Amazon (can you believe this happened in today's times of satellite monitoring and all?)

They are still fishing for the tail end of the plane, and oh yes-yes the passengers.

If we look at some stats, last year, there were about 5-6 horrible incidents, Itek Air 737-219(Adv) EX-009 accident in Iran, then you had the Continental 737-524 N18611 accident in Colrado.

Then, there was a Fedex plane crash in Tokyo, and yes the Turkish airline that went down in Istanbul and the last I heard, there was a recent news about the Quantas jet that plunged 800ft around Hong Kong.

Talking about these unfortunate airline events, lets not forget the miraculous near miss of the US Airways plane that landed in Hudson?

Not to forget the so many others, like the Continental plane crash in Buffalo, another one in Russia.

So I am hoping that if you are still reading this blog, you are never-ever going to fly by airplane, but in case you are still considering travelling by trains, keep reading...

Something has been happening on that front too, did you see the pics of the recent subway train knife-jacking on top of the other train in DC?

Or, the other one about the train crash in Poland?

Ok-OK, I will not give out the list of all the train crashes in the last year, but the train crashes have been so bad that even Chiranjeevi (actor-n-trying to be a politican in India) has removed the symbol of the Train Engine as his campaign symbol for the next assembly elections.

Chiru bhaiya, damn these trains !! Look for a symbol that is safe Meri Jaan. These trains and airplanes have no certainty in today's words !

So, should we move on the Buses? :)

Well, I really dont want you to just sit in the house and avoid all modes of transportation for the next 3 years, because did you hear about these people who were sitting in their house when the plane landed on their house in Buffalo?

Are you thinking what I am thinking?
Arre, tou kya karein Pankaj Meri Jaan? Should we just dig a tunnel and live like nomads for the rest of our lives?
Dont dig the tunnel now, but you have to dig soon. Don't you see the changes?

Obama becoming the first African American US Prez, Iranian women on streets as protestors, the weather changes (we were wearing jackets till end of June) and the ongoing natural disasters (Austria and Chez is under flood waters) all around the world.

To add to the confusion Korea is threatening to wipe out USA and US shifting its terrorism focus from Taliban to Lashkar, something is bound to happen?

So, something is definitely moving people. Some cosmic change is happening !! Its upto you, take it or not.

2012, The Doomsday is coming soon [definitely to a theatre near you] !!!

I tell you what, whether doomsday is coming or not, I may not know, but it is definitely coming in Hollywood, when you see Mallika having a date with Yanni and Usher!!

Well, it appears that apni Maal-ikka has been making the rounds of LA a little too much and hanging out around the Hollywood entertainment circles with people like Yanni and Usher.

Meri Jaan, thats a DOOOMSDAY right there !!!

So, while you all cry over spilled mallika, here were some of the songs played in the show:

Songs Played:

1) Aaya Re - Jashn
2) Jumme Raat - Phir Hera Pheri
3) Dil Vich Lagya Ve - Chup Chup Ke
4) Tere Bina - Kal Kisne Dekha (sung wonderfully by Wajid, the composer)
5) Rock the party - Aa Dekhein Zaraa
6) Lamha Lamha - Gangster
7) Jaane kahaan woh duniya - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

Meri Jaan, keep those emails with dedications-n requests coming at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Till we meet next time, stay safe and stay in Loeve,

- Pankaj

Shiney Days Never Again!

2009-06-16T10:30:00.025-04:00

June 18 2009.

As I look out of the window today, I remember the mumblings of the street-tamashe-waala alongside marine drive (a sight that I have only seen in movies).

Tou bol jhamboore, aaj kaisa din hain?
Kitnaa cash hain, aur kitna trash hain?
Aaj kaun fasaa, aur kaun aaj safe hain?
Kaun crimey hain, aur kaun aaj shiney hain?

After watching all the Bollywood-crazed media news, and reading across the Internet forums, I think, Led Zep should definitely change his song (sunny days are here again) to "Shiney days are never here again."

Oho! not the box-office shining! That will always keep shining because the strike has now ended in Bollywood !

I am talking about the Scumbag-Deuce-bag-n-Perv-Shiney Ahuja

While the industry is rejoicing the end of the multiplex owners strike, "Life in a Metro" star Shiney Ahuja is joining hands with all-life pervs-Aditya Pancholi, Ethan Hawke, Shakti Kapoor, Jude Law and others in the maid-n-nanny-perv club!

Shiney Meri Jaan, I know that you worked in movies like "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Sins, Gangster, Karam, Bhool Bhulaiya and Woh Lamhe, but I did not know you really believed so much in your movie titles :)

As I laugh on Shiny's movie titles, some of you had requested the dialogue that I mentioned in the show. Meri Jaan, it is modified version of the dialogue from the movie "Aks" (Can you believe that movie was by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra? Rang De Basanti, Dilli-6)

Bhalaa-Buraa, buraa bhalaa,
[good-n-bad, bad-n-good]
Woh Ek Pal, Ek Badi Balaa Hai,
[That one moment can be bad omen]
Chaal Dhaal, Sab Ek Jaisa Hain,
[It may seem like a normal routine]
Par, Mat pe Kaam ka Saaya padaa hain,
[But your sinful soul takes over the brain]
Yeh Saara Kuch Hi, Napaa Tula Hai,
[You need to pay for your deeds]
Buraa-bhalaa, bhalaa buraa !
[bad-n-good, good-n-bad]

Damn! I am a good translator ! Anyone needing these services? :)

So moving on from Shiney A to Tiny Paa. Have you seen those pictures of Big B in Paa?

I am so grossed out looking at those pictures, it reminds of an out of the world alien or little bit like the Gollum character from Lord of The Rings.

I just hope Paa does not start speaking My Precious-Precious ! :)

Meri Jaan, not sure about the look, but I am sure Big B will deliver a memorable performance in this one too. Whatever said and done, the man still keeps himself busy. Paa, Teen Patti, Shoebite, and yes Alladin...

Well, hopefully none of these movies are not too embarassing for Big B fans :)

Coming to paani-main doob-marne-waali-embarrassment, Shahid Kapoor had a very embarrasing moment as he had to re-shoot some scenes with (Be)-Kar-(d)ee-(ya)-na for their ever pending movie Milenge-Milenge.

Meri Jaan Shahid, dont keep any hopes, Kareena nahin milegi, she is mill-ing safely with beau - Saif, tou your movie might just end up just being a Serenditpity-inspired-movie and nothing beyond !

Shahid, what can I say, you are working in a movie called Kaminey, tu Saif ko khul ke bol:

Kaminey, is this the Tashan of Love Aaj, Kal?

And moving on to another Yeh bechaara Ishq ka maara

Please welcome - Mr. Kisi ke bhi man ko na bhaane waala, Hurman Baaweja!

Hurman is finishing up his next schedule with Priyanka Chopra in a movie called What is your Raashee? (This is Ashustosh's next after Jodha Akbar)

Hurman must be feeling good about his Raashee, kyonki Priyu-baby is said to have broken Shahid's heart to stay on with Hurman.

Hur-Man, now be a He-man and say these words to Shahid
- By the power of my Daddy, Kaminey, I am Her-Man :)

and before we end this blog on a "Kaminey" note to Not-So-Shiney, these were the songs played in the show:

Song List Played:

1) Chaiya Chaiya - Dil Se
2) Tu Maike mat Jiyo - Pukar
3) Sunta hain mere khuda - Pukar
4) Dance Pe Chance - RNBDJ

5) Soniye - Kismat Konnection
6) Pappu cant dance - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
7) Kuch Is Tarah - Tasveer 8X10
7) Suraj hua madhyam - KKKG

Meri jaan, while you hummmm on those tunes, a big Thank you for visiting the blog and keep your emails-n-requests-n-dedications coming at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

..till next time...Stay Safe and Stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

Say Whag?

2009-06-12T07:53:00.005-04:00

Friday, June 12.

Meri jaan, let me first THANK ALL OF YOU

[BTW: That is not me, that is Al-Gore doing Namaste]

The BIG THANKS is for all the wonderful people who read this blog and respond on a weekly basis. I will try and keep up your expectations and hopes !! KOSHISH - As always !!!

Tou, once again - SHUKRIYA (thanks in Hindi - the desi dilect)

Coming to this weeks blog, Meri jaan, in the Cricketing World of India, this Sehwag episode has been stretched too far. Does it really matter if he is fit or not, or whether there is rift in the Indian cricket team?

As long as the players can perform on the field and Win the match - hey who is included or not, should really not matter ! Chak De India or Jai Ho should not be based on the calibre of a few players, it is a team effort public. Tou agar Tendulkar is out, or Ganguly is not in, or Dhoni is kept out, do we really care? (As long as it does not affect the overall team morale, and they continue to keep doing their best and hopefully win?)

PHEW - I am glad that is finally out of my system!!!

Now that is out of the system, coming to Dho-Dho-ni, do you know that he has fetched USD1.5ML/season for a 3 yr contract in the recent IPL bidding for the next season, foll0wed by players like Jayasurya, Adam Gilchrist, Muralitharan and likes. Whoa !!

Well, that is not too much in line with what the athletes get down here, but for Desi standards that is A LOT !!!

Go play cricket kids - forget those studies to get into -engineering-medicine-technology.

This is THE TIME to make money in Desi Cricket. Do like 2-3 IPL, T20, and World Cup series and you are set financially for atleast 20 years :)

For all the dimag-ka-bheja-fry-types who have been wondering about how this bidding for the IPL is done, All bidding is being done electronically in a sealed room, where eight teams owned by a variety of Indian companies in the petrochemical, cement and infrastructure businesses bid for 78 of the world's finest cricketers.

The IPL reserves four "ICON'' players from the auction. These players are the team captains Ganguly (Calcutta), Yuvraj Singh (Mohali), Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai) and Dravid (Bangalore) are guaranteed 15 percent more than the highest-paid player at their franchise. Each of the franchises repeatedly checks details on a computer that elaborates the list of players on auction, the number of players already won by the team, available balance and the number of foreign players bought.

Tendulkar stands to earn US$1.15 million from Mumbai after the second round of bidding, earning 15 percent more than the amount paid for Jayasuriya.

I know-I know! Enough about cricket..lets move on.

Well, moving on to the bollywood ki filmy duniya, it seems Shahrukh is really hush hush on his recent venture My Name Is Khan. Is this is family film? Terrorist background? Or a combination of both is still under covers. Whatever you do, we know Shahrukh, you will do a fantastic job alongwith your screen-soulmates: K-johar and K-jol.

All this K is bringing another K in the industry - not Kambhakht Ishq, Meri jaan, this one is Vashu Bhagnani's son - Jacky Bhagnani's movie called Kal Kisne Dekha. The movie is the first one out after the strike, so far the reviews dont seem too dekhne-laayak, but we wont know the fate till monday, coz, kal kisne dekha hain public?

Vashu has another nice one lined up called Do Knot Disturb - another one with a K in the middle, but I am sure that should be a funny one coz it has Govinda, Riteish, Sohail and Sush ! It has also been a long time since the trio of Govinda-David Dhawan-Vashu Bhagnani's came together, beyond all those No.1 series with Govinda.

Well, we will have lots of times to talk about all these upcoming hurricane of movies, tou that we will keep for the next few week's and months ...!

For those who missed out on the songs and the conversation yesterday,

Songlist played:
1) Haaaye pappi - Movie: Kismet Konnection (This one has 2 K's :)

2) Teri Meri Gal Bangayee - Movie: Kal Kisne Dekha
3) Sun Rubiya - Movie: Mard (Gosh!! this is just so stupid)
4) Pappu Cant dance - Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (All thanks to Rohit - the sport)
5) Main hoon don - Movie: Don (Starring Big B - Kishore Kumar song)
6) Ba Khuda tumhi Ho - Movie: Kismet Konnection (Thanks Sirish, I love this one)
7) Lets rock the party - Movie: Aa Dekhein Zaraa
8) Aisi chale jab hawaa - Movie: Aaja Nachle (Mads unbelievable as always)

Tou Meri Jaan, we catch up on more next week, till then Stay Safe and Stay in Loeve,

- Pankaj

Mere Dil Main Aaj Kya Hain !

2009-06-03T11:33:00.009-04:00

EBC Show
June 4. 2009

So, Kakaji-Aka-Rajesh Khanna is getting a lifetime achievement award in the upcoming IIFA awards in Macau this year. This year is the 10th year for this award ceremony.

Wow! Its been 10 years? I still remember the 1st International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards that were held somewhere in UK. Priyanka Chopra, who was very new on the bollywood scene at that time was the poster honor for the awards alongside Mr. Amitabh Bachchan.

Meri Jaan, so our this week's blog sends out a big shout-out to Rajesh Khanna for receiving the lifetime achievement award.

Jai Jai Shiv Shanker - Kakaji !
This is Kaka-ji's second lifetime achievement award, the last one was in 2005 when Filmfare gave out the lifetime achievement award to Kaka.

Kaka - don't cry re (or are all of you crying on seeing that Kaka got the award :), all I will say is that - "I hate those tears re"!

My memory of been associated with Kaka-ji's movies stays around the 80s and 90s (movies like Amrit, Avtar, Kudrat, Souten, Agar Tum Na Hote and likes). I somehow never cared much for Kakaji's style of acting; to me, he was more of a ham artist and was just lucky during his time. The right scripts, co-actors and songs just worked out for him.

I personally do not give much credit to Kakaji as an actor or his nodding style. I think people needed some change from the Kapoors and the Khan's of those years, and Rajesh Khanna was there at the right time in the right place !
But I guess it is the same with most actors, you either like their style or not. But, the folks that I know who still love Kakaji are people like my khala-or-mausi's and mama's, uncle's and aunt's.

These folks were in their college years during those Kaka-ji times and for them movies like Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Do Raaste, Anurag, Anurodh, Daag, Aradhna, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Andaaz and Prem Nagar re-defined their concept of a romantic hero, much like Shahrukh did after DDLJ.

Though, some of these folks moved over the Big B wave that swept the nation after 1972, these people still swear by those movies.
I know an aunt that has probably seen Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Aradhana, and Do Raaste some 15-20 times. Now, that is what I call a fan following - be it for the movie, the story, the songs or the actor, but something somewhere just clicked big time between the audience, the movie and yes - Rajesh Khanna!
Leaving my personal opinion aside (vaise bhi - who cares about that anyways), if you really thing about it, 1969-1972 is just 4 years but in these years, Rajesh Khanna gave back-to-back hit movies like Aradhana, Do Raaste, Kati Patang, Aapki Kasam, Prem Nagar, Dushman, Saccha Jootha, Anurag, Haathi mere saathi, Safar, Aan Milo Sajna, Ajnabi, Amar Prem, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Anurodh, Andaaz, Daag, Roti and many more.

So, you are talking about more than 20 Super-Duper hits in 4 years? That is a definitely a big achievement for any actor!

Tou meri jaan, whatever you think of Kakaji, one thing is there for sure that you cannot say say no to those melodies in his movies: Mere Sapno Ki Rani, Roop Tera Mastana, Kora Kagaz tha yeh man, Vaada tera vaada, Yeh shaam mastani, Pyaar deewana hota hain, Yeh jo mohabbat hain, Kuch tou log kahenge, Chingari koi bhadke, Yeh kya hua-kaise hua, Karwate badalte rahey, Mere dil main aaj kya hain, Ab chahe maa roothey ya baba, Hum dono do premi, Yeh jo chilman hain, Chalaa jaata hoon kisi ki dhun main and Zindagi ek safar (with the Kishore Da-classic yoodeling), Aap ke anurodh pe, Aatey jaatey khoobsurat aawara sadko pe, Yeh public hain, Samaa hain suhaana, Humein tumse pyaar kitna and many many more..

So, whether you love Kaka's movies or not, please-please do check out some of those songs, the combination of Kishore-Da and RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal (music composers) is a Killer and I am sure you will love those songs!

Meri Jaan, so in any case, congratulations to Kaka on the lifetime achievement award!

Well, talking about Awards, seems like Big B always gets chutnied in the news due to one reason or other. The latest been his decision to reject the OZ honor; an honorary doctorate from the Queensland University in Brisbane.

I honestly also do not know about the rating of the university, or the reason to honor Big B in an OZ university, but I do feel that probably the Dean is a huge Big B fan and must be willing to meet Bachchan from his hay days, so what better way to meet-n-greet, then to honor the man via the university. I am sure the Dean is singing - Aye Jee-OZ-Big B se milo JEE :)

So, people that pretty much sums up the blog for this week.

Songs played in the show:

1) Jai-Jai Shiv Shanker (Movie: Aap ki Kasam)
2) Chalaa Jaata Hoon (Movie: Mere Jeevan Saathi)
3) Kora Kagaz tha yeh man mera (Movie: Aradhna)
4) Pyar Deewana Hota Hain (Movie: Kati Patang)
5) Yeh jo chilman hain (Movie: Mehboob ki Mehndi)
6) Zindagi Ek Safar Hain Suhaana (Movie: Andaz)
7) Mere Dil main aaj kya hain (Movie: Daag)
8) Oh Mere Dil Ke chain (Movie: Mere Jeevan Saathi)
9) Humein tumse pyaar kitna (Movie: Kudrat)
10) Karwate Badalte Rahey (Movie: Aap Ki Kasam)

Dont forget to keep emailing your requests and dedications at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Till next week, stay safe and stay in loeve!

- Pankaj

Chak De IPL!

2009-05-28T10:46:00.008-04:00

EBC Show
May 28, 2008

Tou finally the IPL fever is over with the Deccan Chargers (the Dhakkan team) winning over the Bangalore Royal Challengers (the Bevda Team). Some people are happy, some confused and unhappy, some dont know which channel to tune in to look for those celebrities (I am talking about the cheerleaders of-course).

Jo bhi ho there needs to be changes made in the next season of IPL, like the Rajasthan Royals should change their team name to Rajasthan Un-Royals and Mumbai Indians be called Mumbai In-jured-ians.

Plus with all the hoopla over the grand finale and who will and who will not perform after the game ends, lots of people were unhappy not seeing their star, but I guess the most unhappy person in all this "Injured Player's League" was apna SRK.

He recently just took off for a vacation to the US. He has almost changed the Chak de India slogan to India-Ko-Chak-De.

SRK might just be lucky because not many folks in the US watched the IPL, becoz they were more concerned with their own KPL (Kidhar Paisa Lagaoon in this recovering economy)

Also the hush-hush news is that King Khan just could not face the media questions about the KKR's dismal performance, and he is thinking of renaming the team to KKK and asking Adnan Sami to sing the title song (Kabhi tou Khaata Kholo... )

While the IPL is ending, you know the strike in the industry is causing big issues when Shahrukh and Aamir are seen at so many venues together. Hopefully they can work something out, because the Industry is missing out on lots of possible money spinners.

We cant wait for the Aamir's "3 Idiots" and Shahrukh's "My Name is Khan", Akki has Blue, Action Replay and Kambhakht Ishq, Abhishek has Mani Ratnam's "Ravana" and a bunch of other movies coming from the Yash Raj camp with their new Raj - Shahid Kapur.

And yes not to forget the endless list of Big B movies: Alladin, Teen Patti, Shoebite, Johnny Mastana, and many more.. (when is he finally going to retire?)

So, hopefully Bollywood soon picks up on what they do best - strikes, oh I mean strike the Box Office, after all Kal Kisne Dekha Hain !

Folks, that pretty much wraps up the blog this time.

The song list played in the show:

1. Nazaara Hain - Tasveer 8X10
2. Woh ladki jo sabse alag hain - Badshah
3. Tere Bina - Tasveer 8X10
4. Aye Bachchu - Ghajini
5. Tujhpe tou jaadu - Race
6. Mar Jaawa - Fashion
7. Zaraa Si Dil main - Jannat
8. Tere Naina - Chandni Chowk to China

So summer is coming Meri Jaan, get ready for the heat, but keep your emails flowing to cool me down at pankajonebc@yahoo.com.

Till next time, stay safe and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj

One more Statue - Jai Ho!

2009-05-22T07:58:00.000-04:00

EBC Show
May 21, 2009

So, The man never stops!

Yes, Amitabh Bachchan now has a statue waxed for himself in NYC (in Madame Tussad's wax museum). I dont know if this is an achievement now, because this should have been done years back, but in any case, Jai Ho! (and then, do you really care about the wax museum or those putlas any more?)

But, it is definitely a sign that Bollywood is finally coming to its own in Uncle $$am's town ! (Thanks to Deewar-ish-Slumdog Millionaire)

Nowadays everyone from Bollywood is either collaborating or working in Hollywood, and why not, the strike has paralysed the desi industry, and bowler(IPL), travel-collar ke liye $ollar tou chhaiye. (Dont be surprised if you see Rahul Gandhi is one of those collaborations, he is becoming a good actor too :)

You already have Hrithik teaming up with Mexican female actors (Maria Mori), and honestly, I was looking at his red carpet walk at Cannes, and Hrithik really looked Italihunk-ish with Mayya-Mori:)

Hopefully Kites should be nice one and will not make us say that kites just bites! His last one Jodha-Akbar was definitely a good attempt.

Shahrukh is also planning a Hollywood venture called Raju ban gayaa New York man, kyonki apna SRK tou does not work in any movie nowadays that is not made abroad and e-specially in NYC. If you did not know it already, Yash Uncle has a studio specially for the King Khan and KJO has all those apartments in Gay-ish KeyWest (dont mention it to anyone - husssshhhh)

Shilpa Shetty tou already is everywhere chahe ho Johannesburg ya Jodhpur, Aish is just signing hollywood productions, Abhishek ka pataa nahin what is he upto after Ravana, Akshay is roping in Rocky-tallone for his movies, tou kaun bachega in Bollywood- Bechara Apna Big B, and he too is now waxed in NYC :)

Vaise, lets move from Bollywood to vacation-ood ! This is the long holiday weekend this side, Barbeque, Hamptons or beach, whatever you do and where-ever you go, I will be in reach, so do keep emailing me at pankajonebc@yahoo.com (just dont expect an email response, right away Meri Jaan)

Oops, before I forget, back home, Prakash Mehra, the director passed away. It probably does not matter to much folks, but he made some wonderful movies with Big B. He made the popular Zanzeer-Big B's claim to fame.

I personally think Zanzeer never created Big B, it just created a persona, a style. What really made Big B-Big was Mukaddar Ka Sikander. The shades of comedy, attitude, and the Zohra jaan angle was pretty intense - "Zohra darwaaza khol, aaj tere Sikander ka imtihaan hain" Pyare Lal ji, Na memsaab aati hain, na maut aati hain par Zohra beghum bahut accha gaati hain" "Sikander ne bahut kam logon se haath milaya hain dost"

The team of PMP productions and Big B went on to make classsics like Namak Halal, and Sharaabi, and that alongwith lots of other movies pretty much pedestalled Big B to the Cult-ic status as the Cinematic GOD of Bollywood (I would not put Hera-Pheri, or Lawaaris as classics, but they did add on to the Bachchan divers-ification - Mere Angne Main - Remember??)

Sharaabi immortalized the Arthur-ish inspired Bollywood, and Namak Halal still inspires King-Is-Singh-ish kind of movies. Daddu tum?

We will miss you Mr. Prakash Mehra!

Well folks while Praskash Mehra rests to peace, I just cant wait to be back on a vacation after my trip to Key West-Miami (Life goes on, does'nt it?)

..sitting on the white sands, near the azure clearwater beaches,
Don Q in the hand, and Margaritaville playing in the band..

Its pure bliss !!

Well folks that pretty much summed up our show this week.

Song List played in the show:

1. Apni Tou Jaise Taise - Laawaris
2. Dilbar Mere - Satte Pe Satta
3. Thodi See Jo Pee Li - Namak Halal
4. Samundar Me Nahake - Pukar
5. Pyar tumhe kis mod - Satte Pe Satta
6. Tum Saath ho jab apne - Kaliya

Meri Jaan, enjoy your weekend, and we will be back next week with more funtertainment bak-bak ! Keep emailing at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Till then Stay safe and Stay in Loeve

- Pankaj

Kiss thy Pig !!

2009-05-19T14:57:00.000-04:00

Friday, May 8th, 2009
EBC Show. 05-08-09.

First of all I need to start off with a thank you note to all of you that have visited the blog! Shukriya, Karam, Meherbaani for taking time and visiting the blog. It is all about funtertainment and I will try and keep up the music, masti and dhamaal energy scale!

Coming to this week’s blog,

Tou recently scientists in Mexico have been asking local people to kiss the pigs. Oho! not because there are no guys or kudi’s in mexico re, this is an initiative to prove that the swine flu has become mild and things are improving in mexico.

From the last that I heard, not humans, but the pigs were runing away (across the border) from the fear of getting swine flu from humans! (dont stretch your imagination too much here :)

Talking about humans, I had this very emotional email from Akruti about her mom not been too happy; because of Akruti’s decision to get engaged without the parent’s approval.

Meri jaan, Akruti! all I can say is that I am not sure what your circumstances were to take that step, but I am sure you had your reasons; But, I would say that things will come around, they always do, so hang in there and this too shall pass !

So, folks, out program shifted gears yesterday and moved on to a special on mother’s day!
It is coming this weekend people (May 10), so definitely do something special for your mom.

This is the lady who pours her heart, soul and moists those eyes of hers at each of your actions - good or bad, so please-please do something nice for her !!!

Maa - shabd chota hain, par bahut gehra meaning hain, meri jaan !!!

Well, I would definitely like to share the nice emails that came in, and this one was from Supriya:

Mom, you are a shining star, though the world doesn’t know your name.
You have no fancy wishes and you there in all my games.
Mom, you are really are a star, my mother mentor and friend.
You may not be famous, as your face is known to few.
But Mom, I think you are wonderful and I’m so proud of you!

That was really sweet Supriya!

With all the emotions flowing for maa-ki-mamta, I kind of remember the fictional story of this guy, so let me also share that story with you all.

Tou dhyaan se suno…

Once upon a time, there was this mom and she had a son and she gave all her heart to raise this son. Maa ne apna poora dil, jee jaan lagaa ke us bacche ko badaa kiya!

Ek din, us ladke ko ek ladki mili, and as was to happen, the guy got married to his girl, but he slowly drifted away from his mother, This girl was very mean, and the guy was just blinded by the love of the girl

Woh tou bas us ladki ke peyr dabaata tha, chaahe maa ke pair kaise bhi ho, Ladki ke liye acche acche kapde laata, maa ke paas 2 jodi kapda ho ya na ho,

Par maa kuch nahin bolee, kahte hain na, ke - maa ka dil itna
gahra hota hain ke samundar bhi kam padta hain

Tou ek din us mean ladki ne kahaa ke meri jaan, aaj tumse kuch maangti hoon dogey? Tou yeh apne Mr. joru ke ghulam boley ke haan bolo?

The mean girl said, ke aaj mujhe apni maa ka dil laa ke dou
(and people this is all fiction - tou dont go into it literally..)

Par apna Mr. Joru ka ghulam went up to his mom and said ke maa,mujhe tera dil nikaalna hain!

Tou maa bolee - theek hain, par pehle betaa tujhe bhook lagee hogee, kuch khaa le! Tou, maa ne khaana diya, khaaya, aur phir jaake so gayee.

Us ladke ne, in her mom’s sleep, maa ke heart ko nikaal liya and he felt very happy, ke aaj tou uski beghum bahut khush hogee (Sardaar bahut khus hogii, Sabaasi degi) kitna accha kaam kiya hain - that he is taken his mom’ heart out!!

But, life has its ways, and while he was walking back, he tripped over a stone, and maa ka dil bhi fell down, and suddenly us maa ke dil main se ek aawaz nikali - “beta tu theek hain na? Dhyaan se chal, chot tou naheeen lagee “?

Aur tab - this guy, felt the pain, and he remorsed over what had he done?

Bheja fry message for the week - ke yeh hota hain maa ka dil, jo seene se niklane ke baad bhi apne bacchon ke liye rota hain, your mom’s heart still bleeds for you even after it is out of her own heart !!!!

Tou people, take some tissues and wipe those tears, Pump up and put on your creative gears, and do something really-really nice for your mom this weekend !!!

I am doing something special and taking off for a week, tou next week, we wont meet, because I need to do something sweet for a very special mom in my life.

I am sure u all can live without an hour of hearing my bak-bak! So, we meet the week of 18-22 May!

I know we are all in the sentimental mood, par I will end this blog with this final email that summarizes a mom’s world.

Thank you Shaheen for sending this one:

Dear mom!
It’s been a hectic day, with little time to stop and say.
Mom, you are my shunshine ray !

Since I became a mom, my life’s been hard as rocks,
I ve been Running errands, and matching socks,
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that my kids now lose

I ve been fitting lids on bottled mugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
Where did u find the time mom?
Where did u find the time to go to bed?
To cover up for the mails un-read to do all those pending tasks ahead?

so..now.. when I steal a minute or two
All I do is remember you !!! and ..All I see is your smiling face

Thank you mom for being my grace !
Thank you mom for giving me bless !
Thank you mom!!

Amen! Shaheen, that really sums it up !!!!

tou, Meri jaan, with that - its time for me to doze off!

I am off next week, tou enjoy this weekend (mother’s day), keep sending those dedications at pankajonebc@yahoo.com and yes enjoy a day off without me, your humdum, dost and host !!!

Naam? Naam? P-A-N-K-A-J !!

Lo Aagaya - Mallika Shake !!

2009-05-19T14:41:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
EBC show - 04-30-09

Meri jaan, Koshish tou ongoing hain to bring the latest around the Bolly-world gossip and news. Here comes this new edition on the blog.

Arre apni Mallika is doing the rounds of Uncle Sam a lot nowadays. Kabhi luncheons, tou kabhi Wine tasting in Napa Valley; and if you did not know it already, just recently, the glowing and showing Mallika had a milkshake named after her at the ‘Millions of Milkshakes’ contest in LA.

Arre kya public? Honestly, there is a competition of milk shakes, and tum meri jaan abhi bhi stuck ho in those antakshari contests?

Meri jaan, find some vanilla shake, or strawberry shake contest to participate; If nothin, you might just get some free shake?

and Mallika tou recently was spotted in apna New Jersey Re, poochon kyun?

Mallika Sherawat got awarded by the mayor of Jersey City for her “unparalleled contributions to and influence on the Indian diaspora”.
Sanju bab hotey tou kahte “Kahin Gash kah ke, behosh tou nahin ho gaye soniye?”

Still un-conscious ho? Utho, Utho...

Well, it seems Mallika is here promoting some movie, [no silly, not still the Jackie Chan movie], Woh tou aakey bhi chalee gayee - on DVD release only.

I guess, if Mallika is getting awarded for art, tou lets put all our art on a cart and go somewhere else. Seriously, meri jaan, Shahrukh ko bolte hain ke “dance pe chance“ should be now art ko kart pe daal de.

Aur SRK se yaad aaya, King Khan is nowadays busy in “My name is Khan” aur kyun na ho, he’s got KJO and K(a)JOL along with him in the movie.

Vaise Vinay Pathak- of-Dasvidaniya-and-Bheja Fry-and Star Pehchaan Kaun-fame is also making another movie Mee SRK. The fark is that here SRK stands for Shivaji
Rao Khotey.

Aur, Khotey se yaad aaya , [no silly not Viju Khotey (Kaaliya from Sholay)], but apna Khotey Sikkey waaala- Feroz Khan is no more. Babes - u always looked smashing. Our sincere thoughts and strengths are with the F. Khan family on their loss.

Tou this week ke liye, itna hi, more next week.

Song list played:
1. Tujhe Milke Lagaa Hain Yeh - Raaz II
2. Kuch Is Tarah - Tasveer 8X10
3. Gori Gori - Main Hoon Na
4. Desi Girl - Dostana
5. Bijuria - Shaadi Se Pahle
6. Kal Kisne Dekha - Title
7. Aye Kaash ke hum - Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na

Meri jaan, in case you are still “behosh” after hearing Mallika getting the”award” for unparalleled contribution in art, abhi tou Amrita Arora hain, Rakhi Sawant hain line main. Silly, not for the award re - for the milkshake! Tou just wait and shake for A-mora or Raw-ant Shake.

Well, forget about the shake, but don’t forget to send me your dedications, requests and comments at pankajonebc@yahoo.com!!

Tou till next week Stay Safe and Stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

2009-05-19T14:27:00.000-04:00

Chappal Maro !!

Thursday - April 23, 2009.

The latest I heard was that Jeetu Bhai –arre apne Oh-Taaki-Oh Jhaaki waale went to this political rally..!!

Oho not to dance, silly, but to promote some candidate, silly again, not Ekta Kapoor..she is on demotion right now !!

And as soon as he got on stage he got this big dancing chappal coming towards him. Poor apna Jeetu bhai - he did not take this as a setback.

Meri Jaan, he is a Himmatwaala so he took it as a Tohfa, tohfa.

Aur kyun na ho..

Jeetu bhai! kiski Haisiyat ke aap pe chappal maare, us gunaahon ke devta ki Ek hi bhool samajh ke chod do na !! Aap tou bas Ek Aankh maro - aur rasta ruk jaaye, tou phir chappal kya cheez hain !

So, khopdi ka bheja fry for the day: Jo bhi ho, it just seems that this chappal episode that started from Iraq has now become THE form of protest. Tou khoop chappal maro on these actors-cum-nautanki characters, and all those faltu netas and their betas !!

Tou meri jaan, koshish karoonga to keep writing some mumbling-bakwaas excerpts from the show; koshish karoonga - not vaayda- kyonki

Vaade hamesha toot jaate hain…. lekin
Koshishein aksar kaamyaab ho jaati hain.. !!

so keep tuning to the show and the blog..
and dont forget to Pre-request your dedications at pankajonebc@yahoo.com

Well, some of you asked about the songs on the last show:
1 - Nainon main sapna. Movie Himmatwaala
2 - Na pairon main payal. Movie Neil aur Nikki
3- Soniye. Movie Aksar
4 - I am the Best. Movie. Phir bhi dil hain Hindustani
5- Zikr kare jo tera. Movie Aksar

Next week - lets catch up on some new numbers.

Its really late and I really-really need to catch up on my sleep.
Till next post, Yu-oll……Stay

Safe and Stay in Love

- Pankaj