Ok, some pause to life and its ramblings, to philosophical thoughts :P, to all that goes working in a devil's workshop (read idle mind)... Had promised myself to write a lighter post soon and here I go...
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Am no film critic, but a film lover in the sense i appreciate movies that make sense to me... from that point of view my take on two remake movies i recently saw...
For the record - I sincerely feel the original essence can never be captured in a remake or at least will not appeal if the same person watches both the versions... one ends up liking the version one has seen first rather than the better version... (the very same reason i liked Jay Jay over Serendipity, Manasellam and Idhayathai Thirudadhey over Love Story and loads on similar lines). Also one might just avoid seeing a second version ( I couldn't even try watching Saathiya and Hindi Ghajini after seeing likes of Maddy and Surya respectively and Bhool Bhulaiya after Shobana's mind blowing Manichitrathazhu or Jyothika's Chandramukhi)... The list is longer, with an amazing list of languages we follow and amazing list of movies on hand, we are bound to love some, like some, dislike some and more so hate some :)
Right now, my two cents on two recent Tamil flicks...
Ninaithale Inikkum - Now one might wonder if this even deserves a review or a comment... i just felt it might, coz this this is the genre that gets remade left right center from language to language across the country :P Theres a college building, 4 friends, more classmates, 2 gangs, a love story to blossom and break and get back at the end, a revenge, a student union, 5 songs, 2 fights, 10 senti dialogues, a prof/dad to lecture the kids into well being.... Simple, typical Indian cinema story line... but the way its conceived by the director comes out right only the first time. "Classmates" the original Mallu version, was sweet despite all the commonalities... was fresh, was at least well defined screenplay... enjoyed the movie not just coz prithviraj was there :P but coz it got the college theme across in full spirits. In the Tamil version, prolly the focus was more on remaking and ended up being a parade of scenes with not much of correlation. The essence was lost, and so was my interest. I seriously sat down wondering would the effect be the same on first time viewers, and it indeed was!!! So much for the effort taken to remake every single movie to every possible language....
Unnai Pol Oruvan - There was A Wednesday, there was a movie out there that has made an impact, there was a Nasrudeen Shah who was impeccable, there always was. Chennai would never know what it is to be a Mumbai to relate to A Wednesday, but Chennai did. Thanks to Unnai Pol Oruvan. Thanks to Kamal Hasan and Mohan Lal for making us forget it was yet another remake. There were things that were done even better than the original.. the detailing that had gone into every character, the dialogues, the political relevance, getting Chennai to relate to all this - it made me feel good about a remake that good movies should not be lying down for one set of audience alone, remakes are for the good only if it comes out not just as a remake :)
P.S.: I watched Unnai Pol Oruvan before Ninaithale Inikum, was all positive towards watching remakes, but that one made me go back to my earlier view point of "no to remakes" :P So much that am warning people not to watch Wanted - it was a hopeless journey from Telugu to Tamil Pokkiri already :P
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Quoting it...
Every time i read something, i have this bad habit of associating it to my life, and figuring out where i stand with respect to what i read. Many times i find a match - i am happy, elated, depressed, down or discouraged depending on what i read. Also from whom i get to read that...
Every time i read something that reflects upon life, i share - with those who might relate to it, with those i can discuss it with, but most of the time with those who have no clue about what am saying or why...
Every time i read something it means i have got it from a dear friend who wants me to read it coz i might enjoy it, accept it or comment about it...
Every time i read something i run to this dear friend for sharing my joy, disturbing thoughts, anger, comments and what not. We might agree upon, we might not.. but i still go for it... its unworthy otherwise...
Time and again, words have made what life is. Time and again words have made people. When my best friend once sent me a different kind of quote, that made my life, little did i know i would live up to it or let it go... hes made me read lots of his scribblings, and lots of others ramblings....and years later this one amazes me the most...
"In the quest for love..One lost sight of friendship..And in the quest for friendship..Another lost sight of love..Whether one was wrong or the other was right..Only fate will tell, only time will decide..Meanwhile the wheels of life roll on..And the distances in between grow..Soon each will be too busy to keep the other in the know..And a friendship and a love will be lost to both...."
Now i wonder how much of it should i relate to... how much to myself, how much to people i know, how much to the life i never or shall never again know... Probably there are things in plain words that could just not be my cup of cake, and i should "Let Go" and "Read" just for the heck of it!!! After all i just can't imagine life is just like how i read about it.. i need to see it to live it.. :)
P.S: Sri next time you send a quote, send me the source as well :-P Can't imagine you writing them all, and can't google for the source myself every single time... And next time you make me read something, stop me from writing about it :-)
Every time i read something that reflects upon life, i share - with those who might relate to it, with those i can discuss it with, but most of the time with those who have no clue about what am saying or why...
Every time i read something it means i have got it from a dear friend who wants me to read it coz i might enjoy it, accept it or comment about it...
Every time i read something i run to this dear friend for sharing my joy, disturbing thoughts, anger, comments and what not. We might agree upon, we might not.. but i still go for it... its unworthy otherwise...
Time and again, words have made what life is. Time and again words have made people. When my best friend once sent me a different kind of quote, that made my life, little did i know i would live up to it or let it go... hes made me read lots of his scribblings, and lots of others ramblings....and years later this one amazes me the most...
"In the quest for love..One lost sight of friendship..And in the quest for friendship..Another lost sight of love..Whether one was wrong or the other was right..Only fate will tell, only time will decide..Meanwhile the wheels of life roll on..And the distances in between grow..Soon each will be too busy to keep the other in the know..And a friendship and a love will be lost to both...."
Now i wonder how much of it should i relate to... how much to myself, how much to people i know, how much to the life i never or shall never again know... Probably there are things in plain words that could just not be my cup of cake, and i should "Let Go" and "Read" just for the heck of it!!! After all i just can't imagine life is just like how i read about it.. i need to see it to live it.. :)
P.S: Sri next time you send a quote, send me the source as well :-P Can't imagine you writing them all, and can't google for the source myself every single time... And next time you make me read something, stop me from writing about it :-)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Back to schoooooooooooooooooooool !!!!
Ok, been a while, a long long while, since i wrote, since i spoke, since i was there out in the open. Right now I feel a rush to do it all at once :-) , when I can feel the scent of the fresh air around me, when I can feel the importance of being “Me”.
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This post is a little too special, especially coz this goes to that entity which has made me what I am, even to the extent of what made me write, what me a person who could be no less proud of where I come from.
How many would actually not hesitate to jump and scream on just seeing some random person on the road wear your school uniform, years after you are out of that place, and feel so damn proud about it? How many would keep their heads high and with an air of attitude, proudly tag themselves to the school they come from? How many would wait for every single chance to sneak back to school and go from classroom to classroom looking out for every single teacher who has taught them in every single class, greet them with joy and get recognized right away and get all the blessing from their hearts? How many would remember the roll call order of the class till date and use the same order to track friends down? How many would still think of the entire batch of school friend’s the best of the lot? Am lucky am one of the rare few. I luckier that am friends with and went to school together with a majority of the rare few am talking about. :-) DAV Girls School Gopalapuram rocks!!! Hail my 10B!!!
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This is what inspired me to write this - http://davgirlsgpm.com/ - My Alma Mater that matters the most!!! DAV is still going places….
Coming to why this post… it’s a toast…DAV brought out the speaker and writer in me. Thanks to Jyothi Ma’am (Jyothi Srinath)- the one person I think of every time I write a poem or update a blog (if anyone knows her contact details, pls lemme know, or tell me how I can track her down – I so badly want to share all my writings and make her proud), she made a poet out of a simple 3rd std kid, sending a ridiculously funny poem for a London poetry writing contest, and it has got me all the way here. It all came in loads and nothing lesser – studies, fun, friends, teachers and everything else. I started with something else in mind, and here I am carried away by memories that I am just leaving it here, for people to have their own nostalgia running…
For every 10B girl reading this (be it Anita, Aparna, Archana Raju, Archana Ravi, Y Archana, Bhuvaneshwari, Deepa, Deeptha, C.Dheepa, Dhivya, J.Divya, Geetha, Gifrina, Hemamalini, D Jayanthy, M Jayanthi, Jyothsna, Kavitha, Krithika, Lakshmi, LPD, G Madhu, R Madhu, Miru, Neha, Nithya, Padmavathy, Papeetha, P.S. Pavi, S.Pavi, Rajalakshmi, Rama, G. Ramya, (R.Ramya) , Ranjani, Saradha, Sathya Priya, Sreelalitha, A.Sukanya, K. Sukanya, Varalakshmi, G.Vidhya, H.Vidhya) – “Aazaadi, dil ki…. Freedom.. to be.. “ “Netru no no, naalai no no, life il tension endrum no no”… :-)
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P.S. : Non 10B or non DAV girls – Am back to serious blogging, blogs for rest of the public will be updated soon… Till then keep blinking at portions of this post which doesn’t make sense to you. :-P
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This post is a little too special, especially coz this goes to that entity which has made me what I am, even to the extent of what made me write, what me a person who could be no less proud of where I come from.
How many would actually not hesitate to jump and scream on just seeing some random person on the road wear your school uniform, years after you are out of that place, and feel so damn proud about it? How many would keep their heads high and with an air of attitude, proudly tag themselves to the school they come from? How many would wait for every single chance to sneak back to school and go from classroom to classroom looking out for every single teacher who has taught them in every single class, greet them with joy and get recognized right away and get all the blessing from their hearts? How many would remember the roll call order of the class till date and use the same order to track friends down? How many would still think of the entire batch of school friend’s the best of the lot? Am lucky am one of the rare few. I luckier that am friends with and went to school together with a majority of the rare few am talking about. :-) DAV Girls School Gopalapuram rocks!!! Hail my 10B!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is what inspired me to write this - http://davgirlsgpm.com/ - My Alma Mater that matters the most!!! DAV is still going places….
Coming to why this post… it’s a toast…DAV brought out the speaker and writer in me. Thanks to Jyothi Ma’am (Jyothi Srinath)- the one person I think of every time I write a poem or update a blog (if anyone knows her contact details, pls lemme know, or tell me how I can track her down – I so badly want to share all my writings and make her proud), she made a poet out of a simple 3rd std kid, sending a ridiculously funny poem for a London poetry writing contest, and it has got me all the way here. It all came in loads and nothing lesser – studies, fun, friends, teachers and everything else. I started with something else in mind, and here I am carried away by memories that I am just leaving it here, for people to have their own nostalgia running…
For every 10B girl reading this (be it Anita, Aparna, Archana Raju, Archana Ravi, Y Archana, Bhuvaneshwari, Deepa, Deeptha, C.Dheepa, Dhivya, J.Divya, Geetha, Gifrina, Hemamalini, D Jayanthy, M Jayanthi, Jyothsna, Kavitha, Krithika, Lakshmi, LPD, G Madhu, R Madhu, Miru, Neha, Nithya, Padmavathy, Papeetha, P.S. Pavi, S.Pavi, Rajalakshmi, Rama, G. Ramya, (R.Ramya) , Ranjani, Saradha, Sathya Priya, Sreelalitha, A.Sukanya, K. Sukanya, Varalakshmi, G.Vidhya, H.Vidhya) – “Aazaadi, dil ki…. Freedom.. to be.. “ “Netru no no, naalai no no, life il tension endrum no no”… :-)
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P.S. : Non 10B or non DAV girls – Am back to serious blogging, blogs for rest of the public will be updated soon… Till then keep blinking at portions of this post which doesn’t make sense to you. :-P
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A Dream, a Change...
When you actually feel its been a while since you blogged, when you force your mind to think, when you force your body to shutdown into a deep slumber, when you have nothing else to do, you write or rather dream of writing, result is what i have here...
As always, thanks to the world for giving me so much of things to write about... I can never run out of issues :)
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With the down pour of a beautiful rain and the fresh scent of wet sand, something was missing all of a sudden – Me! I searched and searched out in the balcony where I had danced all along, out of the building where I had always been and out in every possible corner I could normally hide. But I hadn’t chosen to hide. I found myself sitting alone in the rain, drenched, yet smiling on the lush green lawn, facing the mighty mountains. Only I could hear the faint music of rain that I always liked dancing to, only I could feel the chillness of the place hit my face, only I could feel that I had them all.
I loved it there. The rain was too good to me. It left me to myself, smiled at me and let me hide myself behind its miraculous droplets. I sat there counting each one of them as if they were the most precious gems on earth. I was too cozy to even stand up, I didn’t want to come out of this comfort- I was scared I would skid and more so because I have to catch myself if I did. I still claim that sitting there is the best thing I could do, and sit there swaying to that faint tune.
I swayed and swayed only when I heard a distant beep. It was 5 a.m., in my room, on my bed and the only beep I heard, that disturbance that excited me out of a realistic dream was the usual service message and I stared at it disappointedly for long till when I could sleep again.
As always, thanks to the world for giving me so much of things to write about... I can never run out of issues :)
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With the down pour of a beautiful rain and the fresh scent of wet sand, something was missing all of a sudden – Me! I searched and searched out in the balcony where I had danced all along, out of the building where I had always been and out in every possible corner I could normally hide. But I hadn’t chosen to hide. I found myself sitting alone in the rain, drenched, yet smiling on the lush green lawn, facing the mighty mountains. Only I could hear the faint music of rain that I always liked dancing to, only I could feel the chillness of the place hit my face, only I could feel that I had them all.
I loved it there. The rain was too good to me. It left me to myself, smiled at me and let me hide myself behind its miraculous droplets. I sat there counting each one of them as if they were the most precious gems on earth. I was too cozy to even stand up, I didn’t want to come out of this comfort- I was scared I would skid and more so because I have to catch myself if I did. I still claim that sitting there is the best thing I could do, and sit there swaying to that faint tune.
I swayed and swayed only when I heard a distant beep. It was 5 a.m., in my room, on my bed and the only beep I heard, that disturbance that excited me out of a realistic dream was the usual service message and I stared at it disappointedly for long till when I could sleep again.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A Journey...
A break from my usual posts... this one is something that came up from the world so external to my daily life...
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Like any normal day, it was yet another fine sunny morning, and I was all dressed up and ready to go to work. Times have changed form school, to college to work now, but fortunately or unfortunately I end up taking the same route to all these places… for years together I have been traveling by the same bus, actually gifted that I at least have this bus to commute.
Too many passengers, too many stops in between, and between all these I have had the best of times. I have met the best of people, got to know few of them better, and few others still better. Few have traveled with me for years, and few got down before I realized they were there. What more can I expect from a mere bus travel. The very thought of going to the bus stop every morning makes me think all these, and before I could start getting more anxious the bus is there.
I board the bus and wish all the usual commuters I know, a simple smile to say we know we are traveling together and take my usual window seat just behind the driver, I obviously hadn’t reserved it for me (if only I could), it was just there waiting for me. And there he was, a stranger sitting next to me where this other person was sitting till “yesterday”. Now I in fact think how far yesterday was, that I either had no clue that this other co-passenger am talking about would not be commuting along with me or that I knew and just couldn’t accept. Not a pal, not a kin – a co-passenger whom I knew for long (if long as a definition), he was just not there. I felt strange experiencing what regularity could do to change.
Was ashamed to say I missed him during whole of the travel that day, for we share no relationship and he was no-one to me. But I felt his absence strongly. There finally was an alternate occurrence in my otherwise monotonous daily routine. I dint have someone to talk to. I dint have that someone who wanted nothing but a conversion – random, meaningless conversation. That was part of what I did everyday and I wondered what I would do henceforth to fill that space. Oh, the other fellow commuters I said “hi” to when I got in are still around, they might have noticed that I am surprised. They either dint know me too well to say “Act normal, he was just a co-passenger”, or they knew me too well and thought I would realize from what I had learnt all through my journey days. Either ways I was left to myself.
Am actually fine with being left to myself, I will have all the time to return all calls, to finish all the reading I wanted to and all the dreaming I planned to, and above all to discover other niceties a bus journey offers. Still not sure if this new stranger is going to take the same bus again, I knew not whether to say a “hi!” or just ignore. But god gave me a mouth to talk and I did. I stopped only when the bus did, when this stranger had to say the dreaded “was nice talking to you, bye! “.
Am used to this now, and was waiting for next co-passenger to board the bus, so that I can peacefully travel the last few miles of my journey, I wait knowing that there are going to be more stops, more passengers but what will stay is the bus, my destination, me and my journey I chose to take.
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Like any normal day, it was yet another fine sunny morning, and I was all dressed up and ready to go to work. Times have changed form school, to college to work now, but fortunately or unfortunately I end up taking the same route to all these places… for years together I have been traveling by the same bus, actually gifted that I at least have this bus to commute.
Too many passengers, too many stops in between, and between all these I have had the best of times. I have met the best of people, got to know few of them better, and few others still better. Few have traveled with me for years, and few got down before I realized they were there. What more can I expect from a mere bus travel. The very thought of going to the bus stop every morning makes me think all these, and before I could start getting more anxious the bus is there.
I board the bus and wish all the usual commuters I know, a simple smile to say we know we are traveling together and take my usual window seat just behind the driver, I obviously hadn’t reserved it for me (if only I could), it was just there waiting for me. And there he was, a stranger sitting next to me where this other person was sitting till “yesterday”. Now I in fact think how far yesterday was, that I either had no clue that this other co-passenger am talking about would not be commuting along with me or that I knew and just couldn’t accept. Not a pal, not a kin – a co-passenger whom I knew for long (if long as a definition), he was just not there. I felt strange experiencing what regularity could do to change.
Was ashamed to say I missed him during whole of the travel that day, for we share no relationship and he was no-one to me. But I felt his absence strongly. There finally was an alternate occurrence in my otherwise monotonous daily routine. I dint have someone to talk to. I dint have that someone who wanted nothing but a conversion – random, meaningless conversation. That was part of what I did everyday and I wondered what I would do henceforth to fill that space. Oh, the other fellow commuters I said “hi” to when I got in are still around, they might have noticed that I am surprised. They either dint know me too well to say “Act normal, he was just a co-passenger”, or they knew me too well and thought I would realize from what I had learnt all through my journey days. Either ways I was left to myself.
Am actually fine with being left to myself, I will have all the time to return all calls, to finish all the reading I wanted to and all the dreaming I planned to, and above all to discover other niceties a bus journey offers. Still not sure if this new stranger is going to take the same bus again, I knew not whether to say a “hi!” or just ignore. But god gave me a mouth to talk and I did. I stopped only when the bus did, when this stranger had to say the dreaded “was nice talking to you, bye! “.
Am used to this now, and was waiting for next co-passenger to board the bus, so that I can peacefully travel the last few miles of my journey, I wait knowing that there are going to be more stops, more passengers but what will stay is the bus, my destination, me and my journey I chose to take.
Monday, August 18, 2008
An ode to true friendhsip
An ode to true friendship,
an attempt to make them proud,
those who know me too well,
and let me know them too.
An ode that stands for them,
to proudly say we have each other,
to know we are what we are,
and to show the world the same.
An ode that has no start,
and sees no end,
for the bond that I share,
has a strong rare thread.
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Somewhere someone has beautifully written " The friendship between a man and a woman which does not lead to marriage or desire for marriage may be a life long experience of the greatest value to themselves and to all their circle of acquaintance and of activity; but for this type of friendship both a rare man and a rare woman are needed. Perhaps it should be added that either the man or the woman thus deeply bound in lifelong friendship who seeks marriage must find a still rarer man or woman to wed, to make such a three cornered comradeship a permanent success". I just ponder how true it is – IT IS!!!
But looking at the words in bold, it is time and again proved, the rarity is realised by only the three rare people, while others around (read, circle of acquaintance) have a life long experience of figuring out if it still is the normality (if that really means the opposite of rarity), just to make sure they stand justified
-Dedicated with thanks to the rare men who have and who will make my life happy and beautiful. :-)
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an attempt to make them proud,
those who know me too well,
and let me know them too.
An ode that stands for them,
to proudly say we have each other,
to know we are what we are,
and to show the world the same.
An ode that has no start,
and sees no end,
for the bond that I share,
has a strong rare thread.
--------------------------------------
Somewhere someone has beautifully written " The friendship between a man and a woman which does not lead to marriage or desire for marriage may be a life long experience of the greatest value to themselves and to all their circle of acquaintance and of activity; but for this type of friendship both a rare man and a rare woman are needed. Perhaps it should be added that either the man or the woman thus deeply bound in lifelong friendship who seeks marriage must find a still rarer man or woman to wed, to make such a three cornered comradeship a permanent success". I just ponder how true it is – IT IS!!!
But looking at the words in bold, it is time and again proved, the rarity is realised by only the three rare people, while others around (read, circle of acquaintance) have a life long experience of figuring out if it still is the normality (if that really means the opposite of rarity), just to make sure they stand justified
-Dedicated with thanks to the rare men who have and who will make my life happy and beautiful. :-)
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Whats, whys and whens...
A week on field for a market research project on hair wash products usage (a project for CavinKare's Meera), has given me very "deep" insights into consumer behaviour. Rather than responding right in front of such honorary people, I am doing the honours here.
Some interesting episodes that happened this week are here for you to get to know more about the Indian Consumer. :P
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Me: Do you use shampoo?
Respondent: (disapproving imm as if i accused her of some horrible crime) No ,no. I never use shampoo.
Me: Do you use Clinic Plus? (Now don't ask if i dint understand their previous response. Wait for the next one)
Respondent: Yeah, I have been using Clinic Plus for many years now.
Me: (?!?!?!?!?!)
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Me: Why do you buy Meera in container instead of sachet?
Resp: (Beaming with pride) If we buy Meera in box, we get to show off. Guests who come will see the box and think high of us.
Me: (Marks "Show off" in the questionnaire and jumps to next question)
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Me: (Been going on and on in Tamil for 10 mins, just coz the lady started speaking in Tamil)
One tough question which needs loads of explaining from my side and am doing it...
Resp: (Hurriedly realises) Actually, I don't follow Tamil. :(
Me: Are you comfortable with English?
Resp: Oh, no no.
Me: (Hoping that she doesn't say Urdu or Tulu) What language do you follow then?
Resp: Hindi...
Me: (Awesome, Hindi haunts me beyond Kgp) Teek hai, meri hindi teek nahi hai. lekin koshish karoongi. hindi me questions poochoongi mein. aap jawaab deejiye :(
And i actually ended up taking the 60 qns long (25 mins) interview completely in hindi. :)
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The usual one.
Me: Have you heard of any herbal shampoo?
Resp: No
Me: Have you heard of Meera "Herbal" Shampoo? (Again don't mistake me. Am no duffer)
Resp: Yes, Yes. I have heard. Even used it.
Me: What?!?!?! We wanted samples who have not tried Meera Shampoo.
Resp: No no. I had got years back. Even before Meera powder.
ME:(?!?!?!?! Wasn't I told otherway round by the Brand Manager who introduced Meera range of products???)
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95% of households:
Meera powder = Meera shika powder
Meera shampoo = Meera shika powder
Clinic Plus = Shampoo
Shampoo= Clinic Plus
Branding does have an impact!!!
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Me: Have you heard of Meera Herbal Shampoo??
Resp: No
Me: (Some questions later) Have you seen Meera Herbal Shampoo ad?
Resp: Yes yes. I have ofcourse seen it.
Me: (Marks a big cross across both questions)
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Now this tops it all. The very reason I ended up blogging on my experience.
Me: Why do you use Meera powder only on Sundays?
Resp: Coz, only then my husband wil be at home, and will apply it for me.
Me: (Am I a stranger there?!?!?!?!, Btw, "Poor Hubby" :P)
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All this ben just a start. Wait for more as i continue to explore lanes and streets of Chennai and more so Coimbatore, where i have high expectations of their slang as well :)
What i definitely learnt was ofcourse - what,why and when buying happens, happens mostly for no reason.
Some interesting episodes that happened this week are here for you to get to know more about the Indian Consumer. :P
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Me: Do you use shampoo?
Respondent: (disapproving imm as if i accused her of some horrible crime) No ,no. I never use shampoo.
Me: Do you use Clinic Plus? (Now don't ask if i dint understand their previous response. Wait for the next one)
Respondent: Yeah, I have been using Clinic Plus for many years now.
Me: (?!?!?!?!?!)
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Me: Why do you buy Meera in container instead of sachet?
Resp: (Beaming with pride) If we buy Meera in box, we get to show off. Guests who come will see the box and think high of us.
Me: (Marks "Show off" in the questionnaire and jumps to next question)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me: (Been going on and on in Tamil for 10 mins, just coz the lady started speaking in Tamil)
One tough question which needs loads of explaining from my side and am doing it...
Resp: (Hurriedly realises) Actually, I don't follow Tamil. :(
Me: Are you comfortable with English?
Resp: Oh, no no.
Me: (Hoping that she doesn't say Urdu or Tulu) What language do you follow then?
Resp: Hindi...
Me: (Awesome, Hindi haunts me beyond Kgp) Teek hai, meri hindi teek nahi hai. lekin koshish karoongi. hindi me questions poochoongi mein. aap jawaab deejiye :(
And i actually ended up taking the 60 qns long (25 mins) interview completely in hindi. :)
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The usual one.
Me: Have you heard of any herbal shampoo?
Resp: No
Me: Have you heard of Meera "Herbal" Shampoo? (Again don't mistake me. Am no duffer)
Resp: Yes, Yes. I have heard. Even used it.
Me: What?!?!?! We wanted samples who have not tried Meera Shampoo.
Resp: No no. I had got years back. Even before Meera powder.
ME:(?!?!?!?! Wasn't I told otherway round by the Brand Manager who introduced Meera range of products???)
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95% of households:
Meera powder = Meera shika powder
Meera shampoo = Meera shika powder
Clinic Plus = Shampoo
Shampoo= Clinic Plus
Branding does have an impact!!!
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Me: Have you heard of Meera Herbal Shampoo??
Resp: No
Me: (Some questions later) Have you seen Meera Herbal Shampoo ad?
Resp: Yes yes. I have ofcourse seen it.
Me: (Marks a big cross across both questions)
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Now this tops it all. The very reason I ended up blogging on my experience.
Me: Why do you use Meera powder only on Sundays?
Resp: Coz, only then my husband wil be at home, and will apply it for me.
Me: (Am I a stranger there?!?!?!?!, Btw, "Poor Hubby" :P)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All this ben just a start. Wait for more as i continue to explore lanes and streets of Chennai and more so Coimbatore, where i have high expectations of their slang as well :)
What i definitely learnt was ofcourse - what,why and when buying happens, happens mostly for no reason.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Its Chennai time again :-)
A year away form home (excluding the long and short visits inbetween), and never realised for what specific reasons Chennai is indeed dear to me... leave alone family and friends, leave alone home, school and college buildings... Chennai has been dear old city for other reasons too. Back here, back on work, back on Chennai roads, lanes and pits, I recollect what has brought back the Chennai spirit in me :)
1) Tamil - so used to turning my head at every single tamil word i hear in kgp, that it really means a lot when i hear more of it, and at times only that :) (inba then vandhu paayudhu kaadhinile)
2) Bargaining with autorickshaw drivers - my core competency, skillset, talent, whatever that can be called. For those used to Chennai auto rates, bargaining and gettin the price to atleast 30 less than what he initially asks for, this is something thatgives you a feeling that you are back home :)
3) TRAFFIC - this is what has made me blog now. Struck for a year away in a small town, perhaps this is what i have missed the most... for what would otherwise take me 10 mins, 30 mins seemed long (no offenses meant for near and dear ones who travel for hours every day)
4) Local TV Channels - be it Sun TV, Kalaignar TV, Jaya TV war or SMS and Love Meters in Music Channels, 100 % entertainment guaranteed... :P
5) Eat-outs - CCD (tops it all). How i missed my dear old CCD, my fav sofa, my fav drink... (Thanks to dear friend Harini who makes sure we are there every weekend, and to current office being close to one, that its beecome a daily ritual too :P)
6) Flyovers - right form the ones that made traffic more, to ones which made roads narrower, from ones am used o for ages to ones that i saw for the 1st time, from ones that were to be completed years ago to ones that were to be started ages ago, flyovers make Chennai life go on the high :P
More and much more that just can't be fit in a blog post.. whatever be it, Chennai truely rocks!!!
- A proud Chennaite
P.S.: I made note of this in one fine traffic jam, rushed into office and blogged in a hurry. I invite fellow chennaites and fellow bloggers to add more for i know i left lot many :)
1) Tamil - so used to turning my head at every single tamil word i hear in kgp, that it really means a lot when i hear more of it, and at times only that :) (inba then vandhu paayudhu kaadhinile)
2) Bargaining with autorickshaw drivers - my core competency, skillset, talent, whatever that can be called. For those used to Chennai auto rates, bargaining and gettin the price to atleast 30 less than what he initially asks for, this is something thatgives you a feeling that you are back home :)
3) TRAFFIC - this is what has made me blog now. Struck for a year away in a small town, perhaps this is what i have missed the most... for what would otherwise take me 10 mins, 30 mins seemed long (no offenses meant for near and dear ones who travel for hours every day)
4) Local TV Channels - be it Sun TV, Kalaignar TV, Jaya TV war or SMS and Love Meters in Music Channels, 100 % entertainment guaranteed... :P
5) Eat-outs - CCD (tops it all). How i missed my dear old CCD, my fav sofa, my fav drink... (Thanks to dear friend Harini who makes sure we are there every weekend, and to current office being close to one, that its beecome a daily ritual too :P)
6) Flyovers - right form the ones that made traffic more, to ones which made roads narrower, from ones am used o for ages to ones that i saw for the 1st time, from ones that were to be completed years ago to ones that were to be started ages ago, flyovers make Chennai life go on the high :P
More and much more that just can't be fit in a blog post.. whatever be it, Chennai truely rocks!!!
- A proud Chennaite
P.S.: I made note of this in one fine traffic jam, rushed into office and blogged in a hurry. I invite fellow chennaites and fellow bloggers to add more for i know i left lot many :)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The me in myself
I strongly believe that the word "Thanks" when used between friends heightens (if thts a proper word) and strengthens (this i know for sure is a proper word :P) a big wall between the concerned people. i had always been hard on my friends whenever i had to use it, or when they had used it.
So much for hte word, but the feeling of gratitude can't be hidden... especially when you wanna be thankful for having such a friend... Hence i instead of thanking my sweet friend who gifted me the poem (Refer post below), I gift him back with one i had written (years back... hence might sound less intense) - but goes well with my purpose :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friend...
To you,
I say,
what my thought says- and
what my heart says.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in pouring out my heart
to your lending ears.
Friend...
In you,
I see,
half my soul- and
half my heart.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in letting my own self
resting inside you
rule over me.
Friend...
From you,
I get,
Shoulders to lean over,
mind and ears to listen.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in using your free mind
to rejoice myself.
Friend...
To you,
I give,
All the time I have- and
all the fun I can.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in being with you- the you-
who make me what I am.
Friend...
We ourselves,
though two different souls,
have grown together,
have been together.
And,
have never felt inconvenient
in getting along well.
For you know well-
"Friendship is life
It lives with us throughout"
And I know it too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
So much for hte word, but the feeling of gratitude can't be hidden... especially when you wanna be thankful for having such a friend... Hence i instead of thanking my sweet friend who gifted me the poem (Refer post below), I gift him back with one i had written (years back... hence might sound less intense) - but goes well with my purpose :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Friend...
To you,
I say,
what my thought says- and
what my heart says.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in pouring out my heart
to your lending ears.
Friend...
In you,
I see,
half my soul- and
half my heart.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in letting my own self
resting inside you
rule over me.
Friend...
From you,
I get,
Shoulders to lean over,
mind and ears to listen.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in using your free mind
to rejoice myself.
Friend...
To you,
I give,
All the time I have- and
all the fun I can.
And,
I find no inconvenience
in being with you- the you-
who make me what I am.
Friend...
We ourselves,
though two different souls,
have grown together,
have been together.
And,
have never felt inconvenient
in getting along well.
For you know well-
"Friendship is life
It lives with us throughout"
And I know it too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
As sweet as it gets :-)
One sweet gift i recently got from my sweet friend :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You make me feel so special
by the sweet things that you do,
and sharing your life wonders
your are a friend so true.
Your heart is full of tenderness
your cup overflows with love,
I know that your friendship came
from our dear Lord above.
You are always in my thoughts
as I hope I am in yours,
your friendship is the sweetest fruit
thru which life's blood just pours.
Walk with me as we grow old
please leave me not behind,
keep me always in your prayers
good friends are hard to find.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You make me feel so special
by the sweet things that you do,
and sharing your life wonders
your are a friend so true.
Your heart is full of tenderness
your cup overflows with love,
I know that your friendship came
from our dear Lord above.
You are always in my thoughts
as I hope I am in yours,
your friendship is the sweetest fruit
thru which life's blood just pours.
Walk with me as we grow old
please leave me not behind,
keep me always in your prayers
good friends are hard to find.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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