Thought Crimes

It’s been an excuse of a summer, weather wise, here in the capital. But thank God for that. I could do with more of these. With climatic and metaphoric end of summer right around the bend, I decided it was time for the much-awaited report of my activities over the last couple of Lunar cycles. Highlights.

1. The Summer Internship- Having been rejected unceremoniously by Reliance (Big Brother’s), TATA Steel and Abhishek Industries, Lefty had come agonizingly close to losing the evergreen smile on his face. However, Messrs. Larsen and Toubro chivalrously came to the aid of this damned cell in distress. A great lesson in life was learned and I pass it on to ye less wise ones- “What can be done in eight weeks can also be done in six and can be done even more brilliantly in four”.

2. Gone with the Wind- L&T and self having parted with mutual pleasantries and admiration (one always hopes), the quintessential happy ending had been achieved. It was naturally time, in this life full of care, to stand and stare to the heart’s content. Standing being strenuous exercise, I preferred sitting and staring. Read earlier post for details. I also started reading the third mammoth novel that I have ever read. Reasons for doing so were simple. I had the Vivian Leigh-Clark Gable starrer on my hard disk and it, being a VOB file, was taking up an immodest 4.5 GB of precious memory. In order to delete it, I felt I had to watch it first, and in order to watch it, I felt I had to read it first. Plus, the book had been spoken highly of in Kane and Abel. I finished the thousand page war epic, taking the better part of 3 days to do so. Then I deleted the VOB file without watching the movie anyway. 4.5 GB well earned.

3. Kung-Fu Panda- Good movie. I didn’t enjoy it as much as others would have because I’d had some unrealistic expectations. But I recognize that it was good movie. 2 specially amazing sequences. Some funny scenes. An empty air-conditioned hall in which one could put up one’s feet on the seat in front. What more does a man want?

4. Hancock- Decent. Will Smith’s done a fine job. I liked the concept of a lazy unwilling much-maligned and even more hated superhero, but thought the rest of the film could have been much better. A soppy end spoiled what could have been a good film.

5. Osian Cinefan Film Festival- Was held in Delhi from 10 to 20 July. Lesser known Asian and Arabic films were screened. Went there with The Complete Man on his Mean Machine. Was reminded how much fun a bike-ride could be. The ambience in the film festival was good. There was a panel discussion with some young directors constituting the panel. Speakers I enjoyed listening to were- a Pakistani who had made a gory film about zombies running loose in the land of the pure and had hoodwinked the traditional authorities in order to shoot such a non-traditional film, a Chinese who had made his film for a paltry $2,000 and was quite witty to boot, an Indonesian lady who had demanded beer and had been rather unhappy when denied and then revealed that she had raised the money for her film through her bevy of ex’s. The film we eventually watched was a Lebanese one- Under the Bombs. It turned out to be more of a documentary so we left halfway.

6. Jaane Tu… ya Jaane Na- Stupid gay movie. Idiots made Garfield pink.

7. The Dark Knight- Now this was a movie. Showed the true spirit of Batman, I thought. My words can’t really do it justice, so I won’t say anymore. Go watch it. Then watch it again. And again. And again.

8. Food- Quality and quantity were appreciated. Some of the more delicious meals were at Dilli Haat with the Incredible Bulk, 2 at Asia’s Kitchen- a great new Chinese Joint and a couple at the ever-mouth-watering KFC. Many more but it’s getting rather late and it’s been a long hard day.

I also turned 21 over the summer. The happiest day of the season, perhaps.

Next year, many will be able to say to me- I know what you did last summer. Muhuhahaha.

And Happy Birthday, Kaka.