Cricket Australia Vs.Cricket India

The strength of a country's cricket team lies in its coaches and the process followed by the apex body in selecting in-form cricketers and giving a fighting team for the nation - a team that wont retreat or rest on past laurels. Cricket-lovers will always remember how clinical and ruthless Cricket Australia functions. They eased out Shane Warne at the cusp of another 300 wickets, and didn't spare ...Andrew Symonds for a few faux pas, waited for Steve Waugh, Glen Mcgirth, Dean Jones, Allan Border, Michael Bemen, David Boon, and several other cricketers I fail to recollect. And now, Ricky Ponting - the only cricketer who can beat the combined trio of Sachin, Laxman and Dravid in batting records. And look ma! he has been shown the door in ODIs. Thats class act of Cricket Australia.


Contrast with BCCI - reeking in corruption, under-invested in harvesting new talent, or training our cricketers to face bouncy pitches or fast bowlers. We don't even know how to sustain interest in fast-bowling as a career option, we make pitches that suit more batting records to get piled up. And look at our cavalier attitude towards non-performing assets - We are all the time waiting for some people who for some reason, we feel are above law, like Sachin to announce retirement. Gavaskar was right in saying, the best time to retire is when people say,"Why?" rather than "why not?". I have been saying consistently that Sachin's best days are behind and he doesn't deserve Bharat Ratna - thats a totally different topic (which I will address with proper arguments constructed layer by layer). And now, we are afraid to drop the demigod of cricket for whatever reasons. The point, however, is not that. The point is why BCCI doesn't have exacting performance standards for seniors who are not consistent like Cricket Australia or even neighbouring Pakistan Cricket Body which was notorious for sacking indisciplined players. Trouble is, BCCI has spread itself too thin on past laurels - and the country is going berserk on watching more and more of 14-reel cricket - Celebrity cricket league, IPL-Summer and IPL-October and the long dry-and-deadpan-pitch winter cricket season which end in draws or batsmen hauling up triple ton records.

Cricket nations across the world are waking up to the fact that too much money has crept into the cricketing lives - and cricket in India is becoming as gawdy as the big fat Indian wedding. If performance is not coming sooner or in consistent bouts, the euphoria or fixation over our national sportsgame will become anathema. Cricket lovers in India know that cricket blues happen also more often here than anywhere else. We just need an independent decision-making team that can look the other way when advertisers, business groups and cricket superstars are pouring in money. Money talks, in cricket also but not for too long - especially when performance goes missing.

"Poola Rangadu" Movie Review

Poola Rangadu" is comedian Sunil's third film as a hero. Directed by Veerabhadram, it is as entertaining as any mass hero's commercial project. Unlike in "Maryada Ramanna" where he puts an apprehensive face, this time, Sunil gives a treat of a range of emotions from his characteristic comedy, slapstick, punch dialogues et al, and mixes with sentiment well. Sunil has got a good support from other... actors like Kota Srinivasa Rao and heroine Isha Chawla and the two villains. Director Veerabhadram seems to be adept at story-telling with grip on entertainment and the pace never slackens till the end. He shows command over all departments of directing with a touch of mass appeal that could get another hit for Sunil as he comfortably struts from one range of emotions to another, jumps like an acrobat, runs like a cheetah, serenades Isha Chawla, dances like the best of Tollywood heroes now and like Salman Khan bares his newly-sculpted six-pack body in the climax.


Music by Anup Rubens and dialogues by P.Sridhar are both good and classy. Even if the plot is average, the screenplay and story-telling skills of the director make it a little better than average commercial films. Sunil the hero shows that with the backing of a good script and deft direction, a talented comedian can also do what superstars do on screen - with good dancing skills, timing sense of dialogues, average screen presence, and a body that pumps iron. From an expectations point of view, Sunil should find his rewards as the audience will find the movie thoroughly entertaining. Because of an effort to give a 360 degree view of what a full-fledged hero out to display on screen, the movie gets a bit longer at 150 minutes. But fun watching with some thrills and good laughs.

Anant Pai - Founder Editor of Amar Chitra Katha now has a comic

Finally, India's favorite comic creator has a comic in his memory posthumously! Uncle Pai's Amar Chitra Katha Amar Rahe. He must be busy in heaven making storyboards out of Angels!

"Love Failure" Movie Review

"Love Failure" is an Indian euphemism usually branded for emotional wrecks and one-sided lovers. Siddharth, who loves giving breaks to debutant directors has starred in a fantastic movie that must become another career-defining milestone after "Bommarillu". Dil Raju surely might regret missing a chance to back Mohan (director) and Siddu the third time because this film has universal appeal universal applause. Siddharth has boldly backed himself and the script and silences all his critics of the past half a dozen movies. The only way to answer your critics is to let your work speak loud for itself. An untried and fresh-looking starcast, a sans-makeup Amana Paul, a plot about two, no, many Engineering students and infact several couples of diverse traits and different age groups as to how they think, act and feel towards each other - all these could happen because Siddharth after many flops has chosen to trim his anchor role and make way for many others to perform and entertain. For most part, Siddharth runs a narrative staring at the audience trying to talk like a John Gray - getting under the skin of lovers as to why they break up and bid farewell. For the first time, Balaji Mohan attempts an honest overview of the state of mind and thinking pattern of today's generation in a way that will surely bridge generation gap. All this with minimum hassle and maximum clarity - thats the high point of the film.


There is occasional comedy again from unconventional-looking freshmen and right-dosed sentiments from under-exposed character actors - so they all stand out. Music by SS Thaman, surprise surprise, is enchanting and melodious without any mass strains of pied piper tunes that he has been, of late, playing. Thaman has created a different texture to the sounds in the film with BGMs and songs unconventional. Balaji Mohan's work and class in scripting, shot-selection, screenplay and mature handling of the subject of Love and Relationships smacks of a lot of promise in the freshness he brought. Movie's length also an advantage as its done with in two hours. Though there is a didactic touch to the movie because the hero (Siddharth) narrates as the main interpreter of maladies that besiege love. He metastasizes love as a serial with many characters and couples who run to the edge of divorce. What's impossible feat in the film - No fight, no item song, no action stunts, no sleaze, no exotic sets or SOTC world tour packages - there is not even a trace of a duet between Siddharth and Amana Paul but still the sparks are flying! Refreshing and welcome break from formula fares. Siddharth deserves a high-five after a long time for a bold and engaging script.

"Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu" Hindi Movie Review

"Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu" stars a metrosexual emerging star Imran Khan and a gregarious-and-gorgeous-looking Diva Kareena Kapoor in an improbable love story set in Vegas. (I don't know if its Las Vegas). Both of them, out of job-loss blues and depressive from breakups, meet at a Psychiatrist who charges per hour and queerly end up in a home for Christmas. Then they "marry" and quickly try to "annul" t...heir marriage. The bizarre twist turns to India where Kareena beckons Imran to Mumbai to spend a few days before the annulment takes effect. Nothing taxing here except that Rahul Kapoor (Imran Khan) bumps into his super-rich and stiff-upper-lip parents who pummel him into leading a mechanical almost soul-less life of existence. Director Shakun Batra encouraged by Karan Johar tries to weave a flimsy romantic plot into a lively, breezy and mostly funny tale that touches you without giving an overdose of everything. Though the story and the treatment often reminds you of several Hollywood movies and Hindi movies like ("Love Aajkal" and "Jab We Met") and Telugu movies (like "Bommarillu" and "Yeh Maaya Chesaave") there's a certain freshness in the movie and an energy from the main cast - a 32 year old Kareena still looking a freshman 27 and a well-groomed 25 year old Imran Khan. Cinematography is terrific - captures the beat of night life in the US as well as the varying beats of Mumbai with the same verve. Music by Amish Trivedi is average but not memorable to haunt you. Screenplay and storytelling deserve a pat - there is enormous effort to make it adlibbingly slick and good. Two hours of good fun!

Panchatantra and Its Usage

If you read "Panchatantra" - the immortal collection of stories told by Pandit Vishnu Sharma to impart wisdom to the King's imbecile sons, there are countless gems of wisdom - which helps one to save stitches in time. One of the golden rules propounded in "Panchatantra": Never get closer to the Ruler (King or Prime Minister or Chief Minister or Ruling Government) within two degrees - or you will ...repent. Something to that effect. What it means is that even if you are doing business or in service, better stop at three degrees lest you be associated with all the highs and lows that come with the governmental connections. The rule will apply whether you are in telecom, mining, special-economic-zones or infrastructure development as in ports and airports.


In his book "Faultlines", prof.Raghuram Rajan elaborates in one of the chapters that most of the Indian Billionaires (exceptions abound) in the list of Forbes 400 have climbed the fortunes of business by being closer/almost in proximity to the political class. He could be averring to the follies that followed in 2011 of scams galore and the imprisonments that embraced those who loved the royal treatment or rather royal connections. Rajan, innocently reminds the subtext of breaking the King's rule of "Panchatantra". Forget that rule and you are inviting trouble and fall in fortunes. It doesn't require astrological knowledge to see why instances of being cosy with the kings have landed more businesspeople into problems whether in AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra or Orissa. Fortunes and reputations of businessmen and their hordes of advisors are in tatters because of a jingoistic and blind pursuit of projects sometimes in direct partnership with the powers that be. Panchatantra is timeless if only we follow. Pleasure to read it anytime - the one I recommend and have been re-reading is written by Arthur W Ryder. (Translation)

All About Abraham Lincoln

February 12 is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln - to my mind, the greatest US President ever. Everytime I faced a moral dilemma, a leadership puzzle, a question of integrity or character, of what can be a wisecrack that is sensible but full of goodwill, of wording phrases that are without malice towards all - it has to be Lincoln. My first tryst with reading started in school reading Lincoln's boyhood days; then my dad asked me to read a biography of Abe by Lord Charnwood, then followed more books about Lincoln by Carl Sandberg, Dale Carnegie etc.


During my early career days, I used to go to the American Research Centre for 8 rows of books on Lincoln - containing his speeches, writings, letters and anecodotes that always stir you. It set me on a lifelong love-affair with an acutely honest President and a man of Mt.Everest character almost of biblical proportions. Folks in this part of the world will make Gandhi the apostle of truth and peace but universally Lincoln inspires all. I agree with Christian Science Monitor's article why President's Day should be celebrated on Abe's birthday and not Washington's birthday. Incidentally, America still publishes tomes and tomes on Lincoln everyday and professionals churn out books giving newer monikers to Lincoln that make him current and impossible man who dealt with so many crises in one lifetime.

Its surprising the President who kept the nation together doesn't have a holiday in his honour - not that he would have minded. What are the five things that I recommend for anybody who wants to know about Llincoln :

1. Lincoln the Unknown - by Dale Carnegie (the best biography secretly written by Dale Carnegie before writing any of the books he became famous for)

2. Lincoln's letter to the School Headmaster about teaching his son (makes you cry in joy and wisdom everytime you read it). I am tempted to reproduce this letter at the end of this post. Read it as intently as you would have read Rudyard Kipling's "If".

3. The Boyhood Days of Lincoln. (If you get it read it for what an inspired boyhood and youth Abe had - a heady mixture of hardwork, persistence and application).

4. Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T Philip. (A colleague of mine who heard of that has made it mandatory reading at GE - where he heads a big division).

5. Any book which captures the witty anecdotes and/or speeches of Lincoln. I think Lincoln has got it after Shakespeare right - the cadence and the beauty, the brevity and the wit. ("A House divided against itself cannot stand").

I always think the generation which grows up on reading about Lincoln anywhere in the world will have an unbeatable advantage over lot of things in life that a generation lost on him. Born this day in 1809, Lincoln is forever. And oh by the way, here is the much-treasured letter which has to be enshrined likewise:



Respected Teacher,



My son will have to learn I know that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for ever scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.



It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you can, that a dollar earned is far more valuable than five found.



Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning.



Steer him away from envy, if you can.



Teach him the secret of quite laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to tick.



Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books.. but also give him quiet time to ponder over the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hill –side.



In school teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat.



Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if every one tells him they are wrong.



Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough.



Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when every one is getting on the bandwagon.



Teach him to listen to all men but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.



Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness.



Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders; but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.



Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob… and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.



Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel.



Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.



This is a big order; but see what you can do. He is such a fine little fellow, my son.