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.

Mary Buffett, Warren Buffett and Steve Jobs

Mary Buffett is the ex-daughter-in-law of Warren Buffett who has perfected the art of writing books about the craft of investing the Warren Buffett way. I think after the initial few books, her homework disappoints. Ever since her first book "Buffetology", I have been reading every book of hers invariably co-authored with David Clark. In the last few years, the pace of her writing has become hecti...c as she is turning this out into a Buffett franchise that should take care of her retirement planning. Warren Buffett - is the usual prefix - what follows are sub-titles like "management secrets", "the art of stock arbitrage", "the interpretation of financial statements", and now the latest "stock portfolio". I dont think she is able to add new stuff than her previous books in the new one which analyses for the nth time how to value GEICO or Coke or Washington Post and at what prices Buffett picked up. The trouble is when you run of the filial proximity to the Buffett family and the intellectual steam that used to oil the mathematical workings that underpinned her unveiling of the "secret" of a billion-dollar investment, you realise it is time to stop buying her books. You are better off following Warren Buffett's op-ed articles in NYT or his Annual Report letters (coming up in April again) or his occasional interviews in Fortune, Bloomberg (like the last article on Gold just a few days back). Its time Mary Buffett stops fooling the public with old hat knowledge. Her finest hour came with the Buffetology workbook and maybe those two books on Stock Arbitrage and Interpreting Financial Statements.


Talking about the franchisees - thats a whole new world - a sole preserve of American writers. My experience is that the publishers will churn out these titles on a binge until colossal failure greets them. Like "Rich Dad/Poor Dad" series or Donald Trump's "How To..." or those books by Jeffrey Fox or Ken Fisher. I am strictly limiting the references to books on finance and investing/real estate etc. Look at the heap of books that have come up within a month of Steve Jobs' passing. I found Walter Isaacson's bio the best biography but soon followed other rival reporters and greedy publishers - you have books promising more of Steve's "little kingdom" and I-quotes and other I-conic trivia. The franchisee builds to a crescendo then drops to a tedium faster than a S-curve. A great deal goes without quality checks - and one should discern well before picking such books. My threshold for picking such books is quite high - hence I usually learn the hard way after burning deep in my pockets.

Vara Mullapudi s/o Mullapudi Venkata Ramana

Vara Mullapudi s/o late Mullapudi Venkata Ramana garu best friend of Bapu garu is an ace director who is about to taste big time success. He has learnt all the tricks of trade in directing from Bapu uncle and on scipt-writing and welding language from his father. He is a versatile talent - a dubbing artiste (remember that rich baritone in "ఐతే" (as Inspector Sivaji)), a story-writer ("మర్యాద రామన...్న"), a narrator ("కోతి కొమ్మచి"). He binges on movies and is a mightier reader than even Bapu garu. I am attaching a link of an article he shared with me sometime back. This piece was written in memorium of his father's lasting friendship with Bapu garu. You can read it from this online link in a Telugu magazine brought out by NRIs. I told him if ever he is tired of films, he should take up writing as a full-time career like his legendary dad - Vara's prose has the same verve, variety, panache, self-deprecation, humility, humour and warm innocence that Telugu readers know about his father. Mullapudi name lives on in the household and will rule the Telugu hearts. If you don't know Telugu, I apologise - but this piece is the best eulogy written by a son for his father. It celebrates the friendship of Bapu-Ramana and also brings out the humanity of Vara's father in a subtle way. It is delicate, delicious, and heart-warmingly good - like having a nice hot and spicy Andhra meal. తెలుగోడీ సత్తా సరుకు అంతా ఇందులో ఉంది. ముళ్ళపూడి భాష పదును పన్చ్ స్పష్టంగా ఉన్నాయి.


http://www.eemaata.com/em/library/tana-2011/1761.html?fmt=rts