Who is the sick man of Europe?

Turkey has been called the "Sick Man of Europe". Right through Byzantine Rule and the Ottoman Empire reign, Turkey always wanted to belong to Europe, not Arab world. It is secular and shun Arabic script for the standard European letters. Its membership to EU is still pending and is one of the red-hot Emerging Markets. It may have the last laugh as the rest of the Europe compete with one another in "sickness".

Arvind Adiga's New Book "The Last Man in Tower"

Adiga's "TThe Last Man in Tower" arrrived from publishers yesterday. Seems more elaborate than "White Tiger". Seems like a racy read on Mumbai' real estate and related scams and cooperative housing society. Hardback edition tells me his books already reached cult readership with second book.

BBuddha Hoga Teraa Baap

"BBuddha Hoga Tera Baap" (Hindi) is a light-hearted, slick film from Puri Jagannadh as a tribute to Sr.Bachan. He spares no effort in making capital out of every scene to project AB as the master of screen presence with oustanding one-liners. He ropes in half the Tollywood cast and tries to put sizzle back to ABCL and AB. Very Watchable.

Virodhi

"Virodhi" is an engaging film on the Naxal issue seen through the eyes of an honest journalist, earlier, a bystander to its core issues (just like all of us). Neelakantha directs a terrific screenplay with vivid performances by Ajay, Kamal Kamaraju, Srikanth and others. Well told without pontifications. SriSri song of "Akali Rajyam" repeat in the end - "Edi Needi, Edi Naadi, Edi Neeti, Edi Neti.." sums it up.

Which country will default next?

Blackrock - leader in ETFs - released a new sovereign risk index score that ranks 44 countries on potential default risk. At the bottom: Greece, Portugal, Venezuela, Egypt, Italy, Hungary...Spain (Vishawanathan Anand's favorite) @no.36. US @no.15. China@14. India@32. No.1 is Norway. Wondering why China is closer to US in default - the former's savings are the latter's debt. Scientific - not standard and poor.

New Newspaper

Hyderabad which got a new English daily "Indian Horizons" (quite below-par) will see a grander launch of another English Daily from a media house with some great talent - the team that built up DC and Hindu. Its launch is set for around July 15th. Watch this space for more.

180.

Saw Sidharth's "180" (released in Tamil and Telugu). Movie is a visual farce despite Nitya Menen, Priya Anand, San Francisco and all that. Sharath created new sounds of music and shows promise but Dir Jayendra dilutes emotions and plot with a tragedy that will not cut ice with today's generation. Sidharth is getting stuck as a non-alcoholic Devdas/Tragic Hero. Wake up Sid, times have changed.