Yamla Pagla Deewana: The Review

Couple of things:

*Dad is much better ~touch wood~, discharged from the hospital and back home. Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to every one who helped, prayed and was there for us.

*Have linked my blog to Facebook notes; so many friends who comment there don't really know that they're actually reading stuff that I put up on my blog at http://adventuresofatraveller.blogspot.com

*The blog crossed 20,000 hits !! Yeah !!!

*Recently spoke to a friend who hasn't really commented on the blog or on FB. But felt nice when he said he liked reading what I wrote from time to time.

*With that, onto a film review, 'coz I've really had it with writing / thinking serious stuff

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Yamla Pagla Deewana: My thoughts

*Doing a bullet-point review 'coz really, that *is* the theme of this post (haven't you noticed already?)

*The idea of opening the film with Ajay Devgan's voice-over with the choicest of clips from Yaadon Ki Baarat / Amar Akbar Anthony set the theme of the film pretty well, telling the viewer that the film-makers were here to have fun

*The second half, where the action shifts to Punjab, is definitely more fun than the first half

*What the hell were they thinking when they got the clothes for the item girl in "Tinku Jiya"? Sorry, but she ended up looking cheap.

*What the hell was Bobby's stylist smoking ? (a jacket which was half green-half purple, another which had three different shades of yellow, printed floral shirts with a 'gamcha' around his neck and finally, a red kurta with golden, yes, GOLDEN pyajamas) Not that it didn't bring a lot of laughs.

*Loved the bit where the trio are getting away after looting an ATM and Dharam paaji goes "U-turn kyun li? Gaadi ki doosri side to paint hi nahin ki" and what appears to be a security van on one side turns out to be a stolen ambulance on the other !!

*The "Chadha De Rang" song is actually pretty hummable once you've heard it a couple of times

*Loved the fact that the film took pot-shots at the Deols:

- Dharam paaji did almost *all* his signature dance steps and don't even ask about the number of times the drinking habits were alluded to

- Sunny Deol did *that* hathoda-chaap dance step from 'Yaara o yaara' (Jeet)

- When Sunny isn't able to draw water from a hand-pump, Bobby goes "Abbe chalayega ya ukhadega?"

- Even Abhay Deol wasn't spared: "Aaj kal to Devdas ko bhi Dev-D banna padta hai"

*The new girl, Kulraj Randhawa, looked really pretty but could've definitely done with less make-up

*The whole 'Caneda' (not a typo) angle with the Poli character was ROFL

*Watch out how 'Chori chori jab nazrein mili' from Kareeb is used to hillarious effect when Bobby rescues Anupam Kher from villains by swinging on a rope ala Tarzan

All in all, a good comedy film. Leave your brains behind, but as if you didn't know about the movie already.

Lessons from the last couple of days

The last couple of days have been a test. You can't go through life without expecting some knocks, and SOS calls at 4:30 AM are as good as knocks can come (I wouldn't want to know worse, thank you very much).

Here are some things I learned in the last 72 odd hours:

* For any given situation, you can either get stressed and worried or you can determinedly keep re-focussing on the positive side of things. Keep doing the latter and be a positive influence on those around you.

* Many people say "This too shall pass" is a good way of reminding oneself of the ephemeral nature of troubles. However, I prefer telling myself "This too shall be overcome" to remind myself of the strength of spirit and undying positive energy each one of us carries within ourselves.

* Have you ever been part of or have observed how a *team* of people walk out into a competition as opposed to a single person? The sense of camaraderie and "I got your back, brother" attitude is what, in my opinion, creates the effect of the sum being greater than the parts. I have never felt more relieved than I was when 'my gang' of college friends just stood by me in the hour of need.

* Dunno, but I feel nobody understands a woman's pain like another woman. Thank heavens my paternal aunts were here when Mom was so disturbed. Having them around helped Mom greatly and I stand indebted to them.