RUSH - Movie Review

I came to know about this movie through a FB post of my friend. No idea on what it deals with. That is how you have to go for a movie. If you are yet to see the movie, my advice is to skip the rest of the blog, watch the movie and come back.

It is basically a biography. But nowhere has it given an impression of a boring biography. The director was spot on in selecting the right story and the right time of their career. It is sad that the movie is not nominated for the reason that it is a biography but it could have been selected for the gripping screenplay and the experience of real racing.

I did not know who Niki Lauda was and James Hunt as well. But after seeing this, in Niki’s words, “they are one of the most respected”. Completely contrasting in characters, both Hemsworth and Bruhl has done a great job. Niki’s dialogues are wonderful. Its plain and on the face. 

“I am the fastest driver of you all”. 

“Its terrible. Drives like a pig. It’s a shitbox”. (On the Ferrari car)

While Niki is a pro, Hunt is a racing lover. He is willing to take the risk of life to win the race which was clearly visible in the Japanese grand prix. He is the one who loves and lives in the present. Lively as he says. I did not know who to support in the final race as both of them were heroes to me. That’s where the director scores. In portraying 2 distinct characters as rivals, still making the audience love both of them.

After the Nürburgring incident, the return of Niki was so emotional. Though Hunt feels guilty and responsible for the accident, he refuses to give up on the championship aspiration. As an Indian cinema audience, I expected him to give up as a tribute to Niki’s bravery but I was wrong. He was more determined than ever to win the race.

Overall it was a great movie. Though only these 2 characters dominate the entire movie, one would not feel bored as they are interesting throughout. 

Must watch. Now I know who Niki Lauda is. Who James Hunt was and the history of 1970’s racing. That gave me more satisfaction as a history lover!!

The foreign flop show

A common fan (just like a common man) will be very frustrated with the players with the way the results have gone down in the 2 ODIs played in South Africa. We are happy to label them as lions of home. Our batsmen are unable to cope with the swing, bounce and pace of the bowlers. Our bowlers are incapable to extract swing and bounce from the same wicket. This is highly incompetent team. We are now staring at another tour whitewash. But is that as simple as that? Just blame the players? Then throw some out of the team and they may never make a comeback?

There are still more. This is not entirely players fault. Instead of getting angry on them, I feel pity for those who play there for being made to look like lambs given for slaughter. The problem is even deeper.

The biggest contributor to this shame is the BCCI. Its their greed to gain more money from Sachin’s 200^th test has left us with a shortened tour and in turn no time for the players to prepare. How on earth you expect a sub-continent team, who had plenty of home matches, to land in South Africa and play an ODI the 3^rd day? Given that their bowling and batting are next to none, isn’t this a non sense plan? Pakistan had an immediate home and away series with them recently, with home matches first so that they will be able to know the opposition well thus leaving them with the task to win only the conditions (can say Pakistani bowling is better compared to India but that can made better with practice matches)

Last time our team went 15 days earlier to get used to the conditions. Result: we drew the test series 1-1 and narrowly lost the ODI series 3-2. Lack of preparation time is the root cause for the poor performance this time.

One more reason is the board’s decision to stick to flat tracks and turner tracks throughout the country. Its worth to argue that we need to play to our strengths, but we need at least one or two pitches where there is green top. This will help our bowlers to adjust their length easily and the batsmen will be able to adapt better. This need not be used in international matches but can be used in Ranji and few practice matches before a tough foreign assignment. There are lots of former players with the knowledge of the pitch in different countries who can help to set this up. It can be told that sub-continent conditions will not suit those pitches but there is one at Dharmasala which will help in this approach. 

Rome was not built in a day. This will take time but it will eliminate our shame. No player would want to look dumb in the ground. The board needs to stop counting its money and plan to restore our pride. We need to have invincible team one day. The 100 crore fans are always behind this team.

We are not consumers. We are swallowers

What is the activity that we are involved most of the day? That should be for the living. I mean, job that we perform. In the modern day world almost everyone earns money. More or less we try to live within what we make in the month. There is no problem if the salary is less. You are forced to restirct your expenses. The real problem starts when you earn more than what is required. Here 'required' has different definition in people's life. We will discuss about what that 'required' is.

Absolutely no planning
       
        I know of a couple of friends who are in early stage of their career. they have bought a new car in EMI. Almost entire salary is spent in paying back. Savings is absolutely zero. Leave out the savings, what you will do when there is some emergency expense? This I will call a poor planning of the salary. Savings should not be the left over of expenditure. It should be a fixed amount every month. A plan for the future. A new generation is coming with this kind of mind set of spend-whatever-you-earn. Widely believed that the US economic recession is due to this no savings and too much credit of its citizens. Now that trend is in Indian youth, especially IT professionals.
       
        A recent ad made me to appreciate the idea of a company to sell its product. Samsung Galaxy S II. 0 down payment. 0% interest on EMI for 12 months. My God!! It will mesmerize people to buy the product. No matter if they require it or not. Good marketing brain but no sense form the customers. Its not a good buy, if you really do not require that. Do not buy things that you don't require. One day, you will be forced to sell the things that you require. Great words said by Warren Buffet. Lot of thought put into these words. First rule to be followed for us to be a good consumers.
       
        One more thing worth mentioning is the temptation of people to do what others do (this is only in the negative sense). We involve in chat regarding latest bikes, gadgets, cars and one day we end up buying them. And there will be an ego between people to show who is the most updated and to show them who has the most latest version of it. There is no use in it. Its just a profit for the company which sells it. I have a basic mobile for the last 3 years. And I want to use it for more. I mean, unless you feel you need it, don't buy. I have an interesting colleuge. He will say I require that. He will buy things he likes. He already has a laptop in good working condition and now he wants to buy a new one just because he wants to be upgraded. And uses it mostly for movies and games. And he 'requires' it. There are lot of people of this grade who buy things that are not at all needed.

Too much planning

There is one more interesting set of people who spend almost their entire life paying the EMI of house that they bought in the outskirts of a city (we dont get houses in the city these days and the real estate thycoons now market those places as the city in next 10 years). This comes in the category of too much planning. One day that place will not be of any value. Most of these are again done because others do it. We never knew where we will end up in 10 years. Still we want to hurry in making decisions. This is another prime example of poor financial planning.
       
        One day we may end up in a poor situation where all our wealth is spent or locked. That moment will be the worst part and we may lose all our confidence of getting back from that position. We work hard to earn the money. Don't lose it in buying stupid stuffs. Have a plan, short term-long term-emergency. This is an advise to all my friends.

OH My God!!

I always wanted to write this. I always felt uncomfortable in doing certain things. But due to the fear of God you may say and to not hurt my mom's feelings, I was/am doing them. Nevertheless, I have questions ringing inside me. Why this is done? Why not that is not done? 'This' and 'that can be seen below.

Everyone has religious feeling. Many towards it and some against it. And let me make clear that I am towards it (although not so superstitious). I do believe in the existence of super power (you can term it as God or Nature). But there are few things that seem to be too much for me or in a since not required. The same effort can be spent in the good of several fellow humans.

The first big thing that puts me into a serious thought is the religious travel/yatra. Let it be any religion, people think that as a good deed that brings them moksha or heaven. But no one is sure if such an afterlife exists. Still we love to save for that not-so-sure life that is going to exist. Religions might have been originated in different parts of the world but how they have this yatra in common is the question that interests me. I will try to find that sooner. If someone could help me in knowing, that will be great.

Also the offerings to God, ranging from 100s to several lakhs is so common. People think if you give to God, he will give you ten fold!! I am surprised where this thought came from.

Maybe from a psychological stand point, it will give some clarity, atleast to me. This has something to do with the belief of the people. They always need someone to believe, someone to motivate them. That motivation factor is the one told above. In fact two. There maybe lot more like asking for forgiveness, but the point here is, we need someone to carry our burden. We choose God as he is the superior to all. Those offerings/yatras, we feel, will bring us good time. We believe, good will happen due to that. That belief gets transformed into a self belief. As some psychologists say, if you start believing something over a period of time, the belief will come true. In that sense, the offerings maybe accepted. But could that not be changed?

Can't the poor be helped with the money spent on that? Certainly they can but people generally expect something in return for their action. If we give to God, God will give us back (belief). But what will be get if we give the poor. If you believe in the almighty, then he is watching us every time. Our good deeds are noticed. Its more than what we do to God directly. I heard a story told by a writer about his friend. What that friend will do is, every year on his birthday he will buy 4 biriyani packets while going to office. He will distribute them to the beggars on the way. These kind of small things will give you greater satisfaction. You are noticed, don't worry. There is no politics here!!

I had a personal satisfaction yesterday when I contributed few kgs of rice and wheat for the people affected by flood in Uttrakand. I am not sure if that will reach the right guys but I have done what I could. Show love to the fellow humans. God will love you or you will get that great feel for that matter. :Pray to God that you will offer something, but to the poor!!

Helping hand is always better than praying lips.

Do we have someone in Jumbo’s shoes please?

You need not be 6 foot tall or a right arm leg spinner to replace him. What makes him special is his line and length. He bowls stump to stump, he has pace; and the line and length he bowls is consistent; he has the temperament to bowl long spells. He doesn’t spin the ball much. This has attributed to his success over the years. He was a new generation of spin in the 90’s when there was no legend in the dressing room to guide him (at least in the spin department). He was a refreshingly new talent but without much variety. He had that odd googly but apart from that he is not so special. That made people to take him for granted. Even when they understood his potential they felt difficult to handle him. He had that attitude to bowl tirelessly even when he doesn’t get much assistance from the pitch. That where he outplays everyone else (Including Bhajji).

If you have a close look, much of Harbhajan’s success came in Kumble’s playing days. After the retirement of him, Bhajji is just a pale shadow of himself. As experts say, spinners hunt in pairs. There was a good rapport between them. That was because, Jumbo was a selfless bowler. He sets the thing up for Bhajji to get wickets when he himself don’t get any wickets. They bowled in tandem.

It is not easy to replace any legend all of a sudden. When Sunny retired, it took another 15 years to find another good opener in Sehwag. So it will be in Kumble’s case. But I am surprised to see no one want someone in his place. No talks on the legend. Is that because we are traditionally spin bowlers and we can find another special talent? That will not be the case. Sometime you need to stick to the basics. Atleast in the longer format. Too many variations will cost us the match. That is what happened in the recent home series against England. And that is where you need someone like Kumble to set things up, make it difficult for the batsmen to score. The pressure will result in wicket, either your end or the other end. The young generation is now in a hurry for wicket and fame as well. Ashwin, dubbed to be the man for the future, fails in this aspect. He is yet to attain that maturity. I am not sure if the current bunch of players have the patience to watch a test match of 80’s and 90’s (especially between India and Pakistan, which will be draw most of the time and you can predict the result in the 3^rd day itself). That patience is missing in the modern days. There you need a man of Jumbo’s caliber to marshal the troops.

Having said that, I recently compare one man with the patience and skills of Kumble. I maybe to totally wrong or too early but if found right, you have to give it to me for this discovery. While I am writing this, he has taken his 2^nd wicket against Pakistan in the last edition of champion’s trophy. He was bought into the team as a spin bowling all rounder, failed in all aspects and c ritisised by everyone. Even Dhoni came under severe criticism but now it is paying off. Yes it is Sir Jaddu. Ok ok let me justify or try to defend myself first. I was a strong critic of him and his batting abilities (Still I am), but when it comes to bowling, I feel he is the best spinner in India at present. The stats will tell you. He is economical, doesn’t spin the ball much (odd ones turn) and that is his strength. He has a slower one and a quicker one. Bowls stump to stump as like the great jumbo. If you are not convinced yet, just go back to the India-Australia Hyderabad test. Just watch how he sets up Clarke for the wicket. I was convinced at that point. He is our man for a long term. He is now doing for India in the Champions trophy. Both with the bat and the ball. He has the temperament to bowl long spells. For me he is the man for the tournament against Australia. Without him, 4-0 would not be there (sure India would have won the series). This young lad has a long way to go!! For me he is the spinner to watch out for!!

Business stratergies to learn from IPL – Worth Read!!

If you are planning to start a business full time or part time, following the IPL closely will help as there are lot to learn from it. But I don’t know if this blog will help you.

The advertisement goes like, it is an alternate family entertainment. That’s the reason people come with families, spend atleast 5k in 4 hours and go back happily (or pretend to be).

You have all the stars. Only the player with star value will be picked in the team. That’s the reason Ganguly was picked in IPL 5 although he was terribily out of form. That is because Pune Warriors were out of the services of Yuvraj and they need some one to pull the crowd. There would be no better person than Dada. Statics prove that, the move was success. Out of the top 5 profit matches of IPL 5, pune warriors were involved in 3. Now Yuvi is back and Dada is gone. Why franchisee need to pull crowd. Simple. They get a share in profit in the matches that they are involved.

Lot of sponsors bid for the rights and become a household name by end of the season (DLF maximum, Karbon Kamaal catch). The reach is superb. Eventually people start buying those. So its a great marketing medium for products.

Lot of indirect business as well. We see team t-shirts being sold outside the stadium (obviously at elevated prices) which are bought with huge enthusiasm. I could also see a concept of package involved. Right from pick up to drop, everything is included.

So where this is leading to? Are the people going to really watch cricket? The intension is not clear to me. A cricket lover will not like this as this is just entertainment. People fall prey to the advertisement of the organisers. And we are happy to upload a pic in FB and feeling proud of our achievement(!!!).

We are making the rich even richer. Why not we have the heart to help poor? If you feel like going to an IPL match, just donate that money to the need. The satisfaction you will get is more. Just think over the same. There are lot of people without food, without books to study and not able to get new clothes. What we do is creating IPL rockstars and the heros. Small thoughts will make big difference in their lives.

Note: The heading of the blog is put that way to attract more readers. That’s the sad story of our current state.