HAPPY NEW YEAR...in pictures.

2009's first tragedy: 59 killed in Bangkok pub blaze

A fire that broke out shortly after New Year's Thursday at a popular Bangkok pub killed at least 54 revellers and left 15 other hospitalised with serious injuries, police said.Thonglor district police deputy chief Sutin Pongkhamphan said many of the victims died trying to get out of the main exit of the Santika Pub on Ekkamai Road.

The fire, the cause of which remains unknown, broke out at 12.20 a.m.Police said they feared more casualties as they had not yet been able to check the bathrooms of the pub, which was totally destroyed by the blaze

IDEAS 2009

History is said to repeat itself often - sometimes as tragedy, sometimes as comedy and at other times, as farce. 2008 saw seeds of many ideas being sown, and 2009 is when the world would bear the fruits – some sweet, others sour.

Here are a few of them that are likely to shape our world in India. I wish you a very happy and a peaceful 2009.

PRIME TIME TERROR: The dominant image of 2008 for most Indians was Mumbai terror strikes. It also gave birth to a new, scary entity – a celebrity terrorist. 24-hour news channels went on an overdrive and critics say the non stop coverage might have just made the terrorist what he perhaps wanted the most – fame and recognition. 2009 could be the year when the terrorist, unfortunately, could become the global celebrity

TERROR MEETS TECH: Some say terror is a religious zealot, others say he’s an orphan of a globalised economy but most say he's simply a mass murderer. Whatever he is, the fact remains that he is heavily reliant on technology. The Mumbai attackers used Blackberrys and satellite phones. 2009 may have them upgrade themselves, and the world has to keep pace. And fast.

THE LIBERAL SPEAKS OUT: Out of the darkness of death, there arose a ray of hope. The Indian Muslim community came out in unprecedented numbers against terror in the aftermath of Mumbai terror strikes. Not just the influential and liberal Muslim, even the muftis and the Maulanans, the Masjid goers and the devouts condemned terror. 2009 will hopefully be year of the liberal Muslim.

AUSTERE IS CHIC: A certain kind of capitalism died in 2008, Wall Street collapsed, American economy plunged and stocks fell world over. Good times of earn and burn are over. So while once there was monk who sold his Ferrari out of choice, today it seems to be becoming a necessity and a fashion statement too. 2009 might just see modest living becoming fashionable, the new chic.

INDIA COMES OUT: Another kind of revolution was happening on the Indian social scene. Sexual freedom too became a necessity. So while sexual freedom always existed under cloak of convention, 2008 saw gays and lesbians come out in huge numbers to assert their sexuality. 2009 might see the mainstreaming of alternate sexuality.

CLICK TO WIN: This was one big idea of 2009 that clicked. When Barack Obama became the US president elect, he started a new wave of intelligent election campaigning. The extensive use of new media sparked off the “technologification” of politics. 2009, the year when India goes to polls, will surely be the year of new type of political campaigning

Bollywood's eccentric lines of 2008 !!!!

Hindi films were all about great dialogues once. But now it seems we have lost the art of dialogue writing.

• Sanjay Dutt versus Imran Khan: a clash of generations, perhaps. But when people walked out of the theatre having watched Kidnap, all they remembered was this 80s power packed long-gone-out-of-fashion dialogue repackaged in 2008.

Sanjay Dutt: Go to hell!

Imran Khan: Hell is right here, Raina.

• Madhur Bhandarkar's heroines have always had one thing common: ambition. They don't want to settle for less. And this dialogue from Fashion summed it all:

Question: Tum model banna chahti ho?

Priyanka Chopra: Nahi supermodel.

• Subhash Ghai's latest Yuvvraj is full of gems but here are the two that made it to our list.

Katrina Kaif: Who hardcore anti-family man hai.

Hardcore anti-family man ? Now, that's a first and a new addition to our sociology textbooks.

That's not all. Neither the critics, nor the audince could figure what disease Anil Kapoor was suffering from in the film and so the bhola aadmi (innocent man) asks this bhola question to his not-so-bhola-brother.

Salman Khan: Tum bhole ho bhaiyya.

Anil Kapoor: Kyun, bhloe aadmiyoon ki shaadi nahi hoti kya?

• The best dialogue delivery of the year is by Urmila Matondkar In Karzz.

Himesh Reshammiya: Bolo Kamini, bolo bolo bolo.

Urmila: Haan haan haan haan, maine hi khoon kiya hai, haan.

Pointing or Smith or Dhoni ??????

Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith and MS Dhoni, three men with one new year resolution, to take their team to the top of the ICC Test rankings.

"I think the balance of power is evening out in world cricket. Credit to Australia they have dominated world cricket for decade or so and they obviously enjoyed their time and it doesn't mean they are going to be beaten in future tours or going to be easy to beat," said Graeme Smith after South Africa clinched the three-Test series 2-0 against Ponting's men.

Australia are much like a wounded tiger, losing two out of the last three series in 2008 has been a hard blow for a proud cricketing outfit. If another loss comes in the new year Test at Sydney, their crown will pass on.

"International sport and life is all about ups and downs, this year for us had been an indifferent one but its been a learning curve and a learning year for us all. Even me who has played nearly 130 tests, you learn something from every game that you play," stated Ponting.

They will learn, but to the keen eye the gap hasn't just narrowed between Australia and the rest, the men from down under are left to play catch-up.

"We have seen the end of the last men standing; the Haydens, the Symonds and probably Brett Lee too. They need to find some new people. India and South Africa are the two stand-out sides," opined former player and cricket writer Peter Roebuck.

But even in the gloom of the decline, the man at the helm of Aussie cricket holds out hope.

"I'm still very positive and very sure that with some of these younger guys coming through and coming on in a few years time that we can get back up there and be dominating world cricket once again," said Ponting.

So 2009 will be the story of this three-horse race and cricket fans will be looking forward to the ride.

Leap Second added to 2008

It's going to take a little longer(just a second) to say goodbye to the worst economic year since the Great Depression, but all for good cause.

The custodians of time will ring in the New Year by tacking a "leap second" onto the clock today to account for the minute slowing of the Earth's rotation. The leap second has been used sporadically at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich since 1972, an adjustment that has kept Greenwich Mean Time the internationally agreed time standard.

AdultDost.com - Viral Marketing Redefined.. Note:Under 18 not allowed :D

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Dhoni gets extortion call from Mumbai's D gang

The family of Indian team skipper Mahender singh Dhoni reportedly received an extortion call of Rs 50 lakh.

The demand was made through a letter posted at Dhoni's Ranchi residence and it was made by a Mumbai based shooter of the D gang.

The Dhoni family has handed over the the letter to the Superintendent of Police of Ranchi and has demanded extra security cover.

The local administration has enhanced the security cover at Dhoni's residence in wake of the extortion letter.

Resoultions....How to to stick to them

New Year brings with it a host of new resolutions like losing weight, shaping up and treading cautiously with money

However, the ‘vows’ often remain unaccomplished. Now, an expert has said that people need to have a self-prescribed ‘game plan’ to materialize their goals. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Associate Professor Josh Klapow, a clinical psychologist and author of ‘Living Smart: 5 Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever’, has said that with a little planning anyone can turn a resolution into a habit and a kept promise. Klapow has thus offered five tips to succeed in this annual ritual, which include: 1. Set a very specific goal. “Know exactly what you’re trying to achieve. For example, exercise is not a goal, but walking three days a week for 20 minutes is a goal,” said Klapow. He further added that more major changes need short- and long-term goals. 2. Monitor forward steps. “Keep track of what you’re doing toward change. Mark the calendar, diary or tick off the checklist every time you achieve the new behavior. Self-accountability has a lot to do with happy habits,” he said. 3. Arrange to succeed. “Chiefly this means modifying your environment to remove barriers. Put exercise clothes out at night for a morning workout, or to cut back on sweets get them out of the house or keep them out of reach,” said Klapow. 4. Recruit a support team. “Research clearly shows that having others support you in behavior change lends help toward success. Ask family and friends to advocate and cheer you on, and show them markers of progress along the way,” he said. 5. Treats as reward. “It is human nature to expect a reward from hard work, and research shows rewards help solidify behaviour change. So plan now for treating yourself after consistently sticking with a New Year’s resolution,” said Klapow.

Source : Timesofindia

The most hilarious scene in bollywood

Shane Warne next Aus PM..what do u say????

Australia just can't get enough of Shane Warne as is evident from a recent television poll in which an overwhelming majority wanted the flamboyant spin legend to run for the Prime Minister's post.
Warne, who is doing commentary for the ongoing second Test between Australia and South Africa, was joined by current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the box when the viewers were asked to vote: "Should Warne run for prime minister?"
More than 70 per cent said 'yes', but the former leg-spinner said, "I've got absolutely no idea how to do it."
Rudd sought to help Warne. "Mate, it's all in the wrist action," he said.
Warne replied: "OK, well then I might be half a chance if it's all in the wrist."
Faced with Warne's massive approval ratings, Rudd laughed, "I haven't been this low for a long time."

6 Indians in Guardian's World Test XI

Six Indians cricketers -- including Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni -- figure in The Guardian newspaper's World Test XI of the Year, which interestingly does not include a single Australian.

Former England all-rounder Vic Marks drew up the list, which was published on Sunday.

Apart from Tendulkar and Dhoni, the other Indians in Marks's team were opener Virender Sehwag , pace partners Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma with Harbhajan Singh as the only spinner.

"This is brilliant; we do not really know which is the best team in the world. For a decade, it has been Australia and there has been nothing to argue about. Now there are three contenders as India and South Africa challenge Australia's supremacy," said Marks."Pick the best XI from these four sides (apologies to Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand for being so exclusive) and it is possible, without too much mischief, not to select a single Australian. This may be an indication of the way things are going," he added.

Marks picked South African Captain Graeme Smith as the skipper of his World XI and the other opener alongside Sehwag."He (Smith) is the best ugly batsman in the world," quipped the former Somerset player."Seeking romance and adventure, the choice has to be Virender Sehwag. But, even if pragmatism rules the day, the alternative is another Indian, Gautam Gambhir , who -- while not especially pleasing on the eye -- is fiercely combative and oozing runs in 2008," he said.

Marks said he gave Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey's names a thought for the middle-order, but ultimately decided to select England captain Kevin Pietersen , Tendulkar and South African A B de Villiers on the basis of their current form."Of course, there is a case for Ricky Ponting at three if we take into account his entire career. But he has failed too often recently and is no longer playing his cricket with a smile," he explained.

"So the middle order comprises Kevin Pietersen, Sachin Tendulkar and A B de Villiers. All three have hit brilliant centuries during the past fortnight, so they are in form.

"It was odd that, after 156 Tests, there were still some Indians who questioned whether Tendulkar was capable of playing the "match-winning" innings. In Chennai, he willed himself to the hundred and the victory that a wounded country demanded. In some ways, it was a humble innings as Tendulkar declined to play extravagant strokes in case they jeopardised his goal," Marks said.

The all-rounder's place went to Andrew Flintoff despite his recent lean patch."Andrew Flintoff may seem an Anglo-centric selection, but watching him bowl on the energy-sapping pitches of India clinched his place, even though we have to question his ability to score enough runs for our number six."

For the wicket-keeper it was a toss up between Dhoni and his South African counterpart Mark Boucher , but Dhoni got Marks' vote for his energy."Dhoni made his name as a long-haired flayer of all types of bowling, who quickly became a folk hero in India. Now he has a sober haircut and, as captain, is the ultimate pragmatist, prepared to revert to all-out defence if necessary. Already, his record in charge is mighty impressive: played five, won four, drawn one," he said.

"Harbhajan Singh gets the spinning slot in a weak field. In the real World XI, Sri Lanka provides the spin. A year ago, Monty Panesar might have been considered -- now he is fretting about his England place."

The pace attack is all-Indian with Zaheer and Ishant and marks' said the duo is simply unmatched right now."The first-choice pacemen are India's two opening bowlers. Zaheer Khan's mastery of swinging the old ball, especially from around the wicket, cannot be matched by anyone in world cricket," he pointed out.

"So there are six Indians, three South Africans and two Englishmen, which may not accurately reflect the status quo, but does suggest where the momentum lies. Whatever the ICC table says, there is an argument that India are already the best team, especially in their own conditions.

Vic Marks' select XI: Graeme Smith (captain), Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Sachin Tendulkar, A B De Villiers, Andrew Flintoff, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Dale Steyn.

Taare Zameen Par wins 4 V Shantaram Awards

Mumbai: There's no stopping Aamir Khan. In the midst of encouraging reports of his latest starrer Ghajini, his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par bagged as many as four V Shantaram Awards, including the Best Film Gold Award.

The actor-director, however, was not present Friday night to receive the coveted awards named after legendary filmmaker V Shantaram.

Aamir's discovery, Darsheel Safary, who won many hearts with his performance in Taare Zameen Par, got the Best Actor prize.

The other Indian movies of 2008 that vied for the Best Film award were A Wednesday, Jodhaa Akbar, Kadha Parayumpol (Malayalam), Paradesi (Malayalam) and Tingya (Marathi).

Of these, A Wednesday received the Best Film Silver Award and Tingya bagged the bronze.

Competing with six other leading actresses, Aishwariya Rai Bachchan was named Best Actress for her role in Jodhaa Akbar, pipping south Indian actress Asin for Dasavataram (Tamil), Amrita Rao in Welcome to Sajjanpur (Hindi), Meera Jasmine in Calcutta News (Malayalam) and Nithya who was nominated for Akashgopuram (Malayalam).

Aishwarya too was not present to acknowledge the honour. Her mother-in-law actress Jaya Bachchan received the award on her behalf.

The Rajkamal Academy of Cinematic Excellence (RACE), founded by V Shantaram in 1975, has for the last 15 years been presenting the V Shantaram Awards. It is the only private presenter of film awards that confers three categories of awards – Gold, Silver and Bronze – to directors.

This year's recipients were Neeraj Pandey – gold for A Wednesday, Aamir Khan – silver for Taare Zameen Par and Ashutosh Gowariker – bronze for Jodhaa Akbar.

Pandey also won the Best Debut Director Award.

AR Rehman was adjudged the Best Music Director for his score in Jodhaa Akbar.

The Best Supporting Actor Award went to Jimmy Shergil for his spirited performance in A Wednesday. Farhan Akhtar was chosen as Best Debut Actor for his role in Rock On!, while Amol Gupte was presented the Best Writer Award for Taare Zameen Par.

Source : cnn-ibn

Gajini a Super Hit !!!!!!

Much awaited film Ghajini by Aamir Khan, did a good business on the opening day breaking all records of the Hindi film industry. The film is released worldwide with 1,450 prints including 1,200 prints in India on Thursday. Overseas prints were released by Reliance BIG in various international cities.

An executive of the movie's India release said that all shows were sold out in advance for the opening week. The film will earn at least Rs35 crore in the first week according to an industry expert. A trade analyst in the film industry, V Verma said, "Although the movie has not received uniform favourable reviews, the hype created around it has worked wonders and there is little doubt that the movie will turn out to be a super hit."

Actor Aamir Khan was present at the trial run of the movie at a preview theatre in Mumbai. He expressed satisfaction over the popularity of the film and hoped that it would set new records in Hindi film industry. He added, "We were hoping for a good response, but what is happening is unprecedented and amazing. I know Singh is King had created a record, but from what I hear, the opening of Ghajini is four times more. I suppose my film releasing after a year might have to do something with it. Also, people love good action films."

Film distributor Sandeep Bhargava said, "This is the highest print count for a Hindi film. It has already garnered three times more than Rab Ne. in the first week."

Dhoni named leader of 2008's world Test team

The year seems to be getting better for Indian skipper MS Dhoni and opener Gautam Gambhir even as it draws to a close. The duo were included in Sydney Morning Herald's Team of the year.

Dhoni was chosen the skipper of the team that includes stalwarts like South African captain Graeme Smith, England skipper Kevin Pietersen and West Indies' middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

"After culpably missing the tour to Sri Lanka, Dhoni led his team to victory over Australia and England, displaying an ability to forge a fighting unit and pursue ruthless strategies," said the Sydney Morning Herald about the Indian captain.

Gambhir, who scored 1134 runs at an average of 70.88 from eight Tests this year, will have Smith as his opening partner.

In what could be seen as a significant reflection of Australia's cricketing fortunes, the daily chose only one Australian in the eleven. Pacer Mitchell Johnson, who took eight wickets in South Africa's first innings in Perth a few days ago, was the lone Australian in the team.

South Africa had the maximum candidates with as many as three batsmen (Smith, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers) and one bowler (Dale Steyn) in the line-up.

Test team of the year: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper, India), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Gautam Gambhir (India), Hashim Amla (South Africa), Kevin Pietersen (England), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Ryan Sidebottom (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka).

Saarang 2009

RIM sues Motorola

Research In Motion Ltd is suing Motorola Inc, alleging that the mobile phone company improperly blocked the BlackBerry maker from hiring current and laid-off Motorola employees.

The suit, filed in state court in Chicago on Tuesday, comes three months after Motorola alleged that RIM violated an agreement reached in February that the two companies would not solicit each other's employees.

RIM asked for a court order to invalidate the agreement, saying in its complaint that the pact had expired in August and was no longer enforceable. The Canadian company is also seeking unspecified damages for what it called "unfair competition" practices by Motorola.

Motorola spokeswoman Jennifer Weyrauch-Erickson declined to comment on the lawsuit. "RIM entities continue to grow and hire new employees within the United States and globally against a backdrop of recent public announcements by Motorola that it has and will continue to make massive layoffs," said RIM's lawsuit.

In the lawsuit filed by Motorola on September 4, the Schaumburg, Illinois-based company asked a judge to bar RIM from using Motorola's confidential information, or soliciting or hiring any Motorola employees. RIM officials could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit, Research in Motion Corp vs Motorola Inc, was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.

Salman paints Aamir !!!!!!!

Salman Khan is promoting Aamir Khan's Ghajini in a big way.

After he watched the film at a private screening in Mukesh Ambani's residence, he said he loved it, and that Ghajini was sure to be a big hit.

But just that did not seem enough.

So Salman painted Aamir's look in the film on canvas! Aamir's Ghajini co-star Asin unveiled the painting at Mumbai's Inox theatre on December 23.

Incidentally, Asin will star in Salman's next, London Dreams, directed by Vipul Shah. The film also stars Ajay Devgan.

Bhuvan ..Indian version of Google Earth :)

Bhuvan, India's response to Google Earth, will be launched in March 2009 and will provide high resolution imagery data of the order of five metres which would be of great help for real-time exercises, including disaster management and military operations.

"Google Earth is providing high resolution data in the order of less than a metre. But the data is two to three years old. But Bhuvan will provide the relevant data for any real-time exercise," SK Pathan, head, Geo Informatics Data Division, Isro, told PTI.

For real-time exercises, the latest data is a guiding force, he said. It can show the topography, altitude and other features of a location. The data could be of use to manage public services, internal security, town planning and infrastructure development activities.

However, it is not yet decided whether the data can be put on the web as it could be misused. Some locations can, however, be blurred or blocked due to security reasons. "Bhuvan will be created by March next year. Then we will seek the government's permission to put it on the web," Pathan said.

Worldwide premier of Gajodhar...before time !!!!!

If you are an Aamir khan fan or even if you are not then you will enjoy this spoof of his upcoming film GAJINI ..Click here

Mac Vs PC

Michael Jackson is fine

Michael Jackson's camp has denied that the King of Pop is suffering from life-threatening lung disease and needs a lung transplant terming such reports as 'total fabrication'.

The singer's agent issued a statement responding to recent comments by writer Ian Halperin in the British newspaper Sunday Express, saying 'wild allegations concerning Jackson's health are a total fabrication,' E News reported.

'Concerning this author's allegations, we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorised 'biography,'' Tohme Tohme of the Los Angeles firm Scoop Marketing, Jackson's representative, said.

The spokesman also dismissed Halperin's claim that the singer was suffering from a rare genetic condition known as 'alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency' and needed a lung transplant to survive.

Halperin, who is working on a biography of Jackson, had also claimed that the singer can barely speak and suffers from emphysema and internal bleeding, and has lost 95 per cent of vision in his left eye.

'Jackson is in fine health, and finalising negotiations with a major entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances,' Tohme said.

The 50-year-old singer and controversies have gone hand in hand. The pop star was previously accused of child abuse charges in 2005. He is also famous for undergoing multiple plastic surgeries and his eccentric lifestyle.

Is Michael Jackson aka Mikeel dying?????????

Pop music icon Michael Jackson is near death, suffering from a potentially fatal genetic disease that has affected his lungs and stripped him of vitality, Jackson-biographer Ian Halperin has claimed in a recent interview.

Speaking with the UK's Sun, Halperin has been quoted saying, 'He needs a lung transplant, but may be too weak to go through with it. He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It's the bleeding that's the most problematic part. It could kill him.'

Specifically, Halperin claims that Jackson, now 50 years old, has developed a rare alpha-1 anti-trypsin protein deficiency, leaving his lungs unable to protect themselves. He also claimed Jackson, who was photographed in a wheelchair earlier this year, had been battling the disease for several years. 'He can barely speak. The vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone. For years, Michael has been working with his doctors to make sure (the disease) doesn't progress.'

Jackson's usually outspoken and stridently defensive publicist and family members have not moved to deny the claim, which in turn has only fueled speculation.

Orders for 300,000 Pairs of 'Bye Bye Bush' Shoes Create 100 Jobs

One journalist’s hugely public protest against America’s campaign in Iraq has resulted in a surprising windfall for a Turkish shoemaker.

Baydan Shoe Company, creators of the now-iconic footwear that Muntazar al-Zaidi threw at President George W Bush last week, have been so inundated with orders that they have had to hire 100 extra staff to cope with the sudden uplift in demand.

Since the press conference held in Baghdad little more than a week ago, the shoemakers have received an influx of orders from individuals across the globe looking to show their support with their choice of shoes.

Speaking to the Guardian, owner of the Istanbul-based company, Ramazan Bayden, revealed that he had already received an astounding 300,000 requests for the ‘Model 271’ shoe worn, and then thrown, by Zaidi. This represents a staggering four fold increase in the company’s average annual production of the line.

While a large proportion of these orders originate from customers in Iraq and its neighbouring countries, the shoe is proving highly popular in both the UK and US too. According to Bayden, one US-based company has requested 18,000 pairs while a British company have already come forward as a possible European supplier.

The company intend to take full advantage of this new found attention with television advertising campaigns planned for the new year. They also plan to relaunch the shoe, which has been in production since 1999, with a more ‘distinctive’ name – ‘Bye Bye Bush’ is among those currently under consideration.

This is a perfect example of someone taking the risk and some other beniffitng out of it.Bush's country might be facing a lot of job cuts in recent times but he has created 100 jobs too :In times of recession not bad at all :P

Amir Khan turns barber

Aamir Khan adopted a new way to promote his film, Ghajini put up a pair of scissors and gave some fans a haircut, similar to his own Ghajini cut.

The actor set up a barber shop in Bengali Market, New Delhi , on Sunday, and tried an alternate career for a few hours.

Earlier, Big Cinema's employees flaunted Gajini hair style, which is steadily becoming a craze among youngsters.

Aamir's Ghajini look has been designed by his loyal hairstylist Avan Contractor.

The school where Virender Sehwag learned the game

A remarkable attacking player was fashioned on a patch of grey soil and scruffy grass at a poor school in west Delhi

BLOCK G in Vikaspuri, west Delhi, is not easy to find. The streets are dusty, cramped and chaotic, an immigrant enclave and a far cry from the centre where Westerners in luxury hotels get the impression of the city as verdant, spacious and ordered. But here is the true India and the creative soul of a unique talent in cricket. Block G is home to the Vikaspuri government boys senior secondary school, where Virender Sehwag learned to play the game. It is a modest place, and receives funding from the lower strata of society, but like many state schools in India it is proud of its sport. Its cricket ground takes up as much space as the school buildings and playground. Within feet of the thunderous traffic are four nets and a small pavilion which has painted on the front a smiling cricketer. It ought to be Sehwag but looks more like his hero Sachin. Amazingly, Sehwag still comes here to practice when he’s at home in Najafgarh, the suburb where he grew up a half-hour’s jostling scooter ride away, which was how he was taken to school. Sehwag says that last year, while India toured England without him, he came here regularly to bat against bowlers he had commandeered from Delhi’s Ranji Trophy team, including the 20-year-old Ishant Sharma.

On this patch of grey soil and scruffy grass a remarkable player was fashioned, the most attacking opening batsman the game has seen. His back foot was tied to the net to discourage him from skipping down the pitch and a bag of mud strapped to the back of his bat to enhance the power of his shots. Sehwag’s bats today bear testimony to this regime, the edges of those he uses for one-day cricket are an inch thick.

His father Krishan remained sceptical. He knew the odds of his son making the big time were fantastically long, he feared he might neglect his studies - and he was most unhappy to be presented with a large dental bill one day after his son had been struck by a ball. But he still acquiesced when AN Sharma, the school coach, asked the family to put the third of their four children on a special diet to improve his strength. In wealthier schools across Delhi, legions of conventional batsmen were being produced. One of them was Aakash Chopra, who often came up against Sehwag in schools matches before playing with him for Delhi and, eventually, India. “Things are changing now thanks to Twenty20 but back then most boys were taught to play conventionally,” he recalled. “The only way to succeed was to score big runs in junior cricket and we believed that to do that we had to bat six, seven, eight hours with patience and a good technique, and play each ball on its merits. When you hit the ball through the covers, it must go along the ground, not in the air. But Viru was different. He had the talent, coordination and strength to hit the ball out of the park. He was a middle-order batsman who was extremely confident playing spin bowling but quite restricted against the quicks. He was not particularly comfortable against them. He was strong but never athletic. I didn’t think he would make it."

Sharma confirmed that he did not seek to steer Sehwag away from his attacking instincts. “I never encouraged him to play defensively. I told him, ‘Keep your bat and pads together but hit it, don’t kiss it."

Early impressions were of a talented chancer. A quarter of Sehwag’s dismissals were due to run-outs or stumpings — the tethered foot only worked up to a point — and he had missed out on India’s provisional squad for the Under-19 World Cup until Sharma lobbied for him to be given a trial. Owais Shah and Graeme Swann, who faced him for England in that tournament, have no recollection of how he played.

A few months later, though, in his first first-class innings, Sehwag hit 118 from 147 balls against a Haryana attack containing three spinners on what Chopra recalled was a rank turner. “I remember thinking that if this was the way he was going to play, it was going to be pretty special.”

Sehwag’s great gift after his talent was his capacity for hard work. Over the next two years he improved dramatically against fast bowling, to the point where in a zonal match at Mohali in early 2001 he blazed his way to 162 from 190 balls in seaming conditions. Even Zaheer Khan was unable to stop him running amok; he was still hitting boundaries even with nine men on the rope. It was an outrageous display.

Later that year he scored a century on Test debut against South Africa and nine months after that was opening the innings for India for the first time during a tour of England. He scored 84 at Lord’s, 105 at Trent Bridge and has since never really batted out of the top two. But he needed some convincing that this was the best place for him to bat. Sharma says Sehwag argued for 30 minutes before giving in.

Some astonishing tours de force have followed. He has broken several fast-scoring records and is the only India batsman to score a triple-century, something he has done twice. But the risks are high. He was dropped from the team last year and, for all his match-turning heroics in Chennai, it has been 14 innings since his last hundred. But what an innings that was, an unbeaten 201 against Muttiah Muralitharan and Ayantha Mendis while his team-mates floundered.

“Viru has changed the definition of what it takes to open the batting in Test cricket,” said Chopra, who opened with Sehwag during 10 Tests in 2003-04. “I grew up wanting to bat like Michael Atherton, in traditional mode, leaving the ball outside off stump, but Viru has turned everything on its head. His speed and consistency are remarkable. He has developed so much time against the quickest bowling in the world.

“He backs himself no matter how often he fails. There will be those advising him to change, but he won’t. He is a little bull-headed. He knows his own mind.”

Chennai was a classic case in point. Sehwag was out in what seemed reckless fashion in the first innings, dragging an attempted cut into his stumps, but he still went out and played in exactly the same way in the second innings, tearing into the England bowling.

Matthew Hayden has also brought unusual aggression to the business of opening the batting but his strike-rate lags well behind Sehwag’s and he scores in more predictable areas, focusing on hitting down the ground. Where Sehwag differs from most openers is in the flamboyance of his backlift, which for sheer outrageousness bears comparison with Brian Lara’s. Generally, the higher the backlift the greater the risk of things going wrong on the down-swing. But Sehwag still brings down the bat very straight, even for those lacerating horizontal strokes he plays through backward point, where he scored so many of his runs in India’s run-chase in the first Test. For all his phenomenal success, Sehwag remains the same shy, compassionate person. “He is a very humble, down-to-earth boy,” Sharma said. “When he comes back to see us, he is just the same as he always was.”

Source : Timesonline

A solemn, emotional reopening for Hotel Trident

Doormen in white suits and black turbans greeted visitors, 45 guests checked in and a lucky customer got a thank you card instead of a bill—the Trident Hotel is serving its customers well.

At least 30 people were killed in the hotel during the terrorist attacks on Mumbai on November 26. On Sunday, the hotel was back on its feet and in business—less than a month after the murderous attack on its guests and staff.

The hotel is opening all its 550 rooms and suites, and four restaurants to guests. At least 80 bookings have already been made and there's a rush for reservations at its restaurants

Security was noticeably tighter as guards scanned bags and sniffer dogs patrolled the ground outside. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal visited the Trident to attend its opening ceremony.

Staff members, journalists and guests attended a multi-religious prayer meeting in the lobby for victims of the terror attacks.

‘Thank you, dear customer’

Devendra Ksheer Sagar, the first customer at one of the restaurants, was just about to dip into pocket for his wallet when he noticed he hadn’t been billed. Instead there was a card saying: 'thank you for your support' and a bouquet of flowers.

"I was surprised when I got the card saying thank you for your support instead of the bill," said Sagar.

"I had come here (Marine Drive) for my morning walk and since I knew the hotel was re-opening I decided to try a cup of tea," he said.

"As soon as I stepped into the hotel, managers walked up to me and shook hands saying thank you. I was surprised on being told that I was their first customer. I was really touched by their gratitude."

"We should be bold enough to deter and stop them (terrorists). Instead of getting scared, we should scare them with our resolve to fight back," said Sagar.

Service at any cost

Hotel president Rattan Keswani said his staff is in grief but “committed to deliver 100 per cent”.

"I'm confident of your support. I seek help from all of you to make efforts in projecting Mumbai and India as a safe destination. Fears of guests must be allayed aggressively. Such acts will only affect our citizens and our economic development," he said.

"We believe the time has come to look forward to the future. There is grief, there is sadness, but the staff is committed to deliver 100 per cent and there is absolute desire to bounce back as soon as possible," said Keswani.

The hotel has increased security checks and put up more surveillance systems, but promises its ambience would be welcoming still.

"It's not that a person would not be allowed to walk in into the hotel lobby or sit in one of our restaurants, even if he doesn't have a booking," he said.

The Oberoi-Trident hotel, facing the Arabian Sea at Nariman Point, and the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, near the Gateway of India, were the key targets terrorists attacked and took over on November 26.

The Taj Mahal hotel will reopen on Sunday evening and the Oberoi hotel six months later.

Bollywood king' SRK, Sonia in powerful people list

The prestigious US based magazine 'Newsweek' have included Congress President Sonia Gandhi and bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan in the 50 most powerful people list topped by US President-elect Barack Obama

US President-elect Barack Obama tops the list.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Markel, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jim Jong II are other world leaders on the list.

Newsweek has selected Sonia as the 17th most powerful leader and says Indian political scene is riven by factions, but the Congress remains the strongest national force and rules unchallenged. "In the world's largest democracy, she is the queen."

The magazine says Shah Rukh, who is No. 41 on the list, is the 'King of Bollywood'.

"It's not just that his (Khan's) romantic flicks make gazillions—it's where those gazillions come from. Khan is huge in the Muslim world, even in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the mullahs ban his films. Their main appeal is certainly the song-and-dance numbers, but Khan makes devoutly secular films where love trounces bigotry," the magazine says.

Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, who controls the country’s nuclear weapons, is placed 20th on the list, which would be published in the January 2009 issue of the magazine.

Kayani, the mumbling and chain-smoking general, answers to President Asif Ali Zardari in theory, but he and his army remain the dominant power in Pakistan. "He's responsible for Pakistan's nukes; for the battle against al-Qaeda and its tribal allies along the Afghan border; and for managing tensions with neighbour India," the magazine says.

Kayani, till now, has kept the army out of politics and seems focused on the battle against 'jihadists'. "In the wake of the November terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Kayani stood firm on Pakistan’s sovereignty while also taking measures against the alleged sponsors of the outrage," it says.

A surprise inclusion in the list, which the magazine admits is subjective, is Osama bin Laden, the "global terrorist." He is No. 42 in the list.

The magazine says the presidency of Obama, the "intensely charismatic" Democrat, who will be inaugurated on January 20, will be judged on how he handles the economic crisis that now envelops the US and the world. "For Obama to be remembered as a great President, he has to do nothing less than rescue capitalism."

Slow Internet?????

Are you facing problems with downloads or not able to access your favourite sites then the reason is that one of the undersea cables has snapped.

Internet and phone communications between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia have been seriously disrupted after submarine cables were severed.It is thought the FLAG FEA, SMW4, and SMW3 lines, near the Alexandria cable station in Egypt, have all been cut.A fault was also reported on the GO submarine cable 130km off Sicily.
Experts warned that it may be days before the fault is fixed and said the knock on effect could have serious repercussions on regional economies.It is thought that 65% of traffic to India was down, while services to Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Taiwan and Pakistan have also been severely affected.Earlier this year, the same line was damaged in the same area - off the Egyptian coast - although only two lines were snapped then.

Jiya Se Jiya Video from AR Rahman's New Album 'Connections'

Here is a video of the song Jiya Se Jiya from AR Rahman's latest Album 'Connections'.
The Video is directed by Kanika Myer (Bharat Bhala Productions)
Cinematography : Kiran Reddy
Choreography : Feroz Khan

The film is inspired by Juan Mann's Free Hugs campaign, and shot across the major cities of India with real people. Nothing was staged except the filming with AR Rahman.

Tracklist

1. Jiya se Jiya
2. Mann Chanda re
3. Kural
4. Silent Invocation A
5. Silent Invocation B
6. Silent Invocation C
7. Mylapore Blues
8. Himalaya
9. Mosquito

IE hack patch is out

Acting with record speed, Microsoft has issued a patch for the just-announced security flaw that impacts all the recent versions of IE from version 5 to the latest betas of IE 8. The next security update had not been due from the company until January 13, making this a very rare occurrence.

Getting the update is easy.

With any version of Windows, just run Windows Update, which you'll find in IE's Tools menu or in the Windows Start menu under "All Programs." Vista users can just type "Windows Update" in the Start menu search box to pull it up, then click "Check for updates" on the left side of the window. Either an Express or Custom run of Windows Update will find the patch.

The patch will appear as a "High-priority update" named "Security Update for Internet Explorer" followed by your version number. It will auto-select, so just click "Install Updates" to continue. A reboot will be required when the small update (only a few MB) is finished. (Grab any other security-oriented updates you see while you're there.)

It's a good idea after installing the patch to make sure your anti-malware software is updated and then to run a full scan on your system, just to make sure nothing sneaked in while you were unpatched. After that, you should be ready to go.

2008 in pictures

This year's most memorable images, both familiar and new, sobering and inspiring, are snapshots of the stories that gripped us.

Violence continued in the Middle East, worsened in Congo and erupted between Russia and Georgia. Grief was widespread in China and Myanmar following natural disasters that left tens of thousands dead and many more homeless. A deepening financial crisis in America rippled across the world.

But there was also joy and achievement. A little French movie with a multiethnic cast of non-professional actors won the top prize at Cannes. Michael Phelps made gold medal history at the Beijing Olympics. And an unusually long and polarizing campaign season ended with the historic election of a 47-year-old black man as president of the United States.

CLick here to see the slideshow

Guy Ritchie is now Ritchie Rich !!!!!

Madonna has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie for at least 50 million pounds ($76 million) — more than Paul McCartney owed Heather Mills and the most ever for a dude to receive from a chick in the UK — the singer’s spokeswoman said Monday.

The couple were reportedly worth some $525 million, the vast majority of which belonged to Madonna. Ritchie had an estimated $35 million fortune.

5 Things that we have learnt from Bill Gates

Microsoft: The IE threat is real, and so is the fix

Though it remains uncertain if anyone has actually been affected by an Internet Explorer browser flaw that has made national news headlines, Microsoft's tactic today is to treat it as though it's real, and respond the same way.

In a statement to BetaNews early this morning, the author of a Microsoft security vulnerability team blog post yesterday said his team is aware of exploit sites that are trying -- if not yet successful -- to discover the exploit for a problem that the company discovered in response to reports of an active exploit in the field.

"Unfortunately, there are a bunch of active exploit sites right now attempt to exploit Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users running IE7," the team's Jonathan Ness told BetaNews. "We don't make the decision to release out-of-cycle lightly and we will only do it for confirmed, unpatched vulnerabilities under active attack. If you're familiar with either the Metasploit framework or the milw0rm.com hacker Web site, both have proof-of-concept exploit code available that have been picked up by bad guys to install malware on unsuspecting browsers."

To read more click here

Rs 50 crore offer for shoes hurled at Bush !!!!!!!!

A Saudi man has offered to pay $10 million for the pair of shoes that an Iraqi journalist hurled at US President George W Bush during a press conference in Baghdad.

Mohamed Makhafa, a retired school teacher, says he considers the size 10s a "medal of freedom and more valuable than everything he owns", Al Jazeera news channel reported.

Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who became a hero overnight in the Arab world, had thrown his shoes at President Bush during a joint press conference of the US leader with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad on Monday.

"It is more precious than all my property. I will bequeath it to my children and display it in a museum and call it the Medal of Freedom," Makhafa told AlArabiya.net. Makhafa said the combined value of the land and property he owns exceeds the price he is offering for Zaidi's shoes, adding if the journalist's lawyer manages to reclaim the infamous pair he will buy them.

Makhafa said he does not look at it from a commercial point of view and said his offer was the start of an auction. The 60-year-old stressed that he does not hold a grudge against the US, but said he hates its foreign policies that have humiliated the Muslims. Announcing his offer on the Internet, Makhafa, an activist who has raised voice on various issues, said tribesmen and public figures in the Arab world had expressed their support and many showed interest in taking part in the auction.

TATA joins F1 bandwagon, signs deal with Ferrari

Ferrari have bucked the global economic crisis squeezing Formula One by agreeing a sponsorship deal with carmaker Tata.

"For the first time an Indian brand will appear on the Ferrari," Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo told Italian media. "It's historic."

A Ferrari spokesman confirmed a deal had been reached and said the details and duration would be announced shortly.

Tata and Ferrari's parent company Fiat have a joint venture in Maharashtra to produce cars.

Formula One approved a package of cost-cutting measures last week to help the sport after the economic crisis led to Honda's withdrawal.

BΛЯΛᄃΚ ØBΛMΛ is the Time person of the year 2008

President-elect Barack Obama has won another contest: He's been named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2008.

The magazine has named Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Governor Sarah Palin and Chinese director Zhang Yimou as runners-up.

Last year's winner was Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Previous individual winners have included Bono, President George W Bush and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.

Cong didn't bowl us out in polls. It was a hit-wicket: BJP

A day after India pulled off a sensational test victory over England, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Tuesday sought to describe political events in cricket parlance saying his party suffered a 'hit wicket' in Rajasthan and Delhi where Congress had no capable 'bowlers' to strike.

"No bowler in Congress is capable of bowling out BJP. The possibility is only of a hit-wicket like it happened in some states in the assembly polls," Advani told a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi.

Advani, the party's prime ministerial candidate, also asked leaders and cadres to focus on corruption under UPA regime along with issues of terrorism and price rise in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

The senior leader said the BJP failure in Delhi was primarily due to 'selection of wrong candidates' while it was 'internal contradictions' in Rajasthan.

"Although terrorism and price rise would remain an issue, there is also a need to take to the people the issues of corruption under the UPA regime and more specifically the cash-for-vote scam," he said.

According to BJP sources, the saffron party, which has failed on terrorism plank in the Assembly polls campaign, is planning to rake up corruption and equate it with Bofors scandal during the Lok Sabha campaign.

Touching upon the victory in Madhya Pradesh [Images] where BJP was voted to power for the second time, Advani asked party leaders to take lessons from it.

Tuesday's meeting also gave a farewell to deputy leader in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra, who resigned from the Lower House, after being elected to Delhi assembly. Six other party MPs, who were elected to different assemblies, also put in their papers on Tuesday.

Source :Rediff

Bush's new job after retirement..Coaching classes to young budding cricketer(how to duck) :P

Just a month to go before his controversial term as President of the US ends, George W Bush was literally given the boot in Iraq on Sunday.An Iraqi journalist threw two shoes at Bush at a news conference in Baghdad which he was addressing alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The attacker missed the target by 15 m as Bush ducked just in time.

Ms Russia crowned Ms World, Ms India 1st runner up

Miss Russia has been crowned Miss Universe 2008 at a glittering ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa. Miss India Parvathy Omanakuttan has finished second - as the first runner up.

Among the other five finalists are Ms Angola, Ms Trinidad and Tobago, Ms Russia and Ms South Africa.

Exuding charm in her white gown, Parvathy cat-walked confidently on the stage to answer her question in the final round. She was asked what being in South Africa meant for her. To this she compared the "similarity in the cultures" of India and South Africa and thanked the locals for their hospitality. She also compared legends Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi and how inextricably linked the two countries' fates have been.

Earlier, a collective cheer went up in the audience when Paravathy’s name was announced at the end of a 15-name long list of semi finalists.

More than 100 international beauties have reached South Africa to participate in the beauty pageant. These beauties have already made a mark in their respective countries and now they are in South Africa to win the crown of Miss World.

The final round is being held in Johannesburg, Sandton Convention Centre and the country is expecting one billion-strong TV audience.

Representing India at this prestigious event, 21-year-old Parvathy is 5 feet 9 inches tall and hails from Kerala.

Other semi-finalists included Ms Trinidad and Tobago, Ms US, Ms Guatemala, Ms Venezuela, Ms Ukraine, Ms Croatia, Ms Brazil, Ms Angola, Ms Kazakhstan, Ms Puerto Rico, Ms Spain, Ms Russia and Ms South Africa.

Who is Parvathy?

Two days before the final round, Parvathy appeared sure of her victory and said she was confident of carrying forward the legacy of India’s glamour queens Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan (1994), Priyanka Chopra (2000), Diana Hayden (1997) and Yukta Mookhey (1999).

"I am very much confident about my victory. Femina Miss India World is not merely a crown of joy for me. With the crown, the responsibility of upholding the name of the country has also fallen on my shoulders," she said in a statement.

Asked about her preparations for the pageant on December 11, Parvathy said, "Preparations have started ever since I won the Femina Miss India contest in April this year. Apart from just concentrating on my appearance, I am trying to be a stronger person to face the contest." "I'll try my level best to make every Indian all over the world proud," Parvathy said.

Born on July 23, this Cancerian charmer's "never say die" attitude has helped her conquer one beauty pageant after another- be it the Navy Queen contest held in connection with the annual Navy Ball or Femina Miss India, South held in Hyderabad last year.

Hamilton drives a cab in support of the drink-drive campaign

Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton took to the wheel in a London black cab to back an anti-drink-drive campaign.

More used to high-powered top performance racing cars, Hamilton teamed up with double world champion Mika Hakkinen for the trip as part of the Johnnie Walker responsible drinking programme.

The pair hailed the public transport drivers who get people home safely as "the real champions" behind the wheel.

Big Thumbs up to RNBDJ..go watch it :)

I returned to hyderabad after a week long trip today..That also explains why the blog was not updated for the past one week..I got down from the train at 8 which was supposed to reach here at 7 in the morning and i was asked if i would be coming to the morning show of RNBDJ at 11:15 and i said yes, not even thinking twice considering that i had just returned from a hectic trip..I had lot of expectations from this movie and it didn't disappoint one bit..

After 8 years, Aditya Chopra dons the director's hat once again with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi starring Shah Rukh Khan and 19-year old debutante Anushka Sharma. The film's producer's claim is that it's an extraordinary story about an ordinary man.

Aditya Chopra made Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge where he reinvented the love story formula with a freshness that has since been copied so often, it has now become a clich..It is still running at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir, 13 years after its release.With such gigantic expectations, directors sometimes don't make a film for years .Adtiya made Mohabbatein next, which was judged against DDLJ.

Eight years later, Aditya is back with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.It is an absolute triumph for him as the creator (writer and director) of the film. He takes the formula and turns it around on its head with a film that that is self parodying, self referential and absolutely refreshing.

I was hoping that Aditya and Shah Rukh Khan would create the same magic that they did with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. It would be interesting to see them create another iconic figure with this film after they popularised Raj (Shah Rukh's character in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge),”

I was also curious to see how Shah Rukh Khan, who has mostly essayed larger-than-life roles with a stylised persona, would be able to carry off the image of an everyday man.He has played that look in Chak De! India and Swades but Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is a romantic film.

Here is short review from my side

The film sees SRK playing Surinder Sahni (Suri) a regular office-going guy(punjab power the name of the bank he works for), who lives a quiet life and marries a girl Taani (Anuksha Sharma), who had just lost the guy she wanted to marry.It so happens that suri attends the marraige of his professors daughter but instead gets married to her because of the circumstances..Obviously, she doesn't love him.

Yash raj ki film ho and RAJ na ho ..yeh kaise ho sakta hai..Yes, Raj is back! suri decides to win her with an alter ego called Raj.

But this Raj is totally unlike DDLJ's Raj, who would never run away with the girl. This Raj is all for running away. He is Taani's dance partner in a musical competition she participates in, by day and her husband Suri by night!

In DDLJ, Pardes and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai , SRK was stealing the other guy's girl. In this one, he is stealing her from himself!

The scene is set for an all-out entertainer, especially because Aditya and SRK have teamed up for this. They make a new age common man hero in Suri, all the while poking fun at the flamboyant lovers SRK has played before. But these aren't insider jokes, they are steeped in popular culture that we have grown up on. For example, there is a hilarious take off on Hrithik Roshan's advertisement(hide and seek) where he beats a bunch of baddies using a girl as a weapon. I won't spoil your fun about the other movies Suri and Taani watch in the film, but trust me, you have seen them all!

One of the funniest moments is when Taani nods off in a boring commercial and dreams up a song sequence where Raj announces that if you are bored of regular romances, he has learned from 'the baap' of romances and unleashes a song featuring SRK's favourite heroines(watch out for this one).

SRK is superb in the role of Surinder Sahni, but Anushka Sharma fails somewhere in the first attempt. After the 15 minutes of the movie, she comes back strongly. Showing great confidence and from there own one don’t have to worry about her. Vinay Pathak is the only other person who gets a small role worth mention and he did it good. Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is pleasant. It is bright most times.And the surprising part is that the movie is only for 2 hours 36 min which is very less when u compare it with DDLJ 3:09 and Mohabbatein's 3:36..

RNBDJ ranks as one of SRK's best performances till date as far as i am concerned..What are u waiting for???dont waste a min and try to watch it asap..