tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51184702011-04-21T22:23:04.540-07:00My take on everything from politics to moviesSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1139421085809834912006-02-08T09:43:00.000-08:002009-05-10T19:43:21.198-07:00

Since 1991, India has seen a lot of industries being liberalized through relaxation of some government regulations. Many public companies have been privatized by selling off to private players. There has been a marked improvement in all parameters like growth, productivity, no. of jobs and consumer welfare. But I think there is still a lot of confusion on the very objective of these exercises,

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1110804086310985812005-03-14T04:06:00.000-08:002005-03-14T04:41:26.313-08:00

I was having a chat with a couple of friends today on the political situation in the US, when I was reminded of this wonderful movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro.Wag the Dog is a tragicomic political satire, with a very imaginitive storyline. Dustin Hoffman stars as a Hollywood producer who is given the task of "producing" a war in far off Albania in order to divert attention from

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1110203763936012402005-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:002005-03-07T05:56:03.936-08:00

I think there is something in the surname Gandhi that makes all types of people behave in an unconstitutional manner. First there was the saintly Mahatma Gandhi, who used his fasting skills to the hilt in order to get things done as he wished ( e.g. appointment of Nehru as Congress President inspite of the election of Subhash Chandra Bose)Then there was the villanous Indira Gandhi who severely

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096864069394490202004-10-03T21:18:00.000-07:002004-10-03T21:27:49.393-07:00

If it is true that mint causes impotency, then I must say that Polo - the "mint with a hole" is a rather cruel joke!

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096629529607950182004-10-01T03:51:00.000-07:002004-10-01T04:18:49.606-07:00

Some things that I have been dying to do: 1. I have been dying to get my hands on the a sexy new black Mahindra Scorpio. I just love the looks of that vehicle and from what I hear, it is quite a powerful and comfy machine. Though I cant buy it as yet, I am definitely going to get a test ride from some showroom. 2. Watch the movie Shwas. All friends who have seen it have loved it. Even the

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096007871542822362004-09-23T22:41:00.000-07:002004-09-23T23:37:51.543-07:00

There is an interesting change I have observed about the typical Indian cricket fan. He is generally extremely pessimistic about India's chances against the likes of Australia and South Africa, even in home series'. But nowadays, when it comes to test encounters against Australia, inarguably the most dominant champions since Clive Loyds worldbeaters, there is a surprising swagger in the stride of

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1094896980533489672004-09-11T02:39:00.000-07:002004-09-11T03:03:00.533-07:00

I have always been a firm believer in the principle that every company should stand up to the test of the market. For example, any company which is being closely held by a conglomerate will always perform better if it raises capital from the general public. The market ensures that the value of the firm is evaluated everyday based on the business decisions that its managers take. Simply put, the

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1091181699393163952004-07-30T02:32:00.000-07:002004-07-30T03:01:39.393-07:00

Obviously the HR managers havent got it right!! Everyone knows that the best way to spend an afternoon, particularly after you have devoured 4 Rotis, is to have a nice and peaceful "power" nap. But people just dont understand this. In my office, I notice that most people tend to lose control over their eyelids once they are back from lunch. The person sitting just outside my cabin seems the

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1090597633233673382004-07-23T08:30:00.000-07:002004-07-23T08:47:13.233-07:00

I am in an optimistic mood today about my country. So I am writing about the things which give me hope for a better tomorrow. 1. The courts are finally doing something right for a change. The Bombay high court has imposed a fine on the BJP and the Shiv Sena for calling a bandh. Even though the fine amount is not much, it atleast sends out the right signal to the parties: that it is not their

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1089346960522749602004-07-08T20:48:00.000-07:002004-07-08T21:24:37.160-07:00

My initial reaction to the budget 2004 is that of mild dissapointment. The FM has not really taken any bold step. This seems to be more of a political statement, rather than an economical statement. I guess he will be more proactive in the next budget, which will come after only 7 months. Some observations on the budget: 1. There are too many sops and exemptions promised. Any exemption or sop

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1087998043151541342004-06-23T06:09:00.000-07:002004-06-28T03:57:21.146-07:00

Farhan Akhtar, in his very first film, had amply displayed his command over both the technical and the creative aspects of film making. Thus my expectations were sky high when I went in to see Lakshya. But like it has happened with so many films recently, I came out with the certain knowledge that the film could have easily been so much better. I had felt the same thing when I watched Yuva a few

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-108477109121205022004-05-16T21:51:00.000-07:002004-05-16T22:18:11.213-07:00

Why was BJP voted out? Suddenly everyone seems to be a political expert, dishing out simplistic explanations like "BJP ignored the villages!!", "They ignored the poor!" Had it been so simple to win elections in india, no one would have been voted out. Yet, more often than not, incumbent governments are voted out. Just take the example of Chandrababu Naidu. It is alleged that he focussed just on

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1084432165343788002004-05-12T23:48:00.000-07:002004-05-13T00:09:25.343-07:00

Even as I write this post, the Congress seems well on its way to for a government at the centre. There are a couple of things in my mind which I would like to pen down. *Film stars and media personalities seem to be winning everywhere. Thus in the first truly electronic elections, it is the people who are constantly on the waves who are winning! Did anyone say that development has become an

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1083399082648088542004-05-01T01:09:00.000-07:002004-05-01T01:19:19.076-07:00

I am joining TSMG - a consultancy firm in Mumbai, on May 3rd. So from now on I will be cribbing a lot about crowded locals, crowded roads and crowded everything!!

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1074540468619563032004-01-19T11:24:00.000-08:002004-01-19T11:29:45.436-08:00

Something to worry about for team India Looking at the current bunch of Indian cricketers, I can see an excellent period for us over the next 3-4 years. I am sure that we will be consistently be counted amongst the best 3-4 Test teams in the world, though the predictions about us becoming the best in the world seem far fetched. There is only one worrisome factor for India. It is the fact that

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1074021603526925472004-01-13T10:53:00.000-08:002004-01-13T11:31:57.996-08:00

Back to writing after a really long time! I just realised that the new year had already started, and I had done absolutely nothing different!! The thing is that I have always been changing things around at the start of every year, but this year I have done nothing so far. Just so, I decided to revive this neglected old blog. For the last month or so, I have been talking, watching and playing

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059515542859277282003-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:002003-07-29T14:52:22.846-07:00

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is a beautiful story about two absolutely different people ( an orthodox TamBrahm married woman and an open minded Muslim photo journalist) being thrown together by circumstances. Though communal violence is the backdrop of the movie, thankfully it is not the central theme. There have been too many movies in the past, which have attempted to assume the onerous task of

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059339395790346332003-07-27T13:56:00.000-07:002003-07-27T13:56:35.633-07:00

One of my favorite last scenes in a Hindi movie is from the film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro! Penultimate scene: The long hand of the law has caught up with the bad guys. Naseer and Ravi are discussing what they are going to do with the money that they will get as a prize. The expressions on their faces reflect the elation and pride they are feeling for having done yeomen service to the nation! At this

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059338196228706992003-07-27T13:36:00.000-07:002003-07-27T13:36:36.143-07:00

Have you ever wondered why we get goose pimples? A sensitive moment in a film, a high point in a musical rendition or a real life touching moment; why do all these make the pappilae on your skin stand? Its as if every part of your body is responding to the situation! I think it is called as physiological arousal! That makes me wonder, why do all 'intense' feelings cause some form of arousal?

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059208679980587752003-07-26T01:37:00.000-07:002003-07-26T01:50:01.313-07:00

This afternoon, as I was surfing our local intranet for some music, I chanced upon a rendition of the National Anthem by Kavita Krishnamurthy. I downloaded it and put in in my Winamp playlist. When it was about to begin, I realized that I was flopped casually in my chair, with my legs propped carelessly on the bed nearby. "Can I listen to the anthem in this position?", I thought! Why not? After

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1058821773602362702003-07-21T14:09:00.000-07:002003-07-21T14:17:43.706-07:00

This is an amazing exercise for anyone trying to drive away that unwanted sleep which comes to you at the most inopportune moments, like when you are in a boring jargon filled corporate meeting. I am also planning to use it in my Strategic Management class, as it is equally full of jargon! Heres what you do! 1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057894180104554422003-07-10T20:29:00.000-07:002003-07-10T20:29:40.023-07:00

Spot the vulgarity in this excerpt from Sean O'Casey's play, "The End of the Beginning". "When the song ended, Darry cocks his ear and listens." A person with a really bad hold on the English language will look at the word "cock" and say "Vulgar"!! Well, so does Dr Shahbaz Arif, head of the committee appointed to review the syllabus of the Lahore University in Pakistan. The review committee

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057298854703602592003-07-03T23:07:00.001-07:002003-07-03T23:07:34.716-07:00

Recently I was discussing with a couple of friends about the best directors in India. All of us agreed that Mani Rathnam is one of the best in India. There is only one aspect about his films that leaves me a trifle unsatisfied. In most of his films, the male lead falls in love with the femal lead 'at first sight', and thinks directly about marital bliss with her! I have seen five of his movies

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057105761388470502003-07-01T17:29:00.000-07:002003-07-01T17:54:27.276-07:00

Saw "When Harry Met Sally" recently. It was the movie which brought the genre of romantic comedies back in fashion in Hollywood. I found the movie to be extremely witty and humorous, with Billy Crystal giving an absolutely great performance. I did not know that the director of this film was Rob Reiner.. who we would know better as the director of A Few Good Men. This man has an amazing range!

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-960118412003-06-25T04:07:00.000-07:002003-06-25T04:07:34.540-07:00

These lyrics of the song 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra are always an inspiration to me. And of course, the rendition of this song by him is awe inspiring. It is undoubtedly my most favorite Sinatra song, because it is so much more than a song... it is a statement of life! Sinatra sings it like only he can, displaying his full range of vocals. Read on..and be inspired! My Way And now, the end is

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-959233212003-06-22T13:32:00.000-07:002003-06-22T13:35:40.000-07:00

Watching Hindi Movies is becoming more and more like watching India play abroad! Everytime you hope that this one will be different, but it is the same old stuff! Eerytime we play abroad, there is this talk that THIS time we are going to do well. There are a few newcomers on whom the onus of winning the series is put. The anticipation starts to build up, with bold statements made by the players,

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-958706492003-06-20T11:16:00.000-07:002003-06-20T11:16:01.220-07:00

Law of conservation of happiness Oh yes... I am convinced that there is definitely such a law. It goes something like this... "Happiness can only change from one form into another, but the total happiness in the universe will always remain constant." The proof: The rain gods finally smiled on us Lukhnowites, resulting in the mercury dipping considerably. There were smiles all around the campus,

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-957083812003-06-16T00:19:00.000-07:002003-06-16T00:19:23.410-07:00

Two sides to the story Does Mumbai belong to the Maharashtrians? The liberal approach One line of thought is that India is a free country, so people are free to go and settle anywhere in India, without any barriers. There has been a steady influx of non-Maharashtrians into the economic capital of India, and the main reason is economical. This city gives everyone an opportunity to earn a decent

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-956819242003-06-15T04:03:00.000-07:002003-06-15T04:03:27.370-07:00

Bhoot I saw Bhoot recently, and I have to admit that I was a tad disappointed. Though it is still one of the best horror movies made in India, I was expecting more from Ram Gopal Verma. To give credit to Ramu, the movie was tightly edited, with excellent sound effects, and great camerawork. The pace never slackened, and the audience is always kept on tenterhooks, never knowing what will pop onto

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-947866222003-05-23T07:26:00.000-07:002003-05-23T07:26:59.843-07:00

Today afternoon, I had some time to kill. So I decided to watch a movie. The nearest movie hall (Regal in Cannaught Place) was showing Ishk Vishk, and I decided to check it out. I must say that I was a tad disappointed. I knew that the story had nothing new to offer. But I was most dissapointed by the handling. The story was similar to Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar without the race angle. But there is

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-947367092003-05-22T06:53:00.000-07:002003-05-22T06:53:57.030-07:00

I must say that Delhi has very good public infrastructure. Nice wide roads with broad footpaths. I am mighty impressed. Pune should learn some lessons from Delhi!! Now that I am in the capital, I simply have to visit India Gate. I hope I get time.

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-947365282003-05-22T06:49:00.000-07:002003-05-22T06:49:26.083-07:00

What will happen to your ethics and morals if you lose your memory? Will you forget them too? So if a criminal's memory is wiped out, will he be a reformed man? Yipes, I am speaking utter crap! This is just a result of reading Bourne Identity, where the protagonist loses his memory. Forgive me. But if anyone can answer the above questions, feel free to comment!

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-945743722003-05-19T03:57:00.000-07:002003-05-19T04:11:44.000-07:00

Travelling is not one of my favorite activities. It is something I must do in order to get from one point to the other on this enormous globe. So, whenever I "have" to travel, I arm myself with one or two fat books and a portable music player. I have to do all this as I am not as blessed as some people, who can go to sleep the moment the train starts. Well, when I entered the train a few days

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-944084772003-05-15T13:14:00.000-07:002003-05-15T13:14:22.346-07:00

Inspired by Gaurav, who wrote his first libertarian post recently, here is one from me. To find out what is libertarianism, visit the CCS website where you will find loads of info. For the uninitiated, as a first step, I will introduce the basic premise of libertarianism, in a very simple manner. Consider that a man named Ram is left alone on an island, with no modern amenities. Will he be

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-939173612003-05-07T02:25:00.000-07:002003-05-07T02:25:52.613-07:00

One more farce For the umpteenth time, India and Pakistan have come to the discussion table, to sort out their differences, armed with nothing but rhetoric. I don’t see how anything can be settled between the two nations without either leadership willing to take unpopular decisions. Do they have the guts to declare the LOC as the international border? That is the only rational and practical

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-914677872003-03-27T00:12:00.000-08:002003-03-27T00:12:55.340-08:00

Got to do something about this dog phobia that I have. Yesterday afternoon I had this strange dream...which went something like this! I was lying around lazily in my home in Pune. Actually it is something that I do with unmatched expertise and alarming regularity..even in my dreams! But that is besides the point. So, in my dream, I heard a knock on the door. I peered through the eyehole,but

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-908684442003-03-17T10:44:00.000-08:002003-03-17T10:44:31.640-08:00

If there was ever an award given for "The most forgetful man on earth", I am sure I will be a prime contender for it! Its not as if I am a dumb fellow!! When it comes to intelligence, at the risk of sounding immodest, I will say that I have quite a ticker up there!! But when it comes to the memory department, I aint got much if it! I am quite sure that "The Creator" was ogling at some

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-905360132003-03-11T10:56:00.000-08:002003-03-11T11:09:46.000-08:00

Every person has a philosophy for life. I have one too! How does a person form his opinions, his attitudes, his morals, his values....in short "his philosophy"? Well, I think mostly through whatever influencers he encounters through his life, i.e. his parents, teachers, through books he reads etc. As for me, books would definitely be the biggest influencers. Once in a while, over the next few

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-902931322003-03-07T01:52:00.000-08:002003-03-07T01:52:17.483-08:00

Here are some things that irritate me: 1. The screeching noise that a chalk sometimes makes on a board! I freak out completely when I hear that. Brrrrr..cant even think about it!! 2. Shopping on Laxmi Road in Pune! For some people, it is the most enjoyable activity. But I sweat at the very thought of it! 3. People who always try to prove that they are smarter than you. 4. People who

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-901265492003-03-04T11:15:00.000-08:002003-03-04T11:15:11.090-08:00

Sample this joke that I received in my mailbox... "When I was young I used to pray for a bike, then I realized that God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.." Funnily I find that many theists are believers in the exact same sense as in the joke. They think that their sins can be washed off by praying! Like the title of that song by "Extreme" called as "Tragic

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-900499162003-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:002003-03-03T06:16:38.326-08:00

All is fair in love, war and CP!! "What is this CP?", you might say. Well, CP stands for class participation. In most of the courses here at IIML, a sizeable proportion of the evaluation is based on how much and how well(I doubt this!) do you participate in the class discussions. The intentions of the professors must be noble indeed. But as it is with all noble intentions, they mostly end up

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-899947102003-03-02T03:30:00.000-08:002003-03-02T03:30:28.013-08:00

I love Sundays... I thank the Lord for giving me atleast one day, when I can rightfully while away my time, doing absolutely nothing productive...and not feeling a touch of guilt about it!! On the other days...the relaxation, though equal in quantity, is not equal in quality!! On a weekday, there is always a devil inside you constantly exhorting you to do something productive(whatever that means

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-899892032003-03-01T23:20:00.000-08:002003-03-01T23:20:53.013-08:00

This is a historic day for many reasons...about which I will talk later...and therefore I choose this day to begin my blog. The following lines from a poem by Robert Frost would be an apt start... The Woods are lovely dark and deep But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep I begin this blog with an intention to store snapshots from the

Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.com