Maine Pyar Kiya - Why I will always go back

There was never any hope.

When this comes up on screen, you capitulate.

 

 

Or this.

There was no hope. Really.

I was all of 7 years when Maine Pyar Kiya released. I did not watch it until a long long time after that but when I did, I buckled under a phenomenon that was Prem and Suman's world (more so because of Prem I confess).

Anyone who knows me knows that I moon over Salman Khan. This veneration was questioned in a recent conversation. "You say it was because of Maine Pyar Kiya. Will the movie leave you overawed in the same manner today?" I vehemently defended my adoration but it went unacknowledged. Not a lot of people out there like Salman Khan. To each his own.

Since multiple skeptical glances were thrown my way, the skirmish just handed me a reason to watch the movie again. Did I say again? Yes, again. I watch it every year. I have watched it so many times now that it does not matter that I do not keep count. I watch it but it is not a ritual. It is a new experience each time. This time was no different.

How could it be different? The movie enthralls me despite the warped fashion of the 80s.

 

It captivates me each time Prem says "Aur nahin toh kya. Aur iss baar mat poochna, kyun" in response to her "Tumhe bura laga".

 

It gave us the quintessential Mohnish Behl whose line "Ek ladka aur ladki kabhi dost nahin ho sakte" became epic without him having to smirk a la Ranjith (I like the man, no offense).

 

 

It gave us playfulness of young love that would be immortalized with "Abhi mood nahin hai"

 

 

It communicated Prem's respect for Suman with the slightest of nuances.

 

 

It symbolized what a man in love could do for his woman.

 

 

It was the genesis of "mooning over Salman Khan". There was (is) no hope. Really.

 

 

A hike every month: November 2013: Cowles Mountain

The Mister and I hike a bit. We have managed to do a few around and beyond the area we live in. We like to think that we are good at it but after the first ten steps, we are just too unhealthy, gasping along the trail and praying for the finish line.

Have I mentioned before that I have a Mister? Well, the Mister has been as supportive a partner can be over the past one and something years of married life. And he likes to say that he was extremely active before I happened! I say he has turned sanguine!

Coming back to the purpose of this post; I have been meaning to document all the hikes we do but as can be witnessed, been terrible at it. This one is a beginning.

Cowles Mountain is a trail belonging to the Mission Trails Regional Park (http://www.mtrp.org/directions.asp?idno=2) with a 3 mile loop. At 1591ft elevation, it is an easy to moderate hike used by some for running as well.

• This is an extremely busy trail. Start early to beat the crowd
• Since it is so thronged, the trail can get a bit unclean. When you step on something liquid in nature, you know it may not be just water!
• Dogs are allowed on this trail. Be prepared to meet a lot of them as well enroute :)
• While the dogs are absolutely ok, unattended dog poop on the ground is not. Yes, that is available in plenty too!



Otay Mountain and beyond



Lake Murray and beyond

What makes the hike worth your while is the view. A 360 degree view of San Diego county can be nothing but breathtaking. Lake Murray, Downtown, Coronado bridge, Point Loma, Tijuana and beyond on one side and flanked by mountains on the other.

We finished the hike in an hour and a half. A little too much only because we spent some time idling away on the peak ogling at what this place I now call home has to offer.

The photos are a bit shifty. Pliss to excuse!

I had to be back

This page is getting views. Serious views. Like a total of 16000 views!

I was shocked beyond belief because no one was writing. Upon doing a little investigating of my own I realized that it was all because of one word. One four letter word inadvertently used, albeit in complete context to the post, has caused traffic to be redirected to this blog. I could laugh at it. So many people out there searching for that string of 4 letters :)

What is that word? Well, I aint' putting it out there again. Lesser traffic notwithstanding.

Have I told you that I have moved? Moved physically across seven seas to a different country. While it has been sometime and I maintain another equally unattended to blog, I intend to now resume writing.

Glad to be back!

 

Wonderla

Before the writer in me dies, here is a post that was submitted to TripAdvisor. Forgive my language but I am creatively constipated at the moment which means this blog has to make do with my travel review from another site! However, enjoy maadi because I definitely enjoyed the place and want to visit again!

I belong to Bangalore and had been planning a visit to Wonderla forever. When I did go on 18th June, I must say I had the time of my life! My first theme park visit in India was the best and will remain so until someone outclasses Wonderla.

Elegantly maintained, extremely clean with very friendly but assertive staff, the amusement park is a treat from the time you step in. 30kms away from Bangalore city, this place is best enjoyed when you have your own transport if you do not mind spending a little more. Priced at Rs680 per adult on weekends, the rides and experience are worth the money. While the dry rides have everything from those that cater to kids to high thrill rides, water rides are possibly the ones that garner most willing participants. My friend and I made it to the water before it got too crowded and thus were able to laze around a bit. There are a lot of options for food, restaurants commendable for cleanliness and order even on weekends.

Go on a weekday if you are in a group of 15 or more else you might not be able to go on all rides as they require a minimum number of people to operate. If you go on a weekend, avoid getting into the water when it is too crowded as one never knows what people are upto :). The place also offers changing rooms, shower areas and lockers for a refundable deposit and non-refundable charge. Reach the place around 10:30am, complete the dry rides, lunch and water rides in that order. You will be done by 5pm. Have a very light breakfast and try not to fill your stomach with too much food while going for the high thrill rides.

All in all, Wonderla is a wonderful place to spend a day out of Bangalore and destress :)

Of new beginnings...

I have been thinking of writing an End of Year post for the last one month. While I thought of recapturing what I did through the months, the eternal optimist in me refused to bask in past glory. I live in the hope of augmenting more empathy, affability and humility each passing year.

This last scene from Sleepless in Seattle essentially sums up the reason why no other can take the topmost place on my all time favourites' list. While there may have been a lot of movies before and after this, no one can ever bring to the big screen what Sam and Annie unmasked to me as an audience - Magic! In a strange way, this movie has always been a sign of hope, of laughter, of sunshine...

To all those who have taken time to read this post, have a wonderful year ahead!

South Asian Challenge - 2011

At a time when I was trying to work out a new resolution list, Swaram from The Song of Life (a wonderful blog I have been ghost-reading for a while now) presented the best option - a reading challenge!

Books have been my companions in the truest of sense. Weird but true because I have laughed with them, cried my eyes out and grown with hundreds of stories over the last 2 decades of my passage on this planet. From the Faraway Tree series to Les Miserables to Harry Potter, the trajectory of my literary journey has been extremely fulfilling.

The South Asian Challenge 2011 caught my interest because of its vision. The fervor S Krishna has for books and promoting regional authors is evident to anyone who visits her blog.

Considering I am beyond redemption in sticking to resolutions, I hope my love for a good read will not let me down next year. So, I says, Bring It On!

Justifications and Soap Operas

I am back!!! Yes, after a close to 4 month long hiatus, I am going to restart my rantings.

While this blog was left orphaned for the duration, yours truly was working, traveling, shopping and actively contributing to a soap opera forum!

I am a massive soap opera fan. I probably contribute to viewership statistics of even the most unwatched of shows on television. At times, I feel my rightful profession would have been as a writer in the current Indian television industry.

My association with serials began during the DD2 era. Back in those days, not only was cable television a novelty; DD-2 was a channel that required a separate setup. My father thought that not getting a cable connection would resolve the lethargy towards studies issue at home! Classic example of how wrong an assumption one can make with their children :)

My television milestones –
· Swabhimaan – Ronit Roy as Rishab Malhotra was Casanova resurrected. Not only did he manage to break hearts on screen, thinking of him made schoolgirls across the country go week in their knees. For me, the serial was about an India I had not seen. Not exactly path breaking but daily dose of entertainment for 30 minutes.
· Banegi Apni Baat – The year of 1994 became notorious for scandalous entertainment on television. Zee TV became popular with this very famous show due to its main male protagonist. I think the name Rahul became famous not because of SRK but this show. I had to watch this show under supervision, such was the impact of what was telecasted :)
· The Bold and the Beautiful - I was allowed to watch this show only when I turned 18, exactly a decade ago. I have not stopped following it till date. I have always been on team Bridge (Brooke and Ridge) and will always continue to be so. The storyline is so warped that you tend to forget who was married/ had an affair with who but the actors manage to keep you hooked everyday of the week. I can proudly say that my ability to understand American English started with this soap!
· Any show churned from Balaji – I am a staunch Ekta Kapoor loyalist. Only her serials can make you hate weekends. They are the best stress-busters ever! Not only is the story predictability factor high, one can connect to her serials in a span of 2 days if they have managed to somehow discontinue viewing. From Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki to Kayamath, I have loved each one of those saas bahu sagas that redefined sound effects. Her alpha-male heroes and damsel in distress heroines were akin to reading a Mills and Boon on the small screen.

My current favourite is a show called Rang Badalti Odhani. While the concept itself is not new, the storyline is paced very well. None of the characters can be disliked because each one them comes with a well placed sense of humour. With this show, my television journey continues … :)