Vanishing Cream- Part 2

I like this theme, so I decided to extend the franchise, a la Dabangg, to part 2. Adding to the list of vanishing entities, let's see where we can go..

If Chetan Bhagat vanished, we might just have good literature being written. But publishers might have to work harder to find it.

If Lee Falk had vanished before he wrote The Phantom, we would not have any Old Jungle Sayings- like the gem "The voice of the Phantom froze the blood of a tiger," or, "the Phantom moves faster than lightning." What a pity that would be!

If the makers of Murder 2/3 vanish, we would not have anyone murdering our enthu for films, and maybe we would get some films with Arth (meaning).

If all Mallus vanished, there would be a big 'gulf' between demand and supply- for them, you know where.

If oil vanished from the earth, we would have to rig the rigs to dig for water. Might even find enough to go around.

If godmen vanished, men may find God easier, and cheaper.

If Business schools vanished, Kotler would take up farming.

Vanishing Cream

I was always intrigued by this contraption- OK, cosmetic- named the vanishing cream. I mean, who would want to vanish, and what if that happened permanently? But assuming that some segments of people vanished, hat impact would it have on the rest? Here is an unva(r) nished look at the possibilities. May not be as apocalyptic as The White House burning, but still..

If telecallers vanished, I would get maybe three calls a month. And the telecom service companies would go bankrupt.

If all the ad-men/women vanished, I could watch whatever little TV I watch, peacefully.. and wouldn't need to buy the NEW deo to attract yet another cute girl (or an army of them)..I am not talking about ME here, it's only metaphorical.

If banks were to vanish, mattresses could come with secret chambers, like some trousers still do. To hide the cash in. And ATM thieves and online money-transfer scamsters would have to re-skill.

If big retail stores were to vanish, moms and pops who ran stores would be happy. Maybe their sons and daughters too.

If drugs were to vanish, smugglers would struggle to make two ends meet. Everything else is already made in Taiwan and available everywhere.

If all the talent shows vanished, maybe some real talent would surface..and its quality would be terrific when it did surface.

Likewise, if TV vanished, choupals would come back in vogue, to meet and exchange the day's news, views and more. Ok, Facebook would also have to vanish. Conceded.

If cricket vanished and Bollywood too, Indians will suffer a breakdown, and may stare at the blank TV screen for days on end. Or, may be they'll start talking sense.

If  Britain vanished, there would be no more delinquent nations who would imagine that they still ruled the world, a hundred years after the event.

Some more thoughts, dear reader?

Made in America by Bill Bryson

Bryson has been a favourite (British spelling- my salaam to the CROWN) since I first read his non-travelogue exposition of all the science in our world's history. But his travelogues are good too. This one is a mix of sorts, that traces the history of everything American- mostly meaning the U.S.

For instance, he tells us that lots of food stuff that's known as Italian was actually invented in the U.S.- spaghetti with meat balls, fettucini something or the other....and so on. So were lots of phrases, including (gasp) Keep a stiff upper lip, phoney, baloney, and lots of others. Thanks to the Perry Mason stories, I am familiar with many of these.

He also traces the history of the modern retail stores, and of malls. The original idea of a mall was a comfortable place to hang out in, like European streets. Shopping was secondary. I still practice that, but I am in a minority. Mall owners have removed, as Bryson astutely observes, most benches or made them backless, to prevent hanging around.

There are chapters about movies, education and its state in the States, immigration and its role in U.S. prosperity, and inventions like the first plane ride in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina- which I have visited once. All in all, a good ride.

Whatever it is, I Don't Like it- Book Review

I discovered a new author. The joy is akin to that of Columbus on discovering a new continent, even  a wrong one! This guy, Howard Jacobson, has been writing essays/columns for some newspaper in England, but I had never heard of him, being only a resident of a former colony of the Empire. Now I have not only heard of him, but read him, and enjoyed it. How do you do, Mr. Jacobson?

The title of the book is so funny. So are most of the contents, essays about various things, people, events. But, instead of going on and on about his use of language, words, etc., I will give you two quotes (for now) and rest my case. Both are from an essay titled "Alida Valli and the Eroticism of the Raincoat". This refers to an actress who played a small role in a film called The Third Man.

"..I believed it (the film called The Third Man) depicted something eternal about women: they were disillusioned and unhappy, and they never looked better than when disillusioned and unhappy in a raincoat.."

" Though Alida Valli does not have a lot to do but look beautifully unhappy in a raincoat, it is not for nothing that she is given the film's final say- that is, if you can have a say without saying anything.."

Eerily Wodehousian. And this guy is presumably alive.

Haleem and Husain Sagar

Hyderabad has a few quintessentials. Irani chai, for instance. It tastes like no other, and if you have had it growing up, it most likely grows on you. And there are a few Irani tea joints still left. I managed having a chai at Alpha, one of the oldest known (to me) joints bang opposite the Secunderabad railway station, and also picked up some biryani for consumption later. I was on a visit to Hyderabad on some work this time.

I did not realise that Ramzan had started. This is the time to get some Haleem, another exquisite Hyderabadi dish that is available in the holy month. Of course, its main ingredient is mutton. But it is slow-cooked with a mix of various other things, and the the taste, in the right hands, is to die for. Signature dish, like the Lucknowi tunde kababs.

The third nice experience this time was the breakfast visit to Husain Sagar, or tank bund as it is called locally. There is an eatery called Eat Street with a variety of cuisine, which is open through the day. It was deserted at 8, because it was early, and it had rained a lot the previous evening and night. The view was breath-taking, and the rava dosa was fabulous.

Also visited 10 Downing Street (of Hyd., not London) and found the music mellow, a great surprise in a pub- a pleasant one too. The food was also good.

Pran- A Tribute to the Gentleman Villain

There are villains and there are villains. The stylised K.N. Singh, Jeevan with the hain hain hain dialogue-utterance, the leching Manmohan, the gun-toting MacMohan aka Sambha, the leering Prem Chopra, the rapist Ranjit, and the one with lots of Mona-Sona one-liners yaane ke Ajit, but there was a guy who was a class apart-Pran. These are my memories of him, in tribute. He passed away last night.

I think I clearly remember him from a few films, in which he was really bad. Brahmachari starring Shammi Kapoor and Rajshri was one of them. There were a lot of other films from that era. He was, I remember, always well-dressed, and might give a complex to some of the tapori heroes of today.

The next I remember of him was the role he played with such elan in Zanjeer. He was ther perfect foil for the angry young man of Amitabh, and I doubt if the film would have worked without him. His song was also a rage in a movie that had no good song situations. Yaari hai imaan mera is well-recognised even today-one of Manna Dey's best. He had also turned a leaf from his villainy by now.

Don was another classic pot-boiler brought alive by a good script (rare in India) and brilliant acting by Pran and Amitabh. His dialogue delivery was at times better than Amitabh's in the movie, and that's saying a lot. His song in another Amitabh film, Majboor 'Phir na kehna Michael daru peeke danga karta hai' also was a rage, and I still remember it.

One more fun film of his was Victoria no.203, where he and Ashok Kumar brought the house down with their antics, and the song 'Do Bechare bina sahare dekho pooch pooch kar haare'.

Johny Mera Naam where he played Dev Anand's brother, and Des Pardes where he reprised that relationship, this time with an NRI angle to it (he migrates to England, starts a pub and goes missing) were two other memorable roles. He also had a good one in Amar Akbar Anthony, and sang a song "Hum bolega to bologe ke bolta hai' in Kasauti.

Some Good Love Stories on Film

There are a few good love stories I remember from the days when I watched films regularly. Of course, the obvious one is 'Love Story' (English) itself. Had a nice pair of lead actors who made it come alive.

Among Hindi films, "Ankhiyon Ke Jharonkhon Se" from Rajshri films is one that I remember. Sachin and Ranjita played the lead. Kabhi Kabhi was also a good one, a mature one for those days. Because the lovers do not marry each other, and do so without tantrums. Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon and the title song were classy.

Another Rajshri film that I liked a lot then was 'Paheli,' starring Namita Chandra and Satyajeet. This is about an urban guy and a rural girl, but very well told. It had some beautiful songs, one that went "Sona kare jhilmil jhilmil,.....vrishti pade tapur tupur, tapur tupur" being the best.

Some Rishi-Kapoor- Neetu Singh films like Khel Khel Mein were also very good. Rajnigandha, Chitchor presented love in a different, and endearing way. Chitchor also had some of the best semi-classical songs in Hindi films- Jab deep jale aana, and Tu jo mere sur mein sur milale for instance. Ravindra Jain was the music director.

Premikudu in Telugu starring Prabhu Deva and Naghma (caled Kathalan in Tamil, and Humse Hai Muqabla in Hindi I think), was pretty good too. But the love story was overshadowed by the dances of Prabhudeva (in particular, the Ole o, song with a Western Cowboy/saloon setting).

Among more recent ones, I also liked a Malayalam film, Swapnakoodu, that had some excellent songs. 'Karuppi nalugu' was one, and 'Ishtamallada' was another. This had Prithviraj and Meera Jasmine, and another pair in the lead.

Among Kannada films, Mungaru Male was a lovely love story, with an unexpected ending. Shot in the rain-drenched parts of Karnataka, pleasing on the eye, and with some great songs.