World Cup live… a dream!


The other day I read in the newspaper that some kids have been selected to be flag bearers (or something like that) at the World Cup. A promotion contest and a dozen children get to go to Germany. They are going to be present in the stadium watching a match LIVE! Well I know some people who would do anything to be given a chance to see a match alive.

Well, I am not a sports freak. But I did use to follow sports as a teenager. And the game I followed keenly is cricket, a game that is nothing less than a religion, by far outweighing the national hockey.

This incident reminded me of something that had happened with me – this might be a tragedy or a comedy, depending on your state of mind.

This was many years back just before the cricket World Cup tournament. The cola drink company had announced a contest. There were letters written on the cap of the bottle (of course on the inner side) and the ones who would get the whole word ‘WORLD’ (or was it ‘PEPSI’?) would get to go watch a match live.

Pepsi being my favourite soft drink I anyway used to drink it everyday. And here was the opportunity for me to get a ticket to the world cup. I had already got four of the five letters needed. But then the TIME was fleeting and I soon found myself out of time.

The last day of the contest arrived and I was still stranded with four letters. That day I decided to give my best shot. Gulped down bottle after bottle but luck eluded. I had to give up.

So much of time and money…

The next day was another day. I had classes to attend and hence the previously day’s tragedy was lost in memory. (I have a good memory. Helps me forget all the bad things)
While returning home that day, I decided to get hold of a Pepsi to beat the heat. (Hello I wish I would have been a more health conscious guy… so much of junk EVERYDAY!)

Bottle opened, about to throw the cap but decide to check the cap just for the sake of. And BINGO there was the fifth letter. I had completed the word after all.

That night was a terrible night. I could not help cursing my luck. “Had I got that a day earlier…” But I realized there was no point think about it. A MISS IS A MISS…by a meter or by a mile.

Thoughts didn’t last to long and fell asleep a happy soul.

read more...

Life is strange. It puts you in terrible position.
Makes you wonder if you were the most unlucky person and then you see someone who you would help despite needing help yourself...
and then you feel good and sad...
You still cry...
This time for a sensible reason.

read more...

It's Goal and it's on radio...

The World Cup Football finally started yesterday.

Let me tell this to you straight of that I am not a football freak. In fact I am no sports freak at all...
But then World Cup is something different. I fell in love with the game and the tournament when I watched it with my Granny's brother way back in 1994. It was stupendous, the energy that is on display. And I was all the more influenced when I saw the old man reacting with such vigour at each missed oppurtunity. He favoured Brazil and I did the same with no idea what the team was all about. It was just that he favoured and he seemed know everything.

I favour Brazil till this date! Although there are other great countries. And then Argentina is always next to Brazil. Pele never reached in my mind, the position Maradona had acquired. Leave alone Ronaldo, Ronaldhino or Beckham!

And ever since 1994, I have followed World Cup football as I do cricket, or may be with more enthusiasm. Couldn't have given up this habit this year. So what if i stay in a pg which does not have a TV set and I do not have the money to rent a set for one whole month (which i plan to do for the finals, if i cant get hold of a friend who would invite me to watch in his/her place!)

So? Well I do have a radio which provides me with my daily dose of music. And best part, 101.1 FM was telecasting the opening match Germany Vs Costa Rica. Boy, I could atleast hear if cant see the match! And I did. With the commentators (this being a BBC show)doing a great job the match was just as interesting. And specially whenever a player would approach the goal post the excitment in their voices actually gave me,if not all the listeners, a high!

And what would I do to pacify myself? The mobile phone! The free messages offered Hutch...
I would message my freinds everytime a goal was scored and share the joy. The joy was however at the peak when the first goal was scored by Germany. "The Goal the goal" is the message that went out to all the freinds and they reciprocated... "Yeah"

Germany won the match 4-2. And I slept a content soul, being able to witness the Goals at the same time as others did.

Wow! Three cheers to live coverages....three cheers to Radio... My radio set!!

read more...

Fanaa- A destruction of my expectations

The film has been pitched and has recieved much attention as Kajol's comeback vehicle. And let me tell this straight away - Kajol looks astonishing and her peformance is amazing.

In fact, performance is the best part of the film. Aamir Khan, first as the 'aashiq' of Kajol and then as a cold blooded terrorist is great. Rishi Kapoor as the possesive and loving father is good too.

The film is shot in beautiful locales and the cinematography is wonderful.

Sadly, the good part stops here. The story does not have any scope to sustain interest and bring back crowd for a second viewing.

The Jatin-lalit's music too is not a draw. The title song 'chand shifarish' and 'mere hath mei' are good while others fail to generate interest.

Nowadays almost every second film seems to be produced by Yash Raj Prductions. The films do get a Yash Raj feel but not neccesarily a golden run at the Box office.

Fanaa has been declared a hit owing to the rush to watch the film over the weekend. But its would be doubtful how long the run continues.

Clearly Kunal Kohli's 'Fanaa' is not doing for him what 'Hum Tum' did.

read more...