Madhugiri; A rocky challenge

Posted by Anantha | Posted in , | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006

6

It was another crazy plan that led three of us [me, Nazir n Bhai] to Madhugiri betta for trekking. We left Bangalore at 9:30 AM, carried apples [for lunch !], sufficient water and few junk to munch. Reached Madhugiri around 12:30 PM. We noticed a puncture in the hind tyre only after parking the car in Madhugiri :-). That was not a cause for worry as we had a spare tyre and also a mechanic near by.

After buying some more water we were set to trek a goliath monolith [that was instantaneous rhyme :-)]. From the bottom, Madhugiri betta
looks like another challenge for trekking enthusiasts. But we soon realised it is not just another trek... It will be THE TREK to remember. We were climbing in a good pace until we reached a two-pole landmark. [Thats how the localites call it, they had warned us it gets steeper after those two-poles]. We were half tired to reach that point. Then we got two local boys who had come to trek. So that made us 5 in number; good number needed for a trekking. The moment we climb up a rock pantingly, another steeper rock used to welcome us with a grin of 'Well done, Now try this'. We started taking frequent breaks of 10-15 mins to bite an apple we carried or to enjoy the view of the village at the bottom. The houses had started looking microscopic now...
Then there came this point where we had to crawl over the rocks just on step like grips carved on rock and few metal rods to hold for support. Our hearts started pounding whenever there was a discontinuity in metal rods. Even though we were making fun of each other saying 'u look really scared man...' All 5 knew that one careless step or a slip would push us down the steepy rocks leaving us with innumerable fractures [Refer the pic to the left]. All 5 reached a safer rock crossing it, and grinned at each other. Thank God, wind dint blow against our motion. Then we reached what is called as the tip of the hill. We could see a fort kinda thing there. I got to know this was built by Hyderali. It was too windy there on top, windy enuf to blow off some puny chap from there!

Then we explored the fort a bit [there was nothing much to xplore..]. After spending sufficient time there, we headed back to trek down the hill. We again took an extra care while crossing the dangerous point. Reached down by 5:45. Now all that we wanted was a nice food.
Decided to have it in some dhaba on NH4. We stopped at a dhaba called 'Pyara Punjabi dhaba'. Even though the name sounds frivolous, food was heavenly.. We started 'batting' there. Alu gobi, chana masala, roti and sweet lassi....

Reached home with a feeling of conquering a great monolith of Karnataka.

Useful Info:
Location: Madhugiri betta

Preferred transportation: 4 wheeler, I am not sure of KSRTC buses which take u there

Distance: 80+ Kms from Bangalore

Route: Drive on NH4 towards Tumkur. Take a right turn near Dhabas pete towards Madhugiri. [b4 the 2nd toll gate]

Few tips:
Madhugiri betta has nothing much on top to savor n enjoy. Go trekking only if ur an adventure freak.


Do visit 'Pyaara punjabi dhaba' between first and second toll gate. U'll get it to ur right [when travelling towards Tumkur] soon after the Reliance petrol bunk. I am the brand ambassador of that dhaba ;-)

This is what a bollywood blockbuster means to me

Posted by Anantha | Posted in | Posted on Monday, August 07, 2006

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I have thought of a movie plot, Soon Ill be directing it. And this is how it goes...

Father: dynamic, charismatic and filthy rich [family business u know] chap in early 50s...

Mother: This character ought to use lot of glycerine.. and she is the one who says the heroines "Jaa beti... apni dil ki suno.. uska haath thamle beti".

Hero: He has to be more beautiful than handsome. Even if he is 40+ in real life, he will be just out of Cambridge/ Harward after finishing his MBA. They are the trend setters for metrosexual men in India. They usually wear green, pink or orange designer wear with some jewellery for men. This guy will be a loyal, adoring son of his parents. And he will remain so until he is cupid struck.

Heroine: Bright, cute an adorable gal who always dreams of some rajkumar to marry. No other goal in life. Even if u see her wearing little more than two-piece clothings, she is a pakka Hindustani Kudi by heart.

Hero's brother: This guy is charming, young, energetic, a bit flirtatious.. gets to outgo a bit. But still he is mama's dearest. Again he has to wear only green, pink and orange designer wear

Hero's brother's love: She can be heroine's younger sister. And this gal gets to wear less than her elder sister.

location: The whole movie commutes between NY and Punjab/Shimla/Kasauli.

sets: The house must not be a house but a Mahal. The characters usually use BMW to go to other rooms

Music: lots of pressure on music directors. It has to be catchy, trendy, contemporary, easily hummable, grand. Totally there has to be 6 songs.
1st song is the introduction of main characters kinda song. Wherein all the male charcters wear designer kurtas, females wear sarees worth of lakhs! Again this song should be playable during low times, in sad tune
There has to be a party number wherein the charismatic old father and his sons get to dance with tall white females.

There has to be a disco number: this is for hero's younger brother and his love. This song has to create a rage among youth, will be played in all discos and parties for next few months after its music release.

There has to be a family get together song - karva chouth or what ever and
2-3 duets...

background score: the title song should be played always.

comedians: They have to act like buffoons... always lip syncing for some old romantic songs. And we are supposed to laugh when they do this

special appearences: Its a must. Usually few faces who have failed miserably in their acting ventures previously. Now they have to be appraised as 'surprise packages of the movie' by critics

kids: There have to be atleast 4 of them. They too play an important role in the movie. They act as messengers b/n hero n heroine. They are there to lighten the moment the elders cry.

pre-marital sex: Becoming a common scene now a days. The notable thing here is heroine doesn't wake up crying in the morning after the mistake [I am not endorsing any pills here... ;-)]. She is a modern day woman u see... Now don ask me 'U said she is very Indian'... ya I said that in the beginning... her character EVOLVES (!) as the story progresses u know... Now don ask me 'u mean Indian women are not evolved..?' ... I am in loggerheads.. next question please...

dailogues: words like DIL, MOHABBAT, PYAAR, SANSKAAR, KHANDAAN, RIWAAZ, MARYAADA... galore here. But when teens talk, they talk in some Espiano-Frencho-Anglo mixed lingo.

Story: whats that...? We have cast the super stars of the indusrtry here. We have managed to get all 29 of them on 1 screen and u ask stupidly for story...?


Budget of the movie: 70+ crores. This amount follows an exponential equation as the years pass on. No connection with underworld u see, its all 'pure white money of D'

Expected movie rating: 7 out of 5 !

Kannada film makers, Plz save us from this embarrassment

Posted by Anantha | Posted in , , | Posted on Wednesday, August 02, 2006

4

People find different ways to deny closing-eye-lids after lunch in the office hours. It was such a lazy afternoon. Some team members were listening to songs, some had surrendered to Tea/Coffee. Me n my TL were discussing about some issue of our project. Then a team member started playing 'vivaha bhojanambu...' from Maya Bazaar,Telugu. My TL was a gr8 fan of that song may be. He was enjoying the song and gave complements for the guy who played that song. My TL asked me casually whether I have heard that song. Without knowing the repercussions of it I answered "Yes the Kannada version of the song.."
My TL said "the DUBBED version right..?" wryly.
I dint know what to answer, I dint want to give it back to him, as I dint wanto to throw stones at neighbours being in the house made of glass.I was certainly embarrassed by his reply.

Remake films are not new to Kannada, every 1 out of 3 movies released now a days will be a remake of Tamil, Telugu or Hindi.
Having believed that it needs creative brains to create some thing original, something from the scratch... I say you need NO BRAINS to remake a movie/song. I would rather call it a mere copy than a remake. Kannada film makers hide under the opinion that they want to bring good movies of other languages to Kannada audience - To hell with ur concern !! Why dont u guys have guts to say u can't make some thing sensibly original.

I even remember reading an interview of Kannada film actor Sudeep defending making remakes after his 'My autograph' completed 100 days. I am unhappy with the very title only. He COPIES and says thats 'his autograph'. How can some thing be yours when you have copied from somebody. Sudeep goes on to say "what different films you can make...? All films fall under the category of romantic films, love triangles, action thrillers or comedy... etc etc. Only the location differ.... ". Boss! this shows how narrow Kannada film makers think...

Think wide, think different... give us sensible and original movies and save us from getting embarrassed.