Agneepath, the original

He leans against the side of his chair and lets one hand dangles at the back. The baritone is familiar but a little hoarse, "Vijay Deenanath Chavan, poora naam!" (Vijay Deenanath Chavan, full name!) And that's what Agneepath, starring Amitabh Bachchan, is all about.

The recent remake forced me to review the original movie 22 years after its release. Movies like Agneepath should be better left untouched. They serve well as inspiration to the people in the film industry.

The story is nothing new. A retired teacher, Deenanath Chavan, lives happily with his family, in a village called Mandua near Bombay. His son and the villagers look up to him. One incident brings him in direct confrontation with the ambitions of a mafia don Kancha Cheena. Deenanath's fate changes overnight. His family is shunned. Vijay loses his childhood and lets anger fills in the void. Revenge drives him away from home into the arms of the underworld. Sounds familiar!

What makes Agneepath different is the detailing that goes into it. The transformation in the young Vijay gradually buids up. So first you've the smile going away, then the gait changes, and finally he starts talking like an angry young man. The character of the grown up Vijay never smiles in the movie. And when he does, it has sarcasm written all over it.

The director, late Mukul S. Anand, executes the concept exceptionally well. Whether it's the camera zooming in to introduce the underbelly of Bombay in the 90s or the fight sequences, especially the climax, there's a certain grandeur about it all. Anand tries a lot of innovative camera angles, something which would become his trademark in times to come. Praveen Bhatt's cinematography is just an extension of this vision.

The screenplay by Santosh Saroj and Kader Khan adds aura to the movie. The one liners of Kancha Cheena have an evil wisdom written in them. The understated confrontational scenes between Vijay and his mother reminds you of Deewaar. In fact Vijay Chavan's dialogues carry a deeper meaning. In one scene, the village baddie unknowingly talks to Vijay about his past and Vijay has only this to say, "Topi Sambhalon Dinkar Rao, hawa tej chalta hai!" (Hold on to your cap tight Dinkar Rao, it's blowing fast) An obvious reference to the winds of change.

The theme music by the French composer Jean Michel Jarre is a class act. There's nothing much to write about the songs. The duo of Lakshmikant-Pyarelal lets down.

There are quite a few fine individual performances. Rohini Hattangadi as Vijay's mother is restrained yet brilliant. Danny Denzongpa as Kancha Cheena gives a glamourous touch to the mafia kingpin, something which even Vijay acknowledges in the movie. Mithun Chakraborty as Krishnan Iyer M.A. was lovable, maybe a little loud at times but overall entertaining. Even the smaller roles played by Alok Nath (Vijay's dad), Madhavi (wife), and Vikram Gokhale (Police Commissioner) leave a mark.

A special mention must be made of Master Manjunath who plays the young Vijay. It was a difficult film for the star of the TV series 'Malgudi Days'. He delivers a mature performance. Way ahead of his 14 years.

For any other actor it would have been a career defining role, but for Bachchan, a monumental task to match the brilliance of another Vijay he played 15 years back in the cult classic Deewaar. He somehow manages to do it all again. In Vijay Chavan, Amitabh Bachchan has produced Hindi cinema's most iconic character of the last two decades.

The screen lights up every time Bachchan walks in as Vijay Chavan. His character has a lot of depth to it. In a hospital scene an angry Vijay first shouts as a don and the next moment pleads as a son, "Ye maan ka achcha beta hai doctor. Tum kuch karo." (He's a good son doctor, please do something.) He communicates his own predicament so eloquently.

Bachchan even modulated his voice for the role. It makes the character look even more authentic. Pity they had to revert to the original voice in the later release.

There are no whistles and claps for this effort, simply awe and respect. Take a bow Mr Bachchan, there's nothing close to this one since Deewaar.

Paan Singh Tomar

A seven time national steeplechase champion, and an armyman, becomes a rebel and ends up loosing his life in a police encounter in 1981. That is the fascinating and tragic story of Pan Singh Tomar who ruled the long distance field of India during the 1950s. What comes as a surprise though is the time it took for a film to be made on this forgotten track and field champion.

Tigmanshu Dhulia's Pan Singh Tomar is a tribute to this forgotten hero turned bandit.

The story itself is so interesting that half the job is done for any filmmaker. It traces the life of a soft spoken village guy whose life turns upside down when a family land dispute turns messy.

The movie performs in all departments. Be it the realistic portrayal of the rural areas by the director, the engaging background score by Sandeep Chowta, or the cinematography by Aseem Mishra which captures the ravines of chambal as beautifully as the steeplechases. The dialogues complement the characters well and there is a consistency in the language used throughout.

The 135 minutes movie duration ensures that unnecessary item numbers or song sequence finds no space in the movie.

Every character plays his part well. From the supporting cast, Vipin Sharma as Major Masand and Rajendra Gupta as the sports coach stood out.

After Haasil this is Dhulia's best effort. His masterstroke was choosing Irrfan Khan to play the lead role. If you look at the picture of the original Pan Singh, you won't miss the look in his eyes. Irrfan matches this intensity and in what resounding way! The actor brings alive a young lad from a village in Madhya Pradesh. You can feel his hunger for food which gradually turns into a hunger for accepting challenges, his passion for the homeland, his frustrations with the justice system, and his conviction in choosing a path which engulfed him eventually. An understated yet first-rate performace which could have very well been played to the gallery, if not for Irrfan.

This is one Khan who has created his own league of not-so-loud memorable characters. Watch the movie just for him, everything else would come as a bonus.

Rahul Dravid: An idol worth emulating

Rahul Dravid scored a classy 95 against England on his test debut in 1996, but, his innings was overshadowed by Saurav Ganguly's 131 on debut. That was to be the hallmark of Dravid in the years to come - playing consistently well yet keeping a low profile.

If cricket is a gentleman's game then Dravid is personification of its spirit. He is a perfect role model for all those who want to achieve something worthwhile in life.

There is a lot one can learn from Dravid's career. First and foremost is the devotion to your cause. Dravid was a perfect team man. Individual records just came his way, he never played for one. Only a Dravid can be called back to the pavilion batting on 91 (Australian tour 2003), and the innings declared. The captain Ganguly knew Rahul won't complaint, and true to his belief Dravid showed no disappointment. His opponents too acknowledged the fact. "If I have to name anyone to bat for my life, it'll be Jacques Kallis or Rahul Dravid," said Brian Lara.

You can never be bigger than the cause!

Second is to be prepared for any eventuality. Dravid opened the innings, played on almost every other batting slot, and kept the wickets when the need arose. He took everything in stride and with lots of sincerity. So much that Navjot Sidhu said, "Rahul Dravid could walk on broken glass if his team asks him to."

Every task is an opportunity to learn something new!

Third is consistency. Like a soldier Dravid marched on silently, scoring centuries after centuries on tough wickets and difficult situations. His record on foreign pitches is phenomenal. In Ian Chappel's words, "Team in trouble? Whom do you turn to? Rahul Dravid!" No wonder he became a 'wall' of resistance to the opposition.

Doing quality work is good but making it a habit is even better!

Fourth is excellence. 'Leading from the front' is a cliche but Dravid did exactly that during his playing days. He quit the captaincy of the Indian cricket team after the 2007 Cricket World Cup debacle. He took the onus upon himself rather than offering excuses or blaming others. As Shahrukh Khan tweeted post Dravid's retirement, "They say sports served society by providing vivid examples of excellence. To me the most vivid and dependable has to be Rahul Dravid."

Leadership is not just about leading people to victories but also to be gracious in defeat!

Sanjay Manjrekar, former Indian batsman, says about Dravid, "Not often do you find a person as exceptional as his achievements." And so, of all the centuries and catches Dravid took in his career, the one thing he would always be remembered for is integrity.

Patriotic Music in India and the Muslim Contribution

As we celebrate our 63rd Republic Day, let's take a look at some Muslim contribution to patriotic songs in India over the years. The list is not exhaustive and considers only the more popular ones.

1 'Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujawaan shaheed hon' from the Dilip Kumar starrer Shaheed (1948). Qamar Jalalabadi lyrics, sung by Mohd Rafi, to Ghulam Haider's tune is popular even after 64 years of the film's release.

2 'Ye desh hai veer jawano ka' from the movie Naya Daur (1957). Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics sung by Rafi.

3 'Desh ka pyara' from the lesser known movie Masoom (1960). Raja Mehdi Ali Khan wrote the lyrics of this lovable children song.

4 'Sare jahan se achha' by Allama Iqbal. The immortal Urdu poem has been sung by many singers over the years, including a duet by Rafi and Asha Bhosle for Dharamputra (1961).

5 'Insaaf ki dagar pe' from the movie Ganga Jamuna. The 1961 classic had this gem penned by Shakeel Badayuni with music by Naushad.

6 'Nanha munna rahi hoon' from Mehboob's Son of India (1962). The duo of Naushad and Shakeel again behind this endearing effort.

7 'Ab tumhare hawale watan sathiyon' from the National Award winning movie Haqeeqat (1964), which remains the most definite account of war portrayal on the Indian screen. The moving lyrics by Kaifi Azmi were given a soulful rendition by Mohd Rafi. A timeless classic.

8 'Apni aazaadi ko hum' from the movie Leader (1964). Rafi, Shakeel and Naushad teams up for this winner. Dilip Kumar adds his aura to the on screen portrayal.

9 'Aye watan aye watan' from the Manoj Kumar starrer Shaheed (1965). A brilliant song by the inimitable Rafi. A personal favourite.

10 'Sandese aate hain' from Border (1997). Anu Malik provided the music for the song written by Javed Akhtar.

11 'Maa tujhe salam' from the 1997 studio album Vande Mataram by A.R. Rahman. Rahman composed the tune for Mehboob's lyrics, and then sang it with passion. It remains the most influential patriotic song of the modern era. The album sold 1.5 million copies in the releasing year in India alone. Till date it's the largest selling non-film album in India.

12 'Zindagi maut na ban jaaye' from Sarfarosh (1999). The immensely popular number from the critically acclaimed Amir Khan starrer was written by Israr Ansari.

13 'Ye jo des hai tera' from the Shahrukh Khan starrer Swades (2004). A beautifully sung and composed number by Rahman with lyrics from Javed Akhtar.

14 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna' by the freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil. The revolutionary Urdu masterpiece was brought to life by Rafi, Dey and Rajendra Mehta in Shaheed (1965). A.R. Rahman gave his touch to the lyrics, first in The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) and backed it with a powerful rendition by Amir Khan in the cult classic Rang De Basanti (2006).

15 'Rang de basanti' from the movie Rang De Basanti. A peppy and relevant number for the youth of today. Naturally it was Rahman's music.

Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz - A Journey of Love, Hope and Nationalism

Postage stamp on Majaz issued by the Govt of India

THE year was 1935. The union hall of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was brimming with students and the atmosphere was electric. A young man in sherwani stands up. He runs his hand through his long locks, and recites his poem 'Inquilab' in his own inimitable style -

"KohsaaroN ki taraf se surkh aandhi aayegi
Ja-baja aabaadiyoN meiN aag si lag jaayegi
Aur is rang-e-shafaq meiN ba-hazaraaN aab-o taab
Jagmagaaega watan ki hurriyat ka aaftaab"

[A red storm is approaching from over the mountains
Sparking a fire in the settlements
And on this horizon, amidst a thousand tumults
Shall shine the sun of our land’s freedom] (1)

The hall reverberates with a thunderous applause. Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz was destined for greatness!

The poetic journey

Majaz's poetry first made its mark in the culturally alive AMU during the early 1930s. His poems 'Noora' and 'Nazr-e-Aligarh' established him as a popular poet. The girls just loved him.

"NahiN jaanti hai, mera naam tak woh
Magar bhej deti hai paighaam tak woh
Ye paighaam aate hii rahte haiN aksar
Ki kis roz aaoge biimaar hokar"

[She doesn't even know my name
But still she writes to me
Her letters keep coming to me
"When will you fall sick and visit again?" she asks]

AMU had other great poets, like Ali Sardar Jafri, Jaan Nisar Akhtar and Jazbi, during this period, but Majaz's popularity overshadowed all his contemporaries.

Majaz finished his graduation at AMU in 1936. The same year Professor Ahmed Shah Bukhari, popularly known as 'Pitras' Bukhari, calls Majaz to Delhi. Bukhari made him join the then newly formed All India Radio as the editor of a journal. Majaz named it 'Awaaz' and managed it for a while.

Their relationship soured for some reasons and Majaz left the station.

This was also the time when the door of the married woman Majaz loved, closed on him. She was the only woman he ever loved. It left a permanent scar on his psyche. He became a compulsive drinker.

His personal grief merged with his rebel ideas. The result was 'Awara' - a masterpiece of the era.

"Shahar ki raat aur maiN naashaad-o-nakaara phiruuN
Jagmagaati jaagti saDkon pe awara phiruuN
Ghair ki basti hai kab tak dar badar maara phiruuN
Aye gham-e-dil kya karoon aye wehshat-e-dil kya karuuN"

[This nightfall in the city, and I wander aimless and sad
On the awake and glittering roads, my aimless wandering, O
How long in the alien city from door to door I go
What do I do, O sad heart, my mad heart] (2)

The poem became an anthem for the revolutionary youth of the time. The word Awara suddenly meant more than just troubled and jobless-

"Le ke ek changez ke haathon se khanjar toD duuN
Taaj par us ke damakta hai jo patthar toD duuN
Koi tode ya na toDe maiN hii baDhkar toD duuN
Ai gham-e-dil kya karoon aye wehshat-e-dil kya karuuN"

[I shall snatch the sword from Changez's hand and break it apart
The glittering stone in his crown I must hit
Some body else may or may not, but I should break it--
What do I do, O sad heart, my mad heart] (2)

Heartbroken, Majaz came back to Lucknow.

A nationalist to the core, Majaz along with his friends Ali Sardar Jafri and Sibtey Hasan, took out the progressive journal 'Naya Adab' from Lucknow. It was established with funds from the CPI in 1939 under the auspices of UPWA (Urdu Progressive Writers' Association). The journal was the most influential progressive literary monthly of the period, so much that its first three issues actually laid the theoretical foundations of the UPWA movement. (2)

Naya Adab ran for a decade. After its closure, Majaz joined the Harding Library at Delhi as Assistant Librarian. There he collaborated with Fasihuddin Ahmed in editing the literary journal 'Adeeb'. (3)

Knowing the man

Majaz was a fragile soul, one who could be easily hurt. Being the nice guy he was, Majaz kept quiet even when friends misbehaved with him.

"Awara-va-majnu.N hii pe maukuuf nahiN kuuchh
Milne haiN abhi muujh ko Khitaab aur zyaadaa"

[They have not stopped at vagabond and rogue
More praises are on their way for me]

Majaz had a great sense of humour. Once somebody's poetry didn't go down well with him. He had this to say - "Don't worry, when your poems are translated in Urdu then people would recognise your talent." (4)

Majaz was a rebel poet. His anger against the capitalist system provided the basis for Awara and his hope for a better tomorrow, born out of the socialist ideology of the Soviet Russia, is expressed in the poem 'Khwab-e-Sehar'-

"Yeh musalsal aafaten, yeh yorishen, yeh qatal-e-aam
Aadmi kab tak rahe ohaam-e-baatil ka ghulaam
Zehn-e-insaani ne ab ohaam ke zulmaat meiN
Zindagi ki sakht toofani andheri raat meiN
Kuch nahin tau kam se kam khawab-e-sehar dekha tau hai
Jis taraf dekha na tha ab tak udhar dekha tau hai"

[Such struggle, such suffering, such heinour carnage
How long has man been to superstition a slave
Human mind has at last awakened from its heavy sleep
In the stormy night of life, in the superstitious deep
Has at last dreamt a dream of the golden dawn
Looked at last towards the East, where none before had glanced] (5)

The woman in Majaz's poetry was more than an object of beauty. He wished to see them as crusaders who could revolt against exploitation and injustice.

"Teri neechi nazar khud teri ismat ki muhafiz hai
Tu is nashtar ki tezi aazma leti to achha thaa
Teri maathe pe ye aanchal bahut hi khoob hai lekin
Tu is aaNchal se ik parcham bana leti to achha thaa"

[Your lowered gaze is itself a protector of your purity,
If you now raise your eyes and test the sharpness of it, it would be good.
The cloth covering your head is no doubt a good thing,
But if you make a flag out of it, it would be good] (6)

Majaz was also faint of heart. In the 1946 sectarian riots, Majaz saw a man being killed in Bombay and couldn't eat for three days. He ran out of the science class the first time he saw a frog on the table. The poet left science altogether after the episode.

His drinking and poetry provided him the vent to his heartbreak. Once Jigar Moradabadi asked him to quit drinking, to which Majaz replied - "You left it just once, I left it several times." (4)

Josh Malihabadi once said about Majaz, "He wants to capture the entire beauty of the world in one single glance and to drink all wine of the world in one gulp." (4)

"Is mahfil-e-kaif-o-masti me, is anjuman-e-irfaani me
Sab jaam-bakaf baithe hi rahe, hum pee bhi gaye chahlka bhi gaye"

[This gathering of fun and frolic, the erudites all around
All merely sat with the goblets, but I drank to the full]

But who could know the man more than he himself. Majaz the poet summarises the man in his poem 'Ta’arruf ' -

"Khoob pehchaan lo, asraar huuN maiN
Jins-e-ulfat kaa talabgaar huuN maiN
Ishq hee ishq hai, duniya meri
Fitna-e-aql se bezaar huuN maiN"

[Look at me, recognise me well, for I am Asrar
I seek love and longing
My world comprises love and just love
I know not the devil of the intellect] (7)

Path to self-destruction

By the early 1950s Majaz's mental faculties started deteriorating. His drinking further compounded his misery. It was sheer genius that he still managed to pen poems like, Khawab-e-Sehar, 'Shaher Nigaar', and 'Andheri Raat ka Musafir,' which reflects on his last ditch attempt to turnaround his messed up life.

His poem 'Aitraaf' was his swan song. Majaz lost hope and accepted defeat-

"Wo gudaaz-e-dil-e-marhoom kahaaN se laauN
Ab maiN wo jazba-e-maasoom kahaaN se laauN"

[That tender heart, long dead, beats no more
That innocent passion, long gone, excites no more]

In 1952 Majaz went to Calcutta with Doctor Saifuddin Kichlu to attend the All India Cultural Conference. He was just a shadow of his old self. Sardar Jafri gave him five Rupees every evening for a drink. The rest of his drinking sessions were sponsored by visitors at the bar. One day he asked for ten Rupees. When Jafri tried to reason with him he said, "Sardar you've a family, a house, and you do poetry. What do I've? Now you don't even allow me to drink!" (4)

Majaz landed in Ranchi's mental asylum the same year. The poet who never wrote a weak couplet now struggled with verses. This verse recovered from his belongings tells a lot about his mental state - "Woh regzaar-e-khayal me hai kabhi kabhi humkharaam meri." [That wasteland of thoughts is walking alongside me] (7)

The end

Jafri recalls seeing him last in the December of 1955 when he arrived in Lucknow from Bombay to attend a Student Cultural Conference. Majaz met him at Hazratganj and showered the same love and affection on his old buddy-

"Humdum yahi hai, rahguzar-e-yaar-e-khushkhiraam
Guzre haiN laakh baar isi kahkashaN se hum" *

[This slow pace, this path of bliss has been my companion
I have passed this galaxy a million times]

They then went to the conference at Baradari in Qaisarbagh together. Majaz the poet, and person, seems to come alive that night during the mushaira. He recited the following couplet several times to an eager and appreciative audience-

"Bahut mushkil hai duniya ka savarna, teri zulfoN ka pech-o-kham nahi hai
Ba-ise-sayle-ghamo-sayle-hawadis, mera sir hai ki ab bhi kham nahi hai"

[I wonder if my life gets sorted out, the way your entangled locks do
A sea of sadness surrounds me, somehow I'm standing tall]

The next day it was 4th of December. Majaz stayed with Jafri and Sahir Ludhyanvi at the hotel. Sahir bought a bottle of fine quality whisky for Majaz. He was made to promise that he won't drink in the day and won't go out with his friends. They even locked the bottle inside the almirah on Majaz's own suggestion. As if he had a premonition of things to come, Majaz told Jafri twice to spend more time with him as he seems not so sure of the future.

Jafri and Sahir reached the hotel late as they had to attend a tea party after the conference. Majaz left during their absence. They searched for him in vain.

Majaz didn't turn up for the conference on the 5th of December. At five in the evening the fears proved real. Somebody broke the news of Majaz lying faint in the Balrampur Hospital. The conference was postponed. Everybody rushed to the hospital. Majaz had an oxygen mask on him. Doctors showed little hope.

It was the result of a wild night. Majaz's friends took him to a tavern in Lalbagh where they all drank on the rooftop. One by one they all left. Majaz stayed back into the cold winter night. The next morning the owner informed the police about Majaz. He was taken to the hospital where the doctors diagnosed a brain hemorrhage and pneumonia. He was just 44.

A female fan sharing the name of his beloved sat next to him when Majaz passed away that night. The poet was at peace finally.

Majaz often reached home late or not at all. Aware of this habit his old mother used to leave his food, a packet of cigarettes, and fifty paisa, next to his bed. The rickshaw-pullers of the city, who knew Majaz well, dropped him home and took the fifty paisa coin.

That night everything changed. Majaz's mother was waiting on the floor next to his bed. Her son was coming back never to leave again.

"Ab iske baad subah hai aur subah-e-nau majaz
Hum par khatm shaam-e-ghareeban-e-Lucknow"

[Tomorrow awaits a new dawn
With me ends the darkness of Lucknow]

Like a shooting star, Majaz, in his self-destruction left behind a trail of brilliant compositions that forever illuminates the firmament of urdu poetry. Every time the students and alumni of AMU, like me, sing the university song, at their campus and elsewhere in the world, Majaz comes to life.

"Ye meraa chaman hai meraa chaman, maiN apne chaman kaa bulbul huuN
Sarshaar-e-nigaah-e-nargis huuN, paa-bastaa-e-gesuu-sumbul huuN"

[chaman: garden; bulbul: nightingale; sarshaar: overflowing, soaked; nigaah: sight; nargis: flower, Narcissus; paa-bastaa: embedded; gesuu: tresses; sumbul: a plant of sweet odour]

And so the great poet lives on, the way he always did - as the cynosure of all eyes!



* Ali Sardar Jafri used this couplet as the title song of his famous television series, Kahkashan, broadcasted on Doordarshan during the early 90s.

(Based on Ali Sardar Jafri’s account in ‘Lucknow ki Paanch Raatein’.)

NOTES

1 Kuldip Sahil, A Treasury of Urdu Poetry From Mir to Faiz: Ghazals with English Renderings (Delhi: Rajpal & Sons, 2009), 114-119.
2 Geeta Patel, Lyrical Movements, Historical Hauntings: On Gender, Colonialism, and Desire in Miraji's Urdu Poetry (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001), 111
3 Abida Samiuddin, Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Urdu Literature (New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House, 2007), 387
4 Ali Sardar Jafri, Lucknow ki Paanch Raatein (New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 2010), 25-58
5 K. C. Kanda, Masterpieces of Patriotic Urdu poetry (Delhi: Sterlings Publishers Private Limited, 2009), 323-339
6 "Ghazal as a form of Urdu poetry in the Asian subcontinent", accessed December 5, 2011, http://www.ghazalpage.net/prose/notes/ghazal_urdu.html
7 Rakhshanda Jalil, email message to the author, December 8, 2011.

The Swallows of Kabul

'THE Swallows of Kabul' is a depressing book on the life in Afghanistan post the Taliban. Unlike Khaled Hosseini, the author, writing under the pseudonym Yasmina Khadra, gives a hopeless and disturbing account of a country ravaged by war and living under the shadows of a group with extreme religious views.

Three Cups of Tea

AS an ardent reader of books I've come to realise that even non-fiction carries an element of fiction to bring alive the story. The degree increases in a book of heroism like the 'Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time' by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. It's a mere coincidence that I read the book after allegations by CBS News against it.

Three Cups of Tea is the story of a mountaineer Greg Mortenson from US. His passion for mounaineering takes him to Pakistan where he gets lost after a failed attempt to climb Mount K2. He is eventually saved by the locals of the village Korphe. Their kindness in adversity moves him, and he promises to come back to build a school for them. He does return, and so starts a journey to build new schools in the remote corners of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He fights nature and orthodox locals along the way, not to forget the threats of war. This and more, makes Mortenson's story interesting to read.

Even if you consider parts of the story as made up, the book still ends up as an inspiring account of an extraordinary effort. The mere fact that Mortenson returns to keep his promise of buidling a school in a mountainous area of Pakistan is laudable. His dangerous travel to Afghanistan, as part of his mission, also highlights his committment to the cause.

There are other remarkable individuals who complete Mortenson's story. Mouzafer Ali, the porter who saved Mortenson after his fall, Haji Ali, the village headman of Korphe and the 'wisest man' Mortenson ever met, the physicist Jean Hoerni whose donation established the Central Asia Institute, which provided financial support to Mortenson, the cultivated Ghulam Parvi without whom Mortenson 'never would have accomplished anything in Pakistan,' and Syed Abbas, an influential Shia cleric who provided the religious backing for Mortenson's mission.

The book is not just a heroic tale but also highlights the importance of education, especially for girls, in the far flung corners of Asia. Read it, and you would be contributing to a noble cause.

Good Food Better Ambience

MUGHAL-E-AZAM restaurant is located on the main Abu Baker Al Siddique road close to United Hypermarket in Deira, Dubai. The parking is not an issue with several public spaces on the road and also a private parking right next to the restaurant.

The restaurant has a royal look to it, in keeping with the name. The impressive all-wood entrance leads to a pretty cosy and tasteful interior. The seating has more options than many other restaurants I frequented in the past. You could take a table near the window with a view of the main road, or enjoy the sofa style round seating, or eat in one of those private wooden cabins for families.

The walls are decked with Mughal era paintings from India. Lighting is just right for a quiet meal and the slow music sounds pleasant to the ears. Most importantly the staff is friendly, courteous, and prompt.

A complementary sweet lassi in a cute little glass and papad with chutney greeted us as we went through the menu. We ordered drums of heavens, chicken tikka, sweet corn soup and fresh garden salad for the starters and murgh makhani, khadey masale ka paneer, dal tadka, shahi paneer, butter and plain naan, for the main course.

The starters took a while as we finished the delicious lassi and munched through the papads.

The soup was just ok. Drums of h Heavens capital H because it's a name as opposed to a food-type such as chicken tikka, for instance tasted nice and crispy with the rice coating. The schezwan sauce provided as a dip added to the taste. Chicken tikka was cooked well which is what I look for in grilled food.

Murgh Makhani was rich in flavour and appealed to my taste buds. Between the two paneer recipes I found the 'khadey masale ka paneer'  better and a bit different in taste compared to the popular paneer dishes available in restaurants.

The salad was indeed green with lots of cucumbers and lettuce leaves besides the carrots and tomatoes.

For dessert the restaurant didn’t offer much so we could only try the

Gulab Jamun and Gajar ka Halwa. The Gulab Jamun was readymade which came as a disappointment to my wife and the Halwa was just ok.

Overall the meal was good but the ambience and the service made it special. 

You can’t ask for more when at just around 200 dirhams (for four people) you are treated like kings.

The tag line of Mughal-e-Azam restaurant says "Taste of golden era." It sure provides a good one for that matter!

I would rate it 7.5 on a scale of 10.

NOTE. Reviewed in March, 2010.

The Spirit of Independence

I WISH I could go back in time to the dawn of 15th August 1947, and feel the first rays in an independent India. Sixty four years later we seem to have taken our independence for granted. Heroes of the freedom struggle have given way to corrupt politicians. Security has never been worse. Rising prices of commodities have affected almost every Indian. The country has produced more billionaires during the last decade than all the previous put together, but the poverty ratio has not changed. This is surely not the vision of our founding fathers!

The vibrant democracy, inspite of its shortcomings, seems to be our only saving grace. As for the rest, we need to do a little more ourselves. If Anna Hazare can take a stand against corruption, why can't we stand up to corrupt practices.

As an Indian Muslim I've had my share of highs and lows. My disappointments over the years have been few and temporary, but my hope in the country is permanent.

These voices of some of my fellow countrymen, from across the globe, strengthen my faith in this great nation.

August 15th is a very important day not only for the history of India but also as a day of freedom. There is nothing better than the feeling of being free.

To me both Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose were equally important as freedom fighters. Gandhi 's policy was centred around peaceful ways whereas Bose never shied away from using force. For a complete victory we need both.

India has many states and languages, but barring a few conflicts and issues, there is so much harmony. Illiteracy seems to be the root of all evils. If we can eradicate illiteracy it would help reduce corruption, racism and poverty in our country.

If we consider the year in the context of the Independence Day then in my opinion our year should start with 15th of August. As a poet I would like to say-

'Ab ke naya saal aisa nazar aaye
Pichhle sab salon se badla sa nazar aaye

Ham ka jazba ho baaham ham sab ke
Na ho koi hadca ayodhya-o-gujarat ke jaise
Rishton ko joda jaaye sakht zanjeer se aise
Ke phir se tootkar kadi koi na bikhar jaaye'

Abrar Ulhaq, property consultant, Dubai (originally from Etah, UP)

To me August 15th is an emotional and significant day as an indian. I still remember the pride with which we re-ran the special assembly back home (after school) to keep the celebrations going. I cherished winning the elocution competition on 'the' occasion -- the once in a year event. Nothing was bigger than that!

My favourite freedom fighter is the Mahatma. The man who started it all, and the man revered by us all as 'bapu'. He is perhaps the greatest icon of leadership in this imperfect world. He took the definition of inclusive leadership closest to perfection.

As a kid I never felt any discrimination, perhaps chastity of thoughts reigned supreme. It feels strange now when people smile at you sheepishly every time India beats Pakistan. The same people get embarassed while criticising Pakistan in front of me, as if I am not an Indian. Sadly, Indian independence is more about Pakistan and less about India or the British imperialism. It appears funny though, half the country would love to migrate to London if given a chance! If only there was no partition, Muslims would have been treated as more Indian (or more patriotic).

Having said it all, the very fact that I can level criticism through any medium, albeit constructive, without fear is what india is all about.

Ahmad Mehdi, works for Ricoh India, New Delhi

The word ‘freedom’ is very significant to me and therefore the date. There is a lot of sarcasm around as to what we’ve achieved in the last 64 yrs but I would still prefer where we are than being ruled by the British.

I remember visiting Abba’s office (district courts) on this day and the ‘Jai Hind’ salutes all around.

Mahatma Gandhi as a freedom fighter stands out for me. His fight always started with his inner self and was built on the philosophy of attaining will power or controlling your ‘Nafs’.

My work gave me the opportunity to live and explore different parts of India. Its so colorful. To discover and enjoy India you need many lives. Although my religion doesn’t allow me to say this, but if I had to be reborn I prefer to be born again in some part of India.

I think Indian muslims should open their doors more and intermingle with other communities. The Ghettoization is not helping them in any way!

Amir Naqvi, works for Honeywell, Dubai (originally from Safipur, UP)

In many aspects India is still struggling with slavery, only the masters have changed. August 15th seems to be just about organising parades and distributing sweets. This day must be a guiding light for a brighter India.

Our school celebrated Independence Day by organising a parade and distributing sweets among the students. I was entrusted to not only sing a patriotic song but also to lead the parade with full police uniform.

Bhagat Singh is one name which left a deep impact on me. It could be because I've heard so much about him since childhood. But, his role in the freedom struggle indeed needs much appreciation.

I studied at 'Saraswati Sishu Mandir', an RSS backed school, so there was naturally some discrimination especially during the parades and exam marking. Beyond school it was business as usual.

I feel our culture and food stands out compared to other countries. It's only corruption which fails us. If we can remove that then there's no denying that India is great.

Dr. Mohammad Vaseem, post doctoral fellow, South Korea (originally from Mankapur, UP)

If you consider the magnitude of the achievement, August 15th is a very significant day. The relevance seems to have been lost in recent times.

I think the turning point in our freedom struggle was the Indian Mutiny of 1857. It gave hope to Indians that the Britishers could be overthrown. Revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, and Ashfaqullah Khan instilled fear in the hearts of the Britishers. By the time Gandhi came, the Britishers were already in the process of moving out plagued by their domestic problems.

I love the unity in diversity of this country. If you are in pain, the first person who comes to your help could be of any religion.

If given a chance I would remove all the current politicians, especially those above 45 years of age. We still are not fully independent! We seem to be ruled by corrupt politicians whose actions are alarmingly similar to the Britishers. The Britishers looted India and sent the loot abroad our politicians are doing the same. They stash their black money outside India.

I have personally seen the kind of talent we are losing to corruption. The day we can wipe it out would be the day we will truly be independent. One Anna Hazare cannot do it, we have to change our mindset first.

Fasih Ahmad, works for Ozonebarter, Hongkong (originally from Lucknow)

August 15th means a lot to me being an Indian and knowing the country's history.

I don't have any favourites when it comes to our freedom fighters, quite simply because I don't know what exactly each stood for.

I don't know about the rest of India but Bangalore has always been this migrant town, and now a city. I have been lucky not to have any discriminatory experience that may have left a mark.

I think democracy is the best thing about this country and poverty the worst.

Fiza Ishaq, independent researcher, Bangalore

August 15th holds a big significance in my life as it symbolizes our freedom from the suppressive British rule. One feels very proud to be an Indian, especially on this particular day.

I've fond memories of people lining up on street pavements to watch the Independance Day parade. The section displaying Indian weaponary from the parade broadcasted by Doordarshan fascinated me.

Subhash Chandra Bose is the freedom fighter I admire the most as I do not believe in Gandhian philosophy.

I like the harmony that exists between people of different religions and cultures in India. It's only the poverty, and to a certain extent, the hatred against the Muslims which saddens me.

Irfan Kazmi, works for Alhamrani Universal Co. Ltd., Saudi Arabia (originally from Lucknow)

Even though Muslims face some discrimination in India, I would want to believe this is a global phenomenon. It's quite human for one to discriminate on the basis of class, caste, religion or colour. I do feel things would have been far different under the British rule.

Subhash Chandra Bose was the real freedom fighter. Gandhi to me as a national hero was more to do with politics. The Britishers didn’t leave India because of Gandhi and his Satyagrah. They were already on their knees because of the second World War. Also, India was not a viable option for them anymore. They were concentrating on the gulf more at that point of time. Even if we do credit Gandhi for our Independence, how long would have we survived without a competent national army.

If I am not living in places like, Kashmir, the North East and Naxal affected area, I think India is one of the best places to live anywhere in the world. I only wish I could remove the 'chalta hai' attitude of our people.

Sabir Khan, accountant, Pune

I remember enjoying the extra holiday we used to get in school on this day. As a kid, August 15th looked important and I used to feel proud with the small flag in my hand and a laddoo in my mouth.

In my opinion Subhash Chandra Bose was the most impressive among the long list of people who fought for India. If he had been around, India would have been a different place.

As a Muslim I've never felt discriminated in India. But I do feel, given a demanding situation my Muslim identity may limit my chances of fighting back effectively.

The never say die attitude of the common man who works on the Indian streets, fighting daily challenges, amazes me. Inspite of their hardships they smile and dance to Bollywood tunes.

Poverty remains our biggest stumbling block. We can still fight it, though. If every MLA is entrusted with the task to move just five families out of poverty in his constituency every year, it can make a big change. He can do so by helping them find employment within their area. If society starts supporting the underprivileged, India would change for better.

If every MP is entrusted with the task to improve the living conditions of any one town/locality during his tenure by ensuring proper supply of essential amenities, it would make a big difference.

Shahnawaz Mehdi, works for Nissan Middle-East, Dubai (originally from Lucknow)

August 15th to me is freedom, some patriotic songs and a day off.

I admire Bhagat Singh the most. His idea of freedom was very original. He was the one who highlighted the difference between violence and self defense.

Glorious history of India is a matter or pride. It's the poverty which saddens me no end."

Shah Zaman Rizvi, works for Pure Gold Jewellers, Dubai (originally from Lucknow)

August 15th is important for the very fact that we achieved complete authority over our own country on the day. But it also makes me sad that we did not utilise this power appropriately. India would've been a super power had it not been the dirty politics that now runs in it's bloodstream. I hate the fact that it has spread it's tentacles to defense, health and other areas. Even the kids now know that bribery works wonders.

As a Muslim we did face issues while searching for a rental place, but I respect the wishes of the people. They have a right to rent out their house to whom they please. It's not a big deal to me.

I love our culture and the brotherhood that still exists, no matter what people say or do. I'm also in awe of the religious tolerance we are melted into. It's a perfect example of how a true human should be.

Sukaina Merchant, event planner, Dubai (originally from Mumbai)

August 15th seems to have lost its significance. Like all businesses I close my office on this day but in my view we should work more than usual instead, and help India grow.

The memories of the day are mostly from the school days. When I was in the Government college we used to get four laddoos in a pink envelope.

I feel there is nothing in India which other countries do'nt have. I just like India because I was born here. It’s my motherland!

I only wish to remove corruption from the country.

Tariq Mumtaz, IT consultant, Meerut, UP

August 15th is like the birthday of a person who is very close to heart. I remember going out for parades and flag raising ceremonies on this day.

Subhash Chandra Bose to me was a true freedom fighter.

As a Muslim I did face discrimination a few times but that didn't stop me from admiring the Indian culture.

I like the music which we are mixing up with the west. Our big problem seems to be only corruption. Take that out and India is a heaven.

Taskeen Jamali, works for Ford Motor Company, Ontario, Canada (originally from Moradabad, UP)

Being our Independence Day, August 15th automatically becomes significant.

For me Subhash Chandra Bose was a real fighter.

I think discrimination does exists in India. During the last semester of my MBA, I was told to opt out of the interview with a leading employer, which had come for the campus recruitment, as they don't hire muslims. The institue's director didn’t want me to waste my time.

I like the simplicity and diversity of my country, and wish I could wipe out communalism from this land.

Toufique Khan, works for Mashreq Bank, Abu Dhabi (originally from Bahraich, UP)

Honestly August 15th is like any other day for me except getting a public holiday. May be the true meaning of the day has been lost.

I remember the essay writing competitions we had in school and the patriotic songs and movies being played on Doordarshan that day.

Bhagat Singh and his team tops my list of freedom fighters. He carried the spirit of a great warrior. A fearless soul, an inspiration for the youth of India.

Barring a stray incident at the IGI Airport, Delhi, my Muslim identity has never been a problem for me in India.

I cherish the bond of culture and friendship between Muslims and Hindus. If I could, I would remove corruption and hate killings in India.

Urooj Ikram, homemaker, Ankara, Turkey (originally from Aligarh)

As an indian I am proud of what our fellow Indians did 64 years ago, but when I see today's leaders celebrating 15th of August ( with smug faces in crisp kurtas ), it looks like a slap in the face of this day's spirit. There is hardly any difference between them and the ones we fought against to gain our freedom.

I remember as a kid we used to bunk classes to practice the National Anthem and march past drills. Today no sweet tastes as good as those four laddoos on the morning of 15th of August.

Rani of Jhansi appeals to me as a freedom fighter. Girl power maybe!

On a personal level, I've never faced any problem in India being a Muslim. In fact, the way we are discriminated here in USA, India feels like "apni gali" (next lane).

I love the simplicity of Indians. It makes us vulnerable and gullible at times, but its priceless!

I wish I could change our system, they way it works. Corruption is not an individual's practice, it's a tree which branches out.

'Hum pe mushtarka hain ehsaan gham-e-ulfat ke (read it 'gham-e-siyaasat ke')
Itne ehsaan ki ginwaaon to ginwaa na sakoon'

Zainab Khan, homemaker, Louisiana, US (originally from Aligarh)

The significance of August 15th cannot be expressed in words. The feeling of being the citizen of a free country is enormous.

I remember celebrating it with lots of fun in school. I used to prepare a speech to be delivered during the school assembly. We looked forward to the parades, and scout and guide camps associated with the day.

To me all freedom fighter contributed towards one cause, so can't really differentiate between them. But I do admire the trio of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah khan and Thakur Roshan Singh.

I like the famous Indian jugaad, which simplifies so many things. The talent, so readily available in every nook and corner of India and selfless love of the people amazes me.

Beaurocracy is a bane in this country. The paper work need to be abolished to at least check some corruption.

Zartab Jafri, works for IAP HR Solutions, Mumbai

I'm signing of with this couplet of the revolutionary poet Akbar Allahabadi which beautifully expresses the feelings of an Indian Muslim-

"Paamal hain magar hain sabit qadam wafa main
Hum misle-e-sang-e-dar ke is aastaan par hain"

[Though crushed, we are firm in our loyalty
We are like a rock at the threshold of our country]

Jai Hind!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

THIS entire Akhtar clan is a talent powerhouse. Following in the footsteps of their illustrious parents, the brother-sister duo of Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar quickly carved a niche for themselves. Farhan matched his National Award winning film Dil Chahta Hai with the critically acclaimed (and my favourite Hrithik movie) Lakshya. Sister Zoya made an impressive directorial debut with Luck By Chance and then leapfrogs with her latest Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Zoya likes her brother, who's also one of the producers of ZNMD, understands the technical side of movie making well. This gives their movies an added appeal.

Cinematography by Carlos Catalan would take your breath away like the way the locations did to the three protagonists in the movie.

Editing, like all Akhtars' movies, helps maintain the rhythm and continuity of the plot. Anand Subaya keeps the tradition alive.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy background score soothes you and seems tailor made for the beautiful locales. Three Indian heroes singing together in their original voices should be a first. Even if they were tricked into it, they did a decent job.

Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), Imraan (Farhan Akhtar), and Kabir (Abhay Deol) look familiar young faces. They embark on a trip which leads to individual self-discoveries. It reminds you of Dil Chahta Hai but that's where the similarity ends. It's a much more mature story told with youthful zest. The three characters would surely charm their way to your hearts.

I like the way Farhan recites lines penned by his dad in the background. The climax is innovative for a change and pretty impressive too. Don't leave the theatre as the credit starts rolling, "Picture thodi rahti hai mere dost!"

Hrithik is probably the most complete star that India has ever produced. He dances like a dream, acts like a veteran, walks like a star, and looks every inch a hulk. You cast him in any role and he would bring a rare intensity to that role - ZNMD is no exception. Farhan seems to know everything. He directs, acts, sings and now writes. The entertaining dialogues of ZNMD are written by him. Farhan exudes confidence in his every act. As for Abhay, this has to be his biggest film till date. He's an accomplished actor but seems slightly marginalised by his more famous co-stars. Katrina Kaif is at ease playing the character of a diving instructor. The role suits her image and she has matched her performance with the one in New York. Kalki Koechlin as the love interest of Kabir is convincing.

ZNDB gives you a simple yet meaningful message of living life to the full. We seem to be obsessed with our electronic gadgets and social networks. What happened to the good old days of hanging out with friends! Our days now start with email and ends up with facebook. The movie not only questions this life but offers an alternate perspective. And in what resounding way!

ZNMD would surely bring Zoya Akhtar to the big league. She has raised the bar for all her future offerings. Good luck to her!

Delhi Belly

AAMIR Khan showed a new side to the world with his sensitive film 'Taare Zameen Par'. Like most movies, he lately acted in, his directorial venture was also a class act. Production seemed a natural progression.

Aamir backed an entirely new genre in his latest offering Delhi Belly. The film takes the spirit of art cinema and effortlessly combines in elements of commercial movie making to produce an unapologetic bold cinema. Delhi Belly shocks and entertains at the same time.

The story revolves around the lives of three bachelors. How one small incident dramatically affects their lives is what the fun all about. There are no beeps and edits in this journey.

The opening few scenes do make you feel a little confused and uncomfortable, but gradually you get involved with the characters. The much talked about profanity is purely situational. You may feel offended if you risk watching with kids. But then, the film carries an adult certificate. There is hardly an extra character in the plot. Songs are played in bits and that keeps the movie time to less than two hours.

Imran Khan as Tashi is impressive, as always, but gets that extra footage courtesy  'mamu'. Kunaal Roy Kapur as Nitin and Vir Das as Arup come up with two restrained yet highly enjoyable acts. Together they provide the movie with its most funny moments.

Tashi's girlfriend Sonia played by Shenaz Treasurywala is in familiar territory. She looks cute. Period.

Poorna Jagannathan as Tashi's co-journalist Menaka is quite natural and plays her name in the movie rather well.

Vijay Raaz with his sheer talent has become a regular in off-beat movies. He plays the gangster quite effortlessly, especially the way he switches between ruthlessness and a dry sense of humour.

Aamir Khan being the perfectionist that he is, takes extra care with the technical side. Music by Ram Sampath may not be melodious but complements the theme well. The crisp editing by Huzefa Lokhandwala deserves special merit. Story by Akshat Verma is interesting with its numerous twists and turns. As for the lyrics, "I hate you like I Iove you" says it all.

Abhinay Deo may have missed the mark with Game but has turn it around with Delhi Belly. The movie has only characters, not heroes, and the credit goes to the director.

Delhi Belly has its share of lows. The curse words are a trifle too many for a family audience (of adults, yes). Some of the scenes are too suggestive for the regular Indian sensibilities. The joke about Santro, if it was a dig at Shahrukh (who endorses the brand), was in poor taste and so was the use of Orange juice to clean up the bowel movement.

In all fairness Delhi Belly is an entertaining roller-coaster ride, provided you understand the movie rating well. I am sure it will spawn a host of imitations.

Karbala

Fatah bhi zaalim ki shikast nazar aati hai

Kya khoob sabaq Yazeed ko sikhaya Hussain Ne

Ek Imam ki bai'yat ka talabgaar haakim bahut

Haq pe khada hai kaun bataya Hussain Ne

Lashkar saikdon ke dilaate nahin hain jeet
bahattar shahadaton se bataya Hussain Ne

Kadiyal jawan ki laash uthata hai ghareeb baap

Har dard ko aankh se bahaya Hussain Ne

Khoone mazloom bah gaya Islam ki baqa me

Ab jo bhi hamara hai diya sab Hussain Ne

Zakhm

Maut ki aghosh me sama raha hai koi

Mil gaya phir naya dard rooh ko meri

Kuch haseen pal jo saath guzaare the kabhi
Uski khamoshi me khamosh ab yaadein meri

Din viraan ho gaye mere aur raate jaagi'n
Kuch is tarah thahar gayi hai zindagi meri

Maqsade hayat nahin ab koi paas mere
Chand lamhon me simat rahi hai ka'yenaat meri

Sham'me ummeed to dikhate hai jalwe uske
Dhundli karte hain par ye ashq tasveer meri

Ya khuda nahin tujh se koi shikwa mujhko
Ye gham, ye zakhm, ab hain taqdeer meri

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

A WAR not only takes human lives, it affects the hearts and minds of people. The worst sufferers are the young ones. Iraq war saw some 500,000 children perish - more than that in Hioshima - and many more left behind with irreparable scars! Millions others met the same fate in Afganistan, Palestine and Africa.

'Anne Frank: The diary of a young girl' addresses the horrors of war. The story speaks for all such children in the Middle-East and elsewhere. The only difference being that Anne and her family lived as prisoners in a secret hideout whereas the Palestinians continue to live like that in their own country.

The book chronicles the daily life of a teenager against the backdrop of World War II. It spans a period of little over two years, which Anne's family along with one other spent in a 'secret annexe'.

The diary tells us how ordinary lives are transformed in extraordinary times. Books and radio suddenly become a luxury. A 'slice of liver sausage, and jam on dry bread' is a great weekly attraction. You sleep with the smell of lavatory all around. The sunshine is the last thing you would want to risk. In a nutshell you are living as ghosts.

You also get to know a young and ambitious girl who dotes on her father but fails to connect with her mother. Her mood swings from resigning to her fate, to making plans for a better post-war future. In between the only boy in the house becomes her object of desire.

Anne Frank's little book questions the futility of wars. It is also an ode to the human spirit.

Anne wished 'to go on living' even after her death, and to attain more than her mother. She loved history too. Today she is part of that history, thanks to her diary!

10 Cool Apps for iPhone

After playing around with many iPhone Apps for a while now, I've found the following 10 fairly useful free Apps-

1 XE- An online currency convertor for expats and those in the financial sector.

2 Facebook- An absolute must for all the social junkies!

3 Skype- By far the best voice and video chat service on iPhone.

4 Reminder Free- Remember the dates that matter to you with this application.

5 Angry Birds- The birds may be angry but you'll end up happy playing this addictive game.

6 Twitter- Tweet on the move. Quite intuitive.

7 Bump- An innovative way to exchange contacts, photos, etc, by just bumping hands (with the phone) together.

8 BBC- Be in touch with the world with this neat yet exhaustive application.

9 Convert Units- A handy unit conversion application.

10 WordWeb- Choose the right word with this electronic dictionary.

Who Needs an iPad?

APPLE'S iPhone is a revolutionary phone. I am not so sure about the company's tablet offering in the form of iPad.

One has to think twice before investing in an expensive device like the iPad. The following questions are to be answered before taking the plunge-

1 Are you a geek?
2 Do you think a netbook is not handy?
3 Does your electronics also double as fashion accessory?
4 Are you willing to shelve those extra bucks for a tablet just because of its battery life?

If the answers to above questions is a resounding 'yes' then buying an iPad make sense to you. Still it would be a good idea to compare the device with some other quality netbooks in the market today.

The biggest advantage a netbook has over tablets is the presence of a keyboard. There's no way a touchscreen can provide the ease of a physical keyboard. People may argue that Apple now provides a wireless keyboard for the iPad, but then, that's an additional accessory to take care of. Also since the netbook can be folded the display is better protected.

iPad does scores in portability (at 600g it is lighter than many netbooks), ease of use (boot up time of around 20 sec is much faster than the netbooks), and its phenomenal battery life (around 10 hours as promised by Apple).

Indian Cricket Comes of Age

TEAM India defied all odds yesterday to lift the World Cup. The timing could not have been better with the country already reckoned as an economic powerhouse.

This team was playing with a self-belief that I've rarely seen before. With one of the world's most destructive bastmen (Sehwag) out for a duck on the second ball of the first over and India's greatest bastman (Sachin) going out on 18 in the sixth over, many thought it was all over. The statistics were also against India - only two teams earlier successfully chased in the finals, and there also the highest total was 241. To top it all, a host never lifted the coveted trophy. Nothing was favouring India.

Yet, India won and in what style!

They all delivered when it mattered most. Gambhir played an innings of class and maturity. Dhoni promoted himself and played with a purpose. His form returned when the team needed it desperately. The young Kohli handled well, the pressure and Malinga both. Yuvraj continued from where he left.

For the records, the maximum runs (11) were scored in the 47th over of the Indian Innings. Contrast this with the 274 that India was chasing. That summarises the run-chase for me.

It was poetic justice that the two players, playing a major role in the country's victory were at the crease when the winning run was scored.

On a lighter note, Dhoni's six would finally replace the beaten-to-death image of Kapil Dev's running catch to dismiss Richards in the 1983 cup. Well done India!

A Case of Exploding Mangoes

MOHAMMED Hanif is one of those rare Pakistani writers who've worked for an Indian publication (India Today in his case). That speaks for his work!

'A case of exploding mangoes' by the same author is a fictionalised take on the last few days in office of General Zia ul-Haq.

The book talks about Zia's strange behaviour as he felt a threat to his life. Hanif's witty account of the events leading to the fatal plane crash will entertain you thoroughly.

Zia's physical description and his state of mind is a major highlight of the book. It's this part which will bring on the maximum laughs.

The book is also a satire on the Pakistani military establishment. The lack of trust between the generals in a way mirrors Zia's own reservations about his security. They all work as a team but there are ones who harbour secret ambitions of toppling Zia. It happens when a powerful army becomes the all-powerful!

Hanif also mentions the seeds of fundamentalism that the former Pakistani President sowed in the name of Islam. Zia ul-Haq made sure, 'all God's names were slowly deleted from the national memory as if a wind had swept the land and blown them away.' The 'Allah hafiz' must have replaced the customary 'Khuda hafiz' during this period. His 11 years in power changed the very fabric of Pakistani society. The religious extremism in present day Pakistan is mostly attributed to the policies of General Zia.

A case of exploding mangoes is a light-hearted book. It could be a perfect companion for those train journeys or long distance flights.

India After Gandhi

THE word 'Gandhi' in a google search results in some 40 million pages. He is a world figure and undoubtedly the best known Indian. Any study of India is incomplete without him. Ramachandra Guha acknowledges the fact by naming his book on the history of the country as "India after Gandhi: The history of the world's largest democracy".

The problem with most country specific history books written by natives, is their lack of objectivity due to the holier than thou nature of the subject. Guha skillfully manages to avoid that pitfall and comes up with an unbiased and refreshing account of India.

The book narrates events as they happened, without any emotional clout attached. Guha talks about Kashmir as effortlessly as he mentions the Indian film industry. Reading about the formation of an independent India with the accession of princely states is both interesting and informative.

If Gandhi was instrumental in getting India its independence, Nehru shaped the modern India. The book discusses in detail Nehru's role as the architect of modern India and the political dynasty he left behind. It also sheds light on his philosophy of not equipping the armed forces with the latest weapons in view of a growing Chinese threat. India paid dearly for this gross miscalculation in 1962.

His daughter, Indira Gandhi, succeeded him as the prime minister of India and had her own outlook. Mrs Gandhi's style of power politics made sure 'that Nehru's halting yet honest attempts to promote a democratic ethos in a hierarchical society were undone by his own daughter, and in decisive and dramatic ways.' The emergency and the excesses committed by her younger son Sanjay, were just a few examples of this new political era. She changed the rules of the game forever!

What impresses most about the author is his honesty in dealing with controversial subjects. He diligently handle issues like Kashmir, formation of Bangladesh, Indian troops in Sri Lanka, minorities in India, and the 'unforgiving' ideology of RSS. Guha makes sure the truth reaches you even if it means criticising certain Indian policies.

There are some notable omissions though. The Jeep scandal of 1948 involving Nehru's close friend VK Menon, working as the then High Commissioner for India in UK, finds no mention. The case was closed without a proper inquiry. Many commentrators have called it the first case of political corruption in post-independence India.

India after Gandhi is as much about hope as it is about India. The country survived the worst of communal riots, the threat of secessionist movements like those in Punjab and Nagaland, years of economic hardships and wars with neighbors. Time and again people have written off India, as the author stresses throughout the book, but everytime India came out stronger.

Guha ponders in his epilogue on why India survives. The answer comes from a renowned Pakistani journalist Ayaz Amir, "When will it dawn on us that it is not India's size, population, tourism or IT industry [that is] making us look small, but Indian democracy." The freedom to choose who leads you is India's greatest strength. It's this building block which holds the nation together.

The book, perhaps reflecting the artistic taste of the country, opens with lines of legendary urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and signs off with him.

India after Gandhi is a book of immense scholarly work. Read it to rediscover India!

The Last Emperor

DILIP Kumar has acted in just 60 films but he is arguably the greatest Indian actor of any generation. His method acting skills added a whole new dimension to the craft.

Dilip Kumar's life, like his performances, is equally fascinating.

Sanjit Narwekar's biography of this actor par excellence, is aptly titled, "Dilip Kumar - The Last Emperor." A still of the actor from Mughal-e-Azam adorns the cover of the book. So much for the first impression!

The author knows his subject well for Narwekar has written and lectured on Indian cinema since 1970. He introduces Dilip Kumar through his films. The book is neatly organised on the basis of major milestones in the life of the actor.

Narwekar has beautifully captured the essence of Peshawar in the growing up years of a young Yusuf Khan, all in just six pages.

Born on the 11th of December, 1922 in Peshawar, Yusuf was the third son and fifth child of fruit merchant Sarwar Khan and Ayesha Begum. Theirs was a deeply relious family. The author tells us about the violence in the city during Khan's growing up years. This may have provided the element of authenticity to the intense roles he would go on to play.

A tragedy at home brought the family to Bombay. It was at the Wilson College of the city that his future started taking shape. He became a voracious reader and watched mostly Hollywood films. Football was one sports he excelled in. He was also an extremely shy lad.

Yusuf Khan had to drop out of college owing to a collapse in his father's business, and a sharp decline in the fortunes of the family as an outcome. He worked as an assistant manager with a military contractor in Poona for a while before joining his father in fruit trading.

It was during one of his usual business trips to Nanital that he was introduced to Devika Rani. She was on the look out for a fresh face and Khan impressed her. She gave him a three-year contract and her studio writer gave him a screen name on her suggestion. And thus was born the legend of Dilip Kumar!

The book has numerous interesting stories about the actor, such as the one where he steals cigarattes for his mentor Ashok Kumar, and once how Maulana Azad intervened on his behalf.

From the savage criticism for his role in Jwar Bhata to getting the title of 'Tragedy King' for his performance in Andaz, Narwekar chronologically builds the story of Dilip Kumar - the actor who became a major star. The author also talks about the sensitive issue of some people questioning Yusuf Khan's patriotism and the controversy over his acceptance of Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian award. He briefly touches on the actor's social and charitable work. The author could have shed more light on this.

The Last Emperor is a sincere effort and Narwekar has done justice to the story. Although it looks more of a homage to Dilip Kumar but then his life and his films are nothing short of awe-inspiring.