The Greatest Animated Films of All Time

October 28, 2015

Today is World Animation Day, and we at Wirally decided to pay a tribute to this art form – one that has revolutionized cinema for us.

The first sound and colour animated film was Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, and since then, we have made progress in leaps and bounds when it comes to animated films. While making this list, we left out popular animated films like Up, Frozen, and Wall-E.

Instead, we look at off-beat animation films that pushed the boundaries of what is capable in the field of animation. Here’s our list of the greatest animated films of all time.

If you thought animated films were just fairy tales and happy-go-lucky stories, you have no idea what you’re in for. Go through our list, and make sure you watch them – it’ll change the way you look at animated films from now on. (The list is in no particular order, but you’re free to rank them according to your taste!)

1. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)

Directed by the maverick genius Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jake Skellington, the King of Halloween Town, who has a sneak peak into the other world and finds people happy and rejoicing.

To set things right, he decides to kidnap Santa Claus, and all hell breaks loose. A film that took 15 animators 3 years to complete, the film was a huge hit both financially and critically, establishing Tim Burton’s reputation as a visionary and innovator in the field of animation.

2. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

Before Disney became a powerhouse in the field of animated films, this was their first big break. While characters like Mickey Mouse had already acquired fame, Disney hadn’t set out on a truly international project.

While critics and experts termed the film a huge risk not worth taking, Disney took the plunge and released the film. It was the first animated film to witness a worldwide release, and the whole world watched with its mouth wide open as they were introduced to the giant scope of animation. There have been lots of versions of the story since, but this version in 1937 is considered a milestone in the domain of animated films. There have been lots of versions since, but this one kicked it all off for Disney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncMKymAOy1I

3. THE IRON GIANT (1999)

Based on the novel by the same name by Ted Hughes, The Iron Giant tells the story of a boy who finds a huge metal giant in his backyard. The boy befriends the giant and decides to protect him from the military, that wants to destroy the giant.

Directed by Brad Bird, who later made the cult hits The Incredibles and Ratatouille, the film used traditional animation techniques like computer generated imagery for the robot. While the film bombed at the Box Office, it is today considered a milestone in animation, having developed a cult following across the world.

4. WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988)

Yet another example of a blend between live action and animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit tells the story of a rabbit who has been accused of murder and needs to clear his name.

The director of the film is the legendary Robert Zemeckis, the genius behind the Back to the Future series, and Forest Gump, among many other gems. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was pathbreaking in its time, because it was the first animated film that risked using sexual and adults references in its dialogues and imagery. While there was lot of pressure from studios to do away with this material, Robert Zemeckis stuck to his ground and saw to it that the film was released as is. It is today considered a landmark animated film.

5. IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY (2012)

Directed, written, animated, and produced by award-winning animator Don Hertzfeldt, It’s Such a Beautiful Day is a 62 minute long animated film that has met with critical acclaim since its release.

The entire film is narrated in stick figures, and the whole project is helmed by the one person – writer, director, animator Don Hertzfeldt. Narrating the story of a stick-figure man who is coming to terms with the meaning of life, and his own death, It’s Such a Beautiful Day is a poignant, heart-touching story that is acknowledged as avant-garde today by critics and animation experts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN8Kd3zR_mE

6. PERSEPOLIS (2007)

Adapted from the award winning autobiographical graphic novel of the same name by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis tells the story of a teenage Marjane in Iran. Set during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s, Persepolis adopts a narrative and visual style of a graphic novel, narrating the heart-wrenching story of a girl who is finding it difficult to cope with ideas of god and divinity, and her questions about religion, sexuality, puberty, and growing up in an Islamic state.

7. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (2008)

An Israeli war film that pushed the boundaries of what an animated film can reveal, this film directed by Ari Folman tells the story of a man who is trying to place his memories related to his participation in the 1982 Lebanon war.

Adopting a narrative style that is both visually stunning and heartbreaking, Waltz with Bashir presents palettes that will haunt you long after the film is over, especially the scenes with 26 dogs chasing the man through the streets. With a stirring background score by Max Richter, Waltz with Bashir is a film you absolutely shouldn’t miss.

8. SITA SINGS THE BLUES (2008)

A film that has courted controversy in India, Sita Sings The Blues is a cheeky animated film that attempts to retell the Ramayana from the eyes of Sita. Using a unique story telling format that is part psychedelic, part calendar-art, Sita Sings The Blues is a completely new retelling of the epic, which questions a lot of themes that we are afraid of questioning.

As funny as it is thought-provoking, Sita Sings The Blues also features vintage Blues songs by Annette Hanshaw, which appear throughout the film in hilarious scenes. Nina Paley, the director of the film has since faced criticism, and the film has been banned in India, thanks to protests by right wing groups that it offends their sensibilities.

9. TOY STORY (1995)

While we were trying to leave out popular Hollywood films from our list, it is simply impossible to compile a list of animated films without mentioning this gem from Pixar.

This was the first film in the Toy Story franchise, and Steve Jobs was one of the executive producers on this project. Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and legendary stand up comedian Don Rickles, the film gave the world loveable and unforgettable characters like Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Mr. Potatohead. Toy Story changed the way the world viewed animated films forever, bringing into the arena another major player in the game – Pixar – another reason for humanity to be thankful to Steve Jobs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYz2wyBy3kc

10. ALLADIN (1992)

Disney faced a major slump in the late 80s, and they had stopped making films altogether.

It was with Alladin that Disney decided to take a huge risk and hired big names for the cast. Before Alladin, no major Hollywood stars lent their voices for animated projects. Robin Williams was cast as The Genie, and the rest as they say, is his craziness taking over.

Playing the mad, lovable Genie, Robin Williams brought to life one of the most iconic characters to hit the screen. The film was a huge success and gave birth to a second stint of animated films. Alladin was the highest grossing film of the year, and the highest grossing animated film for a long time. Alladin started the trend of major Hollywood stars becoming a part of animated project.

Watch This Hilarious Video On People’s Reactions In Cinema Halls

Team Wirally

October 28, 2015

Many of us have watched numerous movies in cinema halls. We all are audiences of different kind. Some of us go with a gang to watch a ‘Bhai’ movie, some always take a girlfriend along and get stuck with those fake emotions with her. While some of us love the item numbers, some fight over pop-corn and some just stare at any hot chick who enters the hall. The cinema hall caters to every audience. Kantriguyz have compiled some hilarious situations and brought together our people’s reactions to watching movies in cinema halls.

You will definitely connect with one or the other!!

9 Rare Combinations That Almost Got Erased From Memory

Team Wirally

October 27, 2015

Combinations in movies are one of the major ingredient which helps in making movies work. The basic chemistry needs to sync with the audience for a combination to work. Our actors too try different combinations almost everytime and do succeed most of the times. Some are very screen friendly and can expect to have worked together. But, there are few rare combinations which give us a tough time to realize if such combinations really did happen..

The memory is such a player that, some combinations totally erase from our memory timeline and give us this intuition if such combinations really happened. Here are few of those combination which will take us atleast a sec or two to actually accept the fact…

JAGAPATHY BABU & ANUSHKA SHETTY

The movie Swagatham directed by Dasarath did actually garner good response at the box office. But, the combination of JB and Anushka in this triangular love story did not remain in most of our memories.

PRABHAS & SIMRAN

Kalakatha pan esina chusuko.. is the last song of the high voltage emotional drama Raghavendra, Prabhas second movie. Yes! It did have Simran dancing along with Prabhas when she was almost bidding a bye as a heroine in her first innings

SUMAN & SIMRAN

Her first telugu film at the age of 21, Simran was paired opposite to Suman, who is now the father to most of the heroines. The fact that Suman was a hero is very much evident, but Simran, who took a whole generation of youngsters then for a ride seems almost unbelievable now.

BALAKRISHNA & LAYA

Yes, they did a movie together. Balayya has a minimum of 2 heroines in most of his moives and in one of the movie where he opens the scene saving a rabbit on a hill also has Laya playing his wife whom he forgets. So did we forget that they were actually paired!

Dr. RAJASHEKAR & BHOOMIKA

It was the time when Rajashekar’s movies were becoming like a tuesday in a week. You are not that interested if the day comes and you won’t know when it passed also. In one such tuesday movie, which was a remake of Mohanlal’s hit Hallo, Bhoomika was roped in. Nothing affected the fate of the movie at box office. It bombed and no one even remembers

PAWAN KALYAN & RAASI

It was PK’s second movie and Raasi just made it into the industry. While Raasi was the immediate remedy for all family oriented stories, she never managed to work with any of the biggies then. A not so convincing pair that might sound now, but yeah, they did work together

MAHESH BABU & SIMRAN

Yuvaraju was Mahesh Babu second movie. While Sakshi Sivanand was the one we remember, Simran too played the role of Mahesh Babu’s girl whom he falls for and has a kid too. Amazing right!!

SUMANTH & KAJAL

While Sumanth barely tasted success with few of his movie stayed successful in picking challenging roles, but they didn’t get him much fame. In one of the movies after Satyam, Kajal Agarwal who was just making her mark in the industry did pair opposite to him. It’s not in your memory, right?? But, its true!!

SRIKANTH & ANJANA ZAVERI

This was the time when Anjana Zaveri was almost fading out and as bit of her farewell, she was cast opposite Srikanth. It obviously didn’t fare well and as a result not many people even remember this combination happened.

SUMANTH – ANUSHKA SHETTY

Very next after Super movie nushka paired up with sumanth in Mahanadi. May be you don’t have idea when this got released.

5 Indian Graphic Novels Series For Stimulation Hungry Souls

Team Wirally

October 27, 2015

BY AADITHYAN MOHAN K.

Graphic Novels are basically comics, but with deeper themes, and complex storylines. Since they aim to go beyond mere comics, they are called ‘Graphic Novels’. Some of the most famous works in cinema are adapted from Graphic Novels – The Watchmen, V For Vendetta, and Blue is the Warmest Colour – all began as graphic novels.

Given the burgeoning interest in comics and graphic novels, it is no surprise that the Indian comic book scene is in a developmental stage. With a plethora of new creators coming out of the woodwork, there is some stunning work getting made. Since it is hard for individual authors and independent publishers to put out their own work, several comic creators in India collaborate and get their work published under one banner. Here are some Indian graphic novels that will both blow your mind, while making you think!

1. THIS SIDE THAT SIDE: RESTORYING PARTITION

A bold and evocative collection of tales that deals with one of the most turbulent, and heart-wrenching, periods of Indian history – the Partition. A gargantuan collaborative effort by numerous artists, This Side That Side was published by Yoda Press in association with the Goethe Institut, Delhi. The stories that come seeping from the smoke, blood, ash and terror of those uncertain times are explored beautifully by the eclectic creators. Including graphic narratives from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, this anthalogy is not to be missed. In fact, if you’re a history buff, then it would be preferable to stab yourself in the eye with a particularly blunt spoon rather than not read this fantastic compendium. One of the last bits, for example, is a flip book of people’s faces that have been split into three segments, which can be mixed and matched to see how faces change but essentually remain the same. (Buy the book here)

2. MIXTAPE VOLUMES 1 & 2

Originally published under the name Manta Ray Comics, these absolutely gorgeous books are slim little volumes of delight. The creators now work under the banner of Kokaachi, and have moved on to other beauties. Everything about the books are pleasing, from the brown hand-made paper of the pages and stunningly beautiful covers, to the simple – mostly black and white – stories, to the amazing handling of modern day themes and the worries that occupy us when we’re in the most private parts of our own heads. Dealing with such page-turners as identity and sexuality to taking pot-shots at our social media obsessed culture, the two volumes that comprise the Mixed Tape are a worthy read for anybody who has a heart.

3. Pao Collective

The final product of one of India’s first and most successful comic collaborations, the Pao Collective, Pao: The Anthology of Comics 1 is one of the zaniest books to have hit Indian readers in a while. A collection of twelve stories from some of the biggest names in Indian comics – Orijit Sen, Parismita Singh, Vishwajyoti Gosh, and Sarnath Banerjee to name a few – it deals with themes revolving around ideas such as politics, love, legends and violence. Bursting with artistic flair, the different stories will take you through a range of visual styles that come at your sensibilities in waves of aesthetic flavour. Moving from raw and provocative line to line, the stories seem to encounter everything from the quirky to the dazzling while being profoundly contemplative in the same breath. (Buy the series here)

4. THE OBLITERARY JOURNAL VOLUMES 1 & 2

Truly a trailblazer in wonderfully myriad ways, these volumes of anthologies will leave you either completly hating them or absolutely loving them. Produced as a collaboration between Blaft Publications and Tranquebar Press, these books contain work by some veterans, and a lot of newcomers to the scene. Featuring daring and experimental work by Amitabh Kumar, Amrutha Patil, Jai Undurti, Malavika PC, and Vidyun Sabhaney to name a few, this book is a compressed riot of visual sensation. Filled with vivid colours and pencils, the stories explore a number of genres and are expressed through a broad range of media such as photographs, sequential art, and graffiti. Other than exploring stories, the books also deal with iconography and the study of images and patterns. (Buy the book here)

5. DRAWING THE LINE: INDIAN WOMEN FIGHT BACK

Published by the intrepid folk at Zubaan Books, Drawing The Line: Indian Women Fight Back is a response by the creators to the shockingly bad state of women living in India. The chief spark for this vindication of indignant rage was the Nirbhaya incident that rocked the consciousness of a nation, and a world, that has been mired in the trappings of patriarchy for far too long. Made and brought into creation by a number of female artists and writers, this tome of graphic narratives is subversive and filled with the ardent desire for change, for the status quo to vanish and disappear into the tepid dust of obscurity. You have to encounter the tales of these fourteen creators, and face their stories if you can. (Buy the book here).

Read : Things To Buy In Amsterdam – 13 Weird Things to buy in Amsterdam

KBC’s new kick-ass promo aims to kick out religious hatred

Team Wirally

October 27, 2015

Kaun Banega Crorepati, commonly called KBC – the show that made Amitabh Bachchan relevant again. The show that changed lives, and kept us glued to the screen for so many years, is back with its new season.

KBC just released an ad that aims to promote harmony and peace, titled ‘Neighbours’. The promo is along the lines of this year’s campaign – ‘Yahaan sirf paise nahi, dil bhi jeeta jaate hain’.

Amitabh Bachchan has been the face of the show since the Indian version of the show arrived on TV screens and took the nation by storm. For a brief while, Shah Rukh Khan was the host and then the show went back to Amitabh Bachchan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaLnbtGnCR0

The show originally began in UK in the year 1998. Since then, the show has been replicated in numerous countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan. The show has been such a hit that it has often had various versions in the same country. For example, there is a Persian as well as Pashto version in Afghanistan.

In India, the show has been licensed into eight languages – Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Bhojpuri. While the show began with three lifelines (Phone a Friend, Audience Poll, and 50-50), the new lifeline of ‘Switch’ has been there since 2007.

While we are on the topic of the show, you must watch this guy – John Carpenter. John was the first millionaire winner on the US version of the show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?, and his response to the last question is simply epic! (Watch the video here).

Ravi Shastri under fire for ‘abusing’ Mumbai pitch curator

Team Wirally

October 27, 2015

Ravi Shastri has come under fire for his comments on Wankhede pitch curator Sudhir Naik.

Allegedly, Shastri was not happy with the way the pitch was prepared for the final of the 5 match ODI series that South Africa won recently. Commentator and former Test cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar was vocal in his criticism of Shastri.

“Ravi Shastri completely out of line to abuse Sudhir Naik, curator at Wankhede. Showed disrespect to age & fellow test cricketer???.

Shastri, however, denies abusing the former cricketer. One of the most prominent commentators in world cricket and surely a man who chooses his words wisely, Ravi Shastri replied that he was only being sarcastic, saying “Great pitch. Well done???. It is not the first time a commentator is coming under fire for his choice of words.

Though Shastri has had a blemishless record as a commentator, there have been times when he has let it go. For example, the Tehelka sting operation where Shastri is shown drinking beer and letting go about his thoughts on the Indian team of 2000, including Ajay Jadeja and Nayan Mongia.

There have been earlier instances of commentators getting into soup, including the most infamous of them all – Dean Jones saying off-mike ‘The terrorist has gont another one’ when Hashim Amla caught Sangakkara off Shaun Pollock. It was caught on air and Dean Jones was banned from all sorts of commentary officiated by the ICC. (Skip to 00.57)

There was also the incident when Navjyot Sidhu is alleged to have told Alan Wilkins on air: “Don’t f*ck with me???. Sidhu was also removed from the Star Sport commentary panel ahead of the 2011 World Cup. (Read the article here).

For now, the matter has been escalated to the bosses at BCCI. With his clout, and his position as the Director of the Indian cricket team, it is highly unlikely that Shastri will face any severe action for his sarcastic comment.

When Indian Voters Defied Logic

Team Wirally

October 26, 2015

India is the largest democracy in the world.

With 814.5 million voters, the 2014 elections were the largest electoral exercise in the world.

But have we always used our power to vote in the right way? There have been instances when Indian voters defied all sorts of logic and reason. Here’s a look:

1. CONGRESS WINNING GENERAL ELECTIONS IN 1980.

Indira Gandhi led the Congress to a sweeping victory after the party won 353 out of the 542 Lok Sabha seats. This was merely three years after the infamous Emergency was called off, suggesting that some of our family members were possibly into drugs.

The Emergency was imposed in 1975 and is the darkest periods in India’s history. In fact, it was so dark that Hindustan Lever launched Fair and Lovely the same year to capitalize on the huge market.

The Allahabad High Court had convicted Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices and declared the 1971 general elections illegal, making it clear that the Judge had two more balls than that of Indira’s cabinet combined. This judgement fired up the workers’ and students’ movements in various parts of India under leaders like JP and George Fernandes. The Emergency was in response to the growing opposition to Indira.

Basic fundamental rights were dismissed; opposition leaders were arrested, freedom of press was scuttled, elections were suspended, and non-congress state governments were kicked out. Indira assumed dictatorial powers, while her son Sanjay did whatever he wanted. For instance, he carried out mass sterilisation since he believed all of India’s problems were due to population growth.

The Emergency was called off as surprisingly as it was announced, and elections were held in 1977. It wasn’t a surprise when Congress was routed while the Janata Alliance came to power with Moraji Desai as the Prime Minister. But the alliance was short lived, and it broke apart like the protagonist’s family in a Balaji production. Charan Singh, the deputy prime minister, was wooed by Indira away from the Janata alliance. Others like Vajpayee also withdrew support, following which Moraji resigned.

Charan Singh was sworn in as PM, but even before he could prove majority in the Lok Sabha, Congress withdrew support, thereby making Charan Singh look like the greatest idiot ever (till Rahul Gandhi arrived). Even after all this, in the general elections held in 1980, Indira came back to power, that too with absolute majority. The Emergency was in effect like the calculus lessons of the eleventh standard. In three years, everything was forgotten.

2. CONGRESS WINNING THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 2004

The NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee lasted its full term. India was making steady progress under his leadership, and NDA had come to be associated with progress. Most importantly, India did exceedingly well in the 2003 World Cup.

The national mood under Vajpayee was strong enough, since BJP had only recently emerged victorious in the assembly elections in the states of Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, and MP.

It became clear that the nation was possibly favourably disposed toward BJP and hence, Vajpayee decided to prepone the elections in order to capture the popular mood. But over-confidence is like having a son who didn’t make it to any of the IITs. It is embarrassing, often gets you into trouble, and you’re made to fend off uncomfortable questions, like’ are you going to abandon him now?’

The General Elections were held in mid-2004, and BJP came up with the infamous ‘India Shining’ campaign, and everything looked rosy. But little did they know that this campaign would turn out to be the greatest BJP mess-up till the time they appointed Sambit Patra as their national spokesperson.

BJP went overboard with the campaign. The India shining campaign was taken as an offence by the marginalized section, i.e., the urban and rural poor who made up a significant portion of the population, who felt the only things that were shining were their empty utensils. The tagline “You’ve never had a better time to shine brighter??? sounded more like a cobbler at Kurla trying to seduce a customer. This was further aggravated by the Congress party who exploited this campaign to their benefit, and to their credit, Indians called bullshit on the campaign.

So everyone, including the media houses and their ever so reliable predictions suggested NDA would romp home to victory, Congress, like the Sri Ram Sene during Valentine’s, caught everyone unawares.

3. AAP WINNING THE 2015 DELHI ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

This instance was not as illogical as some of the others. But unlike Somnath Bharti’s misdemeanors that involved his wife, the margin of victory was a matter of surprise.

The lesser of two evils principle suggests that when you’re faced with two messed up options; you should probably choose the one that’s least harmful. For instance, when your mom offers you the choice to have either Lauki or Tindey for dinner, you should find yourself a new mom.

Faced with two ridiculous options (we’re not counting Congress since zero added to two is two anyway) they went with the one that looked less embarrassing. Between Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, they went with Kejriwal. And one can’t blame them for it. Kiran Bedi was infamous for taking better U-turns than Kejriwal and her antics during the run up to the elections (and even after she was swept aside by the AAP broom, when she proclaimed that it wasn’t her loss, but BJP’s) made it clear that making her the CM would be like downing five large whiskey pegs at one go: it looks like a dangerous option, and is going to leave you with a headache and a bad feeling the next morning.

AAP managed to win 67 out of the total 70 assembly seats, while the BJP shockingly got only 3. Even the BJP chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi was swept away by AAP. Congress, as expected managed to win nothing. However, it was not a reflection on Rahul Gandhi’s leadership as Kamal Nath said. He couldn’t be more correct. You can’t blame a man for not spending enough when he doesn’t have any money.

The Modi wave was expected to get BJP over the line, as it had done in the assembly elections in four states just months before the Delhi assembly elections. It was not clear whether the middle class and the upper class moved away from the BJP and sided with the AAP because the BJP government at the centre fostered an ambience that inspired violence, because the Firstpost article that I referred to seemed anti-Modi, and was clearly as impartial as Steve Bucknor officiating in a match featuring India. Nevertheless, just like Nitish Kumar’s credibility after he joined the Grand Alliance, BJP was destroyed.

4. RJD WINNING THE 2000 BIHAR ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

Lalu Prasad Yadav was arrested in 1997 for doing away with money for cattle feed by conjuring fake rosters. But in an act of shamelessness that’s second only to N. Sreenivasan holding onto his job as BCCI chief, he installed Rabri Devi as Chief Minister even when she was completely illiterate and had lesser interest (and experience) in her job than the guy who sorts undergarments according to their size on Snapdeal.

The NDA was confident of coming to power with an overwhelming majority. However, it had misread its victory in the Lok Sabha elections wherein it had won 41 out of the 54 Lok Sabha seats and had been leading in 199 out of the 324 assembly segments. NDA managed 125 seats, way behind the 180 mark that the leaders were trumpeting about. RJD on the other hand lost 43 seats over its 1995 tally, but the loss was underwhelming considering the kind of portrayal the media had done regarding RJD’s future and what Lalu had done when he decided to have dinner with his buffaloes. RJD managed 126 and emerged as the single largest party, which also proved, to some extent, why Bihar was consistently among the most backward states in India.

So, people in effect elected Lalu, who was stealing money meant for cattle feed of all things, was arrested, and installed his wife as CM, to disappoint them for the next five years rather than give someone from the NDA a chance to plunder them.

So you see, getting the power to vote didn’t do us Indians a whole lot of good. We continued to vote according to moods and emotions, rather than logic.

Why India Loves AB de Villiers

Team Wirally

October 26, 2015

As South African cricketers delivered a thorough trashing to Indian bowlers on the final on Sunday, there were a few things that stood out.

One, that Indian bowlers seemed hapless under pressure. A fast bowler has ONE responsibility – to bowl fast. And when your fast bowler is cantering up and delivering laddoos at 125 kph, you can’t expect much. Second, in spite of the carnage, a lot of Indians genuinely enjoyed watching AB de Villiers play. They hooted as he booted the bowlers to all parts of the park.

There’s something about the guy. India loves AB de Villiers.

I have thought long and hard, and the reason is inexplicable at first thought. We have never taken too kindly to players who have gotten the better of us. Just going by records, you’ll find we weren’t too kind to players who were terrific against us.

In One Day Internationals, Sanath Jayasuriya has the most centuries against India – 7, and Indians have no particular fondness for the guy. Then there’s Ricky Ponting, who has smashed 6 One Day centuries and 8 Test centuries against India. I don’t know if there’s a Hate Meter available, but I’m pretty sure Ponting is the most hated cricketer in India. Even more than Sreesanth.

We have a strange relation with foreign cricketers. I don’t know if it’s like this with all countries. Going by records, after Don Bradman (who only played against England), the person with the most centuries against one particular nation is Sunil Gavaskar, who sized up a mind-boggling 13 centuries against the West Indies, at the time when they were the most destructive side in cricket. And there were no helmets back then! And yet, ‘Sunny’ Gavaskar is loved and respected in West Indies.

Somehow, we don’t take kindly to foreign players. In fact, in the modern era (90s onwards), the only cricketers that I think Indians respected were Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar.

But that’s not the case with AB de Villiers. India loves AB de Villiers. Here’s why:

1. AB dE VILLIERS IS A GENIUS.

In case you didn’t know, AB de Villiers is a freaking genius. And we aren’t even talking about his superhuman cricketing skills here. AB de Villiers was a freak of nature right from his childhood. He could excel at nearly every sport he touched, and was also gifted in academics and music. Here’s a sample of what the guy did before he started smashing cricketing records.

And in India, we love Boy Wonders. We love naturally gifted people, those who were bestowed with tons of talent, which is probably why Sachin Tendulkar is a bigger star than Rahul Dravid, who had to ride through greater obstacles than the former, to achieve what he did.

2. AB NEVER SLEDGES.

Personally, I have no problem with aggression on the field. But for most Indians, it is a bit too much. In fact, when you ask Indians what makes Sachin great, we speak equally about his behavior on field, as his cricketing records.

Being the polite, nice guy is important if you want us as your fans. There are teams that are aggressive on the field, like the Australians. For these guys, every day is World War II. I don’t get it – itna gussa karke kya ukhaad loge?Every match with the Australians feels like the climax of Chak De India. The South Africans have also had aggressive players once in a while. But not AB. He is Rohit from Kaho Na Pyar Hai. No matter what, he’ll be a nice guy.

I have never seen the guy raise his voice, shout, or express dissent in any particular way. He is always smiling, and on that rare moment when he feels let down, is unafraid to let his emotions show.

3. AB IS A GENUINE ‘NICE GUY’.

Somehow, Indians have built a bond with AB over the years. This is a far cry from the times when we would only watch a match if India was playing. For us, cricket was India, and India was Sachin Tendulkar. Anything beyond that was of no use to us.

And in an age when cricket is becoming more animated, colourful, and aggressive, there’s this guy who doesn’t mind showing his emotions on the field.

AB de Villiers is like that nice guy in class. The guy who comes first in class but doesn’t mind bunking a class with you. The guy whom the teacher loves, but will never take your name if the teacher conducts an enquiry.

4. WE SEE A BIT OF SEHWAG’S MADNESS IN AB.

Whether you admit it or not, there’s a bit of madness to AB de Villiers.

That hint of unpredictability, that crack of the willow, that ability to bend rules and fling them away. However, there’s a difference. While Sehwag struggled to cope with age and failing hand-eye coordination, AB has evolved into a superpower of the game.

From Tests to ODIs, to T20s, AB is always coming up with innovative ways to take the ball across the boundary. When he’s fielding, he’s the best fielder in the side. When he’s the keeper, he is making Superman seem like a stunt double.

There’s an element of risk in everything he does, a certain style that is both fearless and crazy. AB is the genius that Sehwag couldn’t become. And probably that is what we see when we see AB de Villiers play.

Sunday’s final was another testimony to the craze that AB enjoys in India. He is not one of us, but he could have as well been Suresh from Mumbai or Abdul from Kashmir.

We Indians love AB de Villiers with all our heart.

PS: Screw you, Ricky Ponting. 😀

This 20 year old, a labourer’s son, is set to play against South Africa

Team Wirally

October 24, 2015

While following the current India South Africa series, you probably haven’t heard of Nathu Singh. But it’s time you do, for he may soon be the face of Indian bowling.

Nathu Singh, 20, is the son of parents who work in a wire factory in Fatehpur was noticed for his raw pace with a tennis ball, and was suggested to try out at an academy. In fact, he was recognized for not only his pace, but his ability to maintain line and length, a crucial factor for fast bowlers.

If you’ve been following Indian cricket, you’ll know we have two kinds of fast bowlers – those who have pace, but spray the ball around like a rhinoceros with diarrhea. Example, Sreesanth and Varun Aaron. On the other hand, we have ‘fast’ bowlers who maintain their line and length, but rarely exceed speeds of 130 km/hr. Example – Ishant Sharma, Bhuvaneswar Kumar.

Nathu Singh has caught the attention of all the right people. Rahul Dravid has put in a good word for Nathu, as have Gautam Gambhir and Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya. Nathu Singh has also caught the attention of the man whose opinion matters the most – Chairman of Selection Committee Sandeep Patil.

In what could be a dream could true, Nathu Singh has been selected to play in the Boards President’s XI vs South Africa in the match before the Test series begins. Nathu will also get to meet his hero, the best fast bowler in the world – Dale Steyn.

While Nathu Singh is an exciting prospect for Indian cricket, one hopes he doesn’t end up like other ‘fast’ bowlers of India. Who get ‘coached’ by experts, and end up dropping their pace and concentrating on swing.

Watch this space for more!

(Featured Image Courtesy: Indian Exress)

The Uncommon Man of India – 11 Amazing Facts about RK Laxman

Team Wirally

October 24, 2015

Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman, popularly known as R.K. Laxman was born on October 24, 1921. Needless to mention, he was best known for his creation “The Common Man??? and his daily cartoon strip “You Said It??? in the Times of India, which started in 1951.

Today, on his 94th birthday let’s look into few little-known facts about him.

1. R.K Narayana and R.K Laxman are brothers! *yeah R.K R.K sounds family*

How hard it is for you to believe that your favourite childhood stories, “Malgudi Days??? shares connection with this man? Yup! The creator of Malgudi Days, R.K Narayan is the elder brother of R.K. Laxman. The illustrations that appear on the TV adaptations of Malgudi Days were drawn by R.K Laxman. Their genes have got the talent! *wink*

2. BAL THACKERAY AND RK LAXMAN WERE COLLEAGUES.

All of us know Bal Thackrey, isn’t it? Surprisingly, Bal Thackrey and R.K Laxman shared a great bond. R.K. Laxman started his career at The Free Press Journal where Bal Thackrey also worked for brief period of time as a cartoonist. They were colleagues back then and eventually became great friends. Back in 2010, when R.K Laxman was hospitalised due to a chronic illness, Bal Thackrey came to visit him. That speaks enough for their friendship!

3. THE ‘COMMON MAN’ WAS NOT ALONE, INITIALLY!

R.K Laxman was trying to depict different cultures and states in his sketch when he started drawing cartoons for The Times of India. Due to a volcanic deadline, the cartoons in the background started vanishing and the final sketch was left with one character dressed in dhoti and plaid jacket- who turned out to be the iconic The Common Man.

4. RK LAXMAN WAS THE HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEE AT THE TIMES OF INDIA

He worked with The Times of India for more than 60 years. The cartoon strip, “You Said It??? was started in 1951. For many of us, even though we didn’t understand the nuances of politics and economy, we checked out his cartoon and laughed. Such was RK Laxman’s stature at the Times of India, that till he was there, he was the highest paid employee.

5. RK LAXMAN WAS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST.

Pretty hard to believe this. How could someone be exceptionally good in cartooning without a professional training? But R.K. Laxman was! His inspiration was Sir David Low. Sir David Low himself was a self-taught political cartoonist. R. K. Laxman was inspired by a lot of his works in this field, and began to explore his creative side, training himself to get better and better, till he became the most recognised cartoonist in the country.

6. RK LAXMAN WAS DENIED ADMISSION INTO JJ SCHOOL OF ARTS, MUMBAI

Absolutely unbelievable, isn’t it? R. K. Laxman wanted to pursue his interest and study “Arts??? and that is when he applied at Sir JJ School of Arts. But his application was refused. The dean wrote to him saying he lacks the talent to qualify to be enrolled as a student at the institution. Irony, however, had the last laugh. Years later, he was invited for a lecture as a Chief Guest to the same college.

7. COMMON MAN’S STAMP AND STATUE

On the 150th Anniversary of The Times of India in the year 1988, a commemorative postal stamp featuring The Common Man was released. Also, a 8-feet tall bronze statue of The Common Man stands in front of the Vishwabhavan building of the Symbiosis University, Pune.

8. RK LAXMAN DESIGNED THE ‘ASIAN PAINTS’ MASCOT

We have all seen advertisements by Asian Paints that feature a cute boy holding a paint brush. That kid – Gattu, the mascot of Asian Paints, was created by R.K. Laxman in the year 1954. Also, The Common Man, was also used by Air Deccan as its Mascot.

9. RK LAXMAN’S CARTOONS INSPIRED A TV SHOW

A comedy show named, “R.K. Laxman ki duniya??? was aired on Sony India’s channel SAB TV. The show had more than 200 episodes and it featured R.K. Laxman’s cartoons, while dealing with the themes common to Laxman – the problems of the common man.

10. PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS ADORN HIS SHELF

R.K. Laxman was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1971 and later in 2005, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan. Apart from these, he was given an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore. CNBC TV 18 awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award as a journalist.

11. RK LAXMAN WAS OBSESSED WITH CROWS!

RK Laxman revealed in an interview that he learnt drawing by observing various objects outside his window, and one of his favourite obsessions was the crow. Apparently, Laxman loved the crow because of their intelligence. On a humorous note, his wife Kamala once said, “He likes crows for their colour and also because the bird is very intelligent. He loves crows more than me!”.

Rest in peace, RK Laxman.

Your work continues to inspire millions of aspiring artists in the country. Your cartoons gave Indians a moment of laughter every single morning. It helped us rise up, laugh, and survive in the chaos that comes with living in India as a common man!

You are missed every single day!

(Feature Image courtesy: Google Doodle. All other images courtesy: The Times of India)

15 Years Of Sukku-Allu Arjun’s Arya. And We Still Feel The Love !

Team Wirally

October 24, 2015

Remember your school days – when you had Physics and Maths as subjects?

How much you understood of these subjects depended largely on who the teacher was. If it was an interesting teacher, you understood the nuances of the subject. If not, these two subjects became the toughest subjects in your Time Table.

Back in the early 2000’s, there was no social networking and YouTube. Cinema watching was still an intensely personal affair. You didn’t have access to in-depth live tweet reviews, nor the dissection of the films on articles and videos on the day of release. Watching a film was still about making a plan with your friends, going to a hall, fighting to get the tickets, buying a cool drink, chips, and settling down to watch the movie. Your only barometer of the film’s success was the whistles and claps and dances of the audience.

Back in those days, the director wasn’t discussed in as much length and depth as it is today. A film was a three-hour vehicle into fantasy-land, and that was it. Of course, there were legendary directors who had made their mark, but the craft of filmmaking wasn’t discussed with the nuances of today.

ARYA – The Character

arya completes 15 years

For once, the hero wasn’t the sort who would chase the heroine and sing songs of eternal love. One who thought the girl has a right to choose her partner, and yet, would go to any length to impress and win her affection over. The character of Arya won over the affection of the audiences (and the girl, eventually!). Not only did Arya do wonders at the box office, it also remains one of the best films of the decade, adding many more shades to the role of a conventional Telugu film hero.

ALLU ARJUN – An Identity

arya completes 15 years

Arya gave Allu Arjun a distinct identity of his own – even though he had been doing interesting movies before Arya, none of them had set the box office on fire.

CINEMATOGRAPHY – Rathnavelu’s Gem of Work

arya completes 15 years

Rathnavelu was Sukumar’s pick as cinematographer, whom had already built up a reputation for excellent frame composition.

SUKUMAR – A Director of Substance

arya completes 15 years

When Sukumar broke into the scene with Arya, it suddenly made the audience sit up and take notice. Arya wasn’t your typical romantic story. But perhaps the most surprising element of Arya was the amount of talk that the film generated for the director – Sukumar. People began to follow his filmography, generating a keen interest in all his projects. Sukumar continued with his knack for experimental plots – with Arya 2 adding many shades of grey to the hero’s character. Later, Nenokkadine was another classic example of Sukumar’s vision as a director.

arya completes 15 years

To be frank, except those who were deeply immersed in movies, the general audience who just wanted to be entertained for 3 hours never noticed the Director of a film all that much. This era with the likes of VV Vinayak and SS Rajamouli who were in the beginning of their career helped the director’s brand rise in prominence in the minds of the viewers.

Finally ‘DIL RAJU’ – A People’s Producer with Guts

arya completes 15 years

‘Dil’ Raju redefined the way movies are to be made. For a great content, he showed that budget wasn’t a barrier. He and Sukumar sensed the pulse of audience. Unlike the awareness of cinema we have now, a decade back, not many films that came tried to play with the intelligence of the audience. Experimenting was confined to any one genre and never was in the mainstream.

Sukumar will always be given credit for his attempt to increase the intelligence of his audience, which is where you will achieve to make meaningful cinema.

10 Biggie Movies That Fell Flat At The Box Office

Team Wirally

October 23, 2015

Every movie that is made has an aim to hit bull’s eye at the Box Office. Some hit accurately, some go close, some manage to just satisfy, but some really disappoint and we end up calling them disasters. If much hype isn’t created and the movies just come and go, it wouldn’t matter much to us. But, if a proper hype is created and then the movie doesn’t reach the bare minimum expectations, they fall flat at the box office.

These don’t happen with small movies because we have no clue of what the movie is going to be anyways. But, those biggies – they do come with lot of expectations and they come at those times when the audience is eagerly waiting to get entertained. Now instead of ‘The End’, if the audience read an imaginary word ‘KLPD’ at the end credits, they really get frustrated and throw the movie flat on the ground. Going back in timeline, here are those biggies which fell flat, literally FLAT at the box office.

1. BIG BOSS

Chiru was in his peaks and Big Boss came with lots of expectations back then. It failed miserably and turned out to be the biggest disaster in Chiru’s career.

2. SEEMA SIMHAM

After the faction trend picked up and Balayaa cracking hard with Samarasimha Reddy and Narasimhanaidu, the third one back fired big time and ended up being a disaster in Balayya’s career

3. MRUGARAJU

A much hyped movie which was part of the Sankranthi Race in 2001, failed to live upto expectations and turned out to be a debacle.

4. TAKKARI DONGA

Jayanth C Paranjee took all precautions around this first big venture being the producer too for this one apart from directing it himself. But, unfortunately it didn’t work out according to the hype that it created and lost out to Tarun’s Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu in the 2002 Sankranthi race.

5. JOHNNY

This was coming right after PK delivered Kushi, which was an industry hit. A lot of hype and expectations were created around this. Infact this was the first movie to come up with a proper trailer, which was a rare scene then in TFI. And it simply bombed falling flat from the first show itself.

6. ANDHRAWALA

Arranging exclusive trains for the fans to attend the audio release of this one was itself which is even unbelievable now. After rising to heights with Idiot and Amma Nanna O Tamil Ammai, this was Puri’s collaboration with Jr. NTR and obviously the hype too was at its peaks.

7. OKKA MAGAADU

This one too was part of the Sankranthi race and with the first looks and the huge cast, YVS Chowdary let our imaginations break open the roof. One of the big disasters in Balayya’s career again.

8. BADRINATH

After Magadheera, Allu Arvind looked to repeat the same with Allu Arjun and spent a lot on this one. Apparently Chinni Krishna went to Himalayas and wrote this story. Wonder how serious he took his job. Somehow people couldn’t digest the fact that Allu Arjun in that avtar and it finally ended up being a disaster.

9. REBEL

Prabhas’s looks were just kickass in this one. His looks, walks etc in that trailer were really stylish and this generated a lot of hype. But, on the other end it was Lawrence who not only handled the direction but also the music. Seriously, MUSIC?? And after the movie release it was just banging your head against the wall. Neat disaster.

10. AAGADU

This was unexpected from a combination which just delivered a blockbuster like Dookudu. Later did we discover that the writers and the directors had a spat and this was the result of it.

There are many more but we just picked up the those which were on the top 10 list. If you have any other movies which you felt were even worse and shattered your expectations please let comment on the section below.

Shah Rukh released the logo for his new film Fan

Team Wirally

October 23, 2015

Shah Rukh Khan, whose last film Happy New Year raked in the moolah at the box office but wasn’t a huge hit with critics, has just released the logo for his next film – Fan.

Directed by Maneesh Sharma, who earlier directed Band Baaja Baarat, Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl, and Shudh Desi Romance, is set to direct this film. The story has been written by Habib Faisal, who has directed films Ishaqzaade and Do Dooni Chaar.

With two well-received directors penning the story, the film also has interesting casting. For the first time, Shah Rukh Khan will be sharing space with newcomer Waluscha De Sousa and Shriya Pilgaonkar, while Ileana D’Cruz also has a role in the film.

The film is rumoured to have Shah Rukh Khan play two roles – one of a superstar, and the other an ardent fan, who is also a lookalike.

The logo of the film was launched by Shah Rukh Khan today, and it looks mighty interesting! The film is slated to release on April 15, 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFTunR0rDis

Have an old laptop? It could change someone’s life

Team Wirally

October 23, 2015

In an age where technology takes giant leaps every few years, electronic gadgets tend to become obsolete in a few years.

We all have that one electronic device lying around like a vegetable in the house because it’s not up to date. But while we are picky about a new update and a slick new feature, there are lots of people who are in need of bare essentials. It is estimated that annually, 110 million tons of useful computer hardware is wasted in the US alone.

An organization – Globetops – aims to fill this disparity in a small way by connecting people with those who are badly in need of technology. With networks across the world, Globetops has an arm in India too, dealing with organizations working with Primary Education, Self Help Groups, and small scale entrepreneurship.

So if you have a laptop lying around, and can’t find a reason for it, don’t sell it online for a meager price. Instead, donate it to Globetops, help light up someone’s life. Not only will the organization revamp and clean up your system, it will train and orient the user on how they could make the maximum benefit from it. The organization also connects the donor and the beneficiary and helps them to speak to each other, and track how your laptop is being put to wonderful uses.

So go ahead, take out that old laptop, and send it to these guys!

Your old laptop could change someone’s life!

The crazy story behind Daler Mehendi’s Tunak Tunak Tun video.

Team Wirally

October 23, 2015

Daler Mehendi was the darling of the nation some 15 years ago. Arguably India’s first pop star in the golden era of Indipop music, Daler Mehendi’s albums were played in school events, marriage functions, and on dance shows like Boogie Woogie.

Recently, thanks to Reddit user AdiAV, an interesting fact about the song cropped up. Apparently, Daler Mehendi was criticized for featuring a lot of women in his videos. They claimed he was only popular for featuring women in his videos.

Taking it up as a challenge, Daler Mehendi decided to release a video in which only he is featured dancing. The result? The iconic Tunak Tunak Tun video.

The video has acquired cult status today, and has been made into countless memes on the internet. The video features Daler Mehendi dancing in front of a green screen, with some typical 90s graphics behind him. At one point, there are not one, but two Daler Mehendis on screen.

As the story goes, the song turned out to be Daler Mehendi’s biggest hit, and it’s the first thing that comes to your mind when people say Daler Mehendi. The song has become such a hit that even foreigners can’t stop themselves when the song plays.

Here’s the iconic Tunak Tunak Tun video. Watch and enjoy! All hail Daler Mehendi!

Vijayadashami – Ten Most Iconic Durga Statues Through History

Team Wirally

October 22, 2015

(by Shamanth Jilla)

On this auspicious day of Vijayadashami, Wirally brings to you the ten most iconic Mahishasuramardinis set in stone throughout the centuries.

The earliest literary evidence of worship of Mahishasura Mardini (Killer of demon Mahisha) is in the Markandeya Purana where 700 verses are dedicated to her in the Durga Saptashati. Earliest sculptural evidence is from excavations in Mathura region from 200 BCE. Since then, while the basic iconography has been the same, variations in time and artistic styles – the number of arms, or the portrayal of the demon – sometimes as a man, sometimes as a full buffalo and sometimes as a fusion.

1. THE GUPTA PERIOD (Considered ‘The Golden Age’ in Indian History)

Pic by @urchispock

From Gupta Era, 5th century, when most forms of Gods worshiped by Hindus got crystallised. It is for a reason the period under the Guptas was called the Golden Age of India. The Gupta Empire was a patron of arts and knowledge, and most of the scholars from ancient India – Kalidasa, Aryabhata, Vatsyayana – were a product of this time. True to its age, the sculpture depicts an more basic form of the deity. The statue has four arms, all four of them engaged in battle with Mahisha.

2. MALLAPURAM CAVES, TAMIL NADU

Source-http://www.tn.gov.in/dsvp/dtpphoto1/mamalla.htm

While popular iconography shows Mahishasura in the form of a man or a bull trampled under the Devi’s foot, this sculptural frieze from Mahishasuramardini Cave Temple in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, shows the Goddess shooting arrows at the demon. Also, the asura himself dwarfs the Devi in size, which is quite a rarity. Mamallapuram is named after the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I (625-670 CE), who bore the title of Mahamalla or Great Wrestler/Hero.

The face of the deity differs from that of the Gupta sculptures in North India in that they are oval with high cheekbones, reflecting the phenotypes of the people that lived in the region.

3. DURGA TEMPLE, 725 CE, AIHOLE, KARNATAKA

This sculpture from Durga Temple (named after a fort nearby and not after the Goddess) is situated in Aihole, Karnatka. Built in 725 CE by Chalukya king Vijayaditya, the sculpture reflects the brilliance of the artists of the time. In spite of wear and tear and destruction, the armlets on the arms reveal the detailing that went into the idol.

4. ELLORA TEMPLE, 8th CENTURY

Kailashanatha Temple, Elapura (Ellora, Maharashtra) – 8th century, built by Rashtrakuta king Krishna I out of a single rock (akin to a 3D printing in stone). It is heartbreaking to see the sculpture defaced by iconoclasts throughout the centuries. One wonders how much more was completely lost without trace.

5. HARSHAT MATA TEMPLE, RAJASTHAN

Pic by – William Henry Cornish, 1892

A relief saved from Harshat Mata temple in Abhanagari, Rajasthan built by the Chauhan kings in the 8th century and destroyed by Turkish invaders. The idol carries an almost dance-like poise, with the head of the demon peeking out from the neck of a buffalo.

6. BAITALA DEULA, 9TH CENTURY, BHUBANESWAR

Pic by – Jaideep Prabhu

Baitala Deula is a 9th century temple in Bhubaneswar that is devoted to Chamundi, the fearsome avatar of Goddess Durga. This particular sculpture is an example of extreme detailing, as can be seen on by the figures that adorn the deity on the sides.

7. RANI KI VAV, 11TH CENTURY, GUJARAT

Patan, GUJARAT/INDIA - 25 JUNE 2014 : 'Rani-ki-Vav', an 11th century stepwell in Gujarat, has been approved as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO which described it as "exceptional example of technological development" in utilising ground water resources.Rani Ki Vav is amongst the finest stepwells in India, and one of the most famous legacies of the ancient capital city. The Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) is located on the banks of the Saraswati river and was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD. Queen Udayamati commissioned this stepwell, in 1063 A D in the memory of her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty. The vav was excavated in late 1980s by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), with the carvings found in pristine condition. — Patan, GUJARAT/INDIA – 25 JUNE 2014 : ‘Rani-ki-Vav’, an 11th century stepwell in Gujarat, has been approved as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO which
described it as “exceptional example of technological development” in utilising ground water resources.Rani Ki Vav is amongst the finest stepwells in India,
and one of the most famous legacies of the ancient capital city.
The Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) is located on the banks of the Saraswati river and was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century
AD. Queen Udayamati commissioned this stepwell, in 1063 A D in the memory of her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty. The vav was excavated in late
1980s by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), with the carvings found in pristine condition.

Rani ki Vav (Queen’s stepwell), Patan, Gujarat is a UNESCO Heritage site, a shining example of the intricate artwork of the times. The entire complex was built as a devotional as well as functional stepwell, and the image above is an example of the artwork of the times. Each of the arms in the idol carries a different weapon, and the two figurines on the side have intricate beads on their waist. Built in 1050 AD by Udayamati, widowed queen of Solanki king, Bhimdev I, Rani ki Vav is a rather unknown gem of India’s ancient past.

8. HOYASALESHWARA TEMPLE, KARNATAKA

A temple compound that took nearly 30 years to finish construction, the Hoyasaleshwara Temple is another temple that fell into the hands of invading Muslim rulers and fell to ruin and decay.

Built as a gigantic structure devoted to worshiping Lord Shiva by the Hoyasala king, Vishnuvardhana in the 12th century, the temple has been described as art historians and critics as the ‘supreme climax of Indian architecture‘.

9. 12th CENTURE MINIATURE, BANGLADESH

Pic by – The Met Museum

A 12th century Pala miniature in argillite stone from Bangladesh. This sculpture, no larger than a human palm, is currently housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The sculpture boasts of intricate artwork, as noticed in the various arms, and the weapons they brandish.

10. JHARKHAND, UNKNOWN

This sculpture, located in Jharkhand, India, is another example of the many ways art and sculpture was localised, rather than a monolithic, homogeneous phenomenon. While the idol has ten hands, the most interesting aspect of the idol is that the facial features of the Devi resemble those of the resident Munda tribes.

Over the years, artists, artisans and sculptures have represented the Goddess in numerous ways, reflecting the art, culture and times they lived in. The story of the demon Mahishasura, and it’s symbolism of killing the evil within, has retained its essence to this day. While many of the statues were destroyed by invaders, the deity, and the association with the festival has come down through generations. The space has been democratized today, and in every lane, every city and village, you find the deity trampling over the Buffalo Demon, bringing joy and happiness to all.

Kanche Review: About Breaking Barriers Between Humans

Team Wirally

October 22, 2015

We as audience, sometimes do not dare to take a self opinionated call on some elite experimental stuff fearing criticism. We go with the flow and depend on others to freeze on an opinion.

Kanche, a story set in the second world war with a wafer thin emotional love story, that shuffles between war field and a native village. Captain Dhupati Hari Babu (Varun Tej), a soldier and a Royal Indian Army Officer Eshwar (Nikitin Dheer) with the Indian Army, fight against the Germans alongside Italy. They almost loose the war and are made to surrender loosing many of their soldiers. However, Hari Babu and a group of Soldiers manage to escape while Eshwar and other officers are trapped. In between all these battles, Hari Babu narrates us his village love story through writing letters to Sitadevi (Pragnya Jaiswal) and connects us with the barriers we people have created between us in this vast universe. The rest is about how Captain Hari Babu saves his officers with his group of soldiers. What more is there between the two soldiers and how the barriers (Kanche) created between the people at his village is broken.

– Before we talk about the movie, we need to congratulate the whole team of Kanche in making such brave attempt in trying to giving the audience good cinema. –

Points to Watch Out!

* The three leads – Varun Tej has come way long from his debut with his dialogue delivery and emotions apart from the excellent screen presence he has. Pragya Jaiswal’s character as Sitadevi is charming and she glows in her duration. The chemistry between the lead pair is great. Nikitin Dheer with his Intense looks stands bold and tight against Varun.

* Sai Madhav Burra’s thought provoking dialogues will make you sit up and applaud.

* Sirivennala Sitarama Shastry’s lyrics are just the right blend into the situations.

* Cinematography, Art and BGM need a special mention in this period-war drama.

* Screenplay, but in parts and Great Production values. They are of top notch!

* Not the least, some undercurrent message to us Humans. Perceive it if you feel like!

The only Hard Fact that we need to accept!

* Yes, Kanche is not your routine telugu movie. Its a period-war drama and like the civilization back then, the movies are generally slow. So is this one in parts. That is not the only reason though, the plot itself is laid a bit slowly.

The rarity and freshness of war scenes in a Telugu film actually saves the movie. Krish has this nice technique of sliding the main plot into the audience slowly and after that its an emotional and thought provoking roller coaster ride. It has happened in all his earlier movies. It did happen in this one too, but it took a bit longer for him.

Apart from that, Krish has been giving us meaningful cinema right from Gamyam and he continues, though not upto what you call ‘Krish’s mark’. Kanche is not your regular telugu cinema for sure. We have seen that from the time trailer has been launched. You just need to have some patience to watch this. Yes, you will get bored, though in bits, be ready! But, that’s NOT the end, there is something more than that. You need to keep your ears open for some awesome and basic human values that are induced throughout the movie.

Just receive them and know yourself! Kanche is Worth ONE watch!!

And not to forget, Singeetham Srinivas and Sowcar Janaki have some great moments in the movie. A little more crisp, this would have become a total gem. Pssst!!

The Greatest Forgotten Indian Comic Superheroes

Team Wirally

October 21, 2015

While superhero movies and comic book franchises are very popular today, India was not totally immune to the craze of superheroes.

Before DC and Marvel, we had our own home-grown comic book superheroes. These were guys we grew up with, swapping comics among friends, hiding them in school bags and reading them stealthily in the night.

Back in the 90s, kids didn’t have a lot of entertainment options. Cable TV had just come in, but if you had exams, parents would disconnect ‘Cable’. In comics, there was Diamond Comics, but once you grew up, the illustrations on Diamond Comics seemed juvenile. There was of course, Tinkle and Amar Chitra Katha, but they were too ‘clean’, sometimes even parents would buy them for you, so there was a sense of ‘preachiness’ to them.

However, there was Raj Comics.

Raj Comics was the Badass of Indian comics. The characters were dark, diabolical, and dangerous. There was action, blood, gore, and dark storylines. The language they used was violent, the action real, and the illustrations – top class.

Here’s a journey through the greatest Indian comic superheroes .

1. INSPECTOR STEEL:

Inspector Steel was India’s answer to Cyborg and Robocop. Built entirely from computer chips, circuits, armor plating and weapon systems, Inspector Steel was barely human.

The story followed Inspector Amar, who nearly dies in an accident. His good friend Prof. Anees rescues him and fits him with gadgetry, resulting in the only human part of Inspector Steel being his brain. Standing at a towering 7 feet and weighing 450 kgs (due to all the weapons), Inspector Steel was a terror for criminals in Raj Nagar.

Inspector Steel sometimes got help from the buxom Inspector Salma, who helped him out with his crime-solving adventures. Unfortunately for Inspector Salma, Inspector Steel never responded to her feelings.

2. AGNIPUTRA – ABHAY

The only member from Diamond Comics to make it to our hallowed list, Agniputra Abhay was the story of Agniputra and Abhay.

Agniputra is an immortal, indestructible God-man who has every single power on earth – strength, X-ray vision, teleportation, super-speed – you name it. Agniputra is the son of Agni, the fire God, so his only weakness is water. Also, since the illustrations of Diamond Comics were terrible, Agniputra looked like a stoned Sanjay Dutt in a fancy dress competition.

His sidekick was Abhay, a sharp and street-smart man who had a superbike that could fly. Abhay referred to his bike as ‘Princess’ and the two shared an uncomfortable tension. Together, Agniputra Abhay fought crime, monsters, and saved the earth on their adventures. What made Agniputra Abhay unique was that they also released audio cassettes that you could listen to when your parents went to weddings or the temple.

3. SUPER COMMANDO DHRUV

Created by the legendary Anupam Sinha, Super Commando Dhruv remains one of the most popular Indian comic superheroes to this day.

Dhruv lost his parents while they worked as trapeze artists in Jupiter Circus. He resolved to avenge their death by fighting crime on the streets. What set Super Commando Dhruv apart was the fact that he possessed no superpowers.

Instead, he relied on his intelligence, bravery, and martial art skills. Having inherited the skills from his parents, Dhruv fought crime single-handedly, or in collaboration with Nagraj. Dhruv also possessed useful skills like being able to communicate with animals, and possessed a clear conscience while fighting crime. To this day, Dhruv’s popularity is only challenged by the next contender on our list…

4. DOGA

Doga was the anti-thesis to Super Commando Dhruv. While Dhruv had morals and compassion, Doga didn’t give a rat’s ass.

Doga believed in eliminating the root cause, and killed criminals ruthlessly. Created by Sanjay Gupta, another legend in Raj Comics who also created Nagraj and Bhokal, Doga’s origins were cruel and sad. He was brought up by a monster who treated him like a dog and referred to him as a dog too.

When he grew up, Doga put on a dog mask and went about fighting crime in the night. Doga’s friends were street dogs, who’d inform and help him in his exploits. Doga’s stories were hard-hitting, ruthless and realistic.

Doga also had a love interest – Monika – who had an alias – Lomdi. Interestingly, Monika knew of Doga’s secret identity, but Doga didn’t know that Monika knew. Doga was an original character and is among the most popular Indian comic superheroes. In fact, Anurag Kashyap announced a few years ago that he was working on a graphic novel/film adaptation of Doga.

5. TIRANGA:

A lot of people might question Tiranga’s presence in our list, partly because he seems like a rip-off of Captain America. But there was more to Tiranga. Dressed in the costume of India’s tricolor, Tiranga carried a shield that defended him from enemies.

A patriot at heart, Tiranga was originally inspector Abhay Deshpande, who donned the costume to fight the enemies of the nation. He also dished out shayaris and quotes to terrorists before arresting them.

6. SHAKTI:

The only female superhero on our list, Shakti was a character who instantly grabbed your eyeballs (and your balls, if you were a criminal!)

The origins of Shakti are interesting. Chanda was a housewife – ignored by her husband because she was unattractive. Chanda later learns that her husband had killed their children and her rage bursts out in the form of the character Shakti.

The most powerful character in the Raj Comics universe (in terms of physical strength), Shakti can travel at light-speed, and melt metal with her strength. When she opens her third eye, everybody in front of her crumbles to ash. The character of Shakti was probably created to target women readers, but she was so hot, most of her fans were guys!

7. BHERIYA (KOBI AUR BHERIYA):

Long long ago, in the land of wolves – Wolfano – there existed the Wolf King – Wolfa – who fell in love with a human being. He kidnapped her, and *cough cough*, a son was born. When the son grows up and wants to rescue his mother, he is cursed for 50,000 years.

Cut to present day, and Kobi wakes up in a forest in Assam. He is blessed with immense power and fighting abilities, and vows to avenge the injustice meted out to him. However, he also has an alter-ego – Bheriya – who is the opposite of Kobi. Bheriya is kind, patient and compassionate.

This dual personality of Kobi and Bheriya were one of the most fascinating characters in Indian superhero comics, and at 8 feet and 154 kgs, Bheriya was a monster who could rip apart enemies with his bare hands. The comics were raw, brutal, and hard-hitting.

8. CAPTAIN VYOM:

Technically, Captain Vyom was a TV show on Doordarshan. Even though there were comics released later when the show became popular, Captain Vyom acquired a cult following among the children of the country in the 90s.

The story of a captain who fights intergalactic villains, Captain Vyom contained beautiful visual effects and had a loyal audience among children who would return home after school to catch the episodes.

Starring Milind Soman and Dino Morea, Captain Vyom sadly has no remnants on the web. There’s not a single clip on YouTube, or any other site. Which is sad because Captain Vyom probably had the best graphics and signature tune, and these were created by an Indian studio. I think it’s time someone ran a campaign to release the show on YouTube or DVD. For a sample, check out the graphics of the show, and remember, this was in 1997!

9. PARMANU:

Parmanu was a huge hit among the geeks and nerds of the class. Especially the guys who understood atoms and molecules.

A superhero whose costume contained magical powers, Parmanu’s suit allowed him to fly at 1000 km/hr, and fire atomic bolts from his belt. Parmanu comics were the most scientific among the series, and he often teleported himself, or reduced his size to microscopic levels to evade danger and villains. Probably to give geeks and nerds some hope, the creators of Parmanu also slipped in a woman – Pralayanka – who helped Parmanu in his exploits.

10. NAGRAJ:

Finally, we come to The Man himself.

Nagraj’s popularity has remained intact for more than 25 years. Created by Sanjay Gupta, Nagraj was originally a villain trained by Prof. Nagmani, to be auctioned out to the highest bidder. However, Nagraj has a transformation and resolves to fight crime, terrorism and all sorts of evil.

Nagraj was fed poison in his childhood till his White Blood Cells were replaced by venomous snake cells. Nagraj can release snakes, is extremely powerful and quick, and his bite is fatal. Nagraj can also conjure up snakes to form boats, weapons, and hypnotise his enemies without their consent. Nagraj also has a love interest, the very hot (if slightly over-muscular Visarpi), who featured in the comics regularly.

Nagraj has been the face of Indian comics. There have been numerous unsuccesful attempts to bring him to the screen. This could be because of a lack of vision among the creators, or the sorry choice for Nagraj – Sonu Sood.

Sadly, Raj Comics couldn’t sustain their popularity.

As our economy opened up the West, Marvel and DC replaced our heroes. Also, while Marvel and DC’s characters changed with the times, their themes got darker and smarter, Indian superhero comics lagged behind. A lot of kids soon realized that many of the characters had been blatantly lifted from DC/Marvel.

The influx of video games and television channels significantly ate into the market of Indian comics. Parents and schools never encouraged comics either. Unlike in the west, comics were never considered serious reading.

Slowly, comics became unfashionable. Raj Comics and Diamond Comics still sell their comics online, thanks to the burst of e-commerce websites. But as Indian comics vanished into relative irrelevance, the impact they had on an entire generation is harder to erase.

Of comics exchanged with friends, of hiding under blankets to read them, of saving money to buy the next comic from the Railway Station.

DC ki Aisi Ki Taisi !!

Why Bahubali Has Changed Telugu Film Industry Forever

Team Wirally

October 20, 2015

Telugu cinema is in the process of witnessing a possible paradigm-shifting event after the release of Baahubali.

With his monstrous canvases, and a 100% success rate, Rajamouli has ensured he hits the target bull’s-eye. From Student No.1 to Eega, not only has he grown as a filmmaker, his films have gotten larger and more imaginative.

Bahubali seems set to be a major chapter in his reign for a number of reasons. There have been many great movies, but those that seemed like a huge risk, managed to carve a niche for themselves in the footprints of time. Here is why we think the film might change the way our films are made, forever.

Extensive Pre and Post Production Work

It is now well known that Baahubali is the largest budget movie made in the history of the nation, at a staggering 220 crores.

If the current business life cycle of a Telugu film is anything to go by, a film is completed in a span of 6 months to 1 year. But a great movie takes years in pre and post production.

Bahubali was under production for over 2 years spending close to 360 days in shooting the talkie part. This might seem common in the west, but this is definitely the first time we are witnessing this in our industry. The studios cleverly kept the enthusiasm of the viewers intact, releasing teasers and snippets at regular intervals.

Everything Fell in Place – Not every time it happens!

Reports of the making of the film have been mighty interesting. According to reports, the crew cultivated a whole acre of land with maize for the film. During a shoot in Kurnool, over 30,000 fans flocked to the shooting spot. Rajamouli asked the fans to scream ‘Jai Bahubali’, and used it as the audio for the war scenes!

Piracy raised its head again, and portions of the film were leaked on social media. While this has been detrimental to films earlier, when people saw the leaked snippets, the scale and breadth of the film made them go ‘Woah! That’s awesome!’ If anything, the leaked clips only added to the anticipation!

First PAN-INDIA Release

Also, this is the first time that a Telugu film was released on a pan-India level. Released in four languages over 4000 screens worldwide. The producers plan to dub in over 15 languages in the pipeline, the film is the first Telugu film to reach a pan-Indian audience.

When this has happened earlier with Bengali films (Pather Panchali), or Marathi films (Raja Harishchandra), it made the entire nation sit up and take notice.

Telugu – First time a Movie in 2 Parts

To add to the novelty, the film is going to be releasing in two parts. Whenever this has happened earlier, it generated interest in the viewer’s minds. The second installment of Raktacharitra got better reviews from some critics. The second part of Gangs Of Wasseypur brought the epic to a full circle, permanently etching the film in audience’s minds. Baahubali has generated the right kind of buzz, in all the right circles, at the right time.

Even before its release, the film found a place in BBC’s documentary on 100 Years of Indian Cinema.

Finally, a Pride of Telugu Cinema

For an industry that has been churning out dreams and sagas for 75 years now, the Telugu film industry has come a long way. From producing the first film Savitri with a budget of 75,000 Rupees and Bahubali –The Conclusion due for next year, the Telugu film industry is witnessing its largest vision, its biggest dream, its most gigantic canvas. Its in process of writing a new chapter in our history.

Leaving us on the exact high we wanted, Rajamouli has been successful in keeping us longing for Bahubali-The Conclusion. The next part will be another chapter, but before that happens, let’s take a deep breath, swell our chests with pride, and hold our heads held high!

Thank you, Rajamouli! Thank you, Telugu Cinema!!

Five Unique Treatments In Mani Ratnam Films

Team Wirally

October 20, 2015

vikram,aishwarya rai,aishwarya rai images,vikram movies

By Deepa Balasubramanian

Mani Ratnam is one of the creative geniuses who rule the Tamil silver screen of our times. There is something astoundingly unique about Mani Ratnam films. There are some of his followers who aspire and make something close, but not really. Mani Ratnam films occupy a cult status of their own. Romance being his prime Genre, Mani Sir never fails to perfect the ploy against all odds.

Predictably so, this has to do with the unique treatment that is laid out in all of his films. And more often that not, the same cannot be replicated by others, come what may.!!

Five Unique Treatments In Mani Ratnam Films

These five factors should make you agree on why Mani Ratnam always stands apart in the group of leading directors in Tamil Cinema.

Hero Establishment – Real To Life

The leading men of Mani Ratnam films are not super heroes. They are people derived from real life. The hero element is always built around traits such as stubbornness, rebellious, eccentric and born leader kinds. Starting from Surya in Thalapathi to Adithya in O Kadhal Kanmani (OK Bangaram) , the heroes are high and mighty in their own grounded space.

The Leading Lady Calls The Shots

This is a very clever treatment coming from MR always. The woman of the movie may be victimised, crippled, traumatised and what not, but she always emerges out as a strong force. We can call it the simple picturization of the ladies in the average Tamil middle classes and elsewhere. That resilience to question, fight, ask and choose comes naturally to all Mani Ratnam heroines.

Brilliance Of The Main Casting

After watching a Mani Ratnam film, a movie lover will eventually walk out remembering the names of all the main characters in the film and not just the leading pair. This is called as Mani Ratnam magic. He makes sure that the top line cast is established in a powerful and a significant manner. This makes it all the very reason why we still adore the Deva character player by Mammootty (Thalapathi) or Col Rayappa played by Nassar (Roja) even today.

The Villain – He Has Substance

The Mani Ratnam villains are not cheap goons. They have immense substance and class. That’s the way this genius director loves to play his plot. The bad men who constitute a large part of his films are all about depth. Remember the character played by Vikram in Raavanan (Villain) or Kota Srinivasa Rao in Gaayam? Simply outstanding!!

Tales Derived From Epics

A Mani Ratnam film will run a modern story on the fore front and yet, has a base outline that is derived from any of the Hindu epics. Say Ramayana, Mahabharata or even MeghaSandesham. Nevertheless, we always enjoy his stories with some nostalgia of having heard something similar in our lives.

These are five of his unique treatments.

Tamil and Telugu Cinema thanks Mani sir for rendering timeless sagas and immortal on screen characters.

5 Ways Virender Sehwag Changed Indian Cricket Forever

Team Wirally

October 20, 2015

As Virender Sehwag announces his retirement, there will be lots of tributes flowing in.

People will talk about his records, share videos of him butchering bowlers around the world, and write about his best innings, but that is hardly enough. For you see, great players come and go. There have been many cricketers who achieved super-stardom on the field.

However, very few sportsmen actually influence the game in the way that Sehwag has. He took the spot of the opener, took all the rules associated with it, twisted them into a jumble, and threw them out of the window.

That was Sehwag. The mercenary with a smile, the man who made commentators scratch their heads in disbelief, who made ‘experts’ rewrite their book of rules.

Here are five ways Virender Sehwag changed Indian cricket:

1. An actual attacking batsman:

Before Virender Sehwag, we had no real ‘attacking’ batsmen. There was Sachin in the 90s, but he had transformed into a solid, dependable batsman who believed in reading the conditions and exploiting them. There was Sidhu, but with a strike rate under 70 in the modern era, it’s hardly what you’d call attacking. We had a few ‘pinch-hitters’, basically bowlers who were pushed up the order to slog, but they ended up looking foolish and stupid when the opposition had strong bowlers. And then, Sehwag came along.

Virender Sehwag took the bull by the horns, and rode it for a 100 m sprint. When Sehwag was in flow, there were few sights prettier in world cricket. And the ‘tok’ sound the ball made when it came off his bat, you knew the ball was going straight to the boundary. Sehwag was the first real ‘attacking’ batsman we had, someone who was comparable with Gilchrist, Viv Richards, and Chris Gayle.

2. Took pressure off Sachin

Before Sehwag came into the scene, the entire team depended on Sachin. For more than a decade, for Indian cricket fans, Sachin’s wicket meant that the rest of the team would simply crumble around him. And since Sachin was the opener, you could rest assured that the entire team would pool in some 100 odd runs before running out of steam.

But when Sehwag joined Sachin as an opener, the focus began to shift a bit. Not only did the bowlers have to get Sachin out, they had to deal with this monster at the other end. One bad ball, and he’d smack you out of the ground and laugh in your face.

When Sachin and Sehwag got together, you knew that the two best batsmen of the country were together. Sehwag let Sachin warm up, he started smashing bowlers, kept the scoreboard racing, giving Sachin time to settle down.

The two of them together were like Karan-Arjun, they were as destructive as Jai-Veeru. When the two of them were at the crease after ten overs, you could step out of the room, have a chai, and come back later.

3. Broke all the rules of batting:

Before Sehwag, there were very strict rules about batting. ‘Watch the ball for the first five overs,’ they said. ‘Use your footwork to lean into the shot’, ‘Always play in the ‘V’ for the first five overs’, ‘Take singles when you’re in your 90s’.

Sehwag brushed away these rules like they were specks of dust on his shoulder. He would begin the match by whacking the bowler behind his head for six. He would stand in his crease and whip the ball to mid-wicket. While other cricketers were busy trying to play in the ‘V’, Sehwag chose to play in the ‘O’. While others looked for singles in their 90s, Sehwag smashed a bowler for 6 to get to his hundred.

Sehwag did what he wanted, and you couldn’t say anything to him. For, no one in cricket hit the ball in the manner that Sehwag did. He was the only person commentators refrained from commenting on. For Sehwag had a knack of making you look stupid the very next delivery.

4. Carried himself with the ease of a dude

Very rarely was Sehwag agitated. When he was fielding at slips, he was all smiles. When he was booting the bowlers of the world to all parks, he would smile and bump fists with Sachin like they were playing kho-kho in their backyard, and not a World Cup qualifier match.

Sehwag was neither politically correct, nor outwardly aggressive. And anyway, what could the man say that his bat couldn’t? And even when Sehwag chose to speak, he wasn’t beating about the bush. My memory takes me back to the day he smashed 175 against Bangladesh. In the post-match conference, he said, ‘All the bowlers bowled well except the Sreesanth’!

5. Fantastic Test Batsman

The common grudge against attacking batsmen is the fact that they aren’t good at Test cricket. Test cricket, that IAS exam that all batsmen must take, in order to be revered as a great. Test cricket, that litmus test of temperament, technique, and patience – something Sehwag was never expected to possess.

And yet, baffling one and all, Sehwag was most successful in Test cricket, across all three formats. He averages 21.88 in T20s, 35.05 in ODIs, and a superlative 49.34 in Tests. All this while scoring at a Test strike rate of 82.23. Only Shahid Afridi has a higher strike rate than Sehwag in the history of Test matches, but calling him a Test batsman is like saying Rajpal Yadav is the greatest actor India ever had. (Watch his greatest Test innings below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr6Zeub99dE

Throughout his career, Sehwag broke every rule, stupefied every expert in the game, and continuously gave bowlers nightmares.

As he bids adieu, it is truly the end of a generation.

Ganguly, Dravid, Sachin and Laxman left a few years ago. Zaheer left last week, and now Sehwag is going too.

We are all growing older. Our memories will fade away.

But that ‘Tok’ sound the ball made when it left Sehwag’s bat, that sound is going to be hard to forget. So long, Virender Sehwag, and thank you for making cricket, that archaic British gentlemanly game the most exciting sport when you were at the crease.

Cricket was never the same when you were batting. It will never be the same now that you’re gone.

What Your Favourite IPL Team Reveals about Your Personality

Team Wirally

October 19, 2015

Bhaijaan Whiskeywaala is here with predictions about your characteristics depending on the team that you support in the IPL.

Yes, because if you’re still watching IPL in 2015, it reveals quite a few things about you, like you’re probably jobless, or you don’t have friends.

Fans of different teams have different characteristics. Here’s a list of what the stars predict about you.

1. FANS OF CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

Description: You are fundamentalist in nature, and look down upon the fans of other teams, and all this when CSK was neck deep in corruption. Basically, you are like the workers of an Indian political party. No shame only.

Strengths: You’re so loyal that if CSK were to initiate loyalty points, it’d move toward bankruptcy faster than a fat kid behind an ice-cream truck.

Weaknesses: You peepul are like cocaine addicts. What you like is not only strong and powerful, but illegal as well. The coming years shall be difficult and challenging for you because your team won’t be there in the first place, which in effect means that you’re going to face the greatest existential crisis since Gautama Buddha.

Planetary transits suggest that you’re corrupt.

2. FANS OF DELHI DAREDEVILS

Description: You spend a lot on flashy things that just don’t work, like Yuvraj Lamborghinis. You think spending so much will help you score, but it doesn’t. And just like your university exams, your team almost always finishes last. No wonder you like Yo Yo Honey Singh, because the team’s anthem makes Desi Spiderman sound like a Rahman special.

Strengths: None

Weaknesses: You are facing extinction and hence need care and protection, and manners. Owing to the team’s consistency in being at the bottom of the table year after year, most of your friends left to seek better avenues for entertainment, like Kejriwal.

Planetary transits suggest that you’re useless.

3. FANS OF KOCHI TUSKERS

Description: You are at best delusional. Doing drugs has made you lose the idea of reality, because you’re fans of a team that doesn’t exist. Yours was so bad a team that it was gone faster than whisky at a Punjabi wedding. And while your team lasted, it should’ve been called Kochi Bas kar-s.

Strengths: You are a top quality drug peddler.

Weaknesses: You’ve gone bust.

Planetary transits suggest you need to pass the joint now.

4. FANS OF ROYAL CHALLENGERS, BANGALORE

Description: The only thing that Royal Challengers have ever challenged is your belief in them, but you guys stayed loyal. You own expensive gadgets, but deep down you know that you need to clear up the piling credit card bills (Hint: Maal, ya!).

Strengths: Your expectations, despite the big stars, are low, and this helps stave off disappointment. You know better than to expect anything that’s owned by Mallya to pay off.

Weaknesses: You’re inconsistent and are drinking all the time.

Planetary transits suggest that you’ll be stuck in traffic in a few minutes.

5. FANS OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS

You love a good discount. You heckle with sabjiwaalas for free dhania even when you’ve bought stuff worth 10 bucks. You’re like the owner of a dhaba in a neighbourhood of upscale restaurants: high on taste, low on cost. But you’ve been forced to shut shop because you were selling liquor without permit.

Strengths: Your ability to spot talent. If given a chance, you’ll be able to make money out of a movie starring Tusshar Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.

Weaknesses: You are surrounded by people who need to be slapped around (Sree Sree Sree Santh).

Planetary transits suggest that you’ll be rendered unemployed in a few days since your company has gone bankrupt.

6. FANS OF PUNE WARRIORS:

Description: Like the fans of Kochi, you’re too much into drugs. You’re like the people who’ve lost money in chit fund scams because the company ceased to exist, while the company personnel have been apprehended by the police.

Strengths: You don’t dwell too much in the past. You have probably moved on to support Mumbai Indians, so your loyalty is as fickle as that of an employed henchman in the presence of Daya from CID.

Weaknesses: You don’t have any money, and are underpaid.

Planetary transits suggest that your boss is going to be in jail for quite some time.

7. FANS OF SUNRISERS HYDERABAD

Description: You are laid-back, and the most chilled out of the lot. You are like that pappa in engineering college who never manages to pass, but is nevertheless chill about it because there is always a next year.

Strengths: Your equanimity. You don’t give a damn.

Weaknesses: Your taste in music. The team’s anthem makes less sense than you do when you talk in Hindi.

Planetary transits suggest that you can make more money by selling Biryani instead.

8. FANS OF MUMBAI INDIANS

Description: You are ambitious. You are willing to shell out whatever it takes to get something that you desperately want.

Strengths: You are pretty loaded. You are also very forgiving, in that it takes a big heart to support a team whose owners’ son eats the entire ration of Dongri for breakfast. You’re also very good at spotting potential misdemeanours by people and slapping these people years in advance (Hint: Bhajji and Sreesanth).

Weaknesses: Your performance doesn’t do justice to the amount of resources at your disposal, and your boss is pissed about it, just like your team. If Mumbai Indians had any more coaches, they could possibly qualify to function as a Mumbai local train.

Planetary transits suggest that you’re stuck in Dadar.

9. KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

Description: If you are a fan of KKR, it’s because you are a fan of SRK. Claims about your knowledge on cricket are as shady as a banyan tree on a summer afternoon in Kolkata.

Strengths: You’re shamelessly resilient.

Weaknesses: Your antics. Actual Bengali cricket lovers are as embarrassed about the team as they are about Mamata Banerjee, or a son who doesn’t eat fish.

Planetary transits suggest that if you are a female Bengali Cricket fan, ami tomake bhalo bashi.

10. KINGS XI PUNJAB FANS

Description: You’re the second most useless fans around after the fans of Delhi Daredevils, because there’s need for fans when the prospects are already as cold as Manmohan Singh’s feet in the presence of Sonia Gandhi.

Strength: Your ability to forget. A few pegs of whiskey, and you no longer have the bad memories, like a match where the Kings were burnt down as if they weren’t a cricket team but a pack of Gold Flake Kings.

Weaknesses: Weak-ness Wadia. Also, you are fans of Honey Singh’s music. What you like is occasionally good, but mostly it is as useless as a white crayon.

Planetary transits suggest that you’ve just had butter chicken and whisky.

So there you go! That is what your favourite IPL team means for you in real life. Now please wait for a few months for the IPL to begin. Phir baat karenge!

5 Shankar Films That Are Sure to Make You Think!!

Team Wirally

October 19, 2015

In Tamil, audience loves nothing but OBT – out of the box thinking!! Many new age Kollywood directors go with the concept of newness. Among them, few are an exceptional stand out. Every time they come, it’s a whole new shebang and nothing less!!

Director Shankar precisely falls into this category of film makers. His idea of adding something ‘new’ and ‘upgraded’, all with a typical moral story setting had worked wonderfully with the movie goers. Every time Kamal Haasan adjusted his cosmetic white hair extension while fighting corrupt Govt officials and every time Chiyaan Vikram delivered a scintillating rhetoric on the Nation – Audience went crazy and berserk, clapping to their favourite hero’s magnificent achievement against all odds.

Here are Five Shankar films that make you think about societal issues. The good and the bad. The right and the wrong. These films are unique in their own way, thanks to the ‘tech touch up’ that’s so Shankar’s a trademark.

1. GENTLEMAN

The very first ever. Total action drama – never seen before on Tamil screens. People went feverish, moody and enraged with a touching concept about academic reservations in India. What the discrimination does to the forward castes as it lifts the backward sections. S Shankar had officially arrived on the scene, raring to go with his own finesse. Film’s music by Madras Mozart A R Rahman that causes goose bumps and a surprise guest dance number by Prabhu Deva; all of these were firsts to have been incorporated in a typical Tamil cinema.

2. INDIAN

Who can possibly replicate what Kamal Haasan has done in the year 1996, playing an old freedom fighter who is forced to get back in action because of the prevailing corruption? A strong social message blended in with some finest performances, hair raising twists and turns and the ultimate climax – Indian stands to be one of the greatest films ever made on Tamil celluloid. No question that the film was dubbed into several languages and heavily applauded by even the most rigid film critics.

3. MUDHALVAN

Shankar came back to tell an authentic and possible story of what happens when a common man with rights gets to interact face to face with the Chief Minister and is forced to accept a ‘One day CM challenge’. Mudhalvan practically doused people with stirring thoughts about where India was headed. Why the Aam Aadmi was not fighting for his rights the way he had to and what happens once he does.

4. ANNIYAN

Perhaps this film made a promising career for Chiyaan Vikram. Too bad that he could not keep up the consistency later on. Anniyan is an action packed thriller with a strange saga. A central protagonist who suffers a multiple personality disorder and does good to the society with his bearing defects. Full of suspense and spine chilling twists, Shankar nailed the concept right inside the heads of people – there needs to be a lot done to transform India from a developing to a developed country.

5. ETHIRAN

Welcome to the Hollywood style technology, that too on someone like Superstar Rajinikanth. Presenting Rajini like a humanoid robot would have not even been a nightmare for many film makers. But Shankar capitalised on the rare idea completely. A smart move that combined a prevailing veteran hero with the latest of technology. Irumbile Oru Idhayam Mulaikkudo !!sang Rajini the Robot. Audience went frenzy, falling for his gadget version, hating his bad side and loving his genius. The film was a huge blockbuster in 2010 despite the fact that the concept carried great amount of speculation in terms of storytelling and execution.

Shankar continues to come back each time, to spellbound and mesmerize his audience.

Neengal Super Sir!! Take a Bow.

How I went from Sardar to a Stand Up Comedian

Team Wirally

October 19, 2015

“Ek baar na ek sardar tha…???

This is how I remember most of my conversations with friends from school and college. Much has been said about cracking Sardar jokes and the need to stop it, but no matter what – social gatherings to social networking – the jokes never seem to end.

In fact, as a Sardar kid, you become so accustomed to these jokes that after a point; you become immune to it. My case was no different, apart from a little twist in the tale right towards the end.

Just like any other Sardar kid, I too was used to being the butt of all jokes. Sadly, it had nothing to do with me, but instead, the fuss was about a hypothetical sardar (i.e ‘Ek Sardar’) that did hypothetical stupid things. People thought everyone in my family slipped on banana peels and shouted ‘Balle Balle’ for no reason.

Now, I wouldn’t mind the jokes if they were as good as ‘knock-knock’ jokes or the entire ‘Chuck Norris – Rajnikanth’ series. But sadly, most of them were just stupid creations of the minds of lame people who assumed – for no particular reason – that because I was a sardar, I WILL be dumb.

The problem with retaliation to any such jokes was that it would lead to people cracking more jokes based on the stereotypical premise that we’re all hot-headed idiots. Sunny Deol’s hand pump scene from Gadar screwed things up for us further. Further retaliation to these jokes would just end in scathing personal attacks like

Learning this the hard way, I decided to give a faint smile every time one of these jokes came around. And lo, I discovered the secret! The fun part of the joke was not the joke but the reaction it got out of me.

The rise of the cell phones era in the country gave way to the only thing that our generation can boast about in our life time – SMS forwards. Most of these forwards were either quotes about how to live your life or jokes – generally sardar/Santa-Banta stuff.

The funny thing was that the best of sardar jokes in my inbox were the ones that I got from my cousins/relatives who were also sardars. (A tip to get good ones, ask your sardar friends. They often have the best collection).

It was at this point I decided to try something new for myself. I circulated a few jokes with friends that were about other communities and the response I got was intimidating. Not many people were open to the idea of taking a joke on themselves. And the jokes they fired back at me had no effect. Plainly because in a way, my whole childhood was a training to become immune to rubbish people spoke.

As bad a Prime Minister as Dr Manmohan Singh was, there is one thing I believe the Sikh community owes him for. He challenged the Sardar stereotype at every level. He was a quiet, intelligent man who had designed the economy of the country and was never caught saying ‘Balle Balle’ during his tenure as PM.

This, I thought, was exactly what I needed to do as well. So I decided to run for the Prime Minister’s post. Really? You fell for that?

Anyway, I decided if I had to prove people in my circles wrong, I had to be in a position of power and strength. This was primarily because I felt the locus of my identity, like most of the bullied kids, was exterior to me. And I figured Journalism would alter their opinion and that’s all I needed. So I took up journalism.

But unlike Barkha Dutt, there was no war going on during my career that could shoot me to fame. And to my misfortune, I was in the Times of India – a newspaper that people these days refuse to call a newspaper (Thank you, Deepika). Even though the tag of a journalist managed to change a few opinions, it wasn’t really serving the purpose of giving it back to the society.

The thought of becoming a standup comedian was slowly making its way to the top of the list. ‘What better way to answer a joke than with a joke? I’ve taken it all my life, let’s give back some,’ I thought. And so far, the results have not been disappointing.

Every time I walk up to the stage – I feel people expect me to say something stupid. That people are expecting me to slip on that banana peel. That people look at me as that ‘Ek Sardar’ who does those stupid things in their Whatsapp messages. (Yes, the trend has continued on Whatsapp as well).

But it is the joy of seeing their expectations shatter that I thrive on. Because even though I am just a beginner and not that good a comedian, I am not as bad or as stupid as they had pictured me when they first saw me walk towards the mic.

The entire aim of going up on stage – apart from making people laugh – is to break the stereotype that comes with a turban and a beard. And also some over-weight in my case. But it is a challenge that has been amazing so far. And the hope? Well, it is to keep breaking the stereotype, one show audience at a time.

I am Bhavneet Singh, and that’s my story. Of a sardar who was the butt of jokes all his life, and is now giving it back. You’ll have to buy tickets for my show. And I promise not to slip on a banana peel!

Writers who were Total Badasses in Real Life

Team Wirally

October 17, 2015

Badass (n): A person who radiates confidence in everything he/she does, whether it’s ordering a drink, buying a set of wheels, or dealing with men/women. Slow to anger, brutally efficient when fighting back, a badass does what a badass wants.

So what’s the first image that comes to mind when you hear the term ‘badass’? Notorious smugglers? Local pan-chewing goons?

How about writers?

The truth is there are many. Apart from the bespectacled Nobel laureates, many writers from the past whom we grew up worshipping played their tunes to the strings of vices.

They were people whose words were like bees that hovered around forbidden pleasures, stinging the readers hard, often at the right places, leaving wounds that readers secretly nurse with pleasure.

Needless to say, they were lost in the cobwebs of the senses, they danced to the evil tunes of pleasures, but struggled in the midst of social criticism. Yet, they wrote fearlessly and created masterpieces, leaving behind a legacy that will be carried to eternity.

Wirally brings to you a list of seven such badass writers whom we can’t help but love and idolize.

* OSCAR WILDE: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.??? His entire life was portrayed in this one line. Enchanting writer, impeccable academician, passionate lover, tortured in the drudgery of forbidden pleasures of homosexuality, jailed, and an untimely death. While in jail, Wilde wrote “De Profundis??? – letters that haunt a reader and make him ponder about the paradox of human existence while balancing the scales of virtue and pleasure.

An extract from “De Profundis???

“I wanted to eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden of the world … And so, indeed, I went out, and so I lived. My only mistake was that I confined myself so exclusively to the trees of what seemed to me the sun-lit side of the garden, and shunned the other side for its shadow and its gloom.???

* ERNEST HEMINGWAY: A writer who explored bull-fighting, hunting, fishing, World War I, shooting, fighting, and drinking. Ernest Hemingway was not only a path-breaking author, he wrote about the above issues because he practiced all of them in profusion. His end came when he shot himself with a shotgun filled with two barrels.

* F. SCOTT FITZGERALD: “Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.??? True to his words, Scott Fitzgerald, the author of ‘The Great Gatsby’ elucidated the rise of a brilliant career that never reached its zenith, ultimately leading to alcohol addiction and a sudden death. His ability to catch the flavor of a night, snatch of old song, in a phrase, makes him a writer who was one of his kind.

* KHUSHWANT SINGH: Diabolical, hard hitting yet profound – Khushwant Singh brought in a wave of rebellion in the field of Indian writing. His unhindered and naked thoughts made readers bite their tongues sometimes. Yet the richness in his thoughts made him an icon – a cult icon. It is said that Singh once received a letter from Canada with the address – ‘Khushwant Singh, Bastard, India’. The postman delivered it to his house!

NEW DELHI, INDIA NOVEMBER 24: Writer and former editor of English Daily Hindustan Times Khushwant Singh during photo session at his house at Sujan Singh Park on November 24, 2010 in New Delhi, India. Khushwant Singh died on March 20, 2014 at the age of 99 at his residence in Sujan Singh Park in New Delhi. (Photo by Raj K Raj /Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

One of his final gems were:

“Since I have no faith in God, nor in the day of judgment, nor in reincarnation, I have to come to terms with the complete full stop.???

Yet, years after his death, he still lives on, as a rebel whom we all wish to imitate.

* LORD BYRON: A charmer of women, a man of seduction and love and finally a pet lover who had a fox, monkeys, a parrot, cats, an eagle, a crow, a crocodile, a falcon, peacocks, guinea hens, an Egyptian crane, a badger, geese, a heron and a bear, Lord Byron had it all and we love him that way.

He was flamboyant and notorious, a head turner, who was both celebrated and castigated in life for his aristocratic excesses, including huge debts, numerous love affairs with people of both sexes, rumors of a scandalous liaison with his half-sister, and a self-imposed exile. Needless to say, his writing which emerged from the cobwebs of the vices enchanted everyone effortlessly.

* HUNTER S. THOMPSON: From documenting the lives of notorious motorbike gangs called ‘Hell’s Angels’ to spearheading the idea of “Gonzo Journalism??? where the reporters themselves became the central figures of their stories, Thompson nailed it.

After a tragic suicide at the age of 67, one of his friends quoted “the true voice of Thompson is revealed to be that of American moralist … one who often makes himself ugly to expose the ugliness he sees around him.”

* TASLIMA NASREEN: The queen of inflammatory thoughts, radical words and a writer in exile. She has been chased by fanatics around the world, yet nothing stops her from voicing her opinions blatantly.

She has been attacked, threatened and warned, yet she cares two hoots about all of that. She has criticized religion, invited countless fatwas, and travelled to many countries seeking refuge yet, nothing has toned her down.

So, you might wonder, is being a badass is actually a fashion statement?

The truth is, any form of creativity fosters from an uncontrolled form of craziness. When the craziness joins its hands with uncontrolled curiosity, an artist moves beyond the realms of rules, to explore the vices and create a masterpiece owing to the resulting experiences.

Badass artists are like candles, who burn themselves to illuminate the world, yet they do it with their own swag and leave the world craving for more.

Sarah Taylor creates history as the first woman to play in a men’s tournament

Team Wirally

October 17, 2015

English cricketer Sarah Taylor is set to become the first woman to play in a men’s tournament in Australia, when she keeps wickets for Northern Districts club against Port Adelaide later this week.

In case you have an elephantine memory, Sarah Taylor is the same cricketer whose Tweets to Ravinder Jadeja made Indians on Twitter assume that there was something going on between them.

Sarah plays for England, and has acquired a reputation for being a stroke player as the opener in One Day Internationals, and a middle order batsman in Tests. Sarah achieved the unique feat of getting selected to play in South Australia’s elite men’s competition.

When asked if she was tensed about playing in a competitive men’s tournament which is not exactly known to be polite and courteous, Sarah didn’t seem like a person who’d back out of a challenge.

“It’s going to take a bit for me to get used to the extra pace and bounce but I want to challenge myself and test where my cricket is at, to see if I can cope at that level. If I can’t I can’t and if I can, I can, but it will be a good challenge???.

However, it was her comments regarding sledging that really makes you stand up and applaud her temperament. When she was asked about how she’d feel about sledging, if she encountered any during the match, Sarah had this to say:

“If I get any sledging (verbal abuse), it’s a bit of respect because they’re treating me like one of the other players.???

Sarah is a wicket-keeping batswoman and has earlier impressed the cricket world by becoming the fastest woman to reach to 1000 ODI runs. Sarah Taylor has been a part of England teams that won the Women’s World Cup and the World T20 Tournament.

A few Australians are however, miffed that a British woman acquired the feat of becoming the first woman to play in a men’s domestic cricket tournament. In case you haven’t seen her in action, here’s a clip of Sarah Taylor talking about her craft:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKYfJxO6fBM

WaterWheel: This device could transform lives of rural Indian women

Team Wirally

October 17, 2015

One of the biggest challenges for rural women in India is to fetch water. They spend hours walking to wells/taps, and carrying water back on their heads. All that is going to change with Wello, a company that is looking to transform the chore of carrying water.

Wello is producing WaterWheels, which are devices that can carry 50 litres of water. The best part is that it works like a wheel-trolley and can be dragged/rolled instead of being carried on the head. The device, developed by Cynthia Koenig, has already generated interest, having won the $100,000 Grand Challenges Canada prize to further develop the product.

The WaterWheel was created after consulting women in rural Rajasthan, where carrying water is a part of everyday life. Costing between $25-$30 (Rs. 1750-2100), the WaterWheel is being produced in Ahmedabad, and is to be initially implemented in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. The material is designed to sustain rough terrain and can be used as a container too.

Developed by Cynthia Koenig, a social entrepreneur from New York, the WaterWheel could transform the way rural women in India do their chores. The device saves both time and effort and should be a welcome change!

Watch the story of WaterWheel here:

Shah Rukh summed up his career with this brilliant Acceptance Speech at Edinburgh University

Team Wirally

October 16, 2015

shah-rukh-khan-edinburgh- — Shah Rukh Khan receives Honorary Degree from University Of Edinburgh on 15th October 2015

Shah Rukh Khan has always been known to be witty and quick on his feet. So when he was invited to Edinburgh University for an Honorary Doctorate, he wowed the audience with a wonderfully worded acceptance speech.

Shah Rukh Khan began his career on an unconventional note, and stunned everybody with his climb to the top without the backing of a Godfather or a relative in the industry. But who knew that his early films would serve as life lessons for students twenty years down the line?

Here are the highlights of Shah Rukh Khan’s speech at Edinburgh University, a prestigious university set up in the year 1582.

Bruce Lee Review: Chiru is the only highlight of the film

Team Wirally

October 16, 2015

We watch a movie for entertainment. As an audience, we always want something exciting and majestic on the screen. Or something that moves us emotionally, though we can do nothing about it. Bruce Lee fits somewhere in between, except that one moment when Mega Star (playing himself) comes on the screen.

Karthik (Charan) sacrifices his school seat for his sister (Kriti) as she has immense interest in pursuing good education, since his father (Rao Ramesh) has the capacity to give quality education to only one child. From there on, Karthik does anything for his family and their ambitions. He grows up to be a stuntman (Bruce Lee) while helping his father unknowingly in making his sister an IAS officer.

At every stage he clears obstacles in her path. Just when its time to get her married, things get complicated. Then its all about how Bruce Lee – The fighter, fights the path making it smooth for his sister and ends up giving a treat to his girlfriend Riya (Rakul) and us, audience by calling Mega Star himself for help.

An ‘Original Story’ by Sreenu Vaitla as mentioned in the title credits just seems exciting when one reads, but not further. Charan as Bruce Lee was decent in all departments (he anyways didn’t try much comedy, safe!). His efforts in dance, fights did show. But, the screenplay itself was not that gripping to keep you engaged. The teasing yet loving relation between the father and son was the only impressive bit about the movie. The rest of the cast were just supportive.

6 points Gist of Sreenu Vaitla & Co. :

* Coming out of a debacle called Aagadu, Sreenu seemed to pick a ‘very safe’ script which would satisfy fans and himself. Except Chiru’s appearance at the end, I must say Sreenu didn’t live up to the mark. Come on, people expect from him!

* Rest all departments – music, cinematography, production values, editing, choreography – did pretty well.

* Rakul, Kriti Kharbanda, Rao Ramesh, Sampath, Nadiya, Jayprakash and Arun Vijay are the actors who were effective.

* Brahmaji is briliant in sparks, but vanishes after that. Brahmanandam was ineffective. Saptagiri to an extent was decent.

* CHIRU! CHIRU!!! Whistles!! CHIRU!! Whistles!! CHIRU!!

* The End

The film started on a high note and gradually faded as Bruce Lee was beating everyone black and blue, just when you feel you are done watching the movie, there lands Chiru! You forget what the story was, you don’t mind if the Hero will succeed or not, Chiru just steals the scene with his presence and makes you re-live some moments you watched him on screen last.

Telugu cinema is primarily known for its commercial elements. Bruce Lee is just one among them. Don’t expect much, don’t try to be a critic from the titles, Bruce Lee is ‘just’ watchable. Don’t be stunned if you forget the story after you are leave the hall, Chiru’s entry just did that to me.

We need masala movies, they are mainstream. Agreed! But, before we give our criticism of ‘routine stuff’, how far are we ready for something experimental??

Tell the makers of Bruce Lee, I am pretty sure they would love to make experimental movies!

Goodbye, Zaheer Khan! India’s greatest fast bowler, without any doubt.

Team Wirally

October 15, 2015

There was Kapil Dev, but he extended his career by at least five years to get to the highest wicket taker status in Test cricket. In the last five years of his career, Kapil Dev was a shadow of his past.

There was Javagal Srinath – a genuine fighter, with genuine pace. But he was too gentlemanly to be taken seriously by the opposition. Javagal Srinath never had any support from the other end, and didn’t seem to inspire the best from his team mates.

And then, sometime around 2000, Zaheer Khan broke into the scene by bowling a vicious bouncer to Steve Waugh. Waugh, along with the rest of the world, stood up and took notice of the lean fast bowler with a huge stride.

Over the next 15 years, Zaheer Khan was a part of every Indian victory. He was our hope, our prayer. When Zak had the ball, you knew he wouldn’t do something stupid. Unlike Sreesanth, or Varun Aaron. Zaheer Khan announced his retirement today, and there will be much debate on who was the greatest fast bowler India ever had.

But for me, Zak is the man.

1. Actually Aggressive: Before Zaheer Khan took over, Indian bowlers were rarely seen as dangerous. There are videos on YouTube where Srinath bounces Ponting, only to run up and say ‘Sorry!’. To which, Ponting replies by saying, ‘F–k off and bowl’.

But Zaheer, you couldn’t do that to him, man. He’d bowl you an exquisite in-swinging good length delivery, beat your outside edge, and then glare at you like he was your Maths teacher and you didn’t know 2 Table. Zaheer Khan was the first genuine Indian fast bowler who was aggressive, and had the skill to back it up. He could swing the ball both ways, and was lethal with the old ball. He was good in India, but absolutely lethal abroad.

2. Took people under his wing: In spite of his records, Kapil Dev is often criticized for shortening the career of Srinath and others who were way better and faster than him. Even when Srinath was leading the side, he was the lone fighter.

But Zak was a true leader. Unlike other fast bowlers who’d cool their heels at Mid-wicket, Zak would field at Mid-off. After every delivery, he’d walk up to the bowler, talk to him, give him tips. And the result showed. When they played under him, RP Singh, Nehra, and even Sreesanth were transformed bowlers. Watch them when Zak wasn’t around, and they’d spray the ball around like an African kid with diarrhea.

3. Consistently performed overseas: Earlier, Indian fast bowlers would bowl at 135 in India, and 140 overseas. That too, if they had it in them to reach 140 in the first place. But Zaheer Khan was a different person altogether when he toured overseas.

His best performances have all come in grounds in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa – traditionally India’s worst hunting grounds. But Zaheer stood up to the challenge and bamboozled batsmen in their own dens. All the while glaring at them when they missed the ball, and smirking at them when the ball kissed the stumps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTAoUOFGPvE

4. Stood up as the leading man: During the most crucial tournaments, you could trust Zaheer Khan to stand up and deliver. Whenever Zaheer was given the ball, you expected him to nail the openers with every delivery.

The records speak for themselves. Zak has 44 wickets in only 23 World Cup matches. He was also the highest wicket taker in the 2011 WC which India won. He still calls it his greatest moment in the spot. Zak finished his career with 311 Test and 282 One Day wickets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLjja3Obck

5. Adapted with age beautifully: As age got to him, Zaheer didn’t behave like dumb Pakistani bowlers, who still run full steam and collapse at the end of two tournaments. He adapted – and how! While his counterparts were shooting ads, Zaheer was playing county cricket with Worcestershire in England.

He cut down on his run up, but kept his jump intact. As he grew older, Zaheer Khan transformed from Michael Corleone to Vito Corleone – the elder statesman who guides the youngsters! His pace came down, but that brought with it razor-edge accuracy.

Perhaps the true testimony to Zaheer Khan’s splendid career is the fact that I’ve never seen him bowl a delivery and said ‘Arey yaar, kya kar raha hai?’. While injuries ate up most of his career, Zaheer Khan set up ProSport Fitness & Services to help sportspersons deal with injury and the ensuing stress and trauma.

I was too young to watch Kapil Dev. By the time I started watching cricket, Javagal Srinath was as good as L.K. Advani.

For me, Zaheer Khan will be the best fast bowler India has ever had.

The guy who knew he was better than you, and stared at you for ten painful seconds after making you look like a fool.

Goodbye, Zak. Every time I see a Varun Aaron or Sreesanth, I’ll remember you fondly. Have a good life.

Watch This Proud Video Why Hyderabad is the Best Place to Live

Team Wirally

October 15, 2015

Hyderabad, is a city of pearls as we call it now. But, soon it is geared up for many more epithets coming its way. The city has been constantly picking up pace in its expansion and telling the world that it aspires to be a global city soon. With the current Govt. already working with great commitment and displaying great strength in their vision and goals, the investors have been obliged with the warmth in regards to setting up themselves here.

After a dull patch close to 5 years where Hyderabad was lost in balancing the sentiments of its people, is now geared up and has nothing to look back. With a perfect harmony between traditional and modern cultures, the 5th largest metro of this country has already started to execute many of the projects it agreed so far. Not sure how many of us know the progress of our city, but the TS Govt. has ensured that we get to know what is happening in our city and to our city. For all those asking what the Govt. is doing after coming to power, apart from Prajala Vadha Paalana, Mana Vooru – Mana Pranalika and other rural schemes, here is the answer.

Watch this video and feel the pride!

written by KSS

The Kalam Chronicles – A Comic Tribute to the man who laughed at Obstacles.

Team Wirally

October 15, 2015

While most of us know Former President APJ Abdul Kalam as the ‘Missile Man’ of India, or as the former President, his life was not always a bed of roses.

Abdul Kalam became what he did, after years of overcoming obstacles. For someone with the background that he had, every step was a challenge. Here’s a tribute to the man, in the form of a comic.

Enjoy!!

The Dhoni Debacle: Is it time for MSD to go?

Team Wirally

October 14, 2015

Dhoni recently shut all his critics by smashing 92 in the second ODI against South Africa. Playing a role he has been playing for the last seven years, Dhoni settled in, waited for the last few overs, and then took off, blasting the bowlers into all parts of the park.

However, if you’re a cricket fan, you’d notice that it wasn’t the same as the MSD of a few years ago. He was visibly struggling, some of his shots weren’t connecting, and he had to wait till the last few overs to really set things on fire.

Which raises the question – Should MSD hang up his boots? Let the debates begin! J

1. Most important part of the side: It’s difficult to think of it, but Dhoni has been part of the Indian team for more than ten years now. He stormed into the side with his long hair and bulging biceps, and smashed the poor Sri Lankan bowlers to all parts of the park to announce his arrival.

However, at 34, he is not getting any younger. India needs to think of the future, because Dhoni has a way of retiring without letting anybody know, like he did in the Australia tour. If we are to look at the future, we need to be prepared for an Indian team without Dhoni. It is going to be difficult, yes. But it has to happen.

2. The Need for New Blood: Before Dhoni, the wicketkeeper wasn’t really looked at as a batsman. We had keepers like Syed Kirmani, Nayan Mongia, and Kiran More, who played for long stints, but they were hardly what you’d call world class with the bat.

But since Dhoni came into the picture, a keeper who can’t bat seems like a liability to the side. Also, we have other people in the reserves, like Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Karthik, who are a few years younger.

3. Do we actually have any good options: Both Karthik and Patel are 30 years old, and hardly what you’d call world class batsmen. While it is easy to say Dhoni needs to go, it is hard to think of an able substitutes. Wriddhiman Saha looked promising, but he is 30 years old. Naman Ojha is also 32. The reality of the matter is, do we have anybody to substitute Dhoni with?

4. Take the hard call: If you look at the Australian selection, they don’t work on emotions. The reason why the Australian team has continuously produced champions is that they work on logic and future, rather than emotions. So while it is a difficult decision to make, it has to be made.

If not today, we’ll have to make the choice at some point in the given future. Also, there’s the fact that Dhoni doesn’t like being rushed out. He’s not the kind who’ll wait for the BCCI to announce a farewell series.

If he thinks he needs to go, he’ll announce it all of a sudden, and leave forever.

So what do you think we should do? Should we wait and trust Dhoni? Should we enjoy the last few tournaments of the greatest wicketkeeper and captain we have ever had?

Or should we be practical, logical, and throw him the axe?

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Did You Know These 7 Facts About Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam??

Team Wirally

October 14, 2015

A true gentleman, a great adviser, a well learned, a modest individual, a phenomenal scientist, a successful President and a constant inspiration – this all sums up to a great personality called APJ Abdul Kalam. His achievements are endless and have inspired number of people across the country. And yet he remained grounded as if he has done least for the country. While we all know off late in India, no one else has achieved more than this man, lets get to know something more about this outstanding personality. October 15th is now Youth Renaissance Day

Dr. Kalam always had a special place for the youth of this country and we all know of the great inspiration he has been to many of the students. After his death this year, the Tamil Nadu Govt. has announced that his Birthday, Oct 15th will be observed as “Youth Renaissance Day” across the
state. Received Honorary Doctorates from 40 Universities

While we all discuss about Filmfares and IIFAs, of the least we know about this significant personality is he received honorary doctorates from 40 universities. 40 UNIVERSITIES!! Missile Test Island renamed as ‘Abdul Kalam Island’

Wheeler Island, a national missile test site in Odisha, has been renamed as ‘Abdul Kalam Island’ in September 2015. Recipient of the NSS Von Braun Award.

Source NSS Apart from many of the awards he received, he also was the recipient of the NSS Von Braun Award. The National Space Station is an American non-profit organisation specialized in spcae advocacy. It is given in odd-numbered years (1993, 1995, etc.) to recognize excellence in management of and leadership for a space-related project where the project is significant and successful and the manager has the loyalty of a strong team that he or she has created.” His Possessions – books, a veena, few clothes, a CD player and a laptop

For the simple and modest way of living and might never happen for some of us in our lifetime. When his missions failed, he faced the press accepting his mistakes.

Source : BI and Getty Images During his tenure at ISRO, when he failed in his missile tests, he faced the press himself accepting his mistakes. But, when he succeeded, he sent his colleagues to talk. Such was his modesty. Love for Wildlife

During his tenure at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Kalam had rejected a proposal to place broken glass on the walls of the premises to prevent break-ins. He said the broken glass would be harmful for the birds that perch on the walls.

Also Read: 7 Inventions of APJ Abdul Kalam

WTF: 60 year old punches another over Musical Chairs!

Team Wirally

October 13, 2015

If you thought Musical Chairs was just a friendly, fun sport you played in your childhood, here’s something that’ll make you reconsider your opinion.

The Maharashtra Government declared Musical Chairs as a sport. Last week, a man took this news to heart, and punched another 60 year old for beating his wife at Musical Chairs. Turns out, the event was organized by a Mumbai based school as part of their ‘Grandparents Day’ celebration.

Here, one gentleman – Rajendra Tiwari, who is unfortunately also a heart patient – beat another man – Mr. Shukla’s – wife in the final round of the game. However, when he was declared the winner, he was accused of cheating by slowing down when he came close to the chair.

Mr. Shukla, who might be the most passionate fan of the sport Musical Chairs, immediately shouted and punched Mr. Tiwari on the face and started abusing him. In a few minutes, he was rushed to a hospital where the chaos was sorted out.

I don’t know if I should applaud Mr. Shukla for his passion towards Musical Chairs and his wife, or applaud Mr. Tiwari for holding on under pressure.

One assumes the kids at the function got a story to tell that day. Read the news story here.

Navratri : These 9 things are Bound to Happen During Dandiya

Team Wirally

October 13, 2015

Everywhere you see, its all colourful! The 9 day long festival of Navratri has come and all the schools/colleges seem abandoned. Its time to go frivolous with your friends and have no ropes attached. Shopping from ghagras, matching accessories, matching footwear to taking selfies, having loads of food, dandiya and garba dances and what not. In south, another thing added is storming to the movie halls. Its a total madness of celebration all across the country.

Now dandiya being one major occasion for everyone to flock their dancing skills with their ethnic wear and swing to those resounding beats with thousands of people around, we are bound to come across few things that will definitely happen. What are they??

1. GIRLS!!!! Its time to go Backless!!

For the girls, the major ingredient during Dandiya is to dress your best in different kinds of ghagras and lehengas showcasing your backs and if possible getting a temporary tattoo that speaks your personality or just some random tattoo to decorate your back. Guys, get ready to be blown away!

Not sure how many guys are ready to be as enthusiastic about dandiya and garba as the girls are, but if you are getting to hit on some hot girls who will be seen traditionally hot, yes this is the time. Now, be careful, its a goddess festival. You could become a Mahishasura if you go overboard.

Dussera is meant to spend money in loads. From shopping for clothes to getting a facial and hairstyle before every dandiya night. Beauty parlors will have an orgasm time.

4. Hey, can you lend me one ‘dandiya stick’?

You just got ready to dance and one unexpected friend or a person with a broad smile comes and asks you ‘can you lend me one dandiya stick?’. Now you aren’t sure how much you are going to enjoy your dandiya, because it just got handicapped.

5. A Gujju lead dancer in every batch

Before you wish your Gujju friend, he owns the festival. While on the way to dandiya, she/he will give his bytes of dandiya experience and the basic things to follow during a dandiya.

6. That person who keeps dashing/stamping your foot.

Now, not everyone is a perfect dancer. And dandiya is once in a year danced genre. These people are mostly strangers who stumble upon you in circles and stamp your foot after which they would say sorry and by then they are already hitting the next person.

7. Ohhh My God!! Sweat!!!

The only part we wouldn’t enjoy during the dandiya is the sweating part. With thousands of people around you it really gets quite suffocated and if your odour isn’t good, am sorry. Don’t dance much, chances of scoring someone will get quite less.

8. After the intense dancing – ‘I am Hungry!! Let’s go for some late night food’

This is the best part after some intense dancing. You will run where there is food..food..food.

Once the festival is over, you will know to yourself that it was a great work out session because you are freaking tired and drained out.

Everything About BATHUKAMMA : The Cultural Pride of Telangana

Team Wirally

October 13, 2015

In our country, festivals are the occasions exclusive for celebrations and we have in abundance of them. Each of them have a reference to our rich cultural history and bring loads of enthusiasm in our society while celebrating them. After formation of the latest state, Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao revived the celebration of Bathukamma as cultural pride of the state spreading it over 9 days. A floral festival celebrated with folk dance, songs and different kind of food, here we bring you everything you need to know about this colourful festival.

written by KSS

Design by Anudeep

Did You Know Oct 11 is World Pawanism Day??

Team Wirally

October 12, 2015

Pawanism has been doing the rounds for quite some time now. It means something more than a religion for the PK fans. It includes their craze for him, their social activities and everything that seems righteous. We know that PK is not just a star to them, he comes across to them first as a person. A person who makes his voice heard on social issues. The dances and fights are just a bonus to them.

There was a movie that was made on the same. Baba Sehgal contributed in his style with a rap song. Now taking all this craze into the next level, fans have come up with a concept of celebrating World Pawanism Day on October 11. It happens to be the day Pawan’s first movie Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi.

This could get a mixed response from the fans themselves. I admire Pawan Kalyan in this context, he really has no clue about what is going on and even if he knows, he hardly gives a feedback. Sitting silently doing his work is what he believes in I guess.

RGV did tweet nicely on this day. But, if you take a close look at his tweet, wasn’t he trying to be a little sarcastic. Now, this sarcastic tweet can be considered, because celebrating World Pawanism Day is a little over the top. He just shouldn’t have had that last peg that night before he saw the number of followers PK got on twitter.

Bandla Ganesh Counter Strike on RGV Behalf of PK Fans

Team Wirally

October 12, 2015

We all heard of the recent spat RGV had with PK fans. Now, we know the massive following Pawan Kalyan has got and twitter was not the medium to measure. RGV dug a bit deeper and called the fans ‘illiterates’ for just the fact that he has less number of followers. This seriously irked them and as a reply PK fans humbly killed RGV and paid their condolences too.

Seeing his obituary, RGV’s back and the area below it burnt with frustration and he replied asking other star’s fans to educate PK’s fans. But, PK fans stayed silent considering him dead. Now, it is the time of Bandla Ganesh, the ‘ardent devotee’ or bakthudu of Pawan Kalyan as he calls himself, to give his share of dose to the ‘Nightweetale’. Addressing RGV as Sir, Ganesh humbly requested him not to spoil his night’s sleep and day’s work with his tweets and it wouldn’t take a second for the fans to take on him.

Irk anyone but not a PK fan, their love can go to any extent. They just killed RGV over social media.
If RGV is also an ardent fan of Pawan, doesn’t the word ‘illiterate’ applies to him too?

This Cement Ad starring The Great Khali is hilarious!

Team Wirally

October 12, 2015

The Great Khali is easily one of the most recognisable Indians across the country. Ever since he broke into the WWE, children and adults across the nation have seen him waltz across the ring and smash opponents like they are clothes in a Dhobi Ghat.

He has also starred in Hollywood films, and Indian shows like Bigg Boss. However, a recent ad by Ambuja Cement might be the smartest appearance by The Great Khali yet.

In the ad, Khali is shown talking about Khali-problems, and how the cement company solved all of his issues.

After years of tepid ads, this ad by Ambuja is a sure-shot winner!

This ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ spoof perfectly explains the problems of India’s youth

Team Wirally

October 12, 2015

When Dil Chahta Hai released, it sent the youth of the country into a tizzy.

The film was about the youth, but it was realistic. They weren’t fighting the evil landlord, but their own demons and issues. Dil Chahta Hai changed the way our characters in films spoke and acted, and was a film that you could connect to.

The Unglis, a comedy collective from Hyderabad, have perfectly summed up the problems of the youth of the country in their spoof – Chill Chahta Hai.

No matter if you’re a 95% guy, a 65% guy, or a 35% guy – you have to deal with expectations, pressures and trauma in your lives. This is a walk down memory lane, along with a burst of frustration. That we are more than our scores and marks. There’s more to us.

Enjoy!

Ravinder Jain: All You Need To Know About The Genius

Team Wirally

October 10, 2015

Music Director and lyricist Ravinder Jain passed away yesterday after a long battle with ill-health.

Seen as an inspiration to millions, Ravinder Jain built an enviable career for himself in music, in spite of blindness. He was one of the most respected music directors of India, and was remembered fondly for bringing the magical voice of Yesudas to the rest of the country.

Here’s everything you need to know about Ravinder Jain.

Infographic designed by: Anudeep

5 Reasons that made Rudhramadevi a huge hit

Team Wirally

October 10, 2015

When Rudhramadevi released after Baahubali, a lot of fans were circumspect if the film will work. A lot of people were comparing it with Rajamouli’s epic, raising doubts about the quality of graphics and the story.

However, when the film released on Friday, all the fears were put to rest. Rudhramadevi won the appreciation of the critics, as well as the applause of the audience. In spite of skepticism and doubts, Rudhramadevi proved that there is no greater pull for a film, than a tight, gripping story.

Here are five reasons why Rudhramadevi worked as a film, beating everybody’s expectations.

1. Women Centric Film:

Generally, there’s a stereotype in the industry that a woman-centric film will not work. There are also expectations that a woman-centric has to be an art film. However, director Gunashekar proved everybody wrong, and the film was marketed purely as a film that starred Anushka. The audience lapped it up!

2. Tight Story:

At the end of the day, a film is nothing but a story. The medium, the budget, the casting, are all secondary to the story. Rudhramadevi proved that this is right, and banked on a tight, gripping story, which does not have any sell-out gimmicks like love triangles and unnecessary humour tracks.

3. Not just ‘Guest Appearance’:

When the trailers were released, people assumed that Allu Arjun and Rana would have blink-and-you-miss-it roles in the film. However, when they saw the film, they realized that the roles were actually well fleshed out and not just a trap to entice the viewers.

4. Ilayaraja’s music:

The maestro Illayaraja seems to be back in form. Instead of sticking to loud, jarring drums and trumpets, Illayaraja weaves magic with his melodious tunes. The music and background score add the element of suspense and thrill to the film’s proceedings.

5. Strong central character:

At the end of the day, Rudhramadevi belongs to Anushka. She pulls off the role with aplomb, carrying the film on her shoulders. While the rest of her colleagues are still straddling multi-heroine films, Anushka has bravely gone where no actress has dared to. She deserves all the credit for her role as the central character.

If you haven’t watched the film yet, you should. It is getting a lot of positive response from the audience! Let us know what you think of the film.

Pawan Kalyan Fans get revenge on RGV for his comments!

Team Wirally

October 10, 2015

Ram Gopal Varma is infamous for the avtar he carries out on media, especially Twitter. Like some of us get excited and text our ex-girlfriend or girlfriend once high, some say he gets high and tweets, because most of them come up post 00.00 Hrs. Now, except him, no one can confirm that. And even if he does and if you raise an objection, very obligingly he would say stop following me’

The recent spat he had with Pawan Kalyan Fans on why PK has less followers on Twitter and blaming it on them calling them ‘illiterate’ irked them. Every possible PK fan trolled on him, while some got offended, some took it sportively. RGV on the other side was also paradoxical, calling himself as a ‘die hard’ fan of Power Star. But, not sure how much that was true and if it were true, the fans paid no attention in understanding him.

Now, irking PK fans is the worst thing you can do because they can go to any extent. The irate fans took it serious and thought argument is not going to do any favour with RGV. So, they considered to kill him (on social media) and got brought out a condolence note. They went even kind on him and asked every PK fan to pray for RGV’s soul.

Frustrated Chiru Calls his Fans ‘Stupid Fellows’

Team Wirally

October 9, 2015

Chiru never looses his cool with fans. He is infact that one star who considers his fans as his family addressing them as ‘thammulu’. As common people, we could say anything we want to our friends or people around. If we get into a brawl with them in public, the maximum audience we have would be those people passing by who would either think we are drunk or wouldn’t give a damn in hearing us.

Now, being a celebrity also has lot of cons attached. While you are always surrounded with fame and glamour, people are always watching you and hear every word you utter. It was just this unfortunate day for Chiru during the audio function of his son’s movie Bruce Lee. Chiru lost his cool scolding his fans ‘stupid fellows’.

The media sometimes gets irksome but fans?? Poor guys, all they want is just a glimpse of their star and some acknowledgment from him. Now, Chiru did acknowledge, but the fans got some bitter taste of it. Just these two words were enough for everyone to troll on him.

We do know how much Chiru adores his fans, but this was just that bad day for both Chiru and his fans. Not all days the same, right? I wonder if those fans would ever come again to see him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD5PhOAQPB8

Rudhramadevi : Its a Thrilling Lesson in History

Team Wirally

October 9, 2015

‘Perseverance is Stubbornness with a purpose’. Gunashekar after going through only downs with the last few of magnum opus movies, gets everything right at the right time with a right subject. Its definitely a great relief for him for the efforts he has been constantly keeping. One might feel after movies like Okkadu, Chudalani Vundi, Manorama kind of movies, why he chose this?

Its because Rudhramadevi in every way had a great potentiality as a script. Though Guna faltered in bits here and there, but it did manage to strike as a movie.

Starting with Marco Polo narrating this as an inspirational story, ‘Rudhramadevi’ is brought up as ‘Rudhradevudu’ under the guidance of Minister Shiva Devaiyya and father Ganapatidevudu in order to protect the the Kakatiya Dynasty from falling into greedy hands. Once her true identity is revealed that she is actually a girl and not a boy, through a spy and things get shabby for the Prince(ss), twists and turns keep arising throwing Rudhramadevi into a tangle of Power Struggle and handling the Kakatiya Kingdom with Mahadeva Nayakudu also attacking their kingdom. Now what Rudhramadevi will do in order to protect the kingdom and where does Gona Ganna Reddy, an awesome edged character in the film feature, you will have to watch it in the theatre.

As a general audience to the movie, the first and foremost person I feel happy for is Gunashekar. It is his belief in himself and perseverance that the movie’s result is reaping fruits now. I wouldn’t say its a path-breaking movie, but its like a nice History class you would like to sit through and know something interesting about. The fact that this is a true story keeps that excitement alive in the theatre, though there we few dull moments.

Special Mention:

Gona Ganna Reddy (Allu Arjun)

This was truly unexpected from Allu Arjun and he proves he is growing as an actor. That Telangana dialect and his mannerism in telling ‘Ganna Reddy kaadu Gona Ganna Reddy’ is simply super.

Ilayaraja’s BGM : Apart from the songs, maestro excelled in the war sequences and all through the movie one can feel the mood in the hall glued because of the BGM.

Special Effects and Art: Those arial shots of Eagle advancing towards the Snake is just one sample. Kudos to VFX team and equivalent credit should be given to the Art work by Thota Tharani.

Cinematography : Ajayan Vincent’s cinematography deserves applauds for some really good work.

And not the least, Chiru who gave a voice over. Hearing him through those speakers in a hall has been quite long.

If you want to get some bites from our History and know how things were then, take some time off and watch this. It was delayed for quite long and atlast released. It may not blow your mind but will definitely give your money’s worth because its definitely worth a watch.

Looks like being a great year for Telugu Film Industry so far.

Reviewed by KSS

Awesome! Air Force to have women fighter pilots

Team Wirally

October 9, 2015

The Indian Air Force has announced that it will soon have women fighter pilots in the sky.

The role of women in armed forces in India has been under much debate and scrutiny. Many countries around the world employ women in fighting units, and the armed forces is seen as a gender-bending institution.

The first woman to fly a plane in India was Sarla Thakral, who flew a plane at age 21 way back in the year 1936.

However, the number of women in the Indian armed forces is not exactly what you’d call vibrant, with 3% women in the Army and Navy, but a much higher 8% in the Air Force. When he was asked about the role of women in the armed forced, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar expressed some doubts about it.

“No. Think of what can happen if a woman is taken as a prisoner in combat operation,??? Manohar Parrikar, India’s defence minister, had said in May this year, ruling out the inclusion of women in combat operations.

With this decision, India joins a club of countries that allow women fighter pilots into the battlefield. This list includes the United States of America, Isreal, and …surprise, surpise…Pakistan!

Here’s how the Indian Team Trolled VVS Laxman’s shirt

Team Wirally

October 9, 2015

The third T20 between India and South Africa was washed out due to rain, sealing India’s chances of making any sort of comeback in the tournament.

While the players, match referees, and fans waited for the match to begin, the Indian cricket team found something to troll on – VVS Laxman.

The calm, wristy Hyderabadi had arrived for the pre-match discussion in a shirt that was uncharacteristically flashy.

Remember, we are talking about VVS Laxman here. This guy booted the strongest Australian team for three days straight and didn’t so much as smile or frown the entire time!

The Indian team held out a placard to Laxman, telling them what they thought.

‘Laxman, we love your shirt’, the placard reads, with Bhajji holding it out to the camera. Bhajji certainly likes Laxman more than he does Sreesanth, I’m assuming.

Looks like Laxman is going to stick to checks and stripes for the time being.

The Navjot Sidhu you don’t know of

Team Wirally

October 8, 2015

Navjot Sidhu posted a picture on Twitter yesterday, where he revealed that he was suffering from a life-threatening disease, but was hoping to recover.

The picture went viral and was featured in all major websites, as the tributes began to flow in. Strangely, we noticed that all the tributes were about him being a great host on Comedy Nights With Kapil. Nobody spoke about his achievements as a cricketer, or the colourful life he has led.

Here’s the Navjot Sidhu that you don’t know of.

1. Navjot Sidhu’s wife’s name is Navjot Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife’s name is Navjot Kaur Sidhu. She’s a doctor, politician, and a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly.

2. Sidhu was quite the emotional guy

Throughout his life, Sidhu wore his heart on his sleeve. He once got into a fight with Prabhakar over a box of Rossogullas, and in another incident, he left an England tour halfway through and took a flight back home. The reason cited was that Azharuddin had abused him. Later, investigations revealed that Azhar had said ‘Maa ki kirikiri’, which is a common Hyderabadi slang for ‘Dimaag ki dahi’.

3. Navjot Singh Sidhu is an accomplished politician.

Since 2004, Sidhu has dabbled in politics, getting a ticket from the BJP to contest from Amritsar. He won the elections comfortably, contesting again, while making it clear that he wanted to only contest from Amritsar, and nowhere else. Sidhu is a Member of Parliament, and his wife is a Member of State Legislative Assembly in Punjab. Is he as dramatic in the Parliament? You figure out for yourself.

4. Sidhu has featured in quite a few films

Navjot Sidhu has been popular on Indian television screen for more than a decade now. While it began with The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, he has also acted in films – Mujhse Shadi Karoge and Mera Pind. He regularly features in guest appearances in films and television, apart from being a regular feature on the most popular show on Indian TV – Comedy Nights With Kapil.

5. Sidhu has been booked for murder

Back in 1988, when he was 25 years old, Sidhu got into a scuffle with a man in a Patiala market. Things escalated and the man died, with Sidhu being booked for murder.

The issue was held up in court for a long time, till Sidhu was booked for murder in 2006, when he impressively resigned from all political positions of the time. Later, the Court ‘stayed’ its conviction in the case, and Sidhu was free to contest elections again.

6. Sidhu was a kick-ass batsman

Overall, the reason Navjot Sidhu first created his identity, is because of his skills with the bat. In a career spanning 16 years, Sidhu played for India from 1983 to 1999. His best, though, was in the 1987 World Cup, where he scored four half-centuries in five matches. The one match that he failed to score, sadly, was the semi-final, and India were knocked out of the tournament.

Indian batsman Navjot Sidhu celebrates as he reaches his century against Pakistan during a Champions Trophy match at Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on 15th October 1989. Pakistan won by six wickets. (Photo by David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

Over his career, Sidhu was famous for launching into brutal attacks on spinners, earning him the nickname ‘Sixer Sidhu’, and ‘Man of Sixes’. When he was criticized for poor fielding, he worked on his fielding and was nicknamed ‘Jonty Singh’. His attack of Shane Warne in 1998 is the stuff of legends, as he danced down the track and booted Warne out of the park.

Sidhu was also a No-nonsense cricketer, as Aamir Sohail found out when he tried to sledge at him. Sidhu promptly raised his bat and walked up to Sohail to smash the daylights out of him. Thankfully, nothing happened after that.

7. Sidhu was fired from ESPN-STAR for abusing on air

During a World Cup preparatory matches, Sidhu allegedly said to co-commentator Alan Wilkins – ‘Don’t f*ck around with me’. This was captured on air and Sidhu was fired from the Commentary Panel. He was reinstated later in 2012, but he mostly restricts himself to Hindi commentary these days, along with other sleeping pills like Kapil Dev and Arun Lal.

8. Sidhu is hated in Bangladesh

Never one to mince his words, Sidhu was frank in his opinion of Bangladesh. This was back when Bangladesh had been granted permanent Test playing status, but weren’t winning any matches at all. Sidhu is said to have said, ‘Cockroached and birds both fly, but cockroaches are not birds. Well, that pissed off a lot of Bangladeshis, and they spewed hatred on YouTube. In fact, there’s a petition on Change.org in which Bangladeshis championed for him to be booked for racial abuse.

They also have a Facebook page called ‘We hate Sidhu’.

Over the last four decades, Sidhu has made himself relevant to every age. Whether it was getting into commentary when Indian cricket was beginning to get powerful, or as a judge on TV, or getting into politics when his party was on the cusp of a national sweep, Sidhu knows how to stay relevant with the times. Which is why, in spite of retiring 16 years ago, Navjot Singh Sidhu is still releavent.

Check Out Power Star As The New GANG LEADER Of Mega Gang

Team Wirally

October 8, 2015

One of the best things happened to Telugu Film Industry is Mega Star Chiranjeevi. And one the best things that happened to Mega Star Chiranjeevi is Pawan Kalyan. Without doubt, Chiru is the Godfather of Mega Camp. That’s a fact by default.

Now, time is a factor that is not in our control. Every generation calls for a new leader during its time. That doesn’t suppress anyone’s contribution and participation. The current scenario’s biggest stars are again just TWO, and Pawan Kalyan who is in proper swing crossing the Godly feeling is leading the industry on one side and the Mega Camp on the other.

With Chiru gearing up for his 150th movie, here we have dedication for him. Check this awesome video welcoming the ‘New Gang Leader – Power Star Pawan Kalyan’

How TVF made Indian Television Look Stupid

Team Wirally

October 7, 2015

When the finale of TVF Pitchers released, it ranked 21 in IMDB’s list of Top 250 TV shows worldwide.

In a little over five years, TVF has become the most loved entertainment portal in India. Their actors have vast fan-following, with Arunabh, Biswapati Sarkar, Jeetu and Nidhi Bisht becoming instantly recognizable through the nooks and corners of the country.

But to understand why TVF is such a success among the youth of India, you have to understand the ecosystem of Indian television industry.

1. INDIAN TELEVISION IS UTTER BULLSHIT.

We got private channels in India sometime in the early 90s. Sadly, after 25 years of private news channels, what you get on television today is pure, unadulterated bullshit. In a quarter of a century, we have only one properly defined market – women and housewives. The biggest players in Indian television are soap operas and reality shows.

If you are a youngster in India, there’s literally nothing on television that makes you want to watch it, nothing that makes you stop and think, nothing to make you laugh. You have no option but to consume the tripe that passes off as entertainment on our televisions. In fact, our TV shows are so bad that when a Pakistani channel appeared on our TVs, we realized even they made better shows than us.

2. TARGETING THE YOUTH

Slowly but surely, the youth of India disconnected from Television. If you ask any of your friends, you’d find that they spend less than half an hour in front of a TV everyday. That is because the youth have been alienated out of TV target audience.

There are soppy shows on MTV and Channel V, or dumb reality shows with youngsters abusing each other, or Bollywood gossip channels who report about how Bipasha Basu’s dog is dating Katrina Kaif’s cat. The youth, the largest consuming group of media, had no option but to look elsewhere.

That is where TVF came into the picture.

3. INSANELY HILARIOUS

TVF has perfectly cracked the formula of Indian sensibilities of humour. In fact, while there is a raging debate on AIB vs TVF all across the net, you cannot deny that TVF caters to a much larger market.

While AIB is brash and brutally honest, not all of India is comfortable with pushing boundaries, swearwords, and insult comedy. TVF, on the other hand, is clean humour. There is satire, and self-mockery, and in a perfectly Indian manner of being snarky (but not too offensive), TVF has been able to recognize exactly what tickles India’s funny bones.

4. THE INTERNET IS A LIBERATING SPACE

Indian television is not only dumb, there are an insane number of restrictions on creative content. You cannot show anybody drinking or smoking, or swearing. In fact, a few years ago, Sushma Swaraj directed Doordarshan newsreaders to cover up their sarees and not wear transparent blouses. Which means to enjoy Indian television, you need the IQ of a garden lizard smoking bad marijuana.

TVF, on the other hand, fully exploited a medium that is more liberating. The internet respects your intelligence, and gives you the power to choose what you consume. The youth of India got tired of being told what is right for them, and dumped the television as a medium altogether.

5. A MIRROR TO OUR SELVES

What TVF do perfectly though, is show a mirror to ourselves.

TVF’s videos are reflections of our habits, our quirks, our crazy antics as a nation. And yet, they don’t do it with a snobbish tone. TVF is like that uncle who drops in for a wedding and has everybody in splits. He doesn’t offend anybody, yet takes potshots at each and every person.

TVF mocks our obsession with film stars, our superstitions, our rants and our peeves, without seeming preachy about it.

In five years, TVF has made the 475 Billion worth Indian television industry, seem like an obsolete elephant. It has transformed how we consume shows, it has made us laugh at ourselves, and share our joy with our friends.

Ironically, it all began with MTV rejecting their ideas, saying ‘This is not what Indian youth want’.

WTF?? Website calls Edida Nageswar Rao’s Death as ANR’s

Team Wirally

October 6, 2015

If I were asked to shop for a Shimla Apple and if I didn’t know how it looks like, I would try atleast picking something like apple and show it. I wouldn’t pick an orange, just because it has the same shape and claim its a Shimla Apple.

This is what exactly happened where a website mistook the recent demise of Edida Nageswar Rao, the legend producer who played a crucial role in bringing up the alternate cinema in Telugu for the Legend actor Akkineni Nageswar Rao, even after a year of His death. If just a similar name is going to confuse you, the IQ and GK are seriously at stake. Come on, a company called Google is providing decent services in giving you pages of information for just a word that you type in. Just a search for a minute would have been a lot lot better.

Now, there is no need to brag about where the media is going and what world we are living in, it was a gun shot error with lots of love for negligence and below the par IQ. And that comes from not being aware of who is who.

Here is a bit of information we all need to know about Edida Nageswar Rao, a producer of 10 films. One might wonder its just 10 films, but its not about the number, its about the content in each film that paved a path and the history and dignity created for our Telugu Cinema.

Banner Name: Poornodaya Movie Creations

Movies Produced: Siri Siri Muvva, Tayaramma Bangarayya, Shankarabharanam, Seetakoka Chiluka, Swayamkrushi, Swatimutyam, Swarakalpana, Sitara, Sagarasangamam and Apatbandhavudu.

All the movies he produced were path breaking and had a lot of influence not only on the movie lovers but also socially. Almost all the movies he produced won either of the awards. Each movie plays a role in the pride of Telugu Cinema history. He had a very close association with K Vishwanath and also served as Telugu Film producer’s Council Secretary, Nandi Awards Committee Chairman and National Film Award Committee member. He worked as a theater artist, dubbing artist before he chose to produce these wonderful movies.

For playing a crucial role in giving us gems of cinema to watch and for enhancing our love for cinema, may his soul rest in peace.

Mistakes happen with everyone, but it shouldn’t go to the extent of calling them blunders, atleast not with a Legend like ANR. He is a national personality and we ought to know him very well.

Really wonder what Nagarjuna has got to say about this??

Cuttack Unruly Crowd: Not the first time Indian crowds lost it

Team Wirally

October 6, 2015

The second T20 between India and South Africa was a one-sided affair. With South Africa well on its way to victory, the crowd at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, decided to spice things up by hurling water bottles.

The umpire had to stop the match twice, and the incident overshadowed the proceedings of the match, and serious questions were raised on Cuttack’s ability to organize another match.

Seriously?

It’s a match of cricket, not a gladiatorial fight between men and savages. And when the team plays well, do the crowd throw in money, sweets, and other valuables? No, right? So what’s with this frustration? However, it’s not the first time that an Indian cricket audience was unruly. There have been other such shocking instances when the crowd simply decided to take matters into their own hands.

1. Booing Virat Kohli:

IPL 2013. Royal Challengers vs Mumbai Indians.

Virat Kohli effects a run out and the new batsman Dinesh Karthik comes into bat. Pollard nudges to the covers and tries to take a single, but the bowler collides against Karthik, and Virat throws to the stumps. There is an appeal, and the Umpire declares Karthik out.

The Mumbai crowd, always known to be a decent bunch (except when they’re beating up people from UP, Bihar, South India) pounced upon Kohli and the entire stadium began to scream ‘Cheater! Cheater!!’ in unison. Kohli being Kohli, was utterly pissed off and said the same in the match conference. Here’s a fan made video from the match.

2. Booing Gavaskar and pelting oranges

This was the Calcutta crowd in Eden Gardens. January 2, 1979.

West Indies toured India, and Gavaskar was in fine nick. He was the captain, and also in the form of his life, scoring over 1000 Test runs in a span of about 78 days, a world record back then. Gavaskar was also in sight of another personal record – the first batsman to score a century in both innings of a Test thrice.

He had scored a century in the first innings, and was in fine form in the second innings too. The crowd however, had other ideas. When he declared the innings after he reached 200, the crowd began to boo him. They shouted his name, and began pelting oranges at him!

Think about it, he was the captain of the side, scored centuries in both innings, and was at the time the most prolific batsman in the world. But…

3. Booing Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri broke into the Indian national team as a youngster, leading his school, and then the Under-19 team, and finally into the Ranji, and Indian side. However, while he was a favourite with the females, having been linked to actress Amrita Singh and tennis star Gabriela Sabatini.

However, while he was getting runs and wickets, he was also getting a lot of backlash. The media accused him of batting too slowly (in a side that included Sunil Gavaskar!), and the crowds loved to boo Ravi Shastri.

In fact, he was booed in many stadiums in India, including his home ground – Mumbai. ‘Ravi Shastri Hai Hai’ was a common chant in the early 90s, and Shastri has gone on record to say that it pushed him to perform better. ‘I thought as if they are saying Ravi Shastri Hi Hi . I just drilled that into my head’, is what he had to say.

4. Booing Sachin Tendulkar

March 20, 2006.

India vs England. Sachin Tendulkar is going through probably his worst patch as a batsman. His form has dipped, and injuries to his back and elbow have forced him to leave out his most explosive shots – the lofted drive and the pull to mid wicket.

Sachin walks out to bat and struggles for 34 minutes, managing to carve out just a single run. In the end, he edges to the keeper and is dismissed. The Mumbai crowd begins booing Sachin Tendulkar.

The incident was much publicized in the media, and fans both spoke for and against the man. It was probably proof that the Indian cricket fan is short-sighted, and short-tempered. Of course, Sachin Tendulkar bounced back into form, accumulating runs from 2007 onwards in a rejuvenated second-innings of sorts. He would go on to score runs in India, Australia and New Zealand, across both formats of the game. He would go on to score 200 in an innings, and then 100 centuries to sum up a golden career. However, his home crowd, that witnessed him grow from a boy to a man to a father, booing him, was a certain low in his career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cwoyEUPicc

5. 96 World Cup – match awarded to Sri Lanka

It was the semi final of the Wills World Cup 1996. India had beaten Pakistan in the Quarterfinals in Bangalore and Sri Lanka seemed to be on a surprise rampage for a side that hadn’t won any major tournaments.

Sri Lanka batted first, with Srinath beginning a dream match, ousting the first three batsmen for a paltry total score of 35. However, the middle order of de Silva, Ranatunga, Mahanama and Tillakaratne consolidated and brought the score up to a healthy 251 (remember, this was 1996).

India’s reply, however, was tragic. Sachin scored a 65, but got stumped. From there on, it was typical 90s Indian cricket. Sachin got out with the score at 98, and within the next 22 runs, six wickets tumbled. India needed another 132 runs in 15.5 overs with 2 wickets remaining, when the Calcutta crowd decided they had had enough.

They began pelting stones, lighting bonfires in the stands, and chanting slogans against the players. About half an hour was wasted, and in spite of repeated requests, match referee Clive Lloyd awarded the match to the Sri Lankans, who went on to win the World Cup. The match is still a deep scar on the Indian crowd, for it was injustice to the brave performance put up by Sri Lankans.

So you see, we were never a very tolerant audience. If you perform, we put you up on our shoulders and dance in joy. But if you dare disappoint us, we’ll burn you down.

You will Love this Krishna’s EDM Dance Mix Video

Team Wirally

October 5, 2015

In all good spirits, we know how our Superstar Krishna gives his best to dance but misfires almost every time. He is charming and good looking, no doubt but only when it comes to making some moves, he disappoints us. Since we do not get to see much of his dance, using Showtek’s Booyah, Yuva Kiran has fine tuned Krishna’s steps and created some magic.

You have to stop reading and watch Krishna-Jayaprada duet of Aakasamlo Okatara shaking to this EDM-reggae mix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh5JkcOLzTo

Check this Stylish Babai-Abbai Trailer Remix of Bruce Lee

Team Wirally

October 5, 2015

We have watched many of Pawan Kalyan’s flicks and hearing him say a line, one can recognize which movie it is or what’s the scene going on. Such is the craze PK has got. He is now one of the two big faces of the industry and leading the Mega Camp. While there have been few hiccups and rifts going the rounds in the Mega fans Circle, we know that end of day its all for the love of their respective Heroes and affection they have towards them that makes the fans react that way. Its just momentary and all will be well once a movie releases.

With Bruce Lee being the latest flick waiting to treat us all this Dussera, here is an entertaining trailer remix by Ravi Teja .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWZXJ7SjM4o

How Bhoomika changed the careers of our biggest stars today

Team Wirally

October 3, 2015

When it is called Hero and Heroine of a film, one should understand that ‘Hero’ is a savior while Heroin(e) is something the audience along with ‘Hero’ gets high on. For the longest time, this has been the case with our cinema. Of course, there have been women centric movies, but very less. The span of a heroine as we know, is quite short. The only thing that is not in our hands or the Hero’s hands is the fact of aging. As they age, their choice of heroines also depreciate and thus paving path for next generation of stars to take over, limelight and new heroines as well.

When the new millennium arrived, it announced the arrival of the then young stars to move a step higher into ‘stardom’. It was the arrival of Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu and Jr. NTR. So, there started to be hunt for new heroines as well.

While there have been good-luck charms for actors, not many know that the actress Bhoomika has had a unique relation with her stars, and also with the number 7, that changed the life of the stars.

If you believe in good luck charms, or in numerology, read on to find out how the association with Bhoomika and the number 7 worked magic!

KUSHI (2001)
Film no. : 7
Heroine: Bhoomika
Rise to Stardom: Pawan Kalyan

In the late 90s, Pawan Kalyan shot up to the top of the charts with hits like Tholiprema, Thammudu and Badri.

However, when Bhoomika and the Number 7 movie Kushi arrived, it threw open the doors to his stardom. The film opened to rave reviews, and acclaim from the fans, running for 100 days in many centres. The music by Manisharma set pulses racing, forever etching in the minds. The film was such a big hit that merchandise from the film were seen all across the state. College goers swarmed to stores to buy Kushi Bags that PK sported in the film.

The impact of the film was such a massive success, that for the next decade, a spate of flops did nothing to Pawan Kalyan’s stardom.

OKKADU (2003)
Film no.: 7 (As a child artist, you can’t call him a hero)
Heroine: Bhoomika
Rise to Stardom: Mahesh Babu

When Mahesh Babu broke into the scene, he was just another dapper star-child. While he had faced the camera at the age of four, his early films, beginning from Raja Kumarudu, weren’t able to cement his foothold.

But when he played the scruffy kabaddi player from Old City in Okkadu, life was never the same for Mahesh Babu. Okkadu went on to become the biggest grosser of the year, and enjoys the rare distinction of being made in five languages across India. What was the common factor? Bhoomika playing the lead, and the Number 7.

SIMHADRI (2003)
Film no.: 7
Heroine: Bhoomika
Rise to Stardom: Jr. NTR

Jr. NTR began his innings in the Telugu film industry as a child actor in Bala Ramayanam. After having collaborated with Rajamouli on Student No.1, Jr. NTR signed a second film with him.

Simhadri ticked all the right boxes, elevating the actor into the star that he is today. In a chequered career of hits and average grosser, Simhadri was seventh in line, and also starred Bhoomika Chawla as the lead. Made on a budget of Rs. 8 crores, the film cashed more than triple its investment, going on to do business in five states.

But sadly, as with most film industries in the country, the heroine rarely gets acknowledged for her contribution. In a career spanning 16 years and 40 films, Bhoomika Chawla, rarely gets spoken of.

She excelled as Madhu (Kushi), Swapna (Okkadu) and Indu (Simhadri). Her performances in all the three movies were top notch.

But, like we said earlier, heroines have a shorter life span. It is true! Let’s hope we don’t get to see her as a mother of any of these stars in future. Who knows??!

He shot a video, and then killed himself for ‘school fees’

Team Wirally

October 3, 2015

15 year old Satish from Karimnagar had very few desires in life.

The teenager went to school in Peddapalli in Karimnagar in Telangana. Over the last few weeks, the school had been asking him to bring with him school fees.

Satish belonged to a poor family, and a few days back, they had paid 5000 rupees towards the school fees. However, Satish was humiliated and asked to leave the classroom by the Principal of the school. Unable to bear the humiliation, Satish recorded a message for his family and friends, and decided to end his life by jumping in front of a speeding train.

The sad part is that in India, we pride ourselves on our standards of education. Further, the Govt. of India has declared a right to education as a fundamental right. In April 2010, we declared education as a fundamental right of every citizen in the country.

Also, free and compulsory education has been a feature of our democracy for decades now. And yet, incidents like this make us question if an education is enough to make someone a civil person.

Rest in Peace, Satish.

Let’s hope your death throws light upon the hapless situation of millions of schoolchildren in India. Here’s Satish’s heartbreaking video, shot a few hours before he ended his life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsmexrSlmQE

Mohd Kaif – The Nawazuddin Siddiqui of Cricket

Team Wirally

October 1, 2015

13^th of July, 2002.

The final of the Natwest Trophy, a day night match that was being watched all over in a nation that was getting comfortable as an upcoming superpower.

Batting first, England had scored a massive 325, thanks to centuries by both Nasser Hussain and Marcus Trescothick. In response, India began well, but faltered. Sehwag and Ganguly fell at 45 and 6), and wickets tumbled, including two men named Dravid and Tendulkar.

It was time for the nation to do what it best did in the 90s – pray. There were two youngsters at the crease, and it was going to be impossible to win this. Also, it was a Sunday, and going to school on Monday with the knowledge of India’s loss was going to be a bitter experience.

Of course, none of that happened. The two youngsters – Mohd. Kaif and Yuvraj Singh – went on to win the match, mixing aggression and defence with the reckless abandon that only inexperience can provide. The match was a turning point for both the youngsters.

One of them went on to become a legend in Indian cricket – surviving a failing body, cancer, and criticism.

The other.

He vanished.

Mohd. Kaif was as different from Yuvraj Singh as a person could be.

Yuvraj was young, brash, good looking, wore his heart on his sleeve. He was also the son of a Punjabi ex-cricketer and actor, and looked like someone meant for the flashbulbs and paparazzi.

Kaif was a shy, gawky, frail youngster who barely spoke. He stayed off the news, smiling when he was asked a question by an English commentator.

And yet, there were similarities too. Both of them came from families that had played cricket. Yuvraj’s father Yograj Singh had played cricket for Punjab. Kaif’s brothers and uncles had played domestic cricket too.

They were both electric on the field, the first set of Indian fielders you could genuinely call ‘world-class’. Yuvraj prowled at Point, and Kaif on the Covers – and together, they took on the best batting line-ups of the time. They were both supremely fit, and carried a resolve to fight till the last ball.

But Kaif barely spoke.

It’s a problem he acknowledges in hindsight today. That he never spoke out. That he believed in letting his performances speak for themselves. But even performances need to speak in English in today’s times.

It was the time when Greg Chappell was single handedly screwing with Indian cricket, dumping captains, pointing middle fingers at crowds, sending Irrfan Pathan to bat before Rahul Dravid for some extra runs. It was pandemonium, and when Saurav Ganguly couldn’t survive the phase, what could Mohd. Kaif do?

It was the phase when Indian cricket was raking in the moolah. Indian cricketers were signing record endorsement deals with company, and along with Sachin, we were creating new gods – Dravid, Sehwag, Ganguly.

While Indian cricketers starred in films, signed deals with MNCs, and voiced terrible advertisements in all languages, Kaif did what Kaif would do. He traveled to England to work on his game, playing county cricket for Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, and Leicestershire.

Slowly, Kaif faded into oblivion.

Like a sad Guru Dutt film playing out in front of him, conditions and circumstances became tougher for Kaif. In 2007, India was hit by the T20 blizzard. Dhoni won the WorldT20, and the IPL began a few weeks later.

It was a format that had no place for silent, brooding players like Kaif. The format required Yuvraj Singhs and Virat Kohlis. Those who could whip bowlers to the mid-on boundary and then return to the dressing room and take a selfie and record a Dubsmash. Slowly, Kaif slipped further and further into oblivion.

In a gap of a few years, the Natwest Trophy of 2002 was to be the highlight of Kaif’s career. It’s the albatross around his neck – people keep referring to it, asking about it, and then wondering what went wrong.

Mohd. Kaif still plays domestic cricket. But at 34, a call-up to the Indian side looks like a distant possibility. Kaif captains Andhra Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, and has also dabbled in politics, contesting for the Indian National Congress from Phulpur last year, but couldn’t summon up a win.

At the end of the day, all personalities leave their impact through what we remember them for.

We idolize and immortalize some, we crucify others and mar their memories in our own mental attics.

Kaif seems to be remembered for what he did – played cricket. A Google Search and a YouTube scan reveal nothing else.

There are tons of videos of Kaif shining in his singular moment of glory. There are also tons of videos of him diving to catch impossible catching, creating fantastic run-out opportunities. And then, I found this one video that summarises Mohd. Kaif in my memory.

It’s from the 2006 India-Pakistan Test tournament.

Yousuf Youhana is at the crease, and seemingly playing one of his patient, wait-till-death innings. Kaif, fielding at Leg Slip, decides to dish out a volley of comments about Youhana.

‘Don’t worry about this guy’, he says to the bowler, ‘he has been standing here for an hour, without even a single boundary’.

Yousuf Youhana knows it’s Kaif, and he smiles.

May be it’s how the world remembers Mohd. Kaif today. The genial, friendly, smiling guy who worked hard.

But was that enough?

Shaandaar Music Review: Not Amit Trivedi’s Best At All

Team Wirally

October 1, 2015

Shaandaar, directed by Vikas Bahl (Queen) and produced by Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar is set to release this Dussehra. Like most Kashyap productions, this one has music by Amit Trivedi.

Anurag Kashyap’s rise to the top of the independent cinema movement has had Trivedi as a constant collaborator ever since the release of Aamir and Dev D. Trivedi seems to reserve his best for Kashyap and the collaboration has been magical so far.

So does Shaandaar live up to the reputation of their earlier collaborations? Let’s find out!

1. SHAAM SHAANDAAR: Sung by Amit Trivedi, Lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya

Shaam Shaandaar is typical Amit Trivedi fare. Amit Trivedi possesses a unique voice. It doesn’t begin steady and thick like most singers. Half the time, you’re scared he might slip, but Trivedi manages to hold on, and like good coffee, you notice the nuances of his voice after a little while.

Shaam Shaandaar uses Trivedi elements like dhol and trumpets, and a healthy mix of EDM to serve up a delicious starter to the album. And lyrics like:

Chak de andhera chaand jala de bulb bana ke

Fikar na kariyo, karna bhi kya hai bijli bacha ke

Even without checking the credits, I had a hunch the song was written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and I was right. The song stays on your lips after the entire album has been heard.

2. GULAABO: Sung by Vishal Dadlani and Anusha Mani, Lyrics by Anvita Dutt

Vishal Dadlani has quickly become India’s only grunge voice, and when used well, has done magic with songs. Take for example Aao Na from Haider, or Aitbaar from No One Killed Jessica. The latter one was under Trivedi, and the effect of Trivedi’s angst and Dadlani’s aging rock star combined to whip up a powerful song.

Sadly, this time around, no such magic happens. Gulaabo begins with a lot of promise, but quickly slides into mediocrity. Dadlani’s USPs are used to the optimum effect, and for the first time, Dadlani gets overshadowed by his co-singer. The song really kicks into gear when Anusha Mani comes in, but it’s too little, too late, to salvage the song.

3. NAZDEEKIYAN: Sung by Nikhil Paul George, Neeti Mohan

Nikhil Paul George, a musician and instrumentalist based in London, was heard in Barfi earlier, in the mellifluous Main Kya Karoon. George combines with Neeti Mohan to croon out the standard Amit Trivedi soft romantic track of the album.

Every Amit Trivedi album has one of those soft romantic ballads that are a huge hit on the radio, and are played over and over again in corny shows like Splitsvilla or Emotional Atyachaar. Trivedi did it earlier with Shaam in Aisha, Iktara (Wake Up Sid!) and Zinda (Lootera). He is a master of the soft, romantic track.

However, Nazdeekiyan seems jaded and repetitive. There’s a certain ‘been there, heard that’ feel to the entire song, and the lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya don’t help the proceedings. I wasn’t too impressed by Nazdeekiyan, but you might like it if you like soft songs, or if you like pink Barbies dressed in pink tennis dresses. It’s the kind of dumb song that you’d expect to find on the iPod of someone like, say, Sonam Kapoor.

4. SENTI WALA MENTAL: Sung by Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan, Swanand Kirkire, and Amit Trivedi. Lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya

Trivedi hires the most popular singer of the time, Arijit Singh to croon out this song which begins on an enigmatic note. It takes you a few minutes to get comfortable with it, and lyrics like ‘Machhar bhi kaate toh selfie kheench lele’ give you the picture of those misogynistic nok-jhok songs of the 90s. The song, however, goes on to become one of those chhed-chhaad songs that featured in films in the last two decades.

The song pays no credit to the singing talents of Arijit Singh, Trivedi, Neeti Mohan or Swanand Kirkire, and the beats, tempo, instrumentation of the song is pretty much even throughout. Finally, it sounds like a song Anu Mallik would create.

5. RAITA PHAIL GAYA: Sung by Divya Kumar, Lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya

Adopting a synth-sound feel to it, Raita Phail Gaya is the last song of the album, sung by the interesting Divya Kumar, whose voice sounds like an interesting rehash of Sukhvinder Singh and Daler Mehendi. However, the synth-pop feel of the song, along with Kumar’s voice makes the song seem like one of those Akshay Kumar songs.

Lazy lyrics too – An entire line goes ‘Yo baby yo, yo baby yo!’. And yet another goes – ‘Everybody just clap your hands, and clap your hands everybody’. Or sample this: – ‘Gulzar ke geeton mein Yo Yo Honey Singh ghus gaya, toh raita phail gaya’.

Raita Phail Gaya seems like a song that both Trivedi and Bhattacharya created when they were already tried of the album. The song stops suddenly, and leaves you hanging nowhere.

Shaandaar, like Queen and English Vinglish is a small, tight Amit Trivedi album. It fails to impress you beyond a few moments, and doesn’t look like it’s going to be setting the radio waves on fire.

However, the film isn’t out yet. And a visionary director can elevate a rather ordinary sounding album to great heights with the right picturisation, so I’m still giving Vikas Bahl the benefit of doubt. Judged purely as a music album, Shaandaar fails to impress.

How Much of KA Paul Do You Know? Try out this Quiz

Team Wirally

September 30, 2015

We have heard so much of the personality called KA Paul or Kilari Anand Paul, though barely handful of us know how he has managed to get to the place where he is now. An

While his service is quite popular in the West, there have been some bitter moments through his journey, which is a little embarrassing. Somehow everything on this planet is related to Mr. Paul – atleast that is what he claims in his speeches. Be it Saddam Hussain whom he has given a counselling or Hollywood celebs like Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chain, everyone are his friends. He was also the guy who saved Amitabh Bachchan when he was supposedly on his death bed – now even this is something new to me. Check out this link, if you have the patience to know some of his many milestones which he claims, it also includes a spat with President Bush where he fought with him not to go for Iraq war. So, to summarize there is no one whom KA Paul doesn’t know. He knows you too, yes YOU!

Keeping all those aside, which might not seem quite interesting to few, lets check how much of KA Paul do you know on GK basis. It is not about wasting your time on reading about him, but hope these questions will weigh or enhance some common sense.

In good spirit. Try checking which of the below questions you can answer.

1. How much does KA Paul charge for a 20 mins Speech?

a. 10Cr b. 20Cr c. He doesn’t charge. He does it for the love of GOD.

2. What did Oprah Winfrey say about Mr. Paul?

a. He is Hot! b. He is Cool! c. He is the 8th wonder.

3. According to KA Paul, who was the individual who brought Bill Gates and other Peddholo to India?

a. KA Paul b. KA Paul c. KA Paul

4. In the US, where does KA Paul stay?

a. Playboy House b. Mahalakshmi Lodge c. A small house which he calls as ‘Gudisa’

5. For how many countries KA Paul assumed he has become their leader?

a. Only 6 Continents b. Only 148 Countries c. He is always the servant of GOD.

6. Which of the below KA Paul didn’t do?

a. Abandoned a 11 year girl after checking her into a hospital
b. leaving a trail of unpaid bills for the plane’s fuel and maintenance
c. fleeing to the United States from India after nine of his American volunteers were arrested and thrown in prison

Answers:
1. – b. 20cr

2. – c. He is the 8th wonder

3. – c. Any one is correct

4. – c. A small house which he calls as ‘Gudisa’

5. – Any of them could be true. You never know! 😛

6. – All are true.

That’s it!!

6 Brand New TV Shows to Watch Out For

Team Wirally

September 30, 2015

It’s that time of the year again.

When TV shows begin their new seasons, and new TV shows are tested out on the American populations (before being illegally downloaded all across the globe!).

While shows like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones have won a huge audience following in India, there are a number of shows that begin every year that are both a huge gamble for the studios, as well as exciting to the genre itself.

Here are six brand new TV shows that you want to keep your eyes open about:

1. QUANTICO:

Priyanka Chopra’s brand new show has been dubbed as ‘Grey’s Anatomy meets Homeland’. Chopra plays Alex Parrish, an FBI officer who is accused of involvement in a terrorist attack.

While Priyanka Chopra’s earlier flirtations with Hollywood were both frustrating and cringe-worthy, Quantico has been generating a lot of positive response among viewers and critics. Should you watch Priyanka Chopra’s new show? Or have Mujhse Shadi Karoge and God Tussi Great Ho traumatised you too much to venture into it? You decide for yourself!

2. MINORITY REPORT:

Every since Philip K. Dick wrote Minority Report in 1956, about a futuristic society which can predict upcoming crimes, the story has been sought after by filmmakers for adaptations. Steven Spielberg adapted the story into a film in 2002 starring Tom Cruise, and it was also the theme for a video game.

In 2015, the story witnessed yet another reboot, this time based a few years after the happenings of the original story. If you are into science fiction, this might be your poison!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fLl-DMzxrk

3. BLINDSPOT:

Times Square, New York. An unclaimed bag lands in the middle of the street, with a tag that reads ‘Call the FBI’. From inside a bag, a beautiful, naked, tattooed woman emerges. Her memory has been erased, but each of her tattoos serve as hints for future crimes. Sounds like an interesting premise? Much of the viewers of Blindspot seem to think so. Blindspot has gotten rave reviews for their first few episodes.

Also, the show’s got Jaimie Alexander in it.

4. LIMITLESS:

What if your IQ shot up to four digits just by taking a pill? What if you used 100% of your brain, and every memory, every vision, every smell and taste, everything gets permanently imprinted in your memory, for you to recall when you need it?

That is the premise of Limitless, based on the 2011 film of the same name, starring Bradley Cooper. The TV show takes off a few years after the film’s events, and even has special appearances by Bradley Cooper. The trailer, honestly, is quite trippy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RifYR3UFKII

5. HEROES REBORN

When the original Heroes debuted on television screens in 2006, it took the world by storm. Winning Emmys, Golden Globes, and People’s Choice Awards till the end of its fourth season in 2010, Heroes acquired a cult status among viewers and nerds.

Continuing the story of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, Heroes Reborn is a reboot of the Heroes franchise, with some older characters making reappearances.

If you’re a nerd of a science geek, this might be your cup of tea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FLHB2zB_cA

5. BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS:

Neil Patrick Harris, who played the role of suave, savvy badass Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, returns after two years to the screen with his new show – Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris.

Intended as a show that is a mix of a game show, talk show, a live show, as well as a prank show, it completely rests on the shoulders of its charming lead, Harris himself. Here’s the trailer of the show, if you’ve been brooding over Barney’s absence in your life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vaqtmKo0HU

Those were five shows you can get yourself hooked to, till the next season of Game of Thrones is out. So get your Torrents out, and fire away.

Nope, just kidding. We don’t support piracy at all. Please ask an uncle in the US to ship you the original DVDs.

Yup, that should work!

Modi’s US Trip: The Most Ridiculous Controversies

Team Wirally

September 30, 2015

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US last week was covered 24*7 like a rock tour.

Every visit, every meeting, every address, was covered from beginning to end by both the national as well as international media. However, being Indians, we couldn’t just watch the proceedings without getting outraged over something or the other.

If one zooms out and looks at the larger picture, Modi’s international visits, which were heavily criticized by the opposition, seem to have borne fruit. India has quickly become the world’s No.1 investment destination, beating China through a healthy investment that doubled compared to last year, at 30 billion US dollars.

Modi has changed the way Americans look at India. From a nation that prided itself on culture, yoga, and an exotic past, India today is being seen as a competitive player in the larger scheme of things, a future superpower. It’s amazing to think that just a year ago, Modi was denied a Visa to the US for his role in the Gujarat riots. In just a year, he is rubbing shoulders with Obama, Tim Cook, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg!

However, nothing that involves Modi can be free of controversy. And you can trust Indian media to come up with a new issue every single day. These were the most useless controversies from Modi’s visit to the US in 2015.

And while you can dismiss it as a journalistic gaffe, there’s no denying that no publicity is bad publicity in today’s times. Here’s the list:

1. Pulling Mark Zuckerberg aside:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jjfGIUHGcQ

So Modi was posing for a picture, when Zuckerberg stood next to him in the middle of the shoot. Modi held him by his arm and pulled him to the side. While the show went on, with flashes and smiles being tossed about generously, the Indian media was quick to pounce on the opportunity, calling Modi a narcissistic, self-obsessed individual. Turns out, the controversy was nothing at all.

2. ‘Daamaat’ comment:

While talking about how politics was done in India earlier, Modi spoke about corrupt ministers who would share the spoils of the loot with their entire family – son, daughter, children, and son-in-law. You don’t have to be Einstein to guess who was being referred to here, and the Indian media jumped on this issue too.

3. Satya Nadella wiping his hands:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovJcAX7894g

Satya Nadella grew up in Hyderabad and went on to become the CEO of Microsoft. After a meeting with Modi where they shook hands, Nadella apparently went back to his place and wiped his hands. While you’d think it was a normal thing to do, the Indian social media lost it. They began crying hoarse about how Nadella thought Indians were cheap and dirty!

4. Facebook DP – Digital India – Internet.org:

As part of the Digital India campaign, Facebook announced a new DP that Indians could use to support Modi and the Digital India campaign. However, someone ran a source code search on the page and found the words ‘Internet.org’ in it.

Quickly, it spread like wildfire, with both sides of the argument calling each other idiots. Facebook released a statement saying it was the work of a junior engineer and the two issues of Internet.org and Digital India are not connected in any way.

May be Modi needs to find employment options for the jobless guys who sit on Facebook and indulge in Armchair Activism on a daily basis. That’s the real need of the hour!

This Funny Video Shows How You Bond With Your Hyderabadi Neighbours

Team Wirally

September 29, 2015

Neighbours are friendly, dangerous, loving, serious and don’t know what not. All are true because each one of us have different experiences with our neighbours and they in turn with us. We have neighbours asking for groceries, cricket ball or a patang which are few things in common to petty issues from asking wifi password to enjoying your neighbours fights, smelling their kitchen, ringing their bell for fun and more. This time, our very own hyderabadi potte Kantriguyz, have summed up all and come up with a video on our – most of the time mildly interested – neighbours!

Check it here. It will definitely remind you of atleast one act that you did.

5 Myths Surrounding Bahubali 2

Team Wirally

September 29, 2015

Bahubali was like this Tsunami moment in the Film Industry. It came, it swept others and it went. Everything around the movie release time was something ‘Bahubalish’. From a kid’s video in the US to sacrificing a goat on the day of release. This magnum opus had a roaring success and applauds pouring from everywhere.

When such amazing things happen, something against it will also happen. Atleast in our country, it would. While SS Rajamouli wanted his viewers to live for a while with a suspense sword killing Bahubali by one of the best characters he edged, he didn’t know of the spoilers that were coming his way.

Here are the 5 myths surrounding the second part Bahubali : The Conclusion which have been running from one ear to another’s FB page. Only time can tell!!

Now this one is just for fun!!

When the Book was better than the Movie

Team Wirally

September 29, 2015

(by VEENA PULAPAKA)

Books are the epitome of details, whereas movies give us an inkling into just what our imaginations might look like. No doubt movies show us how our imaginations can appear, but they can’t be compared to the power of the word which can set our creative minds on fire.

Earlier the popular notion about books went on as “Never judge a book by its cover”, and I know everyone is aware of it, but since the 1920’s the modern version of this notion is “Never judge a book by its movie”.

Here are cases when the book far outshone its cinematic counterpart.

1. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

The book is set in the 19^th century period, and follows the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s five unmarried daughters, of how their lives changed and how they dealt with different issues of upbringing, education, romance and marriage in the society when a Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy moved into their town.

Based on original book written by ‘Jane Austen’, there are many adaptations of this book but the one referred to here is the 2005 version.

The film directed by Joe Wright emphasizes on themes such as realism, romanticism and family. However, when compared to the original book this version doesn’t seem to reach the magical standards it has set. This film shows us the lives of one Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her elder sister Miss Jane Bennet who are romantically involved with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley played by Kiera Knightley and Rosamund Pike, Matthew Macfayden and Simon Woods respectively. The many drastic changes in the movie can make any book lover detest watching the film. Changes can be seen from character personalities to the century the film is set in (18^th century).

2. THE LUCKY ONE

The Lucky One is a romance novel written by American writer ‘Nicholas Sparks’ in 2008. The book is based on the themes of fate and destiny. The story is about how a marine (Logan Thibault) comes across a photograph of a smiling girl (Beth Green) and life as he knows it changes and about the journey he takes to find that girl and what happens when he finally sets his eyes on her.

Directed by Scott Hicks the film a romantic drama was released in 2012 starring Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling as leads. The film focused on the romance between the leads whereas the book mentioned the importance of Beth’s ex-husband (Clayton), his family, Ben (Beth’s son) and Nana (Beth’s grandmother) as well.

Some major changes that brought down the film were, exclusion of the first chapter from the book, Clayton’s character being downplayed and also minimizing the role of Victor (Logan Thibault’s best friend). Overall, the movie couldn’t live up to the book’s grandeur and impact.

3. GULLIVER’S TRAVELS

This book by Jonathan Swift was published around 1700’s, though there are many different adaptations of the book the present one being talked about is the 2010 film version. The tale of Lemuel Gulliver and his shipwrecked journey and how he found himself on the land of Lilliput and his journey back home is the story.

The 2010 film version however is a modern take on Gulliver’s journey directed by Rob Letterman and starring Jack Black as Gulliver. This film is limited only to the first two parts of the original book. Though the film has got a universal audience with the romantic comedy angle, it is difficult to understand who the film was actually being aimed at.

4. HARRY POTTER SERIES

J.K Rowling’s seven books have become a household name be it through films or books.

The first two films were directed by Chris Colombus, the third by Alfonso Cuaron, the fourth by Mike Newell, and the remaining four by David Yates. Even though the films were wonderful hits across the world, they couldn’t fully depict the enchanting, alluring and magical world of Harry Potter. There were many situations that were downplayed like the role of Neville’s parents or who were the persons on the Mauderer’s maps or who Teddy Lupin is and so on. However, this could be due to the restrictive medium of cinema, as compared to the vast expansive scope of a book.

5. TWILIGHT SAGA

The Twilight saga is a four series vampire-themed fantasy romance novel, written by American author Stephenie Meyer. It appealed to teenagers who are hungry for dark fantasy and romance novels.

It talks about the life of one Isabella Swan as she moves to Forks, Washington and falls in love with Edward Cullen a 104 year old vampire, and how her journey into the untold magical progresses and what she encounters is the story.

There are many facets of the story that are left out in the film adaptations such as Carlisle’s history, Alice and Bella’s friendship, jasper’s powers, Bella’s sleep talking and so on. These are the factors which make the books better than the films.

6. THE FOUNTAINHEAD

The Fountainhead is considered among the foremost works on capitalism and individualism in the 20^th century. Written in 1943, the book has sold over 6 million copies and the story of Howard Roark and his uncompromising morals have inspired generations to come.

However, the book was adapted into a film with disastrous results. In 1949, a film adaptation of the book, with Ayn Rand writing the screenplay herself, hit the screens. Starring Gary Cooper and Patricial Neal, the film sank without a trace. There have been reports that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie wish to remake the movie again, and readers of the book are eyeing the news with some suspicion.

The Worst Indian Reality Shows Ever

Team Wirally

September 27, 2015

(BY AVANTHIKA PULIJALA)

Love them or hate them, you end up watching reality shows.

As a kid, my family and I would never missed a single episode of KBC on our good old Onida TV set. We would eagerly wait for the next episode just to watch that guy from our hometown make it to the next level. Sunday mornings were incomplete without Derek O’Brien’s Bournvita Quiz Contest or just enjoying Javed Jaffrey’s witty humor on Boogie Woogie.

But, Indian Television has its fair share of disastrous, stupid and pathetic reality shows. In fact, we don’t even remember half the reality shows and most of them don’t even make it to the next season. Here’s a list of the worst reality shows in India Television. Sure, we’ve all watched them and asked ourselves “why am I even watching this $#!% right now????

1. MAA EXCHANGE

This Indian version of American reality show “Wife Swap??? featured B-grade Bollywood actors, comedians, small time telly actors in an emotional drama oozing with controversy. Well, this show did manage to get more than just personal in the very first episode featuring Pooja Bedi and her then, pre-pubescent daughter, Aalia and her tantrums. The show made the audience want to slit their wrists in frustration.

2. COMEDY CIRCUS

Kapil Sharma rose to fame with this show. And well, so did Archana Puran Singh’s rather irritating laughter. Incessant, much? This show had a whopping 18 seasons. The obnoxious, horrible double meaning adult jokes can be regarded as the common factor in all these seasons. Well, India definitely found its penchant for slapstick humor and non-veg jokes.

3. THE SWAYAMVAR TRILOGY.

This show documented Rakhi Sawant’s hunt for her perfect husband. She found her “daring, intelligent, “saccha-aashiq??? husband in Elesh (some dude from Canada), who later failed to understand Rakhi’s never ending drama. Also starring, Bhojpuri’s favorite, Ravi Kissen as Rakhi’s older brother.

Then came Rahul ka Swayamvar which found its controversial path when the winner, Dimpy accused the groom Rahul Mahajan of abusing her. Unlike Rakhi ka Swayamvar which did not culminate in marriage, the Rahul-Dimpy tele-wedding was one of its kind.
The next season saw Ratan Rajput on a serious groom hunt. The same old story again, wannabe contestants trying to woo the “celebrity bride/groom??? and an overdose of publicity gimmicks. This show was an absolute disaster.

4. KYA AAP PAANCHVI PAAS SE TEZ HAIN?

This show saw engineers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, corporate professionals, basically adults trying to answer 5^th grade questions. Shah Rukh Khan tried too hard to look like a master-ji with his “teacher-waistcoats???. Desperate attempt #2, bring in the aww-factor, 5^th grade kids (the whole idea of the show). And honestly, most of the questions asked on this show are way tougher than the normal Paanchvi class syllabus.

5. THE MASTERCHEF SERIES

Masterchef India started off with a bang. A season or two later, the judges, contestants, producers, added a wee bit of drama to it. Sure, reality shows=drama. The contestants sobbing, the judges rudely throwing away their poorly chopped onions, Sanjeev Kapoor’s terrible attempts to be Gordon Ramsay, abruptly interrupted by the crazy sound effects and the never ending advertisements. Every finale with the oh-so-fake audience supporting and hooting for their favorite contestants was anything but “real???.

6. ISS JUNGLE SE MUJHE BACHAO

A desi version of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here. Soaps queens desperately trying to be jungle queens, overly sensationalized, yet horribly censored waterfall scenes, add more tears and fights and just a little fake animal instinct feels (hello, it’s a jungle!). This was pretty much each and every episode over and over again.

7. EMOTIONAL ATYACHAAR

This controversial show was under tough scrutiny by the Delhi High Court. In fact, it was decided that it should be taken off air for allegedly spreading vulgarity. The episodes are basically sting operations to expose the cheating partner’s infidelity. The fake dramatization of the so-called real life events and the super melodramatic episodes titled “Cheater Teacher???, “Blackmail Bhabhi???, “Actors are good liars???, etc just make it worse.

8. ROADIES

I’ve always wondered, “Where do these “Roadies??? go after the show ends???? Every other buff, narcissistic Punjabi guy is either a model or an actor, all of them say “Roadies is life. I’m here to play my own game. Trust no one???. It’s a scripted show for God’s sake! The never ending Delhi-Bombay tiffs, bitchy girls, contestants crying for immunity, Raghu asking the contestants to strip during the auditions and plead for votes, Raghu’s rude behavior and extremely offensive comments, the infinite times when Raghu says “bhen***’ and Raghu’s shiny bald head are just few of those many things any viewer observes while watching this show. Just when we thought Raghu and Rajiv had left the show, enter the equally bad, phony judges – Esha, Rannvijay, Karan and Vijendar.

Yes, this show has also witnessed some very inspiring contestants and their stories are remorseful yet motivating. But, getting a Brazillian wax, kissing an iguana, shock treatments, licking armpits and many more disgusting, pathetic tasks on the show and, people fighting for it? Where them TRPs at?!

The Saddest Photograph in History

Team Wirally

September 26, 2015

A photo is worth a thousand words, they say.

The photograph you just saw, is a saga of sadness and pain. At first glance, you notice a vulture and a child. But hidden deep within it is a story that will break your heart.

The picture was taken by photographer Kevin Carter in Sudan, in the year 1993. Carter accompanied a UN mission and they had stopped to distribute food in the famine struck area.

While the families were going to collect food, Carter noticed a child who was walking toward the food, and had stopped since she was tired. Which was when a culture began stalking her. The girl was malnourished, and the vulture slowly waited for her to die, to eat off her.

Carter got a shot of the scene, and the picture created ripples across the world. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography – the most prestigious award in photojournalism. However, Carter also faced severe backlash for the image.

People questioned why he couldn’t save the child. Questions were raised on his ethics between being a photographer and a human being. People were anxious to know about the girl’s condition, whether is she alive or not, and if she isn’t, then why was Carter standing there and watching the show without offering help? Such a controversy was made that both Carter and his friend, (who traveled along with him with the UN), appeared in an interview to answer everyone’s anxious questions.

But that’s not the end of the story. A few months after the photograph won the award, Carter entered a phase of utter depression and committed suicide. It was learned that he was depressed by the carnage he saw at war-torn places and places struck by famine, poverty and drought (the underdeveloped countries) where he usually visited to capture photographs. His suicide note stated the following:

“I’m really, really sorry. The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist… depressed … without phone … money for rent … money for child support … money for debts … money!!! … I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain … of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners … I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky.”

(Ken is the name of his closest friend, who was shot and killed, while working in a township of Thokoza, for apartheid).

Following the suicide note, Carter took his life by attaching one end of a hose to the exhaust pipe of his pickup truck and the other end to the driver’s side window. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning, at the young age 33.

That one photograph made Kevin Carter’s life. And ended it as well.

Subramanyam Is Sold Safely

Team Wirally

September 24, 2015

With Gabbar Singh, director Harish Shankar reached the highest peaks. His USPs were punch dialogues and wacky screenplay (apart from Pawan Kalyan, of course!).

Looks like to sell his next product, he has decided to play it very safe. Subramanyam for Sale is the story of a guy who does anything for money – Yeah! me, you and even Dil Raju heard this story many times. The only additional quality this character has is a lot of influence of Pawan Kalyan and Chiru on him, which could be obvious.

When you are doing a movie with Dil Raju, you have to get the economics of the scripts right, if you don’t it will be a Ramayya Vasthavayya. Harish seemed that he watched his mistakes closely and tried his best not to repeat his mistakes. Raju as a producer has always excelled. All his movies have great production values and this one is no exception.

Safe/Sale Points:

1. Obviously the script, a safe pick by Harish Shankar

2. Regina. Yes, Regina! Having already worked in a movie together, Dil Raju didn’t seem like he wanted to take any risk with Harish Shanker and gave him an already hit pair to Sai Dharma Teja. He utilised them and churned out maximum from their chemistry.

3. Chiru! Yes, seeing Sai dancing to those moves and mannerisms remind you of Chiru, whom we have been missing on screen for quite some time. So obviously you would enjoy when some one resembles him and does things like him.

Subramanyam for Sale is a safe bet, and this ‘safety’ could either make or break the film. Ardent fans of the Mega family might flock to the theaters for some nostalgia, but if you’re looking for an utterly fresh script, you’ll have to find yourself a different salesman.

The film also raises the question: How long is director Harish Shankar going to bank on PK, his family, and his fans? It is high time he experiments with his scripts, or else he’ll remain one of the players in a big pond.

Ganesh Chaturthi and Bakrid are coming up. There is enough leisure time I hope. If not, stick and do your work. If yes, then try giving a shot by watching this one. Cinema antene timepass ra bai – Indhulo unnadhe adhi. Jara trial eyii..

Why #Modi Dont Read MyWhatsApp was trending on Twitter

Team Wirally

September 24, 2015

In the last two days, Twitter lost its mind when the Government of India announced its new policy regarding encryption of data by internet and mobile users.

The Draft National Encryption Policy lists out a few recommendations, some of them so bizarre, you’d mistake yourself for living in the Gulf!

Part of the draft version recommends that all citizens of the country store their encrypted date (meaning all your messages, mails, and data) on their phone for 90 days. We are also expected to produce it when asked to.

This includes your mail, WhatsApp and Facebook messages.

Which was why Twitter blew its fuse, and the hashtag #ModiDontReadMyWhatsApp began trending on Twitter. You can’t keep the trolls away, and this is what they began doing what they do best – trolling!!

However, when the Government noticed the hue and cry raised on social media, it clarified that it intends to keep WhatsApp and Facebook out of the equation. But even with that, it is a dangerous and draconian move.

If you feel strongly about the issue, we recommend you write to the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. The department has thrown the question out for public debate, and is seeking suggestions. You can send in your suggestions to: akrishnan@deity.gov.in

NRI Directors Who Returned to Become Filmmakers

Team Wirally

September 23, 2015

The theme of the hero returning from a foreign country, back to his motherland, is a common theme in our films.

But what if films spilled over to reality?

Over the years, there have been many filmmakers who have returned from foreign shores, returned to their homeland to make movies in their native language. In a true sense, they are following Narendra Modi’s call to Make in India. If you look at them closely, each one has their own style of stories, narration and direction which looks like those neat whiskey bottles in the duty free shops. Here’s a list of filmmakers who are doing this.

SHEKAR KAMMULA

In many ways, Shekar Kammula has become the face of independent Telugu cinema. Returning from the US after being trained at Howard University in filmmaking, Shekar Kammula took up the risk of giving up a comfortable life and making different cinema back in Andhra Pradesh.

Dollar Dreams initially struggled for a release, with Shekar Kammula paying for the first few shows from his own pockets. However, word of mouth publicity spread about the film, and the film picked up pace. For Shekar Kammula, there was no looking back.

He went on to make Anand, Godavari, Happy Days, Leader, and Life is Beautiful. Today, he is an inspiration to lakhs of writers and filmmakers.

DEVA KATTA

He debuted with the movie Vennela, which was probably the first movie in Telugu that showed the life of our students in the US. After a gap of 5 years, it was with Prasthanam that he got critically acclaimed. Creating those characters which have those minute elements hidden within every individual, but actually cost us big, are his specialty.

Additional qualities are to pen those thought provoking dialogues which simply leave you mesmerizing each time you hear them more and more. The famous Maranam..Maranam.. dialogue from the recent Bahubali is one such classic example.

PRAVEEN SATTARU

He lost money for LBW (Life Before Wedding) because he couldn’t get a proper release, and also due to piracy. Though he lost money, piracy actually helped in people noticing his movie which actually helped him in releasing his next movie, Routine Love Story. Chandamama Kathalu is just an extension of his craft which won him a National Award for Best Telugu film. Guntur Talkies, his next film, is due for release and looks promising.

AVASARALA SRINIVAS

A diploma holder in screenwriting, Srinivas debuted as actor in Ashta Chamma where he also provided inputs for the script and still continues to do justice to the roles he is given. With the romantic comedy Oohalu Gusagusalade, he debuted as a director and went on to receive appreciation for his work. Incase you haven’t watched this movie, watch it right now. It is truly worth it! His next is Jo Achuthananda.

These are visionary filmmakers who took up a huge risk and chased their dreams. Not only did they find success in their passion, they also inspire aspiring writers and filmmakers to continue pursuing their dreams.

Attn: Harry Potter Fans!! JK Rowling just revealed Harry’s ancestral roots

Team Wirally

September 23, 2015

Potter Fan? JK Rowling just revealed the history of the Potter family

JK Rowling, that intangible chord that connects us to our childhood, just dropped a delicious bomb to all Potterheads worldwide. While we are familiar with Harry Potter, we know close to nothing about his ancestors. Of course, there’s the affable James Potter who we see in flashes, but who came before Harry? Does Harry carry any Potter streak in him?

In an article on Pottermore.com, JKR revealed the history of the Potter family, right from the first known ancestor that Harry had.

In her inimitable style, Rowling takes us through the Potter ancestry, which is bejeweled by quirky peculiar characters. If you ever wondered where Harry got his wacky, bold streak from, Rowling answers all your queries.

The note on Pottermore.com has details on Linfred Potterer, a ‘loony medical man’ who spent much of his life inventing the very inventive Skele-gro, which is still used in present day Hogwarts to treat bone-related injuries and misfortunes.

The bloodline travels further down to Henry Potter, who once opposed the Minister of Magic in London, or Fleamont Potter, who earned a lot of money through his invention – the ‘Sleekeazy Hair Potion’. Fleamont however, died of ‘Dragon Pox’ before he could see his grandson, Harry.

The most interesting bit, however, is the story of the Invisibility Cloak. Rowling reveals how the cloak found its way to Harry’s hands, and the rich history it carried, ahem, has been uncloaked.

Read the delightful article by JK Rowling on Pottermore here.

Indian Epics in School Syllabus – Good or Bad?

Team Wirally

September 23, 2015

When the news “Government plans to introduce Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagwat Gita in school syllabus??? turned Baader Meinhof for me, I couldn’t help thinking that since when these books went “out of syllabus???.

I am a breed of CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) system and I had classes when we read about Ramayana, Sankshipt Mahabharata and Buddha Charita Manas in more details. Indeed these topics carried scores but the thing that really mattered was how the entire class used to be silent and listen keenly to the amazing stories these “EPICS OF INDIA??? were telling.

Before the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter sagas bloomed into our lives; the feeding of fantasy and magic were stories from Mahabharata; where Abhimanyu could hear Krishna when still in his mother’s womb, of Gandhari with sons from 100 pots which later turned into a puzzle when we read about the “Human Reproduction??? in Standard 10 (full attendance). This puzzling took a surprising turn (at least for me) when the idea of “test tube??? babies came into being.

*Surprisingly, the stores were free of moral guidance, and had vastly grey characters.*

Ramayana and Buddha Charita were no different. Pushpak vimanas and weather proof castles gave flight to both imaginations and ideas of engineering, no matter how absurd they could be. It was a good exercise. As far as the Bhagwat Gita is concerned, our lives were simplified enough to seek answers there.

Before LoTR and GoT, there was Ravana's Pushpaka Vimana — *Before LoTR and GoT, there was Ravana’s Pushpaka Vimana PC: Dainik Bhaskar*

Coming back to the present, there are two types of reactions on this new “Govt. plans???. One belongs to the bunch who are asking to bring Quran, Bible and other religious books on the same shelf and arguing about equality. These are the same bunch of people who talk about national integration but do not talk to their kids in their mother tongue. The other bunch which is posting long comments on the internet; dismissing them all as myths, legends and unrealistic is the same group which wants Shaktimaan in the syllabus while they wear LOTR t-shirts and question J.K Rowling about Hagrid’s patronus over Twitter.

*The stories actually made us question right and wrong. To introspect and question our beliefs.*

What does it take to understand that the existence of Mahabharata and Ramayana has nothing to do with any religion and that it is for everyone? The culture of India is one of the oldest and the world has seen many religions come and bloom. It is easier to dismiss the idea of Moses parting the red sea than to “love thy enemy???. People are so engaged to find fact over fiction (or vice versa) or to dismiss it entirely that they are missing the grand share of wisdom offered in these brilliantly composed epics or in any religion’s bible.

A good book is never a waste of time and that’s what they all are – books. And just like the other books one reads, one has the right to agree and disagree with them. It is always about right vs. wrong and the wisdom to tell the difference. So read, question and evolve.

As for the kids, I pity them. There is already so much in their baggage to keep up with the kind of world their mommies and daddies are leaving for them. It would be a really sad, if a generation grows up with grades, but without sensitivity to admire the genius that lie preserved in the pages of history.

Kids in Kerala are getting these awesome devices in school!

Team Wirally

September 23, 2015

The Government of Kerala has announced they are going to be giving out Raspberry Pi kits to schoolchildren to encourage coding.

Raspberry Pi is a company that makes tiny computation devices aimed at teaching children to build programs from scratch. The device has been used all over the world and adapted in schools since their launch.

Here are the details of the Raspberry Pi:

Chief Minister Oomen Chandy announced the scheme on 19^th of September, with the first batch of Raspberry Pis being given out to 2500 selected students, on the basis of merit. Gradually, however, the scheme is to be extended to all the students across state and government schools.

While it is great news for Indian education, and is a huge step for Kerala, which we have earlier argued is the greatest state in India, there is one worry.

Do we have enough qualified teachers so that the students make most of the devices? The aim of the project is to inculcate a sense of entrepreneurship and innovation among kids. It can’t be taught like regular subject.

And the last time an Indian official spoke about modern computing, this is what happened.

In case you missed the video, the gentleman says the problem with ‘Cloud Computing’ is that the data is stored in clouds. And what happens when there is rain? Or if the clouds move to another location?!?!

Great step, Kerala. And let’s hope the devices fall into the hands of the right teachers!

The ‘First’ time in Telugu Cinema

Team Wirally

September 22, 2015

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference’.

These iconic lines by Robert Frost celebrate bravery and vision. It is easy to succeed in the path already charted out by others. But to put your time, effort and money in a pioneering technology, trend, or phenomenon requires nerves of steel.

Since cinema, unlike painting and dance, is more dependent on technology, the pioneers were actually pushing the boundaries of cinema in their own way.

In this article, we look at visionary directors who brought in new trends in Telugu cinema, all part of staple Telugu cinema today.

First Telugu film to be screened at an International Film Festival – Malliswari

First Eastman Colour film – Amarashilpi Jakkanna

First Cinemascope film – Alluri Sitaramaraju

First 70MM film – Simhasanam

First DTS film – Telugu Veera Levara

First Telugu Cowboy Movie – Mosagallaku Mosagadu

First Telugu Sci-fi movie – Aditya 369

First High CGI film – Ammoru

First Disney Collaboration – Anaganaga Oka Dheerudu

First Dual Role in Telugu – Iddaru Mitrulu, 1961

First Telugu Film to Collect 10Cr – Gharana Mogudu

First massive Game Changer in Telugu Cinema – Siva

First Mega Budget Movie – Baahubali

Did we miss out any trend-setting films in our list? Please let us know

12 Emmys: What makes ‘Game of Thrones’ click every season?

Team Wirally

September 22, 2015

Game of Thrones, the HBO TV Series swept the Emmys last week, picking up a record 12 Emmys. The series has picked up 26 Emmys (which are like the TV version of the Oscars) in its five years.

The show lost out to Breaking Bad in the last few years, but since Heisenberg retired, GoT has been sweeping it like nobody’s business.

The show enjoys huge popularity in India too, even though the version shown on TV is like a Balaji Telefilms version of the original show. Here’s why the show has managed to acquire an epic status in a span of five years.

1. Solid Writing: Adapted from the most popular fantasy series in the world right now, A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones has tried to be as faithful to the book’s tone and world as possible. The first three seasons were specifically supervised by George RR Martin, the creator of the series, and it doesn’t seem like a director taking a book series and jacking off with it.

2. No Holds Barred: In the age of political correctness, GoT manages to maintain a no holds barred approach in its themes. Sex and violence, those two dreaded words for films and television, are not treated as taboo. In fact, it seems like a natural extension of the world where the series takes place.

3. Demand and supply: Unlike other shows that run the entire years, GoT only has ten episodes per season. You have to wait for another year, increases hype and speculation. The rest of the year goes in fan forums, YouTube channels and threadboards. In fact, people on YouTube have become millionaires just by discussing GoT theories and explanations.

4. Top Notch Production Values: GoT turns every stone in terms of graphics, locations, costumes, and effects. Jaw-dropping sequences and visual effects add to the other-worldly feel of the TV series.

5. Cliffhangers: When The Song of Ice and Fire first came out, it was heralded for changing the way fantasy was written. The villains needn’t be ugly and evil, while the heroes were fair, well-dressed, and handsome. The series twisted that trope over its head, and introduced a world of continuous grey. The TV series carry forward the same unpredictability of the books.

6. Charting a separate course: Unlike other epics like LoTR, even if you’ve read the books, the TV series have now chartered their own course, which means you can’t sit with your friends and predict what’s coming next. The books and TV series have now branched out in their own directions, making it exciting for book-readers as well as show-watchers.

7. Rock Solid publicity: One of the most popular attractions in Comic Con. The team of David Benioff and D. B. Weiss constantly keep the TV series in news, through leaks, teasers, interviews, and spoilers.

In a gap of five years, Game of Thrones has elevated itself from just another TV show to a social media spectacle.

Each of those Emmys are well deserved.

This Engineering College’s Guidelines to Women are truly WTF

Team Wirally

September 22, 2015

Moral policing on campuses is not completely new in India. There are colleges that enforce strict guidelines on what to wear, and one is generally expected to behave like an adult and draw the line somewhere in the head.

However, there are times when things are listed out in minute details, that make you go WTF??

Here’s a snapshot from a poster on from a college in Chennai.

The points include –Should not bring mobile phone, pen drives, and SIM Cards. Right.

What’s wrong in bringing a Pen Drive to a college? What should they bring instead? A slate and a chalk?

The list also has other gems like ‘No Banyan Cloth Type Pant’. That is quite difficult to understand, but I think we found a reference.

Then there’s also the spectacular attempt to keep with the times. No designer watch appearing big in size and in different colours.

Even going by Taliban logic, what harm can a watch do? And so what if it’s big and colourful. It’s not like guys are going to go ‘Hey dude, did you see that girl’s watch? So big, and pink in colour. I think I want to marry her’.

What is going on in this college?

Then there’s also the classic – ‘Two sides of dupatta should be compulsorily pinned up’. So everybody looks like a marching squad of Brahmakumari followers.

And ‘No Big Size Stud or Ring’. The first part of the statement, honestly, is vague. So can the girls of Sri Sairam Engineering College hit on Small Size Studs?

The insanity continues to flow. With ‘No High Fancy dresses with netted designs’.

And just when you thought it was just a frivolous trip by a warden tripping on DMT, things start to get serious. No celebration like Birthday, New Year, and other functions in the college campus. Chalo, even if you can’t cut a cake and take selfies (because that would invoke lust in the minds of boys), may be you can just give sweets to your friends and share some happiness? Uh-huh!

May be a photograph on social media? Sorry, Hitler Aunty has that sorted out. ‘Should not have Facebook, WhatsApp and other related types of this kind’.

‘No celebrations like Birthday, New Year, and other functions in the college campus’.

Finally, you ask yourself, why all this fuss?

Why should the girls be treated like cattle? Why aren’t they allowed to think for themselves? And we finally come to THE POINT.

Should not talk to boy students.

Ah! It all makes sense now. They forgot to mention ‘Take in Oxygen, and break out Carbon dioxide’.

7 Reasons That Make DSP A True Rockstar!!

Team Wirally

September 21, 2015

It is said that your debut determines the course of your career.

If you watched Devi in 1999, you’d never guess that the young lad who gave music for the film would grow up to be one of the biggest names in Telugu cinema music.

Born in East Godavari district, to a teacher and writer, Devi Sri Prasad began his career on an unusual note. He has trained under Mandolin Srinivas for ten years, and began a career in music very early in life. His first release was an album, and he had to climb the ladder slowly

Here’s what makes DSP stand out from the rest:

Trendy and Energetic Music with Great Collaborations

From the time he came with the album for Anandam, he conveyed his soul from the kind of music he started to compose. Apart from SPB, Chitra and Karthik who sang some great songs, DSP has tried to bring in some great voices to telugu. Clinton Cerejo, Kunal Ganjawala, Apache Indian, Suraj Jagan, KK, Neha Bhasin and of course Baba Sehgal are some of them who brought in great energy into his music. DSP believed in bringing in fresh voices. For what Baba Sehgal is doing now, credit must be given to DSP’s Jalsa.

Among the other singers of his, Sumangali seemed his favourite but isn’t heard now much. Devi’s melodies were best heard in her voice.

A Stage Performer

Before DSP, music directors adopted a very sane image on stage – they spoke for a while, were humble, sang a few songs, and left. DSP changed all that.

He takes his live shows as seriously as his film work, and is called ‘Rockstar DSP’. The only music director who is so active and pumped up on stage with his performance. We all know what a stage performer he is. So, I will leave to you to notice it you.

His Social Interaction

We may not see his daily interactions, but with those few here and there bits we get to see of his association with the people from industry definitely shows what a sweetheart he would be. As it is, in Telugu, we don’t see many of our bada people doing anything on stage except sitting in those red chairs and talking when their turn comes out, Devi brings in this fun element which probably even they would be surprised.

His Catchy Item Songs

If you ask me who took the trend of item songs to another level nationwide, I would say, it was DSP.

Yes! His Aa ante Amalapuram from Arya followed by Ringa Ringa in Arya2 till Kevvu Keva in Gabbar Singh, all the itmes songs belonged to only him. Though we all listen to various genres of music all through our day, once in a month we come across that moment when we are drunk and lost somewhere in bliss, waiting to dance to glory and a friend says… ‘Arey, ringa ringa pettu ra’. For people who don’t reach that state, may be this is one of the many things you missed!

A Hidden Lyricist

DSP may not be the guy who pens deep lyrics about the ocean waves and the heartbeat. But, the same he could convey with some avakai or a tella kaagitham. Listen to his Udayinchina Suryudini adiga from Kalusukovalani for example or Pilla from Gabbar Singh. Using simple words and metaphors, DSP conveys what a traditional lyricist conveys using heavy-duty literary adjectives.

Not a run of the mill music director

In spite of being the biggest name among music directors today, DSP hasn’t crossed 50 films. This shows how choosy he is about projects.

Just because he sings, he never dons the singing list of his own albums unless it suits him, unlike those who have done it earlier to him. He has studied them, he knows it!

His Attire

Many may not agree with me on this. He may not dress as cool as the other actors, though there are handful. But, Devi carries an image for himself with that head band and mostly a cool jacket apart from those sharp, long side burns.

Devi knows that in India, music is always associated with cinema, so picking every movie and exhausting yourself is not going to help. Rather sit back and give your best for the few movies you pick. The movie’s subject has always been the key element we find in his album. He doesn’t want to steal your attention from the great scripts. At the same time, his music also doesn’t divert you from the subject. He just gets you more involved into the movie you are watching. That is what scoring for a movie needs to be!!

You’ve Gotta Check This: Akhil’s first remix with Siva

Team Wirally

September 21, 2015

Time just flies! We all remember watching Sisindri in theaters and the day has already come where trailer of that little boy’s first movie as the lead, Akhil is already out. Without doubt he has the right looks and everything intact for a debut in Telugu cinema. Which means Akhil will also be getting into everything related to cinema. From interviews, autographs, awards to celebrity gossips, dubsmash etc. Now, technology is one thing that never stops to surprise us! We are now in the a world where we can re-create anything we wish to. Here we bring to you a perfect video mix by Ravi Teja – infact the first remix of Akhil’s first Akhil blend into Nagarjuna’s first big and Telugu Film Industry’s game changer, Siva.

Check out that voice!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDB6pJE1-ps

Things to Do When Stuck in Bangalore Traffic

Team Wirally

September 21, 2015

What is the first thing about Bangalore that catches your attention once you’re in the city? You’re lying if you said ‘the airport’. It is because everybody knows about the Bangalore Airport is so far off, it’s located somewhere near Mysore.

It is often said that time flies. But if you’re caught in Bangalore traffic, time stops, perches atop a tree, and decides to take a dump over your shoulder. Pardon my knowledge of etymology, but no wonder it’s called jam and not sauce! Complaining about traffic is like Arvind Kejriwal proclaiming he’s a dengue mosquito and later struggling with Dengue spreading in Delhi, because when you complain about traffic, you should also realize that you’re a part of traffic.

Here’s a list of things, apart from swearing, adjusting your underwear that gets stuck in crevices around the genitals, and ogling at the girl riding pillion behind the dude on the bike and then avoiding eye contact with the dude because he’s looking at you and not your girlfriend since you don’t have one, that one can do while being stuck in traffic.

1. WATCH AN ENTIRE TV SERIES:

The situation becomes so irresolvable sometimes that you might end up having enough time to watch an entire TV series, and then be left with enough time to post a review on your blog which is followed by as many people as can be counted on your right hand’s fingers after four of them have been bitten off by Somnath Bharti’s dog given you are not Hrithik Roshan.

If possible, carry your laptop in case you are travelling anywhere within Bangalore, and start watching FRIENDS as soon as you get stuck at the Silk Board junction. It is because firstly, the traffic moves so slow there that you are forced to wonder if it should be spelled as Silk Bored, and secondly, you don’t have any friends.

'Friends' would never be shot in India. Because boys and girls should not live together. #IndianSanskaar — ‘*Friends’ would never be shot in India. Because boys and girls should not live together. #IndianSanskaar*

2. WRITE THE SCRIPT FOR THE NEXT ROHIT SHITTY SHETTY MOVIE

Actually, you can write three of them, since you just need to visualize cars being destroyed as if they were Imran Khan’s movies and not cars, and there are a number of them lying around you for inspiration like Kate Winslet in Titanic. Write one script, change the actors and voila! You have a new script.

3. READ UP ON THE INTERNET TO UNDERSTAND SIMPLE TERMS LIKE FEMINISM, MISOGYNY, ETC.

Agreed, the toughest things that we’ve been made to read are Dino Morea’s expressions, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t focus on less important things, like vocabulary. Words like feminism are being thrown around carelessly, like notes on a bar dancer. For instance, most people don’t know about this, but misogyny is not an excuse for bad acting skills. It also has nothing to do with eating meat, the traffic jam that you’re stuck in, or Kattappa killing Bahubali.

So, research about such words that you use with such élan, and discover. For instance, misogyny means ‘your mindset’.

4. GROW A BEARD

If it takes a lot of time for you to grow a beard, and you just shaved that morning following which you now look like the son that you could have fathered if your crush didn’t find your looks so childish, traffic jam is the place to be in. The traffic jam will last long enough for you to become a man again before anyone notices, because the three people who otherwise notice you, namely your boss, your roommate and your mom, are not around.

Grew this on my way from Majestic to Indiranagar, bro. — Grew this on my way from Majestic to Indiranagar, bro!

5. LOOK FOR A JOB:

Statistically speaking, if you throw a stone in Marathahalli or Whitefield, it’ll hit:

a: a guy speeding away to fulfil an online order delivery

b: an IT employee

c: a start-up CEO

So, get down and start looking for prospective employers, since your current work-life balance is like Jayalalitha’s BMI.

6. DRAW INDRANI MUKHERJEA’S FAMILY TREE

Start drawing Indrani-Mukherjea’s relationship layout at HSR layout. Chances are that you know about her family tree better than your own. Attempt to draw it in one go. If you’re really good at this, you’ll probably end up with one husband and three lovers left by the time you reach Silk Bored. Yes, think about her lovers since you don’t have one of your own, and you ought not to have any since you’re taking advice from a listicle written by someone you haven’t heard of.

Indrani Family Tree: 'We Have Many Branches'. PC: India Today — The Indrani Mukherjea Family Tree: ‘We Have Many Branches’. PC: India Today

7. WRITE A NOVEL:

In other cities, you can read a book while you’re stuck in a traffic jam. In Bangalore, you can begin writing your own novel, finish it, and get it selected by a publisher before you reach your destination.

Anyway, the kind of books written today are easy on the brain. So think of a wacky name like ‘I Too Had a 7.8 Something Girlfriend Who Lived in 2 States – The Confusing Love Story of an IITian‘. It is sure to sell like hotcakes.

*This is not a real book. It's a meme* — *This is not a real book. It’s a meme*

It’s time to move, because it looks like the traffic has cleared. In my defence, this listicle is longer than a Rohit Shetty movie script.

They Gave Him 2 Typewriters, But What About His Dignity?

Team Wirally

September 21, 2015

We often speak about the impact of social media, and how it affects our daily life in both positive and negative ways.

The recent story on social media was that of Krishna Kumar, a 65 year old man who had spent the last 35 years of his life typing in Hindi. His typewriter was smashed to smithereens by a Sub-inspector on the pretext of a ‘security movement’. This was captured by a Good Samaritan and spread over Facebook and Twitter.

As the story spread like wildfire, the UP police jumped into damage control mode, immediately giving him two new typewriters as replacement. It was also announced that the Sub Inspector involved has been ‘suspended’, with no details of the extent of the suspension, or anything else in a written format.

Again, this was well publicized on Twitter, and again spread like wildfire. We again spread this story and celebrated it as a ‘victory’ for justice, Indian people, and civil rights.

Yet, nobody wants to speak about the root issue.

The core issue is that Indian Police has never taken any steps to treat people politely, and with respect. We add fuel to the fire, by celebrating films like Singham and Dabangg, which legitimize policemen taking matters and law into their own hands.

We never hear of any orientation by the police to treat people with respect. We are never told of our rights against the Police. The only idea we have is that the Police can frisk you any moment, and they have the right to abuse/slap/torture you without citing any reasons.

Yes, the SI has been suspended, but that is a joke. He will be back at work in a few weeks, and the police will continue to treat the citizens of India as sub-standard, second grade lives.

In the age of Social Media, we again fell for the trap.

They knew that we will forget and move on, and gave us a token solution to calm our outrage. And like fools, we fell for it all.

While we celebrate the ‘victory’ across Facebook groups and Twitter conversations, the authorities know that we survive on a day-to-day outrage. Tomorrow, something else will spark our fury, and we will rush to demand justice there.

In our own ways, we have all become Arnab Goswamis in our own right.

We will attack a burning issue, but will never bother to stop and question,

‘You gave him two typewriters, but what about his dignity?’

All You Need to Know About Jagmohan Dalmiya

Team Wirally

September 21, 2015

On Sunday, Jagmohan Dalmiya, arguably Indian cricket’s most famous and accomplished administrator, passed away due to a cardiac arrest.

While he had a life of ups and downs, Jagmohan Dalmiya has the legacy of single-handedly fortifying India’s position as a powerhouse in world cricket. A businessman himself, Dalmiya understood the value of money, and ensured that in a gap of ten years, India went from just another country that played international cricket, to the strongest player in the game.

Some of his accomplishments are part of cricketing legend. For example, when some countries refused to tour war-ravaged Sri Lanka in 1996, he arranged a combined Indo-Pak team in a matter of days to play friendly matches.

Dalmiya realised the value of eyeballs very early, and converted that to money for the board, players, and the sport in general. In fact, his adamant stance of retaining the rights of the game was partly the reason that cricket is perhaps the only sport where the government has least interference.

Here is all you need to know about Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Infographic Courtesy: Anudeep

What’s the Best Thing 100 Rupees Can Buy ?

Team Wirally

September 19, 2015

With prices constantly on the rise and your expenditure touching the seventh skies, you might be thinking, what could 100 Rupees possibly get you in this oh-so-unbelievably-costly country? Besides the mainstream pani puri, vada pav, dosa and other similar chowpatti snacks, there’s a lot your hundred rupee note has to offer. So, girls and boys, turn your frowns upside down and check out these items that one can get right under hundred:

FOR GIRLS:

Oh girls, if you’re lucky, you can find a sale on that designer purse that you had your eyes on since day 1. But, pushing luck towards the other side of your head and locking that almost-close-to-impossible thought in a dark room, check out these everyday items that are available under 100 rupees (plus point: they are highly useful too):

1. SANITIZER:

With germs and diseases on the rise, you end up being a mysophobic (germ-o-phobic), where even a normal shake hand with a ‘moist’ hand makes you want to wash your hands thoroughly. Well, you can’t always carry your hand wash everywhere and in situations as such, a hand sanitizer goes a long way! Why not carry a tiny bottle of fruit-scented sanitizer with you everywhere? It’ll protect you from germs, moisturize your hands and will leave behind a refreshing scent.

-Zuci Hand Sanitizer, RS.40 – RS.50

2. MANICURE:

There are days when you really want your nails to be pampered, because all that playing, typing, lifting stuff, opening jars and washing dishes just chopped them out so unevenly, that it makes you wince whenever you glance at them. Well, such days deserve a random cut, scrub and shape to your nails. And all this is possible via a simple manicure at one of Hyderabad’s great salon. (They also have cheaper rates for all other beauty care procedures, check them out).

-Just Flaunt, Basic Manicure, RS. 100

3. SOCKS:

Most of the girls love having their feet covered with socks (in their shoes/flats) while walking outdoors in the brightly shining sunlit hours. Or, if you’re like us, then you would simply love roaming around the house with socks on, skating on the smooth marble floor, or snuggling on your bed and having your feet covered the entire time. For such sock addicts, there’s definitely some good news. You can definitely afford your monthly pair of new socks with just a hundred bucks! Dream come true!

-iKii, Unisex Sock, RS.80

4. EYELINER FEVER:

Are you the kind of person who gets to hear comments like, ‘oh my god, sweetie, are you sick?’, ‘you look like a zombie?’ or ‘did you cry?’, when you don’t apply eyeliner? If yes, then you are definitely in need of eyeliner. Besides, doesn’t it make you feel so happy holding a bottle of intense, black, eye defining eyeliner, which costed under 100? Think about it. *wink*

-Lakme, Lakme Insta liner, RS.90

5. LIP SMACKING LIP BALM, ANYONE?

Buying a lip balm and a lip stick separately for that kick of moisture on your lips, makes a hole on your budget. At the same time, finding a lip gloss, that is lip-friendly and won’t darken your lips, is just hard work. Well, why not buy a juicy lip balm that acts as a lip gloss? Need one more reason to buy it? Well, it’s just under RS. 100, perfect enough for daily use and would last for three months. Like, what else do we girls need?

-ELLE 18, Juicy Pink Lip Balm, RS. 100

FOR BOYS:

If you boys are wondering what could you possibly get for 100, well, there’s lots. It’s not ‘just’ a girls’ world out there. *grin*

1. WALLETS:

Honestly, don’t we all have better things to buy, besides a wallet? But, at the same time, we are tired of listening to the continuous nagging session of our parents asking us to buy a new wallet to keep our money safe, (at the same time, they are unwilling to lend us money to buy it? Such tough lives. Tisk, tisk). Well, lucky for you, out of that RS. 1000 that you get every month for pocket money, you just need to spend less than hundred to buy a wallet that’d last for… another three years? *evil laugh*. With the left over money, well, do whatever you would like to. *wink*

-Stylox, Artificial Leather Wallet, RS. 99

(Artificial leather, because, come on, not all of us are Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise at this age. We have priorities, like… “food???).

2. SHAVING CREAM:

Wouldn’t you boys simply love an American branded shaving cream which could fit your budget? But haven’t found one yet? You definitely haven’t searched well enough. Yes, it’s true, there are lovely, scented shaving creams available to suit your hundred Rupees budget! *girly shout mentally*

-Old Spice, Shaving Cream, RS. 65

3. SUBWAY SANDWICH:

Oh yes, you read that right! Remember that we talked about priorities up there? Priorities like ‘food’? If you love delicious, fresh and mouth-watering sandwiches (which you can build by yourself and add your own sauces, veggies, bread and favorite protein), why not opt for Subway, instead of the mainstream pani puri or any other indian snack? Besides, you can totally afford the six inch sandwich and stuff it up till you get stuffed up!

-Subway, 6-inch Sandwich, RS. 99

4. POCKET MOUTH FRESHENER:

Sometimes, don’t you wish you had enough gum in your pocket to lend it to all your friends, every time you pull it out of your pocket? Or do you wish for an alternative to gum, something that’d freshen up your breath and you wouldn’t have to share it with a fifty thousand others around you? Well, why not carry around a spray based mouth freshener? Besides, it’s cheaper than gum and doesn’t give your stomach that bloat.

-Spray Mint Mouth Freshener, RS. 69

5. FACE WASH:

This seems highly essential to everyone these days. A travel pack that’d fit in your bag would be so helpful in making you look fresh right before appearing in front of that stern and lifeless HR for the interview or before meeting your girlfriend. Isn’t that the least you can do to avoid an oily and dull skin?

-Ponds, Pollution out Face Wash, RS. 100

***

Last but not the least, why not treat yourself to something exotic that comes to you right under the hundred Rupees mark?

Frozen Yogurt:

This is one of the healthiest things a person could possibly treat themselves with. With options like sugar-free, gluten-free, caffeine-free, frozen yogurt, over six different flavors of yogurts to choose from, and more than nine various toppings ranging from fruits to candies to chocolates and various syrups, it makes frozen yogurt extremely delightful to eat. Besides, you pay a rupee per gram. A little goes a long way to your senses here. You’d love to try it out.

-Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt

Mini Melts:

A great hit in America that’s making its debut in India, starting with Hyderabad, Mini Melts is a different ice cream eating experience. The cryogenically frozen ice cream, locks up more flavor compared to your traditional ice cream and then being frozen using liquid nitrogen kicks out all the air from the ice cream, resulting in various fun shapes, instead of being, ‘creamy’. An experience worth a try… Besides, you get it for a hundred rupees! Experience the U.S. in India.

Not such a costly world anymore isn’t it? 😉

Read : Things To Buy In Amsterdam – 13 Weird Things to buy in Amsterdam

6 Ways a Dating App is better than ‘Arranged’ Love

Team Wirally

September 19, 2015

Back in the day, once a son/daughter hit early 20s, parents would activate ‘Match Finding Mode’. It is a process that involved everybody in the social circle. From uncles, aunties, distant relatives, barbers, grocery store owners to the milkman, everybody was informed about the issue at hand, and would contribute towards finding a suitable match.

However, like with every other aspect of our lives, technology has changed that too. Today, it is possible for you as a youngster to choose your own partner. Thanks to dating apps, you have the luxury of choosing a partner who could be your ideal partner, without the pressure of your family (and everybody around you) pressurizing you.

While the traditions are as old as the hills, there are a few ways that ‘found’ love is better. Have a look and let us know if you agree!

1. Choice. A dating app allows you to choose your partner yourself, instead of your family members, a common friend, or the Sunday matrimonial doing it for you. There are no parameters for your search, and attraction and chemistry are the only criteria. There is no pressure for you to meet someone for a few minutes, and instantly deliver your ‘verdict’, because there are two families waiting for your reaction. An app lets you take it at your own pace, and discover your partner before getting into any sort of commitment.

2. Physical attraction: A dating app lays emphasis on physical attraction, which is an often ignored point in ‘arranged’ relationships. It has long been proven that for a relationship to last, there needs to be love, attraction and chemistry between the couple. An app lets you get a proper idea about a person before making your decision, and it is much better than the standard format of ‘Please go to that room and talk to each other’.

3. Honesty: Since there’s no pressure or judgment, you can actually be more honest with a partner you meet on a dating app. In an arranged situation, you can’t be fully honest because there are two families at stake and a small mistake could snowball into a huge issue. You are always conscious of hurting or offending people’s sentiments. However, an app lets you take your time and open up to each other and built trust.

4. Security: A dating app allows you to decide the pace of the relationship yourself. You’re never forced to do anything against your wishes, and there’s nobody’s approval to seek before embarking on any activity. You are also not forced to meet a stranger alone and can afford to take your time to win someone’s trust before meeting the person. In a way, it is a more secure method.

5. No Social Evils: Arranged marriages traditionally resort to archaic customs like Dowry, caste, religious bias, gothra, etc. Finding a partner yourself allows you to bypass these regressive steps, and lay most importance on the person you seek. Everything else is secondary.

6. A Liberal, forward thinking outlook: Dating apps today allow you to choose a partner according to similar interests, passions and careers. This means you do not have to compromise in terms of your ethics, beliefs, career options, or life goals.

A relationship is a bond between two hearts. Nothing can replace that.

Go ahead, take one step. The universe will take ten steps towards you. Good luck! 🙂

Watching Katti Batti is like banging your head on a granite wall

Team Wirally

September 18, 2015

What’s more pleasant than having yet another steroid-filled star-kid make his debut? Yet another clueless, glazed-out star-kid star in yet another rom-com.

Remember in childhood, when the richest kid in class would get to direct a class play because he can afford the costumes? Katti Batti is that kind of a film.

Imran Khan plays a college student who falls in love with a feisty, independent girl who is neither clear not coherent about what she wants in life. She moves in with him (which is difficult, considering even hotels in Ahmedabad ask for a Marriage Certificate, leave alone houseowners). Later, she dumps him.

What follows is Imran wallowing in self pity and memories, while she decides to marry her ex. The problem with Katti Batti is not really the sloppy storytelling, it is how the director doesn’t give a single f*ck about the viewer throughout.

Which is sad because Kangana Ranaut is really on a purple patch. She did not need a Yashraj, or a K-Jo to give her bubblegummy films. Like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, she has become a brand in herself, and can carry a film on her own shoulders. Sadly, filmmakers want to straddle her with feisty, independent roles all the time.

At the other end of the spectrum is Imran Khan. Nephew of India’s Conscience Man, scion of one of the most famous filmy families, who got a dream debut in the form of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Since then, he has been limbering his way to the bottom with roles that are exactly the same. You could replace Imran Khan from one of his movies to any of his movies, and it wouldn’t make a rat’s ass of a difference. He is always the urban, suave guy in love with a bubbly, free-spirited girl.

Katti Batti blows… away the opportunity of casting the best actresses at her peak, settling for a story that would make Timur scream ‘That’s lame’. Ranaut is forced to speak in English, and Imran Khan in Hindi, and they both sound ill at ease.

At the end, when the film adopts a serious mode, you can’t take it seriously. Like the friend who drank and smoked the entire year, and prays to Ganesha one day before the exam.

There were reports that Aamir Khan came out of the screening of the film crying. Now you know why:

Sunil – The Comedian? Or Sunil – The Hero?

Team Wirally

September 18, 2015

There were new heroes coming, heroines as usual were being imported every now and then. New villains were also making their entries and getting noticed, but with all of them, the only source of relief or laughs was the same bunch of comic actors.

No doubt, they excelled in their work – Ali, Brahmi, Venu Madhav, MS, Dharmavarapu etc. But this was the only department which didn’t see commendable actors who made it big, until the arrival of Sunil.

His one liners, comedy timing, brisk Bhimavaram dialect, body language and his own style of making those sounds got him instant recognition with the audience. But not many know the real story of Sunil. He started as a struggler from Krishnanagar. His friends were RP Patnaik and Trivikram Srinivas.

When Trivikram started making films, he ensured every film had a scene with Sunil. Some of them were small roles – like Banti in Nuvvu Naaku Nachchav. But Sunil owned the scenes! He shot to fame so instantly that, an entry of his in the movie made the audience whistle and hoot. Starting off with Nuvvekavali, and achieving recognition with Nuvvu Nenu, Sunil quickly became a regular in most big budget films.

His roles in Sontham as Seshu-the Buss, in Dubai Seenu as Trimurthulu, in Ready as Janaki or Pendhurthi Babu in Peddababu further cemented his place. Around the same time, Trivikram Srinivas had acquired cult status for his one-liners and soul-stirring dialogues. And every role he gave to Sunil, turned out to be a comedic gem.

The life of a comedian, once you’re established, is more or less risk-free. Before Sunil, his seniors Brahmanandam and Ali had shown the way. They had been doing comic roles for nearly three decades. It would have been a secure, comfortable life.

But Sunil chose a different path.

Sunil – The Hero

Sunil ventured into solo hero films. It was a gigantic risk, and not something that had been tried earlier. But first, he had to get fit. If he was to make a fresh start, he had to get fit. Sunil got himself a toned body – complete with six packs.

He made his first full length film as Andala Ramudu with Aarti Agarwal. After reducing his appearances on screen, he later signed Maryada Ramanna, an atypical Rajamouli film. Both Sunil and Rajamouli were taking a risk, and it paid rich dividends. It made the audiences believe that a comic hero could be as effective if the story was solid. Probably by this time Sunil got bored of getting slapped, or slipping and falling in the gutter.

The only thing with his full time movies is, he will be seen in comic situations and his characterization will also be something related to comedy. His hard work to tone himself into good shape was very well appreciated, but since then he hasn’t tasted any great success. His role in Thadaka as fearful police officer brother who bounces back later as a stronger person makes you wonder if he was the same guy who was cracking silly jokes.

It’s been nearly a decade since Sunil transformed into a hero, and the audience’s reaction has been a mixed bag. On the streets and outside cinema halls, the talk is still divided. Should he have ventured into heroic roles? Or should he have remained in comedy – the line that earned him his bread and butter?

Personally, it is a difficult place to be.

As an actor, you want to do a variety of roles. Imagine you’re in a cricket team, and you bat at No.6. Suddenly, you get a chance to open the innings, and spearhead the bowling attack. Would you refuse the offer?

As an actor, Sunil must probably want larger, more meaningful roles. But it is upto directors to find him stories that display more shades to the actor in him.

What do you prefer?

Sunil the Hero. Or Sunil the Comedian? Tell us in the Comments section below.

If YOU claim to be ‘Hyderabadi’, You HAVE To Watch This Hilarious Song

Team Wirally

September 18, 2015

Being Hyderabadi – A feel of royalty, a nawabi pride, that ustadi attitude. All these simply blend into one word when we call ourselves a ‘Hyderabadi’. Great!! But, Have we noticed those strengths that become our weaknesses when it comes to behaving in our society? When asked to be nothing more than a ‘citizen’, that same nawabi feel is actually a double-edge sword you throw at yourself ? It needn’t be magnified, a small alter in the attitude would be of great fortune, pride and completeness in calling us a ‘Hyderabadi’

Check this beautiful apna hydrawadi gaana by Sriram Mudambi’s SachhBharat asking us nothing more than to just be united as decent citizens to love our city better. It’s not you alone nor its me alone, hum sab milke hyderabad ko badlenge!

Everything You Need to Know about Rakesh Maria

Team Wirally

September 18, 2015

Last week, Rakesh Maria, Mumbai’s Commissioner of Police stepped down from his responsibilities, to be replaced by Ahmed Javed.

An illustrious cop who passed out from the 1981 batch of the Indian Police Service, Rakesh Maria has been the face of Mumbai Police for decades now.

He has been part of the city’s ups and downs, and handled some of the worst crises that the city has faced, including the 1993 blasts and the 26/11 Taj attack. An earnest cricket, basketball and karate sportsman since college, Rakesh Maria was respected and revered by his peers, juniors and media alike.

He has been immortalised in books and movies for the longest time, and has become a part of the city’s character in many ways.

Here is all the information you need to know about Rakesh Maria:

From 720p to 70mm – YouTube stars who made it to the silver screen

Team Wirally

September 16, 2015

In the earlier days, if you had to make it to the silver screen, you had to go through thousands of auditions, meet producers and send your portfolio to casting directors. However, in the last five years, the game has changed.

YouTube has a huge number of short films, with millions of hits each. In Tamil cinema, Vijay Setupathy and Bobby Simha have successfully made the transition from YouTube short films to large budget films. In Telugu cinema, that process is still underway.

However, we also have a few actors who successfully went from YouTube to Silver Screen, thanks primarily to the large number of likes and shares on their videos. Here’s a list:

RITU VERMA

Ritu Verma shot to fame with the beautiful short film Anukokunda, a short film that won awards inspiring thousands of short films on YouTube, and even went to Cannes film festival in the short films category. Ritu Verma then went to star in movies, playing Kajal Aggarwal’s sister in Badshah, and then in Prema Ishq Kaaddal. She also had a role in Yevade Subramanyam, and looks set to soar forward in her acting career.

RAJ THARUN

He has been making short films from the age of 16 in Vizag. He quit his engineering degree to pursue his passion, and starred in many short films on YouTube. Raj went on to tie up with P. Ram Mohan, the producer of Uyyala Jampala, which was produced by Annapurna Studios. Raj Tharun has his hands full, with Sukumar’s upcoming production – Kumari 21 F, and Cinema Choopista Mama, which is due for release.

CHANDINI CHOWDARY

Every graduate student might have seen her in atleast one short film and fallen for her charm. Along with her co-star Raj Tharun, she too worked on many short films from her college days in Vizag and has now managed to grab the title role in the big project presented by K Raghavendra Rao – Kundanapu Bomma. A much needed break for her, hope she carves a niche for herself.

SATYA DEV

Based in Bangalore, Satya Dev always had acting ambitions. He starred in many short films, which were liked and shared by numerous short film enthusiasts across the two states. He was chosen by Puri Jagannath to star in Jyothilakshmi opposite Charmie, and even got noticed by Ram Gopal Verma for his acting.

SUDHEER VARMA

Shot to fame with ‘Lovaholic’, this handsome looking hunk was constantly working in shorts films proving that acting is what he has been made for. Debuted with Second Hand which couldn’t manage to do well, his latest is Kundanapu Bomma as one of the two male leads along side Chandini.

‘VIVA’ HARSHA

He became a household name with the short film Viva, a funny short film about the farce of vivas in engineering colleges. The funny faces he conjured up made his the centre of memes across social network, and his ‘Hello, brother!’ dialogue was copied by thousands of engineering students. Success was inevitable. Harsha went on to star in Surya V/S Surya, and has five more films in his kitty at the moment.

KIREETI DAMARAJU

Looks like ‘Anukokunda’ was the claim to fame for a number of actors. The short film, which was the first truly viral short film in Telugu, also boosted Kireeti’s career, who went on to act in a number of films like Second Hand and Yevade Subramanyam.

KAUSHAL SHARMA

Kaushal got noticed for writing and starring in the short film Crack – Say No To Drugs, and other short films on YouTube. Earlier, Kaushal Sharma went on to star in films like Gaalipatam, and Pyar Mein Padipoya. He also has other films in his kitty at the moment, and looks like he has a path charted out for himself.

PRIYADARSHI PULIKONDA

He began acting from his college short films, and went on to do theatre and other short films. Blessed with a good grasp over Telugu and Tamil, this young actor now has a few films in hand, namely Terror starring Srikanth, and Bommala Ramaram. Unlike the others, he also aims to act in Tamil cinema, and you can find his thoughts and opinions on cinema on his blog, and on Facebook.

HARISH KOYALAGUNDLA

One of the firsts to try his hand on YouTube. He worked with Sujith, director of Run Raja Run during their short film making days. He went on star alongside Pawan Kalyan in Teenmaar and later Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chetu as Mahesh babu’s friend, which was quite big for a guy who used to make videos all by himself in the US.

Talent can take you across any boundaries – these actors proved it once again. Wish them good luck!!

A Message from Ganesha

Team Wirally

September 16, 2015

Dear Devotees,

It’s that time of the year again. When I spend ten days amidst you.

It’s time for fun and frolic, when entire communities get together to celebrate my birthday. It is time for feasts at home, a time when the entire locality is out on the streets, when the roads are a myriad mix of colours, joy, and ecstacy.

However, there’s something I’d like as a Birthday Gift this year.

You are all devoted, and revere and love me with all your hearts. I know that. But have you thought about what you do during these ten days?

And finally, there’s the issue of what you do to me. You worship me for ten days, offer me laddoos (which I love, thank you for that!), but then, at the end of ten days, you dump me in a lake or river.

Yours Lovingly,

Ganesha

The new ‘Jungle Book’ trailer is as awesome as your childhood memories

Team Wirally

September 16, 2015

Disney, the Coca-Cola of the animation industry, has remade The Jungle Book series, and the trailer is stunning in every which way.

While the film has a starcast of Bill Murray, Christopher Walken and Scarlett Johansson has ruffled the right kind of feathers worldwide, but there’s another reason Indians have a special bond with the story of the little boy who was raised by wolves.

The Jungle Book was staple Sunday morning diet for an entire generation of Indians (read Saptarshi’s riveting article on Doordarshan shows here). The animated series on Mowgli, Bagheera and Sher Khan had captured the imagination and fantasies of the nation’s children.

The series had music by Vishal Bharadwaj, lyrics written by Gulzar, and had Nana Patekar’s gravelly voice for Sher Khan. The animation was done by a Japanese studio and had been widely acclaimed all over the world. The characters of Mowgli, Bagheera, Kaa, and Sher Khan have been etched permanently in the minds of Indian children worldwide.

The Jungle Book is a collection of stories written by British author Rudyard Kipling, who was born in India, and spent much of his childhood and early working years.

Mr. Kipling also had a very impressive moustache, a fact that most historians outright ignore.

The Jungle Book was a collection of the many folk stories that Kipling had heard and imagined during his stay in India. The stories are now in public domain, and you can read/download them online at Project Gutenberg for free here.

While the stories have given wings to the imaginations of millions of children worldwide, not many know that there is a heart-wrenchingly sad story behind The Jungle Book.

12 Tweets From RGV That Justify The Statement ‘If You’re bad I am Your Dad’

Kalyan Bharath

September 15, 2015

There are celebrities on Twitter, and then there’s RGV.

It’s difficult to categories RGV’s tweets under any one particular category. Are they mere rants of frustration? Are they the opinions of a seasoned veteran? Or are they flames fueled by choicest psychotropic? We’ll never know.

But there’s one thing we can say with conviction. Nobody speaks their mind out like RGV does. And nobody mixes wisdom with fluff, in the manner that he does.

So brace yourself!

RGV’s recent tweet to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Twitter winning hearts

We all are troubled by the events in North Korea, but RGV has the final word on Korea and Kim il Jong.

For most of us, the AIB Roast was just a comedy show. Not for RGV.

We all love Apple products. But only a few of us are as demanding…

Admit it, we are all a little romantic deep within our hearts. Not RGV. Here’s how he toes the line between celebrating Valentines Day, and releasing a trailer of his new movie.

For the times when he draws your attention to vintage advertisements.

When he expressed his opinions on the ideal Prime Ministerial candidate for India. And his reasons for it.

Not someone to give up easily, he went on to compare AB to Gods. With panache!

When he gave advice to Dalqueer Salman about his acting.

In the way he talks about his most-talked about movie of all time.

Are you proud of how active you are on Twitter? Don’t be.

Don’t like his Tweets? Have something to say to him? Well, tough luck there!

There you go! Didn’t we tell you there’s no one quite like RGV on Twitter?

7 Films That Cemented Nag’s Place in History

Team Wirally

September 15, 2015

Thinking out of the box has always been in the Akkineni’s blood. When one picks acting as a career, they know it’s not another 9-6 job. One has to dedicate most of tone’s time towards it. From getting a grip over acting, to picking the right roles, along with experimenting with new stuff and maintaining the success rate.

Nagarjuna knew his stuff. Beating the villains black and blue, was never his belief. Seeing his counterparts throwing people into air, he might have found it interesting and did give it a shot. But, spreading love and joy was his primary work on screen!

From the beginning of his career he believed in always expanding cinema and its meaning to us, Telugu audience.

Let’s take a look at those few jewels, which were a part of his career and a part of our memories too.

GEETANJALI

This was Mani Ratnam’s first film in Telugu, and Nag’s first big success he tasted at the box office. Till then his acting was still amateurish. With this movie, he showed the audience his growth as an actor and gave us, the Telugu audience, our first coming of age love story.

SHIVA

A famous actor said ‘If Telugu cinema can be divided into two parts, it would be ‘Before SHIVA’ and ‘After SHIVA’. True! RGV at that point had not worked or even assisted anyone till then. Just believing him and his narration, was a gutsy step for the still young Nag. Shiva opened up a new phase for Telugu cinema. It proved that heroism needn’t be established by beating up villains and destroying fruits market on the road. It could be done with a cycle chain and aggression in the eyes.

Be it the shy and composed student, the rebellious brother fighting the system, or the thoughtful uncle saving his niece on a cycle, or the man standing for his people and warning the enemy, Nag was just BANG ON in portraying SHIVA.

HELLO BROTHER

Right at the beginning of the movie, Nag goes to jail and the constable at the entrance says to him ‘Hello Brother’. As a viewer, you sat back in the chair, ready for a roller coaster ride.

With EVV’s screenplay and LB Sriram’s dialogues, Nag fine tuned everything by portraying the dual roles to near perfection. While the role of the rash slum guy seemed like cake walk for him, the soft-spoken, innocent singer was equally convincing. His chemistry with both the leading ladies – Ramya Krishna and Soundarya and his comic timing all through the movie still stands out. You can say Nag carried the movie on his 4 shoulders. A comedy classic!

NINNE PELLADUTHA

With this film, Nag proved that no one can have a more sizzling chemistry with their leading ladies than him. This was probably the best romance we have ever watched on Telugu celluloid.

From those stereotyped romances across the table or behind the flower, he showed us that the girl actually would be more comfortable on his lap, which is much simpler!! This was the time he gave us a new word apart from smart and handsome – ‘Greekuverudu’. It was through this movie music director, Sandeep Chowta was introduced to cinema and the music is another highlight of this flick.

ANNAMAYA

This time, it wasn’t Rasika Rasa but the Bhakthi Rasa, though he started off the film in his style – romancing his two ladies!

But, once he realizes the beauty of GOD, the film undergoes a 180 degree spin, transforming a romantic Nag into an ardent devotee. Annamayya set a trend for biopic and period films, and the songs are still played during family functions, poojas, and wedding functions all across the state. Annamayya was a Kohinoor moment in Nag’s career.

MANMADHUDU

With Trivikram penning the script, this film looked like it was in safe hands right from the beginning. The film begins as a stream, gains strength along the way, and flows down like a waterfall by the end. Nag was handsome, cool, witty, sarcastic, all at the same time. They say a man peaks at the age of 35-45. Nag was his best during this time and especially in this movie. As always, his chemistry was awesome with the two heroines – Anshu and Sonali. I wonder how he does it? Was his favourite subject in school – Chemistry?

MANAM

This film was not just about the great story told in a very convincing way, but a page in the history of Telugu Cinema. The three generations of actors, ANR, Nag and Chaitanya teamed up with this movie. Probably this is confined to only the Akkineni’s. I am sure no other ‘dynasty’ can get a better story with three generations. The inter-link between the characters of grandson-son-grandfather from real to reel is simply splendid. Hats off to Nag for doing this piece of history for his dad, ANR. He bid him a grand farewell from cinema.

Now well in his 50s, Nag continues to make movies, continues to experiment, continues to entertain us.

Did we miss out on any of his films that you felt should be on the list?

Top 10 Stoner Hindi Movies That You Can Trip On

Team Wirally

September 15, 2015

Some movies are great to watch when stoned – multiple facets and meanings appear to emerge, and even the mundane looks riveting and often vastly funnier. In the West, movies such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Big Lebowsky are tailored to provide audiences with surrealism and psychedelic imagery. In India, and more specifically Bollywood, this genre has so far remained largely unexplored.

Here’s a list of movies to watch when stoned. We are looking at Hindi movies only and won’t be including regional movies such as Gandu by Q or Upendra’s Super.

1. GULAAL:

Directed by Anurag Kashyap, this 2009 movie deals with student politics, secessionist politics, unrequited love and retribution. Set in present day Rajastan, this movie features brilliant use of imagery (for example ‘Democracy Bar’, or the character of Ardhnarishvar) and Piyush Mishra who provided music, lyrics and also acted in the film. His scenes are laden with satire and humour while those with Kay Kay Menon depict chauvinism at its best. All said, with its stellar performances and great use of colour, Gulaal is a must watch film when stoned.

2. OM DAR-B-DAR:

The quintessential example of a surrealist and postmodernist Indian movie, this film makes for great watching when under the influence of certain somethings. With militant tadpoles that refuse to grow into frogs, and combining a strange mixing of magic realism, dream sequences, Puranic tales and Science, this absurdist tale takes us through Om’s adolescent years in the sleepy town of Ajmer- a town known for sending the highest number of song requests to All India Radio. A non-linear storyline, surrealist imagery and songs like Bunty Babylon Se and Meri Jaan (which inspired Emotional Attyachar in Anurag Kashyap’s Dev D), this movie, directed by Kamal Swaroop in 1988, had to wait 26 years for release. The movie has over the years acquired a cult status and has inspired many film makes and cinema lovers including Anurag Kashyap, Imtiaz Ali, Amol Gupte and Kiran Rao.

3. NO SMOKING:

The second Anurag Kashyap movie on our list, this neo noir psychological thriller was a commercial dud, but was applauded across festival circuits. Considered much ahead of its time, this movie was loosely based on Quitters Inc.-a short story Stephen King- and follows a suave John Abraham as he looks to quit his chain smoking by enrolling himself in the Paresh Rawal run rehabilitation center called Prayogshala, which employs methods that are both dubious and bizarre. Paresh Rawal plays Sri Sri Prakash Guru Ghantal Baba Bangali Sealdahwale, while Jesse Randhawa’s act in the song “Jab Bhi Cigarette??? stays with you long after the movie is over. Bordering on the abstract, this movie can have more than one interpretation and can be a great movie to watch when high.

4. URF PROFESSOR:

Another movie that has acquired an underground cult following over the years, this black comedy made in 2000 by the late Pankaj Advani, who made the equally dark Sankat City, was applauded for its iconoclasm and use of parody across film festivals in Pakistan and Philippines, though in its home country it failed to get a Censor certificate due to its explicit content. The plot follows Manoj Pahwa, a hired assassin with hyperopia and a keen interest in reading, who also tries his luck with lottery tickets. The film also features Yashpal Sharma, who plays Pahwa’s aide quite effectively, as well as Sharman Joshi and Antra Mali, in perhaps their earliest roles.

5. ABHAY/AALAVANDHAN:

A movie that inspired a scene in no less a movie than Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, has earned its entry into this list. We get a glimpse into the mind of Kamal Hassan as the plot follows the murderous trail left behind by the psychotic antagonist (played by Kamal Hassan, of course!) as he encounters whip-wielding sadist women, mind altering drugs and coked-up pop-stars. Having used some rudimentary animation in his period drama Hey Ram the previous year, this 2001 flick uses animation beautifully to show gore and violence.

6. MITHYA:

Another black comedy directed by Rajat Kapoor and starring his gang – Ranveer Shorey, Vinay Pathak, Saurabh Shukla, and Neha Dhupia – Mithya tells the story of a struggling actor who gets caught in a deliciously vicious trap of ganglords and crooked killers. A film that is ironic, hilarious, and sad at the same time, Mithya released in a time when small budget films like Johnny Gaddar, Manorama Six Feet Under, and Raghu Romeo were managing to see releases.

7. ANDAZ APNA APNA:

Another movie that failed commercially, but has assumed a legendary status over the years. From a time before Aamir Khan had turned into a perfectionist with a sensitive side, and Salman Khan into a shirtless wonder, this buddy flick gave the world a glimpse of their acting prowess and their ability at handling situational comedy. Memorable performance from Paresh Rawal and cameos from Jagdeep, Mehmood and Shakti Kapoor make this a mandatory watch when high as its deadpan humour leaves you in splits. Also it one of the very few movies where Shakti Kapoor is not crass and excruciatingly painful to watch.

8. KAUN:

Before Ram Gopal Verma lost his sanity and discovered Twitter, this maverick who is widely credited as having changed the face of Indian cinema gave us this psychological horror film. Although RGV had also made the crime-comedy Daud two years earlier which also makes for great viewing when high, it is this movie with its plot twists and uncertainties that makes it to our list. Penned by Anurag Kashyap, this film is undoubtedly one of the best in its genre and is sure to send a shiver down your spine. The RGV-Kashyap team got the recipe right for a successful suspense/horror flick: rainy afternoon, psychotic killer on the loose and an apartment with a lone occupant. Consisting of just three characters, this movie will grip you till the very end and we strongly suggest that you give it a watch when high.

9. SHAITAAN:

Gun fights in slow motion, Bollywood classic numbers remixed tastefully and a unique use of light and colour to leave you woozy, this crime thriller is about a botched up kidnapping. Though the movie at times moves at a slow pace, every scene is artfully crafted and the accompanying soundtrack leaves the watcher spellbound. The experience of watching a group of rich kids move from one crime to another in order to cover their tracks and their gradual descent into chaos is especially more riveting when intoxicated.

10. MSG/ Clerk/ Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare/ Gunda/ Tehelka:

There are movies that are so bad that they are actually good: Some of us get our kicks from watching really shitty movies when high. Since we could not arrive at just one movie that will have you in splits with its plot and marvelous acting and make you doubt your sanity and pose questions about your very existence, we decided on letting you choose your own poison. You may want to watch the exploits of the messianic Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insaan in Messenger of God (MSG) or find out how Manoj Kumar found the connection between passive smoking and falling in love in Clerk. You may also want to investigate if Govinda slurring his words in Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare was the complete joke or was their more to it. A personal favourite of mine is Tehelka. The plot revolves around a fictional kingdom of Dongrila, ruled by an evil dictator, who is very imaginatively named Dong. When not drinking or merrymaking, he is engaged in recruiting women for suicide bombings across India. Apart from having Amrish Puri ham his way through the entire film, this movie also commits the sacrilege of having a bloated Dharmendra mouth Eli Wallach’s famous words…???When you shoot, shoot; don’t talk???.

Did we miss any movie in this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Toons of Our Times!

Team Wirally

September 12, 2015

Having a television set meant a great deal. A luxury to have one; royalty if you had two. You play outside with friends from noon to evening, and come back home to watch some TV.

As kids, the greatest skill we possess is making friends and enemies. So, my brother and I would sit and watch TV together, trying to find our friends. But, TV is a divisive thing. And, there was hardly any content for kids to begin with.

When I was around 8, and my brother 9, we chanced upon Cartoon Network. With its varied themes, and an eclectic set of characters, Cartoon Network immediately found friends in us. It was the only channel my brother and I would watch together. Primarily, because cartoons then were a lot better than the ones we find on TV today.

This could be an adult perspective I hold today, but even my parents, as fully functional adults, respected our time with Cartoon Network. It was the first time that children were being given their Time and Space in an Indian home.

Let’s delve into the world of toons that were aired when I was a kid, in the 90s.

1. Dexter’s Laboratory:

When you have a sibling of the other gender, there will come a time when you branch out into two completely different personalities. There is constant friction of choices, of thoughts, and actions. It feels like losing a part of you. Dexter and his sister Dee Dee presented this dichotomy beautifully. Dexter is a whiz kid who runs a science lab hidden under his house, and tries to keep his sister out of it. Exactly like my brother. It was an American show with a kid with a Russian accent, written and directed by a Russian guy. How’s that for fiction, eh?

2. Jonny Quest:

I had my favourites on Cartoon Network, as did my brother. Sometimes, we would root for different characters in one show – like the Swat Kats, or Scooby Doo. Jonny Quest was one show where we couldn’t choose our heroes. Simply because it did not have one. A sci-fi story of Jonny Quest, who accompanies his father on adventures, set in a projected reality of the cyberworld. Oh, and the trippy Intro tune!

3. Captain Planet:

The plot revolved around five characters from South America, North America, Africa, Asia and the Soviet Union, representing the five elements – wind, water, fire, earth, and heart. They got together to summon a superhero called Captain Planet. But, there was a catch. They could only summon him if they came together as a group. Captain Planet was born out of these elements, and so he had no resemblance to any particular thing. This taught us kids a valuable lesson, which we might not learn until late, that everybody is important in a group.

4. Laugh-a-lympics:

The perfect start to a Sunday. You are groggy, disoriented. You do not want to watch anything that conveyed a message. Or had a story. Laugh-a-lympics was the perfect answer. It was a cartoon about nothing in particular. All the characters from other toons would be competing in a race. They react to other characters in different ways. If you were Cartoon Network fan-fiction, this would be it.

I could go on with the list, but you get the drift.

Cartoon Network was more than the interesting plot lines, it was an experience. We had these ‘foreign’ friends who taught us things without pressure. The time between 7 to 10 pm was sacrosanct. The day would end with a show named Top Cat – a cool cat who bade you goodbye at the end of the night.

Then, a dynamite would count down – go KABOOM! – exactly at 10, and the screen would go blank. It instilled a sense of discipline even while watching TV. I wish I could say that about today’s television, but I understand the times have changed.

Today’s cartoons are a world apart. Every character feels the same, and every other cartoon has somehow internalized the stereotypes. There’s a fat one, a loud one, a stupid one, a silly one, a pretty one, a good one and the bad one. Rest of the characters are for consumption by these. It took me five years to know that Doraemon could actually have been a cartoon nicely told. And, Shinchan, for example, should be watched under child supervision, because as an adult, you won’t be able to take that for long. Pokemon, Ben10, Dragonball Z blah, blah, and more blah. They are kinda pathetic, don’t you agree?

90s Websites, and how they have fared in 2 decades

Team Wirally

September 12, 2015

Daa-trrring-tee-naw-tee-naw-no-kashhh.

Wondering what that is? The 90s child will know it. That was the sound of your PC connecting to the internet. And once connected there were your favorite handful sites that you wanted to visit in the unbelievably short time that your parents had allotted you. While growing up, we experienced the rise and fall of several websites. A few of the popular ‘we-owe-you-a-standing-ovation-and-a-salute’ websites, which made our childhood awesome, are remembered below. Check out how many of them do you actually remember.

1. YAHOO MESSENGER/YAHOO MAIL

“Hey, dude, you free, man????

– “Yeah, why????

“I’ll be waiting for your call on Yahoo Messenger! Come online, I have got to tell you something!???

*And the yellow smiley jumps in joy to show you’re, now, online*

Before Google and Skype, every 90s kid was addicted to Yahoo. It had everything from news to entertainment, games, emails and even an instant messenger! Oh, and wasn’t the phone call and ‘doodle’ inbuilt apps within Y-Messenger, one of the coolest things? Today, there’s WhatsApp for instant sharing, Gmail for work and Skype for talking. Which leaves our poor ol’ pal, Yahoo abandoned in the cyber universe, like the lil’ Pluto.

2. SPACE JAM:

And the Nostalgia Bomb drops.

1996, after the release of the super cool movie Space Jam had released, a website promoting the very same movie, was created. A page filled with sparkly stars and awesomely animated GIFs – like a cyber galaxy on the web. A website which used Times New Roman as the official font, taught kids how to draw the latest animated characters of the movie, and also provided the coolest downloadable trailers from ‘Space Jam’! All we required back then was a faster dial-up-connection and a hope that our parents wouldn’t ground us for the huge telephone bill at the end of the month. Well, dragging you back to present, sources state that the website has been untouched ever since 1996, and it’s just one of those things that actually exists as a museum masterpiece on the web.

Check out the vintage website here.

3. SANTABANTA.COM

An Englishman and Santa meet inside the toilet.
Englishman: Good evening, how do you do?
Santa: Good evening, we open the zip and do.

These jokes had taken the internet by storm! These jokes have been embedded so deep in every 90’s child that just taking their name, reminds them of a hilarious joke of theirs, which gets their stomach tied up in knots from laughing so hard. Santabanta.com was one such website which was truly dedicated to Santa and Banta’s jokes and infotainment. SantaBanta was also the top destination for HD wallpapers of Bollywood stars. As on August 30, 2015, this website ranks 2,812, on www.alexa.com. Why not visit it and refresh your memory?

4. ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

The most trusted website to know if a movie or TV show was worth watching. Before IMDB came into view, rottentomatoes.com was a website which made viewers rate the movies and critic reviews were written too, (for expert advice, you see). Here, a good review is denoted by a fresh red tomato, a bad review is denoted by a rotten green tomato splat and to receive a Certified Fresh rating a movie must have a steady Tomato-meter rating of 75% or better and the audience ratings were denoted by a bucket full of popcorn (good ratings), a tipped over popcorn bucket (for a so-so movie) and a plus sign for the movies that haven’t been rated. Currently, Rottentomatoes.com is a couch potato, with its bucket of popcorn, tipped over. (If you know what I mean) *wink*

5. NAPSTER.COM

The 90s was the birth of MP3 format. Napster was a site that emphasized sharing of music files in MP3 format. For those who are reading out about this website for the first time, well, this was long before WhatsApp, Hike or Line had come into view, which eased sharing of files. It was also one of the very first online music store, (more like iTunes’ great grandfather). Well, it ran into some legal copyrights infringement issues and with the outbreak of several other similar, more successful websites, Napster eventually had to shut down for good. (But, being the first of its kind, it’ll always be remembered).

6. ORKUT

Hey 90s generation, remember your old friend, Orkut? Doesn’t it ring a bell? A very familiar, bell, whose every bing and bong sends you reminiscing into your embarrassing past. (Yes, we have been there too). This social networking site, owned and operated by Google, was considered the posh (please sarcastically emphasize on the italics) way to socialize and meet new people. A new way to have a large fan following, ranking people as “trustworthy???, “Cool” or “dislike??? on a scale of 1 to 3, dedicating songs to the person above you in the forums and finding out who has a crush on you. Orkut had it all. Well, almost had it all, until Myspace, Facebook and Ning came into picture, with similar, but better interface.

7. MYSPACE.COM

Back in the days, having a Myspace account was the thaanng. Myspace is an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, where one could update their profiles with personal info, post their blogs, photos, music, and videos. Like a medieval version of Facebook. Sadly, the launch of other social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, (which offered many more facilities, comparatively) has seen the downfall of Myspace, making it nothing but a cyber-graveyard of abandoned profiles.

8. BLOGGER.COM

Developed by Google in 2003, for passionate bloggers who want their voices to be heard. It is a multi-user blogging site, where one could post an article, a poem, a photo, or even a video, through which they could showcase their talents. As it provided the bloggers with time stamped entries, their work was always saved in a chronological order which allowed them to track it easily. Unlike WordPress, they provided users with the freedom of customizing their blogs and personalizing the URL. Also, since it allowed the users to use their domain free of cost, it was highly used to express thoughts and emotions. But, with the release of sites like Instagram and Snapchat, reality hit blogger.com like a ton of bricks.

9. FRIENDSTER.COM

*clears throat* so, how many of you secretly had an account up here? *wink*

Before it got shut down, and way before it got redesigned, Friendster.com was like every other social networking site, which allowed users to maintain contacts, share online content easily. Oh, and it was also a dating site to discover trending places and events to attend. Apparently, due to the drastically changing and modernizing developments in the industry, (and of course, the hidden reason: Low Audience Traffic), the website has suspended its activities in February, 2015.

10. BARBIE.COM/CARTOONNETWORKHQ.COM

For all those obsessed with Cartoon Network and Barbies, you had your first accounts made up here, not for sending and receiving e-mails, but for playing cool games and communicating with Johnny Bravo or Dexter. Or texting and going out on virtual picnics with Barbie and Ken. Current scenario for these two websites: Let’s Ask Courage the Cowardly Dog’s Computer, Shall We?

Did I miss any of your favourite 90s websites? Let me know in the comments section and I’ll add it to the list pronto!

‘VANISHED STARS’ of Telugu Cinema

Team Wirally

September 11, 2015

If someone is performing real stunts on screen, he is named ‘Real Star’. When one is Energetic all through the movie, ‘Energetic Star’. When one has a larger-than-life screen presence, he is ‘Mega Star’, and when one is beyond all that, he’s a ‘Super Star’. All good, cool!

What happens when one appears and suddenly disappears? Yes, Vanished Stars!

When you are a film star, your role in the real world is never ending. If people don’t see you, they just don’t see you! You are gone. If you exit or retire, it should be done in style like Shoban Babu or ANR. But, not everyone can be same.

Take a look at those unforgotten but Vanished Stars.

TARUN

One of the finest actors who has a great diction as his asset was a heart throb of many a decade ago with Nuvvekavali, Nuvvu Leka Nenu Lenu, Nuvve Nuvve etc, suddenly disappeared into thin air. He did appear with Srikanth last year in Veta but the film failed to attract anybody’s attention.

NAVDEEP

Another good looking actor introduced by Teja whose boxing was telecasted live in Pakistan in the movie Jai, Navdeep got further eyeballs with Gowtham SSC and Chandamama. He somehow isn’t managing to stay active baring one or two movies that he does, that too when he feels like it.

VENU THOTTEMPUDI

He tasted success with his debut Swayamvaram and continued it with Chirunavvutho, Pellam Oorelthe and many more. He suddenly switched himself off screen.

RAJA

This actor made his presence felt by picking up alternative, small films like Anand, Vennala, and Mr. Medhavi. But, he too went offline just like that.

ROHIT REDDY

The present generation wouldn’t know him much, but Rohit Reddy was famous for his teenage oriented movies like 6 Teens, Girlfriend etc. and had a huge female following. It was the time when small budget movies just started in Telugu Cinema. But gradually he too vanished after a while.

SIVA BALAJI

His claim to fame was Arya. He did try his hand in few movies after that. A decent actor who showed his skill in Shambho Siva Shambho, but slipped away post that.

These are some of the stars who saw the heady highs of fame, but vanished without a trace. The film industry is kind and accommodating, and yet, it’s cruel at the same time!

5 Awesome Early RGV Movies To Watch When Your Boss Is On Leave

Team Wirally

September 11, 2015

Ram Gopal Varma is considered an institution in himself.

While the mercurial filmmaker might be going through a lean patch of late, if there was to be made a list of directors who have shaped Indian cinema, it’d be foolish to leave Ramu’s name out.

At his peak, Ramu churned out many small-budget gems from his production house, aptly named The Factory. All these films were directed by upcoming directors, had unique stories, and his trademark minimalistic style. But long before he became a producer, Ramu earned his street-cred by making gritty films in his early years. Most of his films are enjoyable even after all these years.

So if your boss is out of office, or you have no work today, or if you just feel like taking a dip in nostalgia, here are five awesome early RGV movies for you to enjoy!

KSHANA KSHANAM

Satya (Sridevi at her peak) is a pretty girl who unfortunately gets sandwiched in a criminal gang’s ploy to loot a bag with lots of cash in it. She runs into a petty thief (Venkatesh, before he became a family hero) and the two of them set out on a road movie to throw off the goons (headed by a vicious Paresh Rawal) and the police.

Kshana Kshanam was probably the first road movie in Telugu, and the film follows the two as they evade trouble, and find each other!

SATYA

Written by Anurag Kashyap, Satya is the first in the famed ‘Indian Gangster Trilogy’. Satya is a simple man young man who has come to Mumbai to find work. As it often happens with gangster movies, he gets embroiled in the dirty world of guns and mafia, and has to scrape out with the help of his friend Bhiku Mhatre (Manoj Bajpayee in the role that set his career in motion).

Satya boasts of songs composed by Vishal Bharadwaj, and background score by Sandeep Chowta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUAWnc5GYl0

GOVINDA GOVINDA

While RGV is generally known for making gritty, realistic films, Govinda Govinda begins in a completely different way. There is a scene in Vishnuloka where Vishnu is relaxing and is cursed by a rishi.

Just when you wonder if you’ve started watching the wrong movie, you realise that the writer of the film is Jandyala. RGV’s noir-new age style, coupled with Jandyala’s hilarious writing, creates this masterpiece starring Nagarjuna and Sridevi. That it was a heist film that dealt with the jewelry of the deity in Tirupati just added to the curiosity.

THIRUDA THIRUDA / DONGA DONGA : Stumped you there, didn’t we? ☺

While most people know that Thiruda Thiruda was one of Mani Ratnam’s earliest collaborations with AR Rahman, not many know that the film was written by our very own RGV.

As is his wont, the story is peppered with archetypical RGV elements. There’s a robbery at the Reserve Bank of India, and miscreants do away with 10 crores of money. Caught in this chase is a pop-star (Annu Agarwal), who finds unlikely accomplices in two thieves in Prashanth and Anand. Watch it for the twists and turns, and AR Rahman’s epic soundtrack that was light years ahead of its time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXZmEbToNII

KAUN

Yet another film written by Anurag Kashyap and directed by Ram Gopal Varma, Kaun is a psychological thriller that was shot at the time when RGV was obsessed with Urmila Matondkar.

The film follows the story of a woman stalked by two suspiciously seedy strangers, each claiming to work for her protection and well-being. Using these three characters, and a taut screenplay, Kaun proceeds to create a thriller unlike any seen on Indian screens at the time. The climax, of course, will jolt you out of your seat! We aren’t revealing any spoilers here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I7mJ6-U4W0

Those were five early RGV films that you can watch when you are bored. If we missed out on any early RGV movies that you think should have been on the list, let us know in the comments section below, and we’ll gladly add them to the list!

Read : RGV Quotes – Here Are A Few Quotes by Ram Gopal Varma

What Makes Balu the Greatest Superstar of Telugu Cinema

Team Wirally

September 10, 2015

SP Balasubramaniam is synonymous with the Telugu film industry. Not many know that his father, S. P. Sambamurthy, was a renowned exponent of Harikatha, and he belongs to a family that was heavily steeped in music right from the beginning. Another unknown fact about him is that he was also a student of engineering. But as destiny would have it, he chose notes and scores over Maths and Physics.

Singing, acting, producing, voiceovers, Balu, as he is affectionately called, has done everything there is to do in the film industry. Yet, he carries himself with the elan of a down-to-earth humble man.

Here are five reasons why Balu is probably the greatest superstar of the Telugu Film Industry.

LEDENDARY SINGER

Having made his debut in the year 1966, for more than 40 years, the voice of a Telugu hero was SP Balasubramanyam. From romantic tracks to angst-filled anthems, Balu lent his voice to each and every actor in those four decades. From NT Rama Rao to Nithin, SP Balasubramaniam gave voice to the hero’s dreams aspirations, and fantasies. Not many know that for more than a decade, SP was the voice for Salman Khan. Right from Maine Pyar Kiya, SP was the voice for all Salman Khan’s movies, as their combination had done wonders for Salman Khan in his debut movie Maine Pyar Kiya. Keeping films aside, SP is also the voice we all pray in. If you look up any bhajan/shloka/mantra, you’ll find SP’s voice in it. His voice wakes up millions of Telugu people across the globe, and in the evening, it is his voice that people resort to, for a peaceful day.

ACTING

Not only does Balu mesmerise audiences behind the screen as a playback singer, he has also entertained Telugu audiences by displaying his acting chops. Often playing the helpful uncle/elder brother/father, Balu brought in his persona, aura, and work ethic as an actor to the sets. Be it comedies, tragedies, or the run of the mill romantic revenge sagas, Balu ensured that he made his presence felt by always putting in an earnest, serious effort for every film he signed as an actor. His work as a singer might vastly overshadow his acting career, but SP has acted in over 70 films across languages. Of course, it helps that SP is fluent in every South Indian language there is!

VOICE OVER WORK

No singer in the country has done as much prolific work as a Voice Over artist as Mr. SP Balasubramaniam. SP was instrumental in giving life to the few path-breaking cinema of the Telugu film industry. Annamaya (for Suman), Dasavatharam (for seven characters out of ten) besides Rajinikanth, Girish Karnad and Salman Khan. Who can forget the voice of the cranky scientist in Aditya 369? Not many are aware of the fact that SP has won a Nandi award for his dubbing work alone!

REALITY SHOW

Before Indian Idol, and Super Singer, and all of the other reality shows that are running on TV every week, SP started the trend with his show – Paadutha Theeyaga. SP has his own style of hosting and judging the show, and never resorted to any drama. In spite of being a stalwart in the Indian playback scene, he never spoke down to children, or never resorted to dramatic scenes to win TRPs. All through the show, you can see the love for the trade as SP nurtures and encourages young talent, instilling in them the same devotion to music that he typifies.

WORK WITH THE MASTERS

In sports, your calibre is tested in the toughest of conditions. If you can stand up to the challenge, you’re regarded as a true great. In music, collaborations are treated with the same reverence. And SP shines at his best when he works with other masters. His work with Illayaraja and AR Rahman is par excellence, and you can see that he steps up his game when working with these masters. Their efforts have given us gems, and both the music directors push SP to frontiers that other music directors weren’t able to. Whether it is ‘Enna Sattham Indha Neram’ from Punnagai Mannan or the title song of Roja, when SP teams up with the maestros, it is the heavens coming down to create a 5 minute musical masterpiece. Not many know that SP and Illayaraja are very good friends. Before they both got into films, they were a part of a band where SP was the singer and Illayaraja would play the guitar!!

Apart from acting and singing, SP Balasubramaniam has also given music and background for nearly 50 films. He has also been a constant feature on television, in reality shows and TV serials.

SP is a living institution and Telugu cinema should be extremely proud to have him as part of our fraternity.

Just as a goodbye note, here is the brilliant song from ‘Guna’, a song that instantly improves your mood!!

A Brutally Honest Review of the latest Apple Event

Team Wirally

September 10, 2015

Steve Jobs was a rockstar.

He took black tie, serious tech events, and converted them into engaging, entertaining geek-fests. Like most things Apple does, it forced other companies to jazz up their launches as well.

And yet, nobody could do it like that man dressed in turtle neck shirts, and blue jeans.

The Apple Event held yesterday came after much speculation for a few reasons – 1. Apple hadn’t announced a new product in a long time. 2. The game in technology changes in a gap of two years, and Apple is facing the heat from other brands who are pushing prices lower by the day.

So how did the event fare? Here’s the dope!

1. The iPad Pro:

In case you use an iPad professionally, the friendly guys at Apple presented the iPad Pro, a 12.9 inch sleek monster that is set to capture the space between the iPad and the entry level MacBook. I can’t really think of a reason to use a 12 inch tablet, but Apple has proven in the past that it can defy logic by creating beautiful products.

Our verdict: Hey, if you have money, go right ahead. Saurav Ganguly has over 30 cars, man. Who cares?

2. The iPencil:

The iPencil is the latest toy for Apple geeks, the only actual new product launched this year. A sleek accessory for the iPad Pro, the iPencil is a surprising addition since Steve Jobs had publicly expressed his dislike for stylus. A firm believer in organic design, Steve Jobs much preferred using the finger. However, his last bit of advice to Tim Cook was – ‘Don’t spend your time thinking what I’d do’.

The iPencil is beautiful, and makes you realize what makes Apple click in the first place. It appeals to the artists in us, transcending banalities like technology and gadgetry.

Our verdict: Only if you are an artist who works with digital media, and constantly need to blend art with technology to create your products. Or if you are Akash Ambani.

3. Apple TV

A project that Apple has been hopeful for the last few years, this year’s event featured upgrades on Apple TV as well. Customers now have access to the Play store, since folks at Apple believe that the future of apps is television.

It now runs on its own OS, unimaginatively called tvOS. You can also ask Siri to sort out your stuff and it will play it for you.

Our verdict: There’s not much you can do about Apple TV in India. The Indian version doesn’t have access to all the TV shows and content that customers in America access. Our idea of Apple TV is still the fruit basket on top of the TV, the one with fake apples and grapes in it.

4. The iPhone 6S:

Apple announced an upgrade of its flagship device, the iPhone 6, in four colours – silver, gold, rose gold, and space gray. There are also upgrades to the Camera after a really long gap – with 12 MP back and 5 MP front cameras. The RAM witnessed a boost as well – getting 2GB bundled in with the upgraded iOS.

Basically, lots of cool stuff for rich people to fling their money at.

Our verdict: If you already own an iphone, Hahahaaha! Good luck. Apple will spend the next one year showing you how that phone isn’t really the best they have on offer. In the US, they’ve launched a system where you can ‘lease’ your phone out for a year, and in case of an upgrade, you get the latest phone. I doubt that’s going to be active in India, though.

5. MS Office pre-loaded

The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft has been legendary. There have been books written, movies made, and memes generated to highlight the difference between the two. And who can forget the advertising campaign where they took potshots at each other?

But it is a testimony to how far behind Apple has left Microsoft in mobile technology, that for the first time, Microsoft presented at an Apple event. The new iPhone/iPad come with pre-loaded Microsoft Office apps. It’s ironic that Microsoft’s biggest USP (Microsoft Office) is just a side-show for an Apple device.

Our verdict: Microsoft came on to Google Play Store a few months ago, and offers its apps for use there. MS Office on your phone is a definite advantage, but I guess this was more of an ego victory than anything else.

So overall, the event was a mixed bag.

It has still been a few years since Apple announced a new product that changed the game in the way that the iPad and iPhone did. The iWatch was a refined version of Google Gear, and the last few years have only witnessed upgrades of existing lines of products.

There is the iPencil, but that’s only for rich geeks, and is still an accessory. Finally, how exciting the event was, is directly proportional to how much moolah you have in your pocket.

9 Of The Best ‘Hyderabadis’ in Telugu Cinema

Team Wirally

September 9, 2015

For being a Hyderabadi, speaking in the Hyderabadi dialect is a prerequisite. While Hyderabad has Urdu, Hindi and Telugu as its languages, the language spoken mostly is a mix of all these. From a milkman in Malakpet to an engineering student in Bachupally, everyone has their distinct characteristics of being a Hyderabadi. The title ‘Hyderabadi’ itself has a huge definition and a ‘nawabi’ feel to say it.

Now, coming to cinema, there have been few actors who have outdone the Hyderabadi style or dialect and there have been few characters which have made an impact on us as hyderabadis. Here’s a look at those few Hyderabadis in our telugu cinema which seemed interesting.

Guru Narayan – GAAYAM

Kota is a pro in being a Hyderabadi or speaking in the Telangana dialect. From Gaayam to Mirapakay, he has outplayed politician to a goon with ease. The bad politician who sells illegal liquor just mesmerizes us every time he talks in the Nizam dialect.

Thota Ramudu – YAMALEELA

‘Decide Jesthaa..’ – this phrase just strikes us when the character ‘Thota Ramudu’ comes to our mind. Like the usual ustad attitude this hyderabadi carries, he is always making ruckus, be it in market or in a printing press giving his poems.

Samba Sivudu – GANESH

This badass politician who is ready to go to any extent for just his living has nothing close to a soft heart. Those looks are enough to scare us, ofcourse not the hero.

That aththa – NUVVU NENU

The old city milk man’s freaking sister is a character we come across at least in our locality some time. ‘Nee Thalli’ – Shakuntala’s this one word is just enough for you to shit in your pants.

Shanker Goud and Gnaneshwar – DHEE and KING

These characters instantly struck chords with the audience. Srihari’s mannerism and speech simply showed us how an old city ‘dharkaar’ would look and behave. His less knowledge over art or his struggle to be soft natured with those goons behind him is a treat to watch.

Ajay – OKKADU

Mahesh as Ajay, the kabbadi player from old city who goes to Kurnool and beats up a factionist giving a run for his life was like a smartass ‘old city’ dude. The time when Mahesh’s craze in the city also rose to peaks.

Sidhu – KHUSHI

A Telugu Bengali who comes to Hyderabad for his college, carries off the hyderabadi attitude quite well. When in Hyderabad, his funky shirts or those eve teasers fights are quite Hyderabadi-ish.

Khader – VENNALA

Though he stays in the USA, we can relate to him for all the non-sense our Hyderabadis might face in a foreign land.

Bikshu Yadav – SYE!

This old city cigar smoking gangster who bullies the college students and anyone who comes his way is quite ferocious not only by appearance but also with his brutal killings. Ekdum Dhaarkar!!

Wirally

Wirally

Wirally

1. INSPECTOR STEEL:

2. AGNIPUTRA – ABHAY

3. SUPER COMMANDO DHRUV

4. DOGA

5. TIRANGA:

6. SHAKTI:

7. BHERIYA (KOBI AUR BHERIYA):

8. CAPTAIN VYOM:

9. PARMANU:

10. NAGRAJ:

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