Time - a great healer

Come February - and I cannot help re-living the recent past however much I try to engage myself in other activities. Each of those days comes back as fresh as today, Feb 22, ....March 11. Even after three years my sense of loss is still the same and I continue to reconcile with eternal truth of what it means to part with your loved one. Several memories flash through as if my mind is working parallelly in past and present while I'm at home or office, cooking or cleaning, reading, talking or writing, driving or walking, awake or asleep.

His pure white Khadi wear and nicely oiled hair
His short tempered outbursts at slight mistakes
His walking stick and spectacles that made him look older
His joyful moments playing with little Shreya
His annoyance at all those strips of medicine
His restlessness when the newspaper got late
His love for tea that was prepared tastefully
His love for early morning bhajans on radio
His tendency to switch off the television when India was losing a cricket match
His neat way of arranging things
His habit of waking up before the world does
His habit of dozing off while watching TV
His habit of reading aloud some interesting stuff in books and showing it to me
His recently acquired interest in solving simple Sudoku puzzles
His sense of bewilderment at computers and Internet
And the list goes on...

It is these images that we capture and preserve in our minds. This is the stuff one leaves behind that gets imprinted in us, and you begin to wonder at the healing power of time. I'm reminded of these lyrics from Boney M:

Time, changer of seasons, time will see another flower growing.
Climb over the mountains, there you'll find warm winds blowing.
Somewhere in the world ...

Shreya explaining the four seasons and the earth

This was recorded on my mobile phone,when she was reading and explaining from a book. She wasn't aware that I was videoing it.

Is this a curse of the rocks?

Suddenly everything has come to a standstill. Few months ago the surroundings of my office building were buzzing with several unrestrained quarrying and construction activities and now it's all quiet. It was painful to see such picturesque rock formations razed to ground in no time. And I felt helpless, all I could do was capture these remnants of changing ecology on my lens as they told several tales about the character of my city, as they became the 'silent victims' of the newly emerging cityscape and as the place would never be the same again!

And I became a witness to the sad saga of destruction when dozens of cranes, forklifts , tippers, dump trucks and other 'demons' lay siege of these rocks. I used to watch the events unfold day by day till the rocky surface was quarried, blasted and levelled into plain land ready to be dug to hold the new skyscrapers. Today's it's all changed - there's complete silence, thanks to recession and slowdown in realty and infrastructure sector, things have come to a grinding halt. The activity may pickup again soon but the curse of the rocks cannot be ignored. Here are a few snaps of 'then' and 'now' scenes.

Click here for some news on 'saving the rocks' in Hyderabad:http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/04/stories/2009020458540200.htm

Of Indian Slums and Englishmen

Sex sells, porn sells, poverty sells too! Especially when it has to do with 'modern mysticism' of urban India in times of ubiquitous call centers, electronic media, reality TV etc- perhaps the only country with such starkly contrasting realities, seamlessly woven in its sociocultural fabric. Sure this movie will break all boxoffice records abroad and get as many awards in various international film festivals. India, in this format has always been a bestseller - in print or cinema like all those images of India constructed by the West for the western audience.

I got a chance to watch Slumdog Millionaire* when it premiered on TataSky, didn't want to miss this much-talked-about movie, that too, when it is being served at the comfort of my living room at a nominal price of Rs.25.Would I have seen it in the theatres? Perhaps not! Too much of publicity often kills interest in watching a movie, especially with so-called 'global recognition' and a plot like slum-kids-poverty.

I knew as an Indian I was watching this movie at my own risk. Having watched it I can't remain silent, a keen student of Cinema that I am. The plot of the movie (and the imminent trend it's going to set with apparent neo-realisitc portrayal of a single aspect of India) was so striking that I shall refrain from going into other themes like the love story, the street smartness of kids, music or screenplay.

Now to the movie - it seems to have all the ingredients that could please the voyeuristic palate of typical 'western' audience when it comes to an Indian subject. I don't think it offered me anything new other than blatant exploitation of people in slums. Very correct, it has nothing for the Indian audience but we are curiously positioned since it is made on our subject, with our actors on our soil. We are caught in a complex interplay of emotions because though the subject is not alien to us it's treatment is!

Sure, for us, poverty is something we live and breathe all around us - be it beggars at traffic signals and places of worship or slums adjacent to our skyscrapers. Poverty is both organized and unorganized - it is 'natural' and inflicted though its 'eradication' is always on top of the agenda for any government. But we don't see the glamour side of poverty - in fact we may be ashamed of it, we feel guilty and we may abhor it and shun it but we don't hesitate in accepting this aspect of our reality. For the west, our slums present a spectacle of human condition with unending scope for dissolute perception and misrepresentation.

When hunger, deprivation, nakedness and homelessness become subjects of attraction for a Westerner especially an Englishman, say Danny Boyle, you know what you can expect..like the stereotypical BBC or CNN. No difference here: instead of those images here you have a collage stitched with a popular game show (an English game show in Indian avatar) , in the backdrop of callcenter and reality TV that present a 'contemporary' India. Because of the similarity of subject, I was suddenly reminded of Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay but later felt that these two are as different and hence there can be no comparison.

The same set of questions arise again: why is Indian media raving and ranting about this film? Why do we/the film industry yearn for 'global' recognition be it Golden Globe or Oscar or whatever, isn't appreciation from our billion - a verdict big enough? There's nothing in this movie that can make any Indian feel great even from cinematic perspective, other than opening up more commercially competitive avenues of making and selling cinema or music (A R Rahman type, btw I love Rahman's music, that's besides the point). True global recognition lies in accepting our reality by others, as we see it in the backdrop of our history, our culture and our unique socio-political milieu - but this will not fetch awards! The west would reward us for what they would like to see in our movies. And I'm sure no self-respecting Indian would stoop so low to make poverty a subject of entertainment at this scale. Don't be surprised if "Indians" get Oscars thanks to this movie - a recognition manipulated and managed by Englishman for Indians with an overt agenda of inviting more on similar subjects. Let's not equate such an 'honour' with Bindra's gold medal in Olympics or similar feats.

*I haven't read the book "Q and A" by Vikas Swarup on which this movie is based.

Shreya's suggestions

Seeing me drowned in reading, writing and surrounded by books, Shreya was worried and restless that I was not playing with her. She asked me what I was reading and writing.

I found it difficult to explain that I was revising my book based on reviewers' comments coz she thought that I'd already completed it few months ago. She had half-a-dozen queries: why was I writing the book again, what is it about, for whom was I writing it...

I told her I need lot of time for this and once I'm back in office it'd be difficult to concentrate on my book. First suggestion that came from her made me burst out laughing: "see Maasi, you write every evening after coming from office till middle of night...when you go to office, be there till afternoon, then tell your friends , you have a feverish feeling and come back, then again you write". I said that's not right thing to do etc..Otherwise, try this, she said: "when you are in your office, take the microphone and make an announcement to everyone saying you have something important to write and you cannot come for a few days".

Though I was touched by her concern, I could not implement either of her naive suggestions:)

2009 - already uh?!

2009 has quietly swept me in its fold. I hardly realized that 2008 is already past. Friends asked me "so what's up for 2009" I said, "for me 2008 is still not over".I'm mentally in 2008, funny right? Perhaps because all that I wanted to accomplish in the last year has spilled into the new year. I've extended my 2008 by two more months, so this time it will have fourteen months instead of twelve. Sounds crazy?

Well, that's the spirit with which I shall go ahead this year - non-conforming, rebellious, outspoken and all those qualifiers used by my college friends to describe me during my college days! Who says entering mid-life is like a crisis? Mere thought of my college days makes me feel rejuvenated, much younger, reminding of times when I didn't have to think much about mind-body-soul therapies, haemoglobin and thyroid levels, yoga and detox methods.

I want to re-live those moments in totally new and challenging times - defined by terror trails, political scandals and corporate scams and what not- all in the backdrop of perhaps the worst economic recession. Isn't this what we are into as we herald this year. Sounding cynical? That'd be the last thing for me, i'm just trying to be realistic and calculative in understanding the magnitude of issues that characterise our age. We still continue to do the same old things - new year parties, fireworks, celebrations, greetings, visiting crowded temples...aren't we tired of all this? Some self-indulgent and some meaningless acts of self-mockery - taking shelter in transient experiences devoid of any introspection or self-reflection!

Time to introspect: Just wondering, did I take things very seriously so far? It's high time I change my perspective of looking at things, people, surroundings - I think I need to consciously change my focus and re-set my goals for the next five years. There's lot to do in these years - more for personal satisfaction through social extension than anything else. Not the least, undermining the importance of clocks, calendars, to-do lists and deadlines.

Some good news for train passengers

Delayed but not denied - the right of every passenger for dignified travel. At last the goverment has realized that it was not worth the 'effort' to add that additional berth in 2nd class and AC 3tier. Read the details at:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010155081300.htm
My earlier blog on the same topic can be viewed at:
http://madhurid06.blogspot.com/2008/11/thoda-adjust-kar-lo.html

A Wednesday

Rarely we come across films that leave an indelible imprint. Something that'll remain etched in your memory and conscience even after days, especially when some scenes keep recurring and reminding you of something...something that makes a point. Is it a valid point? Is it ethical? Is it ideologically sound ... none of these questions seem to matter, what matters is the point made. How the point is made, is it this or that? We really don't care!
This is how I felt watching A Wednesday that premiered on UTV Movies. A movie that said a lot without wasting reels and reels of the film. Astonishingly different perspective as the suspense unravels - perhaps I could not detach myself from it because the Mumbai attacks were still too fresh to disassociate myself from the plot of the film. At the same time I could not take my eyes off the superb portrayal of the key character by Naseeruddin Shah.
A regret - I should've watched it on the big screen, mainly to avoid those long breaks on the TV. I'd love to watch it again as DVDs are already released in the market, this time more to study it as different movie than anything else, because elements like suspense and thrill can hold your breath only during the first viewing.

Taramati Baradari

Few notes on visiting Taramati Baradari with my office team:
Legend has it that Abdullah Qutub Shah (1614-1676), the grandson of Mohd. Quli Qutub Shah, the founder of Hyderabad was a great lover of music, poetry and dance. An admirer of Taramati, the courtesan, he built the Baradari (pavilion with 12 doorways) for her, close to the Golconda fort. He could hear her sing at the Baradari from the fort. Sounds amazing but not incredible! Remember your visit to Golconda and the awesome acoustics of the fort, and how we marvel at the way it was integrated for entertainment and safety during reign of Qutub Shahi rulers.

Cut to 2008 - there you are, in the midst of smog, noise and the din of a booming metropolis, the new Hyderabad rising to prominence with liberalized economy, globalisation and a preferred destination for job outsourcing. This was my third visit to Taramati Baradari in the last two years and I was stunned at the pace at which the surroundings are getting encroached with high rise buildings and other concrete structures. Very soon, this historic monument may lose its identity as a serene spot tucked away from the humdrum of the city. Taramati Baradari, along with Golconda fort, Qutub Shahi tombs and other heritage monuments are literally getting smothered by the uncompromising array of modern constructions. If these were not located on hillocks, probably one would have missed these landmarks of a city -that tell a thousand tales about its rich culture and heritage.

We were lucky to view the sunset, though not so spectacular as earlier when there were fewer building around this place. However, viewing the moonrise with the Golconda fort as the fainting backdrop presented a maginificent sight to behold.



















As the monument gleamed in the dynamic lights of myriad hues, a strange quietness filled the air, occasionally disturbed by the vehicular movement on the road.
We attended the Kuchipudi dance performance by Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy in the auditorium (sad, it was not in the open air theatre, perhaps it was too big for this event, as the turn out of people was quite poor). This was organized by APTDC as a part of the Taramati festival. Dinner at Haritha restaurant was just a random pick of rice and curries, since the restaurant was more focused on serving the special invitees for the dance program and the tourists.

TV - An idiot box?!

No way! According to my six year old niece Shreya. This evening she seemed to be in a real good mood while I was helping her solve some puzzles in Young World in The Hindu. She was pretty much in listening mode so I made an attempt trying to tell her to cut down on TV. Like other kids of her age she's terribly addicted to kids' channels. Coz of this, she sometimes get shouted at by all of us. Also, today's newpaper carried a story called 'Why children should stay clear of the idiot box?' Taking a cue from this story, I hoped my effort in explaining the ill-effects of TV would help in weaning her away, earnestly.

I began by telling Shreya how when we were kids there were hardly any programs on TV especially for kids, how we would spend time playing outside, or going to the library, listening to music, how my father had once put the TV set on the loft while our exams were approaching and so on. She listened to me intently, then I told her someone who watches TV all the time is called a couch potato and why TV is called an idiot box.

The moment she heard me saying idiot box, she immediately retorted "...how could it be an idiot, it makes your brain smart, it tells you about places and animals, and you watch so much news, you learn so much....", she went on defending the TV programs. I tried my best to tell her that these are good programs but she should not watch all that is shown indiscriminately, I happened to mention some Japanese serials, that show a lot of violence etc....pat came her reply: my karate teacher speaks Japanese, I'm learning karate, it's from Japan, it is very good...."

I had no words for her, I started wondering is TV really an idiot box, may not be, it all depends on the kind of channels you watch!

Treat the disease and not the symptoms

Terrorist attacks seem to have become cyclical events. Let's live with the reality and face it boldly. I tell myself. Is the worst yet to come? I wonder. Another dangerous trend is our acceptance of these events and our inbuilt resilience to carry on with life, albeit with symbolic protests - lighting candles, holding peace marches and so on. Even more dangerous is the emerging stoicism of people as if nothing ever happened. Business is as usual. But is it really? The inability to question and reflect on one's predicament is one of the signs of a people that is myopic and missing the big picture.

Today, the television was filled with 'postmortem' on 26/11/08. Views, analysis, discussions - mostly bringing to the fore the inevitable blame games, bickerings - so sickening to watch it all!! Is this what we should be talking? Is this how a chief minister, acccompanied by family and friends visit the affected site as if it were some 'ordinary' object of curiosity seen during that post-dinner stroll? I simply fail to understand the presence of Ramgopal Varma in his entourage!! Perhaps he wanted to get first hand 'inspiration' for another blockbuster, from the charred remains of the hotel, apparently tired of copying Hollywood flicks! What was Sagarika Ghosh upto on CNN-IBN? Yelling at that top of her voice in her interaction with two senior retired IPS officers... trying to prove, defend, analyse and what not. Is this the way to address the issues? Why do we always react and never believe in being proactive? Why do we always treat the symptoms and not the disease? A disease that is deeply rooted in the way we are evolving, internally as a nation. Being vulnerable to terrorist attacks is one of the symptoms. The disease is more serious.

Confronting terrorism demands us to be a nation, a nation that can proudly face these destructive elements. A nation that puts the collective consciousness before its individual motives. A nation that does not stay content and complacent with sacrifices of policemen and commandos but thinks beyond. A nation that examines its hypocrisies and illusions. Is it really possible to achieve such lofty ideals in today's India? India - where politics is getting more parochial than ever, where state are getting further divided into smaller regions motivated by vested interests of some sections. Factional politicians should remember - when Mumbai was burning and bleeding it was not merely the local leaders who came to the forefront to save her, but people speaking different languages and representing different cultures. Then why do we put up with people who still believe in dividing and ruling ...religion, region, caste, socio-economic reasons...you name it we have all in India, innumerable ways to break the people.

Now that we are into an era of coalition governments where it's a pure game of numbers each party vying for power, risking stability and sustained administration. Frequent elections drain our exchequer, frequent elections are a sign of decaying democracy. Do we need a basic constitutional reform from the perspective of coalitions? How can we present ourselves as a strong and unified country to the rest of the world?

This Maestro is beyond awards

This writeup on Pt. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi appeared in The Hindu when he was conferred Bharat Ratna the highest civilian honour in India, tells us about Panditji's youth and the rigorous training the maestro had undergone under his guru Sawai Gandharva. Here's the link to the article:

http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/11/23/stories/2008112350190500.htm

26/11 - Rape of human sensibility

Writing, it is said, is one of the outlets for releasing that accumulated angst, anger and anguish. Especially, when your thoughts are maimed by certain events beyond your control and you feel incapacitated in more ways than one. I write these lines as I watch, read and reflect on the gory events that eerily unfolded since the late hours of 26/11/08 when Mumbai was marauded for her magnificence, benevolence and tolerance.

Those unforgettable sixty hours
Glued to their televisions were millions of Indians
And people from rest of the world
Watching one of the worst, heinous and despicable
Acts of timidity and barbarity
Unfolding in unperceivably obscene manner
Targeting hotels, hospital and railway terminus
Involving people from different countries, faiths
Innocent people, most vulnerable
Blindly slain, held hostage or massacred in cruelest manner
Perhaps the most abhorrent terrorist attack

Was it merely the city of Mumbai that was marauded?
Was it just the siege of an iconic heritage structure?
Certainly not!
An act of unimaginably inhuman magnitude
Planned and executed with such precision
Impacting the human psyche in ways impossible to frame in words
Probably worse than any act of physical violence

To me, it was a rape of human sensibility
Outraging the modesty of human values
A rape by gang of misled youth
suicidal and
Unconscious of their dastardly deeds
Driven and used by destructive agencies
Unabashed by sights of human carnage
While meeting their target in the form of numbers killed

Leaving more questions than answers
As we count the dead and injured
As we mourn the martyrs
As we assess the damage done to the edifices
As we wonder when normalcy would be restored
As we listen to the victims and survivors sharing their experiences
As we empathize and choke
As we sleep and wake up
As we...

Little realizing that
If anyone is to be blamed, it is us!

Haritha - 7 Kms

Typical Hyderabadi weekend when cyclone hits the coastal AP, especially in early winter - cloudy skies, light drizzle, chill breeze - perfect weather for snugging up in the cozy corner of one's home, snacking on some hot tea and muffins, perhaps catching up with some reading as well. This time I wanted to do something different since I badly needed a break from daily chores, especially that inevitable visit to Ratnadeep for vegetables and other stuff.

None of us wanted to remain indoors, just felt like unwinding, may be go for a refreshing long drive that would take us away from the din of the city, at least for some hours. We started and drove towards NH7. Sandip was keen on some bird-watching, armed with his camera and binoculars. We could not see many birds though, mainly due to the inclement weather. We crossed Medchal and were about to reach Toopran, I badly wanted to have some tea, so thought we would stop at Reliance Plaza, unfortunately it was closed. We were unable to see any tea vendors around, then Sandip spotted a signboard on the right pointing to Haritha (the APTDC restaurant). I took a turn and entered into a road that showed Haritha 7 kms. To our surprise it turned out to be a lush green driveway that connected to Gajwel about 25kms away.

Serendipity - was my word of the day for this splendid Sunday!!!

This lovely road had some green and golden paddy, potatoes and other vegetables farms lined up on both sides of the road, neatly interspered with sugarcane and some mango orchards. There were some ponds too, that make it look even more picturesque. We stopped for a while, since we found some rare birds near the waterbodies. The panoramic view was simply exhilarating. However, we could not find Haritha anywhere on this road. Half way through there was a temple, wondered if it was a famous pilgrim spot, and concluded that the restaurant would be in the temple complex. We were not sure about it, coz the temple did not seem big enough to be promoted by APTDC. Nevertheless, we did not slow down near the temple, the place was too crowded with people since it was an auspicious day for vanabhojanam. We reached Gajwel and took a right turn to state highway that connected to Shamirpet. It said Hyderabad 60 kms. Towards our right we spotted a big Haritha restaurant, but we weren't prepared to turn back. Was this the restaurant that the signboard pointed to, we speculated ? It was exactly 27 kms from that point? May be the '2' before '7' got erased from the signboard? Were there two restaurants by the same name within such a short distance? We were just wondering trying to solve the Harita puzzle, but thanks to the Haritha signboard we got to drive through some pleasantly serene avenues, full of rustic charm, that made us hard to believe that we were just 60-70 kms away from Hyderabad.

Rajma Art

One of those evenings, when Shreya decides to keep herself away from the TV, toys and books and gets really creative. Here's her piece of art done with Rajma (dried kidney beans). She kept it in tact till I reached home from office so that I could capture it in my camera. There is a story behind the scene, it had to do with a man and his car...

Thoda adjust kar lo...in 'Garib Raths'

Normally, passengers in trains adjust and oblige with lower berths for senior citizens and expecting mothers considering the fact that they cannot not get into middle or upper berths. Now, it looks like Indian Railways have made it their motto by asking everyone to adjust. And we Indians seem to be good at the art of adjusting with anything and everything even if it means risk to our lives. Look at the way the new AC 3tier coaches are designed. I managed to dig out this newpaper report on 'redesign of coaches'.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Rlys_will_add_a_third_aisle_berth_to_AC_sleeper_bogies/articleshow/1947084.cms

In the last couple of months I travelled thrice to Bangalore by three different trains - Kacheguda-Bangalore Express, Kacheguda Yashwantpur Express and Bangalore Rajdhani Express. I've been travelling by trains for years, but this time the exprience in AC-3 tier in Bangalore trains including Rajdhani Express has been harrowing to say the least. Well, in Rajdhani too, the bedsheets and blankets seem to have remained unwashed for ages! Thanks to Lalu Prasad Yadav's Garib Rath and new management concepts for Indian Railways, all normal AC-3 Tiers have been re-designed and converted to nine passengers per compartment. Several compromises seem to have been made in terms of quality of service, infractructure and so on. This new idea may have helped Indian Railways fill the coffers but for the common person it spells trouble. Now nine people share the seats which is originally meant for eight. We have three side berths and with AC fluctuations it gets suffocating. The 'unfortunate' ninth passenger with a confusing odd number who gets the side middle berth remains at the mercy of other passengers for his/her seat during the day time.

Where are the principles of design and usability in the whole coach re-design process? I guess these have been sacrificed for better revenue for railways. With the introduction of an extra berth the lower and upper berth spaces are very congested, forget about sleeping, you cannot even lie down properly, wonder how someone who's more than 5-5" adjusts in this space. What if the passenger is on the heavier side and gets the side middle berth? Is there a weight-limit? What about the way these berths are folded? There are several issues like this that one gets to think of ....

Note: The pics in this blog are from the Internet and not from the train in which I travelled.

Kids' dance party

Watch out Shreya and Pratham dance on Mithu's birthday.

An artificial plant for a nest!

This is really incredible! Birds turning from natural habitat to articifial flora for nesting and bringing up their fledglings! Here's the link to the story that appeared in THE HINDU on 3rd OCt 08.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/03/stories/2008100360980400.htm

Welcome to Sajjanpur

Like every year, this year too, my birthday was more or less predictable: greetings from friends and family members, a treat at a restaurant, some moments of reflection at the end of the day. The best part of my birthday was the surprise the movie Welcome to Sajjanpur had for me - it was such a different movie from Benegal! A Shyam Benegal film is something I'd always look forward to - but this time it made my day special - it's such a lovely, enjoyable movie coming from the master storyteller! Shreyas Talpade in this stellar role and Amrita Rao as the female lead reminded me of another hit pair of the 80s- Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval.

Hilarious, yet heartrending at the same time, this effortless and breezy style of comedy - with a strong social message though , makes an apt satirical comment on the present day Indian village. Comedy as a genre is skillfully handled, so deftly that all the harshness of human condition is neatly hidden behind the humor, thus unleashing the power of cinema as a medium that can effectively convey meaningful messages .A village with 0% literacy cannot be a figment of someone's imagination, it's indeed a sad reflection on how we are still grappling with problems like illiteracy even after six decades of independence (where literacy is equated with being able to put one's signature on paper).

The ease with which the story develops, meanders and flows through the people and their lives in this village never leaves a dull moment even as it makes you think while laughing out loud. Be it - the rubber snake carried by the snake charmer in the background of the government banning cruelty on animals, the Sarpanch bullying Mahadev, Kamala's surprise when she receives a reply from Bansi or Munnibai's ability to sign on the paper as against the former Sarpanch who cares two hoots about literacy, or when he meets Mahadev asking him to write a letter to the collector requesting for safety. In fact, the down-to-earth depiction of social reality can beat any big budget block buster in its entertainment value (only limiation is its Hindi dialect).

It is interesting to see how the present day disillusionment is turned into a delightfully entertaining story, told in a lighter vein, reflecting on the lopsidedness of so-called development and its social agenda. Amazingly, there 's not a single instance of preachy sermons and long drawn, patronizing monlogues on how things should change etc etc. All the same it's so contemporary - SEZ, Singur, nuclear policy, a eunuch winning elections, people blinded by superstitions - you find all of them etched, tacitly or explicitly, on the canvas where the protagonist, who has the rare distinction of being a graduate earns his living by writing letters, by helping people and 'manipulate' their for social good.
There could be several Sajjanpurs in India. If we believe that movies have the potential to become change agents, this could be one of them!

Disclaimer: This is not intended to be a review of the movie.

Chattees - buffet and BBQ

Occasion - my birthday treat on 1st October. We drove down from office to - Chattees, the relatively new restaurant on Road # 36, Jubilee Hills. We opted for the buffet and BBQ- the spread was quite exhaustive. The fare was delectable, especially, the kababs and tandoori veg and non-veg on the skewer getting BBQeued right in the middle of the table. The kofta in palak gravy and glazed vegetables tasted good and stood out from the rest of the dishes.

Perhaps, the BBQ at your table is what distinguishes it from other similar restaurants. However, the skewers ate away quite some space on the table. And I wondered how it would feel during summer to have the burning charcoal and spicy fumes in the middle of the table, even if the AC is on. It may not be all that good to visit this place in summer. Moreover, I didn't like this idea very much coz the skewers were hardly heated at our table as the kababs and tandoori stuff were left cold. On the whole, food was good - both veg and non-veg (certified by my friends who relish non-veg), thought the service left a lot to be desired.

The location and ambience are okay. It's one of those residential bunglows converted into a restaurant. Now the new Pantaloons outlet has blocked the view from this restaurant. Another not-so-pleasant-experience at this place - artificial 'lawns' with plastic grass spread all over and the noise all around with lot of construction activity in the neighborhood.