Been a while since I blogged. Life is a bit down in the dumps, am out of rhythm, am not sleeping well, and dont seem to have a grip on the daily grind thats called life.
Its showing too - my dark circles have gotten darker, have started sprouting pimples, have a constant mild headache in the back, am so distracted and switched off. Days seem to roll into each other - cant figure a monday from a wednesday from a friday or a sunday.
Speaking of days, I watched the movie "A Wednesday" last week. Its a great movie. I had read a few reviews/blogs about the movie and I knew that the theme revolved around the 'common man'.
Apart from entertaining, the movie also strikes a chord with the common urban Indian - what with all those 'low intensity' blasts that have recently happened across the country.
When it happened in Delhi, all of us frantically called S to check if she and her family were fine. When it happened in Hyderabad, the same with N. Folks called me when it first happened so close to my workplace in Bangalore. For 'aam janta' like me and my sisters, those moments are scary.
That apart, I have been reading a few Bollywood Celebrity Blogs regularly. While most of them are trite and shallow - two blogs that catch my interest are - Mr Bachchan's and RGV's.
AB's Blog is by far the best celebrity blog I have read. I love his blog. I think, mostly because I never expected him to be such a fantastic blogger.
A writer yes - what with his literary legacy, but blogger, no! The details he shares, the clarity with which he connects - is simply amazing.
Ram Gopal Verma's Blog is interesting in the details of his life that he shares. When he is touting his beliefs ( or the lack of them ) or his movies, he sets out to provoke... but right now he is talking about his Hyderabad days and they make for a great read.
Both these bloggers regularly post! I think a lesson for me somewhere, there. Both have a disdain for the media and the misrepresentation they suffer at it's hand. And hints at the limited IQ of these scribes.. which I totally agree. One look @ the quality of the press coverage in popular newspapers and TV channels is enough to confirm that.
Now on to Google Apps. I know I am saying this in a half - ass way - but I have realised that I am no fan of google software. I used google desktop on Windows for a while - and am now using Google Chrome. Installed it the next day after the press release.
Clean looks etc - but there is always a mysterious slowing down of my desktop when I install google applications. I will write up a more coherent review on google chrome one of these days.
But right now, I am thinking of uninstalling chrome.
Ubona was recently in news in Bangalore press for interesting application of their Voice recognition technology. They have a foodie hotline - 080 40700000 - where you can call in and say the name of the food-spot you want to hit and get connected to make a reservation. A very cool application. I liked it and have started using it.
As usual - new technology from a startup, its application has gaps which we all can chip in to fill. So I have asked them to point me to a place where I can file in these issues.
So thats it. My random, wandering post.
See you soon, my cyber doppel.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
A Taste of Shakespeare - tadka maar ke!
Just watched Omkara again. What an engaging film. I came away with Saif's acting/role, Gulzar's lyrics and Omkara's inferiority complex - strongest on my mind.
The backdrop of UP Brahmin politics seems so fitting - one almost forgets that the film is based on a famous Venetian tragedy.
The insidius way Iago ( Saif - Langda Tyaagi ) poisons Omkara's( Othello ) mind is chilling. The suave Saif, the ever cool and sophisticated, has outdone himself. He has played the role of Iago redrawn in UP hues fantastically.
I am eager to see the next file adaptation by Vishal Bharadwaj.
The backdrop of UP Brahmin politics seems so fitting - one almost forgets that the film is based on a famous Venetian tragedy.
The insidius way Iago ( Saif - Langda Tyaagi ) poisons Omkara's( Othello ) mind is chilling. The suave Saif, the ever cool and sophisticated, has outdone himself. He has played the role of Iago redrawn in UP hues fantastically.
I am eager to see the next file adaptation by Vishal Bharadwaj.
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
The Dark Knight Rocks.
Its one of the best movies I have watched so far. Easily the best comic-book based movie. And like Rotten Tomatoes says - a masterpiece.
You come away feeling awed by the Joker and I think for the first time, I really grieved the passing of Heath Ledger and all the absolute artistic treats we will miss because he is now gone. Rest in Peace, Heath.
I was so satisified by the movie -watching experience, it was equivalent to watching a spectacular theatre performance in NYC's Broadway or London's West End. The costumes, the scale, the performances, the depth in the narrative, the fantastic dialogue, the dark but universal appeal.
It was so riveting and so live, it was like watching something happening in front of me..never once did it feel like a film.
I cant remember when I felt like this about a film before. What a fantastic effort.
And the Late Heath Ledger as Joker was superlative and breathed life into the film. He is the one you walk away with from the film. Bravo!
You come away feeling awed by the Joker and I think for the first time, I really grieved the passing of Heath Ledger and all the absolute artistic treats we will miss because he is now gone. Rest in Peace, Heath.
I was so satisified by the movie -watching experience, it was equivalent to watching a spectacular theatre performance in NYC's Broadway or London's West End. The costumes, the scale, the performances, the depth in the narrative, the fantastic dialogue, the dark but universal appeal.
It was so riveting and so live, it was like watching something happening in front of me..never once did it feel like a film.
I cant remember when I felt like this about a film before. What a fantastic effort.
And the Late Heath Ledger as Joker was superlative and breathed life into the film. He is the one you walk away with from the film. Bravo!
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Aamir - the new movie about town.
So, there is this new movie about town - Aamir.
Not exactly brand new ( I am a little late with my comments). The movie is now out of the theatres and doing the DVD rounds.
I have been away for a month and came back to rave reviews of the movie. I decided to buy the DVD version and watch the movie that's gotten all this praise!
I watched the movie and all the while kept feeling this invisible pressure to 'appreciate' the movie, its 'freshness', the great find - Rajeev Khandelwal and so on and so forth.
I came away liking the ending - when Aamir behaves in a way deserving of his name ( which apparently means leader - the one line concept to which the entire movie builds up to ). But I wasn't sure if it was a great movie etc.
Normally, I simply know if I liked a movie or not. In this case, I obviously didn't like the movie and felt very pressured to re-consider my opinion.
All this was over the weekend.
Today, I spent some time reading comments on mouthshut. Boy! was I glad that I did! It was liberating. :)
For one, this movie is supposed to be a copy of Cavite. Why am I not surprised???
Its a simple, no-brainer kind of movie.... clad in psuedo-intellectual garb. As Taran Adarsh puts it, the movie tries to be for the 'discerning' & 'thinking' viewer.
Whatever. It's not a great movie. It's exactly what it was meant to be - a small budget, arty effort. What's worse, the plot and film making is supposedly inspired from other films of the world!
Can be missed.
Not exactly brand new ( I am a little late with my comments). The movie is now out of the theatres and doing the DVD rounds.
I have been away for a month and came back to rave reviews of the movie. I decided to buy the DVD version and watch the movie that's gotten all this praise!
I watched the movie and all the while kept feeling this invisible pressure to 'appreciate' the movie, its 'freshness', the great find - Rajeev Khandelwal and so on and so forth.
I came away liking the ending - when Aamir behaves in a way deserving of his name ( which apparently means leader - the one line concept to which the entire movie builds up to ). But I wasn't sure if it was a great movie etc.
Normally, I simply know if I liked a movie or not. In this case, I obviously didn't like the movie and felt very pressured to re-consider my opinion.
All this was over the weekend.
Today, I spent some time reading comments on mouthshut. Boy! was I glad that I did! It was liberating. :)
For one, this movie is supposed to be a copy of Cavite. Why am I not surprised???
Its a simple, no-brainer kind of movie.... clad in psuedo-intellectual garb. As Taran Adarsh puts it, the movie tries to be for the 'discerning' & 'thinking' viewer.
Whatever. It's not a great movie. It's exactly what it was meant to be - a small budget, arty effort. What's worse, the plot and film making is supposedly inspired from other films of the world!
Can be missed.
Monday, 26 May 2008
The White Tiger & Superstar India : An (un)likely duo for a book review.
Last week, I read two books back to back.
1. Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger
And this followed by,
2. Shobhaa De's Superstar India
I finished reading the two books within five days, in between work and the usual processes of living. And I must say, they made an interesting reading combination.
Given below are my thoughts on Adiga's first book and De's 15th or 16th (?) book. I was just done reading the books and realised they do make for a combined review and to my mind, they were talking to a common theme.
My one line review of the two books?
One ( The White Tiger ) is a comment on India from a servant's point of view while the other ( Superstar India ) from the master's point of view.
Well, thats my one liner for those with short attention spans. Good bye see ya! :)
The others ( still here? yay! ) - read on.
One is fiction, the other a memoir ( or rather "A very personal story", as De puts it). Neither does justice to their actual intended form (fiction, memoir). What we have instead is the viewpoint, thoughts and opinion of the writers pouring forth through the narrative. And in a very engaging and articulate way.
I am not a big thinker or reader. What I am - to any book or film is - an unbiased audience. The ultimate intent listener to any story teller with a good yarn to spin. I can suspend disbelief.
Well, I guess, thats my own convoluted way of saying, I dont think too much and read with a certain laziness. If the book is not good enough to grab me, I usually give it up.
I didn't throw these books away, both are very readable. De, especially, is a sparkling writer! She had me smiling, laughing and cheerful by the time I finished her book. She is completely deliriously optimistic about India. She also sounded like she was finally relieved that she didn't have to be apologetic for her glamour and wealth anymore. :) Her book is a summary of all that is urban India today - the good, the bad and the ugly. Minus the statistics and similar such.
I read a blog post on De's book somewhere - where the blogger had said something to the effect: if you are an Indian - you would know all of this. Don't know why Ms De spent time writing it all down. I somewhat disagree. A fairly well read urban Indian is most likely going to come away with that thought. But I think it is the book causes this 'I already am aware' feeling. It's also kinda cool to have it all in one book and to have such an articulate cheerleader for India - poised and shining.
What little I have read about urban India has always been a bit on the negative and quite dry. In contrast, De's book is cheerful, pulls your focus to all the good that's happening, cheers on about the democracy we take for granted. She does point out the ills and painfully neglected aspects of India - but moves on - says she has faith in India and we shall overcome! :)
So, I guess - those who want to come away with some vague intellectual befuddlement and feel 'challenged' will be sorely dissappointed by Ms De. Here is a woman to whom India has been good and she reciprocates with her appreciation.
The downside is - De's book is a collage of articles. The invisible thread one follows in any book is missing. It's not Superstar India - as much as it is Superstar Urban India. Even when she is not sharing her 'know' about the rich, she is still the urban middle class. She herself confesses to the 'outsider' feeling when she ventures into rural India.
There was one phrase in her book about her driver, "He kept his eye on the road and his mouth shut. Exactly the way I trained him".
The word "trained" - it took me to Aravind Adiga's book which dwells at length on the living, breathing, passionate human being who is broken into a successful invisible servant - testimony to a master's good training. And centuries of oppression, of course.
The format of the book is - a series of or one long email to the premier of China outlining the protagonist's life and times in India. In his voice. About his journey from rural India to the urban, from a servant to an entrepruener.
It is interspersed with commentary on life in rural India, the northern cities and Bangalore with its IT boom.
A commentary on the growing disparity in wealth and opportunity, about how there is a rage brewing in India and the day is not far when the oppressed class will break out and grab their share of India - and thats what the Naxal movement is going to bring about. ( De says, she has been hearing of such an uprising for the past 15 years and is yet to happen. And thats what my friend and colleague SP said - twenty years was his number ).
A line I read in both books and hear very often is - there are many Indias. Same way, may be there will be a million small mutinities and looking for one big co-ordinated rebellion is missing the point. Adiga has a valid comment - well worth paying heed to.
But, Adiga's book is not great fiction, not that it takes anything away from the point or newness of his work. Its an "I" narrative but not a great one. I read it more like how it was designed: an electronic essay with some quote-unquotes thrown in.
The intended audience of this e-essay is the visiting Premeir of China.
I had a thought that with so many people in India still living in oppressed circumstances and not having the 'democratic' chance to better their lives, perhaps we are in no different life circumstances than that of the Chinese as a people. Did Adiga intend to make this point? Maybe in that way, despite democracy, on some levels China and India are not very different?
De also talks about China and how 'sweeping under the carpet' appears to be the strategy there, what with sprucing up for the Olympics, demolishing settlements to make way for the new buildings and so on. While India 'lets it all hang out' - especially with respect to the urban poor.
She thinks, and I agree, this is the power of being a democracy - we are forced to face up to it. Optimistically, we will soon be forced to fix it!
Constrasting with China, De talks about India and exults about how we take our democracy for granted and treat the right to vote as an absolute birthright! And then Adiga talks about the "Dark" India where 12 elections go by and a man in rural India has voted in all of them without ever having seen the inside of a voting booth!
The rural man wonders aloud about the "other" India where people get to actually cast their votes by themselves!
Overall, for me - Adiga's book was a much more sober reading. It was an important view point for me to understand. It was also a book of hope for me - because - for the Darkness that is India - there is also Light in India. People are finding their way towards it.
The urban grind in today's unlive-able cities is taking its toll - obesity, mindless hedonism, crime and what have you. De's book makes you take note of it.
The lack of jobs, oppresive ruling classes, abject poverty is breaking the villages too - starvation, ruptured families and smouldering rage. Adiga's book takes note of this.
There is a long dark shadow cast by the shining and poised India across the urban and rural. Demons lurk in the shadows. All is not well for India as a whole - both agree. De in a serious but optimistic tone. Adiga - in a serious and somewhat brooding tone.
However, Adiga also ends on a cheerful note. There is light in India. There is choice. The rich better share that choice with the poor, or the poor will step forward and grab that choice, sooner or later. All at once or more likely, bit by bit.
And I thought De made a related point when she said that the future belongs to Mayawati and the faster the rest of India learn to deal with it the better.
As for me, I am glad I read these books within the same 'time unit'. Both are good books and well written. It helped for an interesting perspective. I came away thinking all is not well in India and we still have a long way to go. If we are not careful, there are oh-so-many ways we can mess up this progress thats come our way.
Rather than getting worried or being broody about it, I guess being cheerful and optimistic a'la De would not be such a bad way of living the life that is India!
1. Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger
And this followed by,
2. Shobhaa De's Superstar India
I finished reading the two books within five days, in between work and the usual processes of living. And I must say, they made an interesting reading combination.
Given below are my thoughts on Adiga's first book and De's 15th or 16th (?) book. I was just done reading the books and realised they do make for a combined review and to my mind, they were talking to a common theme.
My one line review of the two books?
One ( The White Tiger ) is a comment on India from a servant's point of view while the other ( Superstar India ) from the master's point of view.
Well, thats my one liner for those with short attention spans. Good bye see ya! :)
The others ( still here? yay! ) - read on.
One is fiction, the other a memoir ( or rather "A very personal story", as De puts it). Neither does justice to their actual intended form (fiction, memoir). What we have instead is the viewpoint, thoughts and opinion of the writers pouring forth through the narrative. And in a very engaging and articulate way.
I am not a big thinker or reader. What I am - to any book or film is - an unbiased audience. The ultimate intent listener to any story teller with a good yarn to spin. I can suspend disbelief.
Well, I guess, thats my own convoluted way of saying, I dont think too much and read with a certain laziness. If the book is not good enough to grab me, I usually give it up.
I didn't throw these books away, both are very readable. De, especially, is a sparkling writer! She had me smiling, laughing and cheerful by the time I finished her book. She is completely deliriously optimistic about India. She also sounded like she was finally relieved that she didn't have to be apologetic for her glamour and wealth anymore. :) Her book is a summary of all that is urban India today - the good, the bad and the ugly. Minus the statistics and similar such.
I read a blog post on De's book somewhere - where the blogger had said something to the effect: if you are an Indian - you would know all of this. Don't know why Ms De spent time writing it all down. I somewhat disagree. A fairly well read urban Indian is most likely going to come away with that thought. But I think it is the book causes this 'I already am aware' feeling. It's also kinda cool to have it all in one book and to have such an articulate cheerleader for India - poised and shining.
What little I have read about urban India has always been a bit on the negative and quite dry. In contrast, De's book is cheerful, pulls your focus to all the good that's happening, cheers on about the democracy we take for granted. She does point out the ills and painfully neglected aspects of India - but moves on - says she has faith in India and we shall overcome! :)
So, I guess - those who want to come away with some vague intellectual befuddlement and feel 'challenged' will be sorely dissappointed by Ms De. Here is a woman to whom India has been good and she reciprocates with her appreciation.
The downside is - De's book is a collage of articles. The invisible thread one follows in any book is missing. It's not Superstar India - as much as it is Superstar Urban India. Even when she is not sharing her 'know' about the rich, she is still the urban middle class. She herself confesses to the 'outsider' feeling when she ventures into rural India.
There was one phrase in her book about her driver, "He kept his eye on the road and his mouth shut. Exactly the way I trained him".
The word "trained" - it took me to Aravind Adiga's book which dwells at length on the living, breathing, passionate human being who is broken into a successful invisible servant - testimony to a master's good training. And centuries of oppression, of course.
The format of the book is - a series of or one long email to the premier of China outlining the protagonist's life and times in India. In his voice. About his journey from rural India to the urban, from a servant to an entrepruener.
It is interspersed with commentary on life in rural India, the northern cities and Bangalore with its IT boom.
A commentary on the growing disparity in wealth and opportunity, about how there is a rage brewing in India and the day is not far when the oppressed class will break out and grab their share of India - and thats what the Naxal movement is going to bring about. ( De says, she has been hearing of such an uprising for the past 15 years and is yet to happen. And thats what my friend and colleague SP said - twenty years was his number ).
A line I read in both books and hear very often is - there are many Indias. Same way, may be there will be a million small mutinities and looking for one big co-ordinated rebellion is missing the point. Adiga has a valid comment - well worth paying heed to.
But, Adiga's book is not great fiction, not that it takes anything away from the point or newness of his work. Its an "I" narrative but not a great one. I read it more like how it was designed: an electronic essay with some quote-unquotes thrown in.
The intended audience of this e-essay is the visiting Premeir of China.
I had a thought that with so many people in India still living in oppressed circumstances and not having the 'democratic' chance to better their lives, perhaps we are in no different life circumstances than that of the Chinese as a people. Did Adiga intend to make this point? Maybe in that way, despite democracy, on some levels China and India are not very different?
De also talks about China and how 'sweeping under the carpet' appears to be the strategy there, what with sprucing up for the Olympics, demolishing settlements to make way for the new buildings and so on. While India 'lets it all hang out' - especially with respect to the urban poor.
She thinks, and I agree, this is the power of being a democracy - we are forced to face up to it. Optimistically, we will soon be forced to fix it!
Constrasting with China, De talks about India and exults about how we take our democracy for granted and treat the right to vote as an absolute birthright! And then Adiga talks about the "Dark" India where 12 elections go by and a man in rural India has voted in all of them without ever having seen the inside of a voting booth!
The rural man wonders aloud about the "other" India where people get to actually cast their votes by themselves!
Overall, for me - Adiga's book was a much more sober reading. It was an important view point for me to understand. It was also a book of hope for me - because - for the Darkness that is India - there is also Light in India. People are finding their way towards it.
The urban grind in today's unlive-able cities is taking its toll - obesity, mindless hedonism, crime and what have you. De's book makes you take note of it.
The lack of jobs, oppresive ruling classes, abject poverty is breaking the villages too - starvation, ruptured families and smouldering rage. Adiga's book takes note of this.
There is a long dark shadow cast by the shining and poised India across the urban and rural. Demons lurk in the shadows. All is not well for India as a whole - both agree. De in a serious but optimistic tone. Adiga - in a serious and somewhat brooding tone.
However, Adiga also ends on a cheerful note. There is light in India. There is choice. The rich better share that choice with the poor, or the poor will step forward and grab that choice, sooner or later. All at once or more likely, bit by bit.
And I thought De made a related point when she said that the future belongs to Mayawati and the faster the rest of India learn to deal with it the better.
As for me, I am glad I read these books within the same 'time unit'. Both are good books and well written. It helped for an interesting perspective. I came away thinking all is not well in India and we still have a long way to go. If we are not careful, there are oh-so-many ways we can mess up this progress thats come our way.
Rather than getting worried or being broody about it, I guess being cheerful and optimistic a'la De would not be such a bad way of living the life that is India!
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Get a life, you bollywood gods!
http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2008/may/13aamir.htm
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/may/13ab.htm
Word play with "Shahrukh Khan" in your blogs? Whatever the reason be, these blog posts just took a little glitter and shine off you folks - Mr Bachchan and Mr Aamir Khan!
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/may/13ab.htm
Word play with "Shahrukh Khan" in your blogs? Whatever the reason be, these blog posts just took a little glitter and shine off you folks - Mr Bachchan and Mr Aamir Khan!
Friday, 25 April 2008
Chenaab: The scam festival @ Zaman, Ista, Bangalore.
The fancy north Indian restuarant Zaman, in Ista, Bangalore - recently announced a "Punjabi Food Festival" called Chenaab. This has been running since 18th or 19th of April to 26th April '08.
It has been one of the heavily publicised food festivals in recent times. Notice that I say - publicised and not advertised. I can't recall seeing even one advertisement for the event. But Times Of India has been carrying news and listing of the food festival every single day - starting 2 days prior to the start of the festival.
There have been nice page 3 news items on how the Bangalore Page 3 regulars met there and danced to Punjabi tunes and really enjoyed a great Punjabi meal and so on. There was even a write up with quotes from a manager of the hotel on how they had quite a cool thing going on.
Well, I bit the bait.
And went there yesterday - April 24 2008. For dinner.
And boy, if there ever was a scam of a food festival - this was one. It was an expensive, stupid and anonymous north Indian meal. Thats it. No flavours of Punjab anywhere.
They had a measly food menu with not more that 6 starters listed - including all categories - vegetarian, red meat, chicken and fish! It was the same for the rest of the menu. The special Punjabi menu of Zaman did NOT have tandoori rotis in their menu.
Food Festival - so where was the food? Where was the introduction these festivals normally make to a whole exciting world of flavours and tastes of a cuisine? The food menu was so small and boring that the average Punjabi restuarant around town would have come out a winner in a comparison!
The food preparation, serving style was all boring and same old same old. And of course, no new gastronomic experience to be had - so sublime or exciting trip to the taste buds here.
No attempt to create any mood of the festival - that was so heavily talked about to the press.
OK - the lilting Punjabi music? The zesty bhangra tunes? Nopes.. no such luck! There was a bad bad speaker sound system - which was set so that the songs sung would sound like they were coming from the next building! And there was some singers - local no doubt - who sang some really bad ghazals. And they tried their hand at a couple of Punjabi songs and quickly gave up!
Decor? Nothing - it was the same old same old Zaman.
So where was the festival? It was not there in the food, sound, sights or smells! Least of all in the service. Such good looking waiters - all hiding boredom and robotic in their movements.
What a scam Chenaab was! Why did Ista even bother with this?
Get a lot of press and not live up to the built expectation? Where do they think their money will come from? The Page 3 regulars and the Times Of India - or the greater numbers of Bangalore Janata which is willing to pay a lot for a paisa vasool dining experience?
Don't they realize they have more custom to lose than gain with such half hearted attempts? Bangalore - has so much of food choices - how many will come back to get fleeced at a place like that - which can't deliver what it promises?
I have been to so many food festivals in Bangalore for the past 10 years and this festival "Chenaab" in Zaman, Ista has been by far the worst.
One of the best in the business of fine dining is F&B's Bouquet. Their food selection is amazing, fantastic service. Zaman is not even half as classy as Bouquet. Bouquet right now has undergone a subtle makeover in sync with the season - summer colors, different menu and generally a lighter and more fun atmosphere.. without missing a step and losing a drop of their class. Zaman could pick a lesson from them!
It has been one of the heavily publicised food festivals in recent times. Notice that I say - publicised and not advertised. I can't recall seeing even one advertisement for the event. But Times Of India has been carrying news and listing of the food festival every single day - starting 2 days prior to the start of the festival.
There have been nice page 3 news items on how the Bangalore Page 3 regulars met there and danced to Punjabi tunes and really enjoyed a great Punjabi meal and so on. There was even a write up with quotes from a manager of the hotel on how they had quite a cool thing going on.
Well, I bit the bait.
And went there yesterday - April 24 2008. For dinner.
And boy, if there ever was a scam of a food festival - this was one. It was an expensive, stupid and anonymous north Indian meal. Thats it. No flavours of Punjab anywhere.
They had a measly food menu with not more that 6 starters listed - including all categories - vegetarian, red meat, chicken and fish! It was the same for the rest of the menu. The special Punjabi menu of Zaman did NOT have tandoori rotis in their menu.
Food Festival - so where was the food? Where was the introduction these festivals normally make to a whole exciting world of flavours and tastes of a cuisine? The food menu was so small and boring that the average Punjabi restuarant around town would have come out a winner in a comparison!
The food preparation, serving style was all boring and same old same old. And of course, no new gastronomic experience to be had - so sublime or exciting trip to the taste buds here.
No attempt to create any mood of the festival - that was so heavily talked about to the press.
OK - the lilting Punjabi music? The zesty bhangra tunes? Nopes.. no such luck! There was a bad bad speaker sound system - which was set so that the songs sung would sound like they were coming from the next building! And there was some singers - local no doubt - who sang some really bad ghazals. And they tried their hand at a couple of Punjabi songs and quickly gave up!
Decor? Nothing - it was the same old same old Zaman.
So where was the festival? It was not there in the food, sound, sights or smells! Least of all in the service. Such good looking waiters - all hiding boredom and robotic in their movements.
What a scam Chenaab was! Why did Ista even bother with this?
Get a lot of press and not live up to the built expectation? Where do they think their money will come from? The Page 3 regulars and the Times Of India - or the greater numbers of Bangalore Janata which is willing to pay a lot for a paisa vasool dining experience?
Don't they realize they have more custom to lose than gain with such half hearted attempts? Bangalore - has so much of food choices - how many will come back to get fleeced at a place like that - which can't deliver what it promises?
I have been to so many food festivals in Bangalore for the past 10 years and this festival "Chenaab" in Zaman, Ista has been by far the worst.
One of the best in the business of fine dining is F&B's Bouquet. Their food selection is amazing, fantastic service. Zaman is not even half as classy as Bouquet. Bouquet right now has undergone a subtle makeover in sync with the season - summer colors, different menu and generally a lighter and more fun atmosphere.. without missing a step and losing a drop of their class. Zaman could pick a lesson from them!
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