So there I was, sitting in the dark, all by myself - mercifully - comfortably ensconced in a well padded push back seat, no one to the right of me (a whole empty row), no one to the left of me (a corner seat, on the aisle). Here and there, scattered across the hall, a few seats occupied, some (like me) alone, a few couples, a few gathering of three or more... and to think, this was in the FIRST WEEK!! 

James (Craig) Bond, the latest avatar, SKYFALL - a good movie, no doubt, as movies go. Fast, action paced, superb stunts, and all that. But, sitting back and thinking about it later (yeah, yeah, I know - one is NOT supposed to do THAT!!) I just couldn't help wondering....  

What a FALL there has been.....

Yes, an old fogy like me, belonging to that ancient generation that has seen every single actor to have played Agent 007 - Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig..... heh, heh, heh, wait - even Timothy Dalton (Licence to Kill), and also that ever so forgotten George Lazenby (OHMSS, anyone - I saw that, too!)... for me/us I think Bond will always be Sean Connery despite his best efforts to shake that image off in a host of subsequent movies... I mean, we grew up reading Ian Fleming and Bond is rugged, dark haired and macho.

What have these guys gone and done?!! Political correctness, gender sensitivity, "comfortable with the emotional side" and all that, effectively they've gone and neutered the poor guy. Sheesh!! And while Dame Dench as "M" has essayed her roles hitherto to perfection I'm glad they bumped her off finally!! Too much of sentimental mush, Old Chap, what?! Understated, to be sure (they're Brits after all) but still there, mushy it is. 

The stunts, as always, superb and not too much computer imagery - the motorcycle race over the rooftops truly Gee Whiz! and all that but you now what?

I've got a word of advice to the Broccoli's of this world.... for the next Bond movie, I tell you, look no further than Madras, sign on Rajnikant I say, and mind it!!!! You want yentertainment? You get it!! Skyfall? Pshaw!! Not even hairfall can dent the won and wonly syooperstaaaaaar, James Rajnikant Baaaand! Aaama, like that wonly!!

The last time I saw a "Housefull" sign was, incidentally, the first time my son saw one - in Mumbai, 3rd week, night show, "Sivaji - The BOSS". Daniel, dude, I'm sorry, but move over, what?!!

 

(Back, after a while - hope to return more often...)

Cough Cough!!

The rather small news item, tucked away on an inside page, caught my eye. "Pakistan: 16 die after drinking cough syrup" Eh? What? Even before the insurer in me began conjuring images of defective batch of medicines and product liability claims and product recall situations, that little naughty evil imp inside my head woke up, prodding my ageing memory to my glory days as a bachelor way back to 1987.....

and a town called Nasik, a lodge where I stayed several months, where some everlasting friendships were born and built.... and some friendships that were less immortal. One such, a Vinod Khanna lookalike, Arindam by name, employed in a private bank, handsome to a fault, impeccable English, improbable sense of humour and moody as a grandfather clock with a giant pendulum...

and how, on days when the "gang" of us would be having a gala time in one or the other's rooms we'd suddenly realise "Where's Arindam?" and go hunting. His room would appear locked, lights out, dark windows and we'd wonder "Where's he GONE?" until the next day he'd offer some rather lame, unbelievable story... until one day...

he was missing, again, and we went up, searching for him, the windows were dark and we turned back thinking Arindam's done the bunk again.. and heard a cough from within. And banged on the door, got him to open up and there he was, hiding, in the dark, drinking Benadryl because ..... well because with alcohol content 5% it was even better than beer and, more to the point, was available even on "dry days"!!

          

So, that explained the mystery of the missing Arindam..... and brought a smile to my lips as I  recalled those days... 

and I read "Pakistan: 16 die after drinking cough syrup" (see this:http://epaper.indianexpress.com/71111/Indian-Express-Mumbai/27-November-2012#page/17/1)

Did you notice it? 16 die, the headline said, no? And the news story speaks of 15!! So, where is the missing 16th man?!! Where is Arindam?!! (Who, by the way, is missing, last seen somewhere in Pune but might as well be in Pakistan or Neptune for all I know...)

******************************* 

Somewhere else, before I sign off on this.... on Yahoo, the headline fleetingly said "RBI will take steps if currency shortage persists".... I had filed that away, mentally, to read later. I guess they must have taken the elevator by now because the story seems to have vanished.... as for currency shortage, well, what are our Swiss Banks for?!!

*****************************************