and finally the big one to add to those 561 wickets

Nothing could take it away from him. That 4 runs would have come from one of the worst shots of the match, but it was worth fetching Anil Kumble the maiden test century. The one he deserved after his 17 years of bowling for India.

For he is the only one who had won more test matches for India than any one else. Not even the Gavaskars, the Kapil Devs, the Tendulkars and the Dravids have won more test matches for India than Anil Kumble.

And as a person, who has been a keen follower of Indian Cricket through out his life, I cannot hide the joy. To be true, I am more happier than Sachin's 77 centuries, more happier than Dravid's 233, more happier than Laxman's 281 and more happier than Saurav's 144.
Just because of the price he puts on his wicket while he bats. For his grit and patience in staying there at the crease, till the opposition get him out, and for the true gentleman he is. And just for those 561 wickets he uprooted to march India to victory.

In this time of jelly-beans and shoulder barging, one should learn what aggressiveness is, from Kumble. He once gave his definition of being aggressive to Harsha Bhogle - "Being aggressive is not about walking up to the batsman and talking about him and his family, its about trying to get wickets every delivery you bowl."

Nothing can beat it.

Congrats Jumbo :)

Photo Courtesy: The Hindu


P.S: My Red and Abhi's Kuttappan turned a year old this week. Happy Birthday to you Guys :). Soon Kuttappan will turn to a monstrous Kuttappaayi (with Dishum Dishum). Wait for him :)

arabikatha - not just an arabian tale

Yesterday, I watched one of the best movies in Malayalam after a long time. "Arabikatha" scripted by Dr Iqbal Kuttipuram and directed by Lal Jose would definitely go down in the history of Malayalam Cinema as one of the best. Atleast in my Malayalam Film Dictionary.

I am not here to review it frame by frame. I am just here to tell you all go and watch the movie, if you haven't seen it.

Why would you love this film ?

It is a serious film, I would say, even though there is comedy in it. But those scenes just add value to the film. The film would make you realize about the ideologies that the opportunistic communist and the actual communist follows. It make you realize that they are totally different and that's exactly what is happening in Kerala now.

The movie would make you understand about the hard life of common men out their in Gulf. It would make you understand how important the world Gulf (and not "Gelf") is to Kerala. You may just say "He/She went to Gulf and made money". This movie will tell you for why they went, and are there, and how they made that money. It is probably the near-to-perfect movie that depicts the Gulf Malayali life in the silver screen.

The screenplay is really outstanding, for one can't identify any flaws in it. Dr. Iqbal Kuttippuram who scripted movies like "Swapnakoodu", "4 The People" has done a really good job. There may be traces of a Sreeni Effect in the screenplay, like in the scene where Sreeni and Nedumudi Venu discuss about "Vettinirathal" where Venu, Sreeni's father and party founder in Chemmannur, questions the party's agenda behind the act. In another scene Sreeni says to the Chinese Heroin that his party was with China, when they attacked India in 1962. All these brings us back the memories of "Sandesham" and Sreeni's character RDP leader Prabhakaran in that. Definitely there would have been a good amount of contribution from him to the screenplay.

Lal Jose is maturing day by day as director. It is really a big leap if you compare this movie against his "Meesha Madhavan" and "Chandran Udikkunna Dikhil".

And then finally there is Sreenivasan, who plays the protagonist "Cuba" Mukundan. I would say there wouldn't be any one in Malayalam film industry today who could do justice to that role other than Sreeni. The "Mukundan", who leaves behind his ideologies and leaves to Gulf to get a job and payback the debt incurred due to the cheating done by his rivals, is safe in Sreenivasan's hands. He brings in the ideologies of a real communist, emotions of a son, and the helplessness of a common man to the perfect.

Last but not the least there are a lot of performances from various actors, seasoned and non seasoned. Nedumudi Venu, Jagathi, Indrajit, Samvrutha, Salim Kumar, Augustine, Sadiq, Zhumin, Minister Karunan, Abdullakka all give spirited performances.

Arabikatha is very much important in today's life as it represents the socio-political atmosphere that is prevailing in Kerala today. And it will be important in the years to come for our social and political atmosphere is going to change. It is definitely a movie to discuss.

Just watch it.

the odyssey round up

Jhulley!!
The eccentricity is over. I am back after the 15 day Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2007. It was fun, excitement, fear, and some times the adrenalin rush. Luck, God's grace, family's prayers and wishes from friends including you might have made me and Abhi come back without any problem apart from the mountain sickness that hit us at Sarchu.
And none of our Bikes too gave any 'show-stopper' problem apart from a fuel over flow for Abhi's Bird and and my bike switching off while climbing Barlacha-la due to lack of oxygen. But she was back to action in one kick. Good Bird :)
I have taken a lot of photos and some of them (460 to be exact) are put here. There are really a lot and you may take a look at it at your free time. Some of my better shots are given in this post. I don't intend to write down a travelogue post since it's been two long weeks and it will be pretty long and boring if I point out the details of every day. But I promise you to come up with some interesting stuff from the trip, including a Dummies guide to Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey with Abhi. This we think is quite essential for the biker community as we didn't have any idea about how the trip will be conducted and more over this will cover the pros and cons of the trip.
High points of this trip would be visiting Khardung-la, the world's highest motorable pass and Wagah Border. We were able to see the retreat by both Indian and Pakisthani Army. And above all riding Manali - Leh highway (one will really think should it be called as highway after you ride through it) is a dream for every true biker, and that dream has now been successful.
The numerous water crossings, the sand dunes at more plains, the passes - Barlacha-la, Lanchung-la, Naki-la and Tanglang-la, and the Gata Loops has all tried and tested us. Some had fallen, some cruised ahead without any problems. There was no race to be won, but there was a trip to be finished and we all won since we finished it at Amritsar without much of hassles.
At this point of time it is very important to thank people like Alex, Lovely, Jagdish, Vinyl, Solomon and all other mechanics who worked hard on the bikes to make them fit and Ashokji for the flawless logistics and the food he organized, and last but not the least Sachin to lead the 55 of us to the unknown with his experience and management. I should also thank Abhi for going ahead with this plan in the middle of his hectic work, and giving me 'good' company with his Chalus. And one should also not forget Aravind, Balettan, Gopettan and Anup to thank for providing a great company. We might have discussed almost all the things under the sun during that 15 days from Ads, Cinema, Photography to Maya, Myths and Automobiles. They were just the ideal company to have especially in the long trip like this. Finally the trip was blessed with a visit to Golden Temple and Jalianwallah Bagh in Amritsar.

And now back in office,I am too lazy to work and have been already going through the photos many times just to relinquish those memories.

It's tough to be both a biker-traveler and a working man. Phew!!!

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