Forever Is A Lie by Novoneel Chakraborty (Book Review- 3.5*/5) !!!

1607th BLOG POST -->>

Though Novoneel is one of my favorite Indian pulp-fiction writer, I, still, end up reading his books months after its release. This is the first time that it has happened that I have read the book in the same month of its publishing. I have just ended up reading another thriller by him named “Forever is a lie”. If any one of the Indian authors who has really enhanced his skills and showed vast improvement since his/her 1^st book, its none other than Novoneel. His books leave such an impact that even after you are done with it, you keep thinking about it. Same has been the case after reading FIAL. I am more impatient after reading it because the last three words of the book are “To be continued”. This is what I had not assumed that the book must be having a sequel otherwise I had waited for the whole part to release like I did at the time of Stranger trilogy.

Novoneel’s narration is perfect which makes the timeline understandable to the reader in spite of it being little messy in the beginning. The “Mean Monster” thing sounds quite cheesy and unrealistic but the way author handles it immediately before it pisses off the reader is great. The revelation of the real personality behind this name is what starts making this book magical. The chemistry between him and Prisha Srivastav, the protagonist of the book, is nicely portrayed in the movie and it all sounds genuine irrespective of the childishness of Prisha and maturity of the Mean Monster. The philosophical quotes shared in between of the story in voice of any of the characters are again why I love Novoneel’s books.

The suspense part that has still not revealed in this book is the only drawback of the book. A reader feels cheated when he is not told that the book is 1^st part of the many to come in future or the main revelation of this part of the story is also left for the 2^nd part of it. I felt the same in the climax when I didn’t get to know anything about a character that is kept hidden from the readers. Though I know that the 2^nd part will amaze me a lot, I had expected at least some conclusion with this book. Anyways, talking about the anti-climax and climax, it has been beautifully summed up with some fast-paced events which excite you. It is like an orgasm for the readers. Haha! I felt the first goose bump the moment a paragraph tells about something happening at Mean Monster’s home which is not done by him. That itself thrilled me. Rest of the book has just been plus after that. I give this book 3.5* out of 5 as of now because it didn’t deliver the conclusion. Looking out desperately for the 2^nd part of this book.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (Book review- 4*/5) !!!

1606th BLOG POST -->>

Reading Devdutt Pattanaik’s books are such an eye-opener even for Hindus who believe that they know everything about their God and customs. I am just done reading the 2nd book of the Hindu Trinity Series which is named “7 Secrets of Vishnu”. The book is again written in the same format with each page consisting of a diagram/image and the opposite page consisting of texts related to the God in discussion. This book tries to decode the Lord Vishnu and the explanation behind many of his avatars and the thought process behind each of them. The importance of each of the avatars in the Hindu mythology has been discussed.

Devdutt Pattanaik has used a very simple language and assures that after the reader finishes the book, he remembers most of the articles and pieces discussed. After reading the book on Shiva, this book sounds more simplistic and easy to understand. The following entities associated with Vishnu are described in the following 7 chapters: Mohini’s Secret, Matsya’s Secret, Kurma’s Secret, Trivikrama’s Secret, Ram’s Secret, Krishna’s Secret and Kalki’s Secret. I, particularly, liked the last three chapters where Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Kalki are discussed in brief about what is their prominence in our modern society. 

Many incidents from Mahabharata have been discussed which clears lots of myth and lets us know about the small incidents that lead to the bigger events. The way author stays democratic in his views and discusses both the good and bad points about the Lord and his differences against Lord Shiva is worth-appreciating. This book is must for everyone who wants to know Lord Vishnu’s philosophies and the perspective of each of his avatars. I rate this book 4 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Bareilly Ki Barfi: This should be surely tasted once! ***

1605th BLOG POST -->>

Bollywood has been making so many love stories but almost all the movies get bashed up by the viewers because everything they display is too rich, fake and hard to connect with. Out of the blues come this movie named “Bareilly Ki Barfi” which ultimately makes us meet with the characters who are exactly like us or the people we live around with. You connect with the movie from the very first scene itself. The movie is about how a girl reads a book and finds the protagonist of the book almost like her. She quests to meet the author of the book and thus contacts the printing press owner- Ayushmann Khurana. Though he has himself written the book, but he publishes the book with the name of Rajkumar Rao because of some reasons. Now, although he is in love with Kriti Sanon, he makes her meet Rajkumar Rao and tries everything to assure that she hates him in the 1^st look itself and then he conquers her heart.

The movie starts slowly but conquers you well just after 15 minutes of it. Kriti Sanon as Bitti makes you curious to watch what all she will do throughout the movie being enthusiastic being a small town girl. Ayushmann Khurana is as always funny and natural in his acting and does wonderfully well than his previous movies. The way he has managed to convey emotions through his face this time speaks a lot about his improvement as an actor. The magic of the movie is none other than Rajkumar Rao. His acting skills can be easily measured in both of his performances- as a shy and introvert boy and the fake aggressive one.

The story of the movie is very sweet and the simple narrative makes it touch your heart. The scenes of the small town makes you feel that the story is playing just in the backyard of your house. The punch lines and the funny scenes make this movie an entertainer for the audiences. There are many heart-warming scenes too. The love displayed in the movie is handled so beautifully that you start believing in love stories again after the damage that the movies like Raabta, Befikre etc has done. The songs in the movie are okay. My favorite is Nazm Nazm. The dialogues are wonderful. Overall, this movie is surely one-time watch if not twice. I give it 3 stars out of 5. A real love story after a long time!

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Sarkar 3: Seems to be remake of Sarkar! ***

1604th BLOG POST -->>

I do not think anyone is a bigger fan of post-2000 Amitabh Bachchan than me. Since, he returned back in the industry with his white French beard, I have always looked forward to his films because of his Godly and divine presence in the movies. I remember when in 2005, Sarkar got released, I was in 10^th std. and I loved the character so much that every time a friend visited my home, I would ask them to see the movie with me because Amitabh Bachchan performed at his best in it. He was flawless, perfect, divine, and grand and in a role that best suited him. Even the rising of Abhishek Bachchan was nicely imbibed in the movie which made even his acting look good. I didn’t like Sarkar Raj as much as I liked Sarkar. And now after 12 years since the 1^st part of the series released, Sarkar 3 got released and how wonderful it is to watch Bachchan in the same avatar with which he marked his presence in 2005.

The story in S3 moves more internal than external just like the 1^st part where the two brothers are always at loggerheads against each other. Here, in this movie, takes entry the grandson of Sarkaar (the son of his eldest son, played by KK Menon in Sarkar). He loves and hates Sarkar equally but still wants to work with him as a team. He is quite aggressive and eyes to become the one after Sarkar. But the problem is that Sarkar already has a confidential and lieutenant in the form of Gokul (played by Ronit Roy) who seems to be the next after Sarkar to everyone. Here starts the ego clash between the grandson and Gokul which makes the life of Sarkar troublesome.

The first half of the movie is about showing Sarkar in his terrific form still after the death of both his sons. He is still the same aggressive old man irrespective of all the tragedies that he has in his heart. He does not shy away from saying “NO” on the face of the person who is complimenting him from the last 15 minutes. The movie is a thriller which opens all the facts in the end. The climax is not that much of a shocker but it isn’t fully predictable too. RGV should be applauded for bringing together such a cast which we do not see much nowadays in Bollywood. The first scene of Manoj Bajpayee is so magical that you can’t forget it even after finishing the movie. Jackie Shroff, Amit Sadh are just fine in their role. Ronit Roy has given one of his power-packed performances. Yami Gautam looks extremely beautiful and does okay with her role. Rest all the actors have contributed well.

The background music of Govinda-Govinda still makes you feel goose bumps. The camera angle still makes you feel scared of what the next step is all going to be about. The only problem is that the villains in this movie are more funny than evil which makes the task of Sarkar look very easy when compared to the first two parts. That’s the only reason why Sarkar 3 is not that effective irrespective of being what it should have been. RGV looks in his touch with this movie and you can expect his great return very soon. Overall, Sarkar 3 is a good one-time watch but does not have repeat value like the first one in the series. I give this movie 3 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Despite Stolen Dreams by Anita Krishan (Book Review- 4.5*/5) !!!

1603rd BLOG POST -->>

I am just done reading 48^th book of this year and what an incredible stuff this book is- “Despite Stolen Dreams”. The book is written by Anita Krishan and published by Fingerprint! publication. While reading the bio of the authoress, I got to know that she has already published two novels. After reading this one, I am sure to pick them very soon though I don’t believe that she can ever match the magic she has woven in the book. Whenever any story is based upon Kashmir or India-Pakistan border or terrorism, it gets boring after a while because of the depressive state of characters that is spoken right from the first page to the last. Even the climax is always sad and predictable which makes almost all the books based on this topic sound like one.

I had the same expectation from this book too after reading the synopsis but that’s what made me excited about the book when I completed the first 30% of it. The book talks less about the depressive stories of the characters who have been victim of brutality but talks more about how they have forgotten about the tragic circumstances of their life and moved on. The book tries to spread positivity and the author’s efforts are clearly visible in these sections. The initial pages of the book makes you chill reading about how a family is been held captive just because the team of terrorist want the daughter of the house to marry one of their members. The author’s hold on the language and narrative can be easily judged from these initial pages itself.

Later on, the chemistry between Wali and Kashmira Singh is the USP of this book for which I shall always remember it even after suffering memory loss. That’s the impact the conversation between these two characters do to you. Also the other characters discussed in their colony and how they help them speaks a lot about the author’s motive behind writing this novel. The social issues described through the stories of different characters are very nicely handled without being too preachy or cliché. The anti-climax of the book is another great part of the book where Shakeel’s story is narrated separately. It brings the much needed change in the plot of the story. Talking about the climax, I liked how with all the tense moments etc. the book ends on a happy note. Overall, this is a book that you will always want to keep in your shelf. I give the book 4.5 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art by Devdutt Pattanaik (Book Review- 3.5*/5) !!!

1602nd BLOG POST -->>

We are lucky to have someone like Devdutt Pattanaik as one of the most popular authors in India who also manages to publish as many books as possible for him to do. This makes us read some very amazing facts about our mythology, religion and faith. I have just ended up reading one of his recently published books by Westland Publication named “7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art”. The book speaks about the images that we see since childhood in our home and others but never get to know the meaning and story behind these paintings. Pattanaik has tried to decode the meaning behind the images for the readers and believers of Hinduism.

This is one of the quick-read types of book by Devdutt Pattanaik which can be completed in a single sitting and is best when you are travelling. I completed this book in a day sitting in the Mumbai local while traveling for office. The book shares many images which I had seen in my home, temples and everywhere and also got to see the ones from different regions of India which I would have never been able to explore. The concepts behind the images let us know that even if the images portray God in different forms, ultimately, they are one and the same. Devdutt Pattanaik discusses this very intelligently and wisely about how a single God is been modified in different forms for different purposes and messages.

Devdutt also does not shy from telling the mistakes and confusion been created in few of the creative images but also tries to reason why it must have been portrayed in that form. The only problem with reading this book is that sometimes the image is not on the same page hence you have to turn the image every time to refer. The labeling over the image is also appropriately done. The book is nicely researched while some segments are mentioned just by the basic knowledge Pattanaik already had about mythology. The best part of the book is that the author does not try to insult any of the portrayals. This book is a one-time read for sure. I give it 3.5* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

7 Secrets Of Shiva by Devdutt Pattanaik (Book Review- 3.75*/5) !!!

1601st BLOG POST -->>

Reading two books in queue from the Indian mythology master: Devdutt Pattanaik surely made an impact upon me. I am just done reading another book from the Hindu Trinity Series named “7 Secrets of Shiva”. Any book that is written with good research and experimentation surely spreads some great knowledge. Indian mythology always had lots of version which always made it very confusing for the devotees and readers. The good thing about this book is that author tries to explain us every theory behind the existence of Shiva and the thought process that Lord believes in.

Devdutt Pattanaik discusses about the seven different versions of Shiva and his participation in those respective avatars. The seven different aspects of Shiva that are discussed in the book are: Lingeshwara, Bhairava, Shankara, Bholenath, Ganesha, Murugan and Nataraja. It is astonishing to know about the differences in all the perspective of these aspects yet a common thread that binds all of them with the Lord Shiva. The visual representation on every page helps the reader understand the incidents and spirituality behind the scene clearly.

There are few logics which are not described nicely in the book because of which they bounce over the head. It is very difficult for a common man to understand what exactly author is trying to convey. Only if in those few narrations, author could have handled it in easy language the book would have become perfect. The way Shiva’s linga is described and briefed in first chapter is the best start to the book which describes Shiva in the best way possible. My favorite chapter is the one in which Bholenath and Ganesha are discussed. It is joyful reading about Shiva as Bholenath who is very innocent totally contradictory to his regular image. Rest of all the chapters is also okay. I give this book 3.75* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

1600* BLOGS in 2939 Days with Lakhs of You!!!

1600th BLOG POST-->>

1600th BLOG POST

Today is my 2939^th Day of Blogging and I am writing my 1600^th Blog Post. If I have ever been able to do something with quite dedication and regularity in life, there’s nothing above Blogging. The 9^th year of Blogging is on and I feel quite unbelievable thinking that I have written around 1.5 million words i.e. like writing more than 20 novels. I never wished to become a writer but I wanted to speak about things and share anything I know or feel with people around me. Unfortunately, when I came to Mumbai, I found myself moving towards loneliness and hence, never found any friends or people around me to tell everything that came into my mind. But the mess could not have been kept within me for long. I was already overcoming from a psychic attack and didn’t want to get back to that. Haha! So, somehow, I got to learn about Blogging and I started with it without thinking where it would lead me to.

After living in influence of this for more than 70,000 hours of my life, I can say that it has become an identity for me. There are more people who know my blog than me. It says enough about the impact this has made upon my life. Every night, when I come home after office, or earlier from college, I have so much in my mind that I cannot sleep without writing something or even reading. When I feel like writing, I just blog about anything personal while when I feel like reading, I read something and post a review of it. I do not endorse myself as a Book Reviewer as it is a very big shoe to fit myself in. I just want reading to become a regular habit for people as it gives you the peace and serenity that you wish to conquer by going at far-away places. When you read something, you are in a different world all-together. It happens so many times that I read a book in train and people around me in Local knows the station I get down at and they poke me to come out of my reader’s paradise and move my ass to go to the most unwelcoming place ever- Office. Haha!

It has taken me almost one year to achieve another century but I do not regret. I was in a totally different zone since a year. I got introduced to the spiritual world after reading few books on it and then Youtube accomplished whatever was left for me to know about it. Since then I have either done spiritual practices without anyone’s notice, heard spiritual awakening music and songs, watched spiritual enlightenment videos, met few spiritual people and learnt how they got in spirituality etc. I must tell that the last one year has been the most confused year for me. For once, I was committed with something and then I totally lost it. For once, I felt that my Friendship has become stronger than ever and all of a sudden, I am almost friendless. For once, I got a position and I rejected it and then now, I am working for the same designation. For once, I was earning a meager amount and now, I am earning almost double of it. Life has changed altogether.

The spiritual practices have made me realize that the happiness can only be found within me. Expecting anything from anyone is like asking nature to act according to you. It is like asking sun to rise in night and asking moon to beautify the sky in noon. I now understood that both- sun and moon is within us and it is upon our will to feel whatever we wish to feel at any point of time throughout the day. My life has become the purpose to find the God within me and reach the zenith of being a Yogi and identify the ecstasy and the feeling of real bliss as soon as possible. There are many more tough decisions that I will have to take to get closer to who I am. The feeling of something being absent in life never goes away and that’s the reason why people love sad songs. I love ghazals because it is about what we have finally understood about life. The poverty of mind and soul has to be enriched with the help of silence and loneliness.

Being spiritual does not mean that material world does not matter anything to me. Being spiritual in this fast-paced world makes us the survivor otherwise the nature and world will always control our emotions. They will have the guts to make us angry, frustrated, nervous, sad, egoistic etc. Why to give control of my life to anyone else when I can’t afford it anymore? There is so much that I want to do in my Professional and Blogging career which is a part of materialistic world but the spirituality is showing me the way how to cross the hurdles with smile, silence, peace and joy. We have celebrated our Independence Day just yesterday and the best thing our country has given to the world is the concept of Yoga, meditation and mathematics. If we do not experience the same being an Indian, what’s the use of getting birth in this divine place of Godliness?

On the occasion of my 1600^th Blog Post, I just want to ask all of you to buy out some time from your so-called busy life and be with yourself. Initially, you will feel depressed and lonely but once you start entering the world of cosmos within you, you will realize the unlimited energies you carry within you. You will then be able to guide your mind as per your will and not let yourself go as per your mind’s commands. Become the winner of your life rather than losing against external factors which has nothing to do with your inner feelings and mood. Stop blaming others and try to become the reason of everything good and bad that happens with you.

Talking about my blog, I would say that the frequency is getting slower years by years because the time of reaching home is getting extended gradually which does not allow me to stay awake all night like my college days and keep on blogging. Now, I have to manage many things understanding that job is priority. Being as much spiritual as possible is a totally different concept, but if you have to be part of this materialistic world, money matters and hence first priority has to be given to it irrespective of whatever passion and interest we hold. Only after the basics are secured can we move in directions that really make us feel blessed and powerful within ourselves. I promise all my readers that the Blog is to stay here forever irrespective of my mortality. Thanks for staying in touch for all these years and I hope your support will keep making this platform shine always. I am in awe of every reader’s selflessness towards me. Om Sai Ram!!!

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Toilet- Ek Prem Katha: Serves the Purpose! ***½

1599th BLOG POST -->>

There used to be a time whenever a new poster of Akshay Kumar’s movie got released, people would say that another mindless movie has come to ruin our time. There was an era when Akshay did back to back movies and people were mad about it as no other actor did the way he knew the art of it. Then he started blending comedy in his action movies and after a point of time, he almost replaced Govinda in film industry and never let anyone miss him. His comedy movies are enough on the list which are actually watchable and has repeat value. And then he started making comedy movies which needed no brain to watch which started frustrating his fans. And recently, he has learnt how to blend comedy with a social-message driven movie which can actually bring a small change in society through his light films. In the same genre comes his latest movie, “Toilet- Ek Prem Katha” which is doing very well at Box Office.

TEPK is about the problem of toilets in India about which even the national campaign is going on since BJP government has come into power. There are almost 52% of Indians who do not have toilet in their home because of which they either go out of their home to defecate in public or queue in at some public toilet which starts stinking after a point of time due to regular usage and no break time to clean it. The film talks about a man in his late years getting married to a well-educated girl who comes to know on her 1^st morning of marriage that the house has no toilets. She is unable to accept the fact and leaves her husband asking him to make a toilet at his home to bring her back. The movie is about how this man then fights against his village, family and nation to get a toilet built in his house premises.

The first half is entertaining as it does not get to the serious purpose and only discusses about the characters and how the lead characters fall in love with each other. There are many laughing moments there. In the 2^nd half, the movie gets a little serious and also stretchy, I must say. I believe that the 2^nd half could have been cut short by 15-20 minutes easily. But the rebel shown by the character of Akshay Kumar looks realistic on screen and he does everything that you expect from the character to do. Though the movie looks agenda-driven as said by many BJP haters but the cause is nicely portrayed in the movie and will surely raise awareness in the villages that does not believe in maintaining toilets.

Talking about the performances, Akshay Kumar seems to have come out from his great performance in Jolly LLB 2 and delivers another potential character here. He manages to make you smile and cry at his well throughout the movie. He stands true on the expectations. Bhumi Pednekar has played her part immensely well and tells about the multi-facet character she can play in movies. Divyendu Sharma has does a great job as a supporting actor and makes you giggle with his one-liner dialogues. Rest, all the supporting casts are okay. The songs are in sync with the movie. The dialogues are powerful. The movie also has repeat value which makes it one of the best movies of the year. I give this movie 3.5 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!  

Review: Mubarakan: An entertaining comedy movie! ***

1598th BLOG POST -->>

It has been a long time since even an okay comedy movie has released and hence, there were a lot of expectations from Anees Bazmee’s “Mubarakan” as it also boasted of its multi-cast and high budget. Though I have lost faith in Bollywood’s comedy genre since a long time, but fortunately, Mubarakan didn’t add up to my list of To-be-avoided comedy movies of Bollywood. Mubarakan is an entertaining watch with its own bloopers between the characters and confusion created due to the lies spoken to avoid marriages by the double role of Arjun Kapoor.

The movie is very well paced with no boring scene for a long time. I liked how even the intense part is added in this movie to make the story stronger and not just a script converted into a visual format to just spread the one-liner jokes written by the writers. The way both the brothers get trapped in parent’s request of marriage and how they start telling lies to avoid getting married to a person they don’t love creates many scenes where the goof-ups take place and laughter moment gets created. Even the dialogues are wonderful in many scene which makes you laugh at the circumstances and what just happened in the previous scene itself.

The performance by Arjun Kapoor is great. I liked his acting for the first time since I am watching his movies. Unfortunately, he is the actor in the current slot whom I dislike the most but still he managed to impress me in this movie. Anil Kapoor, as usual, is loud and funny. Ileana D’Cruz is okay in her performance. She manages to give the expressions an actress is expected to give in a comedy movie. Athiya Shetty and Neha Sharma do not have much to do in the movie. Rest, all the supporting star-cast has also managed to play their part nicely to make the movie look good on-screen. The dialogues are laughable for most of the times. The screenplay is easy for the family audience to understand the movie. The songs are catchy. The whole Punjabi feel given in the movie makes you feel celebratory. I give this movie 3 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Lipstick under my Burkha: A very well-made movie! ***½

1597th BLOG POST -->>

When I heard about the movie “Lipstick under my Burkha”, I had assumed it to be a movie preachy enough to bore me to death. Also, when I saw it promo, I over-assumed it to be enough boring to make me watch some documentary on the same topic than this movie. But after watching it last evening, I must say it is a very beautifully made movie which has managed somehow to get it released in theater in spite of so much of arguments it had with Censor board. The movie talks about how the desires of women are kept hidden and limited because of the society. For everything a woman wishes to do, she either has to seek permission from a man or be scared of the judgments from the society.

The four characters portrayed in the movie are based in Bhopal and speaks of each one of them going through different problems. The character of Konkana Sen Sharma is about just being treated as a sexual object by her husband who warms his bed every day irrespective of her approval or not. She does job of saleswoman without telling her husband about it. The character of Ahana is about a girl who uses her charm and sexuality to treat boys as per her will. Ratna Pathak’s character is about how even old women fantasizes about being in sexual relationship with young boys but keeping in mind about society they try to find alternatives. The character of Plabita talks about how this girl in an orthodox Muslim family dreams of following fashion style like an International star but have to wear Burkha and go out daily.

The problems of each character are so intense and realistic that you can relate with it. Though we have not come in direct association with any of the discussed issues of the women but still we know that such desires of women exist. The best part about the movie is that they have not tried being too feminist by showing women as rebellious or disrespectful. They have kept the behavior and reactions realistic and genuine. The anti-climax and climax are just wonderfully treated and the last scene is so serene that I don’t think I can ever take it away from my mind. Lipstick Under My Burkha is one such experiential movie that I endorse it and wish that such movies are regularly made with messages and still not being preachy even in one dialogue itself. Specially mentioning- I liked the way Ratna Pathak reads the erotic book in the background when the central characters go through tough moments. I give this movie 3.5 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Munna Michael: The weakest dance-based movie! *

1596th BLOG POST -->>

When I watched “Heropanti” and saw Tiger Shroff for the first time on the screen, I was very impressed. Though his face is not what is expected of a Bollywood lead actor, his voice, his dialogue delivery and his dancing moves are enough to sustain him in the industry. I watched Munna Michael recently which is directed by Shabbir Khan who also debuted with Heropanti. The film stars Tiger and for a surprise, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film is expected to be comic considering Tiger is teaching Nawazuddin how to dance. The only time when the movie is funny is when Nawaz speaks few dialogues in his trademark style and accent. Otherwise it is all about running away from the script.

Whenever Tiger Shroff is cast in a movie, the directors has the same attitude of showing something for 15-20 minutes and then show a song with a wonderful dance sequence with Tiger showing his moves and abs and so on. The same has been the approach in Munna Michael too. The movie is about how Ronit Roy who plays a chorus dancer is exited from a movie’s shoot because his dancing style has become old. This makes him believe that dancing is not good for choosing it as a career. He imposes the same rule on the child whom he picks up from road and adopts to not to follow dancing as passion but obviously, the child grows into Tiger Shroff and knows nothing better than dancing. Later on, he gets in contact with Nawazuddin Siddique who is a hooligan because of an incident and gets offered to teach him dance. Later on, both the actors fall in love with the same girl, played by Nidhhi Agerwal, a debutante.

The film is very obvious and you know even the climax from the interval time itself. Talking about the performances, leaving Tiger Shroff and the debutante, Nidhhi Agerwal, everyone seems to be sleep-walking throughout the movie with disinterest obvious from their body language. Not one scene creates an impact upon you as an audience. Even the web series on Youtube has 100x times more impact upon the viewer. The only scenes that create some excitement is when Nawaz gets to know that Tiger has found his love interest yet not revealed it to him.

Talking about the performances, Tiger Shroff has done exactly the same what he has done in all his previous movies. Nidhhi Agerwal is quite similar to Kriti Sanon in terms of acting but she is extremely beautiful and fresh to be a part of this new Bollywood brigade. She has surely left her footprints behind. Nawazuddin Siddique is given a role which is far lesser than the caliber he has which makes him look very weird doing the stuffs which he has been made to. But still, only the dialogues given to him makes you laugh at few points. He is a savior for every such movie. The songs are forgettable. The locations and cinematography are also okay-ish. Overall, a movie that should be missed for your own good. Haha! I give it 1 star out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Review: Raabta: Nothing new to showcase! **½

1595th BLOG POST -->>

I remember reading an article which announced the movie “Raabta” with Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon as lead actors. I was pretty excited for the movie as Kriti is one of the new actresses whom I like for their freshness and also, because the movie was said to be a different love-story. Later on, when the promos came out and people started talking about its similarity with a South blockbuster movie, it arose my excitement again as I knew that it is not going to be similar to it. Now, I wanted to know how different and unique the movie is.

After watching it now, I can say that Raabta is an ambitious movie for its director, Dinesh Vijan, but it has nothing new to give to the Hindi movies’ lovers. There are a few category of audience which likes the same genre of movie irrespective of multiple times the same story is shown in different movies. For them, Raabta is going to be a great movie but in terms of uniqueness, the movie is just trying to be different but does not end up creating something worth exploratory and clap worthy.

The first half is same like Befikre or many movies we have seen featuring Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta etc. - the couples falling for each other in a foreign land with great locations and roads in background. It makes the movie look rich but there’s nothing new in the plot. For a person who likes watching modern love stories, the first half is bang-on. Even I liked it to some extent. Talking about the entry of Jim Sarabh, the movie starts looking fake as Saira’s love towards him irrespective of her intense love affair with Shiv is hard to digest.

The second half is more about the past-birth of all the three characters and what happened then is shown descriptively and story returns back in the present day after which it is only about run and chase. The climax is also sort of predictable. Talking about the performances, Kriti Sanon does her part of charming girlfriend incredibly in the movie. Sushant Singh Rajput is great as modern lover but does not leave any impact with the past-birth portion of being a warrior. Jim Sarabh is just okay in his part. His dialogue delivery doesn’t impress you enough which the director is trying to enforce as his X-factor in the movie. The dialogues are fine. The music is very good. Overall, the movie is okay for one-time watch but it has nothing new to deliver. I give it 2.5 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

How it feels to know that we can never be together with someone forever....

1594th BLOG POST -->>

In my childhood whenever I used to go out to play, I used to be very happy, delighted yet emotional. I was often not sent in evening to play with my friends because my parents believed that I never return back home on time. They say that I even used to play with puppies when I found no human being around me. Though I don’t believe them but I still do not doubt my weirdness. When I used to play Cricket with my friends, as I have mentioned above, I liked the whole setting of amazing breeze in the evening, my best friends fielding besides me and having fun and dig at someone, our crushes walking on the road just besides the ground etc. But along with this, a thought always ran through my mind that very soon it will be 8 PM and I won’t have this amazing moment anymore with me. That thought didn’t let me enjoy the togetherness of that evening with my friends because I didn’t even have the confirmation if I would be coming tomorrow again to play as my parents stopped me for studying at home only.

It was childhood and I believed that I must be doing something wrong to not have confirmation about something to be mine forever irrespective of knowing how much I believed in it. Now, when I am grown up, and I see how the situations and circumstances of life makes us helpless to see our favorite thing, moment or person go away from us in front of our eyes yet we are unable to do anything about it. We can only see it disappearing and weep for it. I have found many people around me who didn’t like the latest SRK starrer Jab Harry met Sejal. But I connected very well with the movie because I have been in such relationship(s) where I knew that I won’t be able to maintain this forever and it will end up anytime sooner but still, I loved that relationship more than anything in life.

It is one of the most difficult situations we can face in life when we like someone, we are with them and still not happy because we know that this is not going to last longer and this person will move on irrespective of his/her own liking towards me. There can be nothing more painful than this. What can be more traumatic and psychic than missing someone even when they are present with us and we are having one of the best moments of our life? There are also moments when you consider someone as your best friend but the person does not consider you that important in his/her life. And when you see them planning for something special with someone else and not you, that moment irrespective of knowing that we are with them, we know that we will not be anymore as the friend is inclined towards someone else more devotedly.

On a lighter note, someone who had a great hang-out sessions with his friend circles immediately gets engaged, he knows that these moments that I am enjoying with my friends are one of the best events of my life but still there is a loneliness in his heart as he knows that it is about to end soon. Similarly, brothers feel it with their sisters knowing that though both of them love and care for each other and can’t spend time without each other, they cannot rely on it for life because sister will get married and move on to another family. These are the difficult times knowing that the relationship and moment is here with us for which we have always desired and quested yet it will get over soon and not going to stay with us forever. 

Since childhood, we need something only for us and believe that no one will take it away from us. But in adulthood, believing the same causes so much of realizations and pain that we start hating our destiny and life. It is in these moments that we have to keep our heart strong and understand the realities of life that there are only few things that are meant for us while there are many things which are just temporary- Either our best times or our best relationships or even our best feeling about something. When Life is itself temporary, how can we, a human being, expect permanence of something? Let’s face the truth of life and start living stronger.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

STOP Conveying EMOTIONS Through TECHNOLOGY!!!

1593rd BLOG POST -->>

I remember my childhood when I met my friends every day in school bus. We became friends with each other in it. We fought many times in the school bus and playground. We patched up again there itself. We complained about what we didn’t like about them in front of their face. Whenever two people fell in love with each other and proposed about it, it happened face to face with no intervention of anyone. Even when they fought because of some issues, they fought by meeting with each other. Even when someone wanted to convey something to a person and didn’t have courage to do so, they passed the message through a common friend. Whenever we decided to meet somewhere, we decided the whole plan a day before and then met at the decided location at the exact time. Everything was so perfect when it came to displaying our emotions or conveying something. It was so simple, straight and personal.

With the advent of technology, people have stopped communicating the most important thing with their dear ones by meeting personally or even on call. Earlier, it started happening through mails, then online chatting applications, then SMSes and now it’s all about Whatsapp. Even the marriage is being proposed on Whatsapp. Until and unless you are not conveying your deepest emotions or problems with someone by seeing into their eyes and reading their facial expressions, you are never going to receive the same response that you have expected from your social life. Even if someone is trying to convey something to you very touchy, ask him/her to meet you the very next day or whatever is possible at the earliest, and then tell the whole thing.

Every time, I am talking with someone through a Mobile device or Laptop, I do not feel as if I am talking with the same person I know. I feel every person is the same whenever I am communicating through the device. I feel as if I am talking with the device rather than with the person. With so much of over-consumption of technology, now people are not even conveying their message to the respective person by directly instantly messaging to them but slying them through Quotes or Status Updates on Facebook, Instagram or Whatsapp Statuses. If that is how you believe that the person on the other side is going to understand your feelings, best of luck to you.

There are so many people whom we want to convey our message through text only, why don’t you prefer writing a hand-written note to them? I remember the letters I have written to my cousin sisters earlier when I wanted to convey how important she is to me and she did the same in return. Those letters are such a personal touch that no one can take away that emotion from me. Whereas I must have received many great messages from my friends on Whatsapp and Facebook telling me how great a friend I am but it all seemed to be a copy-pasted thing. The friends who have said it to me personally are the ones with whom I never had any problems ever because the love was displayed in each other’s presence. I remember a letter that I had written for Mr. Amish Tripathi, the bestseller author, when I was to meet him for the first time. That one letter had so much of effect on him that he still remembers me even if he finds me in an event between crowds.

Do remember that there is nothing bigger than personal touch in relationship. These technologies are great only for formal communication. The informal communication has to be done by meeting or if you want something of yours to stay with them for life, do something handwritten. Do not make technology the medium to communicate your heart to someone. Don’t fear rejection. Facing rejection is what makes you fearless and bold and thus, improves your communication skills. Just to teach these skills, these MBA institutes charge 8 lacs an annum. Isn’t it? So next time try meeting with the person you want to say something, good or bad, but say face to face. These technologies are known for making people offline more than keeping them online. J

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

5 Break-Free Truths by Vijaya & Amol (Book Review- 3*/5) !!!

1592nd BLOG POST -->>

No one can separate a reader from reading non-fiction books in queue if he has picked up the first one from the genre. Something similar has happened with me. These days I am enjoying non-fiction books than any other books. I am just done reading “5 Break-Free Truths” which also comes with a tagline “Discover your potential and achieve extraordinary success”. The book is written by the duo- Vijaya Suvarna and Amol Muley and published by my favorite non-fiction publication house- Jaico. This 230 pages book tells us a lot about the preconceived notions in our mind that we have created about something. It tells how we have blocked our mind from thinking anything beyond the confinements that we have created around it. This book is an eye-opener for everyone who wishes to achieve something but keeps on blaming someone else for its incompletion.

The book is nicely divided into chapters and a similar format under each chapter which makes it easy for the reader to understand the basic problem that has been identified in the chapter and then reading further comes to know what exactly the Truth behind our version of distorted truth is. The way author asks us to analyze our problems by also giving multiple statements of similar section of problem is quite helpful to understand exactly what kind of problems can be solved by following the suggestions provided in the particular chapter. The examples given in the chapter are nice. The only problem is that some of them are so descriptive and long that it becomes boring after a point of time as we already know what problem the protagonist in that part of the story must be facing. Such chapters could have been discussed just in a page or two.

The 5 break free truth that are discussed are worthy enough to be written in a book format to let the people recognize the ultimate truth behind all the confinements they have created in their life for not achieving something. Yes, I believe that the book is not super-motivating but few tips provided in it will surely bring effect in the life of the reader as people will stop blaming and start working. The case-studies in the end is a nice ending to the book. Overall, the book is an okay effort in this genre and I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

Why make your EMOTIONS a Public Property?

1591st BLOG POST -->>

If there is something through which people identify you is the emotion they have towards you. We often believe that people define us the way they feel about us but if you will go into depth and start decoding everything from the result to origin, you will realize that it’s only what you have fed their mind through your emotions have turned into their emotions towards us. Confusing, isn’t it? A human being if lives 100 hours of stressful or upsetting moments, the 99 hours of them are about how someone else have reacted to his situation, feelings or circumstances. And when such amount of our stressful times are because of only one thing that bothers us, it is worthy enough to focus on what’s exactly wrong with it.

And after following meditation practices and things alike, I have understood that solution for all the problems are within us. It is only waiting for us to realize and find it. Finding it is the biggest challenge but once found, correcting is the easiest task if you are determined enough. There are times when we are extremely emotional and the only thing that comes in our mind at that point of period is to emote our self in front of everyone or someone. Because we are already in the terrible state of mind, we do not think about the repercussions it would have. We just want sympathy from someone for our problem. And when we see at least one person saying that we are genuinely in trouble and how much are we suffering, our heart gets the most satisfaction then. The question here is, why do we yearn for someone’s sympathy to feel better about us? It is only we who can satisfy the deepest core of our emotions and no one else.

Remember that the moment you decide to spread your inner emotion with people, the emotion does not belong to you anymore. It becomes a public affair. Now it is in hands of people to decide if you can free yourself from that emotion or not. Till the time the emotion was with you, you had full control of it. But when you decide to pass it on to someone else, you give the remote control to that person fully. Either you are happy, sad, frustrated, destroyed, heart-broken, delighted, ecstatic, joyful, angry, nervous, jealous etc, the moment you let the world know about it, you are no more in control to part yourself from that emotion all by yourself.

Hence, whenever you feel something within you strongly- either positive for your state of mind or negative, never let the world know if you believe that you need to move away from the emotion after a point of time. If the world knows you are sad, and if you want to be happy after a point of time, they will make sure that you are been reminded of your sorrow at the crucial point of time which takes you back to the starting point of safeguarding your heart and mind from negative thoughts. Similarly, if you tell the people about your happiness, in the moment of your sadness after losing the same reason of happiness, people will start reminding you of it. This will make you feel less better about it and more blank and empty about losing the reason of your happiness. Hence, next time you take a decision in letting the world know about your inner emotion, THINK, THINK and THINK and finally STOP from expressing your emotions to the world and giving the remote control to them.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!! 

The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma (Book Review- 4.5*/5) !!!

1590th BLOG POST -->>

If there’s one author whose book I pick up whenever I need an answer for anything in my life, it’s Robin Sharma. The way he articulates his sentences and frames his paragraph makes a lot of chemical reaction to take place within your mind and body. The sudden changes that you start seeing in your attitude and thoughts after completing his books are remarkable. He is the epitome and zenith in the genre that he writes and a legend of course. He had changed my life at a point when I had already given up on it and was regularly thinking about committing suicide. He is my favorite author and now when I was actually little upset with few decisions of mine, I picked up another great book of his “The Leader Who Had No Title” which is written fictionally but speaks only volumes and no nonsense.

The great thing about the book is that it tells you how to improve personally and automatically find difference in your job, business, personal life and inner feelings. The book tells you that to become a leader at something, one should not wait until and unless one does not get a position, designation etc. to perform leadership. He gives the guidance through different chapters how one can be a leader even without a formal title or acceptance from the masses. Though the book is published couple of years ago, it is prominent still in the current business scenarios.

The book is wonderfully handled by fictionalizing it and showing the protagonist meeting four different personalities who teach him four different leadership fundamentals with five pointers each that changes his total approach in just a day time. The author has handled the story in such a way that you feel yourself as protagonist and concentrate on each and every sentence being spoken by the four personalities. The climax is also nicely handled which sums up the reason for which all the guidance suggested in the book should be followed from the present hour. Once again, Robin Sharma has been able to create magic and change people’s life through his book and this is definitely one of this best works. Talking about the drawbacks, I would say that there are many things that are repetitive from his previous 10 books or so. Also, his style of fictionalizing a book is almost similar every time which makes it little boring at times in between. Rest, this is one of the most recommended books read by me. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!