Why I cancelled my Airtel 4G connection?

It was two years ago in 2013, I bought Airtel 4G connection with wifi router. That was much before the pretty girl from Airtel challenged all other internet service providers in India claiming Airtel 4G is the fastest internet network in India.

Initial Postpaid Plan : My initial post paid plan was 4G LTE 2000 - 40 GB of 4G LTE data(after 40gb,100% free with lesser bandwidth). I used to get a bill of Rs.2000 + Taxes.

Enter CPE Lock Plan : In December 2014, Airtel quietly withdrew the above plan and replaced it with CPE Lock Plan 1999 30GB. In this plan, rental amount is 1999 and one would get 30GB data at 4G speed. Post completion of 30GB the data will be charged 0.2Ps/10KB till the limit of 3995. That is user would be paying Rs.1995 for 10 GB between 30 to 40 GB. So, according to this plan, if you happen to cross the data limit of 30 GB and reach 40 GB, you will be paying nearly double the rent. I smelt a rat but did not worry much as my usual usage was around 25 GB.

Indian Passport Renewal Procedure and Tips

You might have heard from your friends about the quick and easier renewal of passports these days in India. I got my passport renewed recently. What my friends told about the renewal process was right. But even then one needs to take care of few points during renewal. Here are those.

Passport Renewal Appointment : Online appointment is mandatory for renewal of passports. To schedule the appointment, you need to create an id for yourself at Indian Passport website. System will automatically book a slot for you. If you want to cancel/reschedule, you can do so. But this can be done only twice within a year of first appointment date.

Proofs : Once you have scheduled the appointment, it is time to gather proofs for submission. Though the passport website document adviser will give you a list of indicative proofs, they may not be complete. So, it is better you go through the list of documents listed in the online appointment receipt as per your case. Definitely, you do not want to make a trip to passport office in case some proof is missing. Some tips here.

Dennana Dennana Lyrics Translated to English

Dennana Dennana is a hugely popular song from the blockbuster Kannada movie RangiTaranga. Lyrics of the song is in Tulu language. First line of the song - Dennana Dennana Dena Denna Dennana is based on Tulu folk songs called PaaD dana's. Sadananda Suvarna, maker of yesteryear TV serial Guddada Bhoota, had penned the lyrics for the song. Dennana Dennana was also the title song for the serial Guddda Bhoota.

Dennana Dennanaa Dennana Dennanaa Dennana Dennaeeeyeeeeeeee

Tulu Nada Seemed Kamarottu Graamodu
Guddeda Bhootha unduyeeeee
English Translation : In Kamarottu village of Tulu Nadu, resides a ghost named Guddeda Bhoota(ghost of the hills)

Maamalla Bhootada 
Kaarnika Thuleye
English Translation : Look at the miracles performed by the powerful ghost.

Gudded Bhootha unduyeeeee 
English Translation : There is a ghost in the hills

Tulu Nada Seemedu
Kamarottu Graamodu
Guddeda Bhootha unduyeeeee
English Translation : In Kamarottu village of Tulu Nadu, resides a ghost named Guddeda Bhoota(ghost of the hills)

You can listen to the song in the below youtube link. You can read RangiTaranga film review here.

Setting up your God's Own Office!

Writer Sudha Murthy explains how guys in a metro like Bengaluru wants a stress free life but don’t want to leave the city fearing loss of pay and the amenities big cities provide. What if you can achieve both i.e get stress free life as well as get paid like the ones who work in metros?

I believe most of us dream of such a well balanced life. We are in the big cities only because there are not enough job opportunities in small towns in India. We want a simple yet fulfilling life – enjoy marvels of nature, get soaked in festive spirit of religious gatherings, attend family functions or see our small town transform. Now, you would have many guys talking at length about this. Have you come across anybody who actually tried working from his hometown relishing every bit of his stay without compromising on the earnings from a big city?

What is it about? James Joseph is a small town guy who like many other middle class Indians has followed the well tread path of earning a foreign degree and finding his place in the corporate world as a global executive. Now, he wants to come back to India. But not to India of big cities but to Bharath of small towns! How he accomplishes this dream without compromising on his earning potential and work life resonance is what the book is all about.

Planning: James has carefully planned his move back to India. First he lands up in Bangalore to make his next move to Aluva, a small town near Kochi, Kerala.

Uppi says Hakuna Matata

Movies directed by Upendra are loud, on the face and well known for their insensitive portrayal of the society. Well, these qualities of his films have earned him fans and haters in equal measure. But in Uppi 2, director seems to have toned down. At times, you feel several scenes are screen adaptations of Zen stories – short but full of wisdom. First half of the movie is entertaining with dialogues filled with ‘Uppism’. This is well received by the audience by laughter and applause. But this cannot be said whole heartedly about the other half.

Get Caught In The Wave of Rangitaranga

Intriguing, captivating and to top it all, visually enthralling - Rangitaranga with its new team brings in fresh perspective to Kannada cinema. Taking cue from Guddada Bhoota - a popular television serial in the 90s, debutant director does a wonderful job in exploring its modern possibilities. Dennana Dennana - the title song of the serial haunts even after 25 years. So is Rangitaranga, even after you have left the movie hall.

A thriller in its true sense, Rangitaranga casts a spell with its exquisite scenes depicting the vivid picture of the fictional village of Kamarottu. Enriching this setting is the backdrop of vibrant culture of coastal Karnataka. Yes, it is the same name of the village in Guddada Bhoota. Of course, the plot is not the same. An elusive writer with his wife comes to his spouse's ancestral village. As soon as they arrive, they encounter unusual incidents. This begins the search for the root cause and in turn, their own past.

One pertinent observation in the film is its usage of pristine Kannada both in songs and dialogues - very refreshing to hear those immaculate words. Particularly the song - Akka Pakka - so contemporary in its style, yet so frugal in its use of non-Kannada words makes an impression and it has already made it to the chartbusters. Kele Cheluve - based on traditional Yakshagana(folk art of coastal Karnataka) tune is a melody and how can I forget Kareyole Kareva Ole - a brilliant composition.

Rangitaranga is one of those edge-of-the-seat thrillers, with its tight plot and equally good execution. Web of sub-plots creates the necessary confusion to give that awe factor, when the mystery is finally revealed. On the other hand, movie could have done away with stereotyped dialogues in few scenes. Also, I certainly felt that climax could have been better and trimmed. Few unnecessary twists and songs could have been dropped too. But these points do not take away the essence of the colorful wave in which the audience get caught in. Surely, don’t miss this one.

Dennana Dennana is the most popular song from the movie RangiTaranga. The song is in Tulu language. You can now read the translation of the song in English here.

Not sure if many of us aware of the website for this film. Ok, here is the RangiTaranga film website in English and Kannada. Here, you will find the lyrics of all those melodious songs, promotional videos and posters to download!

Update : 16 October 2015
As expected, RangiTaranga has completed 100 days in theaters, a rare occurrence these days. Kudos to RangiTaranga team!

Update : 27 December 2015
RangiTaranga has completed 175 days (25 weeks) in theaters and is eyeing on completing 200 days soon!

Update : 26 January 2016
RangiTaranga has bagged 8 awards at IIFA Utsavam - 2016 (South Indian segment of the annual International Indian Film Academy Awards)

• Best Film - RangiTaranga
• Best Director - Anup Bhandari 
• Best Music - Anup Bhandari
• Best Lyrics - Anup Bhandari
• Best Supporting Role - Sai Kumar
• Best Background Music - Ajaneesh Loknath
• Best Sound Mixing - Murali Rayasam

Below is the trailer of the movie and the video of Akka pakka song

Vaastu Prakaara Is Disappointing

Vaastu Prakaara is definitely not about Vaastu or its misinterpretations. But then what is it about is also unclear. Senseless talk of people who are in love, philosophical takes on love and life, if life is boring you ought to talk with a friend over a drink  and everything ends well in the climax - Yogaraj Bhat's formula for his brand of movies lately continues here too.  Only difference this time being all the dialogues are spoken in far off Switzerland and not in Karnataka. It isn't surprising if you find shades of Deepa Sannidhi from Paramaatma, Nidhi Subbaiah from Pancharangi or Aindrita Ray from Mansaare. It just goes to show that you have seen enough of Yogaraj Bhat's movies. The talk of invention of a new language for this movie, during the promotion of the film in the TV channels is a farce. It is speaking gibberish, which is neither new in Indian movies nor it requires an extraordinary talent. Convenient usage of English wherever required is enough to say that new language thing is just a gimmick. 

Picture Courtesy : nowrunning.com

To make a film around the popularity of the word 'Vaastu' is a commendable job. In the first scene, when a Vaastu consultant in a TV program gives suggestions on Vaastu and at the end of the movie, on the same TV program, when words are spoken against Vaastu are the only two instances where Vaastu discussion comes into picture. But all the while, it is said that there is nothing called Vaastu. Also, when Jaggesh and Rakshit Shetty posing as Vaastu consultants talk about Vaastu compliances and what needs to be changed in the house of the client, they do not look convincing. A hurried script is evident from the dialogues. I would have expected some funny situations arising out of misinterpretations of Vaastu or some serious debate over it. More so, because director's earlier movies had dialogues or lines in songs which mocked Vaastu. But you would find none, which is very disappointing.

Only bright aspect I could find in the movie is the melodious song - besara, kaatara, gadda, hale haadu - which you would have already heard on FM radio or seen in a TV channel. So, the movie can be avoided at best.  

Mythri reaches out well!

You can read the review of Mythri in Kannada here.

Mythri, the Kannada movie, presents a serious issue through humor as well as touches the cinematic sensibilities of the audience on the way. That apart, catchy punchlines set the tempo in the movie! It is not that movie is without stereotyped characters or predictable twists in the story. But the film manages to go beyond that and raises the voice of that social segment which is downtrodden and considered to be antisocial. We have seen the crew in other films boasting their film to be different during promotions, which more often than not prove to be false. But Mythri truly differs in treatment of the subject handled by very few. It is also heartening to see Giriraj utilizing second half and climax in the movie to full effect, which is a rare phenomenon in Kannada cinema nowadays. There is no hesitation in calling this movie, a bridge film as it finely blends elements of parallel and mainstream cinema. But some scenes which show too much violence and some which seem explicit could have been avoided. In that sense, movie could have been subtle in some aspects. Having said that I would say movie is a fine effort in a time when Kannada movie industry is stuggling to come up with original scripts.

Juvenile crime and harsh realities around it form the crux of the movie. Depiction of antisocial elements who take advantage of the loopholes in juvenile law in India and prejudices against juvenile criminals come out well in the film. Though at times one feels the shadow of the Slumdog millionaire on the movie, Mythri retains its distinctness.

Picture Courtesy : nowrunning.com

It is good to see many hands join for a movie made with a good intention. Many big names in the industry - Malayalam movie legend Mohanlal, Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar, director Shashank, Atul Kulkarni and Ravi Kale, who are known for their fine performances play their part in acting. Music maestro Ilayaraj has rendered the music for the film. Yogaraj Bhat and Jayanth Kaykini well known for their lyrics for popular Kannada numbers and poet H S Venkateshamurthy have penned the songs. Bhavana Menon, Satyajith, Sadhu Kokila play guest roles. Interestingly, director Giriraj himself has lent his voice for Ravi Kale’s role of Guli Prathap. Success of Mythri is a tribute to this combined effort as film continues to run for the second week in many theatres of Bangalore. Already the buzz in Gandhinagar is about this movie being made in Telugu with Nagarjuna playing the of role which Puneeth played. If that materializes, it would be a feather in cap for the team.

Earlier, B M Giriraj had directed a short film ‘Navilaadavaru’, much before ‘Jatta’, which won Karnataka state award for being the second best film. You can find review of ‘Navilaadavaru’ here. Also, have a look at the trailer of the movie Mythri in the youtube link below.