Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Videographic

The silliest music videos, anyone? Here's my pick.


1. 'Your Disco Needs You' by Kylie Minogue
And this drag-queen-celebration comes from the woman who gave us Can't Get You Out Of My Head! Probably the gay anthem of the millenium, but its so damn catchy...


2. 'Physical' by Olivia Newton John
I love this song, but the video remains one of the biggest laugh riots I've ever been through, and its not a thing to boast of. The video, however, does match up to the song's brazen-ness, considering the time frame in which it was launched. A cultural landmark, then, now, forever.


3. 'I'm Too Sexy' by Right Said Fred
How much worse can it get? I don't even have the wits to comment.


4. 'Boom Boom' by Nazia Hassan
We all love Indipop (or atleast I do), but this video is a perfect weapon - in case you ever want to prove to your elder brother/sister who was a teen in the 90s that his generation is more stupid than ours. 


5. 'I Want to Love You Tender' by Armi ja Danny
The video compliments the song in its stupidity. Even beats it. But those extras are the best ever! Am I the only one, or does the song feel like a Revolutionary Russian Song adapted to a ballad?


6. 'Hooked on a Feeling' by David Hasselhof
Hooga Hooga Ooga Chaka? Yup. Looks like the Hof left his brains inside Pamela's implants.


7. 'The Music's No Good Without You' by Cher
Yes, she's a diva, but this... (oddly, it feels slightly inspired by 'Made in India')


8. 'Tunak Tunak Tun' by Daler Mahendi
An ode to the Punjabi Paunch; and a  million questions. Including why on earth the background features the St. Basil's Cathedral.


9. 'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash
Ah, Americans... 


10. 'I Am A Disco Dancer' by Mithun Chakraborty (The singer can go to hell)
And here's the crowning glory. Words escape me. I can only thank (?) the friend who made me sit through this. 

Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Extra-Terrestrial

{Before I get raped by the ongoing Housing design semester, I want to properly sign off for a two-week hiatus (till my Design Jury on the 3rd, atleast)}




How often have you tuned into a Bollywood number and seen flashes of colour-coded dancers behind the gyrating filmstar? Well, extras may remain blurred behind the pallu, but these unsung heroes provide quite a lot of conversation material when it comes to discussing Bollywood Quirks. Here's quick critique through ten (self proclaimed) exceptional cases of the quintessential bollywood extra.





Theres no better way to create fusion dances than intersperse pseudo-ballets with violent fits of 'adaab', Add in a lot of green bell-bottoms and armpit stains to match the lead-actresses, and we've got a winning combo. Here's the perfect example of the bollywood extra as a set of cloned background fillers. Mubaraka Mubaraka from Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya, veritable box-office dud.





Heres the sequence where the extras do the dance (read bobbing around) while the leads wander around in slutty contemplation. Notice that  although each extra wears a horrendous outfit (sequinned bikini tops for blouses? Ekta Kapoor's better), their rhythmic bobbing and dulhan-ki-saheli dimwittedness succesfully draw attention away from the misgivings of the leads acting prowess-es. Saajan Saajan Saajan from Barssat, before Priyanka Chopra learned to act and Bipasha Basu lost weight.





Probably the most famous set of Bollywood Extras in Indian Cinematic history. Who can't help visualizing a dozen dupatta-shimmying punjabi females rise slowly out of mustard fields while you gaze out from a train between Ludhiana and Jalandhar? Even more so if you have to do the same when you're in the middle of Trafalgar square and have to make do with pigeons rather than the salwar-kameez brigade. A succesful case of extras-given-and-getting attention. Ghar Aaja Pardesi from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, bollywood behemoth and yardstick for all nri-dramas to follow.





Here's the extra who has no other work than showing us how the dance steps are correctly executed, in case our gifted lead doesn't realize that there is more to dance than boob-and-butt thrusts, and her choreographer stops showing that fat people can dance too. Koi Aaye Toh Le Jaye from Ghatak, a movie largely notable for Mamta Kulkarni's surprising survival in Bollywood.





The bollywood extra that affirms to a social fact - that the average Indian male is horny and alcoholic, and would willingly lust after beautiful czech women who pop up in drinking binges riding a buffalo. A clever trick, as PETA remains unable to figure out which animal is opressed. Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo from Dum, more famous for this song (and Yana Gupta) than anything else, including Viveik Oberoi's lamentable acting skills.





Similar to the above, but slightly different in its portrayal of the lawless north Indian male. Also, testimony to the fact that most Indian men have two left feet and may occasionally need a gyrating female in order to behave like sex-starved buffoons. Main Aayi Hoon UP Bihar Lootne from Shool, which catapulted Shilpa Shetty to her standing as the most succesful waist-management executive in Indian movies.





The extra does not need to be a youngster who can dance - it can be a group of adam-teasing females as well! Here's the bollywood ode to aunties who think age has no place in having fun (or in synchronized dancing around sewing machines). Also, a lingering sense of Jane Fonda in the purely aerobic-studio feel to the choreography. Chikni Soorat from Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke, a memorable movie with little to lament about, honestly.





Weddings honestly bring out the silliest in extra-terrestrial behaviour. Apart from what seems to be a transgender bullfrog taking the lead vocals (and visualization), there is a whole range of  witless shaadi-goers who seem to have been picked from a sprinkling of Complan, VICCO and other FMCG advertisements. Dhinak Dhinak Dha from Parineeta, a song that destroys the otherwise fine roster of songs from a finer movie.





Heres the set of extras that probably go on to specialize in opening ceremonies of mega sporting events the world over, having displayed prowess in dancing like they're overdosed on viagra in costumes of that overwhelming magnitude. Dola Re from Devdas, a fitting over-the-top tribute to an over-the-top magnum opus.





The extra who works with a director kind enough to give each one a personal screenshot gets away with proving that exaggeration is an art indeed. Apart form impossibly idiotic eye-popping faces, the video is also an excellent documentation of the grunge/everyday look that was once the rage of all of tinsel town and bollywood songs, replete with a cast of extras that can give 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' a run for its money when it comes to social inclusivity. Rangeela Re from Rangeela, which, in my opinion, is the one song that successfully characterizes the charged up bollywood youth.


Understandably, many more exist. Do leave them in comments.


Until next time, Au Revoir.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

music/metro/urbanity


{My favourite movie scene ever - a clip from the movie 'Babel', directed by Alejandro Gonzales Inaritu, music by Gustavo Santaolalla (who won the oscar for this)}

iPod on. Genius option under use. 'Notes' being used to prepare rough timeline.

'Secret Garden' by Madonna

Having passed through security and floor polishers, I'm standing (alone) on a platform floating between the 10.45 pm darkness of the eternally-under-construction Aastha Kunj and the halogen-lit towers of Nehru Place. 


'Stepping Stones' by The Aditya Balani Group

I can make out the outline of the Lotus Temple in the skyline. Takes a hard bit of peering, but the curve is there. Silly smile on my face. A train appears out of nowhere, taking a bend in nothingness. I board and take a corner seat, two strangers sit at the far-end of the coach, fiddling on their mobiles. As the train passes by the Intercontinental Eros, the diwali lights of residential Delhi and random establishments blur past, and the song draws to a close.

'I Set my Face to the Hillside' by Tortoise 

I'm approaching Ring Road now, the Moolchand crossing underneath. Headlights and Tail-lights stream by at a four-level crossing. I can see the illuminated dome of the Humayun's Tomb in a distance and as the train curves down toward the underground, the remnant spotlights on Nehru Stadium and what I think are the lights of Rajpath and India Gate. I realize that my camera is not the only reason why I love this city.

'Cry me a River' by Julie London
'
The train is now underground, and the volume is raised. Empty stations, through opened doors. An empty train reflected in the window glass.

'The Flower Called Nowhere' by Stereolab

Changing trains at Central Secretariat. Never seen the station so empty. Couple of people around, all running to catch the last train. Another seat, but a coach with a dozen more people.

'Sparks' by Royksopp

More people stream in at Rajiv Chowk. An equal number stream out at Kashmere Gate. The train is empty once more.

'Lost in a Moment' by Shrift

More empty stations. Emptier coach. A metropolis of twenty million above. Alone, underneath.

'Crystal Illusions' by Sergio Mendes and Brasil'66

Walking out of Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station. Decide to sit and wait for a bus, knowing that it won't come. Just an excuse to enjoy the song. More traffic streams past. Sort of like long-exposure photography re-interpreted in terms of bossa nova. Finally decide to hail a Rickshaw. 

'Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)' by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto

Chilly November air. Adrenalin fuelled Rickshaw-wala. Streetlights. Home in sight.


The music paused. Restiveness awaits.


'I'll be Home for Dinner' by deviantArt-ist Kvikken.



Friday, October 29, 2010

stupidity central

an advocate was apprehended by the police near jawaharlal nehru stadium a few days ago. his crime? stealing flowerpots. or gamlas, as i'd call them. way to go, legal eagle. apart from going gaga over a potted plant, you've inspired a brand new blog entry.

delhi - stupidity central.

don't get me wrong. i love delhi, and as all my friends and relatives know, it beats the ass out of any other city in the country. and part of the city's charms are its witless side-dishes.

1. 'corpses not allowed'
oh dear. i doubt anyone would want to carry a dead body for cremation at nigambodh ghat using delhi metro. however, just in case, the metro ensures that the deceased are carried forth in less crowded means of commuting.

2. 'ladies seat', 'bhaiya, ladies ko jagah deejiye', 'aaj kal ke ladke... (*^@*&#^*'
you know, i'd rather pay taxes to have women out of delhi's public transport systems. the young ones don't sit and giggle as if hell has broken loose. the middle aged ones do not take the seats provided for them and stand and grumble. worse still, they lose all pretenses about their unflattering looks, and believe that all of mankind is out to rape them. trust me (and us), we do not want living nightmares. the old ones, though, are all kind and generous.

3. 'keep right for i.s.b.t.'
this sign wouldn't be here if it was on a big blue overhead board rather than printed on an a3 sheet, laminated (to add shine) and left to hang from the newly planted trees along ring road. i can only commend the police officer who felt the need to give lost drivers some direction. too bad you can't see the sign in the foliage.

4. 'bhoomigat paidal paar path'
sanskritization  may be a debatable issue, but this is plain stupid. it takes five minutes for a person to figure out that the above is actually a subway (irrespective of his/her english knowledge).


5. 'tera tera teraaa surroooooooor...'
yes, your phone can play mp3 ringtones, but that is no reason to subject the next person by selecting the most horrendous ringtones known to mankind. and that includes 'lal lal kurti mein gora sa badan', 'de de party tu aaj meri jaan' and other haryanvi horrors.


many more exist... go ahead and state.

Friday, October 15, 2010

bawdi's big boss

what with bigg boss making waves in its self created seas of idiocy, my mind takes flights of fancy... what if i picked the next bigg boss inmates? well, i'd make sure things get rocky... here's my selection for future editions of bigg boss...

season 5
the pakistani flag, the pakistani delegation to the commonwealth games, and suresh kalmadi - and we shall watch the delegation bicker for the flag while kalmadi deviously screws them all.

season 6
mamta bannerjee, ratan tata and a gear box. that nano issue will reach its grandest ending.

season 7
lalit bhanot and a w/c. no elaboration needed - theres shit in both of them, and neither can figure out the other.

season 8
rakhi sawant and that lady of justice statue you see in courts. to see whose 'insaaf' is blinder and better.

season 9
lindsay lohan, sasha baron cohen and the human psyche. the winner will be the first one to say, "Hello, I am Lindsay Lohan..."

season 10
raj thackeray and laloo prasad yadav. marathi manoos vs the bihari babu, while we kill two birds with one stone... err... trp.

season 11
mayawati and louis vuitton - let the battle of the handbags begin.

season 12
bobby darling and aryan vaid. for those who don't know, and most don't, bobby was singing "Main teri hi jaanu (I am yours, O beloved)" while aryan swam in a small pool in small trunks, in their first bigg boss stint. this should make the show borderline disgusting.

season 13
robert pattison and a million twilight fans. everybody will be satisfied - dead edward, lust satiated fans, and relieved outsiders shocked at the brouhaha over an attractive bloodsucker.

season 14
an australian, a washing machine and sachin tendulkar. all of them willingly blast tons.

season 15
mandira bedi and a wok full of noodles. the winner will be the 'strappiest'.


any ideas for further seasons? comment! (yes, its a desperate plea to get some, seeing that my blog has been comment-less)




Thursday, October 14, 2010

Ode to the CWG

(i've been angered by a few facebookers who prompted me to write this out)

Alright-
to those who said the games would not happen
to those who said the games should not happen
go get a life.

I've seen a couple of caustic remarks on facebook from people who can't even manage a group of five for ten minutes. I'd like to see them manage a city of twenty million for fourteen days DEMOCRATICALLY and then act oh-so-intellectual about it. For god's sake, have the ability to be objective before self appointing yourself as critic supreme. The games HAVE been a decent success, and obviously, an awesome learning experience for anything in the future. Glitches remain, but then again, the current generation of the country's karta-dhartas need to get their asses out of a system that they have screwed till no end.

The opening ceremony was awesome. I won't bother explaining the hows and whys and whats.

The games went off pretty well - I attended a few events, and can justifiably say so.

As far as the closing ceremony is concerned, it was a bit stretchy, and half as good as the opening, but still a fun show to go through. The schoolkids segment was great, and for gods sake, do you expect 15000 firangi delegates to sit through a selection of Indian music alone? They WERE dancing it out to shaan and shiamak on one love and whatever (i won't comment on their english singing abilities as i've heard myself do the same) , so shut your trap.

And for gods sake, Glasgow's sequence was nice at best - a set of blimps and chunni-stretching Scotsmen creating a Scottish flag next to the aerostat above their heads - VERY impressive, right? X( (that was sarcastic, if you didn't get it still)

So, to conclude, I shall temper my temper. PLEASE look at things objectively - you now have a city that you can drive in easily, a metro system that you can boast of, good sporting facilities, and for my fellow architects - FOOTPATHS YOU CAN WALK ON (isn't that what you've been crying for for over a decade in your cars now?) ! There are more people using these things than living in our levels of comfort, its a great gift for them. I for one, find it half as cumbersome now to head across the city than a month ago. Don't go cribbing about post-games maintenance - you'll have yourselves to blame. The legacy is for us to propogate and appreciate, so stop throwing mud at your own reflections.

I hope better sense prevails. And Happy Puja/Navratris/Dussehra to all. :)


Postscript

Undoubtedly, the days to follow will see a lot of mudslinging, and the sting operations and revelations and what not. Can't comment on that, but atleast those who made things difficult will get caught.

And also, there are still going to be those who take the Mani Shankar Aiyar stand on things - "The money could have been better spent...". HOW? He never managed a single sane decision in his tenure as minister, and I don't expect these soothsayers to come up with practical solutions. The games were a big blow-up, yes, but do you realize that we've won 101 medals (there's your hidden talent), apart from good exposure and better infrastructure? Tell me, did you HONESTLY know that lawn bowls was a sport that existed before this? Or that the commonwealth is so huge? Go, spend your money "better". Things happen in steps, and Pride always sets an example that people will WANT to follow rather than acting purely for necessity's sake. Hypocrites.

Post-Post Script

The discussion has evolved, and I'd like to clarify a few things. One can say that the overall theme for the final ceremony was not in the best of tastes - too mass oriented with its bollywood bent. I can only fairly say that the organizers were looking at a target audience as huge as you could imagine. In all fairness, they would have to be mass oriented! The panache WAS missing, but I reassert, thats not the best rationale to lambast the thing.

And, we've now a platform to judge ourselves on! Don't we now expect much more of ourselves? This wouldn't have been possible if we were left groping in the dark while were "spending wisely".

And a final and, I went to the games with my group of friends with pre-arranged tickets that one of them went and bought after waiting for an hour, and as one friend points out, might give me a false impression of things. First off, obviously I'd go with a 'group' rather than people I don't particularly enjoy hanging around. Secondly, the poor guy who took the effort to go and get tickets agrees with my stand on things. Ask Abhinav Gupta (sorry for naming him) if you think I'm bluffing.

I'd really appreciate views on all that I've said.

Monday, October 11, 2010

soundtrack for a seven hour roadtrip from delhi to shekhawati via the haryanvi hinterland. and back.

nothing matches the indian hinterland quite like the drive from delhi to my village in rajasthan, passing through mofussil india's most inspiringly boring towns, where the most interesting things are usually the names (chirawa, rewari and narnaul), apart from the odd sari (and ghoonghat) clad motorcyclist, like a new age kali off to behead mahishasura on a pulsar.

and my companion on this enlightening journey was my ipod. i concede. apple rules.

seven hours later, i found myself a list of songs perfect for that roadtrip. here we go.

1. when the engine starts and the car picks up

the slow build up to speed. the excitement of the oncoming journey. all very romantic till you're stuck in a jam on outer ring road.

around the world | daft punk


2. speeding it up on the highway

true, as we hit a 100 on the rather uninspiring nh-8, watching dividers zoom by before veering out of the way of a truck which seems to have evolved from a rampaging bull, you appreciate the beauty of a smooth highway.

the english motorway system | black box recorder

3. off the expressway, into the hinterland

when the sign points to rewari, and the ramp curves into a thicket of trees, you get all romantic - the hinterland awaits. and true to its mystic attraction, the sight of the silk smita-esque pulsar driver honking at a slow tractor makes you realize that haryana truly is great.

possibly maybe | bjork

4. the town(s) of potholed roads

the romance enters a patchy phase when dramatic settlements like narnaul and rewari give to you their roadways. and the potholes.
these magnificent rubble holes jostle your entire being, and are effective chiropractors. as your booty sways to the shaking vehicle, disco fills up your mind.

rambha ho | bappi lahiri, feat vocals by usha uthup

5. held up by the bovine

and just when you think the potholes have passed away, you are stopped for a special screening of seductive cows and macho buffaloes peacefully crossing the road, at a pace that makes you fully appreciate the sway of their hindsides.

slow | kylie minogue

6. between sun and sand

adrenaline runs high again on those tarmac goddesses with sand on either side and the sun in a deep blue sky blazing down. truly, the sanest part of the roadtrip.

neon beanbag | stereolab

7. the destination in sight

the promise of a soft bed, a calm sleep and a warm dinner makes you mellow. the onset of evening makes it better.

ay hairathe ashiqui | a r rahman, feat vocals by alka yagnik and hariharan

8. depart again

as you rise at an unearthly hour when all is still dark, and bats fly out where you expect peacocks, you slowly realize you are in the middle of a star lit desert, and that the moonlight is strong enough for you to read your novels in. the drama of the expanse sets in.

felt mountain | goldfrapp

9. desert sunrise

and you're sleepy. and you're in the car. and on a road that stretches on forever.
then you catch sight of the sun rising over mustard fields and sandy knolls, and all is redeemed.

songbird | music from the lonely planet

10. breakfast at the dhaba

a brick structure painted in garish green goes by the name of baghban but whips up less melodramatic samosas and chai. as you sit in your car, sarson ke khet to the left and the state highway to the right, you half expect bollywood to conjure itself up.

ghar aaja pardesi | jatin lalit, feat vocals by pamela chopra and manpreet

11. mofussil vegetables

as you drive back through old pal rewari, and stop in its excruciatingly morose subzi mandi, you pick up vegetables that are proof of the great indian agro life. 

ch. galaxy | towa tei

12. back on smooth tarmac

the road curves gently back onto the expressway, and you realize that you are back in the future, and are slowly inching back into you comfort zone.

bossa for jackie (dedicated to mrs. kennedy) | fantastic plastic machine

13. urbanity revisited

the huge jockey ad hanging by the side of a hafeez contractor neogothic tower (the two are perfect for each other) points out that you are back in urbania. 

ray of light | madonna

14. home again

and the car turns into the driveway. home sweet home.

bluestocking | momus

playlist for 1-14


MusicPlaylistRingtones
Create a playlist at MixPod.com


15. looking back

and as i write this blog, one final song reverberates. a classic that has come to define conceptual music, as well as fit this post perfectly.

autobahn | kraftwerk



Kraftwerk - Autobahn .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine





Sunday, October 3, 2010

bwg to cwg

i've just finished watching an impressive opening ceremony for the 2010 commonwealth games, and i must say, kalmadi and company have redeemed themselves. i might even consider voting the congress back in, next elections.


so here's setting the record straight.


it wasn't all that rosy, parts of the show sucked -


1. doordarshan telecasts - with 5 minute long ads that stretched the ceremony to an hour after the real thing had ended. evidently, doordarshan has made all the money it has lost since star plus came around. if it weren't for the indian railways ad, doordarshan could have transformed a good effort into the most boring spectacle of mankind.


2. doordarshan presenters - the guy should be mummified. hopelessly un-informed. and that female? with a hint of cleavage? doordarshan, get a life.


3. 'dear mr. xyz, and mr. abc, and mr. 123, and mr...' - bureaucrats will never change. the idiots. for gods sake, leave the buttering up for once. it may do no harm the butter-er or the butter-ed, but the bread (us) is the one who ends up having high cholesterol. bad joke and pun, but the intentions are good, anyway.


4. co-ordination blues - didn't really come out as much, but there was a visible co-ordination issue among the dancers. or maybe it was just the indian-ness coming out.


5. 'mile sur mera tumhara...' - the whole ceremony did list towards the 'unity in diversity' pitch, and we seriously need to move away from stereotyping all mega-events as such.


but, the show was god damn awesome -


1. i cant stop praising indian railways - amazing theme, excellent orchestration. the only part of the show that actually captured indian life, as it is.


2. the indian railways advert needs a special mention. what started as what i thought was a vodafone commercial ended with nice little surprise. and the calcutta setting... :)


3. the lightworks - the tensile looked great, both on the field and out of it, thanks to the great lighting system in place


4. the fireworks - which continued their reign as the best part of opening ceremonies the world over.


5. the aerostat - the blimp rocked. hands down.


and thankfully international reception has been good, for the most part.


1. bbc called the show 'borderline magical' in its opening ceremony.


2. the australians are an impressed lot as well. the herald sun calls the show 'brilliant' under a special section labelled 'delhi dazzles' and in a poll, 92% respondents are glad they stayed up past the witching the hour to catch the live telecast. the australian reports 'india sweeps aside game shame'.


3. for a nation that does not participate in the cwg, usa's cnn carried the delhi games report at the very top and calls the ceremony 'lavish' but is yet to update the whole section.


4. uk's the daily mail has no mention of the event on its front page... or the site listings for that matter. for them, the rain halted ryder cup (golf) holds precedence, as they ponder on the state of the waterlogged (read puddles) course. apart from a small rider saying 'fear of attack looms over commonwealth games opening'. xenophobes. X(


5.  canada's the star says 'cwg opening ceremony goes off without a hitch'. not very flattering as a title. 'You could almost hear the estimated 64,000 in attendance at New Delhi’s renovated Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium breath a collective sigh of relief.' yeah. up his ass, probably. X(


6. the globe and mail, another canadian, has been less xenophobic, but relatively mum on the whole extravaganza. and all this from a country which apart from hosting an equally, if not more, chaotic set of cwgs, also took 30 years to clear the debts of what is called the biggest debacle in olympic history - montreal 76.


7. the kiwis were closer to aussies - the nz herald calls the opening ceremony 'spectacular' and gives a nice review with odd sprinklings of 'exotic', 'colourful', 'exciting' and 'breathtaking'.


8. back to the uk. the website of the daily mirror hit me as a porn classified at first, and digging deep into the sport section, one finds an impressed reviewer, though his report lies buried between the sexiest men of the week and a discussion on posh beckham's bust.


and now, for some tongue in cheek. awards for the night's performances -


1. the redemption award - suresh kalmadi and company, for narrowly escaping the death penalty by delivering a satisfying show.


2. the worst dressed award - shared by pratibha patil and mamta bannerjee. while patil continued to wipe off sweat and sport a full sleeve blouse (in the heat) in the same breath, mamta managed to succesfully look like mother teresa as a tihar inmate. ar rahman would be the runner up for wearing his shoe-choice.


3. the historian award - to suresh kalmadi again, for reliving half of india's modern political history in his dedication speech and forcing all others to do the same.


4. the moneymaker award - to doordarshan, for making more money on adverts than it has ever done in its existence.


5. the lightweight award - to the helium blimp, or as every official will tell you, the aerostat. as spectacular as they claimed.


6. the politically incorrect award - to doordarshan commentators, for forgetting camilla parker bowles' surname, then changing it to camilla parking balls, before establishing bonhomie by simply calling her camilia. no long legs, k3g style, to talk off though.


7. the invisible award - the flame of the queens baton. did anyone see a fire in the stick?


8. the fancy dress award - to the women carrying the nations signposts in the march of the nations segment. 71 different dresses, and the commentator rightly said 'designers ko isse bahut saare ideas mil rahe hoge'.


9. the snubbed award - poor old shera. he was the mascot, but did anyone see him in the ceremony?


10. the late latif awards - shared by all dads who maintained that dd's hour late telecast was 'live', and our globe hopping compatriots who missed an entertaining evening. the loss is theirs.