The Best Ad In Recent Times

It's been a while since i made a video post, so here goes.. Amidst all the rubbish they call commercials these days, this one is like a breath of fresh air.. I haven't liked any ad so much to make we wanna download it and have it on my pod but this one i did.. Maybe its cause of the really pretty woman, or the great song in the background, but everything fits perfectly.. I actually had Limca after watching this ad, beautiful (the ad.. the drink was pretty so so)

[P.S. Sushma Reddy is super hot.. We need a lot more of her on TV]

In The Age Of Technology

It all started when my sister decided that the two of us together should gift my dad an iPod.. Since i was to buy the pod in Chennai, she gave me a cheque for her share of it (I know she could have done an online transfer but that's not what i wanna discuss here).. 

Anyway, i promptly deposited the cheque at SBI when i got back to Chennai.. They said there was going to be some re-structuring at the bank and hence, it will take up to 10 days for the money to get transferred.. I was thinking "Fair enough, at least they warned me".. Ten days became fifteen and then after 21 days, i contacted them again since it still hadn't been transferred..

Now this is where SBI left me stunned.. They said they would check up on it and promptly sent a Telegram.. No, I'm not kidding, they did send a telegram.. In this day and age, when million dollar transactions are done online, our Indian banking system still depends on telegram to get messages across.. You can imagine what the net effect of this is, an additional delay that is added by the Indian Postal service.. Its been a week since the telegram was sent and still no response.. The telegram was sent to Standard Chartered; i wonder if the delay is because Standard Chartered didn't know how to respond to this or if they replied with a telegram of their own!!

On a side note, TCS is the solutions provider for SBI and one of the SBI employees had threatened to beat me up when i told them i had gotten placed in TCS.. I'm not sure though, if its the TCS service or the need to identify with the 'aam aadmi' that is making SBI use what i presume to be an obsolete method of communication..

25 Things About Me

For non facebookers..

1. The beach used to be my second home during my engineering. I was there on over 250 days during my third year.

2. Contrary to what people think, i don't like all movies. In fact, over the last year, there are barely a handful i liked.

3. My iPod has great sentimental value for me. It was the first thing i bought for myself with my salary.

4. I have sung two consecutive years at the Thyagaraja Aradhana in Thanjavur. I'm not kidding.

5. Beer is my favourite beverage. Heineken is my preferred brand.

6. I think it is okay to lie if the truth will hurt the concerned person more at present.

7. Quite a few of my friends think i am tin hearted cause i tend to be pretty indifferent at times.

8. I hate horror movies. Guys who watched Vaasthu Shastra with me will bear testimony to that.

9. I want to learn playing some musical instrument. Current inspiration is playing the guitar after watching Vaaranam Aayiram.

10. I am cricket crazy. I actually bought the Chennai Super Kings jersey for 2200 bucks.

11. I love Chennai. I think its the best city in the world.

12. I find it very hard to make conversation with people when i meet them for the first time. I'm a hoot after that.

13. I still speak only in movie names when i need to speak in Hindi.

14. My first crush was the biggest. I don't think I've ever had so many butterflies in my stomach the first time I've met anyone else. 

15. I've been abroad twice. My first trip was sponsored by my company, Yippeee!! Rio De Janeiro is on the agenda.

16. Music is an essential part of my day. I normally listen to about 3 tracks from my pod just before i sleep.

17. I tend to be very secretive about a lot of things, even to my close friends.

18. I have had big misunderstandings with almost all my friends at some point of time in the past.

19. I cannot drink water continuously i.e like *glug glug glug*

20. I think more people know me as Chandler than as Arun Chander.

21. I get very annoyed when someone corrects me, even if it is justified.

22. I love planning trips with the guys. I, in fact might do it for them even if i'm not joining them.

23. I used to be pretty sarcastic a few years ago. I've come a long way due to some persuasion (to put it lightly).

24. My bike is my most prized possession at the moment.

25. I wanna get started with my MBA soon. Work is getting monotonous.

A Week At Bengaluru

My visits to Bengaluru have risen significantly over the last four years, particularly over the last year since my sister relocated there.. Though i was born in Bengaluru (no, I'm not a kannadiga.. Very much a Tamizhian) I've never really grown fond of the place, in spite of the fact that they have better beer, better weather and a more picturesque atmosphere than Chennai..

Last week, i was sent to Bangalore on work based on the simple reasoning that since i was born there, i must know the city.. My boss was highly mistaken, i can't get to anywhere except Malleshwaram, Brigade road and Indra Nagar..

Moving on, i was there to meet some people there regarding two studies we were carrying out (I've been sworn to secrecy about what the studies involved, ping me in Private later for more details).. The first thing i realised this time was that the damn city has become hotter than Chennai.. I was so drained out after the first day that i slept 12 hours at a stretch and skipped dinner in the process..

To add to this, the people in Bengaluru were not so friendly to meet.. Most people i spoke to seemed constantly irritated and this didn't help the fact that i had a tough target (number of contacts to be made) to achieve.. What also didn't help was the Nilgiris guy calling me some 30 km away from the city to meet him and then when i get there, to have his assistant convey to me that he wasn't there then.. Highly frustrating work, i appeal to every one of you who wants to enter into consult to think about this before deciding..

The one good thing about market research though is that helps you lose your ego.. The guys you contact know that you are dependent on them and make you realise that when they speak (One gentleman from Britannia raised this bar to a new high for me).. The fact that you need to get your work done makes you swallow your pride and be courteous to him.. Good experience though.. The other big pluses were that i know Bengaluru pretty well now and can manage with my kannada a lot better..

One thing i noticed about the city is that a lot of people know Tamizh there, surprising given the anti Tamizh propaganda that is portrayed on TV.. This made travelling around the city easier.. My uncle's driver (talks only kannada) claims Chennai is not so friendly to tourists cause when he asked some auto guy here for directions, all he got was what he infers were profanities..

Padikadhavan

There are few films that inspire you to review them at 2 in the night.. Padikadhavan is one such movie.. Not for how good the film was or how much Tamanah lived up to expectations (both of which didn't happen) but for how much the movie insults one's intelligence..

Typical mass entertainer with zero logic, which would've been okay if it had some good humour or good songs, something for me to write about here.. The songs are the worst i've heard in a while.. Humour was there in abundance but it was at the expense of the movie.. I don't remember ever laughing so hard during the intermission.. We had our own doubts that Sathyam would throw us out for the noise we were making in the corridor..

The irritating part was how they wasted good actors.. Shayaji Shinde and Atul Kulkarni are good actors, its a pity they waste their time with such movies.. Vivek's jokes were okay in parts.. I still can't fathom why Tamanah agreed to do this movie.. 

There was a joke in the movie (strictly for Tamizh folks) where when Tamanah says she can't stand the sight of Dhanush, he says "Paatha pudikadhu, Paaka paaka dhaan pudikum".. Narayan joked that the same would be the case with the movie but unfortunately, it went from bad to worse.. I dread to imagine what it would be like watching "Villu" given most reviewers claimed Padikadhavan was a better movie!!

The Year That Was

2008 began on a high.. I had just returned from Dubai, work was going great and i was enjoying every moment of it.. CAT results were out, i had done well enough to inspire me for the following year.. This is beginning to sound very geeky, but anyway, Life couldn't have been better..

2008 had a lot of firsts for me..

My first foreign trip with friends.. Singapore is easily the most fun I've had on a trip and the most money I've blown in four days time.. Money well spent though!

My first IPL experience.. This topic has been beaten to death and I'll move on.. I'll leave you with Niru's brilliant photographic skills though..

My poonal experience.. I know its the first and last, but what the hell.. To quote gau, i finally got 'Poonaled' at the 'tender age' of 23.. My family thought it would be fun to club this with my cousin sister's marriage and Voila!, i am officially a Brahmana now.. I'm probably the first to get 'Poonal Bumps', thanks guys, what would i do without you people!

My first experience at a disc.. Began by going to two discs at Singapore, both of which had amazing energy.. Dublin though was an extreme disappointment.. It was a Friday night and there were barely 20 people.. While i didn't shake a leg at any of the above places, i will remember them for other events that took place..

My first highway drive.. Got to drive the car from Hosur to Vellore on NH4 (Or is it NH7, I'm not really sure).. It was great fun and i probably should start taking the car out more often..


The first wedding in our group.. Shweta got married December 6th.. All of a sudden, i feel much older now (It's also probably cause the grey hair has begun to show.. Beginning of wisdom? Probably not.).. Congrats Shweta! Happy married life..

This was also the year i had a huge misunderstanding with a dear dear friend of mine, which thankfully was resolved without much damage.. And another first, which i dare not discuss in a public domain..

Last but not least, attending Conferences.. This had to be the biggest waste of my time this year.. I can understand people higher up in the organization attending them but sending me was a big mistake.. 6 wasted days, unfortunately i wasn't given a choice..

Somehow managed to squeeze in a trip to Delhi, a couple of road trips, one to Pondy and one to Mahabs.. I know they aren't long trips but great fun never the less..


After what has been a rather eventful year, things are strangely not how they began at all.. Change of job? Change of city even maybe? Higher studies? What about my personal life? Get serious with someone - yes or no? Clearly more questions than answers.. Hopefully the year ahead gives me the answers to these.. Happy New Year! Cheers!

Insights From IPL @ Chennai

After going to 5 matches at the Chepauk, my IPL quota for the season is coming to an end with just 2 more to go.. Great cricket (most times, especially against Punjab) apart, there have been quite a few things that have stood out for me..

1. No matter how many cricket superstars are there on the field, the loudest noise is for our own superstar - Thailavar Rajnikath.. All this without him being present there.. The loudest cheers in the stadium are reserved for whenever his songs are played..

2. Cheer leaders haven't lived up to the hype the politicians have created.. After reading all the comments made by these self appointed moral authoritarians, i expected it to be a tad more exciting to say the least.. Disappointing..

3. Each performance at the matches so far have been moderate to poor barring the Naresh Iyer, Benny, Suchitra gig and to a certain extent Karthik's performance.. While the acoustics were horrible during Hariharan's performance, Anuradha ruined hers by singing a modified version of We Will Rock You which surely would have had 'Queen' turning in their grave..

4. Krishnamachari Srikanth maybe a world cup winner and probably the most prolific player from Chennai so far in cricket but is easily the most annoying of the Set Max lot.. It begins with his accented English and goes on to his singing the Chennai Super Kings song when they ask him for comments.. He would do well to learn from his other distinguished World Cup winenr who happens to be present at all Chennai matches, Ravi Shastri..

5. Pommie Mbangwa is probably more famous in Chennai than he is back in Zimbabwe.. The number of people trying to get his attention in the stands is pretty surprising..

6. The DJ (if that is what you call the guy playing the music during the matches) was on song during the Punjab match.. Starting off with 'Pretty Woman' for Priety Zinta, started belting out of lots of 'situation' songs.. "Singam Pola" , "Raja Kaiya Vecha", "Annatha Aadurar" were the best timed..

7. The Chennai Super Kings management, India Cements, are a big bunch of idiots.. I've been waiting for the Reebok jersey to come out since the tournament started and still no signs.. The Reebok guy jokes saying it'll probably come only after the tournament is over.. In contrast is Shah Rukh Khan, who along with Reebok has opened an exclusive Kolkata Knight Riders shop in Kolkata to sell their merchandise..

8. Sivamani is an amazing entertainer.. The guy has phenomenal energy and the crowds seem to love him.. I was pleasantly surprised by the response he got for the mere mention of his name even.. He keeps moving from stand to stand and plays a piece whenever Chennai hit a boundary, pick up a wicket or just cause he feels like.. Good move by India Cements here.. I had forgotten to mention this before.. Credit to J for reminding me..

9. Last but not least, half the people with camera phones are crazy.. I can understand them taking photos of themselves at the ground or some celebrity or some hot chick but taking photos of cheer leaders some 200 meters away using a VGA or a 1.3 meg camera made absolutely no sense..

I'm sure there were more interesting moments, just can't seem to remember anymore now.. Here's wishing Chennai Super Kings the best of luck..