Sunday, October 24, 2010

Dhoni and his Wife Sakshi Singh Rawat At Goa Beach,


The third and final One-Day International amid India and Australia was on Sunday alone after a brawl actuality bowled due to wet outfield acquired by brief rains to accord the hosts a 1-0 alternation victory, their aboriginal over the Aussies in over two decades.

With the abandonment of Sunday's ODI, the additional such case in the three-match series, Australia alternate home after acceptable a distinct bold on their bout of India. They had absent the two-match Test alternation 0-2 afore the ODI series.








Sakshi enjoys on Goa beeches.And captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni acclaimed the bout blanch by spending time with wife Sakshi on the acclaimed Goa beaches.

India had baffled Australia by bristles wickets in the additional ODI at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday while the aboriginal bout in Kochi was done out.

Indian skipper MS Dhoni and wife Sakshi accept a bang in Goa.India, thus, alveolate up their aboriginal anytime blanch of Australia in both Test and ODI alternation on the aforementioned tour.

This is additionally the aboriginal time that Australia bootless to win a distinct bout on the aforementioned bout adjoin any country in their history. India had aftermost won a mutual ODI alternation adjoin Australia in 1986-87 back they prevailed 3-2 at home.

Umpires Billy Bowden and Amish Saheba fabricated two inspections of the Jawaharlal Nehru Amphitheater arena afore chief to carelessness the bout because of the wet outfield that persisted admitting the sun animated brightly.

In amid these two inspections, battling skippers Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Michael Clarke additionally came out to go about the outfield and were apparent accepting a continued altercation with the umpires.

The wicket looked in acceptable action but the elimination of rainwater through the covers larboard the outfield damp.The morning, though, began with the anticipation of a concise bout actuality played with the sun animated brightly.

The arena was covered with tarpaulins brief which adequate best genitalia of it but still there were some elimination in the outfield. A supersopper was active to abolish the baptize from the covers.

Goa Cricket Association accept promised to acquittance the tickets through branches of the Federal Bank all over India from October 28.The accommodation army of 27,000 sat through the absolute amphibiology afore trooping home.

Even the players of both the sides, except for the two captains, did not appear to the stadium. The two coaches, Gary Kirsten and Tim Nielsen, were additionally apparent at the ground.

Not a fine balance


Oh, for a Roger Binny or a Madan Lal. Or an Anil Kumble. Without someone emulating their feats next February and March, Indian dreams of World Cup glory are likely to get a cold-water reality check long before the final on April 2. If history has taught us anything, it's that the team with the best bowlers wins the competition. It may have evolved from a two-week sprint in 1975 to a six-week marathon these days, but the formula for success has changed little. Teams that bowl the opposition out win trophies. Those that bowl waist-high full tosses and concede 84 runs in the final five overs, as India did during the victory in Vishakapatnam, usually end up watching the final stages on television.

Back in '75, not one West Indian batsman made more than 200 runs. But with Bernard Julien and Keith Boyce taking 10 wickets and Andy Roberts eight, the men from the Caribbean weren't handicapped by the inconsistency of the batsmen. It was a slightly different story four years later, with Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards topping the run charts, but once again the quick bowlers brooked no opposition. Michael Holding, Colin Croft and Joel Garner all took eight wickets, while Roberts had seven. Not one of them conceded more than 3.77 an over and the 'worst' average (21.5) was Garner's, despite the trophy-winning 5 for 38 at Lord's.

Though they lost the final in 1983, the trend continued, with Indian success primarily the handiwork of their unheralded medium-pacers. Kapil Dev was fifth on the run charts with 303, but no other Indian featured in the top 10. It was a different story with the ball, as Binny took 18 wickets and Madan Lal just one less. Kapil finished on 12 (at a measly economy rate of 2.91), the same as Marshall and Holding, the last man out in that memorable final.

India's failure to defend the title four years later can be attributed to the fact that only Maninder Singh (14 wickets) made a significant impact with the ball. Once Graham Gooch started to sweep at will in the semi-final, India had no one else to turn to. Australia's success owed much to David Boon and Geoff Marsh [second and third on the run chart, behind Gooch], but the game-breaker in the semi-final against a formidable Pakistani side was Craig McDermott, the highest wicket-taker with 18. Steve Waugh's composure at the death also contributed 11 wickets.

When Imran Khan finally got what he wanted in Australia four years later, he was indebted to Javed Miandad, Rameez Raja and Aamer Sohail, each of whom finished with more than 300 runs. But the real catalysts for the triumph could be seen right at the top of the bowling tree. Wasim Akram's beguiling left-arm pace accounted for 18 wickets, while Mushtaq Ahmed's leg spin took 16. There was also the parsimonious Aaqib Javed, who bottled up one end and took 11 wickets.

When Pakistan were thrashed in the final eight years later, they again had some of the competition's finest bowlers. Saqlain Mushtaq took 17 wickets, Shoaib Akhtar 16 and Wasim 15. Unfortunately, they were up against even more irresistible forces. Shane Warne had 20 and Glenn McGrath 18, while Damien Fleming's sterling support fetched him 14.

When Australia swept all before them on their way to retaining their title in South Africa, both Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist made more than 400 runs, but were still well behind India's opening combination of Sachin Tendulkar (673) and Sourav Ganguly (465). The cutting edge came from the bowlers, with Brett Lee taking 22 wickets and McGrath 21. The under-rated Andy Bichel took 16. India beat every other team that they faced, with Zaheer Khan taking 18 wickets, Javagal Srinath 16 and Ashish Nehra 15. They had one bad day, in the final, and that was that.

The Australian dominance was even more overpowering in 2007, with Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting scoring nearly 1200 runs between them. The performances of Shaun Tait (23 wickets) and Brad Hogg (21) meant that the injured Brett Lee was hardly missed, but once again it was the incomparable McGrath that led the pack, with 26 wickets at 13.73.

So, with a bowling line-up that leaks runs so badly in the climactic stages of an innings, does India have any hope? Yes, assuming they can do what Sri Lanka did in 1996. Back then, Arjuna Ranatunga's side didn't have one bowler among the top 15 wicket-takers. Muttiah Muralitharan was their top man, but seven wickets in six games was nothing to write home about in a competition where Kumble took 15 and Warne 12.

What Sri Lanka did have was a dynamic batting order, superbly anchored by Asanka Gurusinha (307 runs at 51.16). Aravinda de Silva produced batting masterclasses in the semi and final on his way to finishing third on the run chart, while Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya also scored at well over a run a ball. No matter what the opposition scored, Sri Lanka backed themselves to get it, with batsmanship that was both classical and innovative.

As Wednesday's game showed, there's little wrong with India's batting reserves. But with just three months to go for the World Cup, it's hard to escape the feeling that all the golden eggs are in the batting basket. A cursory look at bowling figures from the past year would fill a fan with dread, not confidence, especially since the matches have been played in the conditions the team will face during the World Cup.

Nehra is India's top wicket-taker since last October, with 36 wickets from 26 games, but an economy rate of 6.06 reveals how he too has struggled with bowling at the death. Zaheer Khan (16 wickets at 38.56 from 13 games) and Ishant Sharma (14 at 29.14 from 10 games) have played intermittantly, but economy rates of 5.63 and 5.98 are hardly what World Cup wins are made of.

Praveen Kumar has taken 23 wickets in 20 games while giving away 5.4 an over, but once the ball stops swinging, he's likely to be treated to the Cameron White method. The alternatives? There really aren't any. Vinay Kumar lacks pace, Irfan Pathan and RP Singh struggle to get wickets at domestic level and Sreesanth has an economy rate of 7.28 from his eight appearances this year.

The spin situation isn't as dire. Harbhajan Singh has 23 wickets from 17 games (economy rate of 4.7) while the much maligned Ravindra Jadeja has been almost as economical (4.78) while taking 29 wickets from 29 innings. R Ashwin will get a few opportunities to show that he can reproduce his Twenty20 form in the 50-over arena, but India are much more likely to pack the side with seven batsmen and squeeze a few overs out of Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh.

Could such an ill-balanced team carry off the big prize? As Sri Lanka showed in '96, it's not impossible. But unless Zaheer, Ishant and the rest improve dramatically over the coming months, the pressure on the batsmen will be huge. One bad game, like South Africa had against West Indies in '96, and the cherished dream will become a grisly nightmare.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Music launch: 'Guzaarish': Cinema : India Today

Music launch: 'Guzaarish': Cinema : India Today

K'taka BJP caught offering JD(S) MLA Rs 25 crores: India : India Today

K'taka BJP caught offering JD(S) MLA Rs 25 crores: India : India Today

Himesh's lips on Shakira's hips

Himesh's lips on Shakira's hips

Himesh Reshammiya is getting for one of the biggest moments in his life. The singer cum actor is getting ready to launch his first ever English album that will be featuring names like Shakira.

It's learnt that after Himesh's last film KAJRAARE was released in a different fashion, the singer-actor has decided to take up the launch of his new album on an urgent basis.

Now, plans are being chalked out to give Himesh's English album a final shape. Reports also reveal that the said album will be shot at foreign destinations to give it an international feel.

Well, let's hope Himesh's lips and Shakira's hips do the trick.


Radhika Rajamani reviews Rakta Charitra (Telugu version).

Radhika Rajamani reviews Rakta Charitra (Telugu version).

The very name Rakta Charitra gives an idea of what to expect. This Telugu film, the latest offering from Ram Gopal Varma [ Images ], is a story of vendetta, blood and gore.

Supposed to be based on the life of Paritala Ravi, this film is not for the faint-hearted. It can be a blood-curdling experience to watch it, so be warned.

The film sketches the early life of Pratap (Viveik Oberoi) albeit in a sketchy manner. It shows the metamorphosis of a man from a student, and a 'naxal' to a politician due to the murders of his father Virabadraiah (Rajendra Gupta) and brother Shankar (Sushant Singh). His father, who was close to Narasimha Reddy, one of the political leaders, is finished off due to astute machination by Nagamani Reddy (Kota Srinivasa Rao) who poisons Narasimha Reddy's mind. Shankar turns into an outlaw and avenges his father's death by killing off many from Nagamani's camp. Pratap gets drawn into the revenge drama and he locks horns with Bokka Reddy (son of Nagamani Reddy played by Abhimanyu Singh). The film brings the viewer into the world of the goondas and their immoral ethics and practices -- a different terrifying world

The film picks up steam upon the entry of the actor-politician Sivaji Rao (Shatrughan Sinha [ Images ]) who asks Pratap to enter politics. The scenes between Sivaji and Pratap are interesting and engrossing to watch. These are the highlights of the film.

In this vendetta tale, there are women too -- Virabadraiah's wife (Zarina Wahab), Nandini (Radhika Apte [ Images ]), Pratap's wife, Pratap's sister-in-law, Narasimha Reddy's wife (Sushmita Mukherjee) -- who all play minor roles.

The film is high on violence with gruesome scenes which make one cringe or even shut one's eyes. The violence is heightened by the background score and Sanskrit chants like (mrityunjaya japam, verses on Siva and Vishnu [ Images ]). The background score complements the story. The violence, however, debars the family crowds more or less.

The action shown is rather realistic. Amol Rathod's camera captures the raw grittiness of the film. However, Varma's voiceover is of no value and is an unnecessary distraction.

He has also quite a few symbolic scenes reminiscent of real life too particularly with Sivaji Rao's role and depiction.

Ram Gopal Varma certainly initiates curiosity with this film but it's not a biopic in the true sense of the word. The first part stops at a juncture when Pratap is a politician and man to reckon with. Glimpses of Madalachheruvu Suri (Suriya) are shown to incite curiosity in viewers' minds.

Since the film is a trilingual, we have a cast from the South Indian and Hindi film industries. Coming to the performances, Viveik fits into the role of Pratap very easily. He gets into the skin of the character and his portrayal is effortless and powerful. He leaves quite an imprint at the end of the film. One waits to see his encounter with Suriya in Part II.

Shatrughan Sinha is equally good as the politician actor and pulls off the role with ease. Abhimanyu Singh puts in a power-packed performance in a negative role. Zarina Wahab leaves a mark with her performance. The performances by Kota Srinivasa Rao, Rajendra Gupta, Ashish Vidyarthi, Ashwini Kalsekar and Radhika Apte are up to the mark. Kannada actor Sudeep and Darshan Zariwalla have miniscule roles.

The action, violence, bloodshed and gore are central to the film which is spine chilling and therefore it requires strong people who love watching this kind of stuff to see Rakta Charitra. The audience from Andhra may relate to Paritala Ravi's story on celluloid. For others wanting to see more of macabre violence, wait a few more weeks for Rakta Charitra II.

As a director, it is known that Varma is stylish, and the film is typically Varma.

Rediff Rating:

Rakta Charitra Review:

Rakta Charitra Review:

Ram Gopal Varma Ramgopal Varma directed movie Rakta Cahritra got attention from the movie lovers because it is a life history of two family members based on Andhra. Before the release itself the movie went to the controversey and the censor board had given "A" certificate because of the violence shots in the movie.

The movie primarly focussed on the birth and rise of Partiala Ravi and the story moves based on the life story of his.Vivek oberoi's perfromance as Pratap Ravi will get more attention from the movie lovers.I feel this role would be the best of his performance in his career.
Bukka Rdddy, one of the best vilanious performance and he remebered me Amrish Puri. I should say that he might steal the show because of his performance. One time tough hero Shatuknan Sing role is fine, but Pratap Ravi and Bukka Reddy steal the complete movie.Radhika Apte acts as Pratap Ravi had done her part well.

rakta charitra Hindi Movie

There was news that in Rakta Charitra, former chief minister NT Rama Rao’s role has been shown in a negative shade. Bollywood actor, Vivek Oberoi has played the role of Paritala Ravindra and Tamil actor, Surya has played the role of Maddelacheruvu Suri in this film.

I feel the concept and presentation of the movie had done very well by the much experienced director Ram Gopal Verma. We should wait and see how the movie is taking by the movie lovers of Bollywood..whether the controversy will continue... or it is goign to be a mega hit...To conclude, this role will give a break through to Vivek, that I am sure.

Verdict:Violence - Good Direction, Acting by vivek, surya done justice to movie.