Padmaavat Movie Review!

Surviving violent protests, set vandalism, riots, gender change (Padmavati to Padmaavat) among other things, this magnum opus has finally found its way to the theatres. 

Indian media had devoted days and nights, articles and interviews regarding the outcome, twists and turns of events and tiniest irrevalant details. Some people definitely got their days of glory!

Padmaavat is set on a historical timeline and the notions/customs existed then should be respected. You cannot cry foul over jauhar in context with today's time. I don't think Sanjay Leela Bhansali glorified it, but simply depicted a story. 

There are many scenes which gives you the  deja vu feelings about his earlier movies. 

The chandelier scene will flash Nandini and Sameer in your mind. The innumerable water bodies in the rooms and courtyard will remind you of Bajirao Mastani and Devdas. War scene will make you remember Bajirao whereas Khilji's Khalbali song (with hyper choreography) remisences the Malhari song. The rani handing over the talwar to her king.

Although the movie is magnificently made, you can't help but be little disappointed. 

I felt it like, Old wine in new bottle in few parameters. Undoubtedly the sets, cinematography, jewellery, costumes make it a visual treat, however the length of the movie makes it a little drag. Deepika's Nath was the best amongst her jewellery. 

Padmaavat belongs to Ranveer Singh for his superlative performance - his khilji is ruthless, obsessive, confident bordering on arrogance. To Shahid Kapoor for his amazing body language of a feisty rajput king and warrior. To Deepika Padukone for her ethereal looks and eyes- she rocks the climax scene. 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali surely knows how to get the best of acting from his actors. The eyes convey myriad of emotions effectively. 

Watch this for Ranveer Singh -- for his megalomania, the visual treat (as always) and because it is the current flavour of the season. 

Whatsapp! 1st task of the day !

"Trrrinnnng Triiinggg" the alarm sounded shrilly in Sheetal's ears. Opening one eye, she fumbled around for her phone and the snooze button. Those 5 minutes of  sleep between the snooze button and the next alarm are blissful.

She woke up groggily and started with the first task of the

Courtesy:Google

day. Checking her phone and its notifications. The lock screen showed snapshots of the messages in text inbox and whatsapp, however she knew better to trust them since plethora of messages are always in the muted conversations.

Her family group was named " Singhs are Kings" whereas her best friends group was "Awesome Threesome", her office group had an uninspired name "Vertical Heads" and various shopping groups had weird attributed names. 

She sighed while scrolling down the notifications. 

• 10 "good morning" messages/images from masis/chachis/mamas/grannies/mom etc. 

• "inspirational/motivational" quotes in office group.

• Tons of images of counterfeit a.ka. first copies of branded handbags and kundan jewellery in the shopping groups.

• Current bitch session/gossip and dirty talks were on in the besties group. 

"Ah, the morning routine! sometimes I think, almost a decade ago, the joy of getting 100 free SMSes from your mobile provider, on a daily basis, was beyond words. We didn't have to worry about the currency balance but simply reserve a quota for forwarding non-veggie messages and remaining to enquire if proxy could be given in a particular's class.

Now, we wake up by beautiful images which wish us a great day, enrich our gyaan, spook us by lengthy "very important for health" messages, sometimes untrue news and many other stuff. 

The notifications go up in triple digit numbers, if left unchecked even for half an hour. Courtesy, the many family and friends groups along with the shopping groups membership. 

Oh, how I personally love the mute button! Stops the continuous beeping of the incoming message! 

But, its also a blessing. Mom always helps me out, when i send her a picture of something i wish to buy. Making a plan with friends is also easy. Transferring data is easy!"


Enough of my incessant musing about whatsapp!! Time to get ready and Carpediem!!! 

Tiger Zinda Hai Review!

The sets, location and costumes play an integral part in making a visually appealing movie. In addition to it, top notch cinematography will make your money and time worthwhile. 

Tiger Zinda Hai takes you to the land of religious fanatics,making you a part of the action, due to its setting, action sequences and the costumes. 

For these precise reasons, i liked the movie! Salman Khan was the cherry on top!

Kindly discount logic based on time taken to travel from one place to another, example: the RAW head shuttling between US and India in moments and the dearth of excellently trained agents. 

Katrina has finally delivered an amazing performance with jaw dropping action sequences! Salman goes rata-ta-ta-ta with a machine gun with finesse! 

It is well supported by its villain and the supporting cast.

Watch it only on the big screen for being a part of this mission.

Your 3 hours time might seem stretched at times, but the ongoing mission will definitely keep you hooked. 

Fukrey Returns Review!

Fukrey tickled our funny bones with its dialogues, the hare brained scheme of dreams and acting. Ambarsariya still finds it place in your playlist.

Despite the bar set by its predecessor, Fukrey Returns passes the test with flying colours. 

Just watch this movie without analysing the story and you will be entertained thoroughly! Definitely must see for this week! 

It is super howlarious, because hilarious is a small word to describe the tummy pangs experienced due to laughter. 

Recap of the earlier movie is shown during the opening credits. So, its okay if you haven't seen fukrey.

The situations and dialogues are super cute!

Choocha played perfectly by Varun Sharma is cute, crazy, innocent and loveable. His acting, dialogues and weirdness will give good returns on your ticket investment. 

Hunny (Pulkit Samrat) leads the gang but is overshadowed by Choocha. Lali (Manjot Singh) is excellent in his role whereas Zafar (Ali Fazal)'s character could have had more maturity and dialogues. 

Bholi Punjaban ( Richa Chaddha) is truly bholi by believing crazy schemes and even bailing out the fukras while being in debt herself. Her whacky attire will bling your eyes, dialogues will make you laugh and her swag will infect u. 

Best actor would be Pankaj Tripathi as panditji who has a quirky sense of humour, delivered with a straight faced expression! 

Ittefaq Movie Review!

2 different murders committed on the same night, has 2 suspects.

 One is a best selling author and the other is a “waiting for love” wife. 

Timeline to solve this case is 3 days!

When they start singing like a canary about their versions of the night, you are intrigued and confused just as the investigating cop. 

One version portrays the wife as the villain and vice versa, depending on the narrator. 

You are treated to 2 stories with conviction wherein the characteristics of the protagonists changes dramatically. 

The end result is the same. Death of a husband and death of a wife.

Who is the real culprit? Who was the honest suspect? What clues led to its closure? Did they find the right killer or he went scot free? 

The movie grips you during its play time of 108 minutes, thanks to the amazing cinematography which introduces the crime scene and associated people with innovative camera work. The background score is haunting and thrilling at the same time. 

Akshaye khanna is a fine actor, his expressions and dialogue delivery are full on paisa vasool. Siddharth had his good moments here and there, Sonakshi was wasted totally. She had a poker face expression for every scene. 

The end made me rethink the sequences of the narrated story and exclaim, “accha, aisa hua tha!”

Worth a watch, definitely! Its a different kind of storytelling from the hindi movie industry!

Hotel Stays - Why? How? Where?

A vacation frees your mind from worries, stress and enables your soul to soar high. It facilitates in discovering new places.

Vacation seekers have their own check lists in place. 

They filter their destinations and bookings depending on various factors such as financial budget, ease and mode of travelling, available time, essential requirements in an hotel, place of interests/adventure etc.

After selecting the destination, the next important task is to select a hotel. Hotels play a crucial role because your comfort factor on a vacation is of utmost importance.

Few points highlighted by reviewers on TripAdvisor are

• The ease of checking in/out
• Proximity to places of interest/city centre
• Hospitality by the staff
• Room service and amenities including room size and bedding comfort 
• Food
• Lobby decor
• Price

A memorable hotel stay is wherein you loved the smiling faces of the staff, relished the buffet spread or the alacarte selection and appreciated the room service tray arrangements. The concierge helped you with perfect directions and advise, the front desk personnel helped in reducing fatigue by  quickly checking you in without any hassles. The feel good factor of the lobby and hotel grounds and jumping happily on the comfortable bed after a hot shower!

Hotel Industry has grown by leaps and bounds. Many versions of holiday rentals are available to suit every type of budget. 

At every price point,there is a service provider. 

If you want to get a affordable night stay then backpackers hostels, inns and 1-3 star hotels are your best bet. Alternatively couch surfing ( an individual can stay at the host's place free of cost) and renting Air bnbs ( people rent their unused properties) are the latest trend. 

For individuals looking for more facilities, comfort, bigger rooms and great property, the 4-5 star category features some amazing properties with jaw dropping prices. The opulence and hospitality of such hotels is what makes it pricey. 

As a self confessed luxury hotel junkie, I absolutely urge everyone to atleast try one high end place with superior rooms to feel every money worth spent! 

It kinda makes you feel like royalty when you lounge comfortably in the sitting area of the suite and watch the phenomenonal view through the balcony. Ah... such bliss!


Researching about a hotel and its pricing is very easy thanks to TripAdvisor and Booking.com which I highly recommend. 

Maximum reviewers write good stuff about their experiences in the hotel, it is upto your requirement , attraction and leap of faith regarding it. Sometimes, you can be disappointed as well. Example: the pool looks enticing and big in photographs but it isn't that great in real life. 

Nevertheless, the reviews and photos posted help us in arriving at a decision because it is real time experience.

Booking.com is the best site to check out prices and confirm  your stay without the hassle of paying right away. You can pay at the property directly, however reserving the property with a credit card number. 

Why and how to go on a luxury vacation is another blog post which can be read under 4 minute..
                       
                             Luxury Vacations!


The following hotels hold a special place in my memories, second visit for sure in foreseeable future.

In India 

Orange County Kabini - 

Situated on the banks of river Kabini, this high end luxury resort features rooms with jacuzzi and private pools. The tariff includes dinner and breakfast along with the room. 

The hospitality is par excellence, setting it apart from its competitors. Every penny spent here gave us a divine experience! 

River and Jungle safaris are available in the adjoining national park. Must try once in lifetime. If you are lucky, you can spot the wild cat.

Park Hyatt Hyderabad

Spacious and well furbished suites with awe inspiring bathroom. The spa treatment takes you the summit of relaxation. 

The room provides complimentary pastries and macaroons, which is so tasty that you wish to meet and thank the chef personally. 

Beautiful lobby greets its visitors who can sample multiple cuisines in their stand alone speciality restaurants. 

Ry Kinjai Shillong

Built entirely of wood on the banks of the lake umian, this resort has fabulous views of the lake and its surrounding natural beauty. The rooms are limited in number. They feature an extensive balcony and sit out. Spa is highly recommended here. 

The food is just not upto the mark. sadly, nothing else is in the vicinity for a quick bite.

Orange County Hampi

Sister property of Kabini, this place is built exactly like a palace. The jacuzzi rooms are within the main building, whereas the plush Jalmahals, having its own private infinity pool are at walkable distance. 

As expected, the hospitality and food is par excellence!

This one shall burn a big hole in the pocket. But nothing less than jalmahal for luxury seekers. 

The Leela,Goa

Imagine waking up to the chirping of birds and beholding the sight of lotuses in your own lagoon area! 

The lobby area has ancient sculptures scattered all over, the overhead fans are an art piece in themselves. You definitely get the "goa feel". 

Their private beach has pristine sand and a sand bar! Savour some amazing cocktails while lounging on the sun decks! 

It is advisable to opt for meal plans since it is criminally expensive to drink and eat here. Trust me!


Overseas

Atlantis Dubai

Standing magnificently on the end of the manmade palm island, Atlantis features many categories of rooms. The premium section has its own dedicated check in counters with personal concierge.

Although the rooms in this category may not be very spacious, it definitely gives you better view of the sea and facilities. Their exclusive lounge provides 24 hour food spread and happy hour on-the-house cocktails. 

Atlantis stay allows free entry to their water park - one of its kind and an unavoidable attraction - and their special aquarium - the lost chambers. 

Swimming with dolphins is chargeable in the separate area of the hotel. 

Many restaurants and luxury brands are present to enrich your senses. The nightclub is visited by superbly dressed people! 

Kurumba Maldives

Feel like a celebrity when their speedboat greets you at the airport's entrance. A quick 10 min ride deposits you on their private jetty. Here, starts your dream holiday. 

You are welcomed with the most amazing coconut ice cream and then guided to your room. Again, many categories of rooms exist, recommended is the jacuzzi villa. 

Dreamy place meets OH MY GOD, such a big room with pvt jacuzzi! your porch opens up on the private beach with your personal sun beds. 

Only glitch here is that the dinner timings are early. By 9:30 pm everything is wrapped up. 

The open air bar features foot tapping live music, hookah and comfortable seating. 

Many water activities are available on chargeable basis. Clear blue alluring water makes you sigh in admiration!

This has been voted as the best island resort by TripAdvisor.


Westin Villas, Langkawi

Tucked neatly in their sprawling property, these villas are an masterpiece. 

Massive bathroom is connected with your private pool area, which also features a comfortable bed sit out. 

The chandeliers, bed, sofas, bar, kitchenette are simply drooling over! 

Again, this will torch your wallet! 

Go, explore these places on your own. Feel the happiness of living life, King style! jaa simran jaa....

This post has been inspired by Indispire on Indiblogger.