Where Are The Cricket Movies Showing Now Please?

Another bout of cricket movie shows are supposed to be on now in India! Excuse me! Well, just like Bollywood movies cricket has also got reduced to three hour shows thanks to the historic invention of Twenty20 cricket since 2008. More seriously, the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT) tournament has already started and should be in full swing.

But something is missing! Where is the hype and the war cries? Who are playing whom and where? Movie houses not showing the cricket movies? Despite being in the media I am totally oblivious of this!

Feeling guilty I asked a friend today why nothing is said and written about the tournament. The friend burst out in anger, 'What a joke! Do they (Team India) have the right to play such games after the shameless showing in England? They are earning money! Let them earn! Why should we bother?'

I was taken aback. Is this India speaking? A cricket crazy nation suddenly turning its back on 'cricket'?

Anyway, is this good omen for 'cricket'?

Tributes to Tiger Pataudi: India’s Great Cricket Captain

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, arguably India’s greatest cricket captain who led India during 1961-75, passed away this evening in a New Delhi hospital after a prolonged and incurable lung disease. He was 70.

Just before he made his debut for the Indian cricket team in 1961 Pataudi met with a car accident and lost vision completely in his right eye. But with great determination and courage he went ahead and played for India till 1975 making 6 centuries and 16 half centuries. After playing only four cricket tests he was made India’s skipper in 1962 at the young age of 21. Though under him India won only 9 out of 46 tests he led India to the first ever series win abroad when India beat New Zealand 3-1 in 1967. Pataudi was known for bold leadership qualities, agility in the field, powerful batting display, all-round abilities and of course, very good looks and posture. He was properly nicknamed ‘Tiger’ by the India cricket fraternity.

Nostalgic memories are rushing to my mind. We never saw him play cricket as television was not even heard of in our region. As little children crazy for cricket we got glued to radio commentaries when India was playing. We used to get excited by his boundaries and comments on his leadership. We saw his pictures in newspapers and were thoroughly impressed by his hero image. We knew that he was blind in one eye, but we were told that his right eye was of marble which we believed sincerely and always scrutinized the pictures for ‘marble eye’ details. Everything combined, Pataudi influenced us greatly and he remained with us as a cricket hero.

After his retirement in 1975 he was not continuously associated with cricket. He did stints now and then as match referee or commentator. Just about a month ago he appeared in an Indian new channel invited to expert comment on Team India’s English nightmare. He still looked majestic, but something seemed to hold him back.

Tiger Pataudi married famous leading lady of Indian cinema of the sixties-seventies, Sharmila Tagore, in 1969 and so he continued to be in media limelight. His son Saif Ali Khan is a top Bollywood (Hindi Film Industry)  hero and his first daughter Soha Ali Khan is also an acclaimed film actor. 

We deeply mourn the demise of a great personality. Tiger Pataudi will remain in our hearts always. 

Business and Politics of Not Eating!

Thanks to the crusader against corruption Anna Hazare, fasting or basically not eating has become a hot selling property. Almost everybody ranging from politicians to spiritualists are vying to have a tryst with this phenomenon. The craze is simply explained by the media attention amounting to hype the act of fasting generates. Add on benefits are also apparent where politics take over.The fasting personalities catapult themselves in the national or even international platform for future aspirations.

The state of Gujarat in north western India is presently witnessing fast and counter fast. The Chief Minister of the state, Narendra Modi,  has launched his three day fast at an air conditioned auditorium on a goodwill mission for communal harmony. Justifiably so, since the Chief Minister belonging to the main opposition party at the national level has been ravaged by communal controversies since last nearly ten years with several court cases running. But his actual progress initiatives in the state has got a lot of appreciation from many quarters including even the US. Now this performance factor got the counter fast in action by an ex minister belonging to the ruling party at the national level. Narendra Modi being talked about as the prospective Prime Minister of India post 2014 general elections is reason enough for one or a series of counter fasts.

We have heard about hard working people struggling to make ends meet in trying to eat to live. But now, we have the bizarre pleasure of seeing people spending fortunes in not eating! Why don't they fast at their homes and use the expenditures of not eating to help starving people eat a bit?

NGOs should actively consider holding a national fasting competition for politicians. Entry fee must be the amount equal to or more than the applicant's food bill for his/her entire household for one full year. Top three awards for the best no-eaters should be like this: First Award must be the adoption ten starving beggars, second for adopting seven and third for adopting five starving beggars. Consolation awards consisting of adopting one starving beggar should be awarded to all the participants.

Fast starve and be eerie!