Gujarat Titans Lift The IPL-2022 Trophy Routing Rajasthan Royals In Gujarat!

Powered by inspired bowling performances by captain Hardik Pandya (3 for 17), Rashid Khan (1 for 18) and Yash Dayal (1 for 18 in 3 overs) Gujarat Titans, joining the IPL for the first time, broke the backbone of Rajasthan Royals restricting them to just 130/9 in 20 overs and won the IPL-2022 Final by 7 wickets, tonight, the 29th May 2022. Playing at 'home' for the first time the Titans have indeed made the Gujarat fans ecstatic, but the match played in a jam-packed 1.2 lakh capacity crowd stadium in Ahmedabad, perhaps the biggest crowd in IPL history, was not a befitting climax of the absorbing tournament as it proved to be a low-scoring and languidly one-sided one. However, the No.1 team at the league stage, GT have maintained their supremacy beyond any shred of doubt. An astounding performance by them in all the departments of the game. A deserving winner indeed, and mind you, I billed them as hot favorites to lift the Trophy! After early jolts Gill and Pandya steadied the chase, then then Gill and Miller ensured GT become the Champions.

Having the 800+run Orange Cap Jos Buttler firing all the time a rollicking Royals looked very confident and spirited, deciding to bat first after winning the toss. Unfortunately, after a brief blitzkrieg by Jaiswal (22 in 16) the fire in them flickered out, in painstakingly suffocated manner. Buttler did try hard to stick on, but amid the carnage perished to Pandya for 39 runs in 35 balls. No other batsmen could take the game back by giving the most required charge as captain Samson too fell cheaply. RR tried very hard on the field, but it was too low a target to defend and dropped catches didn't help their cause either. 

Captaining for the first time in his career and that too for a brand new team, Hardik Pandya has really scored a few strong points in leadership and in individual performances. He has thus become a hot contender for a future India captain, provided, of course, he maintains his all-round consistency plus fitness and cements his place in Team India in all three formats. Now, it's back to official international cricket: first, India Vs South Africa in 5 T20Is, and second, India go to England to complete the Test Series they lead 2-1after COVID confusion kept the Series hanging. 

Movie Heropanti-2: The Pinnacle of Insanity!

I had the misfortune of going for a movie in 2019 in a big theatre before the Pandemic put a stop to it, titled Pagalpanti (Madness) and was nearly driven mad. It was not my fault as the movie was having a lot of superstars and we went particularly because of Anil Kapoor. But now, after watching the new movie Heropanti-2 (heroism or hero antics) the previous movie seemed to have at least some kind of a method. The question arises then as to why I’ve made the mistake again! Well, firstly it was streaming free where I can ruthlessly go forward at will. And most importantly because I love the kid Tiger Shroff, son of my beloved Jackie Shroff, and ironically, Heropanti (2014) was Tiger’s debut film where his athletic and gymnastic skills plus his lithe, dancing and almost flying body were noticed. I watched only parts of that film some of which seemed a bit sensible, giving Tiger some scope to showcase his acting skills too, perhaps because it was a remake of a Telugu film. Of course, the movie flopped.

 

Coming back to this sequel, not clear why it was necessary at all, Heropanti-2 has absolutely no method in the sheer madness unfolding before your unbelieving eyes. All the characters are raving maniacs except perhaps for the goons who always know what exactly to do, thanks to their exhaustive exposure to the Bollywood tamasha. The immensely talented actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, named Laila God doesn’t know why, did his best as a grotesquely comic monster that the script demanded and what he has been doing on the screen from the beginning he would’ve fitted a mental asylum much better. His sister, supposedly the heroine of the movie, is even madder than her brother, always jumping and pouncing on Bablu (Tiger) anytime and anywhere, irrespective of the situation they are in.

 

Rather sadder than madder is the fact that the movie doesn’t even try to utilize Tiger’s intense action skills. His character is also reduced to ridiculous mockery, all the time flying, prancing and jumping like a cat in a bid to escape from the attacking goon, again God doesn’t know why; till the last few scenes where some real fighting was required as suddenly Bablu got infected with a rare kind of ‘patriotism’, inculcated in him by a mysteriously comic-serious figure called Khan Saheb, purportedly the chief of an intelligence agency. At times, I couldn’t help thinking: is this meant to be a satirical take on something, nowadays popularly known as the ‘caged parrot’. Maybe the ‘insanity virus’ is affecting my brain too.

 

I really feel sorry for Tiger Shroff who has so far been used only as a stunt-hero, not giving him any chance to prove his acting talent except perhaps for the Baaghiaction franchise (three movies so far) where we can see his intensity as an actor to some extent. Well, Akshay Kumar and John Abraham are also called action heroes, but they’ve been getting ample opportunities to act in serious roles and also in good comedies. I think Tiger should start selecting his films very carefully from now onward and Jackie Dada should also give more attention to the kinds of movies his son’s being asked to ‘act’.

 

I wonder the sheer wastage of money, to the tune of 70 crore in this mad scrap, which could’ve been used for more humanitarian purpose like for the Pandemic-hit poor in the way Sonu Sood has been doing. This is, of course, very unfortunate that the virus has damaged Bollywood very heavily, snatching away many great artistes forever from us, reducing many others to depression due to lack of work and earnings, and perhaps driving a lot others just nuts, not knowing what to do for a recompense, thus landing up with such absurd projects. The best course of action at this juncture should be to go for low-budget serious movies or sensible comedies without keeping the focus constantly on the big stars only.

 

The story? Well, I don’t actually know if there was a story. Laila is supposed to be a magician who wants to loot all the money from all the banks of India on 31^st March with his ingenious App, God doesn’t know why once again. Bablu was supposed to be a government undercover agent, also a rouge at some stage and again a something between a villain and an agent. Once, perhaps two years back, Bablu helped the authorities to nab all of Laila’s gang; however, later the same team appears in New York to rob India from there. Maddening, you see! Don’t get into it even if it’s free, my advice. Get away from for sure, stay safe…and sane.

IPL-2022 Final: Gujarat Vs Rajasthan!

Jos Buttler has notched up his 4th century of the IPL-2022, a new record, and sealed his team's place in the Final on March 29  routing Bangalore by 8 wickets. RR won an important toss on a bouncy pitch and put RCB in. Except for Patidar whose brilliant ton enabled RCB to reach the play-offs all Bangalore batsmen were hopelessly below par. It is surprising how this team with consistent non-performing stars and the worst net run-rate has progressed thus far. Super cricketers like Kohli, du Plessis etc are expected to perform at least in crunch games. Sheer pace of the RR bowlers, Prasidh Krishna in particular, damaged Bangalore beyond repair.

The Qualifier-2 played in the stadium of the country in Ahmedabad has disappointed the huge crowd. The only moment of crowning glory is indeed Buttler who hit 106 not out in 60 balls with 10 fours and 6 sixes including the winning one. He has almost ensured his Orange Cap leaving KL Rahul behind and out. Anyway, we can expect cracker of a final with the best two teams fighting again for the trophy. In their Q-1 encounter GT beat RR despite Buttler innings. RR who is in the Final since the first IPL in 2008 that they won will be going all guns for a repeat victory. Fingers crossed!