Yesterday was the last day and the closing of the Dehra Doon Literature Festival, I arrive a bit late at the Grand Hayat when the Chief Minister of Dehra Doon suddenly arrived in his large motorcade. There was a huge cover of SPG commandos carrying machine guns and even a fire brigade bus along with the police and local administration. Amongst the cover was the chief minister folding his hands and greeting the organizers. Soon another speaker at the event arrived Prasoon Joshi in his trademark black kurta. The stage was well light and this was the fifth year of the festival in Dehra Doon we were told by the organizers. I for one was keener to dive into the food than listen to the boring banter of the guests who were busy patting each other back and singing praises of Uttarakhand and its great literary heritage.

I wandered into the buffet area trying to get a drink and some food. Meet with a few budding writers who were keen to pick my brain, when suddenly I saw my dear mentor Mr. Prahalad Kakkar diving into a plate of butter chicken with a drum stick in his other hand .” You know the best way for you to struggle is to become a gigolo and find a rich old woman who you can fuck, you don’t have much of a face but you can definitely make a living by being a Gigolo and offering your services .” Saying that he burst out laughing.

I have always enjoyed conversations with the great man and love his humor, I also admire the way he is so blatantly shameless and honest. I have worked with Prahlad in genesis films and also does a couple of ads for his company. Meet the old man after almost fifteen years and got the opportunity to pick his brains.

The who’s who of DehraDoon was at the event as it was the last day and the closing ceremony. I managed to strike up a conversation with the lobby manager who told me that they were all set to repair the entry road to the hotel. Although Hayat is a top luxury it is situated in the interiors of Mussoorie Road and the approaching road to the hotel is very bad making the pleasure of coming to the hotel quite daunting.

All in all food single malt whiskey and a night with the literary gods were a great night out!

Yesterday was another day at the Dehra Doon Literature Festival the venue was a bit different , it was organised at the River Side Campus some distance from the Hyatt . The auditorium was full of people trying to catch a word from their favourite film maker and book writer . The list of speakers where long and the who is who of the literary world . Kiran Manral and Tahira Kashyap along with Imtiaz Ali the famous director of Jab we Meet and many such wonderful film . I was told that Ruskin Bond would be giving his talk through a video link as he would not be attending the festival in person .

I managed to catch an hour of Imtiaz Ali’s talk when he spoke about filmmaking and how he started off in the business , the road blocks he faced and how he managed to make films with such rebellious characters .

There was a team of cameramen recording the show and many a cheers when he narrated his journey in Bollywood . For young students this would be eye-opening learning and Imtiaz Ali is much loved by the people of Dehra Doon .

The downside was their was no food, all the food stalls had shut down by the time I arrived at around 7:30 pm at the venue . I was hungry having jogged 14 km in the evening , I was hungry after absorbing a full hour of Ali’s talk and meandered out into the open lawns of the Riverside Campus.

The campus is on the outskirts of the city and the entire place is a students area infested with small bun butter and charwomen shops. I wanted dinner and thus ventured out in search of food. I walked fifteen minutes on foot with no auto in the site and finally hopped on one at a distance of 10 km from the venue I managed to find  Pahlwan ka Dhaba . That’s it I stopped over for a plate of Chicken Masala and Nan soon my partner in crime Rohit joined in and we had a heart meal .

I had never been to this side of Dehra Doon and the festival was an excuse for me to enjoy this side of the town along with the hospitality of the Grand Hyatt .

Today is the last day of the festival and I look forward to some more exciting talks.

April fools day was celebrated by me and my friend Rohit Khaitan at the Dehra Doon Literature festival which had a grand opening at the Hyatt Regency which is situated on the outskirts of the city near the Mann State. It was a gala night on the lawns as one celebrity author after another was on display. I meet my old pal and mentor Prahlad Kakkar who was at the event he looked a little thin and his hair had gone a bit thin but the man was enjoying his drink and chatting away with the guest. He was in the company of one another genius the ad guru  Piyush Pandey show as tucking into his dessert.

Today Tushar Kapoor was the guest of honor. I managed to listen to some of the speakers on the lawns of the Hayat and even took a selfie with some of my own fans. A local couple who had been reading my blog struck a polite conversation as I walked the lawns from one side to the other.

Dinner was at 9:00 pm and I payed Rs 2500 for the dinner coupon although I am on a weight loss diet I did have a cheat day yesterday and after five months for the first time tucked chicken biriyani. I also managed to gobble up a shahi tukda and sip on a single malt after a long long time. Caught up with a couple of old pals from Welham Boys who were enjoying the evening. A young budding writer came up to me for some advice and that was faltering my ego. I dolled out heaps of advice to him and my experience of writing crime novels and other books.

The festival will go on for another two days with more guests coming over like Ali Zafar, Ruskin Bond, and even Imtiaz Ali. For young budding writers, this is a goldmine of knowledge and experience and I would recommend all loves of literature and book to come over and enjoy the party. its a fun evening out for the family and there was enough good music and lighting to make things glitter.

Prabhas-starrer ‘Radhe Shyam‘ will see its global premiere on Prime Video from April 1.

Directed by Radha Krishna Kumar and presented by Gopi Krishna Movies and produced by UV Creations, the romance drama also stars Pooja Hegde, Sachin Khedekar, Priyadarsi Pulikonda, Bhagyashree, Jagapathi Babu, Murali Sharma, Kunaal Roy Kapoor, Riddhi Kumar, Sasha Chettri, Sathyan and others.

The digital premiere of ‘Radhe Shyam’ starting April 1 in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada

It is a love saga of two individuals who are poles apart in their approach to life, where Vikram Aditya (Prabhas) follows fate and destiny who falls for Prerna (Pooja Hegde) who immensely believes in the power of science. Radhe Shyam will be available to stream on the service starting April 1 in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.

“Radhe Shyam is a story that echoes perfectly in this new age of boundless cinema” says actor Prabhas.

He continues, “Visionary director Radha Krishna, Pooja Hegde and our entire team has put in all heart and created this passionate labour of love for everyone to enjoy.

“I am very delighted to bring this saga closer to home with the digital release and hope to continue receiving all the adoration from audiences worldwide.”

Yash starrer K.G.F: Chapter 2 is undoubtedly one of the most awaited films of the year. The movie also stars Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, and Srinidhi Shetty. The much-awaited trailer of the film will be launched on 27th March 2022. The trailer launch even will be hosted by Karan Johar and today he took to Twitter to inform everyone about it. He tweeted, , “Extremely honoured and excited to be a part of chapter 2 of the phenomena we know as #KGF!! See you all there! #KGFChapter2 #KGF2TrailerOnMar27.” Everyone is super excited about the trailer of the film.

RRR Story: Ramaraju and Bheem become close friends when they cross paths in Delhi. What happens when they come to know each other’s true intentions?

RRR Review: The last time director SS Rajamouli managed to wow the audience was in 2017 with the film Baahubali: The Conclusion. It took him five long years for him to conceptualise his next film RRR (also dubbed in Hindi), shoot and bring it to the silver screen. Pulling off a multi-starrer with Jr NTR and Ram Charan in the lead roles might seem an accomplishment in itself. But Rajamouli manages to deliver even when it comes to the story.

RRR runs on a relatively simple premise. There’s ‘fire’ – an angry, young police officer Ramaraju (Ram Charan) who is both revered and feared by the British. He has done their every bidding for years, he is the one they sic on anyone they want to capture and yet, he is the one who’s never given enough respect due to the colour of his skin. Then there’s ‘water’ – sweet, simple, innocent Bheem (Jr NTR) who has brute strength but uses it only when it serves his purpose. He’s a Gond tribal who has come to the city to rescue a young girl called Malli, who was taken away by Lady Scott (Alison Doody), to be the singing doll ‘on (her) mantelpiece’. But that is just the beginning of the tale.

Rajamouli’s new calling cards seem to be building new world. Because, despite being based on two revolutionaries from history, RRR has a story that’s completely fictional. Delhi of the 1920s becomes his new canvas. Bheem might have fought against the Nizams, so much so that one of them finds it imperative to warn the British that he’s not to be taken lightly. But he also finds shelter with Muslims in Delhi. Ramaraju might seem like a well-trained soldier who will follow instructions blindly but he also seems to have a past no one but his uncle (Samuthirakani) knows about. Scott (Ray Stevenson) might believe ‘brown rubbish’ deserve even a bullet to be wasted on them but Jennifer (Olivia Morris) seems more empathetic. This is not the freedom movement where you turn the other cheek, this is the one where you use your hands as weapons.

The first half of RRR runs like clockwork. There’s the emotional core in Malli, there’s the song and dance with Naatu Naatu (it’ll make you smile) and a friendship explored through Dosti, there’s even a few laughs whenever Bheem tries to befriend Jennifer. Cinematic liberties are taken but they don’t seem as noticable as in the later portions, half where the film falters a bit. Some scenes seem to drag frustratingly because we already know something a core character doesn’t. The way Ramaraju’s fiancé Sita (Alia Bhatt) is woven into the narrative, apart from Ram Charan’s transformation to another look also seem forced in a tale that was smooth sailing. After the way Bheem is set up effortlessly despite nothing much being told, the way Ramaraju’s story unfolds seems strained. The climax leaves more to be desired. The good thing however is that the film manages to surprise you. Rajamouli also manages to use certain tropes set up in the initial portions of the film in the latter portions cleverly.

None-the-less Rajamouli manages to pull off something people have been pining for – a commercial, action drama that will keep you thoroughly entertained – which it does. The length also doesn’t prove to be a hindrance, thanks to a tight screenplay. The VFX in certain portions could’ve been better. Jr NTR pulls off his career’s best performance. He’s charming as Bheem, especially in the emotional bits and his desperation to find Malli comes through well, so does his love for Ramaraju. Ram Charan also does well, pouring soul into the transformations his character goes through. Tarak and Charan’s roles require them to have chemistry, which they do. Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran and others play their parts well. Olivia in particular manages to win your heart. Alison and Ray breeze through their roles. Keeravani’s OST for the film might not be for everyone but he does well with the BGM. Senthil’s camerawork is a delight too.

RRR is not perfection by any means because after the way Rajamouli pulls off certain scenes, you wonder if he could’ve done a better job in others. But watch this one this weekend if you’ve been longing for a good action packed drama. Especially so if you’re a fan of the lead duo.

My New E-Book ” उन्नीस: एक महामारी की कहानी – Hindi Version Now Live on KDP”

PLOT: 3/5
CHARACTERS: 2.5/5
WRITING: 2.5/5
CLIMAX: 2.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT: 2.5/5

“Dear, there is no good card or bad card in Tarot. All the cards are meant to convey an energy and the death card means a big transition, an end of a phase, the end of a chapter, and the beginning of another.”

– Anuj Tikku, Milli Meet Miss Lilly: The Two Women in My Life

My musings

The recent years have seen me on a constant lookout for exploring new Indian books and underrated or yet undiscovered Indian authors. Hence, I always pick up an Indian writer’s work with a sense of anticipation in the hope of stumbling upon something spectacular. One of my recent reads includes Anuj Tikku’s Milli Meet Miss Lilly. Read on to know about the book and about my experience of reading it.

What to expect?

Expect a one-of-a-kind story that combines the surreal with the real and brings to you a story with hints of magical realism. Expect a short read of under 100 pages. Expect a book that offers an all-pervasive view of the world of high-end fashion, glitz, and glamour.

Who can read?

The language is simple enough to be understood by any beginner-level reader.

The story as it goes

Fashion designer Dev Sinha is known all over the tinsel town for his quirky and high-end fashion. Currently, in his early forties, Dev is looking forward to making heads turn at the prestigious Dove International fashion show. His high couture fashion shop Razzmatazz is at the top of its game, and his love life is going strong and steady.

He had met Milli, the sultry diva-like aerobics and fitness trainer four years ago, and their bond is now stronger than ever. For Milli too, Dev is everything she could have hoped for. He is charming, successful, and rich. And most importantly, he dotes on her, splurges on her.

But little did Milli know that their relationship is about to be derailed. That very soon, there would enter a third being, who would spoil their equation and everything that they have built over four lovely years.

Miss Lilly, a latex and rubber-made mannequin that Dev stumbles upon one day will change everything. As Dev becomes increasingly obsessed with the latex doll, Milli takes refuge in the comforting words of Tarot reader Shamli.

So what will happy to the happy couple?

Will Lilly, the latex doll wreak havoc in their lives?

The plot and writing

There is no denying the uniqueness of the storyline. A latex doll as a character (and that too one who is caught in a love triangle) is something not many people can pull off. The frequent change of narration vis-à-vis the story of different characters, and the backstory of Lilly, also works well for the writing.

I also like the quick insights one gets into the world of fashion and tarot reading. Another thing worth mentioning is the peculiar and quirky names. Whether it is the show stopper Moon Moon Jaan, or the fortune teller parrot Rang Birangi, or the ace fashion designer Coco Rani, or even the latest fashion collection from Dev which seems to be a fusion of ‘French Chic with Gujrati Dhokla’ – the names used are definitely attention-grabbing, to say the least.

What could have been better?

Like always, Anuj’s latest book also lacks sound editing. There are numerous editing and grammatical inaccuracies, punctuation mistakes, typo errors, and whatnot. The sheer number of these errors is enough to bring down the reading experience.

What I didn’t like?

Though the story is unique and wildly imaginative, the writing fails to match up to its true potential. The storytelling isn’t convincing enough to make a lasting impact on the reader. The writing resorts to the easy way out by deciding to stick to the ‘more tell less show’ style of narration. And so, the reader is told everything – things, situations, characters, etc, are described rather than shown.

In the end

In the end, Milli Meet Miss Lilly narrates a tantalizing tale of a one-of-a-kind love triangle. Short, breezy, and dramatic, it comes with an interesting plot but unimpressive writing.

Pick the book if

You are looking for a short read.
You enjoy books that blend real with surreal.
You don’t mind editing errors.
You want to read the story of a love triangle between two humans and a mannequin.
Buy the copy of Milli Meet Miss Lilly using the link below.