Film Review: BABY

Mumbai’s cynical audience broke into spontaneous applause thrice!

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Danny Denzongpa, Anupam Kher, Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubatti, Sushant Singh, Taapsee Pannu
Director: Neeraj Pandey

Venkat wanted to see this film even before it’s release. But I didn’t want to see a picture with the title Baby. That was before I got to know that it was directed by Neeraj Pandey who has also helmed films such as A Wednesday and Special 26. Then Venkat, Vinny and I decided to catch it at Cinemax Sion on Tuesday. 

THE STORY

Feroz (Danny Denzongpa) heads a secret Anti Terrorist Squad of twelve members. It’s a trial venture to last for five years and hence he has named it Baby. Four years ahead, the number of members has come down to Feroz plus just four, the rest having been killed during operations. But their success rate is too good. Ajay (Akshay Kumar) manages to uncover a plot for bombing a mall in Delhi. It is thwarted by him and Jai (Rana Daggubati). During the mission, they get to know that more bombings are lined up in the main cities of India. While chasing Bilal (Kay Kay Menon) and terrorist leader Maulana (Rasheed Naz) across Nepal and Saudi Arabia, Ajay and Jai get into deeper trouble along with Priya (Taapsee Panu) and Shukla (Anupam Kher). Will they get back alive? 

MY PERCEPTION

The film was very fast-paced and interesting. Every single actor fitted his/her role and has performed perfectly well. The best part was that the film had only half a song, that too in the background. 

Danny Denzongpa has given an excellent performance as Feroz who heads the Secret Squad. Akshay Kumar looks fitter than ever and is simply awesome as Ajay who balances a secret and dangerous career with a loving family. Anupam Kher’s role is small yet very good. The boy who plays an engineering student was simply amazing. Taapsee Pannu’s fight sequence was a pleasure to watch. 

The audience broke into spontaneous applause at least thrice during the course of the film, which is saying a lot. 

I only wish they had come up with a different title. Baby sounds so innocuous. 

VERDICT: All-in-all, a very good and intelligent film that’s worth a watch. 

*Silly
**Shaky
***Smart
****Snazzy 
*****Super

Blog Tour: CANVAS OF DREAMS by Jaya Siva Murty

Canvas Of Dreams

by 

Jaya Siva Murty

MY REVIEW

I loved reading Canvas of Dreams by Jaya Siva Murty. I couldn't shut down my phone until I finished reading at 2.45 am. It was completely un-put-downable. 

I like the way the author has weaved the plot around dreams – nightmares actually. Riya has bad dreams every night. The 32-year-old has lost her husband Siddharth of barely a couple of years. She is an art curator who goes to Singapore on work. Most unexpectedly, she meets Ryan, the love of her life. Only it does not appear likely that they could rekindle their relationship.

She returns to Mumbai to set up her own gallery, encouraged by her best friend. Artist Rehaan enters her life. To begin with he is very rude. Soon, he patches up and gets close. Is he the man for her?

Riya tries to find love amidst the shattered remains of her broken life as she creates a niche for herself in the world of art. Until the end, the author keeps you guessing who Riya will end up with. Good one, Jaya Siva Murty!

I must congratulate Jaya on the way she has woven the fabric of the story and how it revolves around art. A lot of research has gone into the art world, but has been presented in a subtle fashion, making it a joy to read the book.

I could relate to Riya’s fears so well as they are quite real. Her determination to stride ahead and make something of her life is what makes her an endearing character. What she undergoes could be possible in just anyone’s life. Quite impressed with the way the characters have been etched.

I can’t think of a better title than CANVAS OF DREAMS for this book. It’s ‘oh so perfect’!

Kudos Jaya Siva Murty on your maiden venture - looking forward to reading more of your work!

The Blurb

Riya seems to have lost everything—the man she loves to another woman, her husband to death and her soul to fear.An unexpected meeting with her first love, Ryan, stirs up long repressed feelings but also allows her to move out of the long shadow of the past. Unburdened, she feels free to pursue her dream of opening an art gallery and the handsome and intriguing artist Rehaan. But memories of her marriage refuse to fade away and then suddenly, Ryan shows up in her life again. Now, Riya must find the courage to reconcile her past and present.For Riya, life is a canvas of dreams. Can she distinguish between reality and fantasy?

Buy @

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Watch It 

Canvas of Dreams

Meet the Author

Jaya Siva Murty is a business writer and social media manager from Visakhapatnam, India. Fascinated with the written word since the age of ten, she would file away her poems and short stories in a secret diary, till some were finally published by ‘Times of India’ and ‘Savvy’. She has written for the Economic Times and now provides India-relevant stories for a Hong Kong based magazine. When she’s not designing content for websites, or writing technical blogs and articles for clients worldwide, she spins yarns with unusual twists and turns through her works of fiction.

Jaya holds a business management degree and has taken creativity lessons at Stanford University. ‘Canvas of Dreams’ is her debut foray into novella writing.

You can stalk her @

                          

         

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Blog Tour: ANGELIC BEATS by Sarita Singh

Angelic Beats 

By 

Sarita Singh

The Blurb

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Meet the Author

The author, Sarita Singh, is a post-graduate in chemistry with a post-graduate diploma in mass communications. Born and brought up in Panipat, Haryana, she has been married to a doctor and is blessed with a son. The author is a state civil services (allied) officer, who has also taught in various institutions earlier. Reading and writing have always been a part of Sarita Singh who used to write her diary from a very young age. Like many others, she too loves gossiping and enjoying with friends and family as she loves spending time with them. The author believes in a few optimistic thoughts: “I am alright, I am happy where I am now, but I wish to be somewhere else. And I will try for it.”

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Cover Reveal: KALEIDOSCOPE by Rachna Gupta

Cover Reveal

Kaleidoscope

“Every beating heart will confess that once, 
at least 'once in their lifetime they were in love.”
by 

Rachna Gupta 

Blurb 

The collection of poems in this book talks about an emotion so strong that it has the potential to create and destroy! Love in all its capacity has that aura around it; it  needs to be felt and when it resides in your soul you find it giving rise to feelings never experienced before. There is passion and tenderness when being together, estrangement and pain when two souls are apart and then there is joy and relief when bound together again. The 37 poems in this book talk about this amazing feeling called love!

About Rachna Gupta

Rachna is an educationist, content writer, book reviewer and blogger. Being a thinker, her mind is always brimming with ideas that are transformed into poems, prose, quotations and stories. She chooses to use writing to speak about things that matter to her. Her poems are made up of simple yet meaningful words. When she is not writing, working with an NGO or busy with her chores, she is lost in the imaginary world created by other authors! Her first book of poems and prose titled Myriad Hues, was published in March 2014. You can find out more about her from her website - www.rachnagupta.in 
You can also connect with her on Twitter - @GuptaRach

Are you ready 

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Picture Prompt 1: Mirror Mirror on the wall!

"Thank you The Book Club, Rubina Ramesh and Devika Fernando for this opportunity to try something new."

I looked at the Queen. She looked very beautiful despite the blackness in her heart. Superficial that I am, I replied to her query, “You are the most beautiful of all in this world, O Queen!” I think it made her happy. Alas! Did that make her spread joy around? Of course not! 

Some years later, I watched Little Snow White grow up to be a dazzling young lady. Her beauty shone from within and was of way better quality than her step-mother’s. Snow White was thirteen when the Queen came to me and asked, “Who’s the fairest of all?”

I remained silent, not knowing how to lie. I know she’d hate it if I uttered the truth. That’s when the Queen lifted a stone vase in her hand and threatened me, “Are you going to answer that or shall I destroy you?” 

She never noticed the silent tears pouring out of my frame as I replied, “Snow White is the fairest of all.” The Queen hurled the vase as I hurriedly put up my hands to save my face. Luckily, it had been at the wall across. Phew! It was getting too dangerous in the palace. 

I heard talk that Snow White was living in the forest nowadays. My heart knew it as I was aware that she was still the loveliest of all, but I never enlightened my wicked mistress. Till she asked me the cursed question yet again, “Who’s the fairest of all?” This time, her fury spelt the death knell for two footmen working in the palace. I watched on in horror as she stabbed them to death in this very room. 

I could read the Queen’s mind as she planned to poison Snow White. I couldn’t just hang on the wall and do nothing. I did have an ace up my frame that she wasn’t aware of. 

I saw the poisoned apple sitting in the basket on the table nearby. The queen had gone to the bedroom to disguise herself as an old woman. I put a hand out and lifted the apple from the basket and replaced it with one that contained a strong sleep draught. I sure hoped that I managed to save Snow White’s life that day. 

I could sense the triumph in her bearing when the evil Queen entered the chamber late in the evening. It was obvious that she believed Snow White was dead. She stood in front of me to ask the inevitable, “Who’s the fairest of all?”

I did the only thing left for me to do. I crashed to the floor and turned to dust, never to answer the question again. 

Click here to take part in this contest. February 5, 2015 is the last date 

Blog Tour: RI-HOMELAND OF UNCERTAINTY by Paulami Duttagupta

Ri - Homeland of Uncertainity

by 

Paulami Duttagupta 

The Blurb

Ri- Homeland of Uncertainty is adapted from the National Award Winning Khasi film by the same name.

Trapped in the limbo between ideology and conscience, Manbha finds him himself part of a terror outfit. An unexpected opportunity, anger, squalor and disillusionment - followed by and armed combat and injury lead to the soul- searching that form the substance of this moving tale.

Buy @

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Watch It 

Meet the Author

Born in Shillong, many moons ago, with schooling at Loretto Convent, and an English Honors from St. Edmunds College, Paulami Duttagupta started her career with All India Radio Shillong. She had written and also given her voice to a few shows there. Later she came down to Kolkata and got a post graduate degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. She had also taken up a fancy to learning Spanish, but today confesses that she has forgotten most of it.
She has written for ‘The Times of India’ in the ‘Guwahati-Shillong plus Edition’ and also ‘The Shillong Times’. Television had always attracted her and was connected to the Bangla TV industry for about 6 years. She was associated with ETV- Bangla, Akash Bangla and Sony Aath in this period.
Having left her day job in 2012, Paulami took up full time writing. Her first novel, “Pinjar” released in early 2012.

Her second novel “Unplanned Destiny” released in 2014. She is also the screenplay writer of the national award winning Khasi film – “Ri Homeland of Uncertainty”.

“Ri” has been adapted into a novel and was released on September 14, 2014

She is currently working on her next project as movie script writer.

Apart from writing full length novels, she has written several short stories and articles. She has also contributed to the “Minds@work Anthology” and the “Family Matters International Anthology” in 2013.

Recently she has contributed to the “Learning and Creativity Anthology” , “Her Story Anthology”, and “Celebrating India – Love across Borders Anthology”.

When she is not writing or watching movies, Paulami is either reading biographies or classic pieces of literature. Cricket, food, cinema, books and music are an integral part of her life. 

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A Giveaway
The Prize

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Some extra Info on the book 
This book is an adaptation from a movie. Why? The author will answer that in one of our blogs which we will post soon. Stay tuned !!!

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Cover Reveal: SAVED IN SRI LANKA by Devika Fernando

My friend and author Devika Fernando is planning to release her next book in February 2015. It's called SAVED IN SRI LANKA: Romance Round The World Book 1. She has come up with a brilliant and eye-catching cover for the same. Do check it out here. I wish you all the best in all your ventures Devika. Looking forward to reading this one. 

Blurb

Some people are destined to meet.

It sure feels that way when Sri Lankan tour guide Sepalika meets Daniel. The mysterious tourist from Ireland steals his way into her heart and makes her question everything her life is built upon. Instant attraction turns to love – but does he feel the same? And what about the secret she’s hiding from him?

Follow the two on their quest for a happy ending amid the beauty and wonders of the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka.

About the author

Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark is writing sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. What she loves most about being an author is the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of ups and downs that will leave them changed. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life. Besides being a romance novel author, she works as a self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.

To find out more, check out the following links:

http://www.devikafernando.com
https://twitter.com/Author_Devika
https://www.facebook.com/devikafernandoauthor

Book Review: HE FIXED THE MATCH SHE FIXED HIM by Shikha Kumar

Pic Courtesy: Goodreads.com

The blurb was intriguing enough to make me want to read He Fixed The Match She Fixed Him by Shikha Kumar. That’s why I agreed to review the book when the author contacted me. 

BLURB

Shreya – I'm a highly qualified Delhi girl earning an enviable salary. My parents are having a tough time finding a suitable groom for me. However, recently they have a proposal from this very interesting guy from Mumbai. I almost get mesmerised when he starts talking to me. I think I like him very much. Kunal – I'm owner of a textile company in Mumbai. My Mom wants me to get married. Again. She has recently suggested a suitable girl from Delhi. What my Mom doesn't know is that I've met Shreya before once in my life and I've been looking for her ever since. I have a vendetta to settle. The author takes you along on a journey via roads of revenge, agony, remorse, attraction, titillation, tantalisation and romance. Do Shreya and Kunal make it, or do they fall prey to their past?

MY REVIEW

I think the book has a very cute cover – that of a modern man and woman turned away from each other. They exactly portray Kunal’s and Shreya’s relationship.

The story begins in the typical Indian style – parents of the girl, Shreya in this case, searching for a suitable boy. Mahesh and Sandhya are worried as their daughter is very highly qualified and earning a fantastic salary. So much so that Sandhya gets angry with Shreya for moving on to a better prospect. She is worried that it might become too difficult to find a guy equal to her. Anuradha’s call should have been a relief for Shreya’s parents. But Sandhya’s gut says not. She doesn’t trust Kunal and his mother at all. Her mother’s instincts kick in and she’s afraid that her daughter wouldn’t live a happy life. Shreya and her brother Madhav think otherwise. You need to read the story to find out what happens when Sandhya’s instincts are proved right. 

Shreya’s character has been sketched beautifully. She’s intelligent, strong and ready to go the extra mile to maintain relationships. And she refuses to accept being treated badly beyond a certain point. What I liked best is that she doesn’t throw tantrums but handles thinks smartly and in a mature fashion. Really well written character, I must say!

Kunal is very real – his temper, his jumping-in-where-the-angels-fear-to-dread attitude, his intelligence, his wit and more make him an excellent hero. 

The whole story is about the trouble brewing in holy matrimony and how the relationship between husband and wife progresses in an arranged marriage, with a twist though.

Kunal’s mother Anuradha, Shreya’s parents Sandhya and Mahesh, her brother Madhav and sister-in-law Aastha, Kunal’s cousin Vineet and the others are all well fleshed out and belong to a typical Indian family. I can see this one becoming a mega serial on TV for sure. 

The incidents, dialogues and characterisation are the strongest points to the story. A special kudos to the author for that! 

I have a couple of points to mention that I wish had been different. It all has to do with the editing, which could have been way tighter, making the story crisp and a complete joy to read. While the story has all the right ingredients, too much of it can create indigestion and that’s what’s happened here. The last 80 pages make the novel a trifle too long for my taste. But then, that’s just my opinion. Too much explanation kind of takes away from the reader’s imagination as everything is spoon fed. 

I wish Shikha Kumar the very best in all her writing ventures. She is one great story teller. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in return for my honest review. 

Shikha Kumar

Shikha Kumar is an IT Manager by profession, author by passion.

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