Tag

Review

Browsing

Hudson lane, the popular hangout of college students of north campus and surrounding colleges houses many quirky cafes. If you’re in the mood to try something different this week, we suggest For God’s Cake, a bakery-cum-café, situated near the Hudson café. As soon as you enter this place, you get captivated by its beautiful décor. The fairy lights along with the beautiful flowers hanging from the ceiling, colourful and vibrant chairs and miniature windmills on the walls provide a warm and an amiable atmosphere. It offers a pretty expansive menu ranging from appetizers such as cheesy fries, baked nachos, money bags, quesadilla to over 7 different types of pizzas and pastas and also pancakes and waffles.

food review- nishita
I started with chips and dips where the ‘chips’ are an assortment of nachos, French fries and nuggets. There are three different dips provided which were a pink-coloured beetroot dip, salsa and sweet chilli. The french fries weren’t soggy and were well seasoned which sure was a plus point. The dish is a good change from the mundane and provides variety and at the same time is easy on your pocket. I then ordered penne white sauce pasta with mushroom. Being a hard-core pasta fan, I usually have huge expectations of it and I can safely say I was not disappointed. The sauce was rich and had mushrooms and olives in sufficient amount. Even the quantity of the pasta was adequate and could easily be divided between two people. I also tried the firewood pizza called ‘Go Veggie’ where one could savour exquisite toppings such as yellow pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, and zucchini. The base was light and crisp with the right amount of cheese which didn’t make it heavy, rather made it easier for one to enjoy it. Their ‘Brown and browner’ milkshake which is a blend of Oreo and chocolate fudge is nothing less than paradise for all the chocolate-lovers. All this came down to Rs. 350 per head for two people, which is more than a fair bargain.

food review-nishits2
One can also easily get any of their mouth-watering desserts and cakes packed from the enormous variety of delicacies the bakery offers which also propagates a love for desserts through a quote on its wall saying “Life is too short, eat dessert first!”
Nishita Agarwal
[email protected]
Image Credits: Nishita Agarwal for DU Beat

“I just don’t have time right now,” said every Type-A person ever. As a solution, we urge you to gift this book to them. It’s a promise that they’ll thank you for gifting them this book weaved with an inspiring message.

When you see ‘The Time Keeper’ by American Best-seller ‘Mitch Albom’ kept on the bookshelf, you’ll probably think it’s a non-fiction book about time management. Then you’d read the synopsis at the back of the book and realize it’s a fiction story. However, once you finish devouring this book in an evening or two, you’re left behind with a heart-warming story, your own perspective of time and an unforgettable truth – the true value of time.
Mitch Albom weaves together three supposedly unrelated life paths to make us stop and think. One is of a love-starved teenage girl living in the era of social media who gets humiliated by her crush wanting to end her time, an aged billionaire down with cancer wanting to buy some more time, and ‘Father Time’ who’s story will leave you thinking about the very notion of counting seconds.

Albom adopts an abbreviated style to narrate his story, making any reader feel like they went through just 50 pages instead of 240. He adds a unique combination of mythology, reality, fantasy, science, and of course – makes us realize how ‘time flies’.
If you ever hear yourself say phrases like “It’s too late”, “I don’t have time”, “just some more time”, “Five more minutes” – Then perhaps, you too could give this book your time.

Featured Image credits: usatoday.com

Shaina Ahluwalia

[email protected]

From the campus love and drama to the family fights and rights, 2 States based on Chetan Bhagat’s best selling novel by the same name would take through a laughable ride filled with a lot of ‘aww’ moments here and there. The movie that runs in the flashback mode of the narrator’s story portrays different cultures of families across India.

Cast : Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amrita Singh, Ronit Roy, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam and Revathy
Director : Abhishek Varman
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Based on Chetan Bhagat’s best selling novel : 2 States – The Story Of My Marriage.

 

Krish (Arjun Kapoor), a Punjabi boy who is an IIT graduate from Delhi happens to join the ‘serial proposers’ list of Ananya (Alia Bhatt), a tamilian girl at IIM Ahmedabad where they study for the much over rated MBA degree. The conversation that starts by offering a rasgulla ends up with both the characters falling in love (well, that had to happen). The campus story that is wrapped up by the director in the initial 30 minutes may leave you craving for more of college masala. The steamy scenes between the lead pair must have left Chetan a little nervous, but the audience seems to enjoy it quite a lot though one never stops wondering that how Krish and Ananya share the bed at the hostel room on campus (there is a different hostel for boys and girls. Obviously).

The movie that shifts from the colour and flavour of college at Ahmedabad to the rich homes in Delhi and Chennai, holds the viewer to watch how the predictable story will be paralleled by commendable acting and direction. The typical fussy Punjabi mom (Amrita Singh) and a strict retired army father (Ronit Roy) at their Hauz Khas makaan (because ghar toh pyaar se banta hai), bring both smile and disgust on the faces of the viewers. As disciplined south Indian parents, Shiv Subramanyam and Revathy are very particular yet boring in their actions. The cultures of these ‘2 states’ seem to be exaggerated a little but this much cinematic liberty can be entertained.

Krish who also teaches Ananya’s brother finally after a lot of buttering takes on the proposal. The twist is where he proposes all members of the Swaminathan family and not only the girl (that is quite innovative). Ananya and her parents then go all the way from south to north to convince Krish’s mumiji (his dad is least interested by now) but his mom is a typical muhfatt punjabi. Her racist remarks on madrasi people forces the Swaminathans to withdraw their interest from this inter-caste rishta. Krish’s irritating massi and other members of the family who finally reach the wedding venue in the school bus (like yes, a school bus decorated with flowers) leave the audiences laughing. Now how this happened even after so much of ‘marriage politics’ is something you need to watch this movie for.

Music of the movie by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and dialogues by Hussain Dalal convey all the emotions in the fancy Bollywood manner. Alia’s beauty and her costumes do not fail to impress the people of both sexes. Arjun takes the heart away by his cute smile and his look supported by nerdy glasses.

All you out there with a very soft heart, you may feel the need of handkerchiefs in the few scenes. But as you reach out to your pocket, something on screen will stop you. The book by Chetan Bhagat is surely a better tale of these 2 States but Abhishek Verman as a director makes a significant debut.

Oh yes! The movie forces all the young heads to think, “Why don’t we have such a life?”

DU Beat correspondent, Iresh Gupta sat with the stars of 2 States, Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. Click here for an exclusive interview.

The hip-swivelling goddess of pop hits, Shakira returned to American pop scene with her tenth self- titled album last week. The 37 year old songwriter and producer seems to be changing the course in her latest album after delivering some sensational hits like ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, ‘Whenever Wherever’ etc. The recent album boasts of collaborations with big names like Blake Shelton, Rihanna that makes the soundtrack interesting to look into.

The up-tempo lead single with Rihanna ‘Can’t Remember To Forget You’ might be perceived as a desperate attempt for a pop-hit and the duet with Blake Shelton ‘Medicine’ that works just fine. Dare (La La La) apparently the official 2014 World Cup Song is an outgoing song with a certain electro pop feel. It seems that Shakira tries to blend rock, reggae, pop, etc that signifies a sort of multiple influences that got into making this studio album from Shakira after four years.

The Columbian star does not put much ‘Latin-ness’ in the album but only two tracks in Spanish-‘Loca Por Ti’ and the Spanish version of ‘Can’t Remember To Forget You’. There are a lot of personal influences on the album with tracks like ‘23’ which she wrote for boyfriend Gerard Pique and ‘The One Thing’, the mid tempo pop track written for her son Milan. She also sings about spite in relationships in tracks like ‘You Don’t Care About Me’ and ‘Cut Me Deep’ featuring band Magic.

The Grammy winning Latin pop star falls short of fulfilling the expectations we had after her charismatic and edgy tracks but provides a sense of fulfilment when considered in the range and blend of different music genres. The lyrics lack emotion and depth and the album on the whole leaves us with ambivalent reactions and discontented with an album coming after four years.

imagecourtesy:providencejournal.com

Quite frankly the most horror inducing part of Ragini MMS 2 was the declaration at the commencement of the film that it does not promote “illegal action of girl kissing” followed by an almost fervent chant of the Hanuman Chalisa. If that did not kill expectations, the story completely butchered it.

Ragingi MMS 2 takes off from where its predecessor left us with Ragini in a mental asylum for three years now. A sleazy, failed Director Rocks is making a film, no a Horrex (Horror + Sex) on her weekend disaster and has signed adult film actress Sunny Leone for the same who greets us in the press briefing in a bath tub, wearing just red lipstick because coming to press briefings in clothes is too mainstream. Prior to the crew taking off to the haunted house, we are privy to the guy who is shooting behind the scenes roaming around alone in what is deemed by  ASI as one of the most haunted house in India at night with a handy cam and lights off. Smart chap.He jerks off in the room where Ragini and her  boyfriend had spent the night and what happens to him next was something even he could have predicted.

As the film crew now takes residence in the mansion, which looks ready to fall from the outside but the insides are like that of a four star hotel somewhere in Europe, odd things start happening to them but mostly to Sunny Leone, who has been possessed by the witch. So when she is Sunny Leone the actress she is reserved, talks only to the wannabe loner writer Satya, confesses that she is not right for the role and proves to the crew and the world that being in an adult film also requires acting skills (you go girl) but as soon as the witch takes over she drinks alcohol, makes out with almost with everybody in the house, wears the skimpiest clothes and apparently doesn’t like them much because she is off them in the next scene. Why is she doing all this? Even she doesn’t have a clue.

Throughout all this, we have glimpses of the various ghosts in the houses just casually roaming around the house being their scary self. They are still abundantly better than the secondary characters in the film namely the clueless Monali (Sandhya Mridul) who speaks bad English, wears clothes appropriate for club nights, will go to any length to impress the director and declares to make Ragini threesome. There is also another failed character Maddy, who is in love with himself and his masculinity. His only contribution to the film is to make the audience constantly cringe either with his incessant jerking off or the dreadful puns and sexual innuendos he keeps throwing around. Going overboard, you will realize is a constant theme with the film.

Logic absolutely defies the film and so does a good plot or acting for that matter. Enter another character Dr. Mira (Divya Dutt) who is a psychiatrist from New York toting around in heels, dresses and red wine and specializes in supernatural cases. She attempts to solve this mystery just by using Google, watching tapes of Ragini in reverse and using the mantras a Baba in Rishikesh had given her. Psychiatry at its best, I tell you. She also manages to reach the mansion at the exact time and location in the house when she is needed. Google map,bitches. After a great deal of struggle which is reminiscent of the  film Conjuring and flinging around of the ‘F’ word, the movie ends with the witch being released from the body of Sunny Leone. Satya and her hug each other in what looks like the beginning of a relationship and we all sigh in relief that we came out alive of this film.

Somebody now get Sunny her pants please.

imagecourtesy: indiatvnews.com

The new eating joint, Diggin, right opposite Gargi College at AnandLok shopping centre has caught quite a few eyes ever since its opening around the annual fest of Gargi college this year.

The ambience of the place will definitely seem inviting as you step inside with a brightly lit dine-in area and painted walls. The book shelfright next to the entrance sets the feel of the place from the start. Diggin also has an outdoorset up for those good weather days when you can use a great ambience and food. The staff is friendly and will make you feel at ease and even volunteer to click your photos.

diggin3 (2)

The food at Diggin has its good, okay, bad and amazing moments. The usual delights of the place are its pasta especially Penne Arrabiata, Mint-Oreo shake, Gelato and Rocher ice cream, however, you can also enjoy their pizzas which would not disappoint you when it comes to their size. What probably won’t live up to the expectations is the blueberry cheesecake ice cream (you might enjoy it too, you never know!) and crème brulee.

diggin3 (1)

Despite the good enough food, the one thing that’ll keep you from coming back again is crunch it puts on your wallet. The restaurant is not price friendly despite being opposite a Delhi University college and that is its major shortcoming. An interaction with a Gargi student who has visited the place a couple of times revealed that “The food is good but it is hideously expensive, the prices are not at all compatible with a DU student’s budget”.

We all know how important money is in college life and how frequently we end up splurging our monthly pocket money in a day or two, however, if you are in a mood to splurge and don’t know where and how to spend it we would recommend you to go and try out Diggin and hopefully the burn in your pocket won’t hurt much after a good and heavy meal.

The new crime series by HBO is an addition to the league of detective shows which makes an amazing dramatic entry. The lead role is being played by popular Hollywood actor Mathew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, a TV veteran who seems to bring every bit of confidence, skill and charisma to ‘True Detective’.

On a bizarre Louisiana murder case,Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrelson) were detective partners in 1995. Seventeen years later, when a similar case leads to an investigation of the ’95 murder, Cohle and Hart are questioned by a new set of detectives. Then they separately recount the story of the case and their lives, with constant flashbacks handled with genius style by director Cary Joji Fukunaga.

As we skip back and forth into different time periods, we see characters evolving along with time. Besides hair loss, Hart seems little-changed since the events of 1995, whereas Cohle seems much worse for wear. As the tale of “True Detective” unfolds, it becomes clear that the nonlinear story has many layers yet to be unfolded. The mystery becomes less about who committed the murder being investigated and more about what drove these two men to change so completely from the past to the present day.

McConaughey’s acting in particular is riveting as raw nerve while Rust Cohle, a guy whose unorthodox thoughts and troubled history make him an uneasy fit in the show’s Louisiana setting.  Both McConaughey and Harrelson are playing slightly against type, and it’s clear how much both actors enjoy getting to do something different. Finally, the series features the direction of Cary Joji Fukunaga, who most recently directed a thrilling feature adaptation of ‘Jane Eyre’.

“True Detective” seems to be more about detectives than about crime solving. As Hart and Cohle follow leads, the show is really focused on their personal predicaments. The show is meant to be a deeper and more ruminative exploration of the crime procedural.

Image Credits: www.bloguin.com

 

Perception is an American crime drama television series created by Kenneth Biller and Mike Sussman. The series stars Eric McCormack as Dr. Daniel Pierce, a schizophrenic neuropsychiatric who assists the FBI on some of their most complex cases. Pierce has an intimate knowledge of human behavior and a masterful understanding of the way the mind works. He also has an uncanny ability to see patterns and look past people’s conscious emotions to see what lies beneath.

Dr. Pierce works closely with Kate Moretti played by Rachael Leigh Cook, a former student who recruited him to work with the FBI. Unlike her colleagues, Kate is willing to look past Daniel’s peculiarities. Also in Daniel’s life is Max Lewicki (Arjay Smith), who serves as his teaching assistant. His primary job is to keep Pierce in line and on task, whether that means grading midterms or laying out Pierce’s wardrobe for the day. And Natalie Vincent (Kelly Rowan) is Daniel’s best friend and every bit his intellectual equal. In addition, award-winning actor LeVar Burton  play a recurring role as Paul Haley, a dean at the university and Pierce’s friend.

The show is engaging for the audience who like these kind of TV shows wherein extraordinary individuals use their talent for a greater good.

Episodes typically begin with a scene of Pierce giving a lecture to his students about an aspect of the human brain; one that becomes significant within the plot of the episode. They also typically end with observations to students about the paradoxes of human perception. Daniel’s mental condition and offbeat manner make it difficult for him to achieve the close friendships and intimate relationships he craves. He’s in his element when solving an intricate puzzle or a coded message. But in unfamiliar situations, he can quickly become overwhelmed, and only his favorite music and a crossword puzzle have the power to make things right again.

Eric McCormack’s talent with dialogue and emotions is well portrayed in this series which will soon enter it’s third season. The show is well written with a wonderful theme and definitely worth watching atleast once.

 Image Credits: www.kickass.to

Centered on the time when Bangladesh was formed, Gunday delves into the lives of Bikram and Bala, two refugees who came to India hiding in a coal train. YRF’s first big release of the year hopes to break the wave of flops in the first quarter. The film stars Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor in the lead. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, its music has been composed by Sohail Sen.

The movie starts with Bikram and Bala, two 10 year old ‘Indians’ stranded in Bangladesh. Two kids who were a few days from perishing from hunger end up being gun peddlers for a local corrupt officer. A murder, an illegal train ride back to India and a failed attempt at a job later, these 10 year olds start selling stolen coal. A few years later, two refugees have their hands in every shred of illegal business in Kolkata. Life seems to have settled. They have money, respect and fame. Enter Nandita (Priyanka Chopra), Kolkata’s most beautiful cabaret dancer. And as every film with 3 protagonists goes, a love triangle ensues.

A friendship that was unbreakable is cracked by a common love interest. What follows is a tangled web of betrayal, revenge, violence and redemption. Without revealing the plot completely, here are a few reasons this film is worth a watch:

1. The Bromance

Gunday recreates the friendship that reminds you of the likes of Jai-Veeru.

2. Priyanka Chopra

For all the PC fans, Priyanka is not just a treat to the eyes but her acting is perfect for a 70s heroine.

3. The absence of mindless violence

For the first time in a long time an action movie has more to offer than just aimless fighting and people flying around a hero.

4. Revisit the 70s India

Although the 70s have been over exploited with the plethora of mediocre films (remember ‘Once Upon A Time and its sequel), Gunday is a fresh take at the same old story.  Music- Except for ‘Tune Maari Entriyaan’, Gunday’s music is easily forgettable.

Editor’s Note: This is more of the disclaimer – the author of this review is a huge admirer of Priyanka Chopra.

Do you want to eat the best Punjabi cuisine in Delhi?  Well, you might have to go to West Delhi for the same. Located in Paschim Vihar, Baljeet’s Amritsari Koolcha is the perfect place to try the famous combination of Chole and Stuffed Kulcha. The dish is served with Onion and garnished with Green Chutney and curd.

Talking about the ambiance, the place is very well decorated with earthen-pots and musical instruments which adhere to punjabi sangeet and folklore, wherein one gets the traditional essence while enjoying the food. While having your food, you can also see how it is being made, which is a delightful and fun sight. The main chef, popularly called as pandit ji can be seen working effectively while putting in and taking out the dough from the tandoor. The administration staff is very efficient and provide quick service, thus not giving the customers any opportunity to lose their cool.

The place attracts crowd from all walks of life, and is so famous in the nearby areas, that there isn’t any food left after 5 30 p.m, and thus the eatery closes around that time.When you talk to the manager, he says, ‘log yahan desi punjabi khana khane aate hein and hamari koshish rehti hai ki unko whi mile jo wo chahte hein’ i.e. ‘People come here to eat the traditional punjabi food, and we try our best to serve them what they want.’

The option of dine-in and home delivery is also available.

Opening hours : 8 30 a.m. to 5 30 p.m.
Cost : 220 approx. for 2 people.