The Kaminey called Harsha Bhogle and Roger Federer!

Ah, what a shot that Dil-Scoop is! Couldn’t get my eyes off that YouTube video for hours!

But more ‘imp’ortantly, I return. (Cough)

I return after a rather interesting period of equally interesting activity. I’ve seen the Dil-Scoop being meted out irreverently to fast bowlers who put in all they have and bang the deck hard (must be real hard for them to take that), Roger Federer lose all his cool and even the US Open final, Sachin Tendulkar majestically glide India past Sri Lanka, Mayawati refute the Supreme Court’s ordinance to cut down her devilish expenditure on erecting her own golden statuettes, Shashi Tharoor mistake cattle for Indian Politicians (or DID he?!), and most significantly, watched my toughest week of the year pass by with no noteworthy hiccoughs. (Cough again)

I return after much has changed. The Social Studies exam seems much more of a nightmare than what it did a year ago, Chemistry has now begun asking me some tough questions, and I have thankfully slipped into seamless ease as far as handling my school exams are concerned. When you're fretting over the marks you've LOST rather than the marks you've GAINED, you know you're doing great. After a dismal 612 and 614 successively (which made my Social Studies teacher pluck out her spectacles and frown, "No, the Cabinet is not studying"...!), I finally have something to cheer about this vacation.

And then, Kaminey happened. I first learnt about this film some weeks ago in a daily tabloid and grew averse to it, by mere virtue of its title! I thought it’d be a film that would unanimously be given the 1/5 by ALL critics. Well, turns out I was wrong. I had the opportunity of watching it a couple of days ago and am still to recover from it. There have been few other films in the recent past which have made me stand up and applaud. Vishal Bharadwaj has underlined his stature befittingly as among THE best film directors in the country, and it’d be hard to take it off him after Maqbool, Omkara, The Blue Umbrella and now Kaminey. The story is so freakingly exceptional that I wouldn’t dare divulge any of it here. Looking at Shahid Kapoor in this film and most importantly at the way he acts, you’d wonder if this is the same old under-used ‘chocolate boy’ of the industry, for he puts in a terrific performance, one that will make me very disappointed if he doesn’t get his due approbation. Priyanka Chopra hasn’t any glittering attire nor has she much gloss or the good old urbane charm about her character. She fits in superbly as the uncouth character she is required to portray. Quite clearly, there is much behind the ostensible vanity.

I have been hooked, these last few days, to a sockdolager piece of literature from a very fine man. Out Of The Box by Harsha Bhogle is as good a sporting homily as any you can ever get. Replete with glee-inspiring metaphors and unnervingly pragmatic perspectives on the game, this book will almost make you realize how stupid you sometimes can get as a passionate cricket fan. I’ve taken a break from reading it (which was in itself a very tough call to make) to update this place. And yeah, some of you have very generously been enquiring about the health of my Super-Correspondent JG Silverstone. He is ill right now, still recovering after watching Roger Federer go down at Flushing Meadows. In fact, he was seated in the Press Box when Federer hit that long backhand and Del Potro fell to the floor. Ever since then, doctors say he has been in a state of mental trauma and add that they are finding it increasingly difficult to rid him of the disease. The hazards of journalism, indeed a risky job if you are that passionate about it!

But Roger Federer lost. Lost the United States Open. Lost after ruling over the Deco turf for half a decade. But thankfully, lost to a very fine young man. The match was an enticing one, although I felt it shouldn’t have been one in the first place, given Roger was up a set and a break and looked like he’d close it out comfortably in straight sets as he had imperiously against a hapless Andy Murray 12 months ago. Yet, the day belonged fully to Juan Martin Del Potro. Annihilating Rafael Nadal (no matter in what shape the latter was) in straight sets in an hour and a half and denying Roger Federer immediately the next day makes him worthy of winning 2 Grand Slams. I wasn’t too greatly intrigued by Roger’s loss for I quite knew, as he did, that this was one of THE best seasons of his life. Getting to the finals of all the 4 Grand Slams, triumphant in two of them, losing out on the others in grueling 5-set matches AND winning the French Open for the first time in his life—all these are achievements that few can boast of having accomplished. Yet, there was one aspect of September 15^th that intrigued me, the outburst. I know $1500 is peanuts to ‘Roger Federer’ but it probably did him far more harm than that. We ask too much of people sometimes. Sometimes, we say “Where the hell is the aggression?” when the guy decides to be well behaved and in control. But sometimes (like these), few of us are quick to jump the gun and burst out, “Who the f*** is he to have a row with the umpire? He’s supposed to be the role model for all folk hitting tennis balls across continents and oceans.” Well, before retorting, one must keep in mind that Roger Federer has been recognized unanimously as the Greatest Tennis Player of All Time for reasons that are beyond his sublime forehand winners and sharp volleys. Roger Federer is no mere tennis player—when people world over watch him, they gape, not just at the quality of the game, but at the quality of sportsmanship on offer. I cannot think of many other sportspersons of this era who have matched Roger in behavior and conduct on and off the court. Normally one who’d just frown and walk away with dignity at a ridiculous call, he quite clearly lost it. A frown replaced by “I don’t give a **** for what you’ve got to say” is quite some change. But since this is Roger Federer, we needn’t ring the alarm bell just yet. We’ve just got to treat it as a brake-failure in a BMW and continue admiring the prowess of the man he has been. Roger Federer.

Since Mr.Silverstone is currently unavailable for contact, I shall be jolly pleased if you could provide me with any contact details of Mr.Xenophilius Lovegood, editor of the popular magazine-The Quibbler. I could do with a Crumple Horned Snorcack this vacation!