Jugheads- Malad:The most OBNOXIOUS place in Mumbai

This is my first posting which is not movie related but I had to put it up. The article was published on www.burrp.com which I must say is a very good website to find out about eateries in India.

You can check the same article out here:
http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/bar-restaurant/115279594_jugheads-pop-tates#reviews

I'm not a regular foodie... I limit myself to certain restaurants and pubs that I had a good experiences in and become a regular there. No, am not snobbish but just prefer quietrer places with respectful service.

I live just a couple of minutes away from the Malad Jughead's yet I must have visited the place maybe 3 times in my life. I am a big fan of the Pop Tates at Saki Naka and Jugheads being formerly Pop Tates, my girlfriend and I decided to go there for a drink (dont ask me why now).

We reached there at 6:35pm and there were still about 25 minutes for the Smiley Hours to get over. We order a Beer tower. The waiter's next words just took my belief in hearing the unheard to an all new level. I was bluntly told that I will have to finish the Tower as well as the free one by 8:00pm (an hour after the Smiley Hours gets over) or else I would be charged extra. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard in my life. Despite being completely sober it was difficult for me to find words for this. The waiter sensing my newly found dumbfoundedness then tried to reason saying that people stay a long time beyond the Happy hours that's why this rule was made.

2 things came into my mind:
Why does a themed restaurant and bar want to drive out people quickly?

Why the hell should I be watched over whether I finish my drink on time or not?

And imagine the waiter's audacity when he suggests that we have the Pitcher instead of the tower as we probably will be able to finish it on time.

We go to places like this for the ambience, the food, the overall experience and I just cannot believe that someone gives me a time limit to finish my drink. It really is beyond my understanding. The management must have been picked up from a local desi bar from the inner gullies of Screwyouabad. It goes without saying that in a competitive world it's about retaining customers not getting rid of them but these dimwits have other things in mind.

Service was bad. I ordered French Fries and there wasn't a plate for us to pour the ketchup. Imagine asking the waiter at a restaurant t give us plates.

On the food front, it was pretty good. No complains there. But as I'm never going to visit this 70s Indian government behaving excuse for a food place, I won't really get to check out the rest of the menu. Traffic might be a problem for you but the Saki Naka Pop Tates is simply much better. Avoid the step-sister please.

He Beat It!!

I was shocked, never expected it... I put on my television and BBC flashed 'MJ is dead.'

Now I don't want to write the same old things that every news channel is flashing about MJ. Just my thoughts on the icon...

I don't know if he was the most gifted artist (he is according to me) but what I do know for sure is that he definitely was the most popular and influential artist of all time. You may not know who Elton John, George Michael, Bruce Springsteen or Madonna are but you just have to know that an artist by the name of Michal Jackson existed.

He was the first foreign artist that I had ever heard of in my life. His song Beat It was probably the first English song I ever heard in the West abhoring Saudi Arabia of the 80s. Just loved it and was amazed at the video which simply defines the music video scenes of the decade.

Bollywood too was strongly influenced by MJ. Mithun I'm sure owes quite a bit to him. From what I heard the 'Mi' part in his son Mimoh's name is a tribute to the late artist.

In my school days his 'Heal the World' was a very influential song for me. I heard it over and over again and I know those words will come back to me one day and make a difference to my life and others. RIP!!

Insult to all Maharashtrians and Maharashtrian culture- YAWN!!

MNS has a film wing. How funny is that? I really rolled on the floor laughing when I read that the ‘MSN film wing’ has been angered by Rekha’s remark on a BLAH issue. I just love it when Raj Thackeray goes on saying how some celebrity’s comment is an insult to all Maharashtrians and Maharashtrian culture.

I’m sure the job of the film wing is to scan newspapers every morning and watch TV in the evenings and see if some big celebrity has passed an unusual statement that they can connect to the Marathi man and then push it to be an insult and then wreak havoc in the city and then gain publicity. Raj will be questioned for a while in the station, there will be an unbailable warrant issued in his name and yet he will be sleeping comfortably in his bedroom at night. The spineless policemen and the lethargic judiciary should be the ones who are an insult to all Maharashtrians and Maharashtrian culture.

Coming back to the film wing… I am really curious to know how they start their day. Probably, they make a list of actors whose popularity has increased off late, make sure he is not from Maharashtra and then either wait for him or her to slightly tilt the wagon and then BOOM… the rampage begins.

I am really glad for Marathi cinema which is coming up. Not that I watch a lot of regional stuff, but rooting for the underdog always makes me believe in the word hope. I wonder if the ‘MSN film wing’ does anything for Marathi cinema or is their time and money devoted to imbecilic remarks against the glamdom.

It’s still surprising that these idiots still play the Maharashtra card despite the nation voting against Hindutva, racism, communalism, etc. Another insult to all Maharashtrians and Maharashtrian culture.

Funny Filmy Quote I have heard in a long time...

Sahil Gupta : "How can someone cast Tara Sharma in a lead role and name the movie 'suno na' !?!

Voting and Gloating

A little too late in the day… sorry but I had to mention this… ideally this post should have come two weeks ago when I cast my vote but it’s coming on the day of the results…

It all began when I read on the front page of some tabloid which said that our very responsible and publicity hungry Shah Rukh Khan flew down all the way from South Africa leaving the IPL just to cast his vote. Isn’t that something? I really wish we had such celebrities who would make a difference… RUBBISH!!

‘People expect politicians to solve problems immediately. But it’s not that easy. It takes time. That’s why we should vote and give a chance to better people’, this is what the biggest star in the country said.

Off course, this comes exactly a few days after Aamir Khan also said he came back from the U.S. just to cast his vote. And off course he forgot to mention that he would be shaking a leg for a big fatty’s Indian wedding in a few days where apparently he had been paid a bomb. Yeah, strangely since his KKR isnt really on a row, this producer, actor, entrepreneur decided to make money by other means. Nothing wrong in that, but don’t give me crap that you came from South Africa just to vote…

PR is a booming business… even my Wilson college has hired an agency for Christ’s sake. Thanks for voting Shah Rukh… no thanks for gloating!!

Final Screening at Universal

This video was taken during the final screening of the March 8 week film-making students films at Universal Studios. Was pretty good and was attended by class-mates and their families and friends. Also some members of the cast were present as well. Liked Luis and Sabine's movie the best.

Our direction professor Joshua Adler gave away our certificates. This video was shot by my class mate Carol Bermudez.