I was walking around in a Big Bazar store making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old.
The Cashier said, "I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll". Then the little boy turned to me and asked: "Uncle, are you sure I don't have enough money?"
I counted his cash and replied: "You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll, my dear." The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.
Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. "It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much. I wanted to Gift her for her BIRTHDAY.I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there." His eyes were so sad while saying this."My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister."
My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: "I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall." Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me "I want mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me." I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister." Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly..
I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. "Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?"
"OK" he said, "I hope I do have enough." I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.
The little boy said: "Thank you God for giving me enough money!"
Then he looked at me and added, "I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!" "I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses."
I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when Istarted. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever..
The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.
Please DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Zoozoo: new Vodafone brand 'endorser' for IPL
Zoozoo ROCKS man! they are amazing their expressions, movements, body language simply great. Hats off to makers of this creature.
No, they aren’t animated characters. They are human beings who were made to wear body suits. “The design of the characters is such that one gets fooled into thinking it is animation,” shrugs Rao, which was indeed the very illusion that had to be created. “In a sense, it is ‘live’ animation!” he quips, referring to the fact that it was all shot live.
Prakash Varma, ad filmmaker, Nirvana Films, has directed the commercials, and reveals that the Zoozoos were a big challenge to create. The practical aspects of how they will move, talk, gesticulate and emote were very important. Essentially, costume design and artwork were crucial elements.
“It took me three weeks of pre-production to understand how it will work,” says Varma. There were two fabrics that were considered for the body suits, and one was rejected for it had too many wrinkles and was shiny. The wrinkles would have shown when the characters moved, thereby shattering the illusion of animation. “So we chose the more practical, thicker fabric,” Varma explains.
The production team divided the outfit into two parts: the body and the head. The body part of the outfit was stuffed with foam in some places, while the head was attached separately. To make it look bigger than a human head, a harder material called Perspex was used, which in turn was stuffed with foam (with scope for ventilation).
If one wishes to understand the size of this head, here’s a fact: a human head would typically reach up to the mouth level of this giant Zoozoo head. “We kept the hands and legs thin, which is why we cast women – and occasionally children – wearing the costumes,” says Varma. The thin limbs, contrasted with big bellies and a bulbous head, all add to the illusion that these creatures are ‘smaller’ than humans. Sets were created to suit the size of the Zoozoos.
Cinematically, this ‘size’ was a trick: the creatures look smaller than they actually are on screen, to portray a different world of sorts. For this, the speed of shooting was altered: Nirvana shot it in a high-speed format to make them look the size that they do.
Furthermore, simple sets/backdrops were created and spray painted with neutral Greys – a colour of choice so that attention isn’t diverted from the main characters. For a supposedly ‘outdoor’ shot, even the shadow of a Zoozoo was kept ‘live’ and not done in post production: it was painted in a darker shade of grey on the ground. An even lighting was maintained throughout.
There was virtually no post production work done.
The films were shot by Nirvana in Cape Town, South Africa, with the help of a local production house there, called Platypus. Incidentally, the same combination of people also worked on the ‘Happy to Help’ series last year. When asked whether Cape Town is fast becoming a tourist spot for Vodafone and Nirvana, Varma laughs, saying, “Oh no! It’s just that we are very comfortable with the team there and know what sort of work to expect from them.”
Nagpal adds here that the production cost had to be minimal for unveiling such a large number of commercials. “Otherwise, our production costs would exceed media spends,” he quips.
via : www.afaqs.com
No, they aren’t animated characters. They are human beings who were made to wear body suits. “The design of the characters is such that one gets fooled into thinking it is animation,” shrugs Rao, which was indeed the very illusion that had to be created. “In a sense, it is ‘live’ animation!” he quips, referring to the fact that it was all shot live.
Prakash Varma, ad filmmaker, Nirvana Films, has directed the commercials, and reveals that the Zoozoos were a big challenge to create. The practical aspects of how they will move, talk, gesticulate and emote were very important. Essentially, costume design and artwork were crucial elements.
“It took me three weeks of pre-production to understand how it will work,” says Varma. There were two fabrics that were considered for the body suits, and one was rejected for it had too many wrinkles and was shiny. The wrinkles would have shown when the characters moved, thereby shattering the illusion of animation. “So we chose the more practical, thicker fabric,” Varma explains.
The production team divided the outfit into two parts: the body and the head. The body part of the outfit was stuffed with foam in some places, while the head was attached separately. To make it look bigger than a human head, a harder material called Perspex was used, which in turn was stuffed with foam (with scope for ventilation).
If one wishes to understand the size of this head, here’s a fact: a human head would typically reach up to the mouth level of this giant Zoozoo head. “We kept the hands and legs thin, which is why we cast women – and occasionally children – wearing the costumes,” says Varma. The thin limbs, contrasted with big bellies and a bulbous head, all add to the illusion that these creatures are ‘smaller’ than humans. Sets were created to suit the size of the Zoozoos.
Cinematically, this ‘size’ was a trick: the creatures look smaller than they actually are on screen, to portray a different world of sorts. For this, the speed of shooting was altered: Nirvana shot it in a high-speed format to make them look the size that they do.
Furthermore, simple sets/backdrops were created and spray painted with neutral Greys – a colour of choice so that attention isn’t diverted from the main characters. For a supposedly ‘outdoor’ shot, even the shadow of a Zoozoo was kept ‘live’ and not done in post production: it was painted in a darker shade of grey on the ground. An even lighting was maintained throughout.
There was virtually no post production work done.
The films were shot by Nirvana in Cape Town, South Africa, with the help of a local production house there, called Platypus. Incidentally, the same combination of people also worked on the ‘Happy to Help’ series last year. When asked whether Cape Town is fast becoming a tourist spot for Vodafone and Nirvana, Varma laughs, saying, “Oh no! It’s just that we are very comfortable with the team there and know what sort of work to expect from them.”
Nagpal adds here that the production cost had to be minimal for unveiling such a large number of commercials. “Otherwise, our production costs would exceed media spends,” he quips.
via : www.afaqs.com
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Book tata nano
Living up to his commitments Ratan Tata created history with his worlds cheapest car "Nano".
Images :
Booking details :
Official site : Tata nano
Online booking : http://tatanano.inservices.tatamotors.com/tatamotors/
Images :
Booking details :
Official site : Tata nano
Online booking : http://tatanano.inservices.tatamotors.com/tatamotors/
Friday, March 6, 2009
Warren buffet's advice for 2009
We begin this New Year with dampened enthusiasm and dented optimism. Our happiness is diluted and our peace is threatened by the financial illness that has infected our families, organizations and nations. Everyone is desperate to find a remedy that will cure their financial illness and help them recover their financial health. They expect the financial experts to provide them with remedies, forgetting the fact that it is these experts who created this financial mess.
Every new year, I adopt a couple of old maxims as my beacons to guide my future. This self-prescribed therapy has ensured that with each passing year, I grow wiser and not older. This year, I invite you to tap into the financial wisdom of our elders along with me, and become financially wiser.
Ø Hard work: All hard work bring a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
Ø Laziness: A sleeping lobster is carried away by the water current.
Ø Earnings: Never depend on a single source of income.. [At least make your Investments get you second earning]
Ø Spending: If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon sell things you need.
Ø Savings: Don't save what is left after spending; Spend what is left after saving.
Ø Borrowings: The borrower becomes the lender's slave..
Ø Accounting: It's no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.
Ø Auditing: Beware of little expenses; A small leak can sink a large ship.
Ø Risk-taking: Never test the depth of the river with both feet. [Have an alternate plan ready]
Ø Investment: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I'm certain that those who have already been practicing these principles remain financially healthy. I'm equally confident that those who resolve to start practicing these principles will quickly regain their financial health.
With Best Regards,
Warren Buffet
Every new year, I adopt a couple of old maxims as my beacons to guide my future. This self-prescribed therapy has ensured that with each passing year, I grow wiser and not older. This year, I invite you to tap into the financial wisdom of our elders along with me, and become financially wiser.
Ø Hard work: All hard work bring a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
Ø Laziness: A sleeping lobster is carried away by the water current.
Ø Earnings: Never depend on a single source of income.. [At least make your Investments get you second earning]
Ø Spending: If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon sell things you need.
Ø Savings: Don't save what is left after spending; Spend what is left after saving.
Ø Borrowings: The borrower becomes the lender's slave..
Ø Accounting: It's no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.
Ø Auditing: Beware of little expenses; A small leak can sink a large ship.
Ø Risk-taking: Never test the depth of the river with both feet. [Have an alternate plan ready]
Ø Investment: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I'm certain that those who have already been practicing these principles remain financially healthy. I'm equally confident that those who resolve to start practicing these principles will quickly regain their financial health.
With Best Regards,
Warren Buffet
Friday, January 23, 2009
Slumdog delighted India
Slumdog Millionaire overwhelmed with 10 Oscar nominations and country is now in euphoric mood. Indians are thrilled with the film's success. Have you seen it boss? Its really cool man. The bitter truth is, Slumdog Millionaire could only have been made by westerners. The talent exists in India for such movies: much of it, like the brilliant actor Irrfan Khan, contributed to this film. But Bollywood producers, fixed with making flimsy films about the lives of the middle class, will never throw their weight behind such projects. Like Bachchan, they are too blind to what India really is to deal with it. Exception Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic signal. While watching this film I found this bit similar to Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal (not the script but overall).If you ask me, I will give more points to Traffic Signal than slumdog for sure. Then may be you argue with me saying how realistic films is they showed right ? but look at any of Madhur Bhandarkar's creation's either its his débutant Chandani Bar or the recently launched Fashion. and you never forget about the Page 3. Don't you think these are more realistic. Don't you think 'ye Oscar ke takkar ka banda hai?' I think language is the barrier in these cases, he never launched his films worldwide in English. Well let it be I keep my view with myself.
I am really really very happy for A. R. Rehman, no one doubts about his talent, he is simply awesome!! Not only for Slumdog but for all.This guy can work out with any kind of instruments old new doesn't matter for him. He went few years back in history for Lagaan and even more than 200 years for Jodha Akbar(you never forget kwaja mere kwaja).Even with all his talent, he had never won an international award of such standing before. It had been a long time in coming, but he deserve it. Well done man well done!! keep it up.
Happy Republic Day to all. Jai Ho !!! ;)
I am really really very happy for A. R. Rehman, no one doubts about his talent, he is simply awesome!! Not only for Slumdog but for all.This guy can work out with any kind of instruments old new doesn't matter for him. He went few years back in history for Lagaan and even more than 200 years for Jodha Akbar(you never forget kwaja mere kwaja).Even with all his talent, he had never won an international award of such standing before. It had been a long time in coming, but he deserve it. Well done man well done!! keep it up.
Happy Republic Day to all. Jai Ho !!! ;)
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