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Statutory Warning: While this is a movie review, the author will also digress into flashbacks of his own life.

Finally someone does justice to Chetan Bhagat's writing skills. His books always have had a Bollywood sense of appeal to them, as a result of which they were lapped up by Indian readers like never before. However, one of his adaptations (Hello) was made by an insipid Atul Agnihotri. Trust the team of Vidhu Vinod Chopra/Raju Hirani and to top it all...Aamir Khan to not mess up with a novel storyline such as 5 point someone.

So, Imperial College of Engineering is where a bunch of 20s something assemble to make a future in the world of engineering.

As a South Indian, I have heard this statement many a times...unknown and distant relatives would come home, when you are busy faking with a book in hand. "Aur beta, what do you want to become...Engineer ya Doctor." Fullstop!

Why!! Are they no other choices? I didnt even know what exactly is engineering. I asked my cousins. Sadly for me, all my cousins were engineers. The only exception was an architect, but I was told that is also a form of engineering. Galti se Std 10th and 12th main number bhi itne aagaye ki engineering main admission bhi mil gaya.

So, where were we...ya the 3 Idiots...Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi), Farhan Quereshi (R Madhavan) and Ramchand something something (Aamir Khan). Their days at the engineering college is all about making awesome experiments (I couldnt even write a simple computer lab program on my own). They make helicopters with webcams, educate the dumb audience about salt being a good conductor of electricity and also show the effective use of car batteries.

However, beneath the simple experiements there is a khazana of advice to the old and the new generation. Raju Hirani sensitivizes us on the ugly face of student suicides, or simply why "public places main pishaab karna nahi chahiye". I was really apprehensive of using the mall washroom post the movie!

They make fun of a South Indian classmate, have a panga with the dean Mr. Viru Shahastrabudhe (aka Virus aka Boman Irani), but at the same time Amir Khan shows more than traces of the lovable Munnabhai MBBS. He helps a classmate with his assignment, he sends the hostel aide to school, gives career tips to his confused friends and what more tops the class with ease. He also passes a new mantra "All Izz Well" already used by Reliance Insurance I guess.And slowly the movie becomes a one track Amir movie with other characters revolving around him.

The humor of the movie is copy pasted from engineering corridors." Jab dost fail hota hai to dukh hota hai...par jab wahi dost top karta hai tab aur bura lagta hai" Nimit will be able to identify with this...after Anup scored 91 in Mech and Nimit failed ;)

The black n white setting of Sharman Joshi's house and the ripping apart of his poor family was very offending to Sharman Im sure. Also, the scene where the 3 Idiots are late for the exam and ask for half an hour more. " Aap hume jaante hai...humara roll no. pata nahi"...is too good. The convocation photograph with Sharman and Madhavan on the last row must have given Jajoo and Batty a deja vu feeling ;).Also when Aamir bajaos us MBAs by saying "engineering kari, fir MBA aur ab bank main naukri kar rahe ho" such kehta hun...sharam se sar jukh gayi"

And senti scenes...Parikshat Sahni as Madhavan's dad always has the ability to make you cry. He did the same with Jimmy Shergil in Munnbbhai 2, and here his scores on the wet eyes quotient too. And Aamir Khan kuch kam nahi hai, when his eyes get moist on screen, automatically you start crying as well.

The songs nicely embedd themselves in the screenplay. Though I wish the behti hawa sa and I wanna grow up once again could have been better and timely picturized. The picturseque Rohtang Pass, Simla, Manali and Ladakh make you visit these places atleast once in your llifetime.

The cast...Kareena is subdued, doesnt have much to do. Madhavan and his well rounded body doesnt matter as he packs a punch while Sharman gets ample space to time his humor and display his serious face throughout the plot. However, there do look a little overawed by Aamir's presence. Boman Irani was a little dissapointing inspite of another innovative apperance, dialogue delivery and pesky nature he brings to Virus. Who else...is worth mentioning...oh ya...main usko kaise bhool gayi...dunno the guys name but Silencer (the South Indian from Uganda) is good too.

His name is Khan! Acting half his age, a trim structure, a peculiar walking style, mannerisms like hands in the pocket, and a dozen minute character touches. Aamir excels in each scene, win hearts of all his fans as well as those who were upset with Ghajini (thats me). He has yet again delivered. He is my best actor of the year for 2009. (Though havent seen Paa as yet)

Raju Hirani has a hattrick now!! Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai and 3 Idiots. The ace director has made himself the successor to the great Hrishikesh Mukherjee of the '70s.

All in all..this movie will transport you back to a time when marks books ruttofying worked in life. More importantly it was a time when friends mattered first.

Special mention and envy at all those IIMB guys who not only got to see the shooting but also made a teeny weeny bit appearance in the movie!

Review Rating: 4.5/5

There is a reason for deducting 0.5. Will be disclosed later.

Rocket Singh: Refreshing approach to sales- 4/5

"I want to do my MBA because I want to get into sales and marketing" I once said. I wish Rcket Singh had released then. I might have gone ahead and become a businessman.

Jaideep Saini and Shimit Amin combo strikes yet again to provide entertainment, values and at the same time attempt to make the world, if not world, India, a better place.

Harpreet Singh (Ranbir) decided to apply for the job of a salesman. He thinks he is good at all that the job needs. - Persuation, Negotiation and Conviction...I think those were the 3 terms...however, little does he realise that sales is all about gochi, dealings, kickbacks and what not. After getting ridiculed by colleagues and superiors, Harpreet decides to do something different, yet earnest.

The movie is real to the core. The sales team remind me of my colleagues. The clients, the dealings or the day to day office banter is so perfect in its execution that one really is awestruck. Moreover, the script is deliberately intelligent, forcing the audience to bridge the links themselves, rather than force a flashback or an explanation of each such scene. And I will admit, you really need some amount of business acumen to understand how Harpreet or his bosses mind works.

But, where the movie scores like Chak De India or Khosla ka Ghosla is its honesty. So, at the end of the movie, you come out with a feeling that I will try to change my world in some way. I have decided mine already.

There are amazing one liners in this movie, both comic as well as philosophical...I really loved the line "waise bhi maine kisi sardar ko chori karte hue nahi dekha" shows how you can be racist and also get applauded for the same. The script is the real hero of the movie. The other aspects, cinematography, the music are just catalysts, which frankly do not matter in the final outcome of this product.

Next, lets go to the casting, which is accurate to the tee. Harpreet's immediate boss Nitin Sir (Navin Kishore) , the colleagues- the gult honeka Giri ( D Santosh) or the item girl turned office manager Gauhar Khan provide amble support to Harpreet's ideas as to the film. Although debutante Shazahn Padamsee is okie and has little to do. Even the usually histrionics certified Prem Chopra is respectable.

And Harpreet aka Ranbir. My admiration for him as an actor has grown tremendously in his last 3 movies. With Wake Up Sid and Ajab Gajab and now Rocket Singh, no wonder his fortunes have sky rocketed.

Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni. I think its time to do serious research on these two gems of Bollywood.

"Risk to Spiderman bhi leta hai, main to sirf salesman hun"

Bhaut mast risk liya boss, because this risk is going to ensure Yash Raj finally goes to the bank to count the money.

My journey with the No.1 Test Side

I was in 3rd yr engg...The college festival going on...
I asked Ashley.."wats the score Ash?"
Ashley was this Aussie brat...supporting them gungho right from the 1st test.
"India 128/8...laggayi tere India ki!"

Me Sid Nimit and Andy went about our usual college stuff, dissapointment in our eyes...
The next day, India improved marginally, following on and closing the day at 272/4. Just 20 runs ahead or something...
And then there was magic!

Laxman played the VERY VERY SPECIAL knock ably suppported by the WALL..and India batted the entire day 4 without losing a wicket.The next day...amidst the computer labs, we saw the live proceedings along with our professor as Bhajji got one to hit the pads of Mcgrath and the Indian umpire(I forgot his name) put his hand up even before the Indians went up to appeal.

That was one pivotal day for Indian cricket and her fans...

And since then my love for Test crcket has only grown...

Be it watching the West Indies series all through the night...
Andy Nimit and Sid , all of us were watching the Sabina Park match at my place , and at the same time were also playing our box cricket version at 2 am...

And then there was the India Australia series down under in '08
...during our Delhi trip with the Nitie junta...
we spent an entire morning in the Delhi hotel room watching the days play...
when we were supposed to go sightseeing...

Or simply waking up at 5 am...never ever in life will you see me so excited waking up before the sun...and switch on the TV...and then brush my teeth at the end of session 1, have breakfast during the tea session and finish off the day's play with lunch.

Or the conservative India England encounters...Dravid and Bangar batting with utmost care to reach 210/2 at the end of day 1 and Ganguly and Sachin running all over England on day 2 to post 628/8!

Sachin's huge six of Caddick, I think it was! and Ganguly taking care of Giles career.

The beauty is in watching the same 90 overs at different times of the day.
It gives a different feeling to the entire game.

The early mornings, is actually a torture to wake up...
while the late night matches used to give a chance to officially watch Fashion TV back then..

India had only 13 overseas wins between 1932 to 2000
This decade we have won 19 matches overseas.

Im glad I have witness almost all of them...
It used to be fun to bunk classes and catch a glimpse...
its fun doing the same at work too

Its a great feeling as a cricket fan!