12 positive events that made 2015 a year to remember

- Naba Raj Chetri.

12) Justin Trudeau wins Canadian Elections.

What is seen as a major victory in the world political circle, Justin Trudeau led Liberal Party of Canada came to power. It was seen as a good news by climate change activist as his predecessor Stephen Harper was seen as a climate skeptic. Besides Mr. Trudeau’s cabinet was also appreciated world over for its dynamic and gender balanced nature. The open arm welcome of Syrian refugees was seen as a move of Canada once again leading the world towards the ideal of tolerance.

11) Saudi women vote and win

In a historic ballot, 20 women were voted into local governments. It was for the first time that women were allowed to vote in the conservative Middle East nation. The election did gather a lot of eyeballs from across the world.

10) Same sex marriage legalized in Republic Of Ireland

What was seen as a major victory to the free thinkers across the world and LGBT community in particular, Ireland legalized same sex marriage by a referendum in a victory with 62% in favour of it.

9) Bidhya Devi Bhandari elected Nepal’s first female president

The deputy leader of Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist “Bidhya Devi Bhandari” was elected to the post of President Of Nepal . The election of Bidhya Bhandari who had for long campaigned for womens right was seen as a milestone in the young,new democratic Nepal.

8) Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announces donation of 99% of their facebook share to charity

Following the birth of their daughter Maxx, Zuckerberg announced the donation of 99% of his facebook share to charity . This news grabbed much appreciation in the global platform, and comparison with well-known philanthropist like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who have donated in billions. The lack of donations from the elite of Indian Society was also a topic of discussion

7) Scientist capture light as both particle and wave

Since the time of Einstien, light was believed to have both particle and light nature, it was for the first time capture as a snapshot using electrons to image light at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne). The achievement was hailed by Scientific Community worldwide.

6) Negotiations on Iran Nuclear programme produces a deal

A preliminary framework was reached between Islamic Republic of Iran and group of world powers P5+1(5 permanent members of Security Council + Germany + EU). According to the framework, Iran would redesign, convert and reduce its nuclear abilities and accept additional protocols, to lift all nuclear related economic sanctions imposed upon it.

5) Africa went a year without polio

A major milestone in global health that has left health experts silently celebrating, no polio cases were detected for over a year in Africa. The last detected case was in Somalia in August 2014. The absence marks a step for the continent to be declared polio free.

4) NASA reveals high resolution image of Pluto

NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft has sent back the first few of a series of high resolution images taken during its July flyby and this series of images forms the best close-ups of Pluto mankind has ever seen. A video made from this images show amazing details of a world 3 billion miles away.  

3) Space X launches a rocket that returned to Earth and landed upright

For the first time in aerospace history, a rocket took off vertically from its Launchpad and landed upright after piercing space not far from where its journey began. The task was completed by Falcon9 rocket of the private American Company SpaceX, whose CEO is the world renowned Elon Musk. This news was even shared by Mark Zuckerberg.

2) The world observes the first “International Yoga Day”

 On the suggestion of Indian PM Narendra Modi 21st June, which is the longest day in Northern Hemisphere was chosen to be marked as International Yoga Day. India’s Permanent Representative “Ashok Mukherjee” introduced the draft and 177 member states adopted it without a vote. It was observed by nations across the globe, with the event in Rajpath led by the Indian PM himself entered into the Guinness Book of World Records.

1) COP21- the gamechanger and International Solar Alliance

Perhaps the most important event for decades to come, the fate of the world was decided at Paris. It was the 21st session of the Conference of Parties(COP). Here 195 participating countries agreed by consensus to the final global pact, the Paris Agreement, where it was agreed to reduce global warming and keep global warming less than 2degree Celsius that of preindustrial times. The developed nations are to pay the developing nation 100 billion dollar to achieve the target.

In a significant move hailed globally, Indian PM Narendra Modi along with his France counterpart Francois Hollande launched a solar alliance of 120 countries with its headquarters in India.

Nisarg Behera

Jupiter with its moon IO, Europa, Ganymade and Callisto

Dilwale

- Bibhu Krishna Talukdar.

Dilwale- A typical Rohit Shetty flick which relies too heavily on SRK's stardom

Cast- Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Boman Irari, Vinod Khanna, Johnny Lever

Director- Rohit Shetty

Verdict - 3/5

SRK-Kajol jodi, fancy cars, heart pounding action, and adding to that SRK's only movie of the year.Will Dilwale live up to its hype? Read on to find out

Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) alias Kali is a gangster-turned- garage owner who has moved on from his previous life. His brother, Veer (Varun Dhawan) is a sweet-natured flirt who falls in love with Ishita (Kriti Sanon). Soon, Veer and Ishita develop feelings for each other and decide to tell their families about their relationship. Raj, on seeing their love, accepts their relationship and decides to talk to Ishita’s family. Upon entering Ishita’s house, Raj encounters Meera (Kajol) which opens up old wounds. Both Raj and Meera refuse to accept Veer and Ishita's relationship and tell them to stay away from each other. What is the history between Raj and Meera? Will Veer and Ishita's love prevail? Watch the movie to find out

Shah Rukh Khan gives a great performance here. His eyes can really convey a lot of emotions. He really is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to romance. Kajol gives a good performance here although she has done better in the past. She looks more gorgeous than ever before. The SRK-Kajol Jodi is still capable of kindling up a fire. They truly share a great chemistry between them. Varun Dhawan is the star of the show. He has grown leaps and bounds and is truly an actor to watch out for in the future. Kriti Sanon is however, unconvincing. She looks a bit out of place here.

The direction is okay. Although the film is a little slow in the first half, its pace picks up in the second. The one-liners are rib-tickling and some scenes are really hilarious which keeps the viewers entertained throughout. The 5 minute date scene between SRK and Kajol and the scene in which Varun proposes to Kriti stays with you even after the movie. The locations are beautifully captured. The story however, is the main drawback. It is very predictable and has many loopholes. The lack of a credible antagonist also hurts the film’s cause. The ending is a bit of an anticlimax. The music by Pritam is decent with Gerua being the highlight.

Final verdict- The film is a must match for die-hard SRK fans. Others can give it a try.

Bajirao Mastani

- Sidharth Sharma.

Bajirao Mastani- Overloaded with Extravagance, but let-down by a slow-paced screenplay!

Cast- Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Milind Soman, Tanvi Azmi, Mahesh Manjrekar

Direction- Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Verdict- 3.5/5

It is easy to fight your enemies, but equally tough to stand against your loved-ones! This line is, in itself, enough to explain the premise of ‘Bajirao Mastani’. Directed by Bhansali, this movie has created much pre-release hype. Will it be able to live upto our expectations? Let’s find out.

Peshwa Bajirao (Ranveer Singh) takes over the throne as the new Maratha Warrior. He is said to be insurmountable - courtesy, his wife Kashi (Priyanka Chopra), in whom he finds his strength. However, things change when Mastani (Deepika Padukone), daughter of the King of Bundelkhand, seeks his help in saving Bundelkhand. Soon, Bajirao and Mastani fall for each other. But due to religious differences, Mastani is not accepted by Bajirao’s family. Will ‘Love’ be able to overcome the barriers of ‘Religion’? This is what the rest of the story is about!

Based on the life of the famous Maratha Warrior, Peshwa Bajirao, this movie had the potential to be the best historical drama, ever produced in India. But inspite of an engrossing storyline, the movie is let down by a not-so-strong screenplay! The story focuses mainly on Bajirao’s love-life, amidst the backdrop of a historical drama. It delivers an astounding message, without actually exhorting about it. But the problem lies with the screenplay, which is somewhat flawed! It loses pace at parts and seems to be engulfed in its own grandeur! Certain developments have not been reasoned properly and in certain parts, the narrative remains shallow. However, it is not that bad either! Infact, certain scenes have been resplendently written. The climax is perhaps, the most heart-wrenching scene.  The dialogues seem to be perfect for a historical film and work in favour of the film.

‘Bajirao Mastani’ boasts of some of the finest performances of the year! Ranveer Singh, as Bajirao, does full justice to his character. While in certain scenes, he acts more like ‘Ram’ of ‘Ramleela’, rather than ‘Bajirao’, in other sequences (particularly the war scenes), he shines! Mastani, played by Deepika Padukone, steals the show! She fits into the skin of the character and portrays her character brilliantly. With every film, she keeps on getting better and better! This one can be said to be her best performance till date. Priyanka Chopra delivers a stellar performance, inspite of a lesser screen space! She has a couple of strong moments in the film. Tanvi Azmi, as Bajirao’s  mother is absolutely convincing. Other actors are equally impressive!

The movie is exquisite in terms of the sets and costumes, something which Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for. Ostentatious sets and gorgeous costumes (by Anju Modi)  add to the grandeur and enhance the cinematographic aspect of the film! All the scenes have been vividly shot, with the ample use of CGI. Fine editing makes the movie a visual spectacle! However, the film’s music seems to be a bit unimpressive, with only ‘Deewani Mastani’ leaving a mark!

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali does a sincere effort this time. Bajirao Mastani is one of his finest works till date! With a more gripping screenplay, the movie could have been a masterpiece. Nevertheless, the movie definitely deserves to be seen!

Final Verdict- Watch it out for some outstanding performances and Bhansali’s excellent direction!

Maa....ek aadat

- Akhtar Hussain.

Certain things can only be experienced not expressed, only meant for your senses to cherish - a touch to feel the warmth that radiates all those positive vibes within you to excite a potential that directly strings all the cords that connects mind to heart. Sense of smell to feel the fresh new breeze of the spring, experience that earthly tinge of wet soil , so is the hot and delicious curry that hits our taste buds and caramelizes in our mouths ; beats n ragas pumping our tympanic membrane, sweeping ones feet to groove and those gleaming pair of eyes, shining like a diamond hypnotizing the admirer, dragging him into its vastness.

When was the last time I saw her ! though the time has passed, it has been like ages ago but going by English calendar three months thirteen days have passed and with each passing day the hunger to see her again goes on increasing .

Maa usually avoids travelling but this time she came all the way travelling 2.5 hrs to see me off at the railway station as both of us knew this time it's going to be long. Sitting beside her in that auto, my head resting on her shoulders, the warmth of her hands embracing my hair; not a word spoken. Oh that journey, I was living every moment of it. I was reluctant to let go off her hands and she was trying to shower over me all the love she had, just wanted it to go on and on.

Time passed like water flowing off the palm, came the time of departure, the train whistled and suddenly all the winds started blowing opposite.  A realization came,  there is so much left to say a feeling of cold and fear grasped me how can I live without her, I need her ; somebody please stop this thing , can I jump , I want to shout Maa please don't send me away. But then I see her eyes replying , comforting with its warmth , assuring of her presence within me "And all I said was see u soon Maa , and all she did was smile and smile" ( quoting- Shyama kamaladas)

The wind got faster , whistle got louder things started moving backwards but  leaning forward from the doorway, my eyes still fixed on her, struggling to capture her as she disappeared amidst those stranger faces. All of these 91 days, I have spent exploring for her fragrance, wherever I go my eyes search for her eyes in every person I meet, feel for her warmth from every hand I touch and visit place to place, restaurant to restaurants to treat my taste buds with same delight of Maa's recipe. From my window when I send my eyes into the blues of the distant sky, I try to feel for the stillness of my mother's face.  You suffuse every sense of mine Maa, but your sight escapes me.

BULLET FOR MY FRIEND

- .Mahbub

It was our forensic science lecture, the most awaited lecture of the week for those who love crime stories suspense and thriller movies, for which they can connect a little with the subject and above all a person like me who like to watch crime patrol series and formulate the climax before the cops could reach it.

Above all this subject connects me, this is what I feel and it many a times took me to my old golden days.

One such day, our Professor was giving a lecture on the topic “FIRE ARMS” dealing with guns, cartridges, bullets and all other stuffs related to it. While gluing my eyes to Sir’s slides on the screen and ears tuned to sirs words, ".303" this word extract of sir’s lecture hit my gray matter  at an instant and took me to some other world, the world which I lived a few years back. I could not stop smiling to myself, being in a state of utopia, though for a moment keeping myself off from sir’s eyes. “.303”, I thought, I remembered and again I smiled to myself.

.303 rifle is of British origin, in service since 1889. It got its name from its bullet’s diameter, .303 of an inch or 7.92 mm. Used in many historically significant wars such as Boer Wars, World Wars etc. But more than these it's an indispensable part of Sainik school and NCC days; the firing range, firing target , those odious scolding of the drill instructor, collecting shells and sometimes the crushed bullet from the fired wall, the days worth cherishing.

It was the period when Orkut and other social networks were gaining pace and popularity especially among the youths. It was replacing our anarchic ways of expression. Posting photos of our camps with camouflaged uniform became a trend as it makes us different from other people on those sites. So taking pictures of camp days with tents and forest on background, camouflaged clothes guarding  our body and of course guns on hand was a kind of a mandatory craze for everyone.

I too was not spared by the endemic, I suffered the same "click pic" syndrome. Things became so horrible that focusing towards the camera gained more importance than focusing on targets.

So one fine day, when it was our section’s turn for firing, we equipped ourselves with all the necessary items required for the day viz.. our .303 gun, bullets, targets and headed towards the firing range. Some of my click pic affected friends packed themselves with cameras as it was the paracetamol for this fever.

After a short wait and practicing in blank imaginary targets, it was our turn to fire. “Take your position” was the call of our drill instructor. I laid down on the mat aiming towards the target with my .303 gun. Meanwhile my closest friend of that moment Sunny was ready to capture me in action with his camera. We had a deal, to click each other in action as both were patients of click pic. “GOLI BHAAR” was the second command of our drill instructor making us load bullets in the gun. We were ready to fire as well as to pose to get captured in the camera. I was looking at Sunny's camera and suddenly I heard “FIRE”, the call of the instructor. In dire moment I pulled the trigger and the bullet sprang out of the barrel landing near Sunny’s feet instead of the target. Jumping and trembling with fear he kept humming “O MA, O MA BASILU”. I didn’t have any idea when the barrel turned towards the camera lenses along with my eyes. Thanking almighty was the only thing I could do at the moment for not creating a grave situation.

I didn’t have a Valentine then and my fate took it so seriously that it changed the name of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE , a trending band of the time, to BULLET FOR MY FRIEND just to honour my episode.

After this episode ,it was our turn to face the music, the lashes of cane stick, rolling on the ground ,frog jumps and of course the odious scolding of instructor. All these was not enough, "CADET ANOWAR HUSSAIN AWARDED EXTRA DRILL FOR 3 DAYS" was the top headline in the house/hostel notice board. Getting an extra drill was considered a curse in our school; it is a trailer of how hell could be. Running for 2.5 kms holding SLR rifle above head, rolling on pitched roads, push ups and whatever stuff that came into our PTI and Drill instructors mind, making us bath in sweats and cramps all over the body.

After all these Typhoon I came across, I got cured of the syndrome and sweared never to get affected by it again and also if possible to create an awareness about its consequences. Afterall being social on social networks is ok but showing off is/was/will never be ok and I learned it to the core.

A Desire

-Apoorva Tiwari

Away from reality
She was living alone.
Alone in silence,
Desiring a soul.

A soul of light & love
She desires..
Desires a way
That only God admires.

A reality, so narrow
Indulging all around.
She laughs, she cries
As she was not found.

Morning or mourning
A thing same for her
Not even a single soul
Was with her.

But, here she goes
Deciding to stand.
Stand for her reality
Holding, her own hand.

Out of the line
Unafraid of the crowd
Charisma of her heroism
Was read out loud.

Then she speaks
With soft, vivid tone.
Don't misjudge,
Power of alone.

And so is life.
My dear friend.
Afraid we are
No need to pretend.

Cast your world
With power of love cord
Follow your desires
No need of sword

You are one,
As she was before.
Even one out..
What God adores!!

Endure the World

- Nuruddin Md. Iqbal.

The twists are hefty
The cords are tight
It won't break loose
No matter how much I fight

The grip is fierce
Covert in every tear
I wish to surmount
This emptiness of fear

I cognise once on my own
I might not survive
But there is mere prospect
For me to be alive

The toll of loosing the bond
Could be my biggest mistake,
But I'm done living
A life I can no longer fake

Then, amidst this forlorn
A gentle voice called
It's your life for sure
Break all knots, endure the world.

Hate Story 3

- Sidharth Sarma.

Hate Story 3- Unconvincing, Unrealistic- in short, a highly disappointing movie!

Cast- Sharman Joshi, Karan Singh Grover, Zareen Khan, Daisy Shah, Priyanshu Chatterji

Direction- VishalPandya

Verdict- 2.5/5

Sex sells. It really does! The trailer of Hate Story 3 is, in itself, enough to prove this point. The trailer, which received more than a million views in just a few days, was well-appreciated by the audiences. Does the movie live upto our expectations? Well, the answer is definitely a ‘no’!

The movie starts off with Aditya Diwan (Sharman Joshi), a Mumbai-based industrialist, inaugurating a multi-speciality hospital, as a tribute to his deceased brother, Vikram Diwan (Priyanshu Chatterji). He is married to Sia (Zareen Khan). But his entire world turns upside down when Saurav Singhania (Karan Singh Grover) enters his life. He proposes to pay him any amount of money in return for letting Sia sleep with him. With the help of his employee, Kaya (Daisy), Aditya tries to find out Saurav's motive. Will Aditya accept this proposal? Will he be able to find out Saurav’s motive? The rest of the movie answers these questions

The story had the potential to make a good film, but it has been stuffed with a lot of unrealistic elements and unexplained circumstances, which makes it quite unbelievable. It looks like a mashup of ‘Indecent Proposals’, ‘Race’ and a few episodes of any TV soap- plastic surgery, a plane crash survivor, and what not! But yes, the movie does provide certain twists and turns, which have been brilliantly thought of (or copied, for that purpose)! When it comes to suspense, the movie does provide a lot more than the previous two installments. Only if they had been executed well, the movie would have been better! All those who are wondering whether the intimate scenes have been retained or not (considering the ‘sanskarism’ of our censor board), do not worry! The movie has dozens of intimate shower and bedroom scenes. However, the major disappointment in the movie is the screenplay, which has been very lazily written. There is no proper characterization and no depth in the plot. On top of that, the movie is filled with (irritating) songs, which interrupt its pace drastically! It is only towards the second half that the movie gains some pace. The dialogues are cheesy and filled with ‘F’-words, which will definitely appeal to the masses!

The ‘Hate Story’ franchisee is known for two things- intimate scenes and bold performances (especially, by the female lead). But this one is a major letdown in terms of performances! Zareen Khan delivers a decent but over-the-top performance. Even her skin show couldn’t compensate for her poor acting skills! Daisy Shah delivers a performance, which can put even Uday Chopra to shame! She desperately needs some acting classes! Sarcastically, in one of the scenes, Karan Singh Grover tells her, “Tumhe actor banna chahiye”!! Sharman Joshi is perhaps, the only saving grace of the movie! He acts well, in a half-baked role. Karan Singh Grover has shown a lot of improvement since his previous release, ‘Alone’.  He should focus more on his acting skills, rather than his physique. Priyanshu Chatterji, in a brief role, lends good support to other actors!

Inspite of a lot of flaws in the screenplay, the movie does keep you glued- thanks to the editing team. All the scenes are sharp and well shot. The camera-work has been well handled to capture the scenes, especially the top-angle view, which is extremely important for an erotica (pun intended)! The background music works perfectly in accordance with the film’s theme. The soundtrack doesn’t boast of any great number, apart from ‘Tumhe Apna Banane Ka’.  Other songs simply interrupt the film’s pace!

Vishal Pandya’s direction is certainly flawed. He needs to learn a lot from Vivek Agnihotri (director of the first installment of Hate Story), who displayed so much finesse in depicting a relatively simpler plot so brilliantly! He could have given a bit more attention to the screenplay and in extracting a little more from his actors. Certainly, not upto the mark!

Final Verdict- Watch it only if you are a hardcore fan of this series. Otherwise, just give it a miss!