India v New Zealand: Gambhir, Ishant and Laxman return for Tests

Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma have recovered from injuries that kept them out of the second Test against Australia, and are included in India's squad for the three-Test series against New Zealand, which begins on November 4 in Ahmedabad. That Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay filled in superbly for Laxman and Gambhir in Bangalore made this a straightforward selection, with both of them retaining their places in the 15-member squad. Amit Mishra and Sreesanth will be the reserve spinner and seamer respectively. All three returning players missed parts of the first Test in Mohali. Gambhir and Ishant struggled with knee injuries, and Laxman back spasms. Taking injections and painkilling tablets, Laxman and Ishant took India to an improbable win with an 81-run ninth-wicket stand on the final day. All three sat out of the second Test in Bangalore. Gambhir and Laxman have had to struggle with injury over the year: Laxman had to fight back spasms during his match-winning century in August at the P Sara Oval, a Test Gambhir missed. No one will complain if Gambhir and Laxman walk into the side, but during their absence in Bangalore, Vijay and Pujara did enough to show they were ready should they be needed again. Vijay scored a century after India were 38 for 2 in the first innings, and Pujara smashed 72 off 89 balls from No. 3 in the successful chase of 207. Both were good in close-in positions in the field. Sreesanth, who bowled better than his figures of 0 for 79 and 2 for 48 might suggest, will be easier to replace by Ishant. In what could be another good sign, India chose to go without any back-up wicketkeeper. That could mean MS Dhoni is more confident of his fitness after back trouble and a finger injury meant India had to pick a back-up keeper for the home series against South Africa and the Sri Lanka tour earlier this year. With the first-choice XI presumably fit, and the reserves looking good for more responsibilities, this is perhaps the strongest Indian Test side, given the conditions, in a long time. Kris Srikkanth, chairman of the Indian selection committee, was pleased with the exploits of the injury replacements who played against Australia, and looked forward to more success against New Zealand. "The team had performed extremely well against the Australians in both the Tests and one-day series. Particularly, the Bangalore Test was the icing on the cake. The junior players have gelled well with the seniors. I am confident that our players will continue their victory march." India: MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, M Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra

ESPNcricinfo all-time World XI: Tendulkar, Akram, Lillee and Gilchrist happy to be in team

Sachin Tendulkar has described being voted into ESPNcricinfo's all-time World XI as "unreal", and the team as "extraordinary company to be in". Tendulkar is the only current player in the XI, the rest of whom are four Australians, three West Indians, two Englishmen and one Pakistani. Tendulkar said he would have loved to play, talk about the game, and pick the brains of his batting partners in the XI - especially Don Bradman, who once said Tendulkar reminded him of himself. "It would have been great to play in this dream team, to walk out with Bradman after lunch, or build a partnership with Viv Richards, and talk to Sobers about cricket," Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo. "Just playing and having a conversation with them about cricket. I would liked to have asked Hobbs and Hutton what it was like to play on uncovered wickets, who were the best bowlers they had faced, and of course, the mental aspect of the game." Tendulkar, whose international career is now in its 21st year, was particularly pleased with the fact that he had played with or watched live nearly 60% of the side. "I played with Malcolm Marshall in county cricket, I played against Viv Richards in an exhibition game, and Lillee bowled to me at the nets at the MRF Pace Academy, when I was 15," he said. "It was such a thrill. I remember I called my brother and said to him that Dennis Lillee had bowled to me. So to now find myself in this company is unreal. I first met him when I was 12. Wasim Akram, one of three fast bowlers in the XI, described being picked in the team as one of his biggest achievements. "I never thought I would play for Pakistan, let alone be picked for an all-time World XI like this. It is a very special thing, to be picked by these judges and even more of an honour to be in the same team as guys like Sir Don Bradman, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Garry Sobers, Sachin and the others." Akram said he was happy to be named alongside his bowling hero, Malcolm Marshall. "A lot of people ask me who was the best bowler I ever saw. Imran was great, no doubt, very hardworking and shrewd. Dennis Lillee I never really saw, but people tell you obviously about how good he was. But when I rate a bowler, I look at how he did around the world, on different pitches in England, the subcontinent and Australia, and Malcolm Marshall, I feel, was the best of the lot. Adam Gilchrist, who is one of three players to make the XI who retired in the last decade (the others were Shane Warne and Akram) said many other wicketkeepers could have been picked instead of him. "To be one of only four Australian players to be chosen is an absolute honour, although I do think there were several other wicketkeepers, like Rod Marsh, Ian Healy, Mark Boucher or Alan Knott, who could have easily been picked ahead of me in this team," Gilchrist said. Knott came close to being picked: only eight points separated him and Gilchrist in the final reckoning. Lillee, who led the fast-bowling list in the votes, said it was an honour to be picked by a jury that was made up of eight Test captains as well as respected historians and writers. "Looking at the composition of the team, it's hard to question any of those selected. Though some great players have missed out, it would be interesting to pick another world team from those remaining, and I'm sure even that team would push the one that's been selected to the limit," he said.

Guzaarish MUSIC REVIEW

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala, Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Monikangana Dutta, Rajit Kapoor, Shernaz Patel,Nafisa Ali, Sanjay Lafont
Music: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Lyrics: A.M. Turaz, Vibhu Puri
Singers: K.K, Shail Hada, Kunal Ganjawala, Rakesh Pandit, Vibhavari Joshi, Francois Castellino, Sunidhi Chauhan, Harshdeep Kaur, Shankar Mahadevan
Audio On: T Series    Number of Songs: 10
Album Released on: 15 October 2010

You can’t question the vision of Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB)...it’s right up there with the best film-makers out there. He’s one of these rare breed that translates that vision into the various components that make a superlative film; script, cinematography, acting, direction and of course music- put simply, it has to be unique or it’s not deemed good enough (in the eyes of SLB). So it’s no surprise we got superb soundtracks for his earlier films includingKhamoshi and HDDCS (arguably the best Hindi soundtrack since its release in 1999). Unfortunately, that bar dipped slightly withDevdas and Saawariya (although the background music to Black was awesome!) so it comes as no surprise that he has backed someone else to produce the soundtrack for his latest film, Guzaarish, but who might that music composer be? Well amazingly (shock of all shocks), it’s SLB himself! According to Mr Bhansali the reason is a simple one. He understands the characters of Guzaarish and “what they would express musically” more than any other music director would and only he was able to unearth the deep thoughts in his mind about the film (through the music). Without giving too much away, the film’s concepts of life, hope, soul, romance, reminiscence and sadness are felt throughout the bumper soundtrack to Guzaarish but that has been a trademark we have come to associate with the music to his films , the only question is can he recreate the magic himself this time?Well think about it for a second, if the visionary film-maker wants perfection it’s very likely he has been shadowing the soundtrack productions for his previous films (he already produced a song in Saawariya), so much so that he now feels he has the experience to take on the mantle and direct the music himself…but is it a risk worth taking? With a radio playing in the background (note the ‘radio’ plays an important role in the film), the music switches to Track 1: “Guzaarish” , an emotional song full of recollection, dreams and a feeling of hope against a deep, helpless and often forlorn longing or guzaarish. The music is very slow to get off the mark but is eventually brought to life with the soft strings of a guitar and a harmonica whilst in the interludes; a haunting violin plays in the background. But you won’t have time to dwell on the music too long because it’s the singing and lyrics that are the true winners here. K.K. is in truly bewitching form and sings with emotions he once reserved for the amazing “Tadap Tadap” (HDDCS). Backing vocals are performed by Shail Hada who was founded by Monty in Saawariya. Words by Turaz are powerful. Words like“farmayish”, “guzaarish”, “khwaahish” are poetically symbolic and portray the feelings of the character perfectly. Overall, a good start to the soundtrack and a good indicator of what is in store! “Thodi si meethi hai, zara si mirchi hai, sau gram zindagi yeh, sambhaal ke kharchi hai”…You sense a lyrically powerful and poetic soundtrack as you are met with another superbly written song, Track 2: “Sau Gram Zindagi” . A more upbeat song about appreciating the good things in life (and accepting that you get equal doses of setbacks as well), Bhansali uses a beautiful piano piece as the foundation to the orchestration here and it works a treat. But note how the atmosphere is still laid back thanks to the sound of soft drum pads and odd bits such as the use of whistling etc. In the interludes the composer adds strings and violin to enhance the atmosphere. Just as K.K performed to his peak for Track 1, Kunal Ganjawala does the same here in what ranks as one of his most memorable renditions ever. Listen out for the way he controls his slow and almost whisper quiet vocals, then stretching out his alaaps to perfection- a testament to his true talents only fulfilled by few directors now including Bhansali. Words by Vibhu Puri are fresh, philosophical and sound splendid. Hats off to him. Guzaarish is getting better with each track- this song does help you appreciate life that little bit more…see it as an ode on life if you will. Oh heavens above! There are mesmerising songs and then there is “Tera Zikr” at Track 3, easily the best song from the album. The orchestration contains a bewitching fusion of traditional Indian instrumentation (harmonium, tabla, dholak) with Middle Eastern sounds (the majestic oud is the highlight). Bhansali then adds soul to the song with a string orchestra and violins. Note the heightened pace in the last minute of the song. He sprinkles further magic by keeping faith in Saawariya’s debutant singer Shail Hada who repays with arguably, his best performance to date. Rakesh Pandit’s qawwali type supporting vocals and alaapsare a brilliant touch. On top of that, you have to stand and admire the quirky but poetic words by Turaz: “Tera zikr hai ya itr hai, jab jab karta hoon, mehakta hoon behakta hoon chehakta hoon..” not to mention his clever choice of matching words e.g. “zikr itr” “fikr fakr”, “mehek, behek, chehek” “machal, uchal, pissahl”. This has rapidly become one of my favourite songs of 2010...pure magic from Bhansali the composer! Track 4: “Saiba” is a short but utterly charming love song with unique flavours and twists. To achieve this Bhansali uses the oud and the foreign vocals of Francois Castellino to give the song a classical as well as an international feel. Your attention then switches to the lead singer, Vibhavari Joshi, who marks a sparkling debut here. Her voice performs like the soothing tide from a calming river, hypnotising you in the process (particularly her alaaps). Give credit to the director for picking fresh talent over the tried and tested. The rest of the song is a pleasant fusion of drum pads, harmonium and guitar strings. Vibhu Puri’s words are fresh and soulful. Overall, “Saiba” is a short song but has the potential to impress you nevertheless with its immersive qualities. Bhansali has produced a number of atmospheric songs specifically for the film which is partly why we have such a bumper soundtrack but you will note their length is consequently shorter. The first of these, Track 5: “Jaane Kiske Khwaab” places greater emphasis on vocalist K.K, who is excellent again and the lyricist Turaz, who provides some touching lines. Music is kept in the background but listen closely and you will notice the deftest piano plucking, the softest guitar strings, and a haunting violin piece towards the end. Very poignant piece. Most of the songs so far appear to be picturised on the lead male actor. Track 6: “Udi” gives some attention to the female lead (Aishwarya Rai). The international style and feel of the arrangements are similar to “Saiba” (harmonium, bass guitar, drum pads, dholak) but this time the melody is catchy, livelier and dare I say it, foot-tapping! Sunidhi Chauhan sings from the heart and Turaz glorifies the feeling of a free bird. Not a bad effort but doesn’t make the same impact as “Saiba”. However as per Track 5, expect this to explode in the film particularly as it's picturised on a sensuous Aishwarya Rai. More romance is in the air with the gorgeous but poignant Track 7: “Keh Na Sakoon” . The music is fairly understated but brimming with melody thanks to the purity of the dovetailing piano and guitar against a haunting strings orchestra by C.M.A. Shail Hada is just unbeatable in this subdued form and thanks to his stirring efforts in the album you know this guy is here to STAY! The romantic lines by the late Jagdish Joshi and Vibhu Puri are simply heart wrenching. Alas, just as the song begins to immerse you into heavenly bliss, it ends and leaves before your thirst is quenched. But there is a solution dear listener....Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! And the quality of the soundtrack does not relent anytime soon because one of the best songs just happens to commence at Track 8: “Chaand Ki Katori” . . Bhansali sticks to the C.M.A. strings orchestra and uses subtle guitar strings (from a traditional guitar and from a bass guitar) to create another haunting orchestral piece full of mastery and illusion that, given the attention, takes control of your mind and senses. It does ask for some patience to grow on you but after that it rewards you with a relaxed and peaceful mindset. Listen out for the unexpected flugel horn around midway through the track. The very talented sufi singer Harshdeep Kaur is finally offered an opportunity on the big stage and thankfully she takes it with both hands in what is, the song of her life...she is just mesmerising, check out her high pitched "Zindagi batori, batori hai" chorus line, WOW! The words by Vibhu are equally dreamy and whisk you away into another world. Bhansali recreates magic in a truly awesome song! The mood picks up with another short but uplifting song at Track 9: Daayein Baayein” . Some pleasant acoustic guitar strings (yes as you can gather the guitar features a lot in this album!) dominate proceedings here. K.K. is behind the mic again singing to words of hope and love from Turaz. Will suit the film but is too short to have any lasting impression as a stand alone song. The bumper soundtrack ends with Track 10: “Dhundli Dhundli” . Bhansali’s orchestra sits in the backdrop itching to explode into life but doesn’t until around the 1:25 mark and then does so albeit for a short period of time before retreating again. You see Bhansali’s strategy throughout has been such to allow the singer to take control of the song and let the music flow in the background. Well for his last offering, he chooses a tried and tested performer, in fact one of the greats in recent times, Shankar Mahadevan, who evokes a powerful rendition that befits the stature of the album and indeed, the film. Turaz appears to have saved all his best work for this album with another effort full of fancy metaphors and thought-provoking lines! Fine ending Mr Bhansali fine ending. If you think Guzaarish is the type of music you will pick up and enjoy instantly, forget it! The music is slow, dreamy, poignant and soulful throughout and requires a lot of patience to fully appreciate. It helps to be in the right mood as well! But if you give it a try and come to the view that it is not your cup of tea, I suggest you check out the music after the film’s release- you are likely to enjoy it more after seeing it being played on the big screen for the simple reason that the music is hugely intertwined with the film’s characters, story and atmosphere. So much so that it will significantly enhance the viewing experience. But if you can digest the music from the CD alone then congratulations, you have just appreciated the best soundtrack of 2010. Though it’s by no means perfect... Whilst the music is very good overall (betters Saawariya which in itself must feel like an achievement for SLB) there are just too many tracks on the album making it an impossible task to maintain consistency (of standard) and quite a few of the songs sound like they have been based on the Saawariya platform (which SLB was evidently heavily involved in). So originality can be questioned. Also you have to remember Guzaarish the soundtrack has primarily been made to add atmosphere and soul to a film (which has limited moods thereby limiting the genres that could be catered for) but if you dissect the songs, the structure and arrangements are truly unique in only a few compositions. So you are probably wondering, what about these other songs? Well, if you analyse those closely it’s clear that other factors elevate them to levels which still allows you to enjoy them but the question is for how long? In other words SLB is helped immensely by noteworthy performances from his singers (particularly K.K. and Shail Hada who sing as well as you have ever heard them) and both lyricists deserve an award for some of the most bewitching poetry heard in recent years! Take out these factors and let’s face it, Guzaarish is nowhere near the soundtrack it purports to be? But the reality is those factors are present and what we ultimately get is an excellent debut by SLB as music director, one that frequently stirs the emotions, enchants the mind, mesmerises the senses but above all else, provides a truly atmospheric score for the film...job accomplished!

Jhootha Hi Sahi movie

Producer: Madhu Mantena
Director: Abbas Tyrewala
Starring: John Abraham, Pakhi, R Madhavan, Raghu Ram & Nandana Sen
Music: A.R.Rahman
Lyrics: Abbas Tyrewala
Genre: Comedy
Recommended Audience: General
Film Released on: 15 October 2010
Abbas Tyrewala’s debut directorial venture Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na became an instant blockbuster with its youthful storyline and the chemistry shared by Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza. Moreover, the experimentally young music by maestro A. R. Rahman turned out to be the craze of the youth, with"Pappu Can’t Dance" turning out to be the pick of the lot. Two years later and he’s back with yet another filmJhootha Hi Sahi, amidst much fanfare. Now this could be a huge problem, as a number of questions arise:

1. Will Abbas Tyrewala deliver, or will he end up being a one-film wonder as a director?

2. Will the chemistry of John Abraham and Pakhi Tyrewala click like the one between Khan and D’Souza in his first?

3. Will this be one of those movies that generate expectations and nothing else?

More such questions crowd the mind of the potential viewer, and these questions could only be answered after one's seen the movie. In all honesty, I went to watch it with similar questions in my mind, because Tyrewala has set a standard with his debut film itself. The result, unfortunately, is unsettling. The ray of hope in the movie though is that fact that this is one of those movies you’ll have to sit through the first half to understand completely. Though the movie’s shot in London, the makers have diligently chosen not to cram each frame with the most beautiful locations. The story is very simple, and the characters are realistic, but the problem with this is they take a lot of time to develop – most of the pre-intermission reels to be precise, which makes the movie extra slow – something you wouldn’t expect out of Tyrewala post Jaane Tu...

Well, the story’s pretty simple, but unique in its own way. Siddharth (John Abraham) is a simple geeky guy who lives a simple life. He owns a bookstore and has his set of weird friends – a Gujju Amit, a Casanova Udit, a levelheaded Omar, his pregnant sister Aaliya, and Aaliya’s boyfriend Nick, who wants to marry her but she mysteriously denies. A few wrong numbers later, Sid ends up being a volunteer for DOST India, an organization helping people and keeping them from suicide. One fine day, Sid picks up the call to a crying lady who will later be known as Mishka (Pakhi) who wants to commit suicide. Slowly a bond forms between them, and through his lies he trys breaking her out of her shell and helping her to live life. He doesn’t regret those lies, imagining he’d never get to meet her, until fate intervenes and she lands in the very bookstore he owns.

As I’ve said before, the movie starts very slowly, and in parts it’s not all that bad, but post a few minutes, it tends to get on your nerves. Again, this ends up being wrongly promoted as an all-happy-very-funny romantic comedy. Here the characters are more mature, face different problems, and have more pressing personal issues to deal with. The characters are very well written, and the dialogues – especially the catchphrases (I remember “ajeebs”) – end up being subtle and restrained.

The screenplay is – strange. The first half of the reels pre-intermission drag on and on while characters develop themselves. And unless there’s a better reason for such a screenplay, dragging on and on in the name of realism wouldn’t be a good idea, as it could affect the viewers’ interest. The story, at the risk of repeating myself, is sweet and goes with the flow. The movie picks up during the second half and the climax, though highly over-exaggerated, becomes the high point, making this the complete “Bollywood” film. It seems Tyrewala is in love with the “chase-your-love-before-it’s-too-late” escapism angle in climaxes, and it’s evident because he repeated the “epicness-of-Hindi-romance-climaxes”, but changed the set from an airport to a bridge. Interestingly enough, I wonder why he wants to keep the rest of the film relatable and does the over-the-top act in the end. Some people wouldn’t digest it after the restrained nature of the film.

Technically, the film is commendable. Smooth camerawork coupled with tight cinematography gives the film a glossy look despite the film being shot in the some very raw locations in London. The background score by A. R. Rahman is fantastic - no two opinions on that. Rahman’s music though is such that it grows on you only post the movie’s release and once people have seen its relation with the film. “Cry Cry” and “Maiyya Yashoda” are the pick of the lot. The editing could have been tighter, and the overlong fade in and out transitions between scenes spoil the show.

Preformance-wise, John Abraham is the show stealer. He perfects his character nuances very well, and you could relate to his character immediately – being an unapologetically rich, perfect character with a greek-god body type isn’t really a big deal (to enact, not to work for) but doing a restrained act isn’t. He excels here. Pakhi looks cute and acts well. Alishkar Varde as Aaliya and Raghu Ram as Omar do really well as Non Resident Pakistanis. Manasi Scot as Krutika is efficient. R. Madhavan in the small role of Kabir disappoints hugely. Nandana Sen impresses in her cameo. She needs to get more author backed roles. Prashant Chawla as Uday plays his part commendably. Others are good.

Overall, if you’ve got high expectations for this one, you most likely won’t enjoy the pace of the film to start with but there’s a chance that a few hours later you might end up saying, “Hey! The movie wasn’t that bad! I just had to look at it from a different perspective!” People expecting minimally out of the film might like it instantly. The problem with the film is the misleading promotions as a fast and frothy romantic entertainer whereas the truth is the first half just drags on, which will frustrate people to the point of leaving the cinema hall. Worth a watch for its performances and a simple but sweet storyline, but Tyrewala and Pakhi could have done much better with the screenplay and the editing of the film. Try it if you’re wanting to pass your time with a date, or if you’ve got nothing to do and are ready to sit through the long, drab pre-intermission reels to enjoy post-intermission.

Knockout Review

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Irfan Khan, Kangana Ranaut, Sushant Singh, Apoorva Lakhia and others; Direction: Mani Shankar. Running Time 115 mins; Rating: **
Knock Out, which has been touted as being the remake of the Hollywood blockbuster, Phone Booth’, 2002 Colin Farrell and Kiefer Sutherland, is certainly a mind gripping gory tale of the hoodlums in society.
As the film begins with Tony Khosla, played by Iran Khan, also known as Bachu in the film, an investment banker entering a phone booth, and thereby, getting involved with one event after another, as the film unfolds.
It is a drama unfolding as Irfan is about to make a call and just before he picks up the receiver, the phone rings! As Bachu picks up the phone, he is shocked to hear a thundering voice at the other end, threatening him to quit his crooked ways. However, it does show the common man’s reluctant approval of the strong political hold in society.
As each scene unfolds, there is restraint from the actor, and his connections to the politician Gulshan Grover called Bapu, very contradictory to his name, deals in all the shady businesses in society.
Sanjay Dutt, the effervescent cop, has a very severe determined role as a sniper, and has the distinct personality to carry off his role exceedingly well.
Kangana Ranaut, lends a bit of eye candy, Sushant Singh have nothing much to add to the drama, ditto Apoorva Lakhia.
However, all in all, the film is one of the classic remakes of Hollywood suspense thrillers, and for those who love to get their think o meters ticking, this is the movie for them.

Movie Review: Aakrosh

Cast: Paresh Rawal, Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna,bipasha,Reema Sen, Pankaj Tripathi, Amita Pathak; Direction: Priyadarshan; Rating: ***
Aakrosh is the movie with the social action and high drama. The film, based on socialor rather Honor killings, is quite a mind blogling experience.
The film, a Priyadarshan serving, is devoid of any of the rom- com that he normally comes out with, as the name suggests, it is a film based on the cruel amalgamation of politics in the realms of society, so it is largely an issue based one.It is based in the Jhanjhar district of Bihar.
As the film begins with the missing  of three youths, and the two officers Siddhant and Aditya, played by Akshaye Kumar and Ajay Devgn respectively, are sent to the area  to investigate the matter, it tends to divulge many cruelties in the matrix of society, and also the fact that the police are invariably involved with the local politicians, thereby making life a complete hell for the common man.
The actors, Paresh Rawal, Bipasha Basu, Reema Sen, Jaideep Ahlamat,Pankaj Tripathi,have all done wonderful jobs,and have enacted the characters played by them to the hilt. However, Paresh Rawal as the defiant cop,and Bipasha Basu as the battered wife have certainly done a job to leave a lasting impression on the audiences mind.
Actors Pankaj Tripathi and Jaideep Ahlamat have also surpassed with their performances.
The Honor killings, rampant in the interiors of the country, mostly have the women targeted by the men of the family, as the name of the family suffers due to their choice of a life partner from a different caste or religion. But Priyadarshan has beautifully shown that even men are targeted in these Honor killings in many parts.
The cinematography by Tirru S.is quite mind boggling,with some realistically shot sequences,and the dialogues by Aditya Dhar, are certainly full of zing,and  has the power to make one think.
This film is surely a different take on by director  Priyadarshan,and for those who really have a thing to delve deep into the existing scene in rural india or even the urban in some cases, can just go and take up the impact of Aakrosh.

Nokia C6-01

The C6-01 is Symbian smartphone with a AMOLED ClearBlack capacitive touch display which has improved outdoor visibility and better colors.

Expected Price: $329.22 approx 

NEW Nokia E7

 touchscreen business phone running on Symbian^3 operating system.
Expected Price:Rs.30000 

Nokia's Ovi Store gains momentum in the Middle East and Africa with 1.9 million downloads a week and growing

Nokia's Ovi Store has been growing in popularity in the Middle East and Africa, reaching 1.9 million downloads per week with continuous growth week on week, the company announced at Gitex. The strong consumer interest is also attracting more developers to develop for the store, allowing them to leverage Nokia's unrivaled global reach and its potential for their businesses.

"Ovi Store is gaining a lot of momentum in the region, and we see the strong interest from the consumer end, as well as the ecosystem. The reach of Ovi Store provides tremendous opportunities for developers with an active user base in more than 190 countries. Today, developers can distribute apps to approximately 175 million Nokia Symbian smartphones - the largest smartphone user base in the world," said Steve Lewis, Head of Marketing, Nokia Middle East and Africa. 

"With a new generation of amazing devices, like the Nokia N8, developers are looking at Ovi as a good business decision and a chance to innovate and create next-generation mobile experiences for our family of new Symbian smartphones." 

To further support regional developers, Nokia has teamed up with AppsArabia, the new investment fund from twofour54 which is helping to grow a sustainable app development industry throughout the Middle East & North Africa, based in Abu Dhabi.

David Ashford, AppsArabia's General Manager, said:

"We're keen to meet regional app developers and entrepreneurs. We've chosen to invest in a number of projects and are actively seeking developers to work with on these, and we're continuously seeking great ideas for apps where we can support the entrepreneur with funding and mentoring. The Nokia Symbian range of smartphones offers the largest market opportunity for apps and we're delighted to be working closely with Nokia to help app entrepreneurs and developers to achieve commercial success through the Ovi Store."

Forum Nokia, which supports third-party developers and publishers to bring content to Nokia devices, has seen a 53% growth in active developers just in the past 3 months in the MEA region, demonstrating the great interest people have in developing for Nokia and its potential. Nokia has also strengthened Forum Nokia's presence in there region to ensure direct support of the local developer community. 

"Ovi Store publishing has come a long way since its launch and is maturing into a formidable tool. More importantly, support has been equally impressive, a clear indication of Nokia's commitment to us as developers," said Jamal Hammad, from Ijazza, a developer from Jordan. 

Amr Osama Ali from Enpronomics, who developed the winning app from Nokia's Calling All Innovators - Bil3arabi competition said, "Nokia and Ovi Store have enabled me to reach a global audience with our "Here I Am" app. Our application has now been downloaded in more than 25 countries around the world." 

For consumers, an updated Ovi Store experience has debuted on the newly available Nokia N8 and coming to the full range of new Symbian smartphones, giving a friendlier look and feel, faster content discovery and more popular content choices. 

"In the Middle East and Africa, as many as 90% of users of Ovi Store are return users, averaging at least 2 visits a week, with social networking and gaming apps being the most popular. When it come to most active users, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are amongst the top 15 countries globally in terms of the most downloads," said Hatem Nawar, Forum Nokia Developer Relations Manager, Nokia Middle East and Africa. 

NEW Nokia C5-03

India v Australia 2010: Rain washes out first ODI

Match abandoned Australia v India Scorecard The opening match of the three-game India-Australia series was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Kochi. Heavy rain before the one-dayer saturated the ground and while the weather was clear at the scheduled start time, the clouds returned to send everyone home. It was an unfortunate result for the thousands of locals who were filling the stadium in their blue shirts. Both teams are fielding inexperienced squads so the expectation was high, but everyone will have to wait for the second match in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. The series concludes in Goa on Sunday.

After Raajneeti, I Hate Luv Storys, Udaan and We are Family - which had a good run in the UK but disappointed at home - UTV has two major releases, Hrithik-Aishwarya's Guzaarish and Akshay-Katrina's Tees Maar Khan.

CRICKET news: 'We can be top for long time' - Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh has said that India have the potential to be No. 1 in Tests for an extended spell. India have been top of the table for 11 months, and have stretched their lead to 11 points over South Africa after the 2-0 series victory over Australia. Of their previous 10 Test series India have lost only one - in 2008, when Ajantha Mendis inspired Sri Lanka to a 2-1 win.

"We have the talent to be at the top of the table for a long time," Harbhajan told ESPNStar.com. "We have proven that in the last nine months and we were at the top because we have won lots of games both in India and abroad. If we can achieve that then why can't we be there for a long time?"

The Australia series was one in which Harbhajan managed to hit form after some lacklustre performances against Sri Lanka in July, where he wasn't fully fit. "It has been a very satisfying series. We won 2-0. I took 11 wickets and am quite satisfied with my own performance, but it could have been better."

One of the disappointments in the series for Harbhajan was his batting in the tight Mohali Test, where he lasted only three deliveries in two innings. "I was really upset. I have been working hard on my batting," he said. "In the second innings, I got out to the second ball. I was really angry with myself and that was the time we needed a partnership to win that game. I didn't remove my pads and was sitting with my pads on until India got the victory."

Harbhajan, who struggled with swine flu in Sri Lanka, said he had trouble with his shin in the lead-up to the Australia series. "I developed pain in my shin [while preparing for the Australia series]," he said. "My physio told me, 'if you keep on playing with it, you might develop stress fracture'. Shin is where you can't even have injection, but still I had to play, so I went ahead with pain killers and am really happy that I survived the two games."

India's next Test assignment is a home series against New Zealand after which lies a tough tour of South Africa, a country where they are yet to win a series. "South Africa in South Africa will be very challenging. The wickets and conditions are different there," Harbhajan said. "The boys are pretty confident; we have got the batting line-up to perform there, and a bowling outfit to take wickets there. We just need to have faith in our ability. If we can go on to win the series in South Africa, that will be a big achievement."

1000 cyber attacks on Games, most from China

Six cyber networks of the Delhi Commonwealth Games faced at least 1,000 “potential” attacks in the 12 days of the event that concluded last night — that is, more than three attacks every hour.

Roughly three-fourths of these attempts to breach and paralyse the Games networks originated from China, experts in the Cyber Crisis Management Group (CMG), which was monitoring the networks round the clock, told The Indian Express.

A clutch of attacks — between October 3 and October 5 — originated in Pakistan. Some attempts to penetrate CWG circuits were made from Mumbai as well, top sources in the CMG said.

“In all, our systems detected around 5,000 incidents, about 20 per cent of which could be described as potential attacks. Many were ‘denial-of-service’ attacks, which, if successful, would jam entire networks. But none of these attempts succeeded in penetrating even the first of the three layers of cyber security systems that we had installed,” said a member of the CMG.

Bollywood to unleash Rs 500-cr movie blitz this festival season

Bollywood is gearing up for its busiest - and most important season. A staggering 29-odd films will be released in October, November and December, with crores of rupees riding on at least half a dozen, including Golmaal 3 (Ashtavinayak/Eros), Action Replayy (PVR), Guzaarish (UTV) and the year-ender block-buster hopeful Tees Maar Khan by Farah Khan. At least Rs 500 crore is riding on the films set for release in the next three months. (The Financial Express)

Bangladesh v New Zealand: All-round Shakib inspires Bangladesh to historic win

Bangladesh 241 (Shakib 106, Bennett 3-44) beat New Zealand 232 (Williamson 108, Shakib 3-54) by nine runs

A dominant all-round performance from Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh secure a historic series win in Mirpur, their first against a top-flight opposition. Shakib's fifth ODI century rescued the home team from the depths of 44 for 3 and lifted them to a formidable 241, a target that proved nine runs too many for New Zealand, who now trail 0-3 in the series, with one game to go. Shakib then struck with the ball and, despite a valiant maiden hundred from Kane Williamson who battled through injury during the latter part of his innings, slammed the door on the visitors with three wickets to lead Bangladesh to a famous victory.

New Zealand's top order had not fired as a unit so far in the tour, and their performance in today's must-win encounter was no different. BJ Watling was trapped in front for 6 by Abdur Razzak and Brendon McCullum soon followed him to the dressing room, despite having looked good for a characteristically frenetic knock with a couple of early boundaries down the ground. Ross Taylor, who had been the pick of New Zealand's batsmen in the series, then compounded matters for his team by picking out the deep square-leg fielder in a style of dismissal that has become an all too familiar sight for his fans back home.

Shakib was quick to have spinners operating at both ends and the ploy paid dividends once more. Aaron Redmond succumbed to a straighter one from Shakib in the 17th over, before Daniel Vettori perished while attempting to increase the run rate, leaving the visitors reeling at 80 for 5.

Williamson and Grant Elliott, however, were on hand to provide some much needed stability to the New Zealand run-chase, and accumulated intelligently through the middle period to give the visitors some hope of reaching their target. Williamson was especially impressive in his approach, as he confidently negotiated the spinners who had wreaked so much havoc on his teammates throughout the series, picking up the singles and twos with relative ease and even hoisting Shakib over midwicket for consecutive sixes. Elliott, too, played his part in the recovery, feeding the strike to the well-set youngster at the other end, but fell during the batting Powerplay in the 37th over. Attempting to sweep Shakib, he managed only to top-edge it to Razzak who took an excellent catch, running backwards from square leg.

Kyle Mills came and went, trying to hit out, further denting New Zealand's hopes of a successful chase, and a hamstring injury that crippled Williamson soon after didn't help matters either. Nathan McCullum arrived at the crease with 70 to get from 10 overs but despite some lusty blows, was not able to get his side close to the asking rate. Williamson reached his hundred in the 48th over, having batted through immense discomfort for a substantial part of his innings, but when Nathan McCullum and Daryl Tuffey fell off successive deliveries chasing an unlikely 20 runs in the last 11 deliveries, New Zealand's hopes fell squarely on Williamson's shoulders. Unfortunately for the visitors, the task proved too much for the young man.

The challenge was before New Zealand when Shakib's expertly crafted 106 off 113 deliveries had set up a competitive total for Bangladesh on a slow, turning pitch. He came to the crease with his team struggling, but combined well with Imrul Kayes to take the hosts out of immediate danger. He then posted half-century stands with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah as Bangladesh recovered well. Shakib scored at around a run a ball throughout his innings, piercing the off-side field with surgical precision early on, but relying more on deft dabs and sweeps as the innings wore on in the energy-sapping Mirpur heat. The New Zealand slow bowlers were unable to cause him any trouble.

Shakib's departure with the score on 216 sparked a lower-order collapse, however, as the New Zealand seamers came back in the batting Powerplay to restrict the hosts, who at one stage threatened a total in excess of 260. Hamish Bennett, the debutant fast bowler, was especially impressive in the late overs, varying his pace and length to pick up a couple of wickets to go with his top order scalp and finish with figures of 3 for 44. Bangladesh were all out in the 49th over, but thanks to an excellent captain's knock they had scored enough to secure a famous win and spark scenes of euphoric celebration from the Mirpur crowd.

ICC news: Sachin Tendulkar claims top spot in ICC Test ratings

Sachin Tendulkar has surged to the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen, for the first time since 2002. Tendulkar's heroics in the Test series against Australia earned him 82 rating points, taking him to 891, 17 clear of Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara in the second spot. Virender Sehwag, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Mahela Jayawardene completed the top five. March 6, 1998 (4 and 155 v Australia in Chennai)October 15, 1998 (By default, above Steve Waugh)December 26, 1998 (47 and 113 v New Zealand in Wellington)January 28, 1998 (0 and 136 v Pakistan in Chennai)May 18, 2000 (By default, above Brian Lara)February 21, 2002 (176 v Zimbabwe in Nagpur)August 22, 2002 (193 v England in Leeds)October 13, 2010 (212 and 53* v Australia in Bangalore) --> This is the tenth time Tendulkar has become the top-ranked Test batsman in the world, and the first since the new ratings system came into place. He held the position for the first time in 1994, ahead of consistent runs at the top in the late 90s and early 2000s. His ascension comes close on the heels of his winning the ICC Cricketer of the Year award. Tendulkar has enjoyed a windfall 2010, topping the run charts with 1270 runs, inclusive of four centuries and two double-hundreds. With India set to play three Tests against New Zealand at home and three Tests in South Africa in the immediate future, Tendulkar has the opportunity to better his career-best rating of 898 and become the 26th batsman to cross the 900-point mark. Rahul Dravid held on to the 22nd position after a patchy series where he managed only one half-century in four innings. VVS Laxman retained the eighth spot despite missing the Bangalore Test, while M Vijay's maiden century helped him jump 29 places to 57th. Ricky Ponting's inability to convert starts into centuries may have hampered his side, but his three 70s in four innings helped him climb three spots to the 16th position. Michael Clarke struggled for runs through the series, resulting in him dropping out of the top ten, while Simon Katich also slipped two spots to 14th. Shane Watson, who scored 271 runs in the two Tests, moved up to 24th, while Marcus North's fifth Test hundred lifted him to 46th. In the bowler ratings, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Ben Hilfenhaus have all gained one place each. Zaheer, who picked 12 wickets in the series and impressed with his reverse swing, surged to 744 rating points, tied fourth with England's James Anderson. Johnson moved up to the seventh spot, one clear of Harbhajan who in turn pushed Doug Bollinger to ninth. Dale Steyn, Graeme Swann and Mohammad Asif continue to hold the top three spots in the bowling table.