Trueroots - Simply Superb

An advertisement you would fall in love with. Keep the speakers on for some great music.

Do post your comments.

Sidharth Mehta

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Key Tags: Tata Communications, Trueroots, True Roots, International Calling Card, Incredible India, Amazing Advertisements,

Just Like That - Water Management

Came across this picture on the internet. Thought would share it with all. :)

For all those who do not understand Hindi, the stuff written reads... "Water Is Life... Please do not waste water".

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai

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Key Tags: Water Management India, Funny Water Management, Sidharth Mehta, Incredible India, Just Like That

Photography - Jebal Hafeet - AL AIN - UAE

Recently, I got the chance to click some pictures at Jebal Hafeet in Al Ain (UAE). Few of you might find the place familiar as the movie Race (Saif, Akshay Khanna, Katrina, Bipasha) was shooted here. The scenes in the end of the movie when Saif & Akshay are racing, is shooted at this locale.

I will quote Wikipedia here to tell you more about this place -

"Jabel Hafeet is a mountain primarily in the United Arab Emirates on the outskirts of Al Ain. The mountain actually straddles part of the border with Oman. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road extends for 7.3 mi (11.7 km) up the mountain, rising 4000 ft (1219 m). With 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending), the immaculate road was called the greatest driving road in the world by Edmunds.com. The road scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country's rulers. Part of the Climax of the Bollywood film RACE was shot in the Jabel Hafeet mountain."

Do post your comment about the pictures.
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Sidharth Mehta
Dubai, UAE
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Key Tags: Al Ain, Jebal Hafeet Photos, Al Ain UAE, Jebal Hafeet UAE, Abu Dhabi, Race Movie Locations, Sidharth Mehta

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Perspective: The Disaster of India's Disaster Management Plan

The biggest known fact about India's Disaster Management Plan is that, it is the biggest disaster in itself. Once and on many more uncountable occasions it has failed, and failed miserably to say the least. Without doubt, it shall continue to fail, given how it is being planned and managed till now, until and unless a dramatic and much required light of pleasant change embarks upon the policy makers of the world's largest democracy.

National Disaster Management (NDM) Authority of India takes care of disasters only which are natural in nature. Which means, only natural calamities like Floods, Draught, Tsunami's, Earthquakes etc, is what comes under the NDM. Even though this scope of work was acceptable may be in the past, surely in times such as now, where man-made disasters like Terrorism, happen if not more, but as frequently as natural disasters in India, the scope of work of the NDM needs to be expanded urgently. (http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/)

The main reason why disaster management is not taken seriously in India, is that the cost of a life of a common citizen in India is not at all important for the state. They hardly care how much blood is on the street, untill and unless someone dear to them/or someone like them is targetted.

The above is represented well in what the Deputy CM & Home Minister for Maharashtra, Mr. R R Patil, said in his infamous quote about the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks - "Bade shahron mein aise ek-do haadse hote rahte hain... Woh 5,000 logon ko marne aaye the, lekin humne kitna kum nuksan hone diya".

With all due respect to the late CM of Andhra Pradesh - Mr. YSR who died in a helicopter crash after his helicopter was missing and off the radar for almost 20 hours - Just take a look at what the Government actions were after the helicopter went missing:

5000 army men, an ISRO Remote Sensing Aircraft, a Sukhoi 30 fighter jet, 14 search choppers, the forest dept., Police, CRPF, Paramiliatary Forces, Tribals, Guides, and much more, all mobilised in not more than 3 hours for a missing CM. Obviously, the government was sleeping during 26/11, where they delayed calling the NSG's, did not have an aircraft ready to airlift the commando's from New Delhi for Mumbai, which by the way is our Financial Capital and should have commando's stationed there permanently anyways.

Worse, after reaching Mumbai, the NSG commando's were taken to Taj & Oberoi in BEST buses!! Were all the choppers of the Indian Air Force not airworthy which were stationed in Bombay, that they could not be air lifted and taken to ground zero? Our polititians & policy makers were trying to figure out how bad the situation was for the city, and only then wanted to call for the Army, NSG, Naval Commando's and the likes.

I think the best case study for "How to make a Disaster of Disaster Management".

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai - UAE

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Key Tags - Disaster Management India, Terrorism Disaster Management India, Mumbai 26/11 Disaster Management, Biggest Search Operation in India - Andhra Pradesh CM goes missing & eventually died, Disaster Management Plan India, Disaster Management Analysis India, Incredible India, Sidharth Mehta

DEBATE - Swine Flu - Is it all over ?

It was not even a month back when the first swine flu death happened in India of a 14 year old girl in Pune. Soon after, within another 10 days the swine flu toll in India rose to around 25.

If you are thinking that this post is about discussing the reasons of the spread of swine flu or the measures being taken in India and worldwide to curb the spread of it, well then you are wrong. Surely, I would be discussing few measures or rather few measures not been taken by the Indian Government, but would also be discussing something very peculiar and strange about how the Indian Media is reacting in the last couple of days/weeks.

Less than 10 days back, I travelled to New Delhi from Dubai, and was expecting to be checked thoroughly by the health officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and thought it would take a good 2 hours before I could leave the airport premises. It took me flat 20 minutes to be out of the Airport after I unboarded the aircraft! Even though, my family and I were pleasantly surprised to be out of the airport so soon, which was faster than even the usual when no such flu scare etc is on, the thought of not been checked at all for swine flu, and signing just a declaration that I have no flu like symptoms made my mind boggle. Making my irritation grow further was the fact that the Health Officials were not even wearing the special N-95 masks which are the best for curbing the flu, but were just wearing the usual face mask.

I asked at the airport around, if the thermal machines which were supposed be installed were already done or what? The answer from the aiport officials ranged from a 'not yet' to 'no idea' to 'ask health ministry'! I thought 'WOW', our country where each government boast about 'India Shining' and slogans alike year after year, just can't take proper measures to curb a flu from spreading, forget actually curbing it! The Health Minister, for the spread of Swine Flu, was busy accusing the dead child and her family for switching hospitals in Pune, and helping the flu spread!! Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad should resign from his post simply for the sake of Humanity. Before making his statement, he forgot that the small girl who died did not develop the flu herself, but she also got it from someone else, and that the spread would'nt have stopped by her not shifting hospitals.

With the speed at which the flu is spreading in India, and the measures being taken which are astonishingly yet not surprisingly pathetic, the number of cases and the seriousness of this entire pendemic in India shall affect majorly even the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010. The government other than facing the huge infrastructure/construction problem for the games, would also have to deal with the health scenario. The way things are going, it seems it shall only lead to shame.

Now coming to the peculiar and strange part regarding how the Indian Media is acting in the last couple of days/weeks.

I am sure not many of you know what is the death toll due to swine flu in India currently. Make a guess - 30? 45? 60? 80?. The current death toll due to swine flu in India is 105 (September 02, 2009). Yes, in two weeks time from 25, we have gone up to 105, and the print & TV media has almost done a blackout on news related to Swine Flu. When the death toll rose from 1 to 25 in a week, The Times of India, during that week, on its website had a countdown meter showing the number of deaths rising each hour, and each day, almost as if how 'cricket runs being scored' are shown on News Channels and News Websites. Go watch any news channel, and you would feel as if there is nothing in this world called Swine Flu!

What do you think? Does any reason come to your mind why such a drastic change in the way the media is reacting in the last few days? Surely, it is the government which has gone up to every media house in the country to make them agree on resisting from showing news regarding Swine Flu. Obviously, I am speculating here that the Government and the Media together have taken few steps, but surely, it seems to be a joint effort, otherwise our media which likes to sensationalise every 'Tom, Dick and Harry' issue would have never tone down their stand, specially for a real issue such as this!

You do not have to be a rocket scientist or an intelligent political analyst to guess why these steps has been taken. Obviously to stop the spread of the scare/panic amongst people in the country, as higher the scare, higher the chances of public opinion going against the ruling government. Few people might counter by saying that less the scare, less the chances of spreading the flu, and leading a normal life, etc. Bullshit and non justifiable nonsense if you think like that!

I think it is the most pathetic and foolish step to be taken by the government/media both, if they have. In our country, people wear masks only when there is a real scare in the public. It is not Japan, where people wear masks even if they have just a mild fever. For god sake, the government should realise that they are governing India, where 90% of the people are proven affected from the 'Chalta Hai' syndrome. By reducing the scare and the panic amongst the people, the number of deaths shall only rise, as the lesser number of people would then take precautions. Case in point - Since the last two weeks of blackout of news of swine flu, the number of cases and deaths have multiplied manifold. We have close to 4200 cases tested positive for H1N1, out of which 675 alone are in New Delhi, leave aside the epicentre of the flu in India, Pune (cases as on 2nd september 2009).

For once, I really hope, that India TV & Rajat Sharma and the likes of them sensationalize this issue and let the scare and panic grow in the public, as only then, the rate at which the deaths are happening would reduce, because the government as usual is only speaking and not taking the required actions.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Swine Flu India, Media Reaction to Swine Flu in India, Swine Flu Cases in India, Government Measures to Curb Swine Flu in India, Swine Flu Airport Measures, Swine Flu, H1N1 Pendemic, Commonwealth Games India Swine Flu Scare, Sidharth Mehta Infinity Business School, Sidharth Mehta Dubai,

18th January - Weirdest Date Ever!!!

Disclaimer- If you were born on 18th January - You might find this post offensive! And if you were not born on 18th January - You would find this post crazy, nonsensical, and may be a little funny too.

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To begin with - this post is a spin-off from a conversation between me and a dear friend of mine, Chameli (name changed to protect identity!!! ;) she would kill me for this for sure!!)

18th January is my birthdate, and as per my dear friend, it is a weird date! Well, the conversation between me and her, demanded a blog post, because I loved the way and the confidence with which I was made to believe that whatever reasons are stated below are true and that 18th January is the weirdest date ever! With the sheer ease and in a way of tranquility, which had no doubt in her mind regarding 18th Jan being the weirdest date, I am posting these superb reasons in honor of my friend and her clear-cut rapidfire thought process! :)

• Reason 1 - It is not a birthday type date!!!!
• Reason 2 - Not many people are born in January!!!!
• Reason 3 - January, being the 1st month of the year, no one takes birth soo sooooon!!! [the best, I thought]
• Reason 4 - When people like Sidharth Mehta take birth on such a date, it has to be weird for sure!!! [ I agree, this reason does have some weightage!! ;) ]

All said and done, I, now after the above great insights provided to me, do agree that 18th January is the weirdest date ever. ;)

Oh, by the way, the following weirdo's were also born on 18th January amongst others ;) :

- Oliver Hardy (laurel & hardy)

- Kevin Costner

- Vinod Kambli

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Sidharth Mehta

[ With great inputs from 'Chameli' :) ]

in New Delhi, India

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Key Tags - Weirdest Date Ever, Sidharth Mehta, Fun, Just Like That, Friendship

The Burning Train - 'Chalo, Hum Sab Milke Train Jalaate Hai'

'The Burning Train'

Every now and then, I see trains burning around in India..

(CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE ABOUT THE TRAIN BURNT TODAY - TIMES OF INDIA)

Such a fantastic way to show your anger & frustration towards something. Isn't it?

There is much more to it - if you do a bit of homework and research before going on your burning spree, you would know that if you go around burning trains along with a group of people who could be your best friends, best enemies, family, fellow villagers, etc, there is simply no chance, that you would be ever caught by the police, rather the government shall comply to your demands, and also make you a local hero .... An Inquilabi !! - Sounds cool naa? I have always wanted to be an Inquilabi, someone who fights for his rights, someone who makes his own way, someone who wants to set an example, and wow, now I have got the secret of how to become an Inquilabi (revolutionary). Just set an agenda, form a group of like-minded people, and go burn a train. Give few live interviews to Rajat Sharma of India TV (who by the way, would be the happiest person on this planet to take the interview) and be the talk of your town.

But the government is just not doing enough to honor these people who always have their ass on fire. I mean c'mon, by actually not taking actions against them, the government is making them feel unimportant. Such 'maha-purush' deserve much more... Each and every person in the group who burn these trains and use the tax payers money in such an incredible way, which even the government has not been able to still, should rather be given garlands. Mamta'ben' should make her status go even higher by garlanding all these people. If Lalu feels left out, he should also be given a chance to do so, as even during his tenure such great incidents had taken place. And the latest one, which happened today, happened in Lalu-land, Patna.

The leader of the group who came with the idea of burning the train should be made an example, an epitome of our forgiving nature. Along with Bhagat Singh, we should make him also one of the greatest inquilabi's of Modern India. We should make him a chief guest in conferences such as the Conference on Internal Security of the India. Our PM, Home Minister and other CM's would be able to take few great insights from such a person.

We should also facilitate a meeting between these people on fire and the various naxalites and extremists in our country, as the medium of destruction of both is the same. The naxalites & extremists go burn houses & even humans, and therefore,having a meeting with these train burning people, a new prop for burning can be added to their agenda...The Train.

Varun Gandhi,Narendra Modi & Shri Advani can also be called to give their expert consultancy to these people as it will help in sustainable growth of burning trains. Varun is just like them, having his ass on fire always, whereas Narendra Modi and Advani Ji have first hand experience in burning issues.

No Better than them in the burning business.

I do not know how to end this extraordinary train journey full of fire, as I can just keep going on.....

I wish I could also be interviewed by Rajat Sharma, and INDIA TV making me an Inquilabi in the purest form of Modern India.

(pretending......., if you do not understand sarcasm!)

Let there be light.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Students burn train in Patna, The Burning Train, Sarcasm, Train set on fire, Mamta Banerjee Train Fire, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Incredible India,

Debate - Shahrukh Khan's Detention in US - So Whats The Big Deal?

By the time you read this, I am sure you already know that Shahrukh Khan, India's superstar and iconic actor, was detained at the Liberty International Airport of Newark in the USA. The star was in the US for being part of a function celebrating India's 63rd Independence Day.

As billions of fans and supporters of SRK all over the world are condemning this event, I too, join all of them in doing so, but only partly. There is no doubt that there wasn't a need for the US officials to do a secondary check, and detain him for 2 hours of questioning, after the primary check was done to know the identity of a person of South Asian origin, more so of Muslims.

After 9/11, US has made their homeland security top priority, and have full reasons to do so. If SRK was stopped during the primary check which is done for every foreigner entering US, it is totally justified. As I said before, it is the secondary check, which was totally uncalled for. Having said so, the US and any other country for that matter, has full right to check and do preliminary screening of every foreigner entering into their territory. Security can't and should not be compromised in any way, whatsoever. Therefore, I am totally against the people who say that just because he was SRK, he should have not been stopped at all.

For the Americans, he is just another visitor to their country, just as Anjelina Jolie might be for the comman man in India. Though, with the pathetic state of security and without the real will to improve that, Anjeline Jolie surely, would have been given a go ahead without any checking in India, because she is Anjelina, and because she is American. And if the US is checking each passengers like it has been doing, we surely know why there has not been any terrorist attack in the US after 9/11. Atleast they take their job seriously, without any compromise on the life of Americans. A lesson surely, which India should learn from.

Now coming to the main issues, because of which I am writing this.

• Media Reaction to SRK Detention
• Government Reaction to SRK Detention; and
• SRK Detention Episode Vs. Dr. Abdul Kalam Frisking Episode

The Media Reaction to SRK Detention - On a day when India is celebrating its 63rd Independence Day (15th August 2009), the Indian media, rather than giving the due importance to Dr. Manmohan Singh's speech, and other news related to Independence Day, showed the SRK Detention episode all day long. Is SRK more important than our Independence Day? Is he more important than our PM? He surely is a powerful and one of the most important personalities in India at present, but not more than our PM or the Independence Day Celebrations. Atleast the news of him being questioned at a US airport for he being a Muslim, surely is not something as important as our Independence Day.

My blood boiled when I swithced on the television sets in the morning to hear what our PM had to say on the eve of our 63rd Independence Day, but the only thing which was shown was the SRK episode, with 'BREAKING NEWS' all over, and unwanted repetition of the same thing again and again by all the news channels.

It was not just the TV news channels, but also the print media (online version), which gave more importance and undue coverage to the SRK detention episode. Have a look at the screen shot which I have attached to this post of the Times Of India website, which has SRK all over, and a small link towards the end, about what our PM had to say regarding the Kashmir issue in his ID speech. Nonsensical coverage for a no-issue.

A major reason of why a large number of our educated 'unaware' youth in India would know the name of SRK's wife but not the name of our President, is thanks to our so-called empowered media, and the way they define & portray importance. And then, the same media say the young generation of India is least interested in the way the country is governed. All this for the sake of TRP's.

The Government's Reaction to SRK Detention - This amazes me the most!!!..more than the way the media reacted.

Within an hour of the SRK detention episode started on the news channels, we had the government and its officials already taking some actions, and making their voices heard. It started from the external affairs ministry putting a case for SRK to the US regarding the detention. Good they did that. Now read this.. Information & Broadcasting Minister, AMBIKA SONI, taking full advantage of the Media which is under her ministry to make a statement as rogue and as shitty like this.....

"I am of the opinion that the way we are frisked, for example I too was frisked, we should also do the same to them".

First of all, she should get her facts correct. In the US, all politicians except for the President, Ex-Presidents & members of the cabinet principals in the US government are not exempt from a security check. Even their ex-vice presidents are checked and screened at their own airports. Point in case, as even the Times of India reports,

"Former vice-president Al Gore has experienced more than once. In one recent incident, an airline employee who helped Gore circumvent security screening at the Nashville airport was pulled up and the former Veep was brought back to go through security, which he did willingly and without making a fuss"

Someone should tell her, that no one is stopping India from checking & screening ex-presidents or ex-vice presidents from the US when they are travelling here. It is only India, who just does not do that. And how could India do such a thing, when there are self-centric and egoistic shameful politicians like AMBIKA SONI in the cabinet saying ' the way we are frisked, for example even I was, we should also do the same'. If you read between the lines and analyse her statement a bit, you would know her statement is not in support of SRK, but is made only to up her own ego & importance. Using SRK's episode was just the medium to come out with her own example.

Finally, the most important bit.

SRK Detention Episode Vs. Dr. Abdul Kalam Frisking Episode - Yes, the media did come out strongly against the frisking of our much loved ex-president Dr. Abdul Kalam which was done by Continental Airlines at our own New Delhi International Airport. And Thank God they did that!

But, what did our governement do then ? - They just ordered a 'probe' into it, that too after 2 months of the unfortunate episode taking place, even though our airport officials knew about it much before it came into public eye. Ordering just a probe into the frisking of your own former president, who under protocol is exempted from any checking at any Indian Airport, and taking up a strong case for SRK to the US government. Is it not totally insane? You take up a case for a filmstar for his questionning at a foreign airport with that country's government, but you only order a probe and give statements such as 'we will ask the concerned people to apologize' for a person who was the SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE INDIAN ARMED FORCES when in position, is simply unapologetic, and a serious and stupid mistake by the Indian government. Only shows disrespect for the most loved and most important president of India.

Continental Airlines apologized but also justified what they did by saying it was 'normal security procedure, and that the airline has no special rule for VIP's or VVIP's". So they mean, that they have no respect for the law of the land as well? Atleast, by their statement that is what we can conclude. Therefore, in such a case, the license to operate in and from India for Continental Airlines should be cancelled without much discussion. But the government did nothing. (Dr. Kalam, was made to remove his shoes, and went through a full body check!!)

I wonder, what would have the Americans did, or the Russians, or the Chinese would have done, if such special treatment was given to their own ex-presidents in their own country by a foreign airline.

I end this with a lot of anger and emotions hurt, and a lot of sadness in the way, our country is governed & ruled. In hope for enlightenment of minds. Inshaalah.

As always,comments welcome.

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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Key Tags: Shahrukh Khan, SRK, Shahrukh Khan Detained, Dr. Abdul Kalam Frisking, Shahrukh Khan SRK Detention USA, Times of India, Media Reaction to SRK detention episode,Government Reaction to SRK Detention, Sidharth Mehta

India's Independence Day - Where The Mind Is Without Fear

Where The Mind is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow

domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the

dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought

and action--

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

-- Rabindranath Tagore

Movie Review - KAMINEY

Movie: KAMINEY (Hindi, 2009)

Director: Vishal Bhardwaj

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Amole Gupte, Chandan Roy Sanyal

Rating: * * * * (Ekdum Jhakhaas !)

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'Aaja Aaja Dil Nichode, Raat Ki Matki Tode, Koi Good Luck Nikale, Aaj Ghulak Toh Fode'

The good luck has arrived for Shahid, Priyanka, Amole, Vishal, and the entire team of Kaminey. The ghulak has been broken as well, and it will shower hell lot of money for the producers of Kaminey, which is UTV.

By far, the most intelligent commercial movie made in the Indian Film Industry since a long long time, Kaminey keeps you on the edge right from the word go, and in the end, you wish the 'Dhan Te Nan' journey could keep going on...

It is a movie for the intelligent viewer, where there are parts left for you as a puzzle to solve. Puzzles which eventually get solved as the story moves on, but the impact on your mind is the most when you decipher it at the correct moment.

The story about twin brothers, Charlie & Guddu, who have a love-hate relationship, and their 24 hour journey involving love, goons, drugs, dreams & 'dhan te nan', has all the thrills, action, comedy & drama to make you fall in love with the movie & its characters.

Each and every aspect of the movie is perfect, from its story to screenplay, from sound to visuals, from direction to the action, never while watching the movie would you feel, if anything anywhere was not well done. The dialogues, the cinematography, the acting, the direction couldn't have been better.

For Shahid, this movie could very well be what DDLJ was for SRK. The gamechanger in the career of an artist, where he moves from the tag of just being an actor to the tag of being a superstar. Truly, very well deserved for Shahid, who plays both the roles of Charlie & Guddu, par excellence. Watch out for him in the new anthem of the film industry under the red disco lights. You crave to be in his shoes...

Priyanka does prove that she is not just eye-tonic, but an actress with loads of talent, bursting out loud on the screen, leaving no scope for you to not notice her. She is marvellous in the character of Sweety, as the happy go lucky marathi woman.

Amole Gupte (also the script writer of Taare Zameen Par), debuts with a bang in the role of Bhope - the maharashtrian politician. He is funny, yet serious in his role, and does full justice to the character.

All the other actors, most of them unknown new faces, have done a brilliant job, with each of them having a great sceen presence.

Last but not the least, Vishal Bhardwaj, the karta dharta of the movie, proves he is the best director in the Hindi Film Industry. No Doubt.

Enjoy the kaminapan!

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Sidharth Mehta

Dubai, UAE

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For all those wondering, how come I have written the review before the movie has been even released, well there are few advantages to stay in Dubai, and the biggest of those is that Hindi movies release here a day before it does in India!

Do post in your comments about the movie after watching it!

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Key Tags: Kaminey, Kaminey Movie Review, Kaminey in Dubai, Kaminey UAE, Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Amole Gupte, Vishal Bhardwaj, Charlie & Guddu, Sweety, Tashi, Bhope, Sidharth Mehta