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Coke Studio – A decade of formidable music

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The name Coke Studio resonates with every music aficionado in the South Asian sub-continent. So, what does Coke Studio do? They make outrageous fusion music with an exquisite blend of different styles and instruments. This is innovation through different genres and different languages as well. Rohail Hyatt was in-charge of Coke Studio for the first six seasons. Coke Studio here refers to the “Coke Studio Pakistan”. The ten seasons are a benchmark that is difficult to replicate for any other musical show in the sub-continent.

Why is Coke Studio different? Coke studio is essentially the breeding ground for new talent and for musical maestros to come up with landmark numbers. Some of the examples of such masterpieces are “Aj Latha Naio” from Javed Bashir, “Tera Woh Pyar” from Momina Mustehsen and Asim Azhar, “Afreen Afreen” from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, “Man Qunto Maula” and Momina, “Miyan ki Malhar” by Zara Madani et al., and others. These songs have a flair of beauty, feet tapping rhythm and a resounding melody topped with amazing lyrics.

Apart from the stellar singers, legendary instrumentalists such as Ustad Raees Khan and Farhan Raees Khan have added an icing on the cake. Adding to this, compositions from legendary composers such as Sahir Ali Bagga, Fuzon, Jaffer Zaidi and Ali Azmat have enhanced the perception of Coke Studio among the fans. The involvement of the in-house band in the compositions is one to savor. The enthusiasm, the positivity and the bonhomie attitude is the bright side of Coke Studio. CS has also featured Indian artists such as Shilpa Rao and Sharmista Chatterjee.

But there has been some shuffle in the producer end of the show. The first six sseasons were produced by Rohail Hyatt and from seventh saw the comeback of the much wanted team of Bilal Maqsood’s Strings. The change in production and direction saw a change in the artists. In the season six, there were musicians from Morocco, Nepal and Serbia playing for Roahil Hyatt’s ingenious numbers. The songs such as “Mahi Gal” were some which only Rohail could arrange. On the other hand, Strings is more of a band which has focused on medleys and fusions. Right from Man Qunto Maula to Tera Woh Pyar, medley and fusion have created magic in their numbers. Some of the songs are just soulful enough for one to etch in their hearts. For example, Afreen, which stood out of the lot for its tune, garnered a heap of praise for Momina Mustehsen and gave her a break-through.

So what next for Coke Studio? I was eagerly waiting for the tenth season. The season has had some flashes of brilliance from singers like Ali Sethi and Amanat Ali Khan, but has not lived up to the expectation of the audience. But the expectations have risen to a skyscraper level after Coke Studio 9, which is difficult for even Coke Studio 10 to match. The next few episodes would determine how the season would carry out. One song which has driven a lot of criticism and skeptic reviews online is Rahat’s re-creation of Ali Azmat’s Sayonee. According to me, Rahat has done his bit for the song, Ali Azmat’s voice is what people want for such a track. The frame of reference is the source of dissonance with people for this song and even I feel Coke Studio has gone off the beat here. Elsewhere in Season 1 of Coke Studio, Garaj Baras of Rahat and Ali Azmat was a blockbuster, because Rahat added his master class Hindustani “Andaaz” (which Ali is not known for) in the song and made the song all the more complete.

Nevertheless, there has been a lot of criticism towards Coke Studio, as to how the songs are being repeated and re-created rather than getting the composition from the creative side. The artists from either side of the border are outstanding and are blessed with amazing creativity. One could expect a lot of fusion coming from the upcoming versions. Coke Studio has also educated people and will continue to do so, about Hindustani Classical Music, Sufi, Hamad, Qawwalis and Sufi Rock. Thus, Coke Studio must continue to innovate different styles and genres as the audience want the same from the show. The poems/Dohas (Couplets) of great writers such as Waris Shah, Sant Kabir, Raheem and Bulleh Shah can be considered for the forthcoming seasons of Coke Studio which can effectively render new numbers by giving a classical touch with reggae/ pop/rock or any other Western style. Coke Studio is essentially different because it is about experience and harmony. Coke Studio’s existence would not be under threat (as some of them were worried online) if other musical events are popular because Coke Studio is about being different and not composing mundane stuff. So, one or two blips might be acceptable as all songs cannot be evergreen. On the geopolitical front, if there is any hope of India and Pakistan to work together to create magic in the field of entertainment, Coke Studio could be the right place!

Article Written by Adithya N

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Need for Entertainment

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Some amazing movies in Bollywood such as Dangal, Sultan, Wazir, Pink, Airlift, Udta Punjab and Rustom have set benchmarks for the movies launching this year. But 2017 has been less than spectacular. There was a lot of hype about movies becoming better than the previous year, but the acceptance from the audience has been on a declining trend. Except for the multi-lingual Bahubali-2, not all movies have caught the attention of the Bollywood clan.

The movies from mega stars like Shah Rukh and Salman Khan has no “masala effect” for the audience to extol excessively. Raees was expected to be a better hit than expected. It has hit the 100 crore club, but nowhere near the likes of Sultan and Dangal. The movie is much more differentiated in its genre, thus the viewership base would alter. Nevertheless, the performance has been grim and dull at the box office. Jolly LLB2 was a good movie, having a very good storyline and dialogues and it managed to touch the “century box”. So, what does the audience want? Can we expect anything more?

The answer lies in front of us. Movies pertaining to real life stories such as biopics, biographies and extremely creative ideas have rocked at the box office. Dangal was a movie centered on the wrestling fraternity of the country. The Indian crowd, especially, the youth have started expecting more than before. There has been a clear differentiation among the good movies and the better ones. The better ones are much more creative, instigating, thought provoking, nostalgic and interesting. The good ones are quite predictable and have all the basic features of a movie with a better storyline. The audience base is increasing, but is the quality on the rise? The story quality from the past few years have gone up and seen a seamless transition. This is partly due to the comparison of the Hindi movies with the more flamboyant West. A study from Forbes shows that the Indian market for movies is one of the highest in the world. Given the number of people in the country vis-à-vis the revenue collection, the number 100 crores INR as revenue implies huge opportunity. 100 crore INR revenue means that the number of people who have watched a particular movie is not even a percent of country’s population. Good movies are translated/dubbed into different languages, and hence language barrier in a country like India is not a debacle!

The recent trends in movies clearly indicate that creativity and cinematography are the deal breaker with the audience. There is a reason behind all Aamir Khan’s movies doing exceptionally well and Bahubali as well. The audience is fascinated with the use of technology in their movies which is the trend in the market. Aamir’s movies and Bahubali gave the audience what they wanted instead of asking them to consume what was being showcased on the 70mm screen.

The main rudimentary question is, why should not incorporate a small survey/market research prior the genesis of the movie. The interest groups can be captured with a larger picture, which will help them in the larger sense. Film industries are the first ones to incorporate the trending technology and especially, Indian industries can certainly do better in this aspect. For example, Hans Zimmer always replicates the customer (audience) experience while composing the track to ensure that the audience perspective is well captured. The expertise is available with the latest software, but implementation needs to ramp up in India.

On the whole, 2017 has been a sluggish season for Bollywood till now, with meager blockbusters. The combined revenue of Sultan and Dangal is matched only by Bahubali (which is not typically Bollywood per se). The future needs some mind-breaking, nerve cracking and innovative films for Bollywood to even be comparable with Hollywood. The rise in Hollywood in Indian market should actually make people work on their toes. Let the “Need for Entertainment”, which is a basic need for almost everyone, be fulfilled sumptuously!

Article Written by Adithya N

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Time for Speculation in the European Sports Market !

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The transfer season has kicked in. The enormity of this is measurable considering the lavishness in the spending pattern. The clubs have already spent a large chunk of their bank account and the trend is expected to continue. The Premier League clubs have already spent large sums on their star acquisitions. Arsenal have bought Lacazette for an amount close to 50 million pounds, Chelsea have Morata for nearly 60 million pounds and mega clubs are bidding for Alexis Sanchez, who is currently the hot star of EPL.

 

The other clubs like Borussia Dortmund. There are rumors that Madrid and Arsenal are trying to go for Kylian Mbappe. The star shuffling is more than ever thanks to advertising, oil money and revenue cash of clubs in the Champions League. The other players who are often discussed about are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Phillipe Coutinho. Teams like Barcelona are already in buying mode, whereas on the other end of the bridge, teams like Monaco are struggling to hold on to their star players.

Why is there so much speculation from the recent seasons? The total earnings for 2016 for EPL teams was nearly 3.5-4 billion pounds (Source: Guardian.co.uk and Express.co.uk). The dispensable amount for wages, incentives, purchase of players have gone up due to the increased income from TV Ads, sponsorships, inflated ticket prices differentiated based on the type of competition and the stadium. This is, simply, in mathematical terms, LHS=RHS.

Thanks to the increased prices, the expectation has also reached the rooftops. The “Manager Life Cycle” has come down to almost two years. Except the likes of Arsene Wenger not many managers stay in the same club for more than a year or two. This is an underlying reason for teams “Googling” for the right players in the market. The synergy between the style of the manager and the player must match. This is important in both on-field and off-field activities.

The early entrants into the market to complete the transfer process have a greater pool of players to choose from the platter. The exciting, attracting and most luxurious football leagues are in Europe, which is a no brainer as to why the market is also always stimulated. There are rumors that PSG are readying an audacious bid of 197 million pounds for Neymar. Government Organizations like ISRO in our home country can launch satellite with that price and Neymar is no wonder, a gem, worth investing. But speculation makes it harder for players and managers. The fans and journalists are the ones completely excited and hunky dory. But speculation is the driver of views, digital revenues and a medium to gain popularity in the market. Everything is business though!

Let the speculation continue and let the transfer saga roll on. The hot deals will be eye catching and I as a football fan would look forward for the same. The new season will yield more pressure to top clubs in England like Arsenal and Manchester City who haven’t performed to their fullest last season. The fans are eagerly waiting and let’s see where Aubameyang may end up. EPL has a star war with the current strike force. And addition of Aubameyang in EPL wouldn’t be a bad option for the bone of contention, which is the Golden Goal Award in EPL.

Article Written by Adithya N

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Dunkirk: Why you should watch the film

Disclaimer: I’m a Christopher Nolan fan, but I’m not recommending the film because of his direction. It’s just not a visceral piece of film making. The film portrays one of the most important incidents of the Second World War which I believe the current generation should be aware of – it takes you through a sheen of nostalgic sentimentality. It’s about both bravery and suffering, individuals who care less about themselves than about a greater good.

Dunkirk is a war film written, co-produced and directed by Christopher Nolan. Christopher Nolan is known for his films – The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception & Interstellar. The music is composed by German composer & 4 time Grammy Award winner Hans Zimmer. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shot the film on IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large format film stock.

Let’s look at the history

The film depicts Operation Dynamo, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk – the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France. A large numbers of British, French, Belgian, and Canadian troops were surrounded by the German army during the Battle of France between 26 May and 4 June 1940.

The Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. The British Empire and France declared war on Germany and imposed an economic blockade. The Germans invaded Beligum and Netherlands on 10 May 1940. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was sent to aid in the defence of France. However, they were surrounded by the German forces. The German army halted their advance to Dunkirk after a German High Command order, with Adolf Hitler’s approval.

It is one of the most debated decisions of the war, since it gave time for gave the Allies to organise the Dunkirk evacuation and build a defensive line. The Siege of Lille also gave time for the BEF to evacuate the forces from Dunkirk. British casualties amounted to 68,000, while French losses totalled around 290,000 with more than that either missing or taken prisoner.

In a speech to the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the events in France “a colossal military disaster”, saying “the whole root and core and brain of the British Army” had been stranded at Dunkirk and seemed about to perish or be captured. In his We shall fight on the beaches speech on 4 June 1940, he hailed their rescue as a “miracle of deliverance”. Most importantly the decimation of the British at Dunkirk may have resulted in the U.K.’s capitulation to Hitler and no American involvement in the European war. It was Hitler’s best chance to win the war.

The film depicts three distinct perspectives, based on fictionalized characters.

  • Land: Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), plays a young soldier who is stranded on the Dunkirk beach and unfolds the tale of the men on the beach.
  • Sea: Dawson (Mark Rylance) is a Brit who decides to rescue survivors using his small boat.
  • Air: Farrier (Tom Hardy), a fighter pilot in a Spitfire who has one hour to take out Nazi planes and protect the men on the ground and in the water.

The film has been made extensive use of practical effects – employing 6,000 extras, assembling boats that had participated in the real Dunkirk evacuation, and using genuine era-appropriate planes for aerial sequences. With Hans Zimmer’s pulsating background score and extra-ordinary effects, the film is a must watch in theatres.

Not going to put forward any more spoilers. To put in one word, the film is a massive Nolanesque scale film. It’s definitely going to go down into the history as one of the greatest war films of all-time.

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Football Transfer Fee: Inflationary Spiral

Exactly a decade ago, a football tyrant opted for a transfer from North London to Catalonian region. If you’re wondering, who that man is, it is one and only, The King of North London, Thierry Henry.

Thierry Henry was a prolific finisher of EPL where he scored 175 goals, making him the record goal scorer for Arsenal FC. He was sold to Barcelona at the age of 29. The fee was 24 million Euros. The transfer fee was considered to provide a good ROI at that time. The times have shifted enormously since then. Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid was around 94 million Euros in 2009 when his market value was roughly about 70 -80 million Euros. The inflow of “Oil Money” into the game has transformed the lives of people and the entire scenario has shifted to another gear altogether. The inflow of money from UAE, Qatar and the Middle East has created new giants in the game of football such as Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain.

Acquisitions due to a large influx of money has also led to an increase in the prices of the players. The inflow of money has also implanted new technologies into the fray. The market value of players have boosted due to better training facilities which enhances their skill and productivity. Benign transformations and advancements in Bio-Tech field has helped the players to engross themselves to play almost thrice a week. The injury lay down period, on an average is also expected to reduce in the subsequent years. The operational cost has gone up for a club in these areas. Adding to this, the data analytics, Virtual Reality and real-time based dietary practices need best-in-class facilities. These also add on to the market value of the player. Apart from all these, age plays a major role as fresh young bazooka always costs a fortune, as compared to an age old cannon ball launcher!

Contrasting to the scenario in 2007, in 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at their 30+ ages cost more than 150 million Euros. It is almost 5 to 6 times as compared to 2007. It is not a digressing value. A new concept has emerged in the market called “Brand Value” amongst the players. The supply of players of the same class of Ronaldo and Messi is less, but the money has almost lost its value. The players tend to lose focus, determination, the hunger to become the best in the game and improve constantly with the same vigor. Distractions such as heavy partying and constant transfer requests are also a by-product of the fat paycheck. These may seem simple and silly, but believe it or not, loyalty has become bleak after the downpour of materialistic pleasures.

Ezequiel Lavezzi is the highest paid footballer in the world, thanks to the inflow of the Chinese Money to the free market of football. The inflationary spiral is due to burst with clubs going into deep debt and virtually selling it off. The Glazer Family was in deep trouble during the 2005 season. One more consequence due to huge inflation in prices, is the ability for a player of age 18-19 years just to perform exceedingly well in one season to obtain 9/10 ratings. Subsequently, a richer club buys him at crazy prices and the motivation henceforth would not the same. Thus, the motivation of the players is the current bottleneck.

Hope the market analysts are heard, who are unequivocally surprised by the rooftop prices. Albeit football inclusion is achieved with increase in opportunity in the game, drawbacks still need to be addressed. Inflation in a non-linear manner is not always welcome!

Article Written by Adithya N

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Thala Ajith

Video: Vivegam – Official Teaser (Source: YouTube-Sathya Jyothi Films)

“Money, money, money, money….” This dialogue became an instant hit amongst the youth who watched Ajith Kumar’s Mankatha in 2011. He is one of the few actors to have embraced style to an extent where style is synonymous with Ajith. He completely delves into the role without casting a doubt on the character. A close aide of Rajni in his early days helped Thala obtain ideas from the Thalaiva himself. May it be the rapacious Vinayak in Mankatha or the dashing Ashok’s character in Aarambam or the responsible big brother in Veeram, he has made the fans become egregiously greedy in terms of expectation of his movies.

A rough patch for an actor always curtails at one point in time. Ajith had no mega block-busters for quite a while till Dheena. A R Murgadoss, now an venerable director in his own right, was a debutant to the showbiz industry. Dheena created magic with the audience, which led to the re-incarnation of Thala or AK or the Ultimate Star, Ajith Kumar. His acting is often not compared to the Crème-da-la- Crème actors, but it is worth analyzing his attitude that he infuses in the character that he takes up.

Albeit being a good actor, Ajith is an outstanding cook and a professional car racer in Formula e. Thala is not seen in many award functions and soirees as he refrains from attending them. He is more like Aamir one could say. He is in the elite zone when it comes to his overall performance as an actor. The roles he takes up are mostly commanding, thrilling, dynamic and smart. His persona is a perfect match for the above mentioned adjectives. Billa is a euphemistic example of his attitude. Ajith is known for his best opening day collection in South India and hence is placed next to UlagaNayakan Kamal and the Thalaiva.

He’s also known for social work also. He has donated money to the Sri Lankan Tamils amidst the crisis and has helped in various other occasions also. He married his love Shalini Kumar in 2000. His next movie Thala 57 is one which everyone is eagerly waiting for. Thala 57-Vivegam is an International Thriller. The teaser of the movie has been released. It has already kept the minds of his fans busier than ever. Cold Bulgarian weather cinematography, coupled with Ajith carrying a log of wood bare chested has shooted the adrenalin of his fans to a higher altitude. The teaser itself has broken records pertaining to the number of views on the day it was released.

Another movie is – Chiyaan John Kennedy Victor, better known as Vikram starrer, Dhruva Natchathiram. Vivegam is directed by Siva and Dhruva by the renowned Gautam Vasudev Menon. This will be an epic battle between the mega stars. The time of release might be different, but comparisons will be made. The better one will prevail. Have an astounding time enjoying both the movies. The mightier one will win the box office, as a saying goes in Hindi, “Ek Myaan mein Do Talware nahi latak Sakti”. This translates to “Two swords cannot be hung in the same scabbard”. The Pandas also would like to congratulate Thala on completing 25 years at the helm of the Cine industry.

Some of his movies that you could watch are:

  • Dheena
  • Jana
  • Mankatha
  • Veeram
  • Aarambam
  • Vivegam (Thala 57 upcoming)
  • Yennai Arindhal

Article Written by Adithya N

 

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10 Things to do as a Chess player

Let me give some insights what a budding chess player can do.

  1. Love the game: Simple. Point blank. Chess players are not known for their “Stylish” demeanor. Play the game only if you like it 100%, else money is going down the drain.
  2. Play without pre conceived notions: When you’re a novice, say 1 to 15 months into the game, try to be fearless. You will be able to figure out what style suits you the most. Be shrewd and save emotions for post-match celebrations.
  3. Have an idol: This would motivate you and help you in understanding different styles. Analyze his/her matches. Keep a separate book for analyzing his/her game to entice your grey cells and constantly enhance your game.
  4. Start playing against bots: In today’s world of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence, you can find immaculate bots which finds millions of permutations and combinations while making a move. This will boost your creativity and widens the scope for learning. Online sites like Chess.com and King Chess enable you to play P2P for free.
  5. Make “Sacs”: “Sac”- is a short form for sacrifice. In games where you’re confident try something extra-ordinary. Doing this once in a blue moon will help you gain immense confidence and puts your opponent on the toes, forcing him/her to put on the thinking hat. Be prudent enough to understand the gravity of the matter though! Blunt Sacs are Suicidal.
  6. Play Different Formats: Try to play at different time scenarios. Blitz, Rapid and Classic are conventional formats. Try lighting as it speeds up the ante and makes you much more sensible before touching a pawn. (I was a District Champion at the age of 13). Lighting is 5 seconds per move. If you even touch the pawns before they call out your color, you lose the game!
  7. Adept and Adapt: These two words fit in a utopian manner here. You must be adept in using all 32 pieces effectively. (Including opponent’s pawns) Be adaptive in starting with different openings right from Queen’s Gambit to Great Indian Defense to Sicilian. This helps you think the breadth of the board.
  8. Think big: Getting a pawn is not a big deal. Think Big. Watch games of Judit Polgar, Magnus Carlsson, Vishwanathan Anand, Gary Kasparov and other Grand Masters (GMs). The entrapment should be your goal, not just acclaiming a pawn or a piece. Do not make mistakes if you’re a defensive player, instead wait for the opponent to make one. I was known for defense prowess. I used to kill games defensively with lethal counter attacks and have also lost some games as my defense didn’t possess a kill switch. Be at your ease while playing.
  9. Do not ask for a draw unnecessarily: Asking for a draw shows that you’re sheepish and cowardice, especially when the game is on a level playing field, even odds of 40-60 is a fair play. Play smart and ask when you’re sure that you would lose, if the opponent makes the ideal move.
  10. Keep your education ticking: Education must back your chess career as an alternative. This will make you eligible for Sports Quota (If it exits in your country) and a basic qualification should support Chess. Many players had advised me to make Chess and Education Prima Donna in life. Chess alone wouldn’t suffice most of the times.

I was a Professional Chess Player for 10 years. I have played over 900 games in District, State and National Level, winning 80+ accolades. I still play online, but have detached myself from competitions. Education and music confronted Chess badly in my life. I was unable to devote 100% of my time to Chess and hence I decided to call it a day.

Enjoy playing Chess and become Sharper!

Article Written by Adithya N

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Indo Pak Match – Bans, Betting and Business

Much hyped cricket match of the year is yet to be played in few hours. Prayers have begun across the country and so does betting. In a shocking move, Zee, one of the largest Indian media groups, has banned match. The match also acts as a centre of burgeoning businesses. Around 300 million viewers are expected to tune in to the match and all the Corporates are geared up to drag their attention. Amidst all these happenings, Indian team Captain, Virat Kohli, has played down the match and considered it as one of the other matches. This is how a matured leader would react to shield the team from external pressure.

Indo Pak matches have always been a matter of pride for both the countries. Particularly, when the relations between the countries are at the rock bottom, the match mandates much more importance. Cashing this Nationalistic tendencies, Zee media has exasperated the situation by banning the entire match. After all, Zee also needs some TRP ratings and cannot miss out on this glorified event. Star Network and Zee Network have always been arch rivals in the media industry. Zee could divert a portion of viewers towards its channels by taking the name of Indian military personnel. Shubash Chandra argument that Cricket and the war cannot go together is illogical. The ultimate aim of sports is to act as substitute to wars. If the humanity is devoid of sports, then it would have seen more wars by now.

According to All India Gaming Federation, around Rs.2000 Crore is expected to be gambled for the match. Cutting across all the sections, the betting is practised with much passion. Personally, I have seen the enthusiasm among the gambles during these type of matches. It’s the time the rich becomes poor and vice versa according to their luck. For every Rs.100, the person who bets on India gains Rs.147 and one who bets on Pakistan receives Rs.300. Hope the government legalises betting soon. Atleast, it could reap some benefits.

Coming to the business. Flipkart has already promised to install Televisions at discounted prices by the time match begins. Though the offers are the result of GST roll out, the cricket fever is not to be side-lined. Social media is filled with jingoistic posts to garner more likes for their pages. The more the Pakistan is criticized and trolled, the more are the popularity of the page. And the ultimate beneficiary is Mark Zukerberg who gains profit through advertisements. According to some news channels, restaurants in Delhi are customizing their menus to match with the game. New cocktails and special dishes are ready to be served by 3:00 P.M IST. We are missing the main business if the advertisement in the Television are missed. A 30 sec slot in the TV channel would cost Rs.1crore. This is 10 times that of normal rates. Now you could guess the cost of sitting in the stadium!!

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Ronaldo Madrid or Real Madrid ?

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The “Galacticos” have won another UCL and added another La Liga to their ultra-prestigious trophy cabinet. Real Madrid has always been the dream team for most of the footballers. The Spanish Champs have always bought only World Class players at prices equivalent to that of a low cost spaceship! But the fact of the matter is, they have been successful. One such charismatic and iconic addition has been the Portuguese Football Honcho, Cristiano Ronaldo.

It wouldn’t be wrong to call him “The Cristiano Ronaldo”, given his astounding and magnificent career in the game. He was an Emperor at Manchester United in his tenure, tormenting the full backs and conjecturing some of their egos with his impeccable moves. His move has been an amazing feat for both Real and Ronaldo himself. He is one of the two best footballers this generation has seen, the other one obviously being Leo Messi.

Ronaldo is one of the few players in the world to have exacerbated wounds of all teams playing in the league in a single season by scoring against all of them. He has grossed 400 goals for Madrid and his goals to match ratio is nearly 75%. This is an incredible feat to achieve. Being bought for a value of around 80 million pounds, Cristiano has justified every bit of it. He was always instrumental in Champions League, probably the most Elitist league of Football in this world. Winning 3 UCLs is not easy, as many amazing clubs are still trying to break the golden duck!

He is also known for his amazing charitable activities and love for his mother. He has a museum at his nation and has always shown how hard-work can boost one’s career from ground zero to an altitude of 36000 ft. He has also shown his master class through donating blood and does not have any tattoo impregnated on his body, to be eligible for perpetual blood donation. He has a great reverence for his old Lisbon friend Albert, whom Ronaldo acclaims as the one who sacrificed his own career for Ronaldo. And guess what, Ronaldo built a home for him and has given him a great deal of wealth along with the indebted respect. Cristiano earns close to 32 million euros per year (Google 2016 Data).

A great sportsman has a fair share of critics as well. He is criticized for being arrogant at times and selfish. I choose to defer from those opinions. He is exceptionally good and because of his 50 odd goals every year, Madrid won their titles. So, before criticizing, it’s better to understand the gravity of the matter. He is the talisman for Madrid at the age of 32 and has not shown any “duskiness” in his game yet. The club might induct him to Hall of Fame and no wonder if Madrid becomes famous as Ronaldo Madrid!!

Article Written by Adithya N

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Arsene Stays Put

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The Recent Saga on Arsene’s life is put to bed. Arsene signs a 2 year deal. The Arsenal Family is split into two. Memes have started flowing on Twitter. But the real question which no one is asking is “Who is the right man to replace Wenger?” The probable candidates are only a few. The main reason for this, is the supply of good managers.

Today, magnanimous changes are welcome by everyone, as change is seen to be a mere shortcut for success. Look at Manchester United, which was continuously reigning the EPL till Sir Alex was in-charge. The answer for all questions is not change. So, what can Wenger do to make both the set of fans at either end of See- Saw happy?

  1. Change the defense strategy to 3 men instead of 4. The major reason is, the ability of Wenger to accommodate the Ox and Hector on either sides of the pitch. 3-4-1-1 works exceptionally well for Arsene.
  2. Spend more on a World Class Centre Forward. The friction on spending on a World Class Striker is costing Arsenal a minimum of 12-15 points every season, which is of course the title winning score.
  3. Induce winning mentality in bigger games. This is more often said, than done. Titles are won in galactic matches.
  4. Alibis are to be stopped. Injury cannot be the sole defalcator for Arsenal to not to Win an EPL for almost 13 seasons.

The Professor of Economics, in my opinion should have moved up the board retaining the manager’s position and appointed a new Coach like Tony Adams or Thierry Henry. This would have ensured the nurturing of a new Arsenal Coach as well as assured Wenger’s influence on Arsenal’s playing style, which no one can ever replace.

Let’s wait and watch how the new season unfolds !!