Ekla chalo re

Watched Kahaani over the weekend and came out saying WOW. Replace the Indian characters with Americans, change the locale to

Chicago instead of Kolkata, and this will easily pass of as an A-grade Hollywood thriller. Well, I'm impressed. I don't watch too

many Hindi movies but do read reviews regularly so I know what's going around. And it's the first time I have come across a

bollywood thriller that's gripping, fast paced with edge-of-the-seat excitement right up to the end.

Lack of songs, item numbers and mass dances is an added attraction. Oh but the only song, by Amitabh Bachchan none-the-less is a

feather in the cap. Stay till the very end - beyond the credits - to enjoy this Bangla-Hindi-English beauty of a song, based on the

poem by Ravindranath Tagore.

There are very few loose ends - which is probably why some reviewers gave the film 3 stars. But hey, for one of the few attempts in

Bollywood at a thriller, Sujoy Ghosh - the director - has done pretty well to keep us engrossed right till the last moment. With

excellent cinematography around Kolkata locales and superb acting by everyone, I would give this movie 4.5 stars.

Sujoy-babu, way to go! Ekla cholo re!

Guys, go see the movie.

Shop act licence renewal - Pune

Office timings: 10 to 4 (Best to land up there at 10:45)
Location: In Wakdewadi, opposite Shoppers Stop.
When you enter through main gate, go to the right and find a barrack at the end.

Treasury counter timings: 11 to 2:30
Location: SBI building next to the Collector office, near Pune station

Steps to renew your license

• Take with you: Original + photocopy of current valid license + cash (about Rs. 800 per employee in your shop/organization)
• Before entering the gate, go to the photocopy shop on the right side and get Form B plus 3 payment challans from the shop.
• Fill up the simple form B. Also fill up Name, Address & renewal period in challans. Renewal period is typically 3 years.
• If you are paying less than Rs. 300/-, then they accept cash in this office itself. For more than Rs. 300, you need to pay the amount at Treasury
  PS: The amount Rs. 300 may not be valid any more as rates have increased. Check first point above.
• Take Form B, challans and original license inside the barrack. After entering the barrack, go towards right and show form B to any officer sitting along the left side.
• They'll calculate the license fees. You need to write the amount on the challans. The officer will then sign the challans.
• Get the challans stamped at the counter near the entrance. Officer's signature and the stamp are important. Without that your trip to treasury will be wasted.
• Now go to treasury. The security will guide you to one of the cash counters. Depending on the queue, be prepared to wait for up to an hour. Here, they'll accept the fees in cash, and give you 1 copy of the challan - stamped by them.
• Come back to the license office. Get a photocopy of stamped challan for your own record. Now pin together: Form B + License photocopy + 1 challan. Hand over this and the original license at a window outside the barrack. The guy will keep the pinned docs and will make a new entry on the original license before giving it back. The new entry on original license is the most important part. Do verify it shows number of years for which the licence is renewed.
• Take the original license and get it signed by the officer who sits in front of the main door to the barrack.

That's it, your license is renewed!
The whole procedure took me less than 2 hours and.. ZERO Rupees in bribes!!