Dinner at Anmol restaurant Jagraon

Anmol restaurant is, perhaps, the only air-conditioned restaurant in the residential area that serves regular meals. It is in the gas wali gali near the flyover. Other good quality restaurants of the town  mainly focus on fast food. There are a couple of good restaurants that serve regular meals but they are along the GT road and far from the Mohallas  of the town.

Anmol has a reasonably big AC hall with sufficient tables to accommodate about a dozen families. The air-conditioners are very effective. This is a newly built hall which is on the first floor. There is a space for a couple of tables on the ground floor as well. The wash basin for both the floors is near the entrance. There is parking space for about eight to ten two wheelers inside the main gate although any number of two wheelers can be parked outside in the street. But if someone has a car, he may park it under the flyover which is quite near.

The food is nice and reasonably priced. We were six people and had a reasonably good dinner for Rs 855. Rs 20 were given to the waiter as a tip. My younger son was made the head boy of his school yesterday and we were celebraing it. Most of his friends are very friendly towards me as they are regular visitors to our house. Had we been to a similar place in Ludhiana, the cost would have been much higher. Our menu consisted of two plates of Dal Makhani, One plate Kadahi Paneer, One plate Chilli cheese and one plate Raita (the name of which I have forgotten). Along with the above there were thirteen Butter Naans. Filter water was in the glass jugs and was free of cost. The onions served along with the meal and the sweetened saunf that is served at the end were, ofcourse, free as in any other restaurant of our country.

Mary kom - a movie review

Mary Kom is a Bollywood movie based on the life and struggle of the legendary women boxer of our country. The movie has exposed the callous attitude of the officials in the sports department. The message it gives is that the sportsmen can perform far better if they are provided with the basic facilities during the games.As per the movie the players have to survive on banana and tea during the games. They are made to stay in the dormitories while the officials enjoy the luxuries of the five star hotels. Often the female players have to tolerate the suggestive overtures of the bosses.

Another noticeable point brought out by the story is that the Manipuries nurse a feeling that there is discrimination against them in the country. The heroine, in the movie, accuses the refrees of partiality when an Haryanvi girl is declared the winner in a very closely contested match.

There was a time when the Bollywood movies used to be packed with songs that one would hum for years or dialogues that would permanently remain etched in ones  mind. Besides a good storyline they delivered a strong social message along with making the audience laugh through the comedians. Nowadays a  movie becomes popular even if one among the above features is good. The story of this movie is very inspiring but one would find it difficult to appreciate its  playback singing and background music.

Only a few movies in Bollywood succeed with a woman in the lead role. Mary Kom is is one of them. One would not regret watching it.