'He used to do his homework before singing a song.' 'He used to find out who the hero of the movie would be or the situation in which the song would play in the film.' 'Accordingly, he moulded his voice.' 'For example, he sang Tel Maalish and Main Bambai Ka Babu for Johnny Walker in Johnny Walker style.' 'He would sing in different tones for Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Guru Dutt.'
...It was original, feels Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
If you're young and depressed, and don't know where your life is heading, Naseeruddin Shah seems to have the answer.
'...by saying since you have come say everything against your party.'
And one big, angry family, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com tried to buy a house on his recent visit to Srinagar.
'I am simply highlighting a wrongdoing. This is why my complaint has merit, and the chief minister has ordered an inquiry.'
'It could be the Pakistan army's commercial interest, tactical or strategic interest or one of their leaders.' 'Even if you send a message that we have attempted to kill one of the Pakistani generals, that itself will serve the purpose.'
'Pakistan cannot sustain a war with India for more than four days. They are in such dire straits. At best they can sustain war for one week.'
'The people of Gujarat are more religious than people of other states, this gives the BJP an advantage.'
'The cost of flying to Prayagraj has gone up six times due to the Kumbh Mela.'
'...in the minds of the youth of Assam.' 'Now, no protests happen in Assam because of fear of police encounters.'
'Mrs Gandhi had nothing to do in the day-to-day working of Dr Singh's government.' 'People say Mrs Gandhi's office used to give orders, which is nonsense.'
'He didn't implement good policies for good politics.' 'He never worked on comprehensive policy-making.' 'In Kejriwal's own constituency youths are jobless.'
'The intellectual A G Noorani and A G Noorani the family man sound like a contradiction in terms, but both aspects were integral parts of the individual.'
'The BJP has killed public anger. They have killed people's self-respect.'
Ahead of the floor test in Maharashtra, what is more crucial is who becomes the pro-tem speaker. And bagging this post is part of the BJP's plan to retain power, reports Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com/
'The people of India have shown immense faith in the Tata group as they have never broken the trust of Indians.'
'I represented India across the world, but here, in my own country, I was treated in this bad manner.' 'Everyone in Prayagraj respects me a lot and it is in this same city that I became homeless.'
'Muslims need to work according to strategy and not fall into the trap of Opposition parties.'
'What is the harm in having more polling booths?'
'In Independent India's politics you will not find any leader of a political party who has not contested elections or not held a powerful post.' 'It was only Balasaheb who never contested elections or held a post.' On the occasion of Balasaheb Thackeray's 99th birth anniversary, close aide Subhash Desai recalls vignettes about the Shiv Sena founder.
'These beach shacks were meant to protect the employment of local Goans who in turn would showcase Goan cuisine and culture on the beaches of Goa.'
'During Eid Muslims get Eidi, but Opposition parties never gave that to them.' 'When PM Modi is giving Eidi to Muslims Opposition leaders are getting upset.'
'Many MPs felt they were going to take out a weapon and shoot us all.'
In 2022 Nanaji Dembi pulled down the Hurriyat office board in Srinagar, an act of defiance that grabbed headlines. Despite such nationalistic bravado, the BJP has denied him a ticket for the assembly election.
'Delhi's streets were not alleys but an artist's canvas,' the eminent poet Mir Taqi Mir noted more than 150 years ago. Syed Firdaus Ashraf savours the sights and cuisine of the national capital.
'Journalists must ask the Mumbai police why are they sending notices via X to cartoonists.' 'The Mumbai police must come clean. Who is giving them such orders?'
One gets the feeling that Golmaal Returns will be a blockbuster unless Rohit Shetty, the writer, comes out with a weak story, feels Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'They want to keep the pot boiling all the time.' 'The BJP wants to set a political narrative that the Gandhis are doing wrong things.'
'The Abdullah family is the problem and facilitator of the instability that we are seeing in Kashmir.'
The Baadshaho trailer has packed in all the masala one expects from an Ajay Devgn film, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Can Jitin Prasada retain the BJP's Brahmin vote in UP?
'Ranbir Kapoor has only one film as does Salman Khan.' 'Hrithik Roshan only has War 2.' 'Ranveer Singh has no film on floors today.'
'BSP will remain a player, but only a marginal player, as long as the BJP is extremely dominant in North India politics.'
'The irony of this country is that the party in Opposition and the party in power both depend on Muslims.'
'Today, both in the hills and valley there is radicalised militant activity which poses a direct national security threat.' 'This kind of militancy in Manipur is unprecedented, I have never seen such largescale militancy in my life.'
'He had a knife in each hand.' 'And something just kind of took over and I just grabbed him.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com comes across a Ganesh temple in Kashmir's summer capital that remains a well kept secret.