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There was a time when I compulsively read Haruki Murakami. It began with ‘Kafka on the Shore’. Then I read ‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle’ before moving on to his collection of short stories, ‘After Dark’, and then picking up the novella, ‘Sputnik Sweetheart’. All his stories share a similar theme and, unlike reading other authors, I feel reading Murakami can mess your head a little after a while—all the surrealism can be a bit too much sometimes.

And so, I had been on a Murakami break when I discovered ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’. Initially I was hesitant to get back to reading Murakami and left without buying the book but a memoir of sorts by a prolific writer wasn’t something I could resist for long, and I bought it the second time I visited the bookstore. And I am glad I did.

What I like about Murakami is that he writes short, beautiful sentences. I guess one has to also credit Philip Gabriel’s translations for that. But Murakami’s style is such that the words just flow. And that makes for easy and impactful reading.

‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’ introduces us to Murakami as more than a writer. Here, he tells us how he began running seriously when he was 33, back in 1982. He has since competed in more than 20 marathons. On average, he runs six miles a day, six days a week, and though these days he isn’t in top form, he has no intention of not running anymore. For “to give up running would be like giving up writing, which would be like giving up living”.

Murakami knows he will never win a marathon but he doesn’t seem to mind. Then why does he still do it? One reason could be that he feels the focus and endurance required in marathons could help him apply the same disciplines to his writing. “Most of what I know about writing, I’ve learned through running every day,” he says. But more than that, as Murakami further writes, it gives you a special kind of awareness—you understand yourself better.

Devoid of any elements of magical realism, ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’ doesn’t feel like reading Murakami at all. For a change, you enjoy the conversational style and the self-deprecatory tone that you aren’t used to in Murakami’s works. It also gives you a window into the mind of an author you can’t help but love. For me, I think it has got me out of my self-imposed break on Murakami and now I can’t wait to start reading ‘Killing Commendatore’ where, apparently, paintings become magic portals.  

Tourers are the new black in the motorcycling world. The idea of motorcycles being more than just a medium of transport is quickly picking up. There are more and more people asking more from motorcycles. Getting someone to their office and back does not cut it anymore. While there are many groups of people that look for various other aspects, one increasingly popular trend is travelling on motorcycles.

That is the segment where Bajaj Dominar, Bajaj’s Power Cruiser, had decided to set up shop when they first launched it back in the end of 2016. This also meant that the Dominar would go up against the OG of the segment… the Royal Enfield. A tall order when you consider how loved the thumper is in India.

Has it been able to snatch away the throne from the Enfield? Not quite. However, the Bajaj Dominar turned out to be a pretty decent motorcycle in its own respect. But, as with anything and everything, there is always room for improvement. The new Dominar ups the ante with its new upgrade, and we rigorously test out the new avatar.

How has it changed in terms of looks?

There are some substantial changes in the New Dominar, although they might not be apparent at first glance. We couldn’t get hold of the Dominar in the striking ‘Auroral Green’ avatar (because of unavailability), which is among the most visible changes in the new Dominar. But even in the black color scheme, there are plenty of changes that you should quickly pick up on. The first would be the new 43mm upside down forks that replace the telescopic 43mm forks. The new beefy addition enhances the already robust demeanor of the Dominar. These are essentially the same set of cartridge-type forks seen on the current KTM 390 Duke.

Other changes that only keen observers will notice immediately are the revised internals for the headlamp and tail lamp units. There’s a factory-fitted tank pad as well and a prominent ‘D’ logo on the pillion seat. There is also a new dual-barrel end can that gets a matte finish. We also like the new cast aluminum stalks for the rearview mirrors. Staying true to their touring commitment, the Bajaj Dominar gets four nylon straps under the seats that can be pulled out for attaching tail bags and other baggage accessories.

For the instrument console the Dominar gets the familiar all-digital display that gets an addition of average fuel consumption for both Trip A and B, dynamic and average fuel economy, and distance-to-average. What is completely new is the secondary display that finds its place above the fuel tank cap. This display indicates the gear position, time etc., but it does not fall into your peripheral vision when you’re riding which means you’ll have to take your eyes off the road to look at it properly and that isn’t too great.

How has the riding and handling changed?

The Bajaj Dominar always impressed us with its performance. There were plenty of horses (35BHP @ 8,000 rpm) and they were delivered pretty linearly through the rev ranges. We could definitely see it as a long term tourer. The upgraded Dominar has some substantial changes that makes the riding the Dominar even better. The Single Overhead Camshaft (SOHC) is replaced with a Double Overhead Camshaft. The power output has been bumped up to 40BHP@ 8,650 RPM and the torque remains the same, 35Nm that arrives 500 rpms later at 7,000 rpm.

What this translates to again is a motorcycle that feels at home on the open highways. While it’s easily capable of staying in the triple digits, the Dominar feels most at home between 70kmph to 100kmph. You really begin to experience the extra power when you’re higher up in the rev ranges and things start to pick up. Thankfully, the Dominar is rock steady and inspires confidence. You will find yourself quickly moving through the gears and finding a nice cruising speed. And when you need it, you can wring the throttle and the Dominar will eagerly propel you further with more power. The throaty rumble emitted by the Dominar is praiseworthy and would serve as a pretty welcome companion on your tours. Another welcome change is the decrease in vibrations, which only creep in when you’re really pinning it.

The new USDs work great in handling the rather large bulk and it has certainly enhanced the riding experience by a couple of notches. It provides great straight line stability and works over time to keep nice and tidy on the corners. The 320mm front and 230mm disc brakes provide the stopping power assisted by dual channel ABS. Keen enthusiasts will notice that the front brake rotors are now on the other side on the new Dominar.

Verdict

The new Bajaj Dominar tidies itself up pretty well, and considering how good the first Dominar was, that is very good news. The reduced vibrations, new upside down forks, the bump in power and an overall improvement makes the Bajaj Dominar a very exciting prospect for people who want their motorcycles to be more than commuters. As a tourer, the Bajaj Dominar serves the purpose very well.

In the first installment of “Baaghi” (2016), Ronnie (Tiger Shroff) took on a gang of villains to save his kidnapped girlfriend. It was one of the first films for Tiger and he impressed as a newcomer. In the second installment “Baaghi 2” (2018), Ronnie took on a bigger group of villains to save his girlfriend’s daughter who had been kidnapped. The production was larger and the audience fairly entertained. But as the count reaches three for Baaghi, the action and drama cross the level of absurdity: Ronnie is yet again forced to save a kidnapped person—this time his elder brother Vikram (Riteish Deshmukh) who has been abducted in Syria by a terrorist organization.

It would be fair to say that Baaghi 3 is a product of lack of creativity, ingenuity and effort, despite its huge production budget. Choreographer-turned-director Ahmed Khan—also the director for Baaghi 2—seemingly chose the worst possible script for this film. He’s neither able to get the best acting from the cast, nor to capitalize on Tiger’s dance skills. Tiger, in turn, has started looking monotonous with the same fight and dance routines in almost all his movies.

In Baaghi 3, two brothers—Ronnie and Vikram—grow up as orphans after their cop father (Jackie Shroff) dies on duty. On his deathbed, the father makes Ronnie, the stronger child, to take a vow that he would look after his elder brother Vikram. So Ronnie sticks like a shadow to Vikram all his life. Vikram only has to scream “Ronnie!” and lo, the muscle-man appears out of the blue.

As the clichéd story continues, Vikram becomes a police inspector and Ronnie again helps him secretly fight criminals. But one day when Vikram is sent to a mission in Syria and gets kidnapped there, Ronnie can’t answer his brother’s call. So he reaches Syria the next day with his girlfriend Sia (Shraddha Kapoor) to take on an army of armed militants lead by “Abu Jalal” (Jameel Khoury).

The story is so unoriginal the film feels like watching a montage of scenes from Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme films from the previous decades/century/millennium, and there’s also quite a bit of similarity with Liam Neeson’s “Taken” series. A weak story gives space to a weaker screenplay, which completely baffles logic and storytelling.

But why did actors like Riteish and Shraddha choose to do this film where their acting skills are undermined by bad writing and even worse direction? Both have been fairly successful in their careers and this desperation to play the most unflattering roles is definitely a surprise. Especially for Ritesh, who has been in the industry for long; his role as Viram is so unconvincing even his sex comedy stints are better. Another disappointment is Vijay Verma from the “Gully Boy” (2019) fame who plays “Akhtar Lahori”, a Pakistani conman. Vijay doesn’t fit the part and seems distracted all the time. All these are roles could have been given to debutants and the experienced actors wouldn’t have been missed at all.

Baaghi 3 is a badly written, badly executed movie that looks to bank solely on Tiger Shroff’s antics and acrobatics. But Tiger’s charms seem to be wearing. Despite his well-toned physique and action and dance sequences that he performs with diligence, there’s nothing new on offer. After so many movies playing similar characters, he is starting to get boring.

With multiplex audience of today preferring content over star factor and glamor quotient, Baaghi 3’s attempt to glorify Tiger falls flat. The filmmakers overdo action sequences and show Ronnie take on a whole army of militants, including fighter helicopters and battle tanks. The improbability is such that it sometimes seems like a comic spoof.

Who should watch it?

The only watchable factor is the movie’s cinematography. But that isn’t enough to keep you entertained for the entire length. Sit this one out in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

Rating: 1.5 star

Genre: Action

Run time: 2hrs 23min

Director: Ahmed Khan

Cast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh

Fiction

The Improbability of Love

Hannah Rothschild

Language: English

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Published: 2016

Pages: 479, Paperback

I have mixed feelings about this book. Though I wouldn’t rave about it, I wouldn’t tell anyone not to read it either. The blurb was catchy. I was intrigued and curious. Around 100 pages into it, I wasn’t very sure. But then, in the end, I was glad I stuck with it. Hannah Rothschild’s debut novel, ‘The Improbability of Love’, is confusing and takes time to build up, but it keeps you wanting to know more.

Annie McDee is a 31-year-old struggling chef. She is also recovering from a devastating break-up. Then, she buys a painting at a junk store for this guy she met at a speed-dating event and he never shows up. The painting becomes a sad reminder of her recklessness and she wants to get rid of it but her mother thinks it could be something of value and forces Annie to find out and thus delve into the world of art.

Since the novel opens on the night of an auction where there’s a lot of commotion over a painting with many people trying to profit from the sale, you get an idea that the painting is important. But you don’t really understand what is happening. As the novel jumps back and forth between six months, after Annie discovering the painting at a junk shop and the night of its sale at the auction, the story slowly starts to unravel.

The Improbability of Love was apparently penned as a satire on the corruption in the London art scene—the painting, the one being actioned that Annie eventually buys, is fictional but the artist, Jean-Antoine Watteau, isn’t. Rothschild meant to pose serious questions regarding the value of art. But more often than not it falls flat and comes across as silly. Though there are a lot of things going on—with romance, intrigue, murder, and more—and the book has all the potential to be a riveting read, you can’t help but feel the story could have been better narrated.

On one hand, Rothschild’s descriptions of the elaborate feasts that Annie prepares makes you want to read more, on the other, the frequent inconsistencies (and there are quite a few) make you cringe and put the book down. The same man has different colored eyes in different instances. It’s almost as if Rothschild was so invested in the art part of the story that the details elsewhere were written as an afterthought and thus feels slapdash.

The novel’s saving grace is that Rothschild knows a lot about art. And that knowledge shines through, which makes reading The Improbability of Love a pleasure, albeit in bits and pieces. Also, the eclectic mix of characters are well developed, each with their own frailties that warm you up to them. The painting itself becomes the narrator too, recalls its maker, and expresses grievances at being confined to Annie’s flat. It’s so amusing that it’s worth putting up with the problematic bits.