I am so angry, so sad and feeling so helpless I just don’t know what to do with myself. Bombay, the city of my dreams, my most beloved place on earth, is under attack. I find very little to be thankful for, on this Thanksgiving day, but the fact that I am alive… It’s little consolation for the horror that is still going on thousands of miles away. I can’t help but think of the dead, the injured, the permanently and emotionally scarred.

It is my duty to write “The List” and I have been slacking off lately, but now the site is new, revamped and renamed and this is obviously going to be a baptism by fire! What a way to start off as The Stranger on this life journey, with grenades exploding and shots fired in my beloved Maximum City. But I will point you, my reader and my friend, towards some of the things that are helping me cope with this evil, this nightmare that doesn’t stop when I wake up.

DVDs - The obvious choices are “Mumbai Meri Jaan”, “Black Friday” and “Aamir”, all dealing with terrorism, though from different POVs and through different events. Anurag Kashyap’s “Black Friday” is probably one of my favorite films ever made, and I second Mr. Kashyap’s personal love for “Aamir” which left me in shock and thinking for weeks after I rented it from Netflix. Unfortunately, for “Mumbai Meri Jaan” you’ll have to either travel to Florence for the “River to River Florence Indian Film Festival” - where it is going to be shown in December - or wait for a screening or festival here. It is not on DVD yet…

Music - I am obsessed with A.R. Rahman’s soundtrack for “Slumdog Millionaire” which is now available on Itunes. For the CD, you’ll have to wait until December, but I suggest downloading it and enjoying it on your Ipod… What? You don’t have one? Hum… My heart goes out to you! During these difficult times, I am also listening to a lot of Rahman’s older, classic tunes, like “Ishq Bina” and the haunting “Kehna Hi Kya” from Mani Ratnam’s “Bombay”, another film dealing with terrorism, of a different kind.

Movies - When the going gets tough, well, the sad can go to the movies. An amazing film was released in the US on Wednesday, and will be released in India on Friday, though I fear its greatness will be overshadowed by the current events and it will end up not doing as well as expected… The film is “Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye” starring Abhay Deol and Paresh Rawal, two great actors of different generations but equally talented and charismatic. The film is about a cat burglar, a charming thief who steals his way to riches and class… It is an absolute must see for a bit of a change from the images of doom out of India. Of course, you can find a complete “review”, albeit a-la-Nina, on the Films 2 See column!

Food - Well, always in the mood for Indian, these days I don’t seem to crave it as much. I feel sad for what has happened and frankly, I am one of those people that undereats in times of stress. So this is where my beloved chocolate comes in handy. Trader Joe’s Truffles or simply some good ol’ M & Ms are divinely therapeutic right now. 

Finally, let me leave you with a thought of peace. Check out my short tribute to beloved Bombay on Chic Today and try to pay it forward with some peace tomorrow.

It is rare when something inspires me to begin a whole new category on this beloved blog of mine. Each subject I add on here is well thought-out in my head and requires a commitment of time and energy. But I figured, since this week is all about re-inventing and re-naming - see how HUEA has magically turned into The Ajnabee, just like that! - change is in the air. Hence, the new “Films 2 See” section is a welcomed and long-due addition. The last time I added a new column was when I started the “Chocolate Corner”, thanks to my lovely friend Driss’ suggestion. Today, a film inspired me and I felt the need to get out the word.

The upcoming Hindi film “Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye” has a timeless, across the board, international message to it. Lucky Singh - played by the dashingly charismatic Abhay Deol as no other actor could have - is Robin Hood, albeit it without any wish to gift his loot to the poor; he is John Robie, from “To Catch a Thief”, without the catsuit and the fancy accent… He is even Romeo, without the poison and those pesky Capulets and Montagues… He is a likable thief with love and a need for acceptance in his heart. What isn’t universal and unlimited about that! 

I attended a screening of OLLO - the street version of the title of the film - on Monday evening, organized by UTV Motion Pictures, which is one of the largest film distributors in India. They are the powers behind such great hits as “Tare Zameen Par” - which might just end up being the Indian entry to the Oscars this year - and “Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na”, a modern teen drama which was very, very successful, even in the international NRI market. I was disappointed to find the screening room for OLLO half empty - this is a highly anticipated film! - and yours truly as one of only three non-Desis in the audience. Seriously, this was NYU, part of the film school complex and students could have been made aware of this great film! It’s a battle I struggle with daily, even through my column on Chic Today. And I find that it’s not about European and American audiences not being open to Hindi cinema, but about Indian filmmakers - and the distributors behind them - not feeling confident enough to submit their work to non-Desis to view. Or avoiding interviews and standing up journos, only to then complain about how they are getting portrayed in the wrong light by the media.

The film’s director is the wonderful Dibakar Banerjee, who has been writing his own blog about the film on Passion For Cinema. Do check out his piece about Paresh Rawal’s beard, which is guaranteed to give you a whole different viewing experience when you do catch the film in a theater near you. His previous film “Khosla Ka Ghosla!” was also a big multiplex hit and well received by NRI audiences, and starred one of my favorite actors Boman Irani. I recently had the great honor of interviewing Mr. Irani for his role in another favorite film of mine “Little Zizou”… But that is a whole other story, for a different day… OLLO is wonderfully acted, by Abhay Deol in the title role, but also his teenage counterpart, the turbaned Manjot Singh, as well as the timeless, ageless and without equals Paresh Rawal, in three very different roles. It helps that Mr. Rawal is such a versatile actor, but also that his roles all play on the idea of a father figure whom Lucky endlessly tries to impress. One is never confused by his three very distinct and equally exciting performances. 

But anyway, enough of my words about this film. I am hardly a film reviewer and will never claim to be one. Instead, I simply come in as the Stranger I am, to the language, the culture and the stories, and try to spread the word to others who might feel like venturing into new territories themselves. For a real review, try this one by “Manorama - Six Feet Under” director Navdeep Singh on PFC. Truly, it will make you want to see the film even more than my endless rattle. Oh, and it will also inspire you to watch “Manorama” which is a brilliant, brilliant film - a spin on “Chinatown” set in a remote desert town in Rajastan. OLLO opens on Wednesday, November 26th, at a theater near you. Once you see it, I guarantee you will fall in love with Lucky, just like that!

This past week HUEA was nominated by Miss Make A Movie as one of their favorite blogs. Of course, we return the favor and absolutely nominate them right back as being one of our favorite sites to read online, a wonderful place to meet for a “chat” with the girls. But then, we also pay the compliment forward by nominating seven other blogs that truly touch our Happily Unmarried hearts, through and through! And the nominees are:

Moods and Appetites - Truly a personal favorite by the really talented photographer and writer named Katrina!! This site is, in the words of Katrina herself “a daily record of my culinary and creative adventures, whether it be trying new foods, reviewing exhibitions, or simply looking at the details.” Just check out her entry for November 17th - Strands of Expression”. Simply BRILLIANT!

(Un)wedded Bliss - Another beautiful blog run by Tracy, who describes herself as a Pescatarian and as someone whose moods rise and fall according to the weather. But her writing is colorful, alive and ranges from the latest -hottest - music out there, to the top ten rudest questions to ask, to even a post about sore loser Republicans… Check it out and you’ll become addicted to it too.

The Phase Files - Run by the mysterious Phase, which is obviously NOT his real name, it is a blog all about the escapades and adventures of a young man in NYC. In his own words “Each phase consists of several different hilarious stories reflecting my mentality at the core of my behavior. Phase 1 is dedicated to sharing personal anecdotes as a player and the awkward and hilarious situations that always ensued. Phase 2 is the beginning of my transition to become a gentleman and treat women better. However, there are several obstacles I encounter to overcome my past and move forward.”

Passion For Cinema - is a blog run by several filmmakers, all of different caliber and age. It is a forum where everyone finds their voice and comments are highly encouraged. If you like cinema, and in particular enjoy Indian Cinema as much as I do - then PCF is for you. There you’ll be able to mingle with greats such as Sudhir Mishra, Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Deol… As well as hear the latest and greatest about all the newest releases. A true filmi community, brought to us by Oz, Dabba and the gang.

Go Galavanting - This is an online women’s travel magazine, a bit more than a blog. But with “A View from a Broad” it also has branched out into simple blogging. I love this site because it empowers and encourages women to travel on their own, but also does not disqualify any who are part of a couple to also follow the same paths. It is an equal opportunity travel site. Kudos to Kim Mance and Katy Quissell for starting this great site!

Show Me The Curry - This is a great foodie site run by Hetal and Anuja, two moms with excellent taste and their own YouTube TV show. They make preparing Indian food easy and fun and for that they get a big thumbs up from the HUEA girl, always looking to simplify her life! And the recipes are easily found through their efficient index, both visual and in tabs on the top part of their site.

Aasiyah Qamar - Last but not least, this is actually the website of accomplished romance author Aasiyah Qamar, where she does share a bit of her philosophy in life under “Thoughts and More”. Z, as her friends refer to her, actually writes on Miss Make A Movie and her pieces are always thoughtful, delightful and fresh. I have really grown to think of her as a dear friend - albeit one miles and miles away - so her presence in my list of favorite blogs is absolutely necessary. 

OK everyone, it’s now your turn to nominate your favorite blogs out there! Have fun and read up, there are some talented people out there, just writing because they love to.