Author: sandeepadnani

Sandeep Adnani is the Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of ‘The Codes of the Exiled Rogue’ , ‘The Origin of the Exiled Rogue’ and ‘The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue’ eBooks. He nurtured this metaphysical and transformational fiction idea for over six years before publishing the first part in July 2019. All three books of ‘The Exiled Rogue Series’, a trilogy about the purpose and meaning of life and beyond, are Amazon #1 Bestsellers in multiple categories. His first book, The Codes of the Exiled Rogue was declared an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 International Book Awards. His second book, The Origin of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winner in the Science Fiction: Alien/Space category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards. It was also an Award-Winning Finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards. His third book, The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest. The omnibus of the trilogy, The Exiled Rogue Series, won the Silver Medal at the Global Book Awards 2022, in the Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction category and Gold Winner at the ABLE Awards in 2024 in the Book Series category. Embarking on new genres, he has seven new stand-alone books in the offing. In 2021, he completed writing a futuristic sci-fi-romance which he is currently querying. The unpublished manuscript was a finalist for the Writing Award in the 2022 Page Turner Awards. He finished writing a mystery novel in 2022 and an Alternate Fiction novella in 2023. He has published three non-fiction novellas in the YOU DECIDE series. He is currently working on an illustrated children's book. He changed careers from the advertising/media industry and is now a mental health counsellor in Melbourne, with bases in Mumbai and Dubai as well.

Wreck it Ralph (2012)

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Was sitting on this Oscar nominee film for a while, and a few minutes into it I wondered why did I wait so long to watch it. What a brilliant concept!

Tapping into the recesses of our childhood memories, it brings the excitement of arcade games back to life. Our favourite 1 dimensional players have personalities, aspirations, problems and many have an identity crisis!

The seamless way we are shown the many ‘environments’ which have their own rules, the arcade existence which has its own parameters, the sound quality, pixilation and above all the vision of director Rich Moore is fantastic.

Was a nice glimpse into ‘the world within a world’, and any film that can successfully create that and engage you in it is a winner!

Marrying animation and the gaming environment, fix a date with this one!

3.5/5

Prisoners (2013)

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The words ‘captive audience’ were quite appropriate for how I felt during this film. As the first scene began, I felt a sense of impending doom looming over me. The weather, the colour palette, all carefully chosen to weave a helpless mood for a bizarre and complicated case.

Sometimes we played detective, other times we were victims. Never did we feel like a bystander and for a film to achieve that for the entire 151 minute duration is commendable.

The events get more convoluted and we feel trapped, held against our will, wanting desperately to know what’s the motive and if it will end.This very essence makes it an experience, only if you engage yourself from the very beginning. Otherwise you might just get lost in the maze.

Jake is restrained with a visible ‘character tick’, whereas Hugh plays the emotionally wounded father with extreme pain and aggression. Director Denis Villeneuve requires you to bring your IQ with you, you need all the gray matter you have.

4/5

Elysium (2013)

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A simplistic view of the disparity that exists in our society is painted on a large science fiction canvas.

Some gaping fundamental flaws coupled with good action scenes and special effects make a half baked experience.

Jodi Foster is wasted in a role which didn’t demand someone of her talent, whereas Matt Damon fulfils a part in a string of similar action roles. Sharlto Copley is perhaps the best of the three, in a way only to be understood when and if you watch the film.

Elysium is a concept of the afterlife in Greek mythology. Whilst they captured what that could mean, the story floated in the air without any concrete base.

2.5/5

The Lunchbox (2013)

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There are films and there is film making. This movie is the latter and much like it’s name, serves a varied palette of delicate flavours which have to be eaten fresh!

Every nuance of the film, every frame, has a story which completes the recipe of this 109 minute gastronomical delight.

From the invisible ‘aunty’, the annoying colleague, the repressed house wife and the lifeless government worker, the scenes are packed with intelligent insights and a very high emotional quotient, supported by a strong undercurrent of humour and realism.

You can’t help but wonder why our realities are such, but you are hopeful that change is occurring. Awe-inspiring performances by 
Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bharati Achrekar and Lillete Dubey mirror many facets of human relationships in such a short span of time.

Written and Directed by Ritesh Batra, who should be applauded for his craft, one of the many brilliant lines of the film, which struck a chord deep and strong was, “You forget things if you have no one to tell them to.”

Skip every meal, but not this one.

4/5

Nature is but an expression of the soul…

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On life:

Thunder exploded in the Mumbai night sky, along with a realisation which burst through my very blood, chilling me to the bone, shaking me out of myself imposed reverie, leaving my collective consciousness in the darkness that follows after the brilliance of lightning. This is but a veil, a charade, a fictional reality… let go, let it go…

On love:

As the weather mirrored the storm inside, the universe put me through my greatest test. I am glad to say I passed, but at the price of my very being. The finish line seems like a distant mirage, getting further as I run, my only hope being this dream will end soon…

On the past:

The midnight breeze got with it memories past, the clock ticked away, seconds racing to minutes to hours, all was as it was… you wonder what you have to learn from each other, the lessons are ever changing, never apparent, all you can do is be yourself.

On the present:

In an intense moment of clarity, the abundance of the universe arrived. Life is so beautiful, if you just slow down and listen; to your own intuition, to your own heart beat. Thanking each and everyone for their part in my happiness and otherwise, you are all valuable. As for the weather, we had a tiny drizzle as a blessing, to iterate the fact that we are never alone, someone is always watching over us…

 

Shudh desi romance (2013)

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Catching true ‘desi’ flavours of an ‘it’s complicated’ romance set in Jaipur, the Shudh part refers to the irony of choice and chance.

Brilliant comedy that works for many well-written scenes, it’s stringing all the scenes to make a complete story that seems to be the problem with this recipe.

The makers were smart not to have more than two songs, because that would have slowed the humour down. 

We haven’t seen very many ‘feisty and fiercely’ independent girls on screen, and Sushant had his work cut out for him, to match Parineeti and Vaani. 

The three leads play complex yet straight forward, romantic yet detached, caught in the moment and doubting the moment so well, that you can’t help but relate to them. Rishi Kapoor is hilarious, bringing an Anu Kapoor Vicky Donor quality to the story, and the four of them provide comedic situations galore!

The writing may get some flak, so will the end, but I felt it’s justified. What matters most is that you could laugh and yet empathise with ALL of them.

Watch without a bathroom break!

3/5

A tale of six cities

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This story starts, as many such stories do, at the airport. You are ready to board for your destination, when it dawns on you that you have been in transit your whole life and realise that change is not only imminent, but necessary. This is my short story of a long contemplation, which finally resulted in a move that has been very fruitful.

DUBAI

The city where I lived my entire life, barring four years of university in London. It was a cosy place while I was growing up, with lots of character. The city was developing too, at a rapid pace, far too fast for us to keep up with I guess. Somewhere, I felt I no longer connected with it. A place where my entire family, circle of childhood and high school friends, colleagues, cousins resided, suddenly felt distant to me. It is then I started my search of where in the world I would like to live next.

MELBOURNE

Australia was a popular country to move to at the time. I had but one friend there who would be my head quarters in the city. I started living in Melbourne in my mind, planning how my life would be ‘in a land far far away’. But unfortunately, or as fate would have it for me, the ‘Once upon a time’ never happened. After waiting endlessly I planned a trip to clear my mind and decide where I would like to move. An Eat, Pray, Love of sorts, not in that order and certainly not those countries in the book!

AMSTERDAM

First stop.  The ‘sights and sounds’ of Sin City. On holiday with Mr. Nairobi and lunch with Ms. Antwerp, we enjoyed the beauty and ease of Europe! Some worship, a little clarity, and a 3 day trip ends with the beginning of a decision that seems fast approaching on the horizon.

NEW YORK

Second stop. The Big Apple had just gotten bigger, with so much to do in so little time. My cousins, a dear friend who had moved from Dubai and a tight schedule gave little time to introspect. Funny how you travel to cities far away to make a decision to move to a totally different city, but the distance helps. Your mind re-organises information, compartmentalises thoughts and generally points you in the right direction.

LONDON

Final stop. A few days in my beloved city where I lived for 4 years certainly cleared the last remaining doubts. A short one night trip to Bristol to meet Mr. Luxury MBA, I spent the remaining days with my pal from my masters. I spoke to her about many important things, this being one of them. That talk was the highlight of the trip. When I was alone, my music and feet took me to familiar haunts and corners where I saw my younger self without a worry in the world. I could see where I had to go, everything seemed clear. We go further to get closer to ourselves, travel the world to find a resting place. Now the hard part would be to break the news!

MUMBAI

After I got back I quit my job and started clearing my life. Memories stored for decades saw the light, were sorted and put away again. Nostalgia and the shock of others weakened me, but I stayed firm on my decision. Within 6 weeks of being back, I was on a plane, back ‘home’. Funny word for nomads like us. Dubai, Mumbai and god knows which other city will claim that title. But for now, it has been 3 years and counting!

Epic (2013)

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The ‘epic’ quality in this animated film was the animation itself. Bordering on capturing the natural landscape to 99% perfection, it made nature and all its detail as beautiful it is in real life, but with greater depth and majesty.

The story on the other hand, takes a while to sink in to. Once you are connected, you want to know what will happen, knowing full well how it will turn out. Probably too ‘adult and understated’ in its approach, it may not work fully as a children’s film, as they will take away much lesser than the grown audience.

Celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles, Collin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Jason Sudeikis amongst many others lend voices to characters who are fighting an ‘epic’ battle, and are merely the supporting elements set in top notch animation.

A great home or flight watch.

3/5

We’re the Millers (2013)

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There is something about sophisticated ‘R’ rated humour that has everyone in splits. I use that word to describe this particular genre of adult comedies, because the language has excellent comic timing in the guise of profanity.

Christened ‘America’s Sweetheart’ by USA and many of her fans overseas, Jennifer steps well out of her comfort zone and image to play a convincing stripper. Extremely fit, with fresh ‘Rachel’ style quips, she is a combo of the character we have loved on TV and a bold babe many of us wondered she could pull off.

Jason Sudeikis is a small time drug dealer who lands in a big time soup, courtesy an incident he shouldn’t have gotten involved in. Emma Roberts plays a runaway rebel and Will Poulter the 18 year old virgin (the judgement age having gone down from 40).

What follows next is a crazy road trip, with family dynamics that make ‘dysfunctional seem normal’. Pure Laughter Therapy!

3.5/5

Jobs (2013)

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A lot of people have called this film a documentary on ‘APPLE’. Well, I think Steve Jobs and Apple are synonymous, and Apple’s journey was in fact a result of his own actions, creativity, vision and tenacity.

The film gives us an insight to his humble beginnings, the personal computer we take for granted and can’t live without was an unheard of concept back then. Seeing those ideas come to life, ‘watching your work while you do it’ was the best part of the film.

As it progressed it got disjointed and the actual success of Apple or Jobs was not shown. Yes, the many difficulties and internal politics were played out, but its reward is something we should have seen on screen.

Ashton Kutcher did his best in a role which perhaps demanded more. His walk, body language, seemed appropriate at times and out of place at others. Playing a visionary such as Jobs is a daunting task, and it is an open question as to who could have played him better.

The supporting cast was brilliant, the authenticity of the film was commendable and at the end of it I left feeling informed, a little entertained, and a little cheated. It had everything to be a lot more but apparently chose to stay mediocre, which is SO NOT APPLE!

2/5