Archive for rohitkarnbatra author photo

December 26th, 2008

Hey everyone,

Wanted to take some downtime to address some changes that are being worked on for NAACHGAANA in the coming year (your “tax” dollars at work here!).

* Self moderation

There will be a flagging system for posts which reach a certain volatile threshold. Specifics of this will come when RKS is back, but basically a post can be flagged by a member and a group of people can opt for the termination (which means they comments will be turned off) of it.

This avoids RKS or myself to come in every time something flares up.

December 25th, 2008

Now that I’ve seen Ghajni, I think I can safely say the best movie of the year (Hindi) I’ve seen is OYE LUCKY! LUCKY OYE! It ranks as my top 5 period (Hollywood included).

It’s also contains Abhay Deol’s best post-Socha Na Tha performance.

I missed Mumbai Mere Jaan which members like goodfella have said is outstanding, but I don’t think I can enjoy a movie and its songs as much as OYE LUCKY! LUCKY OYE!…

Please see it.

December 22nd, 2008

4 years. Today. :)

Still going strong!

Love,
Rohit

December 10th, 2008

I was dreaming about something (probably a hot girl) when the phone rings. Before I could pick it up, it went to voice-mail. Silly dream, I thought.

A few minutes later, when I can’t go back to bed, I happen to look at the missed number. It was from India. I do a lot of work there so I thought it was an important call. I clumsily checked my voice-mail.

It was from Sulieman (one of the owners of Indiafm/Bollywood Hungama?). He wanted to call him back right away.

How very strange. I think: maybe he wants to do a partnership with me? But that is more of unlikely situation than the hot girl in my dreams marrying me.

December 8th, 2008

NG should be running super fast now…sorry for any troubles with this.

Think a rouge plug-in was causing slowdown!

I still owe everyone a post. I’m still on track for my Tuesday deadline. :)

November 30th, 2008

Slumdog scoops Indie film awards

Slumdog Millionaire sees a young boy enter Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

A movie about a poor Indian boy who wins a game show fortune has taken three prizes, including best film, at the British Independent Film Awards.

Slumdog Millionaire, which is not out in the UK until January, also won best director for Danny Boyle and best newcomer for 18-year-old Dev Patel.

November 25th, 2008

Paul Schrader: Bollywood, here I come

‘Taxi Driver’ scribe leaves Hollywood for ‘Extreme City’

By Steven Zeitchik

November 18th, 2008

IPhone’s Pricing Problem In India

Brian Caulfield, 11.18.08, 09:20 AM EST

Apple’s hot-selling gizmo is off to a slow start in India. Does this spell trouble for China?

Steve Jobs is having more fun in the handset market than a terrier loose in a jerky factory.

October 13th, 2008

Dear Members,

Wanted to share some updates and ask for a personal request.

As you can see we are in a new format now. I hope everyone likes the way things are organized and the likes the white background (for better readability). We also fixed the speed in the process - the site opens right up now!

There are still more changes coming as I find time. I am leaving town for a film I am line producing and will be back towards the end of the month.

Secondly, I want to request those who have not paid their membership fees to please do so right away. We are at about 50% away from being complete from all members.

I have not enforced the membership fees as of late (due to work on my end) but I will have to do so by the end of this month.

October 3rd, 2008

Everyone,

The newest version of wordpress has been implemented on NG. We are now running 2.6.2.

Rohit

September 18th, 2008

Someone explain this one to me.

September 18th, 2008

Repost of sorts - the trailer was put up here a few days ago. Mind it!

My Most Awaited Movie of the Year (Hollywood or Bollywood)

September 17th, 2008

Members and Visitors,

Here is my little suprise for all. :-)

Comments please!

There are a few bugs and style items which will be addressed. For this, please give that a day or two.

NAACHGAANA is always a work in progress.

The incarnation, my ultimate hope, is that it is easier to read, navigate, cleaner and much more user-friendly.

Hope I succeeded on all accounts.

September 9th, 2008

Hey everyone,

YOUTUBE support is working now on NG in BOTH posts and comments.

Try it, let me know if there are still any issues…

September 1st, 2008

How India Can Close Olympic Gap with China

To match Beijing’s glory, New Delhi is gunning to snag the 2020 Games, but India has a ways to go in infrastructure and athlete training

by Gunjan Bagla
Asia

Across Asia, hosting the Olympic Games is treated as a sign that a developing country has arrived. Tokyo became the first Asian city to host the Olympics, in 1964, within two decades of Japan’s defeat in World War II. South Korea announced its economic ascendancy by hosting the Games in Seoul in 1988.

August 25th, 2008

Hey everyone,

Thanks for those who have made payments to NAACHGAANA! I have extended the deadline to September 1st for all outstanding payments.

- Those who have not paid will be getting an email this weekend from RKS or myself.
- Those in India who have tried to paid, I’ve come up with a system that will be a lot easier. You will be getting an email from me as well.
- Those who have not sent their checks, please do so.

It made this payment (just got invoice from domain host) a lot easier.

Thanks again!

August 18th, 2008

Hey everyone,

Just another reminder to let everyone know that payments (to those who have not paid or responded to my email) are due for the coming year.

The deadline is 24th of this month.

Please let RKS or myself know if there are any questions or concerns with the above.

Thanks,
Rohit

August 13th, 2008

Dear NAACHGAANA,

To those who have not replied, please do reply to my email about payments. As always, please let me know if there are any questions or concerns with this.

Thanks in advance,
Rohit

August 7th, 2008

Dear NAACHGAANA,

Things got a bit heated in the last post. I would to apologize to anyone if my tone was harsh. The one person I know I offended was Satyam.

Satyam, I am sorry. I just want the site to be the best and I’m doing whatever I can do make sure it does well. I hope you can support me, even if you are unhappy with the current state. I’ll need some time and your good faith (as well as everyone elses). I am more available now that my projects are cooling off a bit so I want to reinvest back and see if I can get the site back on the original track.

This is the first time I am doing this so I’ll take it as the growing pains but one of the most immediate things I can do is change up the payment model. The intent was never for anyone to leave!

1) If you can afford it, there is a 1 time yearly payment of 60 USD (aprox RS 2518)
2) If you can afford it, there is a 1 time yearly payment of 40 USD (aprox RS 1679)
3) If you can afford it, there is a 1 time yearly payment of 25 USD (aprox RS 1049)

August 6th, 2008

Dear NG,

As somewhat expected, I got roasted (as one member told me) for implementing a payment structure for this site. A few of the comments where completely legitimate, some where well intentioned but not fully realized and some, frankly, where downright vicious.

I do, however, find it sad that I am making attempts to be fair. It seems that no one believes in NAACHGAANA anymore and they rather leave unless they “know where its going”. No donations come in when I ask for them. They rather freeload and use the site while saying they are unhappy. Is that logic?

Newsflash: MEMBERS, not ME, determine where the site is going. So look at yourself in the mirror before you ask me the future. Look at YOUR quality of discussion. Look at YOUR attempts to control fights.

All I can claim to do is make decisions that i feel are best for me, rks, members, the site and what I think the potential is. I can’t

August 5th, 2008

Hey Everyone,

As indicated in two previous posts, here and here, I am transitioning NAACHGAANA into a payment model. This is for mainly server costs and any design and upgrade issues that come up over the course of being live.

A lot of people have expressed some concern over this transition. Payment could mean that we lose some members who are unwilling or unable to pay. Payment also means that there would be some major issues getting new members on board. The two links share some of the concerns and I am sure this thread will start other concerns.

I would, however, like to think I have created a system which is as fair as possible to everyone.

For full disclosure, I am not trying to become rich off NAACHGAANA, but the excess money which may come from this I will either a) keep for the time I am investing making the site bigger or b) reinvest with design.

July 20th, 2008

Check out this video for all the changes (will make a lot of peoples lives easier!).

Really cool items.

July 10th, 2008

Hey Everyone,

In response to THIS THREAD about the future of NAACHGAANA I am starting a new one, with responses to the different concerns that members brought up.

If I miss something please forgive me and bring it to my attention.

1) MEMBERSHIP FEES

There seems to be a split, more towards the fact that it is okay to do so vs NOT okay to do so. Today, I got an attractive offer/suggestion by a member here. Give me one or two days to consider his offer before I go any further on this.

July 10th, 2008

Hey Everyone,

First and foremost, thanks for being a part of NAACHGAANA!

This is a very important and personal post for me. Probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do on this site.

I know very well that I have been the epitome of the truly “absent” owner of this experiment. A lot has been going on in the past few months for me. I shot a feature film (which I also left), I had a feature film that I “wrote” (but really didn’t) release and have seen this site go through lots of new, wonderful members and other identity shifts.

Now as I visit the site, I feel NAACHGAANA is different.Not that it is good or bad thing. It is just that. And that is that.***NAACHGAANA requires lot of things that need to be addressed by a real leader. This is something I am not, even thought I made claims to be. I will not be verbose in my regret, but I truly feel I have not lived up to the leadership role that I created for myself. Neither have I fulfulled the destiny that I so idealistically created in my head when I first launched NAACHGAANA.

I have my personal reasons for this (a career change, for one) but I won’t use any excuses. I just ask that I am forgiven if anyone felt that I needed to be there for them.

March 14th, 2008

Hey Everyone,

I am in India doing pre-production on my film. I was lucky enough to see the extended promo of Sarkar Raj and I must say I was VERY VERY impressed.

I have a feeling this will be the movie of the year.

Rohit

February 29th, 2008

Dear Members/Visitors,

Hope everyone is enjoying NAACHGAANA! It’s more streamlined, faster, less cluttered and much more addictive!

There are still a few more kinks that need to be addressed but overall, we’re in great shape with this version. Now, we must look forward: the last drive raised enough money to cover a few months of bills and a portion of the web teams cost, but I recently received the next set of bills which must be paid.

Indeed, that is why I’m back on the pledge drive.

The goal this time is to get 1,500 dollars. That should add new improvements to the current NAACHGAANA design + pay server costs until Quarter 3 of 2008.

February 12th, 2008

Dear Members/Visitors,

Hope everyone is enjoying NAACHGAANA! It’s more streamlined, faster, less cluttered and much more addictive!

There are still a few more kinks that need to be addressed but overall, we’re in great shape with this version. Now, we must look forward: the last drive raised enough money to cover a few months of bills and a portion of the web teams cost, but I recently received the next set of bills which must be paid.

Indeed, that is why I’m back on the pledge drive.

The goal this time is to get 1,500 dollars. That should add new improvements to the current NAACHGAANA design + pay server costs until Quarter 3 of 2008.

January 25th, 2008

Site is still in transition…don’t mind the crazyness!

Should be all fine in a few hours,
Rohit

January 24th, 2008

More
Day.

Sorry guys…just need one more day and NG3 will be up and ready!

Rohit

January 23rd, 2008

Members and Visitors,

Yes, it is finally happening! The NG3 launch should be ready in a day. :)

Watch this space (duh).

Rohit

January 6th, 2008

* “There Will Be Blood” named the best picture of 2007 by film critics
* Daniel Day-Lewis receives best actor nod
* Julie Christie gets best actress for “Away From Her”
* The group’s opinions often diverge from those of Oscar voters

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Society of Film Critics on Saturday named “There Will Be Blood,” a gritty tale about a turn-of-the-century oil man infected with greed, the best picture of 2007.
art.will.be.blood.mm.par.jpg

“There Will Be Blood” is partly based on Upton Sinclair’s novel “Oil!”
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The film topped Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and Joel and Ethan Coen’s harrowing saga, “No Country for Old Men.”