Changes noticed in Pizza Hut

After I wrote to Pizza Hut, about their Anti kannada Policy, I was wondering if they have taken any action. Last week, I had been to the same Pizza Hut again and spoke to the staff. There was a change in the staff's approach. They replied to me in Kannada when I spoke to them in Kannada. I called the same waiter, with whom, I had interacted the previous time. I asked him if anything had changed. He told me that the one of the senior guy from the management team had come down to the outlet and had instructed all the staff to talk to the customers in Kannada if they preferred. He told me that the manager mentioned about the complaint they had received about the outlet's Anti kannada policy.
I was happy about their change. I was more happy that I had influenced a Pizza Hut to adopt and honor the local language.

Pizza Hut's response

After posting Pizza Hut's Anti Kannada policy blog, I even left a feedback at their website. One day later, I received a call from Pizza Hut. The representative apologized for their actions. However, he denied that they had any policy, which says that the staff cannot speak in Kannada. When I told him the whole story, about how the staff was afraid to speak in Kannada, he kept repeating that there was some confusion and mistake from the staff, but never admitted the fact that they have a Anti Kannada Policy. He also told me that he will talk to the staff to clear the confusion (if they have any) regarding their policy towards speaking in Kannada.
Some of the people whom I have to spoken to and some people who have read my blog have told me that they have had similar bad experiences with Pizza Hut.
All I can do is probably go to one of Pizza Hut outlets some time and verify.

Pizza hut's Anti Kannada Policy

Recently I had been to Pizza Hut in Ring road near Kamakya theater in Bangalore. As we were placing our orders, I noticed that the waiter replied to everything that I asked in English. When I asked him if he was not familiar with the language, he told me that he was a Kannadiga, but he was not allowed to talk in Kannada. When I inquired more he told me that, it was the Pizza Hut policy that the staff was strictly instructed not to speak in Kannada. I was furious at their racial policy. How can Pizza Hut not respect the the local language. They want to do business in Karnataka and make money, but don't want to encourage the local language. Forget encouragement, they were discouraging it. This is a highly racial attitude. I condemn their policy.
I even left a feed back about this at their drop box.

As I was in the middle of voicing my opinion with the staff, I noticed two elderly ladies in their sixties, enter the outlet. I could hear them speak as they were quite loud. They called the waiter and told them that they were coming to their 'Hotel' for the first time and wanted some help in ordering the food. It was very evident, that both the ladies were not able to talk in English. The waiter helped them smilingly with their questions - All in Kannada. If the waiter had strictly followed their anti Kannada policy, then Pizza Hut would have lost the business and would have left 2 more unhappy customers (apart from me).
Later, my wife told me that she and her cousin too have voiced their opinion at a different outlet about the policy.
I would request every reader to go the pizza hut website http://www.crm.pizzahut.co.in/index.php and give a feedback about their policy

avarekai mela

I had been to the 'Avarekai Mela' last Sunday. I heard about it from my sister and went there with my family to feast on various snacks made out of Avarekai (lilva beans).
Out of the many dishes available, I tasted the Avarekai Dosa, Avarekai Obbattu, Avarekai Masala Vade and Avarekai Churumuri and Avarekai Uppit. I was tempted to taste the Avarekai Paayasa and Avarekai Chitranna, but didn't have any space left in my tummy.



Avarekai mela happens every winter at 'Vasavi condiments' at Sajjan Rao circle in Bangalore. This is at the beginning of the eat street (a.k.a Shettara Paalya or Tindi Beedi) opposite VB Bakery. Go there to try some mouthwatering authentic Karnataka food.

Accident movie review

I got this opportunity to watch the Kannada movie Accident starring Ramesh Aravind. Lovedale foundation - an organization which is running an orphanage, recently had a fund raising event. The event was screening of the movie 'Accident' at PVR Cinemas, Bangalore. Actor Ramesh who is one of the supporters of the organization, was present at the event. I took my family to watch the movie, the proceeds of which were given to Lovedale Foundation. There was a small ceremony before the movie began, where dignitaries like Actor Ramesh and the famous singer Kasturi Shankar spoke a few words. I took this opportunity to speak to these people and took their autograph and a few photographs with them.

The movie is Good - worth watching. The movie is about how Ramesh (who is also the director of the movie) goes about unearthing the mystery behind his wife's car accident. The movie is well paced and keeps unfolding the mysteries as the movie progresses. Ramesh has acted well. The person who in my view stole the limelight was the villain of the movie - the health minister. His dialogue delivery is very good with some rusty, blunt, local dialect of kannada.
Apart from these two actors, no one has any significant role. Actress Rekha has done her part well. Pooja Gandhi doesn't have much role to play and she has to improve on her acting skills. Ramesh should have extracted better acting performances from others in the movie.
Except for a couple of songs the music is just average.
Overall, a good job by ramesh and his team.

Anarthaa Shashthra

Click on image to enlarge

Pranesh Comedy

Pranesh Comedy Part 1


Pranesh Comedy Part 2


Pranesh Comedy Part 3


Pranesh Comedy Part 4



Pranesh Comedy Part 5


Pranesh Comedy Part 6


pranesh comedy part 7

Traffic Gaadegalu

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Mungaru Male review

Yes, over all a watchable movie. A movie that can be watched with your family.
My personal rating - Average
Actor Ganesh and director Yogaraj Bhat have tried to replicate the Sharukhan-Karan Johar combination. Ganesh has desperately tried to imitate Shahrukh khan, putting up that sympathetic look/smile in every scene. He reminds me SRK when he tries to spread his arms wide open and the camera revolving around him. He has done it atleast a 2 dozen times.

There are lots of reviews on the web which are full of praises for this movie. This had set a very high expectation, though I had been asked to watch the movie without too much expectation.
The movie sequences were quite predictable. By interval I was under the opinion that the movie was crap. I even messaged some of my friends who had recommended this movie to me about how I felt. Some messaged back that I should watch the movie till the end before I passed my judgement, and some said, that I don't deserve to watch a good movie like this and should get out of the movie hall.

What created the above impressions are the following scenes.

- When a man falls in to manhole, does he think about cleaning himself or does he think about the girl.
- Hero sees the girl only once and that too for a short while and later makes heroic attempts (thats his job) putting his life in to danger, to recover a hand kerchief, when his mother is waiting alone for him in a deserted street. We see such stupid scenes in many Indian movies.
- When the hero feels very deeply for a rabbit just within 2 days of meeting and makes that desperate attempt to save its life by running on a railway track (even if you and I don't, the heroin is definitely impressed by this).
- when you see a train which is less than 50 mts of stopping not to slow down.
- I don't know any temple in karnataka where people carry their loved ones till the top of a hill. All the men were carrying women so effortlessly (my wife was giving me those nasty looks)
- When people speak to him, Ananth Nag replies as though he heard everything even though he is deaf.
- A scene is created where both hero and heroin get wet and the heroin has to change her clothes and look hot (an old movie trick used in many Indian movies. How can one forget Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in Aradhana)

People generally tell me that I pass above comments because it is a kannada movie. I wouldn't have done that if it was a bollywood movie (they say). But thats wrong. Anything that is not up to the mark and take the movie goer for a ride will be critisized.

What pissed me off most about the movie was the death of the rabbit. Why did the director have to kill an innocent creature which really didn't have any significant role.

The Jog falls scene has been well shot. Songs are excellent. It is a good attempt from the director, but has to work on these small issues. The movie goer cannot be taken for a ride. I am happy that a kannada movie is breaking all box office records. This movie has pulled not only kannadigas but also non-kannada speaking crowds to the theathers which is remarkable. The movie industry should go ahead and make a lot more good movies.
Feel free to put your comments on the post, but please read the first line of this post before that.