Sanjay Dutt in Munna Bhai MBBS

?I Love only two things Ma and cinema? says Javed Jaffery and I must confess so do I. I have always enjoyed watching films. Though all types and genres of cinema attract me but I must confess that I have a weakness for comedy.

Recently, I saw the film Munnabhai MBBS. I think the characters played by Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi were exceptional. They were the perfect taporis they were supposed to play. Apart from comedy, I love films that star Shah Rukh Khan as he is undoubtedly my favourite actor.

Another Khan, Aamir?s superb acting in Lagaan and Dil Chhata Hai had left me mesmerised. I like watching Hindi films more than English films. I have also seen all parts of Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Home Alone and Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.

Though my parents feel that Govinda jabbers most of his lines in every movie but I would like to say that the jabbering Govinda is perhaps the most entertaining actor in the entire industry.

Antorip Sahu
Ranchi

Camp carnival

It was one of those long vacations which got really boring with time. As I dragged myself through the heat in Calcutta with my relatives in tow, my grandfather suggested I attend a camp. I was about eight years old then and camping was something very new for me.

I was terrified just at the thought of spending days and nights in jungles as I had heard stories about campers who had ?do time? similarly. Apprehensive, I went along.

But I was mistaken! This camp was full of fun. Our mornings began with a splash in the pool and after a sumptuous breakfast we headed for hordes of activities.

Our activities included debates, marshal arts, painting, sports, cooking and many more.

The evenings were spent along the serene and beautiful Ganges and amazing lakes, streams flowing, open green patches, small cottages and beautiful woods all round the place. At night we all partied, went for camp fires. This camp turned me into a confident girl from a shy kid and memories of this would always linger in my memory.

Shreya Bhattacharya.
Carmel Junior College

My favourite book

I read a lot of books. My favourite book is Panchatantra written by famous author Vishnu Sharma. His stories are exciting, thrilling, adventurous and at the same time, practical.

In Panchatantra, there are animal characters in place of human beings.

I particularly enjoy the crane and tortoise story, the enchanted forest tale, the crane and the crab story and the story with the theme ?Unity is strength?. Through his fictions, he has pointed out the common human fallacies. The author tells the readers not to be selfish and proud in life and quotes examples of the downfall that people bring in their lives by being so.

Monideepa Das
J.H.Tarapore School

China calling

Every man wants to see the earthly wonders before his time runs out.

And every individual has their own tastes and temptations.

My ideal holiday destination is China; in fact, dynamic China is the 21 st century traveller?s paradise.

Its busy airports, cities, history (which includes wonders such as the Great Wall) and superb cuisine, China is juxtaposed, rather tuned in, with the developments of the ?West meets East? era.

For Indians, however, the Herculean task is the language as Mandarin is spoken in place of English. China is the shoppers? stop with cities like Beijing and Shanghai overflowing with malls selling everything right from the traditional cloth, kim chi lanterns to scented oolong tea.

The Chinese cuisine, too, is a wonder with its dose of shrimps, mushrooms, lobsters and tender ducks.

Tour packages are available at tempting prices. So what are you waiting for? China calling!

Sourojeet Chakraborty
Loyola School