2004: sight, sound, taste

The year's highs and lows in film, television, music and food

Movies

Despite a plethora of directors daring to be "different", the year in Hindi films will be remembered as one which legitimised the skin flick, thanks largely to the success of the Mallika Sherawat starrer Murder.

On the other and bigger end of the spectrum, the surprising success of the re-released Mughal-e-Azam showed that this gold hadn't lost its shine.

Top 3

Maqbool: As Vishal Bharadwaj embarks on yet another celluloid journey, never before has the journey from the recording studio to the director's chair looked so effortless.

From the ensemble of brilliant performers, to the reality-etched dramatisation of pain, loss, deceit and retribution, Bharadwaj made the bard's tale our own.

Swades: For years the Johar-Chopra brigade have peddled the aspirational virtues of joint families to the diaspora and made millions. The Oscar-nominated Ashutos Gowarikar answers his true calling by using the favourite vehicle of the NRI baiters.

Khakee: Not since Drohkaal has there been as taut a script written in the genre of cop films. From the opening sequence where a police convoy is blown away by militants, to the climactic street fight between an asthmatic cop and his cunning prey, the screenplay has you spellbound.

Turkeys

Popcorn Khao, Mast Ho Jao: The worst of 2004, by quite a distance. Every cinegoer's nightmare.

Gayab: A premise without a plot, an actor without any competence, and a title which underlined all of this had 'worst from Ram Gopal Varma' written all over it.

Rudraksh: Suneil Shetty is a hamming reincarnated Ravana, Sunjay Dutt a mystic bouncer and Bipasha Basu wants the Nobel prize. Need we say more?

TV trends

Reality bites, big time: Talent hunt shows promising name, fame and fortune were the year's big draw. Sony's Indian Idol is still a super hit, there was Star World's India's Child Genius, Channel V's Super Singer, Zee TV's India's Best and Sahara's Mr & Ms Bollywood to name just a few.

Even sports channel ESPN got in on the craze with Harsha ki Khoj, for aspiring commentators.

Coming up next on Star One is a reality fitness show where four overweight people promise to lose calories in 100 days. Also, a search for the best designer in India who will train for internship with Versace in Milan. Lots more to look forward to in 2005.

Stars on small screen: Indian film stars descended on the Indian television screen. Sridevi became Humari Bahu Malini Iyer, Paresh Rawal starred in Bhagwan Bachaye, Raveena Tandon became "choti bahu" in Sahara's Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam and now Hema Malini faces arc lights to do a double role for Sahara's Kamini Damini.

We also had Saif Ali Khan promoting his film Hum Tum on Jassi. Abhishek Bachchan has starred in a bit role in Zee television's Kareena Kareena and this year Shah Rukh Khan is expected to do the same for the same serial.

Sipping coffee on TV: Karan Johar started his celeb talk show on Star World and called it Koffee with Karan. Shobhaa De went on a Power Trip on Sahara One.

Flop show

The fall and fall of Smriti Z Irani: Tulsi Virani of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, aka Smriti Z Irani, was Indian television's biggest flop show in 2004. She has no other serial to her credit right now and according to critics "" despite firm TRPs "" the saas-bahu sagas will not be the flavour of 2005.

Music

Breaking barriers: Pakistani bands continued to flock to India with their albums. We had Fuzon, Strings, Junoon, Adnan Sami "" also a judge for Channel V's Super Singer "" besides international artists like Rishie Rich "" they did a title track for the film Hum Tum "" boy band Blue from UK and Asian pop sensation Tata Young.

Movies to music: Yash Raj Productions ventured into music production with the launch of Yash Raj Music. The music of their home production Veer-Zaara was released under the music company's banner and sold one million copies within a week of its release.

The music company has also acquired music rights for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black and Vikram Bhatt's Jurm.

Ring tunes: While the controversy on music piracy and remixes continues, 2004 saw a battle between music composers and music companies on the issue of downloading ringtones.

The service providers have been winners in the trend "" reportedly, two lakh ringtones are downloaded every day in India "" while music composers are battling to get their fair share of moolah from the music companies.

On the world music scene, despite impressive debuts by bands such as Keane and Brainstorm, the year belonged to the masters. Our picks:

Genius Loves Company by Ray Charles. Before his fellow musicians and fans could stand up and applaud, he gifted us this last piece of magic and left.

Shangri La by Mark Knopfler. A smooth-oaked drone, languid tunes and notes that create musical goosebumps. Simple and stunning "" that's Knopfler this year.

Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne. The one young band with outstanding writing that interwove corporate philosophy in rapidly changing times.

Food

Sushi: We can't say the same for Japanese cuisine in its entirety, but sushi certainly made it to the pop list this year replacing the tikka as a favoured cocktail snack even at parties in fowl-land Delhi. In posh restaurants, pricey platters sold like hot, oops, cold cakes!

Lounges: Especially in colour white, appeared so rapidly at every nook and cranny that they threatened to put us to sleep. Intentionally.

Sink deep not just into comfy couches but beds and bolster-ed divans too; all in the company of a few good friends, actual conversation and puffs of double apple on the shisha.

Mojitos: Hemingway's favourite became the hippest drink to order in 2004 as Bacchus' followers decided to experiment. Also, enter: Sangria, the red wine-based Latino cocktail, more wines and single malts. Exit: Black Label and Bloody Mary's sisters.

No-gos

Kebabs and curries: Indian cuisine was a loser with some exceptions "" even when chefs tried to dish out low-cal versions of galautis, serve up pieces of naan with 'dip' as entree, or chutneys of various kinds with each maincourse dish.

Food festivals: Tired five-star promos looked even more jaded with only malnutritioned journos and PR managers in attendance. With so much on the platter elsewhere, few fell for dubious spiel over snacks.

Gimmicks: If restaurants mushroomed uncontrolled, others shut at a blink. Usually those who thought they could pass off indifferent fare as different. Like a Delhi restaurateur realised, you can't pass off tandoori chicken as Moroccan roast anymore.

In the oven for 2005

More sushi and an acquired taste for the extended Japanese platter. Also, Spanish, Arab and influenced flavours, Caribbean and Moroccan.

Food and wine 'experts' will be out. With as many critics as food lovers and an overflow of marketing-driven reccos, the only opinion worth anything is your own.

Statutory warning: Ignore all of the above!