I still remember my first week at MS. I was so overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information and brilliant writing that I was at my wits end trying to figure out what to read. A friendly fellow MSian with good intentions suggested that I go through the Star Writers, Hot reviews and Review Of The Day section to find out more. While there was no denying that these people were pretty good in their own right, there were more than a few great writers lurking behind in the shadows. And I found most of them through sheer word of mouth or through reviews posted in this Best Reviewers category.
I have been seeing a tremendous surge in newbees @ MS the last few months. I am sure most of them would have by now identified their favorites. This review of mine is a small exercise in showcasing a few of my favorites. Hope you find them as interesting as I did.
Venkat_rs:
His profile page with his Interests and About me section in a way symbolizes the man himself. He believes in using a word where others would use a sentence. Brevity is the essence of all his reviews. No digressions - no unwanted comparisons - no forced humor - his is the ideal consumer review. If you are looking for entertainment, pls shop elsewhere. If you are looking for an informed opinion, then you have reached your destination. Venkat is passionate about movies(language no bar) and it shows, considering most of his reviews are in this category. However he also writes on travel destinations and restaurants. Amongst all his reviews, I personally enjoyed reading his take on Virumandi and Yelagiri. Thanks to MS for making him a Star Writer without which I would have never found him. Anonymity is not always a good thing, Venkat:-)
Disskonnekt:
When I started this review, I wanted to refrain from mentioning people who were no longer active at MS. However I could not resist from making just this one exception - maybe this review will stir him from his self-imposed vanvaas. The first thing that strikes me when I speak about the Reeper(as dissko is called by his near and dear ones) is the amazing breadth of topics that he has written on. He is in every true sense the definitive allrounder. Never one to mince words, check his take on The Times of India - amazingly penned review loaded with sarcasm. Another characteristic of Dissko are his trademark comments laced with pun and wit. After reading ’Stalingrad: The Fateful Seige, 1942-1943 - Anthony Beevor’, I am of the firm conclusion that Dissko’s review was as good as the book - he, for one, will know that I could not have paid him a higher compliment than that. Much as I hate statistics, the no: of members who RRC his reviews is a benchmark worthy of emulation. Doff my hat, Reeper. ps: Love the latest foto:-)
Copygurrl:
No playing to the gallery - no pretentious writing - no abstract analogies - She writes them as she sees them. That’s copygurrl for you. She pens with passion derived from actual experiences - her reviews abound with those personal touches and quite often I find myself silently nodding or chuckling with delight. You don’t need to look beyond her latest review on Signature to know what gets her straight into this list. While on the face of it, her reviews might seem simple and straightforward, anyone who has ever written will tell you that it is most difficult to keep something uncomplicated and still entertain. She has a way with words so much so that even mundane topics like KSEB become such enjoyable reads. way to go, lady! My personal favorite however is her review on Her icons:-)
Amjad_Maruf:
Amjad is what I would call an’honorable man’ - He writes with intensity and has strong opinions(chk his Kal Ho Na Ho review) but what makes him stand out is that he will listen(not hear) to you POV also. His reviews reveal a sharp analytical brain and a logical, structured thought process. Amjad’s movie reviews are usually my guide to where I spend my money on but yes, once in a while he does surprise everyone with a classy book review like the one on Chitra Banerjee’s Arranged Marriage. I have often wondered why he doesn’t write on a wider range of topics considering he is so well read but this is one Q for which I have not got any answers. Another quality I respect and admire in Amjad is the regularity with which he RRCs. His comments are detailed and quite often very encouraging. Its people like him who constantly reinforce my faith in this forum. As I say, keep penning:-)
Milind9x:
My list would be incomplete if I did not speak about Milind. I always thought I was lazy but Milind here has raised the bar to ridiculous heights. Both of us entered MS within a week of each other - while I have penned 33 articles under the guise of reviews, Milind has barely managed to get into double digits. However I would dearly give an arm and a leg to write the way he does. Magical would be an understatement to define his style. Milind has reinforced my belief in all the arts be it poetry or painting or sculpture. Milind has restricted his canvas to only movies but the one review on The Outsider by Albert Camus has thankfully proved to me that he is not one-dimensional. His allegorical references, his vivid imagination and his well structured reviews have often left me stupefied. His review on Joggers Park has to be the best I have read at MS. Bro, all I hope to hear from you is’I’m back’:-)
A small footnote to the people mentioned above:
As I have observed in previous reviews in this category, please do not insult my intelligence(or lack of it) by dropping in at the comments section and thanking me for mentioning you. I did not do you any favor – you folks have deserved it. However you could express your gratitude by penning more often