Call them fables or modern day mythology, but they are in everyone’s must read book list. Be it Hindu, Greek or even Celtic, the fan following for such writing has been steadily increasing with the advent of casual readers. If you want to visit the world of folklores, the following books promise to take you on a crazy voyage.

1 Asura
This is the first-person viewpoint of the anti-hero of the Ramayana — Ravana. The book walks readers through the situations and circumstances in Ravana’s life and also reveals why Ravana had some very strong reasons for doing what he did, including being present in the Swayamvara of Sita, followed by her abduction which led him to his own doom.

2 Blue God
It opens on the battlefield of Kurukshetra where the Pandava warrior Arjuna, suffers a crisis of courage. His charioteer, Krishna, expounds the eternal dharma for him. Blue God… cuts back to Krishna’s birth and back again to the battlefield and so on, chapter by chapter, until both narratives flow together near the book’s end. Never before has Krishna’s sacred Gita and his colourful personality and life been put together in the same book.

3 Chronicles of Brothers
The novels begins at the inception of time and traces three Archangel brothers – Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer’s harrowing journey from the idyllic world of their Palace Chambers in the First Heaven through to Lucifer’s ultimate banishment with his Fallen Host to Perdition. The seven-part series is set in the First Heaven, Earth and Hell.

4 The Iron Druid Chronicles
Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives in Arizona and is a shape shiftier. This 21-year old Irish dude is actually twenty one centuries old. He possesses a magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, an angry Celtic god wants that sword. Will O’Sullivan triumph over evil?

5 Myth=Mithya
Physician turned author, Devdutt Pattanaik, decodes the concept of 330 million Hindu gods. The book is divided into three parts or rather by the Hindu holy trinity – Brahma and Saraswati, Vishnu and Laxmi, Shiva and Shakti. He sheds light on Hindu symbols and rituals by using unique illustrations. He sums it up, “If myth is an idea, mythology is the vehicle of that idea”.

6 Ramayan Series
This is a six books series, which describes in detail the transformation of Ravana to ‘The Dark Lord’ and Rama as ‘The Chosen One’. The Ramayana philosophy is kept intact. From the journey of Rama’s life as the ‘Prince of Ayodhya’ to becoming ‘King of Ayodhya’, his life as he grows from a prince to an exiled king-in-waiting to Maryada Purushottam Rama and eventually a demi-god for all those around him.

7 The Krishna Key
Krishna performed a lot of miracles for mankind 500 years ago. He promised that he would return when needed in Kaliyug. Now coming to present day, Taarak Vakil has been brainwashed since childhood by his guru – Mataji to believe that he is Krishna’s final avatar. In reality he is a serial killer. The motive of the duo is to hunt out for the Krishna Key, which is the doorway to the most powerful energy on earth.

8 Thundergod
Prince Indra’s fate was already written before he was born. The story is about a child recounted by history to have become a king and retold by legend to have transcended into a god. But unlike other mythological stories, Menon reveals the darker side of Indra – his lust for power, fear of any strong ruler usurping his throne and spontaneous nature. All the myths of different origins have been incorporated very well.

9 Shiva Trilogy
Amish Tripati explores the concept of how the destroyer of evil tackles the philosophy of one’s perception of evil. It’s 1900 BC and the Suryavanshi Empire’s lifeline – the Saraswati River – is drying up for some mysterious reason. To make matters worse, terrorist attacks carried out by the Chandravanshis. The Suryavanshis turn to Shiva to save them. But he soon finds out that there is a bigger conspiracy brewing, far beyond anyone’s imagination.

10 Troy Trilogy
The world is dominated by the Great Green, the vast sea that divides the Greek city-states (now coming under the dominion of Mykene and its ruthless king, Agamemnon). Agamemnon is depicted as a rapacious predator seeking the riches of Troy to support the armies he needs to hold the territories he has conquered, and Priam a shadow of his former glory, brought low by an Alzheimer’s-like disease.

11 The Last War
It is a modern day version of the Mahabharata set in contemporary Mumbai. The modern day Kauravas and Pandavas are two rival gangs fighting to control the underworld. The novel stretches from the year 1955 to the year 2007, during which time the life of the family members takes various twists and turns. The novel bursts with drama, deceit and intrigue.

12 Mrityunjaya
There are various characters involved in the life of Karna and the author has brought them to life by actually telling their story. Each character speaks to you and their roles are not lost in the novel. It presents the story in its best possible and authentic form and contemporary in terms of human feelings and thoughts. The characters in the book have not been glorified as pious heroes, which helps make it easier to identify them in the real world than in some
mystic story.

The post Alternate Take On Mythology appeared first on FHM.

1. + To Do
Price: Rs. 55
Can Download: on iOS

Check out the Packing (+To Do!) app, which helps you keep your packing under control. For a price that’s less than the cost of that toothpaste you forgot last time, this app lets you create, edit and share packing lists, as well as provide sample lists if you don’t want to start from scratch. Say no to paying a premium for travel essentials you forgot to pack.

02 Trip Advisor
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

TripAdvisor is a great way to check out new hotels, B&B’s, inns and hostels. You can compare prices offered by various travel portals such as Booking.com or Hotels.com, check availability and book online. It has millions of traveller reviews and opinions to guide you to pick the one that suits your taste and budget the best. Sometimes the deals can be as good as half the price.

03 Trip It
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

No more searching through your Inbox to find your airline reservation, no more scrambling to get directions to your hotel and definitely no more worrying about what time your business dinner starts. With TripIt, everything you need to get you where you’re going and back again is at your fingertips — on your smartphone, tablet or online at TripIt.

04 Stay.com
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

Stay.com lets you create your own travel guide for sights, restaurants, bars and hotels in hundreds of cities worldwide based on expert suggestions as well as recommendations from your friends. It allows you to have your guides and entire city maps offline with a quick download, so you don’t have to spend a dime on international roaming charges when you access them offline later.

05 Opera Mini
Price: Free
Can Download: Android, iOS & Windows

The Opera Mini mobile browser makes your web browsing a lot faster, especially on a slow network because it shrinks webpages, so your phone processes as little as 10 percent of what you see on your screen. This translates into cost savings, especially while roaming internationally and less processing means battery savings.

06 Google Maps
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

If you’re driving, Google Maps is the handy application with features such as places that help users find places nearby, navigation, 3D maps, travel time, directions and indoor maps. It also allows users to calculate routes and locate convenient public transportation.

07 Viber
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

Viber is a useful app for international travellers to stay in touch with friends and family. It allows you to call, text and send photos worldwide for free to over 140 million users. Viber lets everyone in the world connect.

07 Xe.com
Price: Free
Can Download: Android & iOS

XE lets you set a default currency, and it will remember recently updated rates, so you can calculate your budget even when you don’t have access
to the Internet.

- Nishant Nayyar

The post The Must Have Travel Apps! appeared first on FHM.

FHM: When and where did you first attend a drag race, and what was it about drag racing that drew you towards it?
Rickey: I attended my first drag race in 1983. I was dirt bike riding with friends when they decided to ride to the drag strip and I followed them. They walked me through registering my bike so I could try it too. That was my first time drag racing and the 1st motor that I let go off as I blew up the motor on my first day, but was hooked on drag racing ever since!

FHM: Besides the adrenaline rush, what else goes through your mind when you are on the drag race track?
Rickey: When I’m on the track, I try to make each run better than the run before. You always try something different when tuning the bike and it’s great seeing it materialise into your best run ever. So when I’m lining up, I worry if I made the right move or could that move lose this race for me. But when I am staging (the starting line), I’m only thinking about giving it everything I’ve got every time.

FHM: When does one realise that he/she can race professionally?
Rickey: I realised it when I won a lot of races on my own without major sponsors and also beat a couple of noted fast guys.

FHM: Is there any other side of drag racing that interests you?
Rickey: I run my own drag racing school where I teach others my techniques and how to be their best in a drag race. The other thing that interests me about racing is the camaraderie you experience with family and friends. I’ve raced with some of my best friends on the track.

FHM: What is the best part about drag racing?
Rickey: It is the fastest accelerating form of Motorsport racing and it’s exciting each time I get to turn on a win light.

FHM: Does drag racing require a proper team or is it a one man show?
Rickey: One man can do a lot of things on his own, but drag racing is surely not one of them. I had help from some of the best guys over the years. You can be the best rider in the world, but if you don’t have a properly set up bike, you cannot win no matter how good you are.

FHM: You are the 10 time World Champion, so what’s in store for you next?
Rickey: I had a small feature in the movie Biker Boyz and assisted quite a bit on set with actors Tyson Beckford and Derek Luke. I really enjoyed that. I would love to do more TV and movies and maybe even have my own show. Also, eventually I’d like to start my own race team.

FHM: What is your opinion about young Indian drivers?
Rickey: Young Indian riders have the “eye of the tiger” and the ambition and drive that makes me love the sport and realise that some things are the same about drag racers no matter where you are from.

FHM: Since our country is not exposed to such extreme Motorsports, how does one make his/her way to the international circuit?
Rickey: I would say a good start is to come to the States and enroll in a drag racing school for technique to see where you measure. Places like dragbike.com have drag racing news and updates, while dragbikelive.com is where racers go to watch live streaming of races. Now racers can communicate from anywhere in the world and connect with other racers.

FHM: How important is it to find a sponsor?
Rickey: For the average racer, it’s very important as it gets difficult to afford to race at a pro level. There’s a lot more money that goes out to be competitive than there is going back in your pocket in drag racing.

FHM: Have you ever tried car drag racing?
Rickey: Yes, I actually set the track record in South Africa in 2003 in a top alcohol dragster at 7.52.

FHM: How different is car drag racing from motorbike drag racing?
Rickey: Too many doors…lol.

- Nishant Nayyar

The post Speed Records, Spills and Thrills appeared first on FHM.

01. Girls like sex too

02. Dirty weekends are never as dirty as a Tuesday night
Planning sex can kill even the strongest boner. No matter how much you pay for the hotel, rose petals and edible chocolate pants, the truth is that the sex is never quite as good as a spontaneous mid-week romp on the sofa post -Breaking Bad.

03. Girls masturbate more than you do (and it isn’t all bath oils and candles…)
You might be shocked to hear that women polish the pearl as much, if not more, than you bash the bishop. According to the girls on our panel, women can (and often will) spend all day and all night masturbating. And unlike what you probably imagine, there’s nothing particularly sensuous about it – no romantic fantasies about maids in castles or caring fireman. “A wank is a wank irrespective of gender” is our panel’s conclusion.

04. Music makes sex better

05. …and the best album to put on is…
Dirty Mind by Prince. Don’t argue. It’s just scientific fact.

06. Sex in a loving relationship is great…
But nothing beats doing it with someone new.

07. If she slips you a digit, be cool
If you feel her probing around back there, don’t freak out, it’ll only freak her out. Instead, embrace it. It’s 2013 and it’s a modern man’s God-given right to entertain the odd finger. It only gets weird if you push back.

08. Lube isn’t just for lesbians
And whipping it out doesn’t mean you’re no good. It means you’re well prepared.

09. Massages are Meh 
Massages before sex are nice in theory. But do too good a job and you’ll send her to sleep. Put those oils away and get down to business.

10. No one likes finger banging
Girls don’t like it when you go at their nether regions like a man trying to shake the dregs out of a ketchup bottle. Your three-inch fingers are no substitute for your (hopefully larger) penis.

11. By the time you’re 30, sex is more fun
When you hit the big three-zero, sex gets better. You freak out less about how you measure up to other guys and she stops worrying over the size of her bum and becomes more confident in her own body. According to a Lovehoney.co.uk poll, women peak sexually in their 30s – and as their sexual appetite increases, often so does their level of skill. We’re not suggesting you rush out and snag the first cougar you find milling about outside Cybercity Gurgaon , but 17% of 35 to 44-year-old women give themselves a 10 out of 10 in the bedroom.

12. Mirrored ceilings are always a bad idea.

13. Condoms aren’t there to be played with
“Once you’re finished, take it off, and throw it away immediately,” is the consensus from our panel.

14. Threesomes aren’t actually that amazing at the time…
…But you’ll be sharing the story in the pub for years. And when you snuff it aged 90, it’ll be why you leave planet Earth with a blissful smile plastered across your wrinkly face.

15. The G-spot is a waste of time
The jury has been out, then in, then out again as to whether the G-spot really exists. Anecdotal evidence suggests it may do, with 63% of women claiming to have experienced a G-spot orgasm, but science has yet to back this up. Until the proof is out there, your best bet is to not get fixated on it.

16. Put the damn phone away
And that goes for immediately before, during and at least five minutes after you’ve had sex.

17. Girls can’t cum if they’re drunk either
A night of boozing makes it harder for you to get it up. But drinking has a similar effect on women: limiting sensitivity and ability to climax. “It’s an irony that women often feel sexier after a couple of glasses of wine, but are less able to orgasm,” says Rosie Mullender, deputy features editor at Cosmopolitan. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try – assuming she’s not too drunk to give informed consent, of course. Remember that only 20-30% of women can cum through penetration alone. So if she’s had a drink, be generous with foreplay.”

18. Nobody has a cool ORGASM-face

19. Sometimes sex doesn’t last long.
And that’s fine If porn reflected reality, most of the actors would be diagnosed with delayed ejaculation. The truth is, the average guy comes after five to 10 minutes of thrusting, tops. The good news? Girls are absolutely fine with that. “If you’re pounding away with no end in sight, it’s likely to leave her feeling sore, unsexy and more than a bit bored,” says Cosmo’s Rosie Mullender. Finishing too quickly isn’t ideal, but as long as it doesn’t happen regularly, at least it’s more flattering for her than the alternative.

20. All girls have a dirty side
You’ll be surprised about how many girls secretly want to get their freak on – sales of sex toys are up by 60% year on year and 46.5% of girls admit to liking being spanked. The problem is, most panic about coming across as slutty, so make sure you have an honest discussion about what your fantasies are. “None of this ‘I want to do you in the arse’ rubbish,” says sex expert GirlontheNet. “Give us something more unique to work with. Think, ‘I want to cum in your hair,’ or, ‘When I was younger I used to wank over Savita Bhabhi.’ Confess your own weirdnesses, and you might just get to hear about ours.”22. …and so are posh girls.Maybe it’s all the rules they had to obey growing up under the thumb of their land-owning, shotgun-toting father. Maybe it’s the repressed sexuality that develops as a side effect of having attended a single-sex boarding school. Whatever the reason – posh girls know their way around a man’s private parts.

21. …Catholic girls are always naughtier

22. …and so are posh girls
Maybe it’s all the rules they had to obey growing up under the thumb of their land-owning, shotgun-toting father. Maybe it’s the repressed sexuality that develops as a side effect of having attended a single-sex boarding school. Whatever the reason – posh girls know their way around a man’s private parts.

23. You’re not R. Kelly…
…so don’t try to be. Nothing makes a girl feel icky quicker than a guy trying (and failing) to talk like a silver-tongued R&B smoothie in the bedroom. Whispering, “You’re the most beautiful girl in the world,” sounds good on paper but in reality makes you seem like a bit of a bellend.

24. Have sex like in that movie…
…The 40 Year-Old Virgin. Or, more precisely, when Steve Carell finally carries Catherine Keener into the bedroom and they’re both pissing about and having an amazing time. What girl could resist that?

25. Doing it somewhere public makes it 30% better
Behind a bush. In an airplane toilet. Behind the cake at her sister’s wedding. Everyone who’s ever tried it knows the hottest sex is risky sex. And leaving the blinds half-open doesn’t count.

26. Bagging is bad 
You need to make peace with the fact that most ladies simply do not like to be teabagged. At all. “It’s so undignified,” says our panel. “So don’t even ask.”

27. Remember… it’s meant to be fun
Sex should be a laugh. Porn stars may not quote bits of dialogue from Savita Bhabhi while piston thrusting, but forget those guys, they’re inhuman. If you can’t make each other crack up while you’re both naked and sweaty, then you might as well be living in the 1930s.

28. The best room temperature for sex is approximately…Twenty degrees.
Studies have shown that anything over
about 23 degrees and the human body (and brain) begins to slow down.

29. Always “announce” your “arrival”
Most British guys don’t say all that much while they’re having sex. But girls appreciate when a guy tells them that the end is nigh. Especially if they’re giving head at the time.

30. Porn is good for your sex life
It’s estimated that 66% of women admit to watching porn. And liking it. Just make sure that if you’re going to watch it together, you watch the right kind of stuff. Check out anything starring James Deen – the porn star that most skin-flick-watching girls admit to being just a little bit in love with.

31. Hair pulling is usually fine

32. Pets should not be in the room

33. Don’t jackrabbit
This is another symptom of having watched too much pornography. Secretly, we worry that girls expect every session to end with five to 10 minutes of relentless pounding, like a cross between lovemaking and road works. In reality the jackhammer treatment is about as pleasurable for the girl as it is for you to be fellated by a vacuum cleaner.

34. Sex in the bath seems like a good idea
…But it really isn’t. “That film of PVC glue spunk is always gross,” says our panel.

35. Trimming your pubes is fine. Shaving is not
Thanks to the perma-waxed beefcakes on shows like Reality Stars, a lot of guys now think that girls will only date them if they’re shaved from head to toe like a gleaming, pink seal. This is rubbish. Whipping off your kecks to reveal a sleek and entirely bald Johnson will probably intrigue her for a minute or two, but she’ll be giggling about it with her friends later.

36. Always turn the telly off
Because there really is no bigger mood-kill than hearing Jeremy Paxman debate with the government minister for education about the merits of the GCSE system. Even worse if you realise you’re actually quite interested in what they’re discussing.

37. Don’t send cock shots
Thinking of sending her a photo of your penis? Pause for a minute and imagine her showing it to all of her friends. Because that’s most probably what she’ll do. “And there’s nothing worse than when we have a whole series of them to scroll through,” says the panel, chillingly.

38. Girls think about anal too
…But that doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea. If you’re going to go there, three words: Lots. Of. Lube.

39. There are not 22 positions in a one-night stand
The first time you sleep with someone you always feel like you should get through as many positions as possible. It’s really not necessary. “This isn’t Cirque du Soleil,” say the girls.

40. SEXY AND good-looking ARE NOT THE SAME THING
It is extremely possible to be one without being the other.

The post Bedroom Truths appeared first on FHM.

 
01 George Pullman
His men would randomly barge into employees’ homes

Just imagine, you are making out with your wife and suddenly your boss’s secretary barges into your bedroom to check on the cleanliness of the bedsheets, washroom and floor. George Pullman who made a lot of money in railroads made his employees stay in a colony which was micromanaged by him, and free press, public meeting and bars were kept completely out of scene. The industrialist used to pay his employees in his own currency, and his men would barge into any house at anytime to check if George’s cleanliness standards were being followed or not, and those who objected to it were given 10 days to leave the organisation.
02 Max Blanck and Thomas Harris
They burnt alive 146 workers

The owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, which made lady’s blouses, employed only females and paid them $6 a week which was quite low even at the start of 19th century. Pissed at the salary if anyone tried to resign, the duo would hire thugs to beat the quitters. Their worst side came to the front when 146 workers died because of a fire inside the factory, and they couldn’t escape because the exits were locked from outside. The duo managed to escape with a $20 fine.
03 J. Edgar Hoover
He made FBI officials repair his lawnmower

The FBI director from 1935 until 1972 made sure that his employees are always on call…practically, and would summon them anytime to do petty household jobs at his house. Once when some animal poop was found in his patio, he sent the excreta to lab for testing because he believed that a wild animal is following him. He even laid a trap to kill the said animal which killed his neighbour’s cat. Plus, he kept file of nude pics of models.
04 Henry Clay Frick
The boss who deployed snipers to control workers

The steel magnate who is also known as the most hated boss of America ordered a 22% pay-cut even when the steel sector was at an all time high in 1890s. When the union tried to register protest over the pay-cuts, Frick locked out the workers, deployed snipers and canons that could shoot boiling hot liquids on anyone who tried to get inside the premises.

- Kumar Saurav

The post To Hell With You Bosses appeared first on FHM.

01 What is the biggest thing you’ve ever set fire to?
L: Probably a big blunt in Amsterdam, it was in my Blueberry Yum Yum video. Long story short, it was six regular blunts put together, making one huge-ass blunt.
Bloke

02 Have you ever worn a trilby?
L: Yeah, I think I’ve worn one before. It might have been for a video or a photoshoot or something. Those are some pimp hats, d’yall not think so?
Bloke

03 Have you ever taken a girl on a date using a discount code or voucher code?
L: I think I’ve used gift vouchers for the movies or some shit on a date. That would have been a long time ago, though.
Bloke

04 Do you own any coloured jeans?
L: Yeah, I do. I have some white jeans because I’ve thrown all-white parties before. As a matter of fact, I just did one for LudaDay Weekend (a day in Atlanta named after him). It’s one of those things where white is a representation of being so fresh and so damn clean.
Not Bloke

05 Have you ever spent a significant amount of time talking to an animal?
L: I have a black Belgian malinois, which is in the German shepherd family, and I talk to him a lot. He’s very well trained. All of his commands are in a different language. I can’t tell you what they are, though. Otherwise, people would know what language I talk to my dog in.
Bloke

06 Have you ever successfully stared somebody out?
L: Yeah, we used to play that game when I was little. I was good at it, but I’m sure I lost it a couple of times too.
Bloke

07 Have you ever thrown a punch and missed?
L: Of course! First time I threw a punch when I was boxing, I missed completely. I got trained by Floyd Mayweather’s family, though, so it didn’t stay that way for long.
Bloke

08 Have you ever followed through on a particularly exuberant fart?
L: Oh, for sure. That’s definitely happened. Not recently, though – back when I was younger.
Bloke

09 Have you ever made growling noises at yourself in the mirror?
L: [Laughs] When I was a little kid trying to be The Hulk or some shit like that, perhaps.
Not Bloke

10 Have you ever thought briefly that you might be Jesus?
L: Yes, I’ve had those moments. You go to church and people say Jesus is really you and Jesus is inside of each and every one of us, that’s when I was like, “You know what, maybe I am Jesus!”
Bloke

11 How do you behave at barbeques?
L: You could definitely say that I party and go hard. Anyone that’s been to one of mine will tell you I throw a great barbeque.
Bloke

12 Have you ever let a girl put makeup on you?
L: Fuck, no! That’s one of the things that I don’t do. We do movies, so we have a makeup artist to do certain shit, but I’ve never let them put makeup on me. Not even for music videos.
Bloke

13 Have you ever killed anything and then eaten it?
L: Er, no I’ve not. Apart from a fish. That would be the only thing.
Not Bloke

14 Have you ever had a really manly nickname?
L: I used to be in a group called the Loudmouth Hooligans with four friends when I was in high school. That’s the closest I’ve got to a nickname.
Not Bloke

15 Have you ever put your penis through your legs and pretended to be a girl?
L: [Laughs] No, but I’ve heard about people doing that shit. I’m very proud of my manhood. There’s no reason to trash that!
Not Bloke

Look out for Ludacris’s new album Ludaversal later this year

The post The Bloke Test appeared first on FHM.

1. Don Draper’s sharp suited narcissism

Joan’s tight pencil skirts and drinking in the day the last time you missed an episode of this promised land was only when your ex called you for a midnight booty call. But that was till people started saying IPL 6 was Dravid’s last and with the way he’s been playing, you had to watch very very carefully lest you blink and miss everything.

2. Bond with your father

The last time you both spoke to each other was that one time you called your mother and he answered the phone. But IPL means 56 days of non-stop cricket. It also means he will want to talk to someone about it. You on the other hand have spent most of your life with three friends, two of whom think cricket is for pansies and the third doesn’t drink a drop of alcohol. Your father and you will become the non-sexual, male version of a hero and heroine running towards each other in slow motion with cricket on in the background.

3. Admit someone else plays better cricket than Sachin

He plays for Mumbai, you live in Delhi. How can you not support the Delhi Daredevils? Plus, with the sort of form he is in, it’s getting more and more difficult to defend calling him the god of all things cricket.

4. Support Australian players

Owing largely to their general fondness for bashing Indians on the cricket field, outside pubs and in college campuses or a larger hemispherical envy, for all practical reasons, Australians are some of the worst, sledging-loving India haters to ever walk the earth, for us. Except for the three blokes on MasterChef Australia and Kylie Minogue. But it’s quite something when Michael Hussey and the rest of the gang start belting sixes like you do on Stick Cricket, isn’t it?

5. Not fiddle with your phone at a bar/party

Your most often quoted quote is the one from Seinfeld that talks about how you are 30 and you have enough friends around you. This of course, doesn’t work on times when you get stuck at a bar waiting for a girl or get arm-twisted into going to a house party where you don’t know too many people other than the host. You normally spend this time looking through your phone and then coming up with a lame excuse no one would buy to run off home. Cricket on TV is a social lube though, all you need to do is to find a place near the TV and grab a beer.

6. Play at least one cricket match

So what if the total number of runs you have made playing cricket all your life don’t add up to 100, you can’t catch a ball if the planet’s existence depended on it and you bowl worse than Adam Gilchrist? IPL is the time when even the most out-of-shape, can’t hold a bat properly kind of men get inspired to make a work cricket team for atleast one game of cricket. Plus, how hard can it really be? Your belly is only as fat as Sehwag’s. So what if the 20 over game of cricket ends in 6 overs with four batsmen scoring ducks, three faintings and 11 people in office walking like there is a rod inserted horizontally up their bums.

7. Get a reality check about the Carribean

Let’s make a list of things you knew about West Indies before the IPL –  They make rum, a Johnny Depp movie has indelibly linked the area to pirates, Robin Singh comes from there, strangely large number of people there have Indian names like Rampaul, Chandrapaul etc., and their cricket board was going through a civil war. All this till you started watching Chris Gayle hit 100 runs only in sixes in a match.

8. Pretend a TV match is better than the real thing

You can’t even see what’s happening more than half the time, it’ll be hot, muggy, there will be no commentary and a retinal exam would hurt less than finding parking outside the ground. That’s loser talk for those who hadn’t managed to score a ticket to at least one IPL match because they were either too lazy, too cheap to pay for their own tickets and too low down in the social order to procure a free pass. Nothing beats a live cricket match though – Nothing. Unless of course, you are a Pune supporter and Chris Gayle is batting.

9. Drink everyday

A cup of tea doesn’t really go with cricket now, does it? Make a mojito, open up a beer, try a new drink everyday – even if you slur and forget your girlfriend’s name after two beers, the headache next morning gets you so late for work that you end up having half of your salary deducted because of late comings and there is more uric acid in your piss than water.

10. Pretend that cheerleaders and hot anchors are ruining cricket

So what if you can’t make out a word of what Rochelle Rao says or the times Karishma Kotak runs out of cricket ideas? Everyone has at least one uncle who arrives at the house while cricket is on and delivers a monologue about the basterdisation of the game and the use of women to make a tamasha. You nod, pretend you are only watching it for the cricket and mumble something about how you change your channels when the girls start dancing. Then secretly write an email to FHM asking them to pass on your questions when they interview the cheerleaders next time.

The post 10 things you only do when the IPL is on: appeared first on FHM.

FHM: How does your average day start?
Sunil Chhetri: Getting up early, drinking a bottle of water, followed by pre-training breakfast and then in an hour and a half, it’s training time.

FHM: You represent a country of billion plus people at the international level… How does it feel?
Sunil Chhetri: It’s one of the best feelings I’ve experienced in my life… I feel very proud, responsible and privileged. Even after 8 years, I still get goosebumps whenever I put on that blue jersey.

FHM: How do you zero down on the one club you want to play with?
Sunil Chhetri: The manager, the players that I will play with, the clubs aspirations, my contractual period and last but not least, my salary.

FHM: You had a brief stint at one of the biggest Portuguese clubs in the past year… Do you think you were underestimated or was it just a matter of luck not being on your side?
Sunil Chhetri: I was in Sporting Clube de Portugal for 6 months where I only played 5 matches and that too not a full game and that was definitely not enough for my confidence. I will not say that they underestimated me, as the whole coaching staff as well as the players were very supportive and encouraging, but just the fact that I was in a team that was specifically established to promote homegrown young talent.

FHM: You are the third Indian player to have played for an international club. Is it due to lack of talent appreciation by the management in our country?
Sunil Chhetri: In a country of more than a billion people, it’s not possible to not to have talent. We, as a football adoring nation, are in a developing and learning stage. It will not be right to blame the management. In fact, for football to be able to grow, the blame game has to stop!

FHM: Why have Indian clubs not gained as much momentum as their foreign counterparts who enjoy much more fame and popularity?
Sunil Chhetri: The guidelines to be a proper and professionally run football club are common for everyone around the world i.e. training facilities, youth setup, playing stadia etc. Our pool of I-league clubs and other professional clubs should try and achieve that first with the aid and guidance of the AIFF and then of course, build on the marketing side, which shall bring in more appreciation.

FHM: Why haven’t the Indian leagues gained takers on international levels, especially with talented players like Subrata Pal, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Mehtab Hussain and Gouramangi Singh in our kitty?
Sunil Chhetri: These young and talented players will only get noticed when they regularly play and compete well in international level tournaments like AFC Champions League/ Cup or Asia Cup, which we are currently unable to do.

FHM: Any advice for your fans who want to make it big in the world of football?
Sunil Chhetri: Catch as much football as possible (smiles), understand the techincal side of things i.e., tactics, how individual players compliment a team and vice versa, the thought process of the managers, player performances etc., and put your football knowledge to good use through blogs, social media or writing.

FHM: How do you think brands like Heineken, which have been associated with the UEFA Cup, can help get international accreditation to our players?
Sunil Chhetri: Heineken has long been associated with football on a global scale. Through interactions and good work with brands such as Heineken and by using their reach in football the right way, our players can get their message across. I would welcome as many football related events in India as there can be since that will only help raise the profile of the game here.

- Nishant Nayyar

The post Sunil Chhetri appeared first on FHM.

Beef Mushroom Steak
1 Trim the fat from the meat and cut into cubes. Brown the meat in a frying pan with 2 tbs of olive oil till its brown on the outsides.
2 Take the meat out of the pan and add 2 packets gravy mix, some water, 1/2 cup red wine, a pinch of brown sugar and ginger. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.
3 Preheat the oven to 350° F.
4 Place the meat in a dish and add herbs.
5 Add the sauce of choice on top and stir to mix.
6 Bake for one half hour till the meat turns tender.

Cola Sirlion Steak
1 Marinate a 500 grams beef steak, 2tbs soya sauce, 1 cup coca cola, 1 tbs mustard, 1 tbs horseradish, garlic and black pepper for 6 hours in a zip-lock bag.
2 Prepare the sauce from beef stock, 3 tbs cognac, 3/4 cup of heavy cream and green peppercorns.
3 Preheat the grill at 400° F.
4Transfer the steak to a plate and coat with the prepared sauce.
5 Serve with blanched seasonal veggies.

Herb Crusted Beef Steak
1 Marinate 1 kg beef fillet, 2 tbs Dijon mustard, 2 tbs grated lemon rind and some chopped herbs together for 6 hours.
2 Beat 3 eggs properly, dip the marinated beef in the egg and then sprinkle breadcrumbs on either side of the beef.
3 Once evenly coated, keep them in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the breadcrumbs stick to beef.
4 Next, shallow fry in a pan on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.

Beef Marinated Peppered Steak
1 Marinate 500 grams beef tenderloin, a pinch of salt, 1 tbs minced garlic, 1 pint beer and 1/2 tbs crushed black pepper together in a bowl for 4 hours.
2 In a frying pan, add 1 cup chopped onions and 1 tbs mustard seeds and cook till tender.
3 Once the onions turn brown, add the marinated mix and cook for 10 minutes.
4 Serve the beef with onion mustard sauce and your choice of salad.

- Nishant Nayyar

The post Make The Perfect Steak appeared first on FHM.

This prequel to the previous editions is set around 14 years before the first game. Our favourite bad-mouthing killing machine, Marcius Fenix is replaced by Damon Baird, who leads a team of trigger-happy soldiers called the Kilo Squad. The team comprises of Gears champions Augustus Cole and Baird and two rookies, Garron Paduk and Sofia Hendrick. The game starts with the Kilo Squad standing on trial for an act of treason as the squad went against direct orders not to set off a lightmass missile. Each team member gives their testimony and with each flashback you take control of each solider. This is the first time in the Gears of War series where a narrative style is used and gamers get to replay what happened leading up to the present.

Slight tweaks
The graphics make you feel at home if you have played the previous Gears of War titles. Even if you are a first timer, third person shooting will get you hooked to the gruesome violence in no time. There is no doubt that the developers have worked hard to ensure GoW: Judgment is a treat for the eyes with sharper and crisper visuals. The biggest change, and a sure shot delight for gamers, is a host of new weapons to play with. Previously, one would be stuck with only a pistol, but now the Gears are equipped with a Lancer, Gnasher, or any other weapon while using a Boomshield. Also, now you can only have two main weapons, which allows you to swap and choose the ideal gun for the upcoming Locust onslaught. Activating grenades has become a lot simpler too, by using the left bumper.

New features
The “declassified” testimony adds objectives or challenges by making your campaign tougher. There are situations that will force you to use a certain weapon, equip the enemies with better guns and not to forget, the fact that they have put a time limit on areas, which can be quiet annoying if you don’t get it right quickly. The game will also put you in tight spots where you will be in a dust or smoke filled room and your objective is to get out of there without getting shot. The multiplayer option too receives some changes like the removal of Locust, which leads to Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) army vs COG matches. This is a free-for-all mode, which is a first in this series. The second new mode is OverRun where one team chooses a soldier, medic, engineer, or scout and makes them defend E-holes and generators from Locust attack. Similar to Beast Mode, the other team chooses from a variety of Locust characters that have to try and get past COG’s defenses.

Verdict
Whether you are a GoW fan or not, as long as you like blood, gore and drilling chainsaws through Locusts, this one is a must have. It might not have the essence of its previous titles, but in no way does it fall short of expectations. It is a perfect mix of fabulous gunplay and graphics.

- Arup Das

The post Gears of War: Judgment appeared first on FHM.