goodbye khalid?

At the tail of a generally thumbs-down review of Bunty aur Babli (which gets him only some mercy points after having turned into a sycophant for the Johars, Khans and Chopras), Khalid Mohammed adds a goodbye note (see below). Truth be told: despite all the obvious toadying, his columns have always been fun to read (while his films have remained, sadly, shockingly mediocre and unwatchable). Does anyone know more about this departure?

Personal note

Friends, I've had the best time of my life doing this column. If it hadn't been there for me, the last three years, chances are that I would have flung myself from the terrace of an unguarded skyscraper. Slit my wrists maybe.
Perhaps, many film-makers would have rejoiced, but.

To say it straight, I'm winding up, moving to another assignment.
Salaam Saira, the pixiesh editor who cared.

Salaam to the Sunday gang - to Priscilla more beautiful than any movie star, to Alpana, speedy and smart, my very own Toofan Mail, and to Shradha whom I tormented with last-minute corrections which she carried out despite dealing with a typhoon of copy deadlines.

Not a word, comma or inflection was altered, none of my opinions - for better or worse - questioned, in keeping with the exemplary and independent spirit of journalism.

Thank you, Sunday gang.

Thank you dear readers...with love and gratitude.

Meanwhile, scroll down for finally-posted notes on Impostor, Bride and Prejudice, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, 25th hour, notes on two vastly polar flicks (Mona Lisa and Face/Off) and a pair of hindi boos (kasam [the chunky-sunny starrer] and blackmail [the 2005 sick flick]). And then there's an old post about Carlito's Way. And short notes on Cronenberg's Naked Lunch.