Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu : PERFECTLY Average

“Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (EMAET) has flop written all over it”  These were my exact words when I saw the trailers of the film & strongly believed that after Break Ke Baad & I Hate Love Stories this shall be another failed attempt by Bollywood to try its hand at rom-coms. And what added to my worries was that it was produced under a banner which is known for its candy floss love stories. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised and after watching it I can confidently say that it is indeed one of the finest films to be made in Bollywood pertaining to the genre.

Rahul (Imran Khan) is leading a boring, mechanical life & is burdened by his parent’s expectations. He meets Riana (Kareena Kapoor) who is exactly the opposite; fun, lively & living life on her own terms. They meet accidentally, get drunk and end up getting married. The two have to wait 14 days before the annulment comes through and the film charts their relationship over those two weeks. The plot is predictable yet delightful and the crisp screenplay & Shakun Batra’s smart direction makes it stand apart. Apart from solid direction what works  hugely for the film is its supporting cast. Boman Irani as a demanding father & Ratna Pathak Shah as the sophisticated socialite mother are just perfect as Imran’s parents. And Nikhil Kapoor as Kareena’s father is also extremely likable. All the characters are very much real with whom you can relate quite easily. In fact, you will remember meeting someone like them at some point of your life. Imran and Kareena are brilliant in the film and the chemistry between them is superb. Kareena looks drop dead gorgeous and though her character seems inspired from her character ‘Geet’ in Jab We Met, Kareena plays the part honestly and gets into the skin of her character. Riana is more sensitive, mature and above all closer to the real world. Imran is surely not the finest actor we have today but you cannot imagine any one else as Rahul. He proves that given a good script & role; he can do justice to his character like he did in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

EMAET has its share of some wonderful and well crafted moments which make you smile and at the same time bring a tear to your eyes. The scene where Kareena gifts Imran a camera or when she takes her for a visit to her school or when Imran lashes out at his parents at the dining table. It also has some lighter moments, like the bathroom scene between Imran & his horny date, his interview scene with the Japanese or the scene where Kareena rates her ‘bum’. The subtle treatment without any over the top drama makes the film less syrupy which is quite unlikely for the films in this genre. Also, it is one of the few films which has a second half which is BETTER than the first and also has an end which displays the maturity of relationships (and of Hindi films). Rarely you find a rom-com which has no place for kisses or sex!

In look and style, the film is very much like any  Hollywood rom-com. The music of film is melodious and the songs seamlessly flow with the film without disrupting the pace. Amitabh Bhattacharya & Amit Trivedi are slowly emerging as the Javed-Rahman combo. David MacDonald’s cinematography captures Vegas beautifully without going for the usual skyline & casino shots . Asif Ali Shaikh’s crisp editing keeps the film below 2 hours and never makes it a tiring affair. After Wake Up Sid, this is one film that made me leave the theater with a smile. So, go for this pleasant & breezy ride and you won’t be disappointed.

EMAET can be summed up in one of the lines from the film only – “Tum perfect average ho, na kuch zyada na kuch kam karte ho.” It is a perfectly average rom-com.

HOLY COW!

As residents of the “secular” and democratic country – India, whose constitution “guarantees” everyone the right and freedom to practice their own religion; we all should be proud of the secular fabric that exists in the country. But the recent controversy about Madhya Pradesh government’s decision  to “strengthen” the existing cow slaughter prohibition Act (Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Pratishedh Adhiniyam 2004)  made me re think about the “greatness” of India when it came to being “secular”. I searched the internet and read about some of the laws that exist with respect to animal slaughter in the country and was quite baffled to know that the Directive Principle of State Policy in Constitution calls for protection of cow and progeny. Cow holds a “special” status in the country (Ala Brahmins) and slaughter, possession, sale, transport of beef and beef products is prohibited and amounts to “crime” which can even lead a person into the prison (T&C Apply) . But the same generosity is not shown to other animals. May be they are ‘Dalits’ of the animal community. Sounds funny? It isn’t!  In fact it freaks me out that how we want to shove the beliefs and values of a particular community (Hindu) just because it is in the majority. Today, nearly two-third of Indian states have banned cow slaughter.  Main features of legislations enacted by the States/UTs on cow slaughter  How can we curtail the freedom of others at the expense of a particular community?  Cow might be holy to the Hindus but it isn’t for others. What about the Muslims, Christians, Parsis & Sikhs who want to eat beef but can’t eat because it’s not available in their cities. And even if it is available; finding a beef shop is like ‘finding needle in a haystack’. Will Ganga stop flowing if they set up a beef shop in Haridwar?  We never bother about the slaughter of pigs and selling of pork which is prohibited in Islam. Why? The answer is simple – because Muslims make only a certain 13.4% of the total population of India. Firstly, state should NOT have any in what people can sell (Exclude drugs, arms, etc) or eat and there should be no second thoughts about it. Secondly, even if it has (which it should NOT), why should it have double standards? Doesn’t it hamper the very idea of secularism?  We are in the 21^st century and instead of moving ahead we want to go back into the dark ages. What more could explain Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister’s claims of cow dung being the “solution” for every god damn problem and Cow being our only “ savior”! As one MP of the party said “Marne se bachna hai to gai ki sharan mein aana hoga (To escape death, leave yourself at the mercy of the cow),” This just makes me sad!!

What makes me even sadder is the hypocritical ‘holier than thou’ attitude of Hindus towards cow. Technically speaking; Hinduism is based on the concept of omnipresence of the Divine, and the presence of a soul in all creatures, including animals. Thus, by that definition, killing ANY animal would be a sin. No?  But still they eat & I think it’s fine!  Who am I to dictate? But I fail to understand my Hindu brothers & sisters who are OKAY with eating all sorts of non vegetarian delicacies ranging from chicken & meat to fishes & prawns but when it comes to cow the ‘Virat Hindu’ in them rises.  Can anyone be more hypocritical than this? I can’t understand the “compassion” that comes out only for cow and not for other living beings. Their compassion, like them, has double standards. If a cow and a dog is slaughtered in front of my eyes, I would feel equally sad for both and no where will be my sadness more for the cow. To me; both are living beings. Also, why & how cow became so “sacred” for Hindus and other animals didn’t remains a mystery to me because there are MANY Hindus who do eat beef. Also, to my knowledge no where any Hindu scripture professes special status to cow. And the same logic applies to Muslims also who are OKAY with eating all other non vegetarian cuisine but have issues when it comes to Pig because it is “unclean”. Give me a break!

In a book published a few years ago on India’s dietary traditions, Prof DN Jha, spoke about historical evidence of beef-eating practices in ancient India. Historian Romila Thapar also said the same “The eating of beef was reserved for specific occasions, such as rituals or when welcoming a guest of high status,” But as expected, she drew flack from the ‘rightists’ of our country and history text books for Class VI authored by her were changed! It’s high time we realize and speak up against the archaic ideas and notions that exist in our country. India faces zillions of problems today – inflation, depreciating value of rupee, terrorism, rising prices, corruption, poverty, unemployment etc. but we are still trapped in this ‘what-to-eat’ and ‘what-not-to-eat’ debate! We surely have lop sided priorities. And as I end this post; I leave you all with a question to ponder upon –  ”Do you want to “talibanise” even the food in India?”

P.S. - I don’t advocate ‘vegetarianism’ anywhere. To each his own!

Top 20 MOMENTS of 2011

1. Didi phenomenon - Mamata Banerjee painted Bengal green as she unseated the longest-serving (34 years)  elected Communist government on the planet & gave a major blow to mainstream communism in India. Didi called this HISTORIC win as the victory of ‘Maa, Maati & Maanush’ saying “I bow down my head to my people”.

2. Kolaveri Di - Dhanush made the entire nation sing along as he came up with this ‘Tanglish’ peepy number. It narrowed the gap between North & South India as even the Punjabis crooned ‘Why this Kolaveri Di’. And with over 20 million hits so far on You Tube it created history when it comes to Indian music. No wonders, CNN calls it song of the year.

3. Team Anna - Hate him or love him but this 74 year old man brought the government on it’s knees. And after 48 years the Lokpal Bill saw light of the day. And when was the last time you saw the parliament & MP’s work till midnight? Anna Hazare changed the whole Indian politics in 2011.

4. World Champions - Cricket is religion in India and along with Bollywood it ‘unites’ India. And 2011 was indeed historic for all the fans. India regained the coveted Cricket World Cup after 28 years as they crushed Sri Lanka with a six-wicket win. The World Cup title triumph made even a non-cricket fan like me cry!

5. Flash Mobs - It won’t be wrong if we declare 2011 as the ‘Year of Flash Mobs’. It all started with Mumbai when 200 dancers broke into a ‘seemingly’ impromptu dance performance at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station.  It became a rage as videos and pictures went viral on Facebook, You Tube and Twitter. Many other cities (Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad) tried hopelessly to copy the trend and only Kolkata came up with not only a decent but even better flash mob video than Mumbai.

 

 

6. We the Indifferent -  24-year-old Keenan Santos and his 29-year-old friend Reuben Fernandez were stabbed to death as they tried to stand up against eve teasers. None of the onlookers dared to stepped forward and watched the duo die quietly. It was a blot on the society of which we all are a part of!

7.  Mumbai Blasts - The ghost of serial blasts came back to haunt Mumbai terror struck it yet again in 2011. 27 were killed and over 131 injured after explosions rocked Mumbai on July 13 within minutes of each other. And thankfully, nobody talked about the “spirit” of Mumbaikars.

8. Osama Killed – The most-wanted terrorist on the planet was hunted down and killed. Osama bin Laden’s death translated into probably the biggest breaking news of 2011 and what made it even bigger was the dramatic manner in which Operation Osama was carried out. Also, this I believe is the ONLY thing which Obama can boast off. Otherwise, I doubt if he has done anything worth remembering in his tenure till now.

9. Indian Grand Prix – So what, if Aunty ji’s were busy making sweaters sitting in the stands. So what, if critics argued about the ‘need’ for F1 race as many Indians sleep hungry. Keeping all the cynicism aside, India rose meteorically in the international sports arena as Formula One carnival made a pit-stop at Greater Noida.

10. Slap Gate – If hurling shoes at politicans was the fashion in 2010; 2011 saw a new fad of slapping ministers. Harvinder Singh slapped Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture in public. Many people cheered & supported him but it’s time we introspect that why we, as a society are becoming intolerant. And even more pathetic was when Sharad Pawar’s party members created ruckus by burning buses & attacking Sikh shopkeepers.

 

 

11. Ghoonghat Act – Kiran Bedi took everyone by surprise when she hid her face behind a “ghoonghat” in mockery of politicians hiding behind masks at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. Though she saw scathing criticism from all sides but if you ask ME; I loved her act. It was very entertaining

12. Jet Shoes – This was probably the most bizarre news of 2011 when a US cable leaked that ‘Behen’ Mayawati sent an empty private jet to get a pair of her favorite sandals from Mumbai. Critics accuse her of self-glorification. She accuses them of conspiring as she is a ‘Dalit’ . Of course to believe or not to believe is up to us!

13. Beti B – No big deal and I never really wanted to include it in my list but then I am NOT India and India very much gave a fuck about Aishwaraya’s pregnancy. Yet to be named ‘Beti B’ remains probably the only child whose arrival was awaited with baited breaths.

14. Google Plus – Google planned to take on Facebook and Twitter by launching it’s new social networking site Google +. And even though it saw a large number of people making accounts on the site; overall it was a colossal disappointment and failure.

15. Ra.One – If it comes to films then India will always remember Ra.one as  the costliest & most promoted film ever and probably the shittiest film of the year. Oh wait! That slot is reserved for Salman Khan. Shah Rukh Khan took marketing to a new level with this & also tried to do something ‘new’ on Indian celluloid.

 

 

16. Democracy Raped – As much as I disagree with Baba Ramdev & his antics but government’s midnight crackdown on Ramdev and his camp was one of the saddest days of Indian Democracy and it even saw a woman ‘Rajbala’ die because of the same. Next was Anna, Kiran Bedi & Kejriwal’s arrest and them being sent to Tihar. Right to protest; freedom of expression raped by government. Last but not the least, the ‘Fleedom’ in Rajya Sabha where government avoided voting on Lokpal Bill as it was set to lose. UPA clearly had a bad year.

17. Year of Tihar –  2011 saw many corrupt leaders getting arrested and all thanks to the opposition, media & Supreme Court. Kanimozhi, A. Raja, Suresh Kalmadi, Yeddyurappa, Amar Singh and MANY more were the guests at Tihar jail.

18. Jasmine Revolution -  Deriving its name from the country’s national flower, the revolution in Tunisia, began with protests over rising food prices and finally culminated in the end of the dictatorial regime of President Zine El Abidine Ali. The revolution spread to other parts of Middle East also like Egypt and Libya and is still fighting for democracy. Questions can be raised on their ”secular” nature but cynicism can be kept aside for once. No?

19. Year of Goodbyes - 2011 will always be remembered as the year that took away many legends. Whether it was music ( Amy Winehouse, Bhimsen Joshi, Jagjit Singh, Bhipen Hazarika, Sultan Khan), arts ( M.F. Hussain, Mario Miranda), cinema (Dev Ananad, Shammi Kapoor), cricket (Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi), Steve Jobs and many more. RIP!

20. Year I met Shabana Azmi – Last but not the least, I will remember 2011 as the year when I met the best actor in the country; someone whose films I breathe. And what made it even more special was the fact that all this happened through twitter. So all the time I wasted tweeting was worth it!

 

P.S. – The ‘moments’ are NOT ranked. So there is NO Number 1 or Number 2. Just 20 moments from 2011! And on that note Happy 2012 !!

Didi brings winds of ‘Poribarton’

It’s been 6 months now that Mamata Banerjee took over as the chief minister of West Bengal after a historic win over the Left front. It was a crucial moment in Indian politics as she unseated the longest-serving elected Communist government on the planet & gave a major blow to mainstream communism in India. People of Bengal voted for ‘poribarton’ (change). Didi called it a victory of ‘Maa Maati & Maanush’. And even under the pressure of sky rocketed expectations; Didi has delivered!

The very first poribarton that didi brought, was, that within 19 days after swearing in as the chief minister, she solved the Darjeeling hill crisis by convincing the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) to accept an agreement with her government which will intend to address all the key issues raised by the GJM. Mamata also assured the GJM leaders that her government will take up all the development activities in the area. Darjelling saw municipal elections after 7 long years! An emotional Mamata Banerjee described the Queen of Hills – ‘Darjeeling as her Switzerland baby’.

West Bengal was once India’s industrial hegemon but today it fares as one of the worst states with little growth in its industries. During the 34 year long rule of Left, the share of manufacturing sector in the state’s economy fell from 19 percent in 1975 to 7.4 percent in 2009.  Opposed to technology and computerization Left government also removed English from government schools in the 1980’s which deprived two generations of Bengalis of a comparative advantage. And we expect Mamata Banerjee to change all this within 6 months? Why put her on anvil constantly?  Bengal has received proposals for investments of Rs 56,000 crore since the Trinamul-led government took power six months ago. Larson & Toubro will invest in Bengal after 34 years; projects of TVC & Jindals have been cleared. Also, SAIL have their expansion programme of more than Rs 20,000 crore. Fact is that Bengal is so off the map today that it will take years for it to strike back.

Didi also needs to be applauded for giving attention to the poorest of the poor in ‘Jungle Mahal’ (Maoist stronghold) by announcing that all tribals in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts would be included in the BPL list. The poor tribals now will be eligible to get rice at Rs. 2/kg. She is reaching out to Maoists.
Among various initiatives of the TMC  government, the most popular one is the decision to return 400 acres of land to the farmers of Singur acquired from them for the Nano car factory of the Tata motors. Her government has also passed a bill in the Assembly to return a portion of the land acquired by previous Left Front government from the unwilling farmers for the factory. Though the Tatas have challenged her in court and case is going on. But, in all this one thing is clear, that Didi has emerged as a populist leader among farmers and is doing every bit to help them.

Another major breakthrough for the TMC government has been the recent death of Maoist leader Kishenji in an encounter and a blow to all those who were smearing against Mamata on her Maoist policy. Of course naysayers will argue that it was the CRPF that killed him but did we say the same for Obama when Osama Bin Laden was killed by the army. No? Okay!  But the greater challenge for Didi today lies in developing the tribal areas and winning their hearts, which, I am sure she will.

Some of the problems which Didi has been saddled with are because of the past positions taken by the protagonists, positions which are deeply entrenched today because of past exigencies. Like the crisis in rural health infrastructure is not unique to Bengal. Go to Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan and you might find even worse cases. But, this is not a justification that I give and Didi has to do much to bring a ‘poribarton’ in the sorry state of affairs in Health care which were under Left government for 34 years. Plus, an adequate supply of financial resources is indispensable for any Government to trigger the State’s medium-term development on a firm footing but funds clearly seem a problem as Center is also not really in a mood to give special assistance to their ally. And Didi has said “I won’t go begging”.

The story of Bengal needs to be rewritten and Mamata Banerjee is indeed the best person to hold the pen. It is clear that Mamata Banerjee understands the world is watching and at least initially, she has set in motion a proactive work culture. The journey is tough but so is Didi!

ROCKSTAR : Pain, Anger, Love & Music

Few writers have such solid control over their screenplay as Imtiaz Ali does. Ali today is easily one of the best story teller of our times who tells his stories with great passion and with his recent film Rockstar he has proven it once again that no body understands the genre ‘romance’ like the way he does. It is indeed a braver and a more riskier film than his previous outings.

Rockstar has a lot of pain, anger, sorrow, agony and love.  It is about the quest of a middle class boy Janardhan for music, fame and love. Like all his films the characters in Rockstar also traverse long distances and transcend geographical boundaries. In this case Janardhan & Heer travel  from the streets of Delhi to snow-capped Kashmir and from there to the beautiful Prague.  I have always loved the way Imtiaz Ali develops the characters in his films; especially the female protagonist. In Rockstar; our Heer is confused, complex and hurting as hell. At one point she the ‘pious’ wife who is reluctant to take her relationship with Jordan further but at another point she is that passionate lover who cannot stop herself from delving into the love of Jordan. She is unfaithful but you cannot stop empathizing with her.This, probably is the beauty of her character (Wish she did justice to her role) The arrogant, high-ended and disturbed Jordan who goes about showing middle finger, bashing policemen, missing shows also seems “correct” to you. Ranbir inhabits Jordan’s complex world and infuses it with a childlike honesty. It is indeed one of his finest performance since Rocket Singh and he is of course the “Next Big Thing”.  Talking about the supporting actors; only Kumud Mishra makes an impression. He is brilliant as Janardhan’s friend, guide and manager and his raw, earthy mannerisms make him the very much believable *typical* Uncle ji from Delhi. Rockstar also will be remembered as Shammi Kapoor’s last film and the film that brought him and his grandson Ranbir together. It is beyond words to describe Shammi Sahab’s ‘final’ act as the Shehnai player Bismillah Khan. The jugalbandi –  ’Dichotomy of Fame’ where he plays the Shehnai & Ranbir plays the guitar gave me goose bumps and I couldn’t hold my tears. Yes you are missed!

The soul of Rockstar is it’s music. Probably a slap on all those who had written Rahman off. A.R. Rahman‘s tunes, Irshad Kamil‘s words and Mohit Chauhan‘s voice create sheer magic on-screen. All the songs are intelligently incorporated into the screenplay and don’t seem out-of-place. It is easily the best album of the year. A special mention for Irshad Kamil who I believe is one under rated lyricist. Have loved his work right from his first film Chameli. Rockstar review is incomplete without a mention of ace cinematographer Anil Mehta. I don’t think anyone has captured Kashmir more beautifully on-screen than what he did in Rockstar. And the way the concerts have been filmed. Superb!

• Was fascinated by the Kashmiri Pandit wedding which was shown probably for the first time on 70mm. Than you Imtiaz for this. (Wish the now refugee community returns back to their homes soon)
• ‘Kun Faaya Kun’ took me to another world all together. The last time it happened was when I had heard ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’ on screen.
• All the scenes in Delhi took me back to my under graduation days (Bahut ‘gand machaya’ hai) Oh Delhi! You beauty. You don’t know how much I love & miss you. Bangalore sucks!

With every film Imtiaz is maturing & improving as a director. And I say that as I saw that one quote in the end. Tugged at my heartstrings!

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I will meet you there ~ Rumi

Good.One & Bad.One of RA.ONE

Disclaimer : I am a huge Shah Rukh Khan fan. He is GOD. PERIOD! It’s very difficult for a devout fan like me to critique a Shah Rukh film. First, because I don’t know any thing about film making. Second, I unapologetically and hopelessly find something positive in whatever he does.  But I am also NOT one of those fans who feel the film shouldn’t be bashed because everyone has worked so hard for the film because EVERY ACTOR works hard for his/her film.  I am NOT one of those elitist & snooty self styled critics who think bashing every Hindi film is “cool”.  Neither I have the courage nor do I have the talent to make a film. So let’s NOT call it a review!

BAD.ONE!  

It’s an old saying that ‘Excess of any thing is bad’ and this is exactly the issue with RA.ONE. The film with it’s aggressive marketing campaigns promised TOO MUCH & this is where it fell. The film promised to go beyond where Krrish & Robot went and it does go! When you talk about the special effects, VFX & stunts RA.ONE probably offers the best any Indian movie has ever seen. But it is the shoddy writing that lets it down and doesn’t allow the film to pick up at any point. The story is so weak that one makes you wonder why Shah Rukh even agreed to do this film. The film could have been much better & would have taken Indian Cinema to a different level altogether had the writers kept their thinking hats on their heads and wouldn’t have taken the audience for granted.

The jokes, comic scenes are crass, vulgar & cheap and to top it they are NOT funny at all. Like three girls in the game are named – Uski Lee, Chus Lee, Sabki Lee or the scene in which a gay airport security guard is turned on by G.One’s body piercings. I felt like banging my head! And if this was not enough you have the stereotypical homophobic & racist jokes which are the final nail in the coffin. Shah Rukh promised a family movie but you don’t understand how exactly all the boobi, condom & crotch talk really fits the bill.  Shah Rukh never did this. And as a fan I am annoyed!  Then you have the much talked about cameo of Rajinikanth which makes you feel the desperation with which the makers wanted the film to work that they introduced a STUPID & USELESS cameo. Or the blooper where Shekhar is given a Christian funeral but the very next scene shows Kareena with a ‘Kalash’ near some river. Are we *that* stupid?

The film also tries too hard to make the audiences believe that it’s a film which deals with scientific realism & great amount of intellect is involved. But sorry Anubhav Sinha just because you use nonsensical words like H.A.R.T (Hertz Amplifying Resonance Transmitter) or Random Access it doesn’t mean you have made a SCI-FI film .  There is NO science in the film. Also, the  pace isn’t fast enough for a super-hero action flick. There are only 3-4 sequences which make you sit up & notice the amount of effort put in. And I blame it entirely on the director. Anubhav Sinha such a waste you are!

GOOD.ONE!

If RA.ONE is watchable despite it’s flaws it is because of Shah Rukh Khan. The extravaganza belongs to Shah Rukh Khan. His performance as Shekhar & G.ONE stands out and the hard work is visible on screen. His sheer presence and energy makes you forget everything else. And with every fight of his came whistles & claps! Shah Rukh as Shekhar might be caricaturish but charming. And he is equally convincing as the robot/video game character G.ONE. His charm overrules anything & everything!

We are OKAY with Spiderman climbing buildings effortlessly & Superman wearing his underwear over his tights. We are OKAY when the pretentious & self proclaimed intellectual Aamir Khan bashes up ten goons , suffering a memory loss. We are OKAY  when Salman Khan does the most awful & sad films. But we have problem with the fight between G.ONE & RA.ONE where cars fly around them. Why this holier than thou attitude with Shah Rukh?

FACT is that Shah Rukh could dream. And he was able to make it real. So what if it was flawed? He ventured into something where no body else did. He could have done another rom com at a lesser budget with a guarantee that it will work but he chose to follow his dream of making the first Indian Super hero film. He tried to raise the level of film making in India & to an extent he succeeded.  And Shah Rukh like your film says “Haan Farishtey Hote Hain” Thou are one who got the world talk about India & it’s technological advances . 

And I end this post by quoting Pratim D Gupta ~

“Don’t lose heart King Khan. At least you still dream. Hope some day others will join you… and Bollywood will be as one.”

Look what Hollywood had to say about it  The Hollywood Reporter and The New York Times

MAUSAM brings back the “old world” romance into Hindi cinema

Right from the time the first poster of Mausam came on the front page of a national daily I somehow knew that I will like this film. The look, promos, music all seemed good. But more than this; for me the very reason to watch Mausam was that one of the finest actors in the country was wearing the director’s hat. The name Pankaj Kapur was enough! And now that I have seen the film I will say that I was not disappointed. It’s NOT a flawless film and much has been written about it so I write why you should watch Mausam!

Mausam is an old-fashioned story of love, separation and reunion told with charm & elegance. Mausam takes you back to the golden days when there was innocence in romance.  The love story between Harry & Aayat unfurls in the small town of Punjab and the conventional way in which love flourishes between them is pure magic. It’s a beautiful journey which makes you think that where has this pure romance gone from our lives.

The vintage love story travels from the rural ‘Genhu ke khet’ in Punjab to the lush green meadows of Switzerland & Scotland. It transcends geographical boundaries and also leaps beyond time zones. It proceeds through stolen glances and unsaid words (Aayat & Harry never say ‘I love you’ to each other). Shahid’s boyish charm, Sonam’s coy femininity; their unexpressed feelings makes you ponder that pure romance has disappeared not only from movies but also from real life. Mausam has its share of some wonderful moments which arouse every emotion in the inner core of human hearts. Like the scene where both Harry & Aayat express their feelings through hand written notes. In the age of SMS & E-mails Mausam makes you realise that technology might be cool but it is so impersonal. Or the scene where Sonam sings ‘Abhi na Jao Chodh Ke’; eyes do all the work in this scene. Beautifully done. The magic of silence! Rain has never failed to cast a spell on the 70mm screen and in Mausam also the protagonists lie down under the pouring clouds and express their love on a rain soaked terrace. And if this is not enough you have the usual sweet and salty jealous moment  in the film when Harry calls Aayat but her cousin Akram picks up the call. Also, the scene when Shahid frantically runs into the snow to meet Aayat because he cannot wait for the next train which leaves in another hour. One might laugh and say ‘Yeh Zyada Ho Gaya’ (One of my friends said that). I replied *This* is called TRUE LOVE!

You can call me old fashioned but if tomorrow I fall in love I would any day prefer to write a letter rather than type a message.  Give MAUSAM a chance as it infuses the nostalgia and brings back the “old world” romance into Hindi cinema!

Mumbai Diaries

It was March 1993; The ‘Phalgun’ month. People of India are always upbeat around this time welcoming the arrival of spring season. The chill disappears with warmth tapping at our doors. Beautiful colored flowers and their sweet aroma had filled the air around me. Everything around was vibrant and colourful. Suddenly I saw red all over. I thought it was Holi. But I was wrong. Amidst the cries of people I realised that the red that had painted me was the blood of my people. It was a terror attack. Bonfires were lit that night and many other following nights. Sadly it was not the Holika Dehan !!

It is 2011 and after getting raped brutally & heartlessly by constant terror attacks I am exasperated now. I am tired of watching dead bodies that get laid on my streets every time an explosion occurs. I feel suffocated when I listen to the cries of children & their parents who lose each other every time an attack occurs. A morbid feeling envelopes me when I see old couples trying hard to meet their ends because they lost their son/daughter in one of the many attacks.  I am filled with remorse every Rakshabandhan when I see the empty wrists of brothers who have lost their sisters. I feel helpless when I see people remembering their loved ones every year on their death anniversaries. I feel dejected when I see political parties playing politics over deaths also. I cannot handle the pain of losing my people anymore now.

They say my spirit is unmatched and my people are brave; who fight every time a blast occurs. But they don’t see the grief; the pain in our eyes. I am neither brave nor am I spirited; it’s just that I don’t have an option. My people board a local the very other day of the blast because if they don’t their family will die of hunger anyways. Kids go to schools because they have to learn. I don’t want candle light marches. I don’t want sympathy. I don’t want stupid tokenism. I want JUSTICE. I want SECURITY. I want ACTION. They talk of resilience and encourage us but I am fatigued after coping up always. I feel like a ball who is tired of “bouncing back” to normal. I fear I will burst soon. I fear one day the spirit, the resilience and the courage will vanish off with the black smoke that arises every time a bomb goes down my spine  !! 

The Pakistan I LOVE, The Pakistan I abhor

“Post dedicated to three of the most beautiful and brave women I know from Pakistan and I wish to meet them all sooonnnnnnnnnnn  @Mehmal , @mahobili and @marvisirmed ”

It is one of history’s ironies that a people who share so much, refuse to acknowledge their similarities and focus so avidly on their differences. I have a ‘split personality’ when it comes to Pakistan. It is a failed nation with a savage society that swears by archaic ‘values’ and it seems people have compromised with the situation now. I abhor Pakistan for concentrating more on destabilizing India than stabilizing itself. I abhor the way Pakistan has injured itself over the years. I abhor the way some of it’s leaders have this dream of conquering neighboring nation(s). But there is something about this banana republic that I love. There is a Pakistan I adore. There is a Pakistan I value. Pakistan has been my fairy tale land.

Way back in 1947 my paternal & maternal grandparents migrated to India because of the partition and started a new life here. While we ( me and my cousins) were growing, apart from the usual dadi-nani ki kahaaniyan; stories from Pakistan always fascinated us. I remember sitting with my dadaji for hours and listening to his experiences in Pakistan. I want to sit in the ‘aangan’ of the ‘kothi’ where once my grand mother was born. I want to visit the narrow and dusty  lanes of Multan where once she played. I want to go down the barren, sandy and arid tracts of Dera Ismail Khan, the land where my grand father was born. How can I not love Pakistan where my grand parents were born; where they grew up and spent their childhood!  And even today we speak MULTANI/SARAIKI at our home. It is my mother tongue  Multanis : Punjabis, but not quite Punjabi

Pakistan’s blistering borders are a cultural treasure trove. The Punjabi culture across the border is beautiful, secular and enduring. I love Pakistan for giving us some of the greatest Sufi poets, singers and writers who have reached a crescendo crossing all borders and hierarchies, whether between classical and folk and spiritual music, or between Urdu and Brajbhasha, or between faiths. Bulley Shah, Warris Shah, Sadat Hasan Manto, Faiz Ahmed Faiz are people who have left behind a rich cultural legacy and I so envy Pakistan for this. Waris Shah is my Shakespeare who immortalized the Heer-Ranjha saga, the immortal epic of doomed love. Over a period of time a  body of literature unique to Pakistan has emerged in nearly all major Pakistani languages .Talking about music; Punjabi folk music has such rich mines of gold that its luster can never be scraped by time. Nusrat Fathey Ali Khan , Abida Parveen, Tina Sani; with their soulful strains take us into the depths of Sufism and evoke passion, love and most of all spirituality.  How can I not love Pakistan? But at the same time I abhor Pakistan for losing out on this legacy to the hands of Taliban and neo-Islamist outfits.

I love Pakistan for the rich cultural and physical diversity spanning through the four large provinces; from Sindh to Punjab and from Khyber Pakhtunwala to  Balochistan.From the mighty stretches of the Karakorams in the North to the vast alluvial delta of the Indus where the world’s oldest & highly developed civilization – Indus Valley civilization once flourished . And today it can be found in the ruins of Moenjodaro and Harappa which are considered as one of most spectacular ancient cities of the world. It is Pakistan where archeological remains found in Taxila, Peshawar, Charsadda, Takht Bahi, Swat and rock carvings along the ancient Silk Road give the evidences of the history of  Gandhara. The Gandhara region was the hallowed center of Budhism and had once been the cradle of the world famous Gandhara art, culture and knowledge.  As a history lover how can I not love Pakistan? Pakistan has so much to offer. The region that is today known as Pakistan once had a large Buddhist population, but today hardly any Buddhists live there and I abhor Pakistan for this. It has failed to protect its own heritage.

Pakistan’s Punjabi culture, history and literature have an alluding aura which transcends beyond politics, beyond war-mongering and stuttering conflicts. Something beyond the border. Let us lower the walls so that the conversation continues!! People cross seven seas and go to London, Paris, New York etc. but I just want to cross one border. And I hope I make a visit to this beautiful country before I die. Mujhe to bas sarhad-paar jaana hai!!

I end this blog post by quoting my favorite lines written by Faiz

अब क्यूँ उस दिन की फ़िक्र करो,
जब दिल टुकड़े टुकड़े हो जाएगा
और  सारे गम  मिट जाएँगे,
तुम ख़ौफ़ ओ खतर से देर गुज़र करो,
जो होना है सो होना है ,
हसना है तो हसना है,
अगर रोना है तो रोना हे,
तुम अपनी करनी कर गुज़रो,
जो होगा देखा जाएगा.

Karan Johar – My best moments from his cinema

Since this is my first blog post on my first love – Hindi films I thought it should be on the man whose cinema I admire; I breathe; I live – Karan Johar. Over the last decade he is arguably one director to have churned out blockbusters. Johar debuted with Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, a romantic comedy in 1998 which won several accolades and set the cash register ringing. India got its new age young director who was very soon going to make Indian films popular worldwide. He thereafter directed another blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, a family saga which created waves in both national and international markets. He hardly fails to impress people. Karan Johar is surely the one who took Indian films outside India and coined a whole new word, “overseas” markets for Indian films. His films apart from doing well in India does exceptionally well across the globe. The respect, the accolades, the success he enjoys globally no Indian director in the present enjoys.  People might not know the ‘critics’ favorite Motwani, Hirani or Faisal but they know a Johar !!  He has taken Dharma Productions to new heights and today it is one of the biggest and most reputed production houses in the country giving break to new directors, actors and other technicians. He may not be the finest film maker for many but for me his cinema is magical. He is a master when it comes to romance. He is class apart.

In this post I pick up my personal favorite scenes from his cinema spanning from 1998 to 2010; from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to My Name is Khan.  It was a difficult task for me ; given my love for his films; I tend to like every moment  But I try to pick up the one’s which moved me really.

 

1. KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI

An all time blockbuster which launched Karan Johar into the industry. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a heartwarming beautiful love story of best friends. The performances, camerawork, storytelling and extensive musical numbers all energetically colorful. It is classic romantic cinema.

 

~ The Rain Dance

The drops of water falling from the sky have never failed to cast a spell on the 70mm screen.Dancing in the rain has been an integral part of Indian mainstream cinema. In fact rain has been the most over used entity in any romantic scene in hindi films but there are very few scenes that touch your heart and this particular scene is indeed one of the BEST. Shahrukh and Kajol literally create ‘magic’ on screen when they come together. The sparkling drops of water makes for a passionate setting to incite some sizzling chemistry between them. The background music is beautifully within the scene. It’s the rain that causes all the commotion in this poem of love. Watch out for that one moment when Shahrukh holds Kajol’s Saree and Kajol turns back.

 

~ Rahul & Anjali meet again

The scene where Shahrukh and Kajol meet after 8 years. Shahrukh and Kajol make this scene so special because of their very ‘natural’ acting. Awkwardness has never been depicted so beautifully.  There is a silence but their eyes speak. If you ask me; I wept buckets in this scene

 

~ Bench Scene

One of the most moving, intense and well-crafted emotional sequence in the entire film. Starting on a lighter and a comical note it delves into an emotional note and Karan has directed it so beautifully that you can’t hold your tears. Watch out for the moment when they both secretly make a wish after seeing a ‘toot-ta tara’ . My personal favorite dialogue is when Kajol says “Ghar Badal diya tha” to which Shahrukh says “Rishte bhi badal diye the kya”?

 

 

2. KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM - It’s all about loving your parents……

With Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham Karan Johar proved that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was no flash in the pan. Handled with utmost sensitivity, the subject slips between emotional sequences to dramatic confrontations to light moments with utmost ease and their are scenes which remain etched into your heart. This is a film with celebration in its heart: the musical routines are triumphantly lavish, boasting pounding dhol percussion and gorgeously fluid choreography. A mother’s heartbreak prompts her son to reunite the shattered clan in this family drama.

 

~ Reunion

The scene towards the pre-climax, shot in a shopping mall, when Jaya Bachchan and Shahrukh meet after a gap of nine years. Probably, the most emotional and moving scene in the film.  The beauty of this sequence is that there are no dialogues ; the emotions are expressed through eyes and kudos to Jaya Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan for pulling off the scene so well. Watch out for the moment when Shahrukh tells that he is a father now and points out towards his son. EXCELLENT !!

 

 

3. KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA

Few writers have such solid control over their screenplay as Karan Johar does. The characters in KANK are confused, complexed, and they’re hurting as hell. But still there is something about the way Karan portrays them on screen that you end up empathizing with the central characters Dev & Maya. Only few can actually understand  the intricacies of narrative and I am amongst those few and KANK remains my favorite Karan Johar film. He matured as a director and showed everything that’s wrong in modern marriages. His characters may still wear P.E.R.F.E.C.T. designer clothes but they’re all grey. KANK broke new grounds in Indian cinema by taking on a taboo subject in the subcontinent: a wife’s infidelity. Karan Johar rejects entrenched Indian beliefs about marriage and infidelity, and challenges the notion that wives are happiest if they remain blindly devoted to their husbands until death.For the record I have seen it more than 15 times and I can watch it again, again and again !!!

 

~ Bench Scene

The scene which defies the stereotypical definition of “love” in hindi films and says great friends don’t necessarily make great lovers.  The dialogues between Dev and Maya are penned down smartly. Watch out for that ‘moment’ when Maya makes Dev realize that he is not happy with his marriage. Simply Superb !!!   “Kabhi Kabhi dosti mohabbat ki jagah le leti hai aur phir mohabbat ke liye jagah hi nahi rehti”

 

~ Love Making Scene

The scene where Dev and Maya take their relationship to a next level and you realize that it’s real passion, real love that makes a great marriage. They are unfaithful but you can’t help empathizing with them.They seem “correct” to you.  Watch out for that moment when Maya cries while making love and Dev kisses her tears. Also, the scene when camera focuses on their wedding rings. Take a *bow* Karan Johar.

(Ignore the video title please )

 

 

4. MY NAME IS KHAN

My Name is Khan is surely one of the most talked about films in the recent times. Much because of the legendary team of Shahrukh-Karan-Kajol coming together after 9 years and also because of the political unrest surrounding the film.  MNIK is skillfully directed by Karan Johar and with an evocative score by Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy, “Khan” jerks tears with ease, while teaching lessons about Islam and tolerance.  The message of “My Name Is Khan,” an effective exercise in Bollywood high emotionalism, there are two kinds of people in the world, good and bad, a distinction more important than any other differences, like those between Hindus and Muslims. There are some films which NEED to be made and this is surely one of them. The film makes an important point and it NEEDS to be heard.

 

~ Kajol accepts Shahrukh’s proposal

Rizwan is undeniably the best thing about My Name is Khan and it very hard for you not to lose your heart to him. My personal favorite is the lovely scene in which Kajol accepts his proposal. Watch out for the moment when Shahrukh blushes and his face turns red when Kajol says “Marry Me”. He is a charmer and undoubtedly the KING OF ROMANCE.