Asin is short of a close friend in Bollywood

The south beauty Asin Thottumkal has done films in Bollywood with actors like Ajay Devgan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan – with Salman being her latest hero in the film Ready. She is also awaiting her forthcoming release Housefull 2 with Akshay Kumar. In spite of all this, Asin says that she does not have any close friend in Bollywood yet.

But what makes her think this when she has got the chance to work with so many renowned, famous and popular actors? Well, when we are asking this question, we are confusing the professional life with personal life. This is exactly what Asin has sorted out. She knows better than us where to draw the line.

As a matter of fact, almost all the actors she has worked with are seniors to her. Asin is just 26 years old while all the other actors are senior to her by around 15 years at least. That is why she has a lot of respect for them and holds them in high esteem.

Secondly, Asin feels that it takes a lot of time and efforts to build in a relationship which can be addressed as close friends.

In the meantime, Asin has been linked with Bollywood actor Neil Ninin Mukesh. Or let us say it has been vice versa. However, Neil has come forward to deny all the baseless news, terming them as rumors.

Aamir Khan – a new host of a new talk show

Aamir Khan might have as well kept himself away from the small screen. However, if all things fall to plan, he will be seen as the host of a talk show soon. After Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, Aamir Khan will be the next prominent Khan to show up on the small screen, which he has avoided all these years.

These developments date back to quite some time now. It was Siddharth Basu, who was in touch with Mr. Perfectionist and had introduced to him his plans. The talk show will not be just for the sake of it. It is being said that, the show is based on the lines of The Oprah Winfrey show. Siddharth Basu is the producer of the show.

But for those who don’t know what the popular The Oprah Winfrey show is, it is a show that highlights mainly the common problems faced by the common man. An individual is the guest on the show who has the right to discuss any social problem or even his own, for that matter.

We all know to what extent Mr. Khan prepares for his own work. Keeping the tag of Mr. Perfectionist intact, he wants to meet every person he will be talking to, ahead of time.

Bollywood joins Anna Hazare in the corruption fight

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After the common man’s support, it is now Bollywood which has come in full support of Anna Hazare for his crusade against corruption in India. The great social activist Anna Hazare is fighting for the Jan Lokapal Bill which has been pending before the Parliament for the past 42 years.

Amongst the firsts was Anupam Kher, the senior actor from Bollywood. Apart from him, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, producer and journalist Pretish Nandy, along with the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar are some of the famous personalities who have declared their support for the great man.

Aamir Khan, the Mr. Perfectionist has said that this movement needs support even greater than that of the World Cup victory which we achieved a week ago. Why that, Aamir has gone a step ahead of everyone and has even written a later to the Prime Minister to consider Anna’s demands.

Apart from Aamir, some of the others who have been in the great fight are Hrithik Roshan, Amol Gupte, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shekhar Kapur, Juhi Chawla, Urmila Matondkar, Shabana Azmi, Dia Mirza and Madhur Bhandarkar.

We are in full support of the anti-corruption crusade the great Anna Hazare is fighting. Please join and show your support. We need a corruption free India. Vande Mataram!!!

The Day Bollywood Got Even Sweeter...Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

What, you mean Bollywood didn't always have the dynamic Aamir Khan and the lovely Juhi Chawla?

Nowadays, its hard to imagine Aamir Khan being in amateur--and even in his first leading role he is hardly that. Arguably one of the most gifted and powerful actors Indian cinema has ever seen, Aamir's success can be traced through more than two decades, from classics like Lagaan and Rang De Basanti to recent triumphs such as Taare Zameen Par and Ghajini. Yet it had to begin somewhere, and that somewhere was Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak--a story about first love caught up in a web of fueding families.

This film was recommended to me by The Bollywood Fan, and after realizing we both had yet to write about it, we decided to collaborate and compile a joint review; I knew I was in for a real treat--Writing with the big Aamir fan would add an entertaining yet informative spin to the review, as well as my viewing experience (not only that, but I'd get to hear him say "Haye Allah--Juhi Chawla!"). We talked about all of my questions (and then some)--What was this film's reception by its target audience when in came out back in 1988? What was the general response to Aamir and Juhi? Which songs were embraced? The Bollywood Fan has written his part to this review here.

On first glance, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak seemed to be yet another young love story to emerge from the whole "DDLJ and HAHK Era", despite being released prior to those two films. However, after watching this I realized I was wrong--very, very wrong. QSQT is anything but "typical", espically for a Bollywood film. But then again, has Aamir Khan done anything typical, ever? This is one of those films that must be watched in its entiriety before you even begin to judge it. In other words, stick with it--You may think you've been down this road before in Bollywood, but rest assured, by the end you will see what separates QSQT from its counterparts.


The Story

Again, the story--on the surface, at least--is basic. Raj and Rashmi meet and unexpectedly fall in love, yet their families have been enemies for years. Raj's father, Dhanraj, even spent years in prison as a result of a tragic event related to this feud. And, yes,(following the stereotypical mold) Rashmi is already engaged to somebody else. Yet the film does such a good job of telling us this story that we don't seem to mind if we can guess how it will all turn out in the end (or will it?).

The Beginning

Unlike most films from this era (at least the ones I've seen anyways, Ahem, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun), QSQT does not drag in the beginning. Quite the contrary, the beginning was so strong and made such an impact that I instantly trusted its ability to entertain me for the next 2.5 hours. Those of you who have sat through an hour plus of boring dialouges and shoddy character development just to get to the good stuff in other Hindi films will truly appreciate this; QSQT gives the backstory to the feuding families in a way that gets to the point and yet is believable-- By the time the opening credits roll, we know why these guys don't like each other, and can even sympathize with both sides.

Aamir

Aamir Khan (as "Raj") makes his entrance to the film shortly after the backstory is told, in the vibrant song "Papa Kehte Hain"(Ironically enough, baby Imran Khan is seen first in the film as the young Raj). Babyfaced and charming, I saw Aamir in a whole new light here--I'd always found him attractive, sure, but in a sort of intelligent, smarty pants way. Here he's just a total heartthrob, plain and simple!

Aamir wears short-shorts!

But don't let Aamir's daisy dukes fool you--he was just as talented then as he is now. A natural screen presence, his Raj was the "perfect" hero; Sweet and senstive yet strong and protective. And although Aamir's talent was obvious to the viewer, it seemed somewhat unapparent to Aamir himself; A glimpse of a more naive version of the actor, perhaps, before he unevitably realized just how good he was (I'm not saying anything negative about the man--I'm just saying he didn't seem to have any idea how big he would become, and it was endearing to see him when he was somewhat "untouched" by fame).

Juhi (Haye-Allah!)

So I'd never considered myself a Juhi Chawla fan, and still don't, exactly, but...well, I can see why men all over were smitten with this actress after QSQT. Though her character annoyed me at first, there was something different and special about Rashmi which grew on me as the film went on. For one, she was kind of flighty, but as I got to know her, I realized this was genuine to her character and not just a ploy to look cute. Further, her love and devotion to Raj was adorable-As the Bollywood Fan pointed out, she won the hearts of many with her debut as a heroine.

Secondly, Rashmi's character seemed to break the conventional heroine mold I'd become accustomed to in Bollywood. You know, the one where the actress looks cute, flips her hair and lets her saree blow in the wind while the hero stalks her from behind the trees and pursues her with a song. In Bollywood (as I've known it to be so far, anyways) the hero practically worships the heroine, while she, in many cases, can't even stand the mere sight of him until he sings a song or two (See Kajol in DDLJ, Rani in Hum Tum, and Nargis in Shree 420 to name a few). Rashmi is sooo different. Although its Raj who notices her first, that's only because she's not paying attention. Once Rashmi lays eyes on Raj, its she who does the pursuing (and even follows him in the forest, signing a song that isn't subtitled, urgh!). There's a scene that makes me laugh out loud where Rashmi and Raj spend the night by the campfire--Rashmi makes it clear she would like Raj to sleep next to her, and is quite forward about it. After refusing, Raj literally turns his back on her and goes to sleep!

Raj turns his back on Rashmi...

Rejected!

The Chemistry

Once Raj stops putting up a wall and admits his true feelings for Rashmi, sparks fly. There's a lot of chemistry between these two, though in a pretty subtle way (think HAHK and DDLJ again). But that's what makes it so sweet--Every time Raj would blow a kiss or flash a dazzling smile at his love, my heart would flutter. I'd love to see these two paired up now, as they're both older and it would be interesting to see how they'd match up today.

The Music

The music was another strength of the film. Though the picturizations were kept fairly simple, they were also woven into the story so well that I can remember each one vividly. Aamir's song entrance was a favorite (and as noted in part one of this review, his real-life wife at the time even makes in appearance), and both of the love songs between Aamir and Juhi were touching (I especially liked the one at the end). The only one I didn't really care for was the song where Rashmi follows Raj through the forest--her facial expressions bothered me.

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!

The Ending

Like the beginning, the ending to Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak leaves an unshakable impact. I was completely and totally shocked by the turn of events, and sat like a statue staring at the screen long after the last credits rolled. The Bollywood Fan and I discussed how an audience that immersed itself in rainbow and sunshine endings could have possibly reacted to such a tragic climax, and agreed that its uncommon ending is what made it memorable. So, while I wished things would have turned out differently for Raj and Rashimi, I understood and appreciated the filmmaker's choice. Had it turned out any other way, I may have been less moved by the film as a whole.

***SPOILER END***

A fitting film for the starring debut of a legend, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak must not be missed by any Hindi film fan. Thank you to Bollywood Fan for recommending and sharing this experience with me!

Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!

It wasn't hard for me to like Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!.

There was so much good stuff in this film. Imran. Genelia. The cameos. The music. The "young love" factor. How could I resist?

There's been a lot of great reviews on JTYJN lately; I struggled for awhile, trying to come up with something fresh and interesting to say. But what it boils down to is this: Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na isn't going to knock your socks off with its originality or depth (at least not for someone that's seen so many similar things in commercial Hollywood). It's just plain ol' puppy love fun, and its strength lies in its abilty to be so good at being so simple.



Ahh, I've said it before, but there's something about "teen love"...it just takes me back! JTYJN takes place immediately following college graduation, so the characters technically aren't teenagers at all, but it has that whole youthful vibe nonetheless. And the hero, cutie pie Imran Khan, actually reminded me of my own high school crush...sigh!



The film follows a group of friends that includes best buds Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia). From the beginning, its implied that the two are in love, but as the film unfolds, we discover they're "just friends". However, after being questioned by Aditi's parents, they start to date other people, and their true feelings begin to surface.



Like I said, the story's not hard to predict, nor does it get much more complicated than that. But the performances and characters were so well developed that nothing else seemed to matter. As Ajnabi said in her review, the dialouges are so good you feel like you're actually there, sitting in on the conversations. And that's what I love about "feel good" films, something JTYJN undoubtedly is--You can watch again and again just to relive the moments with the characters, to spend time in "their world". Those are the films I tend to repeat, the timeless classics I pop in whenever I want to smile.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell that Imran and Genelia are here to stay--and I'm all for seeing more of them! Imran has all the qualities of a chocolate filmi hero: Good looks, connections in the industry, and acting chops to boot (Okay, not all filmi heros have that last one, but Imran thankfully does). Like Ranbir Kapoor, he's a natural, though in a more understated way. As Filmigirl would say, its time for the current Bollywood "hero-uncles" to make room!



In my Bommarillu post, I said I prefered Genelia's performance here as Aditi to her character as Hasini in that film. I'm not sure about that now--I truly loved them both. But I will say this--I appreciated Genelia's ability to add a different spin in JTYJN to a character that was, in some ways, similar to Hasini. Both were of similar age, and both required the cutesy spunk that Genelia plays so well. She could have easily slipped into "Hasini-mode" several times during JTYJN--and consequently, would have put herself at risk of being typecast. While that still may happen considering Genelia does have some distinct characteristics, I admired her for playing Aditi as differently as she did. Here, she was much more quiet, less fidgety, and even a bit spoiled--quite the opposite of the lovable, content Hasini. To add to her appeal, Genelia has an exotic look that makes her beauty unique. I'm guessing this can only help secure her spot in the industry--I can't think of any of the present-day heroines that look anything like her, can you?



The supporting cast was loads of fun, including cameos galore! My favorite?Naseeruddin Shah's role as Imran's deceased father, of course! He appeared only to bicker with Imran's mother, speaking to her through the framed portrait that hung on the living room wall. What made this cameo even better was the fact that Imran's mother was played by Naseer's real-life wife, Ratna Pathak Shah!!!



Seriously, I wish I had a photograph like this one of Naseeruddin Shah that talked to me...It would make life a lot more interesting, wouldn't it?:)

But wait, it gets even better...Pratheek Babbar, the son of Smita Patil and Raj Babbar, also had a cameo as Aditi's younger brother, Amit--And he definitely inherited his mother's good looks!



Not to mention the fact that he was perfectly cast as Genelia's brother--and did a fine job in his small role. Hope to see more of him!

While I didn't recognize Aditi's parents, their screen names were "Peachy" and "Pumpkin". Now why couldn't those be my parents' names?



As I'm sure you've guessed, Aditi and Jai both find potential love interests early on in the film. Jai's girlfriend, Meghna (played by Manjari Phandis) was an angelic beauty that almost made me root for her and Jai, despite the whole Aditi factor (almost). But Aditi's boyfriend, Sushant (Ayaz Khan) was a beast...so many times in the film I just wanted to give him a good kick in the pants!



The rest of Jai's and Aditi's friends were funloving and added to the delight of the film. I especially liked Sugandha Garg as Shaleen, one of the most spunky, colorful characters I've seen a female get to play in Bollywood. Shaleen was feisty when necessary, played the guitar, and even danced provocatively with another female...Even though Sungandha had a small role, this has got to be a sign that female roles in Indian cinema are progressively getting more interesting, doesn't it?



Other cameos include Kitu Gadwani, Sohail Khan, Rajat Kapoor, and Paresh Rawal. I'm sure there were some that I didn't catch, but you get the point, right? JTYJN was such a good time!

The music was composed by A.R. Rahman, so of course that was a no brainer. I knew I was going to fall in love with the soundtrack before the film even began! With titles like "Pappu Can't Dance", the music matched the vivacity of the movie perfectly. How does Rahman do it? He can create a sweeping melody fit for an epic (like most of the songs in the Jodhaa-Akbar soundtrack), and then turn around and give us something as hip and contemporary as the music of JTYJN. This guy rocks--no wonder he had such a great year!

Producer Aamir Khan adds another gold star to his list of filmi acheivements. What amazes me most about this one is it's the exact opposite of something I would have expected him to produce--I always see Aamir as being associated with films that make a political or social comment of some sort. But the Amazing Aamir proves that he can do good, clean fun just as well(if not better) as, say, Dharma Productions can. Bravo!

And, finally, as most of you know, Imran Khan also happens to be Aamir's nephew. As if he wasn't adorable enough in Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!, I stumbled upon this little Kodak moment online one day and couldn't wait to share it with you all...



Aww!Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks?

Slumdog Millionaire and Ghajini...2008 Goes Out With A Double Bang!

Ahh, its been a dreary last couple of days. The weather here in Wisconsin has been abyssmal (I'm moving when I graduate, that's it!), and there's been little more to do than watch movies and stuff my face with (now stale) Christmas cookies.

Plenty of time to head over and catch Bollywood's latest flavor of the month, Ghajini, and David Boyle's newest project, Slumdog Millionaire!

(First let me say that both of these films are equally deserving of their own posts. I only chose to combine the reviews so I could package it up in a neat little Happy New Year post like I did with HAHK and KANK).

I got so lucky this week--I enjoyed both films! How often does that happen? Anyways, let's talk about Ghajini first, since I saw that one on Monday. I'd heard various things about it, both good and bad, but I made up my mind that I was going to see it anyways. After all, I'd seen Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in the theaters, so I figured if I could take a risk on that one, I could do the same for Ghajini. Besides, if we can't count on Aamir Khan to give us a decent film, who can we depend on?



Though violent films are never really my cup of tea, I liked Ghajini much, much more than I thought I would. I mean, I was looking forward to it because of Aamir, but I didn't expect to be completely engrossed from beginning to end. Ghajini grabbed me hook, line and sinker! Never mind the similarities to Memento or the Tamil version--I couldn't have cared less. All I know is I was pretty darn entertained, and that's what I pay money at the movies for.

Gosh, its been a good 7 years since I saw Memento, and while I remembered it being very interesting, I really had to concentrate to figure out what was going on (the entire movie plays backwards, and the story's told through the eyes of the main character, who keeps losing his memory). Not so with Ghajini, a psychological thriller/romance that plays on the same premise of short term memory loss, but does it in a less complicated way. In this film, everything is pretty much spelled out for you: You know that Aamir's character, Sanjay, has suffered some kind of violent trauma to the head that resulted in his loss of short term memory. In other words, he forgets everything and everyone in 15 minute intervals. You also know he's looking for the person responsible for all of this, and you know his name is Ghajini. Heck, you even know that he's lost someone close to him, and you know that person's name is Kalpana. All of these things are tatooed in angry scrawl over Sanjay's chest, which you get a full view of early on in the film (and what a nice chest it is otherwise--go Aamir!).



As I said, I'm not one for violence, but I can stomach it. When I walked into Ghajini, I was prepared to walk out with zero "filmi feel good" moments and a collection of disturbing blood and gore flashbacks. So imagine my surprise when, after gearing up for three hours of action and suspense, Ghajini went off on a romantic comedy tangent...And stayed there for awhile.

I was kind of taken aback at first--I had really been getting into the suspense of the film--and the unlikely story between Sanjay and Kalpana (played by Tamil star Asin, who apparently has the same role in the Tamil version) seemed a little farfetched. Yet, as it went on (and on) I really started to like it. After all, its not everyday that I get to watch Aamir fall in love--romance took a backseat in most of the films I've seen him(I haven't seen much from his earlier "hero" days). And there was just something appealing to me about the way the two leads met--Kalpana was living her life, not even looking for romance and...well, Sanjay just kind of fell in her lap. Granted, it all started with a lie--her lie---but she redeemed herself with her affinity for helping others, which I'm sure was the director's intention.

By the time the flashback paused, and we got back to the action stuff, I actually wasn't ready to leave the romance(She didn't even know his real name yet!!! That bugged me like having an itch on your back you can't scratch). But Ghajini was just getting warmed up...the story gained even more speed and momentum in the second half. All I have to say is, the scenes with Aamir and Jiah Khan (who plays a medical student bent on befriending Sanjay) were nail-bitingly good!



As we pieced more of Sanjay's background together, the film took us to another flashback. This time I embraced the switch, as I'd been on the edge of my seat for the past 45 minutes and needed a breather. And what a perfect way to calm me down "Guzarish" was, the song that had serenaded me in the background every time Sanjay looked at Kalpana. Before I knew it, I'd went from pulse racing chase scenes to prancing around the sand dunes with Sanjay as he pursued his lady love...And of course, since I'm such a sucker for stuff like that, I loved every minute of it. Its also worth mentioning that Asin maintained an appropriately relaxed facial expression during this song, which I appreciated since her character was a bit obnoxious overall.

Because I knew from the very beginning that Kalpana was going to be killed, I knew the romance would be short lived, and maybe that's what touched me even more about it. I had a lump in my throat for most of the flashback, but I was still rooting for the couple to somehow make it.

The rest of Ghajini doesn't lose steam in the second half, like most 3 hour movies do. While the focus is on revenge--and that's not a concept I like to embrace--overall the mood of the film is balanced nicely. It flits from suspense to romance throughout (and does both very well), then tops it all off with a sharp climax. But the very last scene--and I won't give it away--is extremely touching and memorable. So much so that I left the theater quickly, hastily throwing my soda cup in the garbage while blinking back tears.

I liked Asin overall, and her acting actually improved as her role got more intense. And, whoa, she's got the shiniest black hair I've ever seen! No wonder Sallu's smitten, though you didn't hear that from me...;)



Jiah Khan, who's photographs have never done anything for me (I just thought she always looked kind of creepy, but she's actually very beautiful), showed some potential. Her role was second to Asin's, but she still added something to the film. Actually, at first it annoyed me that the director (or whomever was responsible) had her all dolled up when she was doing her medical research, every black curl in its perfect place. Then I realized that I would have done the same thing at her age (and still wear hot pink eyeshadow at work--I'm a makeup artist, I can't help it!), so I shut up and stopped calling the kettle black.

Do I really need to say Aamir did a good job? Of course, he did, but we already know he can do anything and everything in filmi-land, from acting to directing and back again. And I'm really liking the good streak of films from Aamir Khan Productions... First Taare Zameen Par (which I haven't reviewed yet because I'm looking for an excuse to rewatch), then Jaane Tu... (which I'll be reviewing shortly) and now this? The only drawback to Ghajini is it's not as good as TZP, in my humble opinion. But to compare the two really isn't fair (they're both very different films), and in some ways I think critical reception for Ghajini would have been even better if it had come out before TZP. Its never an easy task to follow perfection!

I liked Ghajini, it was worth every penny I spent on the ticket, and I'll buy the DVD when it comes out, too. Let's just hope it doesn't take as ridiculously long as Taare Zameen Par did!

The next day, still riding my Ghajini high, I didn't plan on making any trips to the theater. But a surprise babysitter and crummy weather left the opprotunity wide open--and off to see Slumdog Millionaire I went!























In case you haven't heard (because it seems like everyone's talking about it), Slumdog Millionaire is a British film directed by David Boyle. It's about a young boy who lives in Mumbai and lands a spot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Because it happens to be set in India, a lot of my friends had recommended this to me, knowing my fixation on Indian cinema. And I'm so glad they did!

At first, I was afraid of the film being another depressing story about poverty and village life in India. Why does it seem like that's the only thing that sells to the American audience (at least to the people that haven't fallen in love with Bollywood yet)? The Indian culture is more than just castes and Hindu/Muslim differences and treatment of widows. I don't mean to take those issues lightly, but can't there be a film that's set in India (that doesn't come out of Bollywood) that has a happier overtone? In other words, I just didn't think I could sit through another Brick Lane.



While Slumdog Millionaire has its own moments of dhoom and gloom, its also surprisingly witty and fun. The story follows the main character, Jamal, through his life as an orphan in the slums of Mumbai. His closest companions are his brother, Salim, and a little girl he meets along the way named Latika. Yes, things get ugly. Most of Jamal's life experiences include betrayal, poverty, and loss. Things don't look like they're going to get any better for our little hero even when he manages to land on the show, and play sucessfully. He's betrayed once again and even suspected for cheating since he's answered most of the questions correctly.



Again, the great thing about this film is that through all of this messed up stuff, there's a lot of opprotunity to laugh (including an "in" joke referencing Amitabh Bachchan!). The script was really well written, the editing was tight, and the music added a modern edge to the village scenes. The kids did an outstanding job--my favorite was the oldest Jamal--and the story was a lot more about the relationship amongst the three of them than anything else. Bravo! Whenever you tell a story about an "adult" issue (poverty, life in the mob, etc) through the eyes of a child, it puts everything in a very real perspective--Just like in Bronx Tale (a film directed by Robert de Niro about a child's relationship with a mob boss that I highly, highly recommend).



Yes, there are some Bollywood stars in Slumdog...Irfan Khan expands his rapidly growing international resume. It's not hard to see why he keeps getting picked to play these parts, since the man is extremely talented and just looks like the stereotypical Desi man (Doesn't he? I'm not supporting stereotypes, I'm just saying that he epitomizes the non-Desi view of an "Indian man").



Anil Kapoor plays the gameshow host, and, man, was he perfect for the role. He's got this way of going from smiley to sinister in seconds, and I never know if I should trust him or not. I could also see him playing a politician someday!

****Small spoiler ahead, but I don't give the ending away, I just hint at it****

Maybe I've watched too many Deepa Mehta films, but I had little faith that all would be well in the end. I won't say if it was or not, but I will say I was extremely pleased with the whole film. And there was a special treat as the credits rolled, which caused me to literally squeal with delight! Any Bollywood fan would appreciate this! I like to think David Boyle made the film his way, but included this last bit as a tribute to "the Bollywood way". There's no right or wrong way to make a movie, just two different styles that can both be enjoyed and celebrated by all. Now let's all hold hands and sing! :)

I can't believe I was lucky enough to see two films in two days--and love them both. What's amazing is that after seeing Ghajini and Slumdog Millionaire, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is but a distant memory. That's the point I was trying to make in my review--that film wasn't awful, but it just doesn't compare when you hold it up to really good films like these.

And last but not least, Happy New Year to each and every person who reads this blog! I really love reading your thoughts and comments, and appreciate you taking the time to do so. An extra special note to my regular commenters, readers, and blogging buddies (most of whom have blogs of their own-see sidebar)! Here's to another year of blogging, Bollywood, and friendship!

1947 Earth

After Dil Se..., I wasn't sure I was in the mood for another depressing film. I didn't know much about Earth, but since it was directed by Deepa Mehta, I knew better than to expect anything for the faint of heart.

But I popped it in anyways--Truth was, I'd been dying to see it for quite some time now. For one, it stars Aamir Khan! Isn't that reason enough to watch a film?



Secondly, I knew it was a story about Partition. Partition--the concept has fascinated me ever since I heard the story about how my grandparents migrated over to Pakistan from India. Actually, I know very little...My grandparents are both deceased and my father and I don't really discuss it. But it's my dad's wife who has known our family history for years, and gives me little pieces to the puzzle every time I visit her (In case you haven't read my brief little family story, I haven't been very close to my father for most of my life and was brought up very non-Desi by my German/Mexican side of the family). What I do know is my grandfather was Sikh, and apparently converted to Islam to remain in Lahore (his parents had migrated there from India before Partition). My grandmother and her family had migrated to Pakistan after Partition from Mumbai. And Earth is about Lahore, no less--needless to say, this heightened my longing to see the film. I wasn't there, but I could imagine the suffering my grandparents and their families must have went through, and how jarring the division of India and Pakistan must have been for all who experienced it. It certainly was the most bitter divorce in history, and I'll be telling the story to my own daughter someday--I don't ever want her to be ignorant to her family history, like I was.

Earth was just as much of a downer as Dil Se was...yet for some reason I liked this one better. Deepa Mehta has a knack for that. She gives you the most depressing circumstance and tells it with such well developed characters, solid performances, and tight scripting that you walk away feeling satisfied despite the doom and gloom.(At least that's the experience I have when watching her films--I'm sure there are some who beg to differ).



In Earth, the story is told mostly from the point of view of an eight year old girl. This was a brilliant move. We see the most terrible acts of mankind through the innocent eyes of a child, making even the stiffest upper lip tremble. Lenny (played by a darling Maia Sethna), lives with her parents in a Parsi home in 1947 Lahore. Her nanny, Shanta (Nandita Das) totes her around everywhere, mostly with a circle of Shanta's male friends. This isn't a problem in the beginning--Shanta's male friends lavish "Lenny Baby" with attention--mostly because they all have a thing for Shanta. Especially Dil, known as "Ice Candy Wallah"--and played by none other than Aamir Khan.

Lenny's adventures with her nanny turn from playful to tragic as the events of 1974 Lahore unfold--None of the characters have any idea of the warfare about to take place until it actually happens. Lenny and Shanta's world is literally torn in two as 1947 Earth lifts the veil off the people they trust--revealing love, friendship, hate, and betrayal.

My only complaint about this movie is there was less Aamir than I expected. I wondered why for most of the film (any insight, Bollywood Fan ?), until I finished it and thought whoa. As a matter of fact, it is Aamir (and his performance) who left the strongest impression on me. And I do mean strong---there's a particular scene towards the end (actually, Aamir's last scene in the film) that I had to replay three times until I could move on. I stared at the screen, wide eyed. If you've seen the film, you know why, but if not, just know that you still get blown away by Aamir, no matter how "small" his role may seem on the surface. It's not--trust me.

Nandita Das plays Shanta, the woman who everyone seems to want. Actually, it's Aamir's Dil and Hasan (Rahul Khanna--Akshaye's brother!) who are both in love with the beautiful nanny. And it's not hard to see why. Nandita Das fascinates me every time I see her. She's an amazingly talented actress and has a natural beauty that would make even the most polished Bollywood beauties jealous. There's just something about her--she's real, yet sexy at the same time. That jet black hair! Those perfectly straight white teeth! That creamy cocoa skin! Fair, schmair...Nandita's got it going on!



Maia Sethna was perfect as young "Lenny Baby". Her voice had the cutest little accent when speaking English. Oh, I could listen to her say "carmel custard" a gazillion times--I don't mean that in a derogatory way, its just so adorably cute! Deepa Mehta knows how to pick her child actors--remember Chuyia in Water?
But Maia is more than just cute as a button--she pulls off some of the most pivotal scenes in Earth effortlessly.

I remember little more about Rahul Khanna than that he was very handsome, and I feel kind of bad for that. His performance was more understated, and it wasn't that he didn't do a good job, but more that he was overshadowed by Aamir, Nandita, and little Maia. My feelings for him evolved during the course of the film--at first, I was irritated with him for getting in Aamir's way. As the film progressed, I softened--it was clear where Shanta's heart was, anyways. But I won't say too much.



The supporting cast seemed to click perfectly in their roles. Especially Kitu Gidwani, who plays Lenny's mother.



Here is another woman I was in awe of in this film. Kitu has this voice that is so musically elegant it could lull me to sleep (Isn't she in a Basmati rice commercial? I swear I've heard this voice before!). Lenny's mother Bunty exuded class and beauty, with a delicate grace that told you oodles about the type of home they had. They had it pretty good prior to 1947, an upper class Parsi family that lived quietly and comfortably. There's a scene where Bunty explains to Lenny what it means to be Parsi, and its so effective that I think I'll remember it for the rest of my life:




That's the other thing about Earth...it tries to give us a feel for 1947 from multiple angles, not just Hindu and Muslim. We see Lenny's family and their struggle to remain neutral as Parsis, the fury of a Sikh man who is forced to flee from his beloved homeland (or convert...makes me wonder if that is what my grandfather's family did?), and even a man who becomes a Christian. Given the time frame of the film, I was impressed with the glimpses into the other perspectives, albeit brief.

The music was forgettable (at least I forgot--how many songs were there anyways?) but this was not your typical Bollywood film. The background score, I thought, was really effective...a soft hum to steady drumbeat, like the sounds of a crowd of people making their way across the new borderline. There was also a narrative--who sounded like Shabana Azmi?--which was also pretty effective.

I've heard from Magpie Ima that Earth is an adaptation of a book called Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa. I'm also told that the author makes a cameo at the very end as an adult Lenny. I would definitely read her novel, since I really liked this film. It was fantastic--absolutely brilliant--and I'm so glad I finally got my hands on a copy (Thank you again, Summer and Katy!). I recommend this wholeheartedly to anyone and everyone.


Text © 2008 Nida Nazir Bitten By Bollywood

Rang De Basanti

Before viewing the film, I knew next to nothing about Rang De Basanti, except for that it:

1)Starred the ultra-talented Aamir Khan.

2)Was a highly respected film, receiving postive reviews from bloggers, critical acclaim, and several award nominations/wins.

3)Made a political and social comment, and although I had no idea regarding what, I knew it generated a lot of discussion and gave RDB a substantial mark in the history of Indian cinema.

4)Had a cool name. I didn't know what Rang de Basanti meant at the time, but I loved the way it sounded(By the way, thanks to IMDB.com, now I know it means Paint it Yellow (Saffron), a statement that represents being sacrificed for a good cause. The color yellow is also used frequently in the film. Wow. Its even cooler now!)



Sold. I would have purchased it based on #1 alone.

I was cautious about going into the film blindly, especially with such high expectations, as I had with Lagaan. Although I enjoyed that film, I totally overanalyzed it and walked away feeling it wasn't what I expected. But after I wrote the post and started reading the comments, I realized I missed the beauty of Lagaan--its uniqueness is what sets it apart, and I didn't appreciate that at the time.

With Rang de Basanti, I wasn't going to let that happen. I remained patient through the first half, which reminded me a tad bit of Dil Chata Hai. This wasn't a good thing, since Rang de Basanti lacked the character development and chemistry the friends in that film shared. Even Aamir Khan's DJ felt like a milder Aakash...



But, I chose to cast those feelings aside and remain patient, knowing something big was going to happen and whirl the balance of the film in a completely different direction. Boy, was I glad I kept the faith. Shortly after intermission, it all came together, and I realized this film was nothing like Dil Chata Hai. In fact, it was unlike any film I had ever seen, and I was amazed in the turn of events as well as the clever plot which was unraveling before my eyes.

The film begins when a British filmmaker named Sue(played by Alice Patten) decides to make a movie in India based on her grandfather's diary, a prison guard during the Indian Independence Movement. She travels to India to begin shooting with her friend Sonia (Soha Ali Khan--Saif Ali Khan's sister, for those of you who are like me and did not know). Sonia helps Sue find her cast for the film--four of Sonia's own closest college friends, DJ, Karan, Aslam, and Sukhi(Aamir Khan, Siddarth, Kunal Kapoor, and Sharman Joshi, respectively). Later the crew adds Laxman (Atul Kulkarni), although not without some conflict. We see the friends laugh, cry, have fun, all things we can expect college students to do. This occupies most of the first half, although the film is peppered with flashbacks from Sue's grandfather's diary, which later transform to our college friends in character.

If you've seen Rang de Basanti, you know its much more than that, as the core of the film's message starts to really take shape in the second half. But for the sake of those who haven't seen the film, the rest is better left unsaid--Just please trust me on this one and see it for yourself!



I've said it before and I'll say it again--Aamir Khan is truly an amazing actor. But I realized after watching Rang De Basanti that I respect him for something else, too: It seems like he chooses to do films that have a political or social message that he feels strongly about. Just look at the evidence--his role in Fanaa and controversial comments he made surrounding it, the strong Indian unity and triumph during British rule in Lagaan, the sensitive issue in Taare Zameen Par (a film I haven't seen but I know is about a child with a disabilty--which definitely strikes a sensitivity chord with me). Unfortunately, I don't know Aamir Khan personally, so I can't say whether my statement is valid or not, but I just get the impression that he chooses projects which mean something to him. And, wow, I really love him for that.

The rest of the cast was amazing, and all deserve individual credit, but since there are so many of them, I'll refrain from doing so--its not really necessary in this film. I will say that I heard Shahrukh Khan was supposed to play the part of Sonia's boyfriend, but was unavailable to do so (the part was ultimately given to Madhavan). I have mixed feelings about that--it could have been an amazing opprotunity for him to do something different and do it well, or his star power could have bogged down his ability to play a supporting character. It would have been either great or awful, but I guess we'll never know, and that's okay.



I thought some of the songs in the film were pretty, but sometimes felt a little bored while watching--weird for me because I'm not one of those people who get antsy during song-time in Hindi films. I usually watch them as closely as I do the dialouges. But, for some reason, I found my mind wandering in this film's musical moments.

(***SPOILER*****)I just have to say the ending is extremely powerful and effective, and I mean that in more than just content but on a technical level as well. The director played this out brilliantly--I'll never forget the last few frames...or DJ and Karan's smiles. Not to mention Karan's flashback of his last moment with his father. Powerful. I was literally in floods of tears.
(****SPOILER END*****)

I guess this is a short post because a film like this truly speaks for itself. I can't even crack any sarcastic jokes or comment on Kunal Kapoor's hottness, because it just doesn't seem relevant(but hot he is--ok, I couldn't help it).



Just go see it. It is definitely a one of a kind film.


Text © 2008 Nida Nazir
Bitten By Bollywood

Lagaan

I had a really tough time getting my hands on this film! After months of searching online, the only place I found it was on Nehaflix, but it was horribly overpriced. The owner of my local Indian grocery store told me the publisher recently went out of business, resulting in Lagaan becoming scare and quite expensive.

Then, one day, lo and behold, my friend takes me to some random and tiny (but very cool) video shop on Milwaukee's East side...and they actually have it!! I couldn't contain my excitement. I almost broke into a song and dance right in the video store, but since my friend (who I haven't converted into a Bollywood fan yet) visits this store quite frequently, I maintained my composure and paid for an overnight rental instead.

Was Lagaan worth all the hype and drama I'd created around it? Probably, but I didn't actually love it. But that's okay. It's okay because there were still some great things in the film, and I only paid $3 to rent it(as opposed to $130 to purchase it online).

I guess I'm just not a "sports movie" kind of gal, but that's not to say I was disappointed with the lengthy cricket game in the second half. In fact, I probably enjoyed that part of the film more than I did the first half. It was in those scenes where I finally "connected" with Lagaan, when I found myself falling for the characters, moved by the film's beautiful story of teamwork, really wanting them to come to victory. Ok, so if this is what makes a great sports film (and I would think that it does), then Lagaan definitely makes the mark.

While it succeeded most in telling a story of friendship and unity amongst villagers, I found the romance in the film a bit dull, a disappointment since the three characters on the cover had me thinking we were going to get a juicy love triangle. Although it's possible the film was trying to do just that while everything else was going on, it just didn't quite work for me in that respect. I did appreciate the writer throwing some romance in...it just didn't move me all that much (I loved Gracy Singh, though. She was the cutest!).

Aamir Khan continues to impress me with his performances...this is only the third film I've seen him in, and I'm already in awe of the man. He says so much with his expressions alone, never over the top. The only problem with his role in Lagaan was that I didn't get much about who his character really was, but I guess that was because the writer was trying to tell the story of an entire village coming together, not just Bhuvan's piece in it. So whatever. I just want more Aamir!!

As I mentioned above, the movie's true strength lies in its touching tale of teamwork. Even as things turn sour when one of the villagers betrays his fellow teammates, Lagaan chooses forgiveness instead of spite, giving us another character to root for in the end instead of a villain.

It's those little things that made Lagaan special for me. I'm definitely glad I got to see it, as it's quite different from the typical Bollywood formula, and my curiosity was killing me. Knowing the lengths I go to for Bollywood, I might have paid the $130 had I not found it at the video store (and this post wouldn't have sounded quite so cheery)! Now there's a scary thought...

Text © Copyright 2008 Nida Nazir Bitten By Bollywood

Dil Chata Hai

Just when I thought I couldn't love Bollywood any more than I already do, my friends at Jaman recommend a movie like Dil Chata Hai to remind me that I ain't seen nothing yet.




Dil Chata Hai is a rare story about three male friends and their personal journey into a little thing called love. It's not too sappy or melodramatic,but it has has its touching moments. There's just enough romance for the chick flick lover in you, but the real heart of the movie lies in the changing relationship between the three friends played by Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, and Saif Ali Khan.

These guys have an onscreen chemistry that I haven't seen between three men in a long time(I'm thinking since Three Men and A Baby. Quite a different film, but...humor me). Their personalities are each so different and balance the story out to perfection.

Aamir Khan as Aakash dazzles me with his talent once again, but I'm sure that's no surprise to those of you who grew up watching his films. Saif Ali Khan as Sameer continues to make me laugh by his voice, facial expressions, and body language alone. But it was Akshaye Khanna(who has the cutest chin ever)as Sid, the artist with a heart of gold who falls for a divorced woman with a drinking problem, who really caught me off guard. I had no idea Bollywood had it in her to come up with a story like this, but give me more! Being a single mother(and half Pakistani herself, a culture where this is seriously frowned upon), it always bothers me that women are labeled so harshly once divorced or widowed, and I loved that Sid was man enough to stand up against the ridicules and jokes from his own best friend because he just didn't care what people would think. How many men would do that?

The feud that situation created between Aakash and Sid is also brought to a moving end when Aakash admits he was wrong and Sid forgives him wholeheartedly. I'm embarrassed to think back to some of the friendships I had, particularly when I was a teenager, that ended on a stupid argument which I had too much pride to repair. I'm glad Aakash grew up and realized that was not going to happen to him, and happy that Sid didn't let things change their friendship after that. Just another beautiful touch to an already perfect film!

I have to mention Dimple Kapadia as Tara(Sid's love interest). She's amazing. Simply amazing. I won't say anymore, but if you see the movie, I won't have to.

Wow. When I come across a movie like this, it reminds me why I write about Bollywood in the first place!

Text (c) Nida Nazir, 2008 Bitten By Bollywood