All Fizzles no sizzles makes KwK a damp squib

...and precisley the cause of wanting to discontinue the talk show. 3 episodes down and clearly there is no novelty in Season 3 to keep viewers glued to it.

The 4th episode was the directors special, featuring- the celebrated triumvirate with a golden run at the BO- Farah Khan, Raju Hirani and Imitiaz Ali. While no intellectually stimulating conversations are expected out of a coffee talk show, hosted by a successful director of over the top, extravagant and ostentatious mainstream commercial cinema in tinselville, one does wish for better standards in such genres on the small screen.

No comparisons can ever be fair and no point wasting words over it but I was looking forward to some food for thought from some of the biggest filmmakers of this decade. By themselves the 3 brought a certain amount of gaiety and good humor into the proceedings, but it still felt being left high and dry. K Jo barely scratched the surface unlike the episodes featuring celebrities who were churning out enough drama offscreen to keep the gossip mills running.

Startling revelations, candid confessions and potential scandals is what this season seems to seek and thrive on. Agreed, KJo is an integral part of the filmy fraternity and hence he is already an insider, knows his guests , his style is becoming all too familiar and repetitive, his near perfect diction and poise marred by silly giggles and gayish behavior seeming too full of himself.

In the directors special episode, Hirani shared how life changed after the iconic Munnabhai, the impact the movie had in terms of the social message and on a personal note, thanks to the "Gandhigiri " notion  how he was served only pineapple/orange juice at parties.

The dashing and handsome Ali spoke of his little known " Socha Na Tha" and his journey through Love Aaj Kal. The 3 directors bring to us diverse forms of cinema and exchange of ideas on the formula for what works and doesnt work at BO salvaged my interest which was definitely headed southward.

Moving to the episode that followed bringing together the much hyped much talked about our very own Brangelina couple- Saifeena.One word- Boring. The two are way too starry eyed and very much in love and full of praise for each other, even ridiculously arrogant. So lets leave them with that and hope Kareena has some senses knocked into that pretty head of hers. Before she takes digs at her peers she should know her own success rate at BO isnt exactly glowing. Strictly personal view, stop coming across as a dumb blonde and get rid of that attitude. The Chote Nawab is blue blood and Kareena is blue eyed and that entitles them to have certain airs  but needs to be kept in check. The hamper was deservedly won by Saif for his restrained but witty responses. Dont believe the trailer it wasnt all that it was being made out to be. And, Piggy chops has ofcourse scored with her reactions that were splashed across tabloids and newsfeed in nondescript channels.

And yesterday, it was the evergreen , moustached Anil Kapoor with Sanjay ' Rocky' Dutt and a made up, cakey Kangana Ranaut. It was a lively chat sprinkled with laughter and god natured humor that emanates from being in the industry for as long as they have and been through major-minor upheavels placed strategically in their respective careers. The Dixit factor drew some chuckles too. Nonetheless, it was more of a studied and /or rehearsed act, given that all 3 guests decided to play it safe and refuse to let anything slip from the lip that could spell controversy.

Anil spoke of how he was rejected when he auditioned for the role of Sanjay's friends in Rocky and then again in Swami dada by Dev Anand. He also elaborates on his new innings with H wood in MI 4. He was at his Jhakkas  candid best and the most entertaining one on the set. Sanjay steered clear of stating anything that could become fodder for filmy magazines and gossip mongers. Good for him, with a not so clean slate to speak of his demeanor can only mean common sense.

The usually outspoken Kangana on the other hand decide to play demure in her flowing, leg baring , stylish yellow gown and kept those bee stung (read collagen injection) lips mum while clearing the air on the rumors surrounding her personal life with clipped responses. While the accent war is on , one cant help notice how weird Kangana's is.Not to be nasty or demeaning but she could work on it just like she did on her lithe-then-voluptuous -now frame.

Cricket and Bollywood, together, are the single biggest mode of entertainment in this country and also constitutes the celebrities/ P3P's strata of the society, and the two are often intertwined. Hence, to be able to manage a chat show with soaring TRP, the production houses put their weight behind either the inhabitants of B Town or sporting heroes or simply anyone who is the toast of the season (read in news for reasons, right or wrong).

To lament on the state of affairs of the small screen is a drain on my grey cells. Let the sleeping dogs lie, for now.

The ot'her' in We

The temperature on the sets of Koffee with Karan are rising. Outside of it too. TRP's and finally, tempers.

If episode 2 had two contemporary actors sharing the couch and facing a battery of questions on the show, it was the two lissome ladies, DP and SK taking potshots.
We had channels in days following the airing of the episode show us angry outburst by Sr. Kapoor and rumors are rife on the family's reaction and equation between KJo and the RK parivaar.
On the show, however, a lot of clarifications were made and air cleared over all that the press had churned out since the debut of the ladies in B'wood.
The girls seemed at ease in each others presence when it is a hard sold fact that two women can never be friends, especially where a man happens to be the common factor. And DP even goes on to say that if two women are on even keel its difficult to remain friends.
DP for most parts clarified on how she prefers to handle her personal relation post the done-to-death ' break up' thanks to RK's wandering ways and roving eyes. Sonam seemed to acknowledge that opinion.
The epidsode by itself wasnt an entertainer but thanks to some witty and whacky responses in the rapid fire, in its aftermath it managed to garner publicity for the show. As for recall value, one could deduce it was more of a RK bashing going on there.
And the coveted hamper went to..........both the ladies as it was a tie. Why KJo even got them to gorge on the pastries on air.
Next week,looking forward to director trio of, Farah Khan+ Raj kumar Hirani +Imitiaz Ali sharing screen space.

Split/Spilt beans..It all happens over a cup of coffee

Verdict: Episode 2 was a blast!!!

Two of the hottest, sought after brand from the youth brigade in tinseltown takes audience on a joyride with their fiery wit and capricious ardor. Why there was even a lip lock to send the TRP's in a tizzy.

Scion of the Kapoor khandaan and the first 3rd Gen male superstar from the original first family of bollywood is a firebrand and relaxed in the face of perceived pressures of stardom and the adulations rests easy on his wiry frame.

When you have a Khan for a surname you are already a star. But this accidental star exudes a relaxed charm, poise and is as unassuming as the boy next door, but for the "chocholate boy " looks that one cant help draw comparison to his uncle's early years as an actor.

Together, the two, are pure entertainment for 60 min's and paisa vasool.They might as well have been your pals in college days, playing the fool, and bringing the dorm down with their bufoonery antics.

RK won the much coveted hamper. The two even tried seducing KJ for it and quite hilariously so. It was a laugh riot yet I wouldnt single out any one instance. It was what it promised to be.
Fun watch for timepass.

DYK? We see most of the guests go ga-ga over the hamper. Why?

A sneak peak:

~~BlackBerry Torch

~~ A Samsung Tab

~~ A box of chocolates from the Grand Hyatt

~~ A box of Lindt Swiss thins

~~ A box of mini cupcakes

~~ Vicenzi's Mini Snack puff pastry rolls filled with hazelnut cream

~~ A maroon Koffee With Karan mug

~~ Gourmet ground coffee

~~ A small bottle of Nescafe Classic

~~ Bailey's Irish Cream

~~ A scented candle

~~ A small bottle of Leonidas chocolate spread

~~ A bottle of Burberry Sport for women

Hmmmm......................

Next week features the leading ladies of recent times Deepika and Sonam both of whom have come of be a permanent fixture in Hindi cinema. One comes from a filmy lineage and the other has positioned herself firmly without a godfather in the otherwise 'camps' ruled industry. That , both , the lissome ladies have had enough press over a 'certain someone' in common should make for some interesting conversation. Not to mention the media hoopla that shall follow.

On that note, I shall go pick up my coffee!!

Action Repulsive

Somebody please turn back the hands of time and prevent this horror in the making.
Yes, it is as horrendous as the garish poster.

A tale of unspeakable torture. A WMD!! (Uncle Sam are you listening?)
What were Ash-Akki-Vipul Shah thinking? Er..should that be, not thinking? Even by Bwood's ridiculous leave-ur-brains-at-home capers this one's managed to hit the rock bottom.

Verdict: Suggested viewing for euthansia aspirants.
On that note hand me an Aspirin please. Throw in some Valium too. I must have been suicidal to have watched it. But I survive to be of service to you.

Koffee for all s(r)easons

This Diwali weekend, it drizzled, rained and then for some good measure,poured.

The folks in 'power' must've mused that the lamps shall lighten up the moonless night anyways, why not save on electricity. Brilliant!! And then the cablewallah had some  DIY fixes for why the channels were either blacked out or grainy. 

So when the two finally come together, I find myself unwinding in front of the ibox and ended up being all wound up.(Not just with what will follow in the post but broadly on the state of affairs of the television as a medium of mass entertainment in our country.)

Back on track and to be specific, caught the "It" & 'waiting-in-the-shadows' couple from the first family of Bollywood on KJo's show over Upma (well. ...it was dinner time) and am glad it wasnt my coffee time else I would have wanted to spill it all over Annoyingly Ridiculous Bahu (read Aishwarya Rai Bacchan).

For reasons and logic best known to KJo he ropes in Ash and AB baby to open the 3rd season of his popular talk show.

And its dark.
Actually their respectiver designers, stayed conservative by dressing all 3 in black.For Ash, it's justified-  she does look plump so saves the day for her. Yeah yeah, its unfair, the pressures of looking good all the time but hey, since when does the crown rests lightly.
The studio included could have done up with more colors and with lot more panache.

And its irritating.
Actually it's Ash. She giggles endlessly. Plus, she needs to be reminded she is on Karan's show not Cannes Press conference. The accent + giggles only makes you wish she zips the lips. It only lends more credit to the claims of all those who call you Ice-maiden and fake .
She is a pretty sight, anytime.Drool factor. Still packs a punch at 37.

And its lukewarm.
Actually it's Junior B. He chose to remain on the fence. Diplomacy was his mantra. While Ash ventured to couple of bold statement which were very unlike her previous apperances on the show.

Sample this:

K Jo: Do you like being in the eye of the storm?
ARB:My name is not Khan.
Get a life honey. Your man can't do in a lifetime what the Khan Triumvirate can in a single release- Whip up a frenzy. I don't deny it was a dumb question (read for blonde's) in the first place, who does? From where you stand maybe no publicity is better than negative publicity but if it works for others, you neednt pontificate or sit on judgement. By making statements like these you are doing exactly that- more publicity.

K Jo:  X, Y Z who is the actor  for all seasons? (Btw,Bacchan's werent amongst the options)
ARB: It's the Bacchans for all seasons. 
Now, lady,that sounds stupidly eccentric, weirdly self-obsessed and an pompous ***

K Jo: Who wont be on your party guest list?
ARB: All those who are on your's.
Its common knowledge that most of it is of your own doing. Why drag K Jo's camp into this?
Tactless. Tch-Tch!

K Jo: Who would be the only persson you would like to be stranded with on an island?
ARB:Mallika Sherawat. Then AB baby will come running for her but lead him to me.

Sic.Sic.The way she mouthed the name and contoured her face she might as well have spat.

Glad Jr B won the hamper.Much ado bout nothing. The hamper I mean.

It was amusing to hear ARB say she doesnt like the girl talks on bags and shoes and compliments when she talks/walks/breathes/ exudes ultra feminity on and off screen.I mean come off it. The elaborate elegant, prim proper act you put on 24/7 speaks an entirely different language altogether and then you say you have a thing against it. If you are a 'buddy'- like one among the boys -as the hubby says, then you truly are one helluva actress.

As for wittiness She had this to say in her rapid fire Q & A;
K Jo: Can you pass a mirror without looking at it?
ARB: Yeah. Why upset the mirror?

Found that pretty Duh huh!!!! Add to this the million times K Jo parroted " the most beauitful woman on earth" , its an over kill. Even for a beauty of Ash's calibre it sure was.

The 1 min 'sing ode for the couple' videos of tinseltown brethren added nothing of value. Considering no one will , ever, admit on camera how brilliant papa is, how beautiful wife is, how talented mom is but beta bacchan is no where in the race. He is a prankster, fun to work with, brings so much energy to work and is a live wire. And yes the smile and eyes. I mean the man is a legend. Despite the track record, he actually has directors/ producers wanting to work with him. Plus a natural multipurpose. great eye candy for shutter bugs to go tizzy over+ decent enough hanger for trophy, picture perfect, 10/10 better half.

For Jr. B its a forever battle, not to beat the race but to even be in the race.Wicked.Lol!

While baby B acknowledged that " wife is always right" it was a natural progression to see the wifey devour the first episode. Ash beat Rani (rumored) and Karisma (fact) to him and still considered the one who got the raw deal between the two. (Ok, only for a moment forget that she bagged the Bacchan surname). Not that the sidey ' prince' or the eternal bad boy with a heart of gold ' being human' would make an difference. She is indeed a star in her own right and has earned it. But blowing your own trumpet, give us a break!! If your arent Khan and meant that as a sacrcasm isnt it ironic you are doing just that.

Trivia:Bacchans arent , really, Bacchans. It was Sr.B's poet daddy's adopted pen name.

The couple doesnt have the sharp humor meets style diva of an SRK-Gauri ;baritone meets grace of an Amitabh-Jaya, or Fun meets more fun of a Rishi-Neetu pairing, but they work magic anyways. Lest one thinks I am an Ash-Abhi fan, note I said Magic. If one interprets magic as something that science cannot sufficiently explain i.e, no logic to speak , then yes the couple do have a magic they rub off on people, the surname notwithstanding.

Wasn't quite the flag off one would expect. Next week has Ranbir 'rocking' Kapoor and Imran 'impish' Khan on the couch, spoofing a 'dostana' kodak moment. The advert for it promises a fun ride , so looking forward to the youth brigade of B town making more of a splash and Oomph!
Why the O?
You shall know.
Next week.

Lift Kara de!!!!

Phew!!!!


The first of instance, an attack of claustrophobia, and fear running in your veins. And for a good 15 minutes the heart chose to rise up to the roof of my mouth and stay put even as I put up a brave front. Brave considering the uncontrollable tremor that was shaking up my insides. Was petrified to say the least but why make it obvious. And I summon little soldiers to assemble inside my head for a quick survey of all faculties and senses to be in order. And 'presence of mind' was caught napping. But was pulled upto the task.

The 2 men were playing it cool and sharing valuable insight on To-do's / dont's ICE and the laws of physics ( long forgotten, not that I could recall under these circumstnces anyways).
Lady 2 chooses to keep a sombre expression and stick to a corner, holding on to the hollow cylindrical metal pipe running along the insides of the lift for grip as if bracing before the free fall. Related disaster scenes from movies and videos on youtube all come to me in a rush and flash past.Shudder!! Man 2 I think the lift is moving. We are going down. Yikes!!!!Pure panic in my head now. 2 seconds I still myself and no we ain't going down.

The stale smell of coffee, food and the likes churn up an volcano deep in the gut and I resist the urge to throw up.The fact I was holding my breath wasnt helping and making me slightly dizzy.Motion sickness is the word i think. Or the lack of it.

The power is back now. The A/C hums and the cool air comes as somewhat a relief.The men fiddle with most of the buttons on the panel. Nothing happens for a while. And then the beeper goes off incessantly. Sinister, more than ever, in the pin drop silence. And then the door closes shut suddenly and with such force ( or maybe it was the echo, doubling the effect) that a shriek escapes me. I mumble an apology. 2.3.4 minutes... the doors slowly open to one of the many exits on another floor. We cant get off. Different company and access/entry is prohibited. 

Man 1 makes a call to the security. Couple of minutes later ( feels like an eternity by now) .Again,nothing happens as time stands still.Only the reassurance that the front desk lady is getting help.

We toy with the idea of stepping out or remain in the lift. Man 2 is fidgety, hopping in and out and waves occasionally at the doors in the hope that the motion sensors are working.The men ,1 and 2 ,get out and try and convince the security to allow us passage to the entrance (we were in service lift remember) but the chap remains unconvinced. Not allowed Madam. Idhar se nahi jaa sakte.

Couple of exchanges ( read pleads n teary eyed expression) and he concedes defeat and finds us an escort, who lead us out of the floor and through the front/main entrance.I course let my eyes linger on the interiors of the lets call it XYZ firm. Boring to say the least.


And ,we are back to the lift lobby having come a full circle now. And I breathe easy. Sigh,actually ,with relief. My legs are still wobbly as we cover one last floor by foot.
 
All in a day's work. Here and there it might seeem overtly dramatic but it was so for Lady 1 (yep, it's me).

It's been a while....

...since I wrote last and the world has seen a good number of dawns and dusks.


And, I have few dozen flicks to speak of :D

And a dozen week since my last post,however, a variety of issues, ranging an amazing spectrum have caught my eye and interest....


Run up to the CWG and right until a somewhat let down of a closing ceremony. Of course, my innate sense of national pride doesn't come at Rs 70k crore.
The Down under's tour of India and related happenings in the visitor's lair. (For a nation of war time criminals, and social misfits/outcasts they sure are living up to their history.)
The inexplicable yet humongous success of a trite of a flick Dabangg the likes of which B'wood churns out by the assembly line ,Friday after Friday ,at the BO.
The unrelenting monsoon across India lay bare the woeful infrastructure in place ( if there was one in the first place that is) and the workings of the planning commission.
Or, the more recent political shamble in K'taka and the widely covered horse-trading (such fine animal that and reduced to such/ much malign, sigh!)


....were the most talked about, passionately debated and heatedly discussed topics over lunch, coffee breaks, bus stops, queues and the likes ...take your pick and any which way the combo worked for you, there is an 90% probability you have have been part of them, active or passive.


With so much turmoil and misplaced sense of nationalism amongst the masses and classes it came as little surprise to me that none of the wise owls in my periphery had heard of the heinous crime at Kota, Rajasthan a little under a month ago. And again, the probability lies on the extreme left of you even recalling the appalling, blood curdling, sordid story.De sensitization is what one figures happened. Democracy has its say. We are exposed to much violence in all its manifestations across all modes of mass media that another
AMRMCB ( accosting, molesting, rape,murder in cold blood) and subsequent cover up is no big deal. HuMAN life (sorry womenfolk, you ain't worth a mention) , unless you are a celebrity, socialite or a prominent political figure, doesn't seem to hold much value in the largest democracy of the world. 


The Great Indian Jugaad- omnipotent, omnipresent- works each time.We of course shall raise a hue ad cry when the mark hits home.

 The silver lining amongst all the gloom, of monsoon and otherwise was the laudable show by our sporting men and women at CWG and at a personal front, the release of my bro's music album- Krishna Yog.
While on personal front, I managed nicks and scrapes on my blue eyed boy, run ins with errants on road as also a parking ticket.So how does that make it to this list. It doesn't. The outcome is I have learnt to be a lot more responsible.


I dint really have much in mind when I started off with this piece. And the intent definitely was not to infuse negativity in what I reckon is a blissful extended weekend for most of you ahead of mother of all festivals in India- Diwali.


To end on a happy note I would recommend " Jhoota hi sahi" from Abbas Tyrewala's stable , a delightful chick flick/romance/sitcom hybrid genre.Yes I am hopelessly biased to some one in particular but rest assured that aint the only reason this time around. And no, I am not following this up with a review of this one. 


For the B'wood  fare addicts however here's a handy guide.

Anjaana Anjaani:- Statutory warning: Stay away from it.And if you must see the landscapes I suggest you buy an encyclopedia on the US of A.

Crook: It's a spoof. Honestly.Don't even risk this one.You are likely to turn into a serial killer if you do.

Khichdi: To be seen only if your IQ is between -10 and -5.

Aakrosh: Old wine new bottle. Neat attempt on a relevant burning national issue but doesn't quite make it. Lacks the punch despite fab chemistry between Devgn and Khanna.

Do Dooni Chaar: A light, heart warming story of the great Indian middle class family- values et all even if somewhat flawed.Sincere portrayal,dedicated cast and the return of talented Neetu-Rishi onscreen jodi make it a must watch.

Knockout: A thriller, loosely on lines of the H'wood flick Phone Booth. Neat work.An avg watch by the standards in this genre but a good watch in comparison to the first three on this list.
RaktaCharithra: Mindless hacking, chopping, mincing, cracking- I am talking human here. Much blood. Much gore. Thats RGV for your. Even for a real story its difficult to stomach for a sane audience. Watch if Satya and Company titillated your senses.Just be warned its an OD by miles.

Enthiran/ Robot: If I were you, I wouldn't go there.Like Science cant explain God, I cant explain this one.Faith makes the world go around and if Rajni it is for you ,so be it.Amen.


A refreshing change from my staple H/B wood were Tolly/ Kolly/Sandal wood fare bringing much delight to my palate.Godavari, Pancharangi,Ready,Manasare...and a few light ones I cant recall.


So long..For now, I have announced a comeback on my blog and will linger for a while.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVaoHlnRldQ

ConneXions

Dor, in Hindi can come to mean differently in myriad contexts. The simplest, as would befit this ode to film making by Kukunoor ,would be a string that binds and connects.

In our worlds today where staying connected virtually has gained predominance over making it to the dinner table together for a quiet relaxed meal I am blown away like a feather in a gentle breeze, touched by every emotion I knew existed in me and those I dint, in all of 147 minutes.

A tale of two woman, polar in all respects.

A tale of love, friendship, betrayal, belief, subjugation, emancipation and finally redemption.

A tale of human bonding in circumstances so extreme, so distressing yet so placid.

A tale of such charm that definitely does not belong to the time we live in or have known it to be.

It may come as a surprise for many of you who have known me to trash and rip apart flicks with an acrid tongue.

And for hardliners like me it's a veritable feast , catering to all of the faculties, not in one wide swoop, but in ebbing and flowing, and seeping down, slowly, gently until ingrained.

Unlike times I do not let in on plots more for the lack of it, I shall hold back

this one, for one would be unable to justifiably word it for easy comprehension and mass consumption. 

this one for its a journey one should make to experience and be able to appreciate individually.

I would strongly recommend that you not look it up on web. I do not know who defines what a classic must be but  this one is for sure by my standards and way up on my list of " 100 best things that happened to me while on Earth".

Now all that talk should be backed up by content one would say and Dor will not disappoint.Far from it. 

To the best of my knowledge this movie garnered appreciation amongst critic, failed to set the cash register ringing, won accolades for the performance and was seen at more number of film festivals than the number of general public who watched it.

Kukunoor's brand of cinema and works are by now known to be for niche audience. Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal, Teen Deewarein and it's likely you would have 9 out of 10 people asking you Kukunoor who?

His works are subtle, simplistic and straightforward that belies the complex inlay of fragile emotions and intricacies of human psyche. Like the calm river surface thats conceals the strong currents beneath. 

A special mention to the cinematography and art director. Rajasthan has forever been type casted as land of colors, richness, , bravado and royalty in our movies. But Dor brings alive the barren, arid, sandy landscapes in ways never seen before in our movies just as the chilled, hilly and dewy feel of Himachal Pradesh leaves you besotted.

Dialogs are simple. Background scores melting away into the plot. The songs moving soulfully through the languid , lethargic pace of the story ( btw it occurs to me that's the only thing that could go against it). It could also be a tad preachy at times. 
Like: Life is about living on your terms and by your choices.And its also about living with the consequences of your choices.

But the single biggest USP of it are the actors. 

All you big banners out there, hope you hang heads in shame, you don't need star power, 12 packs, ensemble cast, foreign locales, designer wardrobe or world's best special FX to make good cinema. You need a  "story", a vivid mind of an artist and a heart burning with passion to tell it like it is.

Gul Panag shows why she is extraordinary in this film when all you can conjure up images at the mention of her name would be some nondescript  dimpled winner of a beauty pageant.

Shreyas Talpade justifies why he was chosen to team up for a second innings.In fact, his role is the only relief (at times comic) in sharp contrast to the profoundity of the story. The scene where he is getting the camel to stand up is the so hilarious I had to pause for respite from the ache that built up in my tummy from all that lol and wipe out tears that it brought to my eyes. An actor par excellence who will leave you asking for more. I hope for sake of Hindi cinema we don't loose him to glitz and glamor.

A note though, the humor like the rest of the story is very subtle and one not watching with a a keen eye and ear is likely to miss most of it. Not that there are many anyways.

All other actors are sufficient and fit their bill to a T. Why even Kukunoor makes a cameo and is the only, somewhat odd one out. But that's excusable in the overall scheme of things.

And the best for the last. Miss Takia ( Now Mrs.) 

Wonder what the heck was she thinking featuring in itsy bitsy in woebegone movies thats exclusive screening for folks resigned to hell.

Like the movie thats come in with a fresh wave of thought, style and dimensions to story tellings, has given a new lease of life to Hindi cinema, its the coming of age of Ayesha Takia as an actor.

Like the character she essays, from awkwardly dancing to .." you are my sonia..", or hastily fixing her veil in elders presence ,or snuggling up to human touch in months of widowhood, to finally the climax scene where realization dawns on her she takes your breath away.

My hopes of her gravitating towards fine cinema, towards wiser choice and taste buds vanished with Wanted.With her blissfully enjoying matrimony one could predict that will be all from her in a long time to come.

Kukunoor's work should be made into a mandatory tutorials for all wannabe film makers before they venture into crass commercialism they call ' zara hatke' works and then wind up in my legendary list of movies that shouldn't have been made. ( Ah yes, call it vanity, call it obsession, I am here to stay with my list).

I hope thats enough dent I have caused to get you into watching Dor or should I say any more? Why I'll even bribe you for it.

I chanced upon this movie accidentally. And I have been hopelessly biased since. The journey was made without sky high expectations but one that left me spellbound. 

Hope it shall be the same for you. Simply Connect.

Vogue 2010

The magazine has gotten into some controversies with its cover shots on its latest issue but that's not what this is about.( OK. I get it. You probably don't know what the heck I'm talking about.Google to your rescue)


What it is about is, 'Aisha' the on screen adaption of Jane Austen's Emma  (or so the makers say) by débutante Ojha. Rajshree's got the look and feel just right but she hits the bull's eye with Sonam. The lanky Ms. Kapoor doesn't disappoint and has sunk her teeth deep into the character, a rarity to come by in B'wood, and for most parts she's immensely watchable. I still cant fathom is it because I find her on screen persona as bird brained as her surreal self. 
(Surreal as we, the mass ,never know whats reality when it comes to a celebrity.)


Ojha paints a pretty picture of the elitists of Delhi, their indulgences, their self importance,their whims and fancies.
Aisha with a heart of gold takes her role of making matches on earth quite seriously after her maiden attempt at helping her maasi find the love of her life is a win win for all.New comers Ira Dubey and Amita Puri  are plucky and play her sidekicks with equal elan.


Aisha is the smart and sassy uptown girl who's typical day is spent visiting art galleries, tending to stray dogs that passes off as social work, genteel cheering at polo matches and when doing none of the above she's zipping across Delhi malls in her yellow VW max'ing out credit cards.


Her latest 'project' is to pair off the behenji Ms. Shefali (Puri) to Randhir (an adorable Cyrus) who in fact has his heart set on Aisha and wears it on his sleeves too. We have an affable Mr Sensible (Abhay) who's Aisha moral police but of course the headstrong Aisha of chic designer trousseau and high 'ideals' would not let that deter her.


What the movie has got to do with Vogue the magazine is the international fashion scene it has managed to present so stylishly and packaged for B'wood.In that department alone it sure would be a trend setter. What maybe working for the movie a winner though is the way it could connect with the audience. Sample this.The girls are worried of dying single. An emotion shared by millions across the globe.


I am not giving away anything more. Maybe cause there a'int. Duh-huh.


For those who read the book, stick to it. For those who dint, scoot and grab a copy now, it'll be a better bargain I assure. And while you are at it pick up Austen's other classics Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility. Wonder what bug has gotten into movie makers to revisit Austen's work through the decades.The script writers wells ,or should it be fountain ,have run dry and they wont just admit it.


As for me,this movie too enqueues up to my list of those that should never have been made. Since self styled critics like me don't have much have a say I am happy a lot of people gained employment and made a living out of  bringing alive on screen , B'woods version of Emma.


Loved the melodious ' Lehrein...'  and uppity peppy "Gal mitthi mitthi .." track.


Verdict: Watch this chick flick if nothing is happening in your virtual world , while you wait for all those on your friends list to post something on your wall. At least you will have something to scribble on your own at the end of it. No pun intended.


Yes. the writing was indeed on the wall. Not many cared to read it though. Now this is, pun indeed.


P.S: I know its a tad too late to write about a release thats dint hold up for as many days as the weeks I held this post up.  Sigh!I am so wicked. And loving it!

The great call of liberty!

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom –
Nehru 14 August 1947

Undoubtedly one is proud to be from the soil of a nation as great as our's with its rich heritage, enviable legacy, a smörgåsbord of culture, ethnicity, religion,clothing ,language, cuisines,color,creed, climate, eco system, geographical disperse, topography,crops .....No wonder everyone wanted a piece of it.

Yet I was wondering if we have enough reasons to celebrate the Freedom handed to us by brave hearts on a silver platter, one stained by their sweat and blood.

One could easily fall prey to denouncing what we as a nation have come to be , be called a pessimist and attract more brickbats but hey! one can exercise the freedom of expression!..nevertheless..at the stroke of midnight when India rose to freedom in 1947 ...in celebrating 63 years as a free land...I have woken to some very depressing and deeply disturbing happenings:

Oil Spill that have endangered maritime life with serious ecological implications, incurring  loss of 85 crore rupees a day,snatched away livelihood of those who have been dependent on the ocean. A week later investigating authorities are still trying to pin blame on MSC Chitra and / or Khalijia - The vessels aren't registered with Indian ports.
Coming in the wake of the court orders on the 25 year old Union Carbide tragedy (worst ever the world has seen) what have we learnt?

The Flash floods in Leh ,damaging property and rendered people homeless, penniless and the death toll climbs by the day. The Army battling nature's fury (yet again!) with all its might and providing succor to the ravaged.The Indian Army- they man our borders,keeping vigil 24/7 and they are called in every time a child falls into pit, every time an overloaded bus knocks itself off the roads on dangerous terrain,every time a boat capsizes...whatever happened to the basic civic structure that should have been in place to deal with such emergencies? Why after 63 years of being free, the shackles of bureaucracy and babudom, dictate our actions and reactions?

The commonwealth shame, Greed raised its ugly head yet again and this time for the world to see. Each day newer juicier details of the scandals hit the headline and repeatedly aired on the channels.A colossal waste of tax payers money apart, we cut such a sorry figure in what should have been a proud moment for India. And the drama is yet to unfold. 49 more days to go ..lets wait and watch.

More sordidness from the valley of death, a purported heaven on earth.Our generation has known Kashmir to be anything but that.The never ending bloodshed.The innocent caught in crossfires.What rights have the people there known, seen or exercised when the basic right to a leading a humane life has been denied in all of these 63 years of independence?

The Taj group of hotels opened its door to public 2 years post the terror attacks.Renovated and Refurbished by the Tata's at 1.8 billion rupees crores in restoring its glory and heritage, the resurrections symbolises a lot more than hope. I am surprised no enthusiastic journo or no channel has yet made it to the doors of the Unnikrishnan household. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan valor is lost in the imbroglio of justice, diplomacy and worst still politicking.

One can go on endlessly- crib, write blogs,shake my head in despair and get into angry tirades... but that will not change anything....

...Govt of India will continue to remain deaf when the Swiss bank has publicly stated that Indians are their biggest customer ever. A collective figure of 70 Lakh crores. And that it is willing to handover the list of its account holders should the Govt ask for it. How many of atleast, the educated mass know that's enough money to pay our national debt 13 times over, provide food , cloth and shelter to our billion plus strong populace?

...Maoists and extremist will continue to blow up buildings, irreversibly damage the socio-economic infrastructure and deny any chance to our hopes of peace in those strife torn lands.

...Inflation shall continue to be a double digit figure even as food grains rot in granaries and middlemen are squeezing the life blood out of farmers.Driven to suicide by the system , even the Almighty has not spared them the troubles. In what used to be a primarily agrarian country, our ill devised plans of development ,currently the 11th 5 year plan has managed a skewed economic divide at best.

..Channels will continue to air patriotic movies for the nth time, damned reality shows will have celebs croon and shake a leg and tingle our sentiments and feed out insatiable appetite for glitz and glamor around the dates of national importance.

I am justifiably annoyed, when a reporter asks school children what freedom means to them, the children shout in union- We will be the superpower!!!! Who wants to be one as long as no child is forced into bonded labour and slavery, no woman shall want to be trafficked, no stomach shall go empty, no lives are endangered due to adulterated edibles, no infant shall die of lack of basic medical care, no child falls into half dug ,uncovered wells. no queues and fights break on streets for a potful of water.


I am enraged ,when a popular youth channel, has a PYT in her tricolor inspired itsy bitsy, thrusts the mike onto nonchalant youngsters asking them to define freedom and what does 15th August mean to them...As for the responses the lesser said the better as they made light of the struggles of those who fought to death to free us.

I am disappointed ,at recalling how at the beginning of the year, looking at the list of holidays from the HR, a very many of us at work had groaned at the loss of one more holiday.2nd October, 14th November too fall on weekend.

I am exasperated at the ethnic day celebrations at school, colleges and offices when I am being pestered by children at traffic signals to buy the plastic version of our national flag.

I am saddened to read of young lives being gruesomely snuffed out by an orthodox society and khap panchayats for choosing their life partners.

Finally, I am surprised,

I can still manage goosebumps while listening to Vande matarm in the quiet environs of my home. Aye mere watan ke logo.... can still mist your eyes.

I am still happy over the Jessica Lal murder case which saw justice after a long drawn battle primarily spurred by public outcry. Its a hard hitting proof of what we can achieve if we unite our voices, awaken our sense of responsibility and channelize our actions.

I am still glad my nieces and nephews believe that one day they will make India proud by becoming a scientist or a cricketing sensation.That's some hope for a Nobel, a Bharat Ratna, a Grand slam in the times to come.

For now, I am still looking for reasons to celebrate.

As an afterthought:


Too much has been written said and debated on what plagues us and too little on executing what needs to be done. Thats the need of the hour and the call of the liberty.
For all those who made it this far on the post my following post would be your say on this. This 15th August ,after all the introspection and soul searching , I feel the need to be reassured that we still pack the might that has propelled us onto the 21st century as a force to reckon with. I know you are doing your bit.Share with us Just how.Bring it on!


I respect.I admire. And doff a hat to all those who are doing small, meaningful things in their everyday lives and living out their dreams in a free India as a responsible citizen and not merely being a passive one given to existential mundaneness with only rights to embolden them.


Kudos to them and Cheers to the hope that it brings to us. JAI HIND.

Adios

There I was,

Shiver just beneath my skin,

The chill deep in my spine,

Confused, where should I begin?

To tell you,

what you have come to mean.

That I wanted a bit of you

to make it all of mine.

 

In between my fumbles

you said something.

Your lips moved,

All seeming mumble jumbles.

And then, it caught my ear.

The legs gave away,

unable to bear.

 

For an eternity,

The moment stood still.

The ground beneath, jerked.

My head swimming.

My eyes tearing,

against my will.

Your words hung

like a pall of gloom.

All I felt until then

assigned to doom.

You were going away.

In pursuit of your dreams

I stood there,

smiling, crying,

pendulating in extremes.

 

The words had long since

died on my lip.

Like a ragged doll,

Nodding wildly,

Limp in your grip.

I shook within,

violently,

in over whelming

disappointment.

And you thought

it natural ,

the shock,

the excitement.

In minutes that ensued,

I can't recall,

no matter,

all blurred and hazy.

Your chatter,

incessant and lively.

I remember being

unusually subdued.

With each heavy step,

The tire ran through the veins,

Your infectious joy rub

salt on my unseen pains.

 

As you took leave,

so did my verve.

So did every drop of

you in my nerve.

As you took leave,

Our times together,

dousing my soul

in immeasurable grieve.

Every inch of me

wanting to ask you to stay.

The urge dying when I see

your joy in going away.

I feel loved in knowing

Happy you are,

Wherever it be, you will

never be from my soul afar.

Adios.

Note: This is a sequel to the poem "I love you' as also in response to the comments for that post.