Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

Title: Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (A Couple Made By God)

Language: Hindi

Year of Release: 2008

Director: Aditya Chopra

Actors: Shahrukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Vinay Pathak and others.

Verdict: 3/5 (Watch it once!)

Before I stepped into the Cinema Hall to watch this film, the new look of King Khan on TV and posters brought a smile onto my face. To sum up my thoughts, he has never looked this simple and hilarious. I mean, who in the world wears "Lotto" brand shoes anymore?! And that too with that ridiculous moustache he has, things are bound to be different. After having seen the movie, I have a mixed feeling, of course I still smile when I think of Shahrukh as Suri but in the end the movie grapples with clichéd scenes and lack of common sense.

The story is set in Amristar where Surinder Sahni (Shahrukh Khan), a government employee with Punjab Power brings his newly wed wife, Taani (Anushka Sharma). As the story unfolds, Suri explains how madly he had fallen in love with Taani and under what circumstances he had to get married to Taani. A day later, when Taani drops the bombshell that she will never be able to love him, Suri decides to never force her into anything hoping that she will soon realise how much he loves her. All's well till here and the story takes a turn when Taani asks her husband if she could attend the dance classes. Suri, who loves her way too much, immediately agrees and he himself decides to go personally and watch Taani dancing. Enter the new cool dude look, Raj...and the rest as they say is...Rab Di Marzi...

The story of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi seems to have been inspired from our general fetish for dance competitions and Shahrukh's ability to entertain the audience. Seriously, no other actor would have maintained the dignity of Suri and flamboyance of Raj at the same time with such ease. The first 15 minutes of the film reminded me of Mani Ratnam's 1986 flick "Mouna Raagam". The void between the newly wed couple and the occasional pendulous interactions between Suri and Taani are brilliantly shot and mark a great beginning to what could have been a much better movie. The people around Suri especially Bobby (Vinay Pathak) are heartwarming in their respective roles so much so that, you yearn for the conversations between Suri and Bobby. Even when Raj, the cool dude avatar of Suri enters the scene with an intention to bring in happiness to Taani's life you are glued to your seats. Perhaps it's the intensity and the silly, mocking body language which Shahrukh has...and it works! It's the second half where things don't seem to fit in...literally. Ten minutes into the second half, you will know exactly what's going to happen next, so much so that I ended up predicting half the lines which are about to come up on screen!...:D (Just Kidding!..:P). But still you can...the whole setting of the Dance Classes/competition is taken off in the second half of the story only to be brought back in the climax. Rajeev Masand on CNN-IBN brings out couple of interesting points of view about the heroine not able to recognise that it's actually her husband in disguise and also her stupidity in not telling Raj that she's already married until the former proposes to her. There's no mention of Taani being unhappy with the man she's currently married to but she doesn't think for a moment when Raj asks her to elope with him! But every story has to have a happy ending in India. Continuing this tradition, the director throws in a clichéd concept called "Divine Intervention" to solve a dilemma. And there it is...a Happy Ending...Happy Audience.

On the other side, the movie works because of its simplistic sets, infact most of the film seems to have been shot in the streets of Amritsar, Suri's terrific performance as an introvert who just cannot express how deeply is he in love with his wife and that funny smile (or expression) that he has on his face. Anushka Sharma delivers a confident performance in her debut film, she surely will go a long way! If only her character and her dilemma were well scripted out, she could have been the USP of this film. But the film truly belongs to Suri and Raj...and Shahrukh rises above the script to bring in the emotion and fun element. Raj's new designer T-Shirts and a blade hanging around his neck could be the new trend in the bazaar. Vinay Pathak as Bobby is an asset, his hairstyle and the clothes make his presence felt even when he's sharing the space with Shahrukh...you just can't help smiling at his look, especially after having seen him in Dasvidaniya. And the other important character in the movie is....The God! Quite literally...the Music in the movie is soothing, "Haule Haule" is the best of the lot and quite a few others have been shot spectacularly. But most of them reminded me of some soothing melodies in Telugu especially from Venkatesh's films...maybe in the middle of this, I happened to see "Rab"...:D...[Pun Intended!]

The first song, the bike chase, the first 15 minutes, Shahrukh as Suri, Anushka and the end credits sum up all that you need to see in the movie. At the end of the day, I have nothing much to say about the movie...and if you wondering why I have written so much about this movie, then it's all...Rab Di Marzi....[Dear God, I don't mean to offend you with all this, I think I am searching for you in the Taani's around....:D...hehehe...]

Till Then,

Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Key. Phir Milenge. Chalte Chalte

Picture Courtesy: Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (Wikipedia)

Welcome to Sajjanpur

Title: Welcome to Sajjanpur
Language: Hindi
Year of Release:2008
Director: Shyam Benegal
Actors: Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao and others
Verdict: **** (Don't miss it)

The movie is a complete laugh riot right from the scene where Mahadev (Shreyas Talpade) appears on screen, something which takes you by surprise especially given the fact that it’s by Shyam Benegal. If you are among those who always crib that the quality of our Hindi films especially in terms of the story has gone down drastically, then undoubtedly this is one of the finest films you will see this year.

To read the full review of this movie....click here

Tahaan

Title: Tahaan
Language: Hindi
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Santosh Sivan
Actors: Purav Bhandare, Anupam Kher, Sarika, Rahul Bose, Rahul Khanna, Victor Banerjee
Verdict: ****

There's a poem by Oscar Wilder titled "Panthea" and one of the stanza's goes like this
"....White lilies, in whose cups the gold bees dream,
The fallen snow of petals where the breeze
Scatters the chestnut blossom, or the gleam
Of boyish limbs in water, - are not these
Enough for thee, dost thou desire more?
Alas! the Gods will give nought else from their eternal store...."

A verse which describes about the beauty of things around us and our never ending quest for a little more than what we need. If only, life could be as simple as it exists in Ruskin Bond's books! But on the contrary, life's anything but that. This is probably why, "Tahaan" impresses you right from the beginning. Fiddling with an age of innocence to an unflinching friendship between a boy and his donkey, "Tahaan" is probably one of the most endearing movies to have hit the theatres in recent times.

It's the story of a Kashmiri boy named Tahaan (Purav Bhandare) who can't imagine without being with his dear friend, the donkey named "Birbal". His family consists of his mother Haba (Sarika), his sister Zoya(Sana Shaikh) and grandfather (Victor Banerjee). His father has been missing for over three years - and ever since the family has been in deep financial crisis. One fine day, when Tahaan's grandpa passes away, his mother decides to sell all the valuable items in the house and pay off the debt to some extent. In this process Tahaan's "Birbal" is sold off to the moneylender who inturn sells it off to another old man Subhan Darr (Anupam Kher) who carries supplies across mountains. What follows is a young boy's heart warming and persistent effort to get his friend back...there is no point in telling the story in two lines, it would be a blatant injustice to this visually brilliant poem.

The first thing about the movie is that it's one of the first films to have been entirely shot in Kashmir after a gap of 18 years. (Source: Wikipedia). And since it's one of the most respected Cinematographers of contemporary Indian Cinema, Santosh Sivan handling the camera, you could definitely expect some breath-taking shots. And he doesn't disappoint...:-). I wonder how much of research must have gone into a movie of such beauty...the reason why I say is, the environs in which this movie is set brings back some painful memories. It's a question of your convictions and ideas which are at stake. If ever your heart goes out to the people of Kashmir who are caught between the crossfire of India and Pakistan, there's a lesson to be learnt from this movie. Every time there's a scene where people are lined up by the army under the premise of investigation, you begin to think...is is right to suspect everyone with a beard or anyone who reminds you of some miscreant! And to mercilessly beat up innocent people under the pretext of suspicion....:-( ....With this as the background, if there's someone who brings a smile to your face, then imagince the impact of that character....this is exactly what's going through my mind right now. Disconnecting himself from the reality to a large extent, all Tahaan cares about is his Birbal. And he wouldn't tolerate being away from him even for a moment. So, when the very thing he cares and loves so much is under the danger of being taken away from him, he embarks on an extra-ordinary journey and doing everything and anything he can, to get his Birbal back.

Purav Bhandare is a revelation, certainly among one of the best child artist's to have hit the screen in recent times. His expressions, dialogues, innocence, vulnerability make him a big asset to the film. Check out everything he does to convince Anupam Kher to let him be with his donkey and that brilliant sequence of the race is sure to bring a smile onto your face. Anupam Kher is as good as he usually as, with almost a father like figure to those around him but at the same time nudging Tahaan and Zafar (Rahul Bose) who work for him. Underneath that stiff looking personality lies a soul which has taken a beaten with all these years of violence, a fact which is best described in a scene when they go to meet a old friend of his, a Kashmiri Pandit, who's hiding himself from the world around him. Coming to Rahul Bose, I must say, it's kinda hard to play the role of a duffer...but Rahul Bose does it with ease. Although one would expect him to have a longer footage, but this film isn't about him...it's about Tahaan. Among other roles,
Sana Shaikh impresses with her ever complaining attitude, but at the same time the warmth she shares with her brother leaves a good impression upon the family dynamics during testing times. Sarika (she's mute in the flick) as the mother of Tahaan, emotes a lot more with her eyes, radiating a lot more things than what she expresses through her hands. Check her out in all those scenes when she has to go to the police station searching for her husband...and you will realise what I am saying.

The film has some breathtaking shots of various locales of Kashmir, although most of the sequences are shot in snow (which quite a few of you might find repetetive), but kudos to the team who's scouted for these locations...it provides a great deal of authenticity to the whole story. The snow covered mountains, trees covered with snow, frozen lakes, mountains filled with fog and mist, and sun which throws the snow into a blinding glaze...it's all there, in almost every frame. Adding to that is a good background score which is in a way funny...not sure if there's any other way to describe it...maybe you can suggest me after you see the movie! The film also packs in good message about hope, dream and conviction to be good no matter how much life tests you....oh! just in case if I have missed saying the main point in the flick...I didn't wanna reveal how a ticking time bomb feels like...go check it out yourself.

A good story with some great acting and stunning cinematography make it a compulsive watch. I highly recommend this movie to all those who like good cinema, and if are among the ones who don't have a taste for plots which aren't fast paced...all I can say is, you are missing a gem of a movie..a true Made in India...one!...:D

Again another stanza from Oscar Wilde's "Panthea"....
"...O we are wearied of this sense of guilt,
Wearied of pleasure's paramour despair,
Wearied of every temple we have built,
Wearied of every right, unanswered prayer,
For man is weak; God sleeps: and heaven is high:
One fiery-coloured moment: one great love; and lo! we die..."

I think that's what life's about...we expect too much out of it...and end up doing so little! Time to buckle up and do everything thing we can to right every wrong...we could start with ourselves...lets work with our own thoughts and ideals...ask ourselves what if things are not the same?! Would all this be still the same? I don't know what the answer will be...but I see Hope...I see a life...I see Tahaan. It means Merciful. God.

P.S: For Complete version of Oscar Wilde's "Panthea" click here.

A Wednesday

Title: A Wednesday

Language: Hindi
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Actors: Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Jimmy Shergill and others...
Verdict: ****1/2 ( Must Watch!!!)

There is a Chinese proverb which says "星星之火可以燎原" (it means..."A spark can start a fire that burns the entire prairie.") Quite similar to the "Butterfly Effect" which says that "A butterfly beating it wings in America can start a hurricane in China." The reason why I quote this has got a lot to do with this spellbinding movie I saw on Sunday titled "A Wednesday".

"A Wednesday" is the story about a police commissioner and his tryst with an anonymous caller on a Wednesday. The caller has no name, he can't be traced, there are no records of him...almost a phantom like figure. He demands the release of 4 dreaded terrorists in exchange for information on the locations where bombs are planted across Mumbai. To give a jist of how serious the demands and consequences (if demands are not met), the caller informs the commisioner about the bomb which he had planted in a Police Station right opposite the Commissioner's office. When the bomb squad does infact find six kilos of RDX, the entire team realises the gravity of situation and are on tenterhooks every moment. The commissioner who sees a clear picture of the vulnerability of the situation convinces the Chief Minister and others that the release of these terrorists is in the best interest of the denizens of the city. And dancing to the caller's tunes he sends his best men to finish the job which he's been told to. What follows is a edge of the seat thriller which is both compelling as well as thought-provoking turn of events leaving a definite mark in your heart of having seen a genuinely brilliant movie.

I find it hard not to use some superlatives for this flick, because it's among the rarest and the first of many things. If my memory doesn't fail me, Hindi movies over the past several years have stuck to the genre of Romance and Slapstick humour. But thanks to some film-makers who are fiddling with some naive subjects, we now can look forward to something different from seeing the landscapes of Europe or Australia...where characters are always named as Raj and Priya and the likes of them...And "A Wednesday" can be credited with several things which have been missing over the past few years. This is the kind of movie which needs to be shown in every multiplex across the country...with a running time of around 100 minutes, it's in a way tailor made for the multiplex crowds. And that running time means the editing has to be so crisp and to the point leaving no room for additional stuff just to please the audience. Thank God!!! I feel finally at peace for having seen a movie which's made without including any songs (item songs!!!) or fights, romance tracks just for the heck of it. For some odd reason all these elements have been used to prove the existence of characters other than the hero and in most cases he's depicted as the blue-eyed macho man who will have the last laugh!

Coming back to the story, the film belongs to Anupam, Naseeruddin, Jimmy Shergill, the music director Sanjoy Chowdhury, the editor Shree Narayan Singh, and most importantly the director of the filck, Neeraj Pandey. Almost all the protagonists in the flick deliver their best but when it comes to Anupam and Naseeruddin, this flick is another example why these two are among the finest actors of the contemporary cinema. Each frame with them locking horns with each other produces a spark and as the film progresses and the motives behind everything is revealed, there's no way you can find fault with one person. Both of them are right in what they did...it's like two sides of the same coin and you end up liking both of them. Anupam Kher is brilliant as a helpless cop who will do anything to maintain law and order in the city at the same time conflicting with his conscience when he lets go his fate to someone's control. On the other hand, Naseeruddin Shah who starts off as a cunning and compulsive strategist who will go to any length to get his work done does a complete turn-around towards the end of the film. His explanation behind why he has done all this is truly one of the best monologues about fear, agony, and to what extent a tortured soul can retaliate. This is where you see the "Butterfly Effect" spring into action. I really can't give you out further details about the plot..you should go and check it out yourself.
Among others, Jimmy Shergill impresses and so does all the other characters who appear throughout the flick...if only they had worked on Deepal Shaw's accent!!! Also note the brilliant efforts by the people behing the screen, a fabulous background score by Sanjoy Chowdhury runs through the entire length of the film. And what can I say about Shree Narayan Singh, the editor of the flick, his style takes the film to a whole new level. Dialogues are brilliant, there are absolutely no cliche's targeting any community or religion. If Anupam and Naseer are two pillars of this movie, then the third one is its director...Neeraj Pandey. A compelling debut, heralding a new age of film-making which I certainly hope will continue in years to come....am eagerly looking forward to see more of Neeraj's work and others like him. The final pillar of this film is the story itself...the premise that it doesn't take an angel to solve the most dangerous problems around us...all it takes is an ordinary man who's resolved to do some extra-ordinary things. And what better impact can it be, if that ordinary man was someone like you...someone like me....we are proud of what we are...who we are...we run through the blood and veins of life, enduring life as it takes us, there's nothing common among us, but when we stand up...the world sees us as the one...who knows what he's doing. We are the new age super-heroes and we are more in number than the total ammunition ever produced...it's our spirit which takes us beyond the realms of our boundaries....we are..."The Common Men" of the world.

P.S: I never thought, I would recommend a bollywood movie to the rest of the world. But there is someone who loves Indian Cinema and doesn't like his time wasted by utter nonsense then this is a must watch! And please do yourself a favour....watch "A Wednesday" on any given day.
P.P.S: The last sentence has been copied from Rajeev Masand's review on ibnlive.com
Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia

Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam (Master, Mistress and Slave)

Title: Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam (Master, Mistress and Slave)
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Year of Release: 1962
Director: Abrar Alvi
Actors: Meena Kumari, Rehman, Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman
Awards: This movie won 4 awards at the 1963 Filmfare Awards for Best Movie, BestActress (Meena Kumari), Best Director (Abrar Alvi), Best Cinematographer (V.K.Murthy)....
Also the film won the President's Silver Medal that year


Five years after the release of Pyaasa and it's subsequent commercial failure, almost the same team of actors along with Meena Kumari this time, teamed up to act in the movie Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam. Based on a book by Bimal Mitra, the film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, the film was about the lifestyle of the upper class Zamindars in the pre-independence era and its subsequent fall.

The story revolves mainly around Choti Bahu (Meena Kumari) who's the wife and also the youngest daughter-in-law in the haveli of the local Zamindar (Rehman). Coming from an ordinary household, all she aspires is to literally "worship" her husband, and heed and follow his wishes. But the only catch is that, he really doesn't bother about her; instead he spends his nights in mehfils, drinking all night. One fine day, Boothnath (Guru Dutt) comes to the haveli and stays in one of the outhouses and works in a Mohini Sindoor Factory outside in the city. There he comes across Jabba (Waheeda Rehman) the daughter of his employer and what starts as a silly fight, develops into fascination for one another. Choti Bahu asks for Boothnath's help in getting her the Mohini Sindoor which is rumoured to have special powers. Boothnath smitten by her beauty has unparalleled respect for Choti Bahu and it matures into a deep friendship. One night, out of desperation, Choti Bahu pleads her husband not to leave her that night and to prove that she can go to any length to please him, consumes alcohol. What follows latter on is a tale of sorrow, traditions which are too deep-rooted to change and a devastating end to what was once a majestic lifestyle.

The film is about the lifestyle of Zamindars and the women in these havelis. The usual desire for adorning more gold and leading a lavish lifestyle is questioned by a simple girl who places the desire to serve her husband above everything else. What struck me most about this movie was the way the characters were moulded in the story. Especially that of...Meena Kumari and Boothnath. Both of them start as someone extremely innocent to those who are quite confident and someone who can stand on their own feet. In that sense, I think, the major part of the entire credit for the movie should go to Meena Kumari for her role as Choti Bahu. She is stunningly beautiful and all those closeup shots of hers in this black and white movie simply illuminate the whole screen! I think the camera man was just awestruck by her beauty and every single time the focus is on her, she just stands out with her acting. Her role as a woman who would forgo the normal traditions (in this case...read as consuming alcohol) just to please her husband and later on looking after him amidst lost glory would go down as one of the best performances in Hindi Cinema.The rest of the star cast is good and in this movie too...the dialouges and music stand out. The music is by Hemant Kumar and lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni and together they have come up with some memorable songs like Na Jao Saiyaan(Don't go my dear) and others. Songs are shot in sync with the mood of the film and also they add more meaning to the characters thoughts...esp the song Na Jao Saiyaan....

Do watch the movie for the story of the pre-independence portrayal of the zamindars, the prevailing customs and traditions in the society at that time....a good and strong story...great performances, music and Meena Kumari...she's definitely the heart and soul of the movie!

To listen to probably one of the best songs from the movie...Na Jao Saiyaan....click here
Another beautiful song from the movie featuring Meena Kumari....Piya aiso jiya mein

Pyaasa (Thirst)

Title: Pyaasa (Thirst)
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Year of Release: 1957
Director: Guru Dutt
Actors: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha
Trivia: Named as one of the 100 best films of all time by the TIME magazine.

Cinema is perhaps one of the best medium of representing the lifestyle of people. If you consider Indian Cinema in particular, then the themes dealt with in each decades relate directly to the respective lifestyle of that time. 1950's cinema was about a country which had just become independent and this trend continued through most of the 1960's. Then 1970's changed a lot of things. There was a silent revolution around the country, Socialist and Communist ideologies were fast catching attention and correspondingly there were movies which depicted this..and the1980's and 1990's slowly shifted their focus on individuals depicting individual traits like Love, Marriage. Particularly 1950's and 60's movies were truly international in the sense that, they had such a distinct identity when compared with the Italian and French cinema. It's also considered by many as the Golden age of Bollywood.

In 1957, Guru Dutt came up with perhaps would be his most talked about movie even after 50 years of its release. Titled "Pyaasa" the flick had some of the finest talent that Hindi cinema has seen....Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Johny Walker, Rehman....the music by S.D.Burman, Lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi and written by Abrar Alvi and singing by Mohammed Rafi. It truly is the one of the best combos of finest talent in Hindi Cinema and the result is nothing short of a masterpiece and a timeless Classic.

Pyaasa, is the story of Vijay(Guru Dutt), an unsuccessful poet who is struggling to get his poems published. His brothers despise him for being worthless and one day they sell his poems as waste paper which are inturn purchased from a store by a prostitute, Gulabo(Waheeda Rehman). One night, while sleeping in a park, Vijay overhears his poetry being sung as a song by Gulabo and follows her to the brother house. When Gulabo finally finds out that he is penniless, she drives him away, but later realizes that he is the same poet whose poems she had been singing. She falls in love with him and after sometime, Vijay also begins to like her for she's the only one who treats him with love and respect. While walking down a road, Vijay sees Meena(Mala Sinha) his ex-girlfriend who's now married to a big publisher Mr.Ghosh(Rehman). Vijay goes to his college reunion and sings a song in that ceremony and there he again sees Meena and Ghosh. Ghosh calls him to his office and offers a small job in his office. Out of desperation for money, Vijay accepts it; but Meena tries to make him understand that there's always a danger of her husband finding out about their past relationship. When Ghosh comes to know about this, he fires Vijay from his job. One night while trying to cross a railway track, there's an accident and Vijay loses his memory. But the world thinks that, Vijay has died because his coat was found at the accident site when infact it was that of a beggar to whom Vijay had given.
Gulabo takes the poems to Ghosh and convinces him to publish Vijay's poetry. Vijay's poetry becomes a huge hit and people just fall in love with him. In the meantime, Vijay's brother's come to meet Ghosh to demand for a share in the profit saying that, whatever Vijay's property was they also should have a share in that. One day, the nurse reads out Vijay's poetry infront of him and he finally becomes normal, but nobody believes him. He's put in a prison like room which is filled with insane people. Mr.Ghosh comes to know about his condition and when he reaches to see him, he lies that the man isn't Vijay. Then Ghosh also convinces Vijay's brothers that they shouldn't recognise him otherwise the whole business would be destroyed. With the help of his friend Abdul Sattar(Johnny Walker) Vijay manages to escape and goes home. His brothers refuse to recognise him saying that his brother had died. Then after sometime he comes to know that there is a public gathering which has been organized to honour Vijay, after a year of his death. In that function, Vijay sings a song which draws all the attention and he's brought to the main stage. Slowly after realising that they can turn Vijay's return into profit one after the other all his acquaintances who had earlier rejected him, claim that this is the real Vijay. And people are elated upon this fact. Seeing all this fame which he has earned during his absence and influenced by the attitude of the people around him....Vijay makes a U turn and says that he is not the Vijay whom people think. He denounces everything and leaves the society which doesn't care about one another, questioning the hypocrisy of the people. Gulabo joins him and they go away far from everybody from where they wouldn't need to go any further.

Sounds pretty normal for 21st century, but think of the same thing in 1957! It truly would have been shocking to see such a thing on screen, of a society which doesn't care about people while in reality the concept of joint family was still strong. Much ahead of its age, Guru Dutt's masterpiece was a commercial disaster. But nevertheless, this film pointed out fingers about society in an age where few film-makers dared to do the same. There are quite a few number of things to be talked about the movie.
The music of the film by S.D.Burman is remarkable and added with Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics creates an ever lasting impression....something which you would like to sing/hum for a long time! It's pure poetry about what's going on in a unsuccessful poet's mind who's fed up with the society. Each word of the lyrics is equivalent to thousand emotions unexpressed ... especially the last song where Vijay sings about the society stands out from almost everything in the movie! Mohammed Rafi's voice adds magic to the lyrics...no wonder he's one of the best ever...perhaps the best! Dialogues by Abrar Alvi are great...they have this bitterness in them which suggests that the writer understands the thoughts of a dejected man with remarkable profoundness. Acting by everyone is good...but one person who stands out from almost everybody else in the movie is Guru Dutt himself. In one line, "He's a God in everything he does!" His looks, his thoughts, his questions, his silence....everything he does speak volumes about his understanding of the theme he's trying to project.

I think I can add more to this list, but maybe I should leave a lot more for you to experience. A masterpiece from Hindi Cinema, the flick has withstood the test of time and is still counted among the best films ever! Some people might say that, it's kinda slow and boring but maybe you should come to your own conclusion after watching this...maybe watching this movie from a point of view of a young nation which had achieved its freedom just a decade ago and coming to terms with poverty, employment, development, family values would help in understanding it better. A film like this atleast once a decade will stand as an example for others not to emulate but to get inspiration...to come up with themes that challenge ideas and perceptions. A timeless classic...with haunting music and great dialouges and acting....this definitely deserves to be watched over and over again....Highly recommended.

To download all the songs and verses from the movie click here

A beautiful song from the movie...this one is basically about how hypocritical people are...

Another nice song from the movie...this has been used in numerous ads in India over the years....

Matrubhoomi- A Nation Without Women

Title: Matrubhoomi- A Nation Without Women
Language: Hindi
Year of Release: 2003
Director: Manish Jha
Actors: Tulip Joshi, Sushant Singh
Awards: Fipresci Award in non-competitive section at the Venice Film Festival 2003, Audience Award for Best Film at the Kozlin Film Festival 2003, Poland, Audience Award for Best Foreign Film at Thessaloniki Film Festival, 2003, Audience Award for Best Film at Florence Indian Film Festival, 2003

An unlikely story being produced by unlikely producers, Boney Kapoor and SriDevi....I am so damn sure that this flick directed by Manish Jha, who later came up with another movie named Anwar, would have struggled to make a mark in this mainstream film's era in India. What equally unlikely is a person appreciating the concept...even at college, most of the reviews that I had got is...it's so Gross! Perhaps...but it's that very same concept which is narrated so dramatically makes its point very clear!

The film opens with a scene of a village in North India, where a just born girl child is killed when her father places her in a vat of milk offering her to God in return for a baby boy the next time. Then after some years, there's a situation where there are no more girls in the village and everyone's worried about their own marriages. The story revolves around a family of a father, his five sons and a servant. One day, a friend of the eldest son tells him that he's about to get married and invites him for the occasion. Out of rage, he convinces his father to look for a bride for him and his brothers. When the father tells about his son's friend's marriage to his family purohit, he suspects some foulplay and challenges that it cannot be possible since he's responsible to find a bride for almost everyone in the village. When they go to the marriage, this purohit reveals the secret that it's not a bride, but a boy disguised as a girl!....Then one day, while going around another village, the purohit, happens to see Kalki, a girl in her 20's and comes and meets her father. Then he tells the girl's father about the family in the other village; the girl's father asks for a "kanyashulk" of Rs.1 Lakh since he is the only one left with a girl child in the neighbouring villages. The Purohit goes back and tells about this to his master; who at that time, takes the youngest son along with him as the eldest isn't at home. When they meet the girl's father, he shows the picture of the eldest son...Kalki rejects saying that he looks too scary but wouldn't mind marrying the youngest son who has come with his father. This disappoints the guys' father and while going back he realises that this is the best chance for him to get his sons married...so he goes back and offers a sum of Rs.5 Lakhs with a condition that Kalki should marry all his 5 sons. Kalki's father agrees and she gets married to all of them. On the eve of the first night, the eldest son is too drunk and all of them discuss how they are going to share her and who should go into the room first. All of them agree to send the eldest one first, but the father screams at everyone for having neglected him!!!....Then it is decided that the father would go in first and each one of them would get a day to sleep with Kalki and also that Kalki would have one day for herself!
As time passes by, each of the brothers except the youngest don't care about Kalki, she's just treated as a sex-object. Only the youngest son treats her with respect and she inturn genuinely begins to like him. Over the time, she doesn't let the other brothers come near her in bed; but is very playful and enjoys the company of the youngest son. When the other brothers come to know about this they hatch a plot. One day, the father insults the youngest son for scoring less marks in English and on the same day, out of jealousy the other brothers kill him outside the village. He's declared to have committed suicide for having scored less marks..this shatters Kalki completely. With the help of the servant boy, who's very nice to her, she plans to run away from the house to meet her father. But, the servant boy is shot dead and she somehow manages to send a message to her father pleading him to meet her soon; her father who now owns a house and a car in the nearby town, upon knowing that her father-in-law has also been sleeping with her demands an extra ransom of 1 lakh for the act!...and he simply leaves the house.

The family beats up Kalki and throw her in the cowshed by tying her to a pole. The servant boy's brother who lives in a nearby village hears about his death and is determined to take revenge. He along with another friend enter the cow shed and are on their way to kill the brothers. But they see Kalki lying down there and change their mind and come to a conclusion that if they rape her, that would be equivalent to taking revenge. A new servant boy is appointed and he takes pity of Kalki and feeds her every now and then and takes care of her. Day after day, the brothers and the father who have vowed to not have any kind of intimacy with Kalki, rape her in the cowshed and so do the two men who sneak in almost every night. One fine day, she becomes pregnant and the debate in the family is who's the father of the child! On the other hand, the two guys in the nearby village come to know about this and they think, one of them is the father of the child. When they go to the family to claim their child, they are driven away. Then a severe battle follows where the entire village from where the two guys hail from ravages this family and in the end almost everyone's killed. The father somehow manages to escape and he comes near Kalki to harm her, the servant boy upon seeing this, kills him! Finally, Kalki gives birth to a girl child....and there's eternal silence all around.

It seriously is an unusual story which deserves all the attention for the honesty with which it makes the point of gender inequality and its possible consequences. Although, it seems unlikely that such thing might happen, you really cannot rule out the possibility. It's a shocking film indeed, which might not go well with everyone...but when you hear someone talking how gross it was, well, you can be sure that the message go through!...The film also tries to address other issues like Sexual abuse in families and the socio-economic conditions on the lifestyle of people. The acting by the principal cast is good...Tulip Joshi excels in her role as an person who's silenced by almost everyone around and her only moments of joy are with the youngest son....esp when she is tied in the cowshed..you can so feel the pain and agony....A well shot, carefully handled movie which deserves much more from everybody.

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Black Friday

Shot in 2004, the film was finally released on Feb 9, 2007 in India. Why the 3 year delay you ask; the reason being the honesty and brutality with which this movie depicts is perhaps a reason good enough for such a delay. Well, the movie is based on the 1993 Mumbai Serial Blasts and when it was about to release in 2004-2005, the final verdict in the case was still pending and there were fears that this film would alter the final judgment. Need a better example of the power of cinema and how it can influence the way you think??!!....

Based on the carefully researched book by S. Hussain Zaidi of the same name and directed by Anurag Kashyap; the film deals about the Mumbai serial blasts of 93 and the subsequent investigation that followed. The film has a wonderful narration; it's a police investigation and as the film progresses, the reason and the method of the blasts and the planning are carefully revealed from one of the accused, Badshah Khan who realises that what he has done is wrong.

The Plot: After the police take over the investigation of the blasts, the first thing they come across is a abandoned van which has a clue to one of the first criminal related to the case. He happens to be the accountant of Tiger Memnon, the Mastermind behind the whole plot. There after it's a domino effect where many of the accused directly involved in making and planting of the bombs are caught. The investigation led by Rakesh Maria, played by Kay Kay, succeeds in making one of the accused Badshah Khan realise that they have killed lot of innocent people and also that their God wasn't on their side in this mission. He then reveals, each and every detail as to how they were hired for this mission, where they were trained and how the plan itself took shape. It's later revealed that the very reason for this was to take revenge of the Babri Masjid demolition and the communal violence that followed it.

Probably the most mesmerizing part of this plot is the story and the way in which it is revealed like a carefully researched investigation. And on top of that, the acting by almost all the protagonists especially Kay Kay and Pawan Malhotra (who plays Tiger Memnon) and Aditya Shrivastava (who plays Badshah Khan) deserve special mention. The feeling that Dawood Ibrahim, the prime accused in the case gets such little screen presence that it leaves you wonder had he been anyway related to the case. Well, that discussion is for some other day or some other movie!!...the film also points out its finger to ISI, Pakistan for their direct involvement in the case, right from supplying arms and ammunition and training the accused. There are also videos of the interviews of 92, 93 related to this incident which augment the sense of realism that is attached to it.

It's a No Nonsense, brutal, honest and bold movie!....I can't think of a reason why someone shouldn't watch this movie, this one is definitely going into my favourite list accompanied by other Hindi/English movies like Mr and Mrs Iyer, Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi and Omkaara....I am looking forward to see more movies from this director...rumour has it he is planning to make a modern version of Devdas!....

Cheeni Kum...

To be frank, I have sort of lost interest for watching Hindi films. Most of the movies made today are either direct rip offs of some foreign movies or some remix version of dozens of other Indian movies. Having said that, there are whole lot of movies that come every now and then with a good blend of refreshing storyline, acting and direction along with all other elements of film making. And this movie, Cheeni Kum falls in the latter category....

Cheeni Kum..directed by Balakrishnan, a.ka. Balki, an ad-filmmaker, stars Amitabh Bhachan and Tabu in lead roles. The title of the story has a small tagline to it which says "Sugar Free Romance". This is exactly what you get to see in the movie. There's no dancing around and senseless love between the two protagonists as we see in this era of bollywood movies. This is the story of Buddha, a head Chef in one of the best Indian restaurants in London who meets Neena under unusual circumstances. A 64 year old man and a 34 year old lady start a journey which creates ripples in their normal lives and in a series of encounters they both realise that they are in love with each other. The rest of the story is about how the 64 year old man tries to convince his lover's 58 year old father back in India!

What sets the movie apart is its simplicity in unfolding different possibilities in life. And the best thing is it's so completely natural that you are dumbstruck with the style of narration and the storyline especially in the first half of the movie. If ever you believe in the phrase that "Music and love is in the air", the background music and title track along with the romance of the two characters is a proof of that. Composed by music maestro Illayaraaja, his music truly haunts you till the end of the movie and it's a beautiful hummable soundtrack too...although the tracks are a remix version of his earlier movies. Paresh Rawal is good in his role and so is the little girl, Swini Khara who plays the role of Bhachan's neighbour. Zohra Sehgal, who plays Bhachan's mother is brilliant in the role of a irritating mother who always coaxes her son to go to the gym. Another important part of this movie is the dialouges. Especially the scenes between Tabu and Bhachan when they try to ask each other "what a man and woman ask other normally?" or even that scene where Tabu asks him to run to a distant tree and come back, they just make you wonder about the intelligence of the writer.

Altogether, with a good balance of romance and comedy it has all the ingredients of a nice flick. Watch it, this coffee is tasty even without sugar!