Eat Pray Love Movies

Kahaani (2012) - Preview

2012-02-07T16:42:00.000+05:30

Eagerly awaiting March 9, 2012.

Don 2 (2011) - movie review

2012-01-07T11:05:00.001+05:30

Disclaimer- Contains spoilers, staking the knowledge of which, would be better than sitting through the two-hour something drill ;)

Besides the fact that Don 2 is a confused little mess of so many Hollywood films, its utterly boring first half and most part of the second half (which more or less means the entire film ;) does little for even SRK loyalists like me to root for the film.
He looks thin and ugly for most part and doesn't quite match up to the magnanimity and élan required for this larger-than-life character. How many will agree that Hrithik could've managed the act far better? [Before SRK's fans shower me with all the love in the comment section, I must admit though, that he looks dapper in the title song and the last shot on the bike.]

And what got Kunal Kapoor that role still evades my senses. The cliched 'Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai' rhetoric drilled unabashedly into our heads made the pre-climax (where Kunal ditches Shahrukh) SO predictable.

All other characters looked least interested at best. Lara, Priyanka have delivered better than this. Boman Irani has the same old nasty expressions we've seen in so many films. He should stick to comedy. Om Puri looked tired and retired. The music of the film is average, and in no way helps the film further.

Even the keen wait for the DVD while I wait for the next big thing (fingers crossed!).

Bollywood: 11 best of 2011 (songs)

2012-01-02T00:19:00.000+05:30

11. Chammak challo (Ra One)

10. Ishq Sufiana (Dirty Picture)

9. Saibo (Shor in the City)

8. Ik Junoon (Zindagi na Milegi Dobara)

7. Kolaveri Di (remake by Arjun)

6. Te Amo (Dum Maro Dum)

5. Tum Ho (Rockstar)

4. Señorita (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara)

3. Saddi Galli (Tanu Weds Manu)

2. Rabba main toh mar Gaya (Mausam)

1. Kun faaya kun (Rockstar)

Beats the original Kolaveri?

2011-12-27T00:15:00.000+05:30

Don't forget to leave your comments!

Top 5 Bollywood Classics

2011-12-21T09:38:00.001+05:30

This one's a guest post from my blogger friend Beth of BethLovesBollywood.

A classic film for me is one that has stood up through the passage of time, I'd say at least 20 years (long enough for an entirely different generation to encounter it as teens or adults), that still makes an impact in some way: the craft of film-making, aesthetics, story, characters, performances, ideas it addresses, questions it raises, commentary it offers, description or evocation of a particular time/place, etc.

Here are my top 5 picks -
Mother India (1957)
See it for the communism, see it for the lengths a filmi mother will go to in order to protect her own version of her son, and see it for its powerhouse conclusion fueled by a woman's mighty moral stance.

Dharmputra (1961)
Long before Yash Raj Films was associated with cheesiness (romantic or otherwise), Yash Chopra made this fiery film about the vital importance of communal harmony in nation-building. Amid fiery Hindu/Muslim tensions, there is still room for some heart-wrenching family drama and fiercely feminist language and characterizations.

Sharmeelee (1971)
Traditional vs. modern, fantasy vs. reality, proper vs. misplaced loyalty, introversion vs. involvement with the wider world...the list goes on. In addition to the seemingly never-ending shades of its story, Sharmeelee features lovely songs, fabulous costumes, and strong performances in a double role by Rakhee and a forlorn lover by Shashi Kapoor.

Parvarish (1977)
Although it is often overshadowed by Amar Akbar Anthony, another of director Manmohan Desai's releases in 1977, Parvarish is masala perfected. Typical masala story elements and moral messages are supported and greatly enhanced by pretty much everything you could ever want: long-lost family members, mistaken identities, romance, revenge, brothers and sisters, police, smugglers, disguises, temporary blindness, a qawwali, a villain lair with a death trap...and even a submarine.

Kaala Patthar (1979)
The story is full of conflicts and genuine peril, focusing tightly on just one little community whose life depends on the dangerous but vital endeavor of coal mining, and its telling (again by Yash Chopra) grabs my emotions and won't let go. Kaala Patthar addresses big questions ranging from the importance of dreams to personal responsibility to hints of environmentalism, but it never feels like "an issues film." The coal dust covering almost every surface in the sets of this film perfectly suits the gray shades of emotion and ethics.

Bollywood at its boldest

2011-12-06T23:48:00.001+05:30

It's hard to think of Vidya Balan when you think of words like sleaze, raunch, vulgar. And that is probably why it is all the more intriguing for the audiences to go out and watch The Dirty Picture. After films like Parineeta and Paa, Balan is (surprisingly!) plumb perfect as Silk Smitha.

While all characters - Naseeruddin Shah, Emran Hashmi, Tushhar Kapoor - are good, no one quite matches up to Balan's exuberant screen presence and performance. And I say that not because she dares to bare. It's because she convincingly dares to bare. The woman can act - a skill that's, unfortunately, a rarity among B'wood actresses. She shines in the scene where she holds up the traffic while ruining a journalist's party.

Packed with a quite a few cliches and a plot, we aren't really new to, thanks to films like Fashion and Page 3, The Dirty Picture broadly rests on Vidya's shoulders and some hard-hitting dialoguery that should help it earn its bucks while running a few more weeks at the theaters.

@Vidya, December seems to be a award-winning month. I guess you last award was for Paa. Release Date - December 4. Get preparing for the customary 'thank you' speech already ;)

Bollywood upcoming: Rowdy Rathore (2012)

2011-12-02T21:02:00.001+05:30

The Movie Antakshari: Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year

2011-12-02T12:45:00.001+05:30

Hum

Maine Pyar Kiya

Amar Akbar Anthony

Yahaan

Namak Haraam

Masoom

Mera Naam Joker

And my pick with 'R' is
Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year
Harpreet S Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) charms you with his effortless acting, likeable persona and forthright ways. The central character of the film, Harpreet, is straight out of college looking for work. The 39-percent-er BCom graduate strikes in his first interview, landing himself a job, thanks to his determination and belief in himself.
The guy is an idealist of sorts. He knows only good. The 'p' of politics escapes him. His close-to-perfect vision of life comes to knot, few months into his job and soon enough his guilelessness lands him out of it. In the last few days, left of his training period, he's (expectedly!) belittled by his boss and colleagues.
He keeps up his hard work, knowing well he won't be rewarded or recognized for it. Harpreet is hurt but not without faith. It's then that he takes a decision. The dimwit (at least that's what everyone makes of him!) outsmarts all. He proves a true blue salesman (but honest, mind you!).
Yes, there are a few loopholes, but the film does not wander from the point it sets out to make. It is a different subject, tautly scripted and screen played, with realistic characters. Be it Harpreet's shrewd team leader Nitin (Naveen Kaushik); his foxy boss Sunil Puri (Manish Chodhary); the brash receptionist Koena (Gauhar Khan); the perennial lech Santosh (Girish Reddy); cup-plate Mishra Ji; or our very own "Prem naam hai mera" Prem Chopra (PS: main vaari vaari jaawa on his flawwwless Punjabi accent).
It's a film with a soul and highly recommended.

Desi Boyz (2011)

2011-11-28T13:23:00.001+05:30

Surprisingly, the film isn't as bad as the reviews I came across. A popcorn-munching entertainer, Desi Boyz makes for an enjoyable, paisa-vasool film.

What's good -

** Akshay and John as best buddies are as entertaining as Jerry and Nick as Rocco and Hunter, with great comic timings. Deepika, for a change, is tolerable and even looks good. Omi Vaidya of 3 idiots fame is hilarious as Ajay. John ups the hotness quotient. Check him out in the title track (girls, I bet you won't blink ;)

** It keeps you hooked through to its two hours of fun (save the courtroom scene which could have been done away with) and some amazing foot-thumping soundtracks which keep the film alive and kicking.

** After a long long time, Bollywood made me laugh. 2011 has been a letdown in terms of the kind of films it has produced despite all the brouhaha. But I can count DB among the best films of this year. I just wish they'd come up with a less frumpish title.

Girls, it's going to be a treat for you. Don't miss it ;)

The Movie Antakshari - Masoom (movie review)

2011-11-20T13:55:00.001+05:30

The Movie Antakshari, an attempt to recollect Bollywood's most memorable films, brought to you by EatPrayLove and Bolly Hood, is now in full swing. We're almost a month into it now but here's a quick recap for the ones who've just joined in.
The Movie Antakshari is much like the song antakshari that, I'm sure all of you have played at some point - school trip, college canteens, office cafeteria. For the ones who haven't, this is how it goes - Pick a song and the next person picks a song with the last alphabet of your last word. Easy? Just replace 'song' with a 'film title,' which is what we're playing here.

Here are the entries until now -

Hum, Maine Pyar Kiya, Amar Akbar Anthony, Yahaan, Namak Haram.

Bolly Hood, left me once again with 'M.' So here goes my pick -

Masoom (1983)

Based off a novel Man, Woman & Child by Eric Segal, Masoom released before I was born but I remember watching it over and over with my mum on our VCR. It was one of her favorite films. I didn't completely understand the plot back then. Today as I watch it, 20 years hence, it brings back memories of how I'd cuddle up with her and watch the film while trying to make sense of whatever I possibly could.

The beauty of Masoom lies in how delicately delightfully first time director Shekhar Kapur explores relationships - the tensions between a husband and a wife, the tenderness between a mother and a daughter, the bond between a father and a son. Naseeruddin and Rahul's (played by Jugal Hansraj) father-son chemistry works tremendously and is one of the reasons why you should watch the film. There's also baby Urmila Matondkar in this film playing Naseeruddin's daughter but its his younger daughter Aradhana who's the more vibrant and noticeable of the two. You'll love her for her playful ways.

While each character is appreciable, your heart goes out for Rahul. His onscreen presence is enough to move you. Unfortunately, Hansraj hasn't had much success in films after growing up. [I saw him in Mohabbatein, Papa Kehte Hain, Salaam Namaste (cameo)].
Masoom, while being a good film, also gave us some of the most memorable songs. Lakdi ki kathi (I'd be surprised if you haven't heard that song as a kid), tujhse naraaz nahi zindagi, do naina ek kahani thoda sa baadal thoda sa paani.

Overall, what works is that Masoom goes beyond the the cliched Bollywood clutter. Next time you hear someone rubbishing Bollywood, you know what to recommend!

@Bolly Hood - It's over to you now. And the letter is 'M.' Go for it!

Ranbir rocks...Rockstar doesn't!

2011-11-12T16:50:00.001+05:30

Rockstar definitely doesn't live up to all the ballyhoo it created. Or probably, Imtiaz is a victim of his own success.

WHAT WORKS

** After proving himself in films as assorted as Sawariya, Rajneeti, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Wake up Sid, it's no surprise Ranbir delivers without a hitch. His Janardhan Jhakar act is as convincing as the maverick, non-conformist Jordan. It's truly his film and if it does turn out to be a hit, it's courtesy him.

** Ranbir-Fakhri chemistry. Bollywood's long lost charm in a love story is back and how! And quite like Jab we Met, there are no cliched 'i love you's' and 'do you love me.'

** The film has got an amazing look and feel. The cinematography is slick. The Kashmir scenes and the stage shows, particularly, are shot brilliantly. The magnanimity of it is over-whelming.

**Rahman lends soul to an otherwise dry film. Had it not been for his music, (I would've been asleep halfway) there isn't much for Rockstar to bank on. Kun faaya kun (which has been so beautifully woven into the film) and the shehnai-guitar jugalbandi between Shammi Kapoor and Ranbir is NOT to be missed.

WHAT DOESN'T

** Nargis Fakhri robs the film off its what-could've-otherwise-been some of its very precious moments. Add to that her dialogue delivery, which is mostly gawky. Her character is weird to the T. There was nothing amusing about the whole 'junglee jawani' thing which was played up a bit too much. Her idea of fun is as quirky as her character. A distorted version of Katrina, Fakhri was an appalling choice for a role like this.

** The screenplay is as random as it could get. Tediously lengthy, Rockstar could've been wound up far more quicklier.

** The film gets going on a strong note but dwindles midway leaving you in the hope that it would eventually pick up pace, which it does, but that's only short-lived.

** Most characters exude staleness from Piyush Mishra (who's a brilliant actor otherwise) to Fakhri's mother.

Despite the grandiosity of it all, there was something missing in the film. It leaves you wanting for more. Strictly for Ranbir fans. Others wait for the DVD.

Here's the song that's been on a repeat mode in my head ever since I left the theatre.

RAJ: Aditya Chopra's Love Trilogy

2011-11-08T04:56:00.002+05:30

After our DDLJ post, I started to re-watch the only three films directed by Aditya Chopra.
In Bollywood, love is a given. It is the foundation of every blockbuster. Without a love story, the characters have no motivation. No likability. No impact on the audience. And a hero who doesn't love can't save the world. He can't fight 100 thugs without a scratch. He can't survive after taking 5 bullets.
A hero who doesn't know love can't be a hero.
And if you have lived in India in the last two decades, you may have noticed (or will notice post readin this) that the words "hero" and "love" have been moulded into one idea: Raj.
Aditya Chopra introduced the idea of Raj to the world in 1995 with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. DDLJ's Raj is the ultimate lover. He will do anything for his love. But he has one condition, one ingredient that makes him Raj: he will always do the right thing. Whether that is to respect the girl's parents' wishes, or saving (read: not killing) the bad guy who is trying to steal his love from him. He is a man every women (presumably) would want. With this Raj, and with DDLJ, Chopra set up the benchmark for love stories.

So, a quick survey about DDLJ (with answers due to the one-way-ness of this discussion) :

1. Is it the greatest love story ever told?
2. Is it possible to make a better complete story (one with the right blend of action, drama, comedy, good music, and romance)?
3. Is it possible for the person who masterminded this film to make an even better love story?

The answers:
1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Yes, but let me explain.

Chopra followed DDLJ with Mohabbatein. And in Mohabbatein he changed the rules of love that were previously broken and changed by him in DDLJ. In Mohabbatein he gave us a Raj that has lost his Simran. In fact, he never really had his Simran. Not in the reality that everyone around him lives in at least. But despite the laws of the world in this fictional story, Raj still found her again. Devoted himself to her. And in the process he became the eternal lover. This Raj will never lose his Simran. He will never give up loving her. He will never lose because his love gives him the strength to do anything - even bring back the dead (figuratively) and change the laws of life itself.

Still, it would be a very depressing story to watch this Raj's story because the actual real events in that story are extremely sad. So Chopra gave him three students. 3 versions of Raj looking for their own Simrans. And with these new love stories Raj could not only keep love alive, but keep the idea of Raj alive.

This Raj will love till he exists, and he will exist till he loves.

That, is how Chopra made a better love story. I can say better because when two people in love stop being people and instead become constant ideas, there is no doubt that this story has the more complete happy ending.

After Mohabbatein, 9 years pass by. But something is still missing. So far, we have a story about a man who will do anything to find his love. And then a story about a man who has loved and lost but not lost his love. But, what about the story of a man who loves without asking for love? What about a man who doesn't define love as the way all the faux-Rajs before him have done in the last 9 years? What about a man who sees God in his love?

Enter Surinder "Suri" Sahni. The man who became Raj just for his love's happiness, and in the process became something much bigger than Raj.

With Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Chopra dwelled into his most simple yet complex story to date. He took the task to take on the indian "arrange marriage" drama, but of course with a twist. He created a love story in an ordinary jodi, and delivered something extraordinary (paraphrasing the film's tagline). But this story did not come without its own hurdles. In order to create a selfless lover, Chopra had to disintegrate the Raj he defined 14 years ago. But he did that flawlessly too, and with respect. He showed, through Suri, to Taani, that every guy can't be Raj. But Raj can be in every guy.

With these three Raj's, Chopra created the complete lover. He delivered a man who loves passionately and without fear. A man who loves eternally. And a man who loves selflessly.

A man who is all the above is the Raj we have all witnessed on screen over the past 16 years. Thus completes Raj: Aditya Chopra's Love Trilogy. Three stories. Three perspectives. Three Shahrukhs. One Raj.

The Movie Antakshari: Yahaan (movie review)

2011-11-04T10:40:00.000+05:30

Thank you for all the love on the Movie Antakshari feature. Here's a quick recap -

The Bolly Hood began with HuM. I followed with Maine Pyar KiyA and he took off with Amar Akbar AthonY.

Hum (The Bolly Hood)
Maine Pyar Kiya (EatPrayLove)
Amar Akbar Anthony (The Bolly Hood)
The Bolly Hood left me with a rather tough choice. Y. But Yahaan made things simpler. I only picked up the film recently.
Yahaan is an impassioned love story set in strife-torn Kashmir. Captain Aman (Jimmy Shergill) falls for Adaa (Minissha Lamba), a Kashmiri civilian. For him, it's love at first sight. But it isn't fleeting. "I want to grow old with you," he tells her in one of the letters they exchange. The consequences, however, will have to be borne.

It's not unusual for Bollywood to not give its fair share of due to films like these. Watching the trailer, I too thought of it as an add-on to the list of 'fluff and froth' flops. But Bollywood always suprises and Yahaan came as a pleasant one! A simple story (with a heartening message) treated commendably well. I wish the makers had worked as hard promoting the film.

I first saw Shergill in Mere yaar Ki Shaadi Hai but wasn't convinced of his acting skills until A Wednesday happened. This was followed by Tanu Weds Manu (where he did a cameo) and Saheb Biwi aur Gangster. His every act has superceded his last. He's inarguably one of the most versatile (yet the most under-rated) actors in the industry. Minissha Lamba delivered a fairly decent debue performance. [Child artist Juhi's (playing Lamba's sister) presence is tough to ignore. Watch out for her in the scene where she breaks down after her house is bombed!]

All in all, if you've missed it, Yahaan makes for a snug and cozy weekend watch.

That leaves The Bolly Hood with 'N.' Get going!

100th post - My romance with DDLJ

2011-11-03T00:17:00.002+05:30

For the Hindi cinema-ignorant, DDLJ is short for the inimitably popular Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.
I vividly remember that day. Running late and mighty anxious if we would make it, we called in to check for the tickets, while already on our way to the theatre. PVRs and the likes didn't exist then. (I'm talking 1995). We had single-plexes playing four shows a day. 12-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12. The voice on the other line told us, 'hall bharne vala hai (the house is almost full).
My heart sank. I had waited the whole of October and November for this one. As our car pulled up outside the theatre, we rushed to the ticket window hoping we'd get lucky.
"How many", he asked?
"4", I yelled back, cutting out the noise around me. "What row?" I inquired.
"4th from the front."
Hell! I'd get to see him closer ;) I rested easy.
Today, as I write this piece, 16 years hence, DDLJ gets me as excited. We've seen countless romcoms come and go - the ones we watch, re-watch, fast forward through to our fav scenes, cut to our favorite songs. I've done that with Jab we Met, Salaam Namaste, Saathiya, Hum Tum, Band Baaja Baraat. But I can quite frankly watch DDLJ over and over, frame by frame, without touching that remote.

What works?
The Shahrukh factor. He stole my heart in Darr and Baazigar (despite his negative roles). Karan Arjun, which preceded DDLJ, solidified his presence in the industry. [Tidbit - Aditya Chopra's first choice for the role of Raj in DDLJ was Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise? I wonder what Cruise and Kajol would have looked like together. Yash Chopra however, convinced Adi against it. Sane decision, Mr. Yash Chopra].

Shahrukh-Kajol pair. Kajol's first film Bekhudi was a box office failure. She stepped into limelight with Baazigar (1993), her first film with Shahrukh and a hit. They were later seen in Karan Arjun (1995) - which went on to become the second highest grossing film of the year. No points for guessing the top grosser of that year. DDLJ! Their third film together.

Perfect cast. From the leads to the supporting actors (Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Anupam Kher), all meaningfully contributed to the making of this historic piece of work.

Music. What better way to express, than music, in Bollywood? From na jaane mere dil ko kya ho gaya to mehendi laga ke rakhna, every song effectively captured the mood of the moment and propelled the film forward.

Treatment. It isn't the story really to be credited for the success of DDLJ. It's purely the execution. And cheers to the director for that!
Be it the Europe tour scenes - which look as fresh and natural as ever, or the scene where Chutki (playing Kajol's sis) warmly shows her support for Raj - "Didi, mujhe voh chhat vala bahut pasand hai, tum usi se shaadi karna;" or the one where Shahrukh allays Simran's mother's fears of her father agreeing to their marriage, or the karva chauth scene on the terrace, or the predictable, yet engaging climax, Adi beautifully puts together a film that's watchable any number of times without getting bored.

The film completed its 16 years of running on October 20, 2011 (the longest ever in the history of Indian Cinema).

The Movie Antakshari: Maine Pyar Kiya (movie review)

2011-10-25T15:13:00.000+05:30

Baithe baithe bore hue karna hai kuch kam

shuru karo antakshari leke prabhu ka naam

Spanning Bollywood's most memorable films, The Movie Antakshari is brought to you by EatPrayLove and The Bolly Hood. The twist is - it involves no singing (though, I bet I could do it better than Bolly Hood ;), it involves Bollywood film titles.

Bolly Hood took off with Hum. (For the uninitiated, my obvious pick is 'M' - the last letter of the film title, and since I choose Maine Pyar Kiy'A', bollyhooha's next pick would be a film starting with 'A.')

So, here goes-

If you're an EatPrayLove regular, you'd probably guessed my pick by now. I saw it a zillion times on my VCR (the pre-VCD/DVD era). The film introduced me to the world of Bollywood and how! Which is also why it has a special place in my heart.

Watch it for the story (as melodramatic as it may seem today), watch it for the heart-warming chemistry between the leads, watch it for the most amazing soundtracks (I can still listen to all songs and they sound as fresh), watch it for Salman!

I was in love with Salman after watching MPK and honestly, it was because of him,
that I'd watch it over and over. The sincerity with which he goes all out to woo his love is hard to come by in films today. Bollywood romcoms have come a long way since MPK. From Hum Tum to Salaam Namaste, Jab We Met, Dostana, Pyar ka Punchnama. But the 'old-world' me doesn't mind going back to MPK once in while. (Tidbit - The film ran for five long years on the theaters!)

Anyhoo, it's over to Bollyhooha now. And the letter is 'A'. Go go!

Thirteen 2011 Films We're Excited For

2011-10-23T07:08:00.000+05:30

Puss in Boots
Release Date: October 28
A story about the events leading up to the sword fighting cat's meeting with Shrek and his friends; starring Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Zack Galifianakis.

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In Time
Release Date: October 28
In the future people stop aging at 25 and must work to buy themselves more time, but when a young man finds himself with more time than he can imagine he must run from the corrupt police force to save his life. Starring Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, and Olivia Wilde.

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
Release Date: November 4
Six years after their Guantanamo Bay adventure, stoner buds Harold Lee and Kumar Patel cause a holiday fracas by inadvertently burning down Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree.

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J. Edgar
Release Date: November 9
As the face of law enforcement in America for almost 50 years, J. Edgar Hoover was feared and admired, reviled and revered. But behind closed doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career and his life. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, directed by Clint Eastwood.

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Happy Feet Two
Release Date: November 18
Mumble's son, Erik, is struggling to realize his talents in the Emperor Penguin world. Meanwhile, Mumble and his family and friends discover a new threat their home -- one that will take everyone working together to save them. Starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt.

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The Descendants
Release Date: November 18
A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident. Starring George Clooney, directed by Alexandar Payne (last film: 2004's Oscar-winning Sideways)

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Hugo
Release Date: November 23
Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. Starring Johnny Depp, Sacha Baron Cohen, Sir Ben Kingsley; Directed by Martin Scorcese.

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A Dangerous Method
Release Date: November 23
A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis. Starring Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, Kiera Knightley.

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Young Adult
Release Date: December 16
Soon after her divorce, a fiction writer returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend, who is now married with kids. Starring Charlize Theron; Directed by Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno, Thank You For Smoking); Written by Diablo Cody (Juno).

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Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows
Release Date: December 16
Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty. Starring Robert Downey, Jr.

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Release Date: December 21
Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker. Starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara; Directed by David Fincher.

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Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Release Date: December 21
The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name. Starring Tom Cruise; Directed by Brad Bird (Ratatouille, The Incredibles)

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The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Release Date: December 21
Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor. But someone else is in search of the ship. Directed by Steven Spielberg; Produced by Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.

'Worst of Bollywood' Awards: 2011

2011-10-22T02:22:00.003+05:30

The Hindi film industry gives away countless awards each year honoring the best performances. I wondered if there were any awards for the 'worst' until I discovered goldenkela.com. Here are my picks for 2011 in each of their categories:

Most 'Original Story' Award - Bodyguard

Worst Pair - Kangana Ranaut and R. Madhavan for Tanu Weds Manu

Worst Actor - Rahul Bose for Kuch Luv Jaisaa

Worst Actress - Anushka Sharma for Patiala House

Worst supporting actor (Male) - Amol Gupte for Bheja Fry 2

Worst supporting actor (Female) - Kalki Koechlin for ZNMD

Worst Film - Bheja Fry 2

Worst Director - Sagar Ballary for Bheja Fry 2

'When Did This Come Out' Award - Chitkabrey - Shades of Grey

Most Irritating Song - Switty Switty from Delhi Belly

Most Atrocious Lyrics - Zara Nazre Mila Umrao Jaan from Damadam

Baawr(i) Ho Gaya Hai Ke Award - Yana Gupta (Murder 2)

Special Awards include:

Lajja Award for Worst Treatment of a Serious Issue - Aarakshan

'Bas Kijiye Bahut Ho Gaya' Award - Aneez Bazmi (Singh is King, No Problem, Thank You, Ready)

The Ides of March: The Godfather of Politics

2011-10-22T00:25:00.000+05:30

George Clooney is very likable. Through his Ocean's 11,12,13 franchise, he's proved that bad guys don't have to be "bad guys". And except his powerful performance in "Syriana" (which I have to admit I stopped watching half way through and never really got time to finish), his character is always the guy every woman wants and every guy wants to become.

The Ides of March is a different side of Clooney. In this film, which he also directed, he plays a State Governor and a (hopeful) presidential candidate on his path to become the President of the United States. If you knew this walking into the theater, you were prepared for a less-lovable-but-more-respectable Clooney.

Which he is. Shown through the eyes of Stephen Meyers, a senior staffer on his campaign played by Ryan Gosling, Clooney's Mike Morris is the voice and face America needs, and you as the audience believe it.

The title "The Ides of March" refers technically to the 15th of March, the day the public is to vote for Clooney's character. But the metaphorical (and not that cryptic) reference is to the day when Julius Caesar, the political leader of ancient Rome, was assassinated by those most trusted by him in a literal "backstabbing". These conspirators believed he was becoming too big, not just as a man, but as a symbol and a leader. While Clooney's Mike Morris isn't exactly Caesar (yet), Gosling's Stephen Meyers surely goes through his Brutus phase. Eventually, it's the film's climax that really brings out the rivalry between the two, and shows what would go down if history was to repeat itself in today's world.

Politics in America, in reality, isn't fast-paced. There aren't as many scandals as you'd hope for. Fictional politics is the all we get to live our scandalous fantasies through. But what The Ides of March gets right is the paranoia, the backstabbing, the loyalty, and the no-one-to-trust aspects of fictional politics.

Perhaps what's so shocking in this film is the impending doom of the audience's likability of Clooney's Mike Morris. We want to like him, we really do, and he makes it easy to with his speeches and idealism and practical approach to solving worldwide and domestic issues. So even when we learn that he is no better than all the others, the only reason we choose to dislike him is because we wouldn't want the President of the most powerful nation in the world to be this ruthless, publicly.

That's what so great about this film: the behind the scenes are so real - so "please-no-let-that-not-be-the-body-of-the-intern-who-slept-with-the-next-president" (spoiler alert, btw) - that we cringe at the thought of wanting to know if this is how the real world politics is like too.

Being a giant fan of The West Wing, my loyalty wasn't questioned when I saw this film. The characters played by Paul Giamatti and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, two rival political managers, are possibly the the closest yet caffeinated-versions of characters from The West Wing. But it's too hard to compete with a 7 year long and 154 hour long tv series with just a 101 minute film. So I'm glad they didn't. Clooney's team and cast held their own, and delivered a top notch thriller that I'm going to label as 2011's The Social Network of Politics.

Also, this film had great and tense music that really kept you at the edge of your seat. It wasn't as great as The Social Network soundtrack, but... actually I need to stop comparing the two. Great music, period.

Author's Note I: Another similarity between The Ides of March and The Social Network: both films use and misuse their women characters to drive and crash their characters' motivations. Women characters in films have long been known to set the spark that jump-starts the plot, and this film is no different. Also, quick trivia, The West Wing was created by master of TV Aaron Sorkin, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Social Network.

Author's Note II: This is Ryan Gosling's year. This is his third film (previous: Crazy Stupid Love and Drive) and third hit this year. He's the next DeCaprio and quickly catching up.

This film has just been added to our blog's "Best of 2011" Category. Keep a look out for more additions.

Jagjit Singh's top 9 ghazals

2011-10-12T02:20:00.000+05:30

It's tough to single out one best from his countless soul-stirring compositions. So here's a list of my favorite nine (in no particular order):

1. Tere bare mein jab socha nahi tha (Album - Saher)

2. Tamanna phir machal jaye (Soz)

3. Mujhse Bichad kar (Album - Saher)

Had a tiff with a loved one? This song will make you want to undo all and go give him/her a tight hug. And yes, don't call yourself a Jagjit Singh fan if you're yet to hear it.

4. Tum hamare nahi toh kya gum hai

I remember how I would listen to this song over and over. Can't recall the name of the album now. It came out in the late nineties, if 'm not wrong.

5. Shaam se aankh mein

This one is a package - the music, the shayari, and the video featuring, Jimmy Shergill and Simone Singh, shot by Gulzar and daughter Meghna.

6. Koi Fariyad (Tum Bin - 2001)

7. Pyar ka pehla (Face to Face - 1993)

8. Koi yeh kaise bataye (Arth - 1982)

9. Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya (Sarfarosh - 1999)

Hum labon se keh naa paaye, unse haal-e-dil kabhi
aur wo samjhe nahin, ye khamoshi kya cheez hai

Courtesy Nida Fazli saab.

We're lucky to have been part of a generation that bore writers like him. My mum had this massive collection of ghazals. And almost every cover I'd flip through had Fazli saab's (who coincidently turns 73 today) name. Together, he and Jagjit Singh created some of the most unforgettable ghazals.

5 longest Bollywood films

2011-10-01T11:38:00.000+05:30

Mera Naam Joker - 1970 - 4 hours, 15 minutes

Director by showman Raj Kapoor, the 255-minute film was in the making for almost 6 years after it finally saw light of day. (Originally filmed for 5 hours, MNJ is still the longest Bollywood film). It is also the first Hindi film to have two intervals. But despite heavyweights like Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra, Rajendra Kumar and Simi Garewal, the film failed at the box office.

LOC - 2003 - 4 hours, 2 minutes

At 242 minutes run-time, the film was not only one of the longest running films in Hindi cinema but also the biggest flops of all times. Made out of a budget of INR 40 crores, the film collected barely INR 19 crores. Even a grand starcast failed to keep the boat from sinking.

Sangam - 1964 - 3 hours, 58 minutes

Directed By Raj Kapoor (his first color film), with a run time of 238 minutes, this love triangle went on to become a classic.

Jodha Akbar - 2008 - 3 hours, 50 minutes

Despite its run-time, the Asutosh Gowariker-directed film made it to the list of most successful films with box office collections topping INR 59 crores. The 230-minute long film was made out a budget of INR 40 crores. If Akbar was as Greek-godly handsome as Hrithik, I wish I was born in the 16th century ;)

Lagaan - 2001 - 3 hours, 44 minutes

The Amir-starrer epic made a whopping 38 crores out of a budget of 25 crores landing itself a long inning even at the box office. The film was nominated among Channel Four's '50 Best Films to See Before you Die.' Lagaan also became the highest selling DVD in India, trumping Sholay.

'Long' live Bollywood!

Mere Brother ki Dulhan (2011) - movie review

2011-09-19T00:22:00.000+05:30

Even before you've seen MBKD, you know you can expect only so much from a film like this. A YRF film, after all, is supposed to be enjoyed like a YRF film. Just like you can't imagine Amir doing a Chulbul Panday and/or Shahrukh doing a Ghajini, it's only feckless to expect highbrow cinema from a YRF banner.

Yes, it's got cliched characters (very!) and the most predictable plot, but MBKD still makes for a fun film. (If critics are liberal enough to shower a 4 on 5 stars to a film like Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani, this one, surely, deserves lot more love).

Despite Katrina being loud and annoying (in bits), you develop a soft corner for her sometime into the film. Watch out for her in the scene where she hums a song from Swades. She's hilarious and adorable. Despite the actor that Imran is, he's likable as Kush. He plays the nice guy (and as boring as that may sound) you do end up liking him. But while our bhaisaab, Ali Zaffar, was all too impressive in Tere Bin Laden, he seems to have completely hammed it up here. It felt as though I was still watching the rushes.

While the music is mostly forgettable, the whole loud Punjabi feel to the album makes the songs come alive and gels with the mood of the film. One song that will stay longer in my head is Isq Risk by Nusrat Fateh Ali.

Overall, if you're up for a fun weekend, go enjoy this one with your bucket of popcorn and pepsi!

Preview - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

2011-09-16T12:00:00.000+05:30

"The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name." - imdb.com

Say what you will about Tom Cruise in the US, but he is still the biggest international movie star. And, at 49, he doesn't plan to stop anytime soon. Besides M:I 4, he'll next be seen as Stacee Jaxx in the rock musical Rock of Ages (2012).

A great producer as well, he has taken his Mission Impossible franchise through several thematic transformations over the years, insisting on a new director's vision for each film. It all started with Mission Impossible back in 1996 where Cruise first introduced Ethan Hunt to the world and became America's answer to James Bond. The film was a great success, and a first for a "smart" international spy thriller with truly unique action sequences. And while the second film was fun, it lacked the originality of its predecessor.

It wasn't until J.J. Abrams (Creator of Lost, Fringe) took over the director's chair for the third film that the franchise returned to its roots. And the action sequences were plenty.

With 2011 marking the 15th year of this franchise, the stakes couldn't be higher for Ethan Hunt's fourth outing - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The Impossible Mission Force (seriously, that's what its called) has been shut down, and Hunt and his team are the only ones who can redeem its name. However, if they fail, they will all be charged as terrorists planning to incite global nuclear war.

Besides a chemical weapon, nuclear war perhaps wins first prize for a one-man-saves-humanity scenario. High stakes. Once you go nuclear you don't go back.

With two time Academy Award winner Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) directing, and both Cruise and Abrams producing, could you be more excited? This is the dream team for action blockbusters.

Also, a plus for bollywood fans, our very own Anil Kapoor has a significant role in the film.

Author's Note: It's being said that this will be Cruise's last film as Ethan Hunt, and Jeremy Renner will be taking over the franchise. No offense to Renner, but I personally don't look forward to an impossible mission not being accepted by Ethan Hunt. And who leaves a franchise after 4 films? Seems like a very odd number to pick. At the same time, judging by the 4 to 6 year long gaps between each M:I film, I wouldn't be too keen to watch a 53-55 year old Tom Cruise jump off tall buildings. Only Bruce Willis can pull that off.

December 21, 2011.

Check out the trailer here:

Greatest Films of All Time: Part IV

2011-09-14T12:00:00.001+05:30

The Departed

Dial M for Murder

Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

Se7en

Schindler's List

Past Lists:
Greatest Films Of All Time: Part I
Greatest Films Of All TIme: Part II - The Tarantino Magic
Greatest Films of All Time: Part III - PIXAR

Schindler's List (1993)

2011-09-13T09:25:00.000+05:30

In the fall of 2009, I saw Schindler’s List frame by frame over the course of two days. Having avoided the film for a very long time (I had a copy for 8 years without watching even a single scene), I was finally pushed to see it by a film professor at my university as the subject of an analytical paper.

The topic of my thesis was the recurrence of the “lists” in the film, and their significance to the story as a whole. While I will not use this medium to broadcast my 12 page long essay, I will say that watching this film in slow motion with the ability to pause only makes the story easier to swallow.

Spielberg worked very hard to get this film made; at one point not wanting to direct it because he didn’t think he could do justice to the material. And the film studio system of “one for us, one for you” (make one blockbuster film for us, and we’ll give you a fraction of that film’s budget to make a small movie we have no expectation to make money from) finally accomplished a win-win situation for both the studio and Spielberg: he made Jurassic Park for them (made $920 Million in the summer of 1993) and they let him make Schindler’s List ($321 Million in december 1993).

When films like these do commercially well (sadly Schindler’s List is the only one that comes to mind), it makes you not lose faith in the intellectual depth of the audience.

Greatness Elements: The girl in the red coat, the letter at the end - the last list to save the man who saved them, and everything else as well.

Favorite Scene:

I have never been fooled by the celluloid and fictional nature of films to break, but the intangible and unimaginable power in this sequence would make any person feel inadequate about their accomplishments.

Warning: Since this is a true story, this isn’t really a spoiler, but if you haven’t seen the film I’d advice you to watch the film from the beginning to be properly blown away by this sequence.

(I couldn’t find the entire sequence in one video, so here it is in two parts with some overlap)

YOUTUBE LINK 1 ; YOUTUBE LINK 2

“Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.”

Author’s Note: If you’ve read the LOTR post, you will see what I meant by “Power can only be earned.” For the Schindler in this sequence, power is respect; given by one human being to another. And even the weight from the power in this one small ring is too heavy for Schindler. This scene is the most moving scene in the history of film - no competition whatsoever.

Se7en (1995)

2011-09-10T10:00:00.000+05:30

A certain entry in many genres - crime, murder mystery, thriller, drama. Director David Fincher was robbed of his Oscar for The Social Network earlier this year, but his unique storytelling techniques can be found here as well.

Se7en is a brilliant story about a serial killer who kills a person every day based on the 7 sins, and the two cops trying to stop him (played by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt). With an ending that will leave any viewer shocked, this film is quite possibly the smartest, most brutal serial killer chase film in history.

The theme of the film, which starts as a mystery about “who is the killer?”, quickly turns around to “who is the victim?”. Creating and executing such a change mid-way through the film is a commendable achievement in itself, but the true genius is in the characters and how they react to the film’s twists and turns.

Beautifully filmed as well - if the cinematography in the film doesn’t make you feel disgusted and disturbingly-impressed by the gruesome murders, you don’t have a human soul.

Fincher and Pitt followed this film with the cult classic Fight Club in 1999, a previous honoree in the Greatest Films of All Time list.

To our bollywood readers: you may remember India’s response to (read: copy of) this film: Samay (2003) with Sushmita Sen as both Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.

Author’s Note: If you liked Se7en, check out the show “Criminal Minds” (if you haven’t already). The mood is lighter, but the villains are complete psychopaths.

Greatness Elements: screenplay, direction, characters.

Favorite Scene: Not a spoiler (i.e. not the last scene), but a great sequence about the theme of the film and pretty much the entire human existence. Even without the film around it, this is just one of the greatest scenes ever by itself: YOUTUBE LINK