Marathi Paaul Padte Pudhe...

Welcome to the golden age of Marathi cinema where film makers are not afraid to experiment with different plots and ideas, and deliver excellent quality products. Right now, the Marathi movie industry is at its peak. In the recent past, we have seen so many good films, of so many genres…from thrillers like “Checkmate”, “Chakwa”, and “Savarkhed – Ek Gaav” to full-on fun films like “Pak Pak Pakak”, “Aga Bai Arechha”, “Kaydyacha Bola”, and “De Dhakka” and from timepass comedies like “Jatra”, “Hyancha Kahi Nem Nahi”, and “Navra Majha Navsacha” to serious films like “Dombivali Fast”, “Nital”, “Shwaas”, “Uttarayan”, and “Saatchya Aat Gharat”.

I remember the days when the Marathi movies were ruled by the awesome foursome of Sachin, Ashok Saraf, Lakshmikant Berde, and Mahesh Kothare. Majority of the mainstream films featured permutations and combinations of these four actors. As a kid, I enjoyed those movies tremendously, be it “Ashi Hi Banva Banvi”, “Thartharat”, “Dhadakebaaz”, “Eka Peksha Ek”, to name a few. Although excellent (and some of them are my all-time favorites), those films were somewhat limited in their scope, and focused primarily on comedy. Things were sort of repetitive, as the theme, genre, and most of the times actors were the same.

Things have changed dramatically over the past few years. Even today actors are repetitive, but the films are not. Although some of the movies that become superhits are modeled on the lines of popular Hollywood hits, they have a distinct hint of a “Marathmola” flavor. Today’s awesome foursome in my opinion is Sanjay Narvekar, Makrand Anaspure, Ankush Choudhari, and Bharat Jadhav.

Here are some films from the past 4-5 years that I absolutely loved:
1. Pak Pak Pakak
2. Yanda Kartavya Ahe
3. Kaydyacha Bola
4. Checkmate
5. Aga Bai Arechha

All in all, this is a great time for the Marathi film industry, and for an enthusiast like me for whom movies are like food, and watching an amazing Marathi movie is like a feast.

Hats Off To Hats Off!

In the era of saas-bahu sagas, shows from ‘Hats Off Productions’ are like a cool breeze. There are no far-from-real characters, or baseless and TRP-oriented plots. These shows are as close as it can get to real life; real life of ordinary people like you and me.

One can identify with the characters. They don’t seem unreal; rather, they are much like people we encounter in our day-to-day life. Be it the simple and straightforward Arvind (Baa Bahu Aur Baby) or the pakka businessman Shailesh (Jassuben Jayantilal Joshi Ki Joint Family); ziddi Baby (BBB) or ever-so-cooperating Aarti (JJJKJF); arrogant socialite Maya (Sarabhai vs Sarabhai) or char-chopdi fail Godavari (BBB); and the list goes on and on..we've been or at least seen some of them at some point in our life.

The factor that makes these shows special is the honesty and realism of the characters. They are not people born with golden spoons in their mouths, with a readymade family business, which runs by itself, (well, people in typical daily soaps usually spend all their time and effort in sorting out their overly complex personal life, and hardly seem to have any time left for making money..and yet they seem to have a never ending supply of it!). But, be it BBB, JJJKJF, EPU (Ek Packet Umeed), or SVS (Sarabhai), or any other hats off show, characters are like real people with real jobs. They have genuine and close-to-life problems, which are not limited to a troublesome saas, a vamp (usually a jethani or devrani), or an external troublemaker saut. Since the characters are so close to actuality, one tends to get involved in their family and day-to-day activites, their joys and their sorrows.

Here are some of my hats off favorites:

Top 5 hats off shows: (in this order)

1. Ek Packet Umeed (EPU)
2. Baa Bahu Aur Baby (BBB)
3. Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai (SVS)
4. Khichadi
5. Jassuben Jayantilal Joshi Ki Joint Family (JJJKJF)

Top 5 male characters: (no particular order)

1. Praful (Khichadi)
2. Rosesh (SVS)
3. Pravin (BBB)
4. Babuji (Khichadi)
5. Arvind (BBB)

Top 10 Female Characters: (Could not narrow down to top 5!) (no particular order)

1. Meenakshi (BBB)
2. Maya (SVS)
3. Baby (BBB)
4. Paroma (EPU)
5. Hansa (Khichadi)
6. Monisha (SVS)
7. Pravina (BBB)
8. Jayshree (Khichadi)
9. Sundari (EPU)
10. Pankor Baa (JJJKJF)

I used to be a big-time tv watcher when I was in India. With time, my filtering system became more powerful, and now, all I watch is hats off shows. They have all the elements necessary for a full package of entertainment; a perfect blend of drama, comedy, joy, and sorrow.

In conclusion, the only thing I would like to say is “three cheers to hats off”. As Aamir Khan said in Dil Chahta Hain, “Perfection ko improve karna mushkil hota hai”…but I’m pretty sure that at the rate that hats off is going, it will keep giving us fans better and better quality of television.

The Grapes Are Not Necessarily Sour – It All Depends On The Perspective!

Honestly, I happened to watch the movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” simply for the reason that I was getting bored and there was nothing else to do! But, I loved it, and wondered how I had never heard about this movie before.

This film states a simple fact of life in a very effective manner. The gist of it is: ‘It is not always about making yourself happy, or doing what you want to do. Think about what you can do for your near and dear ones..that satisfaction is a simple way to your happiness!’

It is the story of a family; a family consisting of an extremely overweight and consequentially bitter and irritating mother (Darlene Cates), Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp), who has to “take care” of the family, being the sole breadwinner, Amy Grape (Laura Harrington), the elder sister who takes care of all the “motherly” duties in the house, Ellen Grape (Mary Kate Schellhardt) , a typical teenager, often too frustrated about the day-to-day family problems, and Arnie Grape(Leonardo Di Caprio), an 18 year old with the brain of a 10 year old, who believes that his brother is the greatest person on the planet.

As the plot progresses, we can see how life goes on, despite all the problems and obstacles. Gilbert is caught between his family members, and his personal ambitions, and doesn't realize when the two things become one…he lives for his family. When asked what his ambitions are, all he can think of is what he wants for his mother, sisters, and brother, and all he wants to be in life is a “good person”. It really made me think whether there are any people like that in real life..people who don’t want any superficial and material things, and who just want to be “good”.

I was never a fan of Johnny Depp, and quite disliked Leonardo Di Caprio. In this film, Johnny looks like a “chocolate boy”, and is extremely adorable, and sincere as Gilbert Grape. Leonardo is brilliant as the mentally challenged Arnie..very genuine, and never falters. Darlene Cates portrays the mother brilliantly. The other supporting cast is apt. Especially worth a mention is Juliette Lewis who plays Becky, Gilbert’s girlfriend and buddy.

Watch this movie for Depp and Di Caprio..they are indeed a treat of sweet grapes!

Dus Kahaniyaan: Sirf Kuch Khaas..Baki Sab Bakwaas!

I finally got a chance to watch “Dus Kahaniyaan” yesterday. I was really waiting to see how this venture had turned out, especially after disastrous ensembles like “Darna Zaroori Hain” and “Salaam-E-Ishq”. I must say that this one was not as bad. It was quite entertaining. Out of the dus, I loved a couple, liked a few, and simply hated the rest.

Here’s my 2 cents worth about each of the kahanis.

Kahani 1: Matrimony Rating: 3/5

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Actors: Mandira Bedi, Arbaaz Khan, Sudhanshu Pandey

The story idea was pretty good, but extremely “ghisi peeti “and predictable. However, the acting was up to the mark, and overall it was not as bad as some of the rest.

Kahani 2: High on the Highway Rating: 0/5

Director: Hansal Mehta

Actors: Jimmy Shergill, Masumi Makhija

This was definitely the worst of the lot. I wonder why it was even there! It was sheer torture. As it was just the second story out of the 10, it made the viewer wonder if there were worse nightmares to come!

Kahani 3: Pooranmashi Rating: 4/5

Director: Meghana Gulzar

Actors: Amrita Singh, Parmeet Sethi, Minissha Lamba

The plot was interesting, and very well executed. Acting was spot on. For a change, I actually liked Amrita Singh. This was definitely one of the top 3 stories.

Kahani 4: Stranger in the Night Rating: 3/5

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Actors: Neha Dhupia, Mahesh Manjrekar

When the story began, it seemed like a typical case of adultery. The twist was quite unexpected, and kinda weird! But this story was one of the ok ones.

Kahani 5: Zahir Rating: 3/5

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Actors: Manoj Bajpai, Dia Mirza

The storyline is average, but the climax is unexpected. Good job done by both the actors.

Kahani 6: Lovedale Rating: 2.5/5

Director: Jasmeet Dhodhi

Actors: Aftaab Shivdasani, Neha Uberoi, Anupam Kher, Anuradha Patel

This is a clear case of being totally predictable. You can pretty much guess every single thing that is going to happen, right after the first 2-3 minutes. Acting-wise, it was alright, but nothing new as such.

Kahani 7: Sex on the Beach Rating: 0/5

Director: Apurva Lakhia

Actors: Dino Morea, Tarina Patel

This one competes with the “High on the Highway” story for the “Worst story” award. Don’t go on the title…apni akal lagao. Total bakwaas story.

Kahani 8: Rice Plate Rating: 5/5

Director: Rohit Roy

Actors: Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah

For me, this one definitely takes the cake. I simply loved it. It is a simple story, very well narrated. Brilliant acting, and direction.

Kahani 9: Gubbare Rating: 4/5

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Actors: Nana Patekar, Natassha, Rohit Roy

Quite a predictable story, but really nicely portrayed. I guess it’s the “Nana factor” that makes it special.

Kahani 10: Rise and Fall Rating: 2/5

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Actors: Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty

In my opinion, this was a waste of time for an actor like Sanjay Dutt. Strictly ok story, nothing likeable about it.

All in all, Rohit Roy bags the first prize, Meghana Gulzar and Sanjay Gupta share the second, and the others pretty much stink!

"Click" Clicks!

I love watching Adam Sandler movies; although they are similar in their comic content, they always leave you feeling happy in the end. However, “Click” is a complete non-Sandler. If you are looking for a comedy movie with a goofy Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider thrown in, you will be disappointed and won’t like this movie at all. However, this is in my opinion one of the best Adam Sandler films, some of the others being “Billy Madison”, “Happy Gilmore”, “Big Daddy”, “50 First Dates”.

It starts off as a comedy, and after a while the plot takes a swerve and gives you lessons in living life to the fullest. What would happen if you had a universal remote control, and you could control everything around you with the click of a button? Wouldn’t you feel empowered, having the ability to pause, rewind, and fast forward various aspects of your life? That’s precisely what a workaholic architect Michael Newman (Sandler) obtains from the “Beyond” section of a Bed Bath and Beyond store. The film depicts his journey with the magical remote control, and how things get out of hand when the remote takes over his life!

The film teaches a valuable lesson that family, friends, and other aspects of your life are as important or at times more important than your work. It teaches you the true meaning of the adage “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Overall, a wonderful film.

Poignant and Powerful!

“A Mighty Heart” is probably one of the most powerful films of 2007. The director Michael Winterbottom has successfully painted the true picture about the brutal beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Karachi, Pakistan in the year 2002. The film is based on the book “A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl”, written by Mariane Pearl.

The story opens with the life of Daniel and Mariane Pearl, both journalists, posted in Pakistan. One day, Danny leaves the house to meet a religious leader, never to return back! And what follows is intense drama, with emotions running high. An extensive search for Danny begins, with clues and links scattered all over Pakistan. Friends, colleagues, and the police try their best to find out about Dan’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, there is bad news in the end.

The most striking part of the movie is the sincerity of all the actors. They get into their characters so well that they recreate the tragic incident effectively on screen. This is one of Angelina Jolie’s best performances in my opinion. I am not much of a fan of her work, except for ‘Girl Interrupted’ and now this one. She portrays the character with utmost genuineness, including the look, and the accent. She captures the love, sadness, frustration, tension, and all other facets of Mariane’s emotions perfectly. She does not falter even once! The other cast, that includes Dan Futterman as Daniel Pearl, Irfan Khan as the police captain, Archie Panjabi as Asra, Denis O’Hare as John Bussey, Will Patton as Randall Bennett, has done a great job.

All in all, a very moving film, with heartfelt performances!

Heart is Where the Home is!!

The title of this post seems weird..doesn’t it? Well, that is pretty much the gist of the movie “Sweet Home Alabama”(2002). It is the story of a girl, Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon), from a small town in Alabama, who leaves her small world to become a hoity-toity New York City socialite. She tries her best to erase every memory of her past, and even changes her name to start a new life. She finds love, fame, and success in the city, but circumstances force her to take a trip down south, and life comes to a full circle.

Then begins a journey of redefining who she is, and what her roots are. Whatever you do, home is always home. How much ever you change, you can never estrange yourself from your home. Melanie changes a lot for the better, but still has strong ties with her home, and can blend into her own crowd easily even after a gap of 7 years! There are ups and downs, but she finally realizes her priorities, and her most heartfelt desires.

I thought it was a very warm movie, and I can bet that lot of people will be able to identify with Mel’s character to some extent. Reese Witherspoon is adorable as Melanie. Josh Lucas is sincere as Jake and so is Patrick Dempsey as Andrew. The supporting cast is also appropriate. I liked the way the director has successfully captured the southern culture, and even the accents are perfect.

In conclusion, the movie teaches a valuable lesson, (quote)“You can have both roots and wings”. You can fulfill your dreams while still being attached firmly to your roots. All in all, a very nice and enjoyable film.

"Offbeat", But Unbeatable!!

‘Manorama Six Feet Under’ gives you the same amount of thrill and excitement as a good suspense novel. It keeps you gripped till the very end. There are numerous twists and turns, plots and subplots, that ultimately lead to a brilliant movie. The tag line of the film “In the desert, nothing is what it seems” perfectly summarizes the plot. The story is not at all predictable; it keeps you guessing throughout. You may start developing your own theories to solve the mystery, but there is a remote possibility of you accurately predicting the end of the movie! The last 45 minutes are the best part of this film, where the entire mystery unfolds and leaves you completely stunned! This is where it differs from the usual suspense movies, which often fizzle out during the climax.

The story is based in a small village in Rajasthan, and the slow motion of the plot quite justifies the sleepiness of the locale. Abhay Deol has played the character of Satyaveer (SV) to perfection. He effortlessly portrays the “failed” detective novel writer turned sleuth. In my opinion, Abhay Deol’s strongest virtue is that he naturally looks and behaves like a “common man” and doesn’t seem to be “acting”! Gul Panag is good as the nagging wife Nimmi, but her “Hinglish” dialogues show traces of an upper-class and polished English accent, which does not go well with her character’s background. Moreover, an exact contrast to her is her brother Brij (Vinay Pathak), who has a heavy Rajasthani accent! Wonder how 2 people in the same household grew up with such huge linguistic dissimilarity! Anyways, this is a minor glitch, and does not affect the brilliance of the film at all. Raima Sen is perfect for her character of Sheetal. Kulbhushan Kharbanda is dependable as the minister P.P. Rathore. Sarika has a small, yet well-defined role, and she makes her presence felt. The other supporting cast is adequate. The background score throughout the movie is very good, and the title song is quite haunting! The cinematography is excellent. The director has been very meticulous, making sure that nothing looks out of place or fake. Right from the backdrop to the props, costumes, and make up, everything is just right.

In conclusion, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’ is like reading a book on screen. Although some might get turned off by the pace of the movie, I would definitely recommend this film to everyone. It is one of the best mysteries of recent times. Kudos to the debutant director Navdeep Singh!

"Welcome"...No Thanks!!

When you have such a strong cast, you also have lot of expectations from the film. ‘Welcome’ does not live up to the expectations at all!

It is a “so-so” film, okay to watch on cable, but definitely not worth spending money in the theater. There is nothing new to it; it is another example of good actors coming together and not being able to create anything special! The story is very predictable, and is a kind of patchwork from various films. For example, Nana Patekar’s character Uday Shetty is a cross between Shankar from Major Saab (a don, who is a loving brother), and Aslam Bhai from Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (LKLKBK)(a don with a strong passion for acting). He is a goofy goon, as portrayed by various actors in innumerable films; Sanjay Dutt in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi (2002), Johnny Lever in LKLKBK (2001), to name a few. Nana Patekar is his usual self, with nothing new to offer as such. Anil Kapoor is another don, named Majnu Bhai, a close associate of Uday Shetty. He has done a pretty good job with his role, and definitely adds on to the value of the film. One can easily notice that Majnu Bhai’s character takes a variety of traits from Circuit of the Munnabhai series, Crime Master Gogo of Andaz Apna Apna, and other similar "comic sidekicks". Paresh Rawal is decent as Dr. Ghungroo, but his acting is repetitive from so many of his other movies. Even though Akshay Kumar is the hero, he is often sidelined by the dons, and we don’t get to see much of his impeccable comic timing. Feroz Khan is ok as the “Godfather” of the dons. The heroines (Katrina Kaif and Mallika Sherawat) seem to exist merely to add oomph value.

The film drags all along until the climax, which is pretty much the only enjoyable part. The dialogues are not great..or rather, they are quite “ghise peete”. Songs are okay, but often seem forcefully inserted into the script in places where no song is needed! All in all, a forgettable movie.

It definitely did not seem like a “Welcome” change from the norm!

Melodious Romantic Comedy

Ask any girl what she thinks of Hugh Grant and the answer would most likely be on the lines of “He’s so cute!!” Pair him with Drew Barrymore and you have one of the cutest on-screen couples ever! This unique and one of its kind pairing prompted me to buy the DVD of this movie. With such a cast, I definitely had a basic level of expectations from the film. It sure did live up to my expectations, though I would have loved to see a bit more of “music” and “lyrics”.

‘Music and Lyrics’ is a feel-good film. It has a decent amount of music, and romance, with a touch of comedy. The movie begins with a recital of a 80’s band named “POP!”, and the opening credits show their journey, and subsequent break up. Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is the composer of that band, and life takes a drastic turn after the band members part ways. Alex is still living on his past success, but unable to come up with newer songs due to his abysmal skills in writing lyrics. Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), a plant lady turned writer, who teams up with Alex to come up with a new song for a hot teenage sensation’s (Cora’s) new album. The character of Cora really makes you realize how superficial the music industry of today is! The rest of the movie is typical; boy meets girl, they fall in love, then comes some drama, and finally a happy ending. However, there is something about this movie that makes you fall in love with it.

Hugh Grant looks as cute as ever (except in few scenes where you can see his wrinkles!!...after all he is almost 50!), and has some really good one-liners. He is very convincing as the washed out icon of the 80’s…and it is hilarious to see him shaking his hips, imitating the pop stars of those days! Drew Barrymore is as natural as it could get. And I found it pretty impressive that they have done the vocals themselves! Among the other actors, I thought Kristen Johnston, who played Rhonda (Sophie’s sister) was really good, and so was Haley Bennett as Cora. The songs that stood out include “Pop! Goes My Heart”, “Way Back Into Love” and “Don’t Write Me Off”.

One quote from the film summarizes my opinion about it:

“A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magical.”

Even though the initial attraction in this film for me was the cast, there are lot of other things that made the movie a wonderful experience.

Little Dil, Some Dosti, Lot of Etc.!

The film focuses mainly on a college campus in Delhi, and the lives of our protagonists:

Apurv, a rich "dude", smooth talker,charmer, and a happy-go-lucky guy who thinks LOVE is nothing but a 4 lettered word;

Sanjay Mishra, an ambitious and budding politician,going to any extent for his dreams, possessive about his love and his beliefs in true love and dedication;

Prerna, a filthy rich aspiring super model, who doesn't know why exactly she is in love with Sanjay!

Kintu, a 16 year old school girl, who loves to go out with guys, but is apprehensive about anything serious!

Vaishali, a sharp spoken prostitute, afraid of falling in love!

The film basically showcases struggle; Apurv's search for love, his quest for 3 women to fulfill the challenge put forward by his friend; Sanjay's struggle to win the college elections and keep his girlfriend the way he wants her to be; Prerna's struggle to get into modeling, and understanding Sanjay's point of view; Kintu's journey from a naive school girl to a mature woman; Vaishali's turmoil of falling in love without meaning to.

All in all, a decent film. Performance wise Shreyas Talpade excels, Imaad Shah is OK, Smriti Mishra is good, Nikita Anand and Ishita Sharma support ably. The other supporting cast is also good and well suited.

In conclusion, I would say that the movie is good, but could have been better!

Amar Rahe!!

This post is not an obituary of any kind! It is a salute to the immortal and unforgettable dialogues in Hindi cinema. Scripts come and go, but some dialogues leave a mark. You can laugh at them, you can cry hearing them, you can fall in love with them...do whatsoever, you cannot forget them!

Let us start with the legendary Sholay:

1. Yeh Haath Humko De De Thakur...
2. Basanti..Inn Kutto Ke Saamne Mat Naachna
3. Chal Dhanno...Aaj Teri Basanti Ki Izzat Ka Sawal Hai..
4. Kitne Aadmi They?
5. Soowar Ke Bachcho..Woh Do They Aur Tum Teen...Phir Bhi Laut Aaye..Woh Bhi Khaali Haath...Kya Samajh Kar Aye They? Sardar Bahut Khus Hoga...Sabasi Dega...Kyu?
6. Itna Sannata Kyu Hai Bhai??...
7. Yahan Se Pachas Pachas Kos Door Gaav Mein Jab Koi Bachcha Rota Hai Toh Maa Kehti Hain So Jaa Beta Nahi Toh Gabbar Aa Jayega..
8. Che Goli Aur Aadmi Teen...Bahut Nainsaafi Hain...
9. Yu Ke...Yeh Kaun Bola??
10. Tumhara Naam Kya Hai Basanti?!!
    
11. Dekh Lena Gaavwalo...When I Death, Police Coming...Police Coming, Budhiya Going Jail...in Jail, Budhiya Chakki Pising, and Pising and Pising....
12. Sardar, Maine Aapka Namak Khaya Hai...(Sardar says): Ab Goli Kha..
13. Hum Angrezon Ke Zamane Ke Jailor Hai...He Haa..
    
14. Aadhe Idhar Jao..Aadhe Udhar Jao...Baaki Mere Saath Aao
    

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro: (All from the amazing Mahabharat scene)

1. Shant Gadadhari Bheem, Shant
2. Dhanush Tod Diya...3 Rupaiye Ka Nuksaan Kar Diya...Main Nahi Karta Natak Watak...Bhad Mein Jao Tum Sab..
3. Draupadi Jaisi Sati Nari Ko Dekhkar Maine Cheer Haran Ka Idea Drop Kar Diya Hai!?!
4. This Is Too Much. Yeh Akbar Kaha Se Aa Gaya?
5. Draupadi Tere Akele Ki Nahi Hai. Hum Sab Shareholder Hain!!
   

Chupke Chupke: (Just a trailor...puri film will be in a detailed review)

1. Neeche Koi Shriman Aur Shrimati Peeke Aye Hai...Aap Nimnagaman Karenge Ya Main Unhe Urdhwagaman Karne Ko Kahoo
   
2. Bhojan Toh Hum Laupathgami Sthal Se Karke Aaye Hai
3. Param Pujya Jeejaji...

Others: (In no particular order)

1. Mogambo Khush Hua.. (Mr. India)
   
2. Mere Paas Maa Hai (Deewar)
   
3. Kkkkkkk...Kiran (Darr)
   
4. Main Ek Chota Sa Nanha Sa Pyara Sa Bachcha Hoon (Chaalbaaz)
   
5. Taarikh Pe Taarikh...Taarikh Pe Taarikh (Damini)
   
6. Kaun Kambakht Bardasht Karne Ko Peeta Hai? (Devdas)
   
7. Ya Toh Yeh Dosti Gehri Hai Ya Yeh Photo 3D Hai! (Dil Chahta Hai)
8. Rishte Mein Hum Tumhare Baap Lagte Hai, Naam Hai Shehenshah (Shehenshah)
   
9. Jaani...Yeh Bachcho Ke Khelne Ki Cheez Nahi...Haath Kat Jaye Toh Khoon Nikal Aata Hai (Waqt)
   
10. Jali Ko Aag Kehte Hai..Bujhi Ko Raakh Kehte Hai..Jis Raakh Se Barood Bane Usey Vishwanath Kehte Hai (Vishwanath)
    
11. Daroo Peene Se Liver Kharab Hota Hai...Maloom (Satte Pe Satta)
    
12. Jab Yeh Dhai Kilo Ka Haath Kisi Pe Padta Hai Toh Aadmi Uthta Nahi Uth Jaata Hai (Damini)
    
13. Pushpa..I Hate Tears (Amar Prem)
14. Saara Sheher Mujhe Loin Ke Naam Se Jaanta Hai (KaaliCharan)
15. Babumoshai.. (Anand)
16. Dosti Mein No Sorry, No ThankYou (Maine Pyar Kiya)
17. Bade Bade Deshon Mein Aisi Choti Choti Baatein Hoti Rehti Hai (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge)
18. Mumbai Ka Bhai Kaun? ... Bhiku Mhatre (Satya)
19. Don Ko Pakadna Mushkil Hi Nahi Namumkin Hai (Don)
20. Koi Mar Gaya Kya? (Dil Chahta Hai))
21. Phata Poster Nikala Hero (Hero Hiralal)
22. Naam: Vijay Deenanath Chauhan...Baap Ka Naam: Deenanath Chauhan...Maa Ka Naam:Suhasini Chauhan (Agnipath)
23. Mooche Ho To Natthulal Ke Jaisi..Warna Naa Ho (Sharabi)
24. Hey Bhagwan...Utha Le...Mere Ko Nahi...Inn Dono Ko...(Hera Pheri)
25. Main Aur Meri Tanhai Aksar Yeh Baatein Karte Hain (Silsila)
26. Koi Desh Perfect Nahi Hota. Usey Behtar Banana Padta Hai (Rang De Basanti)
27. Bachche Ki Jaan Loge Kya? (Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi)
    
28. Hum Jaha Pe Khade Ho Jaate Hai, Line Wahi Se Shuru Hoti Hai (Kaalia)
29. Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (Mard)
30. Sorry....Egjhaktly! (Salaam Namaste)

Phew...the list is going on and on...time to take a break! Probably will come up with another list some other time. Hopefully you didn't fall asleep while reading!!

Farah ka "Inspiration" K(a)han??!

I always like Farah Khan's films...be it Main Hoon Naa or Om Shanti Om. They are complete entertainers. Leave your brain at home and enjoy! The movies are nothing out of ordinary; they are a great mixture of all the masala that the audience wants to see, and pay 100 bucks for!

Speaking of OSO, let me get to the point...the dialogues in the film. Many are nicely penned..make lot of sense and give you a perspective on life!

For example, the sher "Kitni shiddat se tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai.. Ke har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai.."..wah wah!

And "Hamari zindagi bhi hamare hindi filmon ke jaisi hai.. jaha pe end mein sab kuch theek ho jaata hai.. "Happies Endings".. Lekin agar End mein sab kuch theek na ho to woh the end nahi hain dosto.. Picture abhi baaki hai.."

I was appreciating the beauty of these lines and the writer's effort in coming up with simple, yet effective philosophy, when I came across a quote in the book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho:

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

And I noticed that this has been used word to word as an "inspiration" in OSO:
"Agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho to saari kayanat tumhe usse milane ki koshish me lag jaati hai.."

This seriously left a doubt in my mind about the originality of "creative" souls in the industry! If I caught this one case of "copy...paste", there might be hundreds more out there! Where is the creativity then? And aren't we always taught to cite our references?

After all, how much "inspiration" is too much?

Baar Baar Dekho...Hazaar Baar Dekho....

As the title suggests, I am going to talk about the movies that one can never get tired of...those which one can watch number of times without an ounce of boredom! Personally, I take immense pride in saying that I can watch any movie any number of times! However, I have compiled this list taking into consideration the tolerance level of normal mortals and not fanatics!!

So here goes....

Chupke Chupke: This Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic is my personal choice as a "baar baar dekho" movie. The comic timing of the entire cast is amazing. All the actors are perfectly cast!
I want to reserve my opinion about this movie for another detailed review!!

Golmaal: Another amazing comedy from Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Amol Palekar has good comic timing, and so does Utpal Dutt. The supporting cast like Shubha Khote, Dina Pathak, Om Prakash, is also very good. Golmaal definitely excels in the dialogue department. Some lines that stick in the mind include "Main tujhe maaf nahi saaf kar doonga", "Aap police officer nahi foolish officer hai", "Aapke aur mere beech baal barabar bhi deewar na khadi ho paaye" and many more. The song "Aanewala Pal" is very hummable.

Choti Si Baat: This movie is the story of Arun (Amol Palekar), who is just another guy. The movie shows his transition from a shy and run-over guy to a confident person, with help from his mentor Colonel Julius Nagendranath Wilfred Singh (Ashok Kumar). Asrani excels as Arun's rival in his effort to win his lady love Prabha (Vidya Sinha). Arun's role is tailor made for Amol Palekar, and he does a good job. Colonel J.N.W.Singh is one of my favorite Ashok Kumar roles ever! The music of this movie is also excellent, including songs such as "Na Jaane Kyu", "Jaaneman Jaaneman", and "Yeh Din Kya Aaye".

Angoor: Based on Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors", Angoor is a story of 2 pairs of identical twins and mistaken identities. The Sanjeev Kumar- Deven Verma pairs leave you in splits! Ably supported by Moushumi Chatterjee, Deepti Naval, Aruna Irani. My favorite scene in the movie is the one with Sanjeev Kumar singing "Preetam Aan Milo...."!!

Khubsoorat: This is another home-run from Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It is a good ensemble, representing a joint family with 4 sons, daughters-in-law, the father-in-law, and ofcourse the dominating and strict mother-in-law. The story is a good sundae, with a scoop of comedy, a dash of romance, sprinkled with some serious fundae (hey that rhymes with sundae..hehehe) like "freedom does not come free; it comes with its share of responsibilities".

Khatta Meetha: Another light-hearted comedy, this is a story of what happens when Homi Mistry (Ashok Kumar), a father of 4 boys, gets married to Nargis Sethna (Pearl Padamsee), a mother of 2 boys and an over-emotional girl. The movie has its share of khatte as well as meethe moments. "Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai" is a beautiful song. And of course Kishore Kumar's "Mummy O Mummy..Tu Kab Saas Banegi" is very funny!

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro: Star cast like Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Satish Shah, Om Puri, Bhakti Barve put together can definitely keep you rolling in laughter. This movie is crazily funny, especially the climax Mahabharat scene.

Dil Chahta Hai: This is definitely one of the best new generation bollywood flicks. Hats off the Farhan Akhtar for this creation; the story, star cast, music, everything is perfect. And as Aamir Khan says "Perfection ko improve karna mushkil hota hai!". Saif Ali Khan is very lovable as Sameer, who keeps jumping in and out of love. Akshay Khanna is very intense as Sid, and Aamir is as good as ever. Music by Shankar Ehsaan and Loy is mesmerizing, especially the title track and the "Tanhayee" song. "Woh Ladki Hai Kahan" is very different and unique.

Rang De Basanti: The best ensemble of recent times, RDB rocks! Rakesh Omprakash Mehra has created a masterpiece, and he has done this with good actors, rather than going after "stars". The casting is perfect; the ones that especially stand out are Aamir Khan as "DJ", Kunal Kapoor as "Aslam" and Siddharth as "Karan". I admire the director's way of telling the story, and his transitions between the past and the present are very smooth. A.R.Rahman's music is wonderful, and my personal favorites include "Luka Chupi", "Khoon Chala", "Roobaroo", and the title track.

Munnabhai M.B.B.S.: This is a required laughter prescription for everyone. A must watch film for all ages. The entire movie brings tears to your eyes; mostly tears of laughter, and at times with a couple of serious scenes. Sanjay dutt is very adorable as Munna Bhai, but in my opinion Arshad Warsi steals the show as the sidekick Circuit. Boman Irani adds to the comedy quotient as Dr. J (dot) Asthana. Gracy Singh looks pretty all through the movie, and is a decent actress. I wonder why we don't see much of her these days.

Sholay: This is a classic...period! No iffs...no buts...Sholay can be watched over and over by anyone and everyone. You can never get enough of the talkative Basanti, funny and lovable Veeru, 'to-the-point' Jai, and ofcourse Thakur, and Gabbar, and even Kaliya, Samba, and the others! Script is awesome..kudos to Salim-Javed. Songs are good...especially "Mehbooba Mehbooba...". All in all, Sholay is a legend!

Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke: It is not the best there is, but definitely is a fun film, and a complete entertainer. This is a story of a single man (Aamir Khan) raising his sister's kids. The kids are brats...till Juhi Chawla enters as the loving and caring governess. This film success lies in its simple storyline, and good cast, and it sure keeps you hooked till the very end.

Andaz Apna Apna: You will literally be rolling on the floor laughing throughout the movie! It is freaking crazy! Aamir-Salman combo is a lethal weapon that not only tickles your funny bone, but also leaves your sides aching from all the laughter!

Ashi Hi Banva Banvi: The most amazing marathi movie...ever! Detailed discussion reserved for another post.

Those that didn't make the cut include:
Hungama, Mr. India, Hera Pheri, Swades, Roja, Yes Boss, Lagaan, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Pak Pak Pakak, Bindhast

Bollywood Soup for the Soul

Just yesterday, I was thinking about Bollywood music and I realized that we have songs for every occasion and every mood. Our songs capture every emotion there is! So here I am presenting the songs that motivate me, inspire me to get up when I am down, and encourage me to bounce back with a bang!

1. Allah Ke Bande (Film: Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II)
"Toota Toota Ek Parinda Aise Toota...Ke Phir Jud Naa Paya...
Loota Loota Kisne Usko Aise Loota....Ke Phir Udd Naa Paya..
Girta Hua Woh Aasman Se Aakar Gira Zameen Par...
Khwabo Mein Phir Bhi Baadal Hee They... Woh Kehta Raha Magar....
Ke Allah Ke Bande Hasde...Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Ayega"

2. Lakshya (Film: Lakshya)
"Haan Yehi Rasta Hai Tera....Tune Ab Jana Hai..
Haan Yehi Sapna Hai Tera....Tune Pehchana Hai..
Tujhe Ab Yeh Dikhana Hai....
Roke Tujhko Andhiya....Ya Zameen Aur Aasmaan...
Payega Jo Lakshya Hai Tera..
Lakshya Toh Har Haal Mein Paana Hai..."

3. Yeh Hosla (Film: Dor)
"Yeh Hosla Kaise Jhuke.... Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke..
Manzil Mushkil Toh Kya... Dhundhla Saahil Toh Kya...
Tanha Yeh Dil Toh Kya.....

Rah Pe Kaate Bikhre Agar.... Uspe Toh Phir Bhi Chalna Hi Hai...
Shaam Chupale Suraj Magar....Raat Ko Ek Din Dhalna Hi Hai..
Rut Yeh Dhal Jayegi....Himmat Rang Layegi....Subaha Phir Ayegi....."

4. Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai (Film: Khatta Meetha)
"Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai...
Zindagi Phir Bhi Yaha Khoobsurat Hai..."

5. Yuhi Chala Chal (Film: Swades)
"Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi....Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi...
Kitni Haseen Hai Yeh Duniya....
Bhool Sare Jhamele ....Dekh Phoolon Ke Mele...
Badi Rangeen Hai Yeh Duniya....."

6. Aashayein (Film: Iqbal)
"Aashayein ....Aashayein...
Kuch Paane Ki Ho Aas Aas....Kuch Armaan Ho Jo Khaas Khaas.....
Aashayein...
Har Koshish Mein Ho Vaar Vaar... Kare Dariyon Ko Aar Paar....
Aashayein...
Toofano Ko Cheer De...Manzilo Ko Cheen Le...
Aashayein Khile Dil Ki....Ummedein Hase Dil Ki...
Ab Mushkil Nahi Kuch Bhi....Nahi Kuch Bhi.."

I am sure I can come up with a pageful of such songs, and will add them as and when I think about them.

So, in short, music soothes, no matter whether it is classical music or filmy! In conclusion, I would like to quote a few lines from the song "My Favorite Things"

"When the dog bites...
When the bee stings...
When I'm feeling sad....
I simply remember my favorite things...
Then I don't feel so bad!"

An Underrated Masterpiece

Dor is one of its kind..yet another masterpiece from Nagesh Kukunoor! It is a powerful story of love, friendship, trust, sorrow, laughter...you name an emotion, and you will probably find it somewhere in Dor! The storyline is strong..characters well-etched! It is a tale of going above and beyond for the one you love.

The main protagonists Zeenat and Meera are as different as chalk and cheese! Zeenat is a strong-willed girl, who makes her own decisions, and is willing to bear the consequences. On the other hand, Meera comes from a traditional and orthodox background, and is the ideal obedient daughter-in-law to her obstinate in-laws! Her only ray of hope is her loving husband! Throughout the movie, we see each of these women struggle with her own share of obstacles ...and how they cross the hurdles in their path. Comic relief is provided by the Behrupiya..and his mimicry skills are worth applauding!

Gul Panag is excellent as Zeenat. Ayesha Takia is very endearing as Meera. Shreyas Talpade has done a swell job as the "Behrupiya". He sure has a carved a niche for himself in Bollywood! The other cast is apt, and each character is well created and justified. The music is very good, and well-suited to the story. The song "Yeh Hosla Kaise Jhuke..." is especially worth a mention.

All in all, once again, an excellent piece of work from Nagesh Kukunoor!

Smoking Brilliant Film!

'No Smoking'...another sixer from Anurag Kashyap. After the hard hitting 'Black Friday', he has done it again.

However, it is definitely not a movie for everyone..I recommend it only for people who love movies and not those who are looking for pure timepass and entertainment! It is one of the best abstract movies that I have seen in recent times.

The story revolves around "K"...just K! It is about K's struggle to quit smoking. The film is full of metaphors and clues, and the director forces the audience to come out of their passiveness and think! If you are not alert enough, you might end up confused and clueless about what's going on. There is much more than what meets the eye..you need to activate your brain cells and relate the activities on screen to what the director is actually trying to convey! Miss that and the entire movie seems like a waste of time! There a quite a few things like a bath tub in the middle of nowhere in Siberia, Baba Bengali cutting off 2 fingers from peoples' hand, the dirty room where people arrive through the bath tub, cupboard or such unusual places, the right to take a 'bath' for the people who have paid the full fees to Baba Bengali, or a woman singing "Jab bhi cigarette" in Adnan Sami's voice, that look weird to the normal eye. But, this symbolism itself proves the sheer intelligence of the film maker.

This film is a gem in all the departments: direction, cinematography, acting, music. John Abraham has done a commendable job as the egoistic and obnoxious K. Paresh Rawal is outstanding as the eccentric Guru Ghantal Baba Bengali . Ayesha Takia is decent. Ranvir Shorey excels in his short, but well etched out character.

Kudos to Anurag Kashyap for this brilliant piece of work! A must watch for cinema fanatics!

Top 5's of 2007

Presenting some of my top 5's of 2007. I have made this list solely on the basis of the movies that I have watched.

Top 5 Bollywood Movies:

1. Black Friday
2. Parzania
3. No Smoking
   
4. Traffic Signal
   
5. Shootout at Lokhandwala
   

Top 5 Bollywood Entertainers:

1. Chak De India
2. Om Shanti Om
3. Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
4. Guru
5. Bheja Fry
   

Top 5 Hollywood Movies:

1. Freedom Writers
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
4. Music and Lyrics
5. Bridge to Terabithia
   

Freedom Writers

What is freedom? Those of us who are blessed to do whatever we want, and whenever we want can possibly never understand what some people go through every single day of their lives! Their existence is a struggle..their life is a battle....and they fight for survival and yearn for freedom every day of their life! "Freedom Writers" is an inspiring story of such people.

Based on a true story of high school students in Long Beach, California in the 1990s, it is a very inspiring and touching movie. The story revolves around Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank), a first time teacher in Wilson High School, who is assigned a freshman English class which is a diverse group of racially charged teenagers. The kids are rebellious; they have been taught to fight for their "own" people all their life. Racial conflicts and wars take a priority over education. As the story progresses, we see the transformation of the students, and the efforts of the teacher. Erin's teaching methods and ways to connect with the students touch the heart! The way she relates their lives to education is very impressive...some scenes like the "line game", "visit to the museum", "cartoon", "journal writing", and many more leave a long lasting impression on the mind.

As far as performances go, Hilary Swank has done a swell job! She is Erin Gruwell to a T! Some of the other strong performances include April Hernandez (as Eva), Mario (as Andre), Deance Wyatt (as Jamal), Jason Finn (as Marcus).

All in all, a very impressive movie. A must watch for everyone who likes true stories, or needs some inspiration in life. The movie truly motivates you to take life in its stride, and work towards making it better, rather than succumbing to unfavorable circumstances. This powerful and poignant movie will definitely make a lasting impression on your heart!