Par excellence music - It is this

A.R. Rahman is making waves for his fabulous work in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and the subsequent Oscar nominations. In the meanwhile though, his best work came out without much tintinnabulation. I am talking about his latest release, ‘Delhi-6’. I generally don’t go on to listen to songs as soon as I have read the Music Review. But this music review was so glowing that I had to leave aside everything and hark to it.

It is just mind-blowing, dear readers.

I have a strong affinity for melodious songs; so when I listened to the Aarti Song, I was presto carried in the indescribable zone of musical completeness. Its lyrics, its humming, its mystic aura – all are so soothing that I listen to it as and when I feel the first bead of anxiety on my face.

Aarti - Tumre Bhavan Mein

The second song that I like the most is ‘Genda Phool’. What a mix of undiluted ineffable music, topping the relevant lyrics! The words of a restive newly-wed could not have come out better.

Genda Phool

The other songs, Maskali, Delhi-6, Dil Gira etc too are extra ordinary. The whole package, in fact, is a possession for the music aficionado. I can’t wait for the film to come out. If it is even half as good as its musical counterpart, it will make many other excellences dim.

'Slumdog Millionaire' - You are everywhere

I had to write about the movie. I can’t escape its ubiquity. A firm favourite for the Oscars now after having gobbled up the Golden Globes, Slumdog Millionaire is a movie in itself.

It is painted on Indian backdrop, and it has unsurprisingly used the chiaroscuro of Indian poverty. It is not news but surely an agitating prop for us righteous Indians. I am ambivalent how to take it. I was struck by the blatant portrayal of Indian poverty and iniquities in the movie but was also helpless not to deny it. My feign sense of Indian emancipation was hit hard, but it only revealed the truth which I already knew and wanted to hide from. So, I won’t be that critical as others have been. Amitabh Bachchan has his views overtly put out, but he too ignores some obvious facts.

But yes, I agree with him on some counts. A cliché – ‘Only Sex and SRK sell in Bollywood’ has its counterpart in Hollywood- ‘Of India, only her poverty and mysticism sell’. Did Indians ever eat monkey-brain? Spielberg never bothered to check this before selling it in ‘Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom’. Even recently, the much appreciated ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ shows many things mystical enough for me to fathom. I can’t hold a feather in desert and be purified by the winds blowing it. Never mind, it worked for the three American brothers and the audience in general. So, I fear there is going to be even more this esoteric Indianness sold in the movies, now that India is more global than ever before. I think India’s male chivalry, feminine beauty, urbane life style, political sanity, military valour etc will have to wait for next century.

In my declamation or rigmarole (whatever you feel) about its Indian connection, I didn’t mention the cinematic aspects of the movie, and it is indeed a shame because the movie ticks almost all the boxes that one can put for a quality movie. Its unique narration, tight story, celebratory exhibition, acute cinematography, good acting and compelling music all lend great finesse to the product. Some of the moments, like the boy jumping in a pool of pooh, the deceitful villain putting oil in a kid’s eyes etc have already attracted much attention and discussion. But what was most remarkable about the movie was its never-to-wither belief in destiny that somehow dots connect in life. Indeed they did connect for the protagonists showcasing a unique celebration of life. The dance routine at the end was unexpected and incongruous, but as already guessed or known by now, it was a tribute to Bollywood. The dancing could have been better, but it seems till now, this type is somewhat mastered by and exclusive to Bollywood actors only.

So, this is all about the movie from me. I am keen to hear from all what they think about it, and in fact, I have already been reading the opinions at different forums. Good Luck to the movie for the Oscars, and hope it wins many more fans in cinema and life alike.

Ghajini ... Aamir is the real Ghajini

If New Year deserved anything better, I don’t know what. I watched Ghajini today after partaking my breakfast. It was a 3-hour roller-coaster of emotion.

Did I like it? Yeah. Can it bear the tag of the most profitable movie of Indian Cinema? Yeaah. Is it the phenomenon? Yeaaah ….

Is it exceptional? No answers

I don’t have answers, because I don’t want to answer it. It is for you to analyse.

The movie starts off with description of a zapped Aamir Khan. Then he dashes on the screen thrashing a baddie, splashing everything out in the process. As the fighting culminates, he pulls out a tap rod and carves it inside the damned guy …. I cringed. You are not Aamir Khan, or may be a throwback of mid-90’s poor action pretender in movies like Aatank Hi Aatank, Parampara etc

The screen rolls on. We see the names inked on his body to make him remember everything of evil done to him. He doesn’t say much, but conveys everything through his histrionics. Some reels on, we delve into his previous life. The more familiar Aamir Khan arrives, and I enjoy the zippy love story. Asin is vivacious. Where were thou? Hindi film industry needs you. In between, alternate the uber-angry and the more-human Aamir Khans. The story moves on as in a Bollywood flick and climaxes with the slaying of the villain. Too Bollywoodish , or Mementoish, Pearcine …. To heck with Memento or Guy Pearce. This is Bollywood and Aamir Khan.

So, I described the movie with the perspective of Aamir Khan only. The reason: the movie is Aamir Khan and vice-versa; the rest are mere complements. This guy is just fantabulous in the way he reads the pulses of the movie-going industry. In Ghajini, he is not a fake action hero as feared by me initially. He is an obsessed revengeful person having undergone a total personality change. Who can pump in so much body to make the movie real too? He brings out one of his characters not seen by us before. Actually he extends his range of acting oeuvre.

The movie is in line to become the first Indian flick to garner 100 crore rupees inside India. It deserves this recognition because it is a perfect potpourri of masala. My analysis of the movie should end here (as it is for you to analyse), before I draw the creative knife and shred its unAamirness to pieces. For me, the movie is only Aamir, and my theory rests that Aamir did it to remind himself and everyone that he can churn out a mass entertainer too. It has already been a wholesome year for him as producer, director and actor, and if TZP gets nominated for Oscar, it will take him to the pinnacle. He is the best actor; for sure, he will become the most glittering star too of Bollywood then.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

I can't say how good the movie is. It is simply superb.

I had goosebumps listening to this song.



The movie is so corny, so bathetic, so fluffy, in fact, so un-macho (you will get the drift if you have watched the movie). But still it seems the movie has seeped into each part of my body.

Such is the magic.

The real Ghajini

The first Theatrical Trailer of Ghajini is out.

Ghajini Trailer

I was so enceinte with expectancy that for a few moments, I had forgotten what Ghajini was all about. Perhaps I had made a mistake. No sooner had the trailer rolled out than the reality was revealed to me.

I was again reminded or reaffirmed that Ghajini is a copy of Memento. A few scenes, most of the dialogues, cinematography, bloody even photography, seem to have been taken directly out of Memento. Aamir Khan, sorry about being captious. But this is not on. If it would have been anyone else, I would have taken a different view. But it is you, damn it. I hope your movie is not a blatant pilferage, because I won't be able to watch it then.

Your question, ‘Why am I so fretful about this plagiarism, when every 'Wood' in this world copies another?’ I am uneasy, because it assaults Memento-one of the most wonderful movies ever made. First, you may defile its sanctity by hijacking its originality and second, in the process, you may lose out to Guy Pearce, and I consider you the best in the world. Hope you prove me wrong on both the counts.

What am I writing? I myself don't know. I always knew it is a copy, advertised as a sincere Indian avatar of Memento. But after watching the trailer, I feel so ...... ( I am not getting the right word).

Distant Clones

Comparisons are inevitable, if the protagonists are so strikingly similar. Bollywood and Hollywood might be poor and distant cousins, but their thespians aren’t. Haven’t you wondered about Amitabh while watching Al Pacino perform, or seen Aamir’s fineness in each and every Tom Hanks’ sculpted movie. While these are the most obvious ones, some have been keenly observed ones too, like that between Akshay Khanna and Ben Cussack, Akshay Kumar and John Trovolta. I couldn’t help adding one of my own, even though the actors concerned aren’t very high-profile ones. I am talking about Abhay Deol and Mark Ruffalo. I don’t know why but I like them so much. Perhaps I am endeared because of their non-performance, exhibited in their innocence and sinlessness on the screen.

I watched Abhay Deol first in ‘Socha Na Tha’. Paired with Ayesha Takia, another cherubic faced cutie, he had delivered an instantly disarming performance. His ‘Ek Chalis Ki Last Local’ was another very goody performance. But his real knock-out punch was in ‘Manorma-Six Feet Under’ where he exhibited the perplexed character in many tones with aplomb. These movies never made to the permanence of the audience, but I think he was superb in all of them. Hopefully his new movie ‘Oye Lucky ! Lucky Oye’-already having earned promising reviews- will win him some deserved admirers.

Mark Ruffalo has adopted more ruggedness in his roles now-a-days, but my first view of his was in a very sweet fluffy movie-’13 Going on 30’. It remains one of my favourites, mostly due to the sheer undertoned chemistry bewteen Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner. The way he portrayed his distanced but honest love towards his lady was so real. His other movies, ‘In the Cut’, ‘Zodiac’, and ‘The Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind’ throw him in graver roles, but his inner character retains the same softness.

They themselves might not believe that they are similar in any way, but they would indeed agree that they are what now are by their common simple appeal only. No wonder, if anyone else too feels vicarious about them.

Miss in the remix

We were watching the movie 'Naseeb' on Zee Arabia. The dazzling Hema Malini stepped on the floor, and started crooning the memorable 'Mere Naseeb Mein Tu Hai Ki Nahin ....'. My friend immediately gushed, 'Yeh Is Film Ka Gaana Hai' (This song is from this movie?). The sense of bewilderment was very much palpable on his face. And it would have been on most of ours, because in an age of Remixed Songs, we have somewhere missed their origins.

It is not a crime not to be aware of the original songs, but it is definitely less musically-sousing if we can't compare the new-age Remixes with the old-charmed master copies. I can tell you this because I felt that completeness only when I watched the original of one of my favourite songs.

1> Koi Sehari Babu

I like this song, more so because of the saucy and raunchy 'Reshma Bombaywala'. But when I watched 'Mumtaz' performing altogether differently on this song, I was reminded of the song's vivacity. Really, an exquisite dance by the incomparable 'Mumtaz'. Watch it ....

Remix:-




Original:-



2> Sajna Hai Mujhe

Another instance, where the Remix version outscores the original one on the glamour front, but the pure love is exhibited in the original one only.

Remix:-



Original:-

Sajna Hai Mujhe

3> Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya

Sophie was very famous amongst us when the Remix Song had come out in the market. Not hard to guess why, just watch her intoxicating sexy moves. But also watch the original Black and White version.

Remix:-



Original:-



4> Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon

Who doesn't know this song? Unique for its nasal vocal rendering, it is a class in itself. Both the Remix and Original versions are equally enchanting.

Remix:-



Original:-



5> Mere Naseeb Mein

Finally the song from which it all started. The original song fitted the story line of the movie perfectly, but the Remix version too has a likable set-up built.

Remix:-



Original:-



There are lots of other remixed songs too, and the new ones keep coming incessantly. It is not good to outlaw them as crass, just to look puritan. But as said above, it makes a hell lot of difference if we are able to symphonize the purpose in both.