Not a good day to be in NYC, I'm told

Don't Miss It!

Jon Stewart on Larry King Live on Wednesday. And of course, hosting the Oscars, this weekend.

Despite harrowing distant travails, will try and put up predictions. After all, have my priorities straight! :)

B.A.M.A.

Caught this version of the classic Skynyrd track, Sweet Home Alabama, by a group called BAMA Boyz, on the Jeff Foxworthy Roast on ComCen.

Pretty ill!!

Sattar Minute: The "Chak De India" Review

The "Success of the Underdog" style of movie making - Gotta love 'em! Especially when they have a sports angle, it synchronizes the climax better. Bollywood hasn't traditionally had too many such Sports/Underdog flicks, and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander was probably the last decent attempt. Haven't seen Goal so can't comment, but I heard that it was more focused on the racism aspect.

I wouldn't classify Lagaan in this category, because it had the whole historical/patriotic angle thrown in, which took away from the sportiness of it. Although the cricket theme did help substantially in Lagaan's success in India. But its even more challenging when you take a sport like hockey, which is as 'brick and mortar' a sport as it gets. Stick, ball, goal, with a few fouls thrown in. Cricket has so many intricacies, vagaries and variations, which can keep you engaged - many of which Lagaan used effectively.

But I give it to Shimit "Chhappan" Amin for creating an effective "feel-good" movie, generating awareness about how the Sports Authority of India ensures that segmented sports in India live under the shadow of their sensationalized, glamorous and celebrity-powered step-sister, cricket. The cast was believable and real. I did feel that every character didn't get enough identity though. There was significant focus on Preeti Sabharwal (Lord! Sagarika Ghatge rocks my world, btw), Komal, Bindya and the Punjabi one. Unlike Lagaan, where each character had their own identifiers and idiosyncrasies which grew on you - all 12 of them.

Also, and I know this is a strange qualm to have, but the story really wasn't complicated enough. It definitely needed more substance, beyond the fact that, given the right motivation and practice, a weak team can win the World Cup. Especially the penalty shot climax. Pretty standard stuff. I mean, from the first scene of this movie, we know that this movie is going to have a happy ending where forgotten glory is going to be revived, and a bunch of female hockey players are going to emerge victorious. But the challenge is to make a predictable story so gripping, that you suspend the viewers ability to predict the future of the film, by his intense involvement in the present. This genre calls for a few more additional twists which would have made Chak De, a little more "edge-of-seat"-ish and a little less predictable. Like, say, the opposition team trying some underhanded stuff. Or one of the team's players working for the opposition (like Laakha in Lagaan), and turning around at the last minute.

And I know that was my umpteenth cross-reference to Lagaan - but its purely attributed to the fact that I don't have too much else to compare to in Bollywood.

Although, the crowning glory of Chak De was that The King didn't take away from his subjects. SRK blended so well into the role of "Kabir Khan", with a look reminiscent of his character in Swades, that he allowed the focus of the film to remain on the team, the sport and the storyline. And as always, his was a seasoned and brilliant performance. Especially in the "sattar minute" pep talk sequence.

The background score was signature Salim-Suleiman. Songs were nothing to write home about at all, with the distinct exception of "Maula Mere Lele Meri Jaan". Its in a very thought-provoking and moody raag.

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

The hook line sounds a lot like "nahin kuch sivaa pyaar ke" from that Anuradha Paudwal song (God, from the school of annoying Nadeem Shravan flop songs from the 90s that just sit in your head, coming back to haunt you decades later. Can totally imagine sitting in a retirement home someday, and humming "Zamaane ke dekhe hain rang hazaar").

Verdict? Definitely not historic, but capable of swaying the direction of the Bollywood film armada by a few degrees towards ports of meaningful entertainment. My guess is that there will be more like this in the next few years, and I do hope that we start to see more "independent" cinema.

And my favorite line in Chak De was definitely, "Cricket ki tarah, humaare hockey mein chhakke nahin hote". Freaking Sweet!

Hum-surfer

Been sampling KK's new album on my trips, and its a refreshing change from Bollywood. Its been a while since I heard some Indi-pop. The last albums that I enjoyed in entirety were probably Shaan's Tanha Dil and Euphoria's Doom, I mean, Dhoom collection.

Nothing to compare to Pal, which was a phenomenal album, but Humsafar is definitely worth a listen. Interestingly, none of the songs really have any element of stickiness. They have a great sound and a great mood, that maintains itself consistently throughout the album, but if you ask me to hum you a tune (other than Aasmaan Ke), I wouldn't have a clue.

What I like most about KK is that he sticks to his genre, and what suits his voice. He doesn't cram a dozen different genres into an album to prove some kind of hyper-versatility, like other artists. You know the kind who will do a slow song, then a fast song, then a qawwali song, then a rap song, then some wannabe hip/hop (with wierd lines like "come on baby. you and me tonight", because they think it sounds cool) and then an accent-laden english song as well, for good measure. Reminds me of a circus clown going "look at me! aren't I amazing? I can juggle porcupines while I do this too".

In other news, Dr. Evil's Dad did invent the question mark.

Icy

Rediff's (R. Sen's) review of Jodhaa-Akbar stands contrastingly far away from those of Mercedes-gifted and gilted reviewers on sites whose names mysteriously sound like national radio stations, when they aren't.

To quote one of the most generous lines in his review: "The director can handle romance and emotional conversations well, as we are well aware, and war is just not his forte. Soldiers charge at each other visibly trying to hold back, and while I'm sure hundreds or thousands of extras are impossible to control, the battle sequences are amateurish to an embarrassing extreme. They might have worked if shown in fits and spurts, swords thrust strongly in rapidly edited montages set to a peaking score, but here we are shown long and tiresome battle sequences -- scenes where we see extras twirling weapons and jabbing the air pointlessly. Tsk."

Wow! Why don't you tell us how you really feel there, babumoshai?

On the brink of phenomenon

Linking to a post on Vishesh's website which highlights some of the amazing growth stories and ridiculous projects that Dubai has, on its horizon. Epic!

Music Review: Jodhaa Akbar

The unique sound that results from the fusion of two distinct talents is a thing of wonder. R. D. Burman and Gulzar. Yash Chopra and Shiv-Hari. A R Rahman and Mani Ratnam. There's an aura that their music has, which emanates from their individual creativities, and the union of their mindsets and styles.

Rahman and Gowariker are two such minds. There's overstated grandeur and an element of "larger-than-life"-ness associated with a production like Jodhaa Akbar, which rests like an inverted pyramid on the needlepoint of simplicity. The music conveys this vision, grandly.

Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah has this trademark ARR percussive energy that kicks off the soundtrack. Listen to this on the highest subwoofer setting that your system can muster, and you can generate a 6.1 on the Richter. This marching song is both regal and powerful - a great start!

Jashn-E-Bahaaraa, the next track, is my personal favorite on the album. Sung brilliantly by Javed Ali, a Sonu soundalike with enough vocal variation to keep him distinct from his idol (unlike Rahul Vaidya who has conveniently disappeared ... or been made to? .. hmm).

This song is classic Rahman - seamless transition between chorus and verse, supported with beautiful interludes and a killer bass track. The quintessential, refreshing romantic track in his album that relaxes you the minute it starts. Like Ennavale in Kaadhalan, Ajooba in Jeans, Jaan-E-Bahara in Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha, Roja Roja from Kadhalar Dinam, Khamosh Raat in Thakshak. The list is endless. Its funny that the opening notes are inspired by Imli Ka Boota from Saudagar, and the opening rhythms of the song sound curiously like Aisa Lagta Hai from Refugee. But Rahman adds so many of his own musical touches to a song/soundtrack, that the source of inspiration can, in no way, be attributed to its appeal.

The bassline, clap loop and tabla in Khwaja Mere Khwaja is beautiful. This song brings back memories of Piya Haji Ali from Fiza. This hopeful, prayer-like song has Rahman doing a very interesting opening qawwali-style khayaal, very unlike his usual vocal style. The progressive build of this song is very well done.

Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein is a pretty song, but somehow not captivating at first listen. Kinda like O Ri Chori from Lagaan. Really sweet song, but a little plain. Probably a situational thing in the movie. The best part of the song for me, is Sonu's solo vocal interlude around 4:55. This song also hallmarks a popular technique Rahman uses. He has a sweet and melodic romantic ballad in a major chord, interrupted by choral, louder segments with higher energy, usually a minor chord, and he capitalizes on the sharp-edged transition between the two (Like Ishq Bina from Taal and more aptly, Bharat Humko from Roja).

Mann Mohanaa contains some of the most brilliant legato and staccato classical string ensemble sequences, coupled with great singing by Bela Shende (remember her from the classical track, Khaali Hai Tere Bin in Paheli, with Hariharan). Mann Mohanaa is the O Paalanhare of Jodhaa Akbar - albeit, much more evolved.

The kicker for me on this album is the flute version of Jashn-E-Bahaara. On a rainy day, I could listen to this on endless repeat, with an infinite supply of chai and namkeen.

The opening brass ensemble that one can hear in the teasers, which opens the album as well, is very reminiscent of Lagaan. And so is the overall sound of the album. With Jodhaa Akbar, their third album as a team, all of which were musically outstanding, it is evident that Rahman and Gowariker are out to create a musical character for their productions together.

In other news, doesn't Aishwarya look like a slice of heaven in the trailers of this movie?

Brevity : Underestimated

Ernest Hemingway was once asked to convey a story in 3 sentences, purportedly as part of a bet at a bar. He upped it a notch by saying it in 6 words. The famous shortest story went "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Used".

The point of fiction is to inspire emotions or thoughts in someone, which are an escape from everyday reality. The ability of a writer to execute this inspiration in not so many words is key. Hemingway's genius is subtly evident in that six word classified ad - as they make one think. A child who just passed away? A shopping trip gone wrong? There could be so much behind those six words, which he has left to our imagination. Flash fiction was born.

Brevity is an oft underestimated talent. One sentence, if conceptualized thoughtfully and used tastefully, could stand for a thousand paragraphs. Not just in the world of script writing or song writing, but even in the social world; in conversation. Somewhere down this generation's traversal of time, we have stopped to study the impact of our words. Switching between TCM and NBC highlights a significant and heightened modification in what was/is considered to be intense articulation. Even in our new-found fascination for dark and sarcastic humor.

"like ... uhh .... that's what i'm saying ... uhhh ... man .... this whole .... new.... uhh .... political... thing. ... you know ... uhh .. its pretty f***ed up, isn't it?"

Wow, is that because of the writer's strike, or are you actually one of those intellectually defunct organisms?

In other news, shout out to "Global Shanti" for a "W"onderful "W"eekend. Cafe Boulud was tres classy et magnifique, as was SM and the candid conversations between martinis. Here's to expensive dorm rooms and summer!

Miluju tebe

Eureka! The line that Marketa Irglova says in Czech when Glen asks her if she still loves her husband. And it means "I love you". I realize that this is the n-th reference to Once on this blog. Contrary to public opinion, I do have a life beyond this movie.

Currently Consuming

Gregory David Roberts'
Shantaram

What a read!

What a game!

Superbowl XLII. Nothing short of nailbiting towards the finish, there! Especially with all the dramatics. Its manic to be in New York today, as the Giants swept that victory from under the Pats! Ridiculousness!

Commercials were gloriously lackluster; you can catch them here if you missed 'em. I loved Audi's spin on the Godfather horse's head scene. A lesser known favorite was E*Trade's Talking Baby, and an oomph-honorable mention to the Victoria's Secret Valentine Spot, which was sensually simple.

We all walk in different shoes

Watch this one through to the end. One heck of a smooth campaign.

Chiseled Golden Men

Dem Oscar nominations are sure dreary this time around. Last few years have been rather colorful, with controversial and alternative flicks like Departed, Crash, Brokeback Mountain et al.

However, this time around, the bleaker ones (No Country for Old Men..., There Will Be Blood .... Atonement ..... god, it sounds like badly rhymed Edgar Allen Poe on depressants) seem to have dominated, with the exception of Juno (yay!). Granted that 2007's been a rather horrid year in terms of good quality commercial cinema, and most of the really good films have been foreign and indie, but have the Oscars not got it right this time? Hmmm, lets see.

Not glad

• First of all, where the hell is A Mighty Heart? At the very least, Angelina Jolie deserved a nomination for one of the most well-delivered, challenging performances of the year
• C'mon! Tom Hanks deserved a nom for CWW!
• Once??
  
• Denzel for American Gangster?
  
• 300? (for Visual Effects)
• Once?? Going twice!!
  
• Namesake (maybe asking for too much with regards the last one, but at least a nom for Best Original Score - Nitin Sawhney outdid himself on this one).
  

Glad

• Philip Seymour Hoffman nominated for Charlie Wilson, and Ellen Page for Juno!
• Cate Blanchett making history with nominations in BOTH the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress category - wow!
• Falling Slowly (Once) nominated in the Best Song category - I absolutely cannot wait to see this one performed live at the ceremony!

Too early for predictions. I've revved up my Netflix queue to watch (and in some cases, rewatch) most of these flicks prior to the ceremony, and will have detailed thoughts up there. Michael Clayton is back in theaters, so that's good. But all in all, a tad bit disappointed with the overall selection theme, this year, vis-a-vis last year. Almost funereal.

In other news, Cloverfield rocked! Its a 9/11-hysteria-flick-meets-Blair Witch-Project! An absolute edge-of-your-seat-er must-see in terms of realism! And a serious study in movie marketing - loved the hype on this one, especially the fake newscasts on the oil rig (Geniusness!). *Vroom* Mini-Spoiler Alert. Did anybody see the thing fall into the ocean in the last scene?

And people, with regards shows like Moment of Truth. *Sigh*. I mean, is this what this country has come to? To resort to get innocent people up on screen, treat them like criminals with polygraph tests, and make them embarrass themselves by bringing out skeletons out of their personal closets in front of the whole television-watching world. I mean, its one thing to win half a million dollars, and another thing to have to spend it on alimony checks after the freaking show.

The Screwed-Up-Life-Portrayed-Effectively-On-Celluloid Pie

Fox Searchlight has been on a roll in terms of their alternative yet viable commercially genre, or as I like to call it Alt-Via-Com (Note to self: a good way to bide away time during recessive times is to come up with innovative, catchy yet utterly useless acronyms). Last year there was Water, Namesake, Once and Juno - all classics in their own right. And a bright little movie that may have gone unnoticed - Waitress. Like Once, it was a delightful hit at Sundance, as well.

And despite what the trailer may look like, its not a traditional romantic comedy, or RomCom (see? - I know, that's not an original one, but you get my drift). And although I'm not particularly fond of Keri Russell and her permanent knotted-eyebrow, frowny-face, she comes across fresh and warranted in this well-baked pie movie - a simple story of a depressed waitress in a Southern Country small town pie-diner. Do watch!

In other news, hoorah for Ellen Page and Juno for their well-deserved Oscar nominations - Juno was a true breath of fresh air from the comparatively darker films that have dominated this year's nominees. More on this soon.

Once

Its finally out on DVD, and a must-see for true music aficionados. Felt that my one-liner in a previous blog post about this breakout Sundance indie flick, didn't do it justice. Once was the simplest, quirkiest film I have seen. Until you watch it, you could never imagine that a movie like this could keep you hooked with enrapt attention for 85 minutes. The biggest star of the movie is, without a doubt, the music.

Irish Glen Hansard and Czech Marketa Irglova create an emotional and spirited sound, which have a goosebump-inspiring, magnetic ability to be enchanting. The piano/guitar gives it a very early Coldplay feel, but much more heartfelt and amateur and "real". My favorites are "The Hill", "When your mind's made up", and of course, "Falling Slowly". The dreamy scene in the music shop which shows the birth of this song, is an example of classic cinema. I must have seen that sequence at least 5 times, because it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

The movie is free of cosmetics, and extremely raw, which adds to its appeal. Highly, highly recommended, as is the soundtrack, which you should get only after watching the movie.

What Once really makes me perceive, is that there is a very small subset of emotions that an audience requires to be captivated - its a movie that gives hope to artists, musicians and film-makers on so many levels. The chemistry between Hansard and Irglova is bittersweet and charming. Once is a movie that makes you .. believe.

Echo of Love

Was pointed to check out a song by Uzbek pop singer, Iroda Dilroz, called "Sevgi Sadosi", the translation of which is the title of this post (hmm, aren't I mysteriously nifty, today?).

Dilroz, being a hardcore Rahmaniac, has adapted Saathiya's "Aye Udi Udi" into a rather catchy number. Wonder if I like it just because I've heard the original. Its difficult to displace my frame of reference now, but this is a really nice rehash.



Moreover, while we're on the topic of the legend himself, his music is finding its way into mainstream Hollywood, in more ways than one, especially after the opening credits of Inside Man featured "Chaiyya Chaiyya". A poignant sequence of "Lord of War" was supported by the strains of the eternal Theme track of 'Bombay'. Check it out below:




Was also told that a remix version of "Ae Ajnabi" played for a few seconds in an episode of Entourage. Now that is extreme randomness. But all in all, it definitely points to the fact that he is as mainstream as it gets.

You're so money, don't even know it!

On a day like today...

.. the recession special at Gray's ($3.50 for 2 hot dogs and a drink) doesn't really seem that bad.

PS - Thanks a million for the kind words of appreciation, folks. You should be hearing more exciting info about forthcoming projects, very shortly. Watch this space! :-)

In other news, if you haven't yet, watch Once. Its the most heartwarming movie you'll ever see.
As Spielberg put it best, "A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year. And the soundtrack - heavenly!

The proof is in the math, though. Production Cost: $160,000. Gross Revenues: $14 million.

A Few Moments with the Maestro



A clip from Sahara One's recent broadcast of the A R Rahman North America Talent Hunt which was conducted in July 2007. Don't know if I mentioned this on the blogosphere earlier, but I was one of the 20 finalists, picked from about 4,000 audio clips that were submitted for this contest, which finally picked winners who got to sing with Rahman at his concert tour.

Rock the Vote!

You know what really grinds my gears?

People who use the line, "I wanna say". Know what I mean? As in, "I was at the theater at ... uhh, .. i wanna say .. uhh .. 9 PM?".

Dude, if you "wanna say" 9 PM, then why don't you just say it? Wait a minute, you ARE saying it. Then what's with the "I wanna say" crap that you prelude it with. It sounds affected and annoying - and wherever you picked it up from, it isn't making you sound as cool as you think it is. If you're not sure about something, you could say "approximately", "nearly" or "I'm just plain daft", don't fake it up with "uhh I wanna say ...". You sound like Big Moose, dumb and delirious.

And that's what really grinds my gears. Tom?

Wizard!

What would you call Juno? Reality? Sarcasm? A Tragicomedy? How about a Realisarcitragicomedy? And no, I'm not trying to play on those ever-so-annoying AT&T ads.

(I need a phone that works where I work. A place called ThisAdsSoBadlyScriptedThatImGonnaThrowUp)

Although the movie starts out with dialogue that seems almost read out of cue cards, because we are unable to relate to the film's format or visualize its end goal. But as we get to understand Juno's character better (and believe me, it doesn't take long), this movie is like real life, bent and wound, swung around a tree, and rammed with a baseball bat.

A chunky constitutent of the film's charm is Ellen Page, and how in-sync she is with the challengingly devised character. Juno is clearly unlike anything we have seen on screen before. She has more attitude and spunk than Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill trilogy put-together, and for a teenager, she has comebacks to make the Bronx blush. She's Punky Brewster on acid.

And to add to all that, she has one hell of a complicated life. And Juno is an unpretentious, voyeur's-eye view of it. Simplistically speaking, I'm glad someone made a well-scripted, funny, and bittersweet TEEN movie that doesn't oversimplify or patronize one of the most complex periods of our lives. Juno's bound to sweep up the globes.

In other news, I love Ankasa pillows.

We f***ed up the endgame!

I had never heard of Charlie Wilson, prior to the hype generated by the movie, leave alone understood the primary role that he played in the end of the Cold War. I was aware of the wicked quadrangular interplay between US-Pakistan-Afghanistan and Russia, but the key strategic role of the womanizing Texan senator was somewhat baffling.

Charlie Wilson's War is a movie about forgotten glory. And more importantly, its a movie that makes you aghast at the irony that the US has historically created, staffed and fortified its enemies, prior to launching an offensive war on them. It does not dilute the cruciality that Charlie had in terms of allocating mammoth budgets to the initiative, nor does it overplay it by giving him a messiah-like status.

As you watch Tom Hanks slip deeper into the character of Wilson, one starts to realize that he is by far one of the greatest actors of our time. From Philadelphia, to Forrest Gump. From Saving Private Ryan, to Castaway. From Sleepless in Seattle, to The Terminal. Hanks defines versatility that legends are made of. Julia Roberts was unbelievably droll - completely not with it. Philip Seymour Hoffman - brilliant as always. Om Puri as ex-Pakistani president, Zia-Ul-Haq was interesting and adequate.

CWW is the kind of non-documentary that makes you rethink the mental image that you have of the past, and truly makes it leap out of the pages of your history books, and become a real story that is capable of being perceived, especially in light of the events of the last few years. The highlight of the movie are the last few definitive scenes, where Charlie strives to bring his epic work to closure. Its clear that he wanted America to seal the open wound that was post-war Afghanistan by building the foundation blocks of education and a non-corrupt political system. But its clear that this never happened. The well-equipped, military-trained country slipped into the ranks of religious fanaticism, causing the birth of the Taliban, and the mushrooming of Jihadist organizations that had a multiplier effect across the Middle East over the years, coming back to bite the US in the a$$ less than 2 decades later.

As Wilson puts it simply yet sadly in the ominous closing quote of the movie, before fade-to-black,

"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world".

"And then we went, and we f***ed up the endgame".

So, turning 27

.. today, isn't all that its steamed up to be.

As I'm short of words, I'll turn the baton to Vishesh, who shares this potent quote which he requested me to post on RevEv on this day. So here goes.

27

When I think about years gone by,
and what I'd still just like to do.
I pray to our Lord above,
to grant these things that I pursue.

But I keep adding to my story,
another chapter to proclaim.
For everything I'm doing now,
I don't do it for acclaim.

For I've paid my life long dues,
and now its time to play.
Just so long as I remember
to thank God when I pray.

Ahem ... thanks. I think?

In other news, Viva Capricorn!

God I love this show...

'08

its gonna be one heck of a year!

Don't be hatin'

As much as I detest One Tree Hill and the likes, have been seeing this song in the Season 5 promos, that has me hooked. A really nice and good ol' american rock track.

This is our town, by We The Kings

merry christmas, kids!

and a frolicking 2008!

giggity-giggity!

Postcard from New England

Loving it! Kept your word.

R - hope you enjoyed your stay in NYC! U need to come back for that last Patron! Salute.

Tanha Safar..



Abhijeet Sawant's Junoon. Not too phenomenal or pathbreaking in terms of singing/lyrics - but a real nice loungey feel, with a Tanha Dil-esque video shot in Ladakh. Love the beats, the guitar solo and the stop/start interludes (especially the one at around 3:40).

The "Junoon"-repeat chorus line sounds mysteriously like "hello hello, how low" from Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

"It was a little far-fetched, no?"

"So far from reality", "I mean this kind of stuff doesn't happen in real life". "Yeah right, like that's going to ever happen".

That's precisely why we go to watch a motion picture in the first place, doofus. These kind of comments get to me, because I think that people watch movies as an escape from reality. Good movies actually achieve suspension of disbelief. But there are some of those nay-sayers who sit through the entire movie going "Tch, that's not realistic, uff".

Furthermore, don't ever come to watch an Anees Bazmee or David Dhawan flick and expect freaking reality. You want reality, go watch a Shyam Benegal movie.

All it takes is a little faith, and a lotta heart....

You've got yours, and I've got mine.

Friend of mine pointed out this song to me. You all may know it as the theme track to the new "Old Navy" commercials.

Its Stars by The Weepies, a Cali pop-acoustic group. Very cozy sound, takes a little bit to grow on you. Reminds me of that London group, 'White Town', that came out with Your Woman back in the '90s, and then disappeared. Listen to "Gotta Have You" as while. Tight!

And for those who haven't caught it, the Blue House is Chagall. Heavenly.

Happy Holidays!

Charisma: Born Again



Despite the PT-style choreography and Sunil Shetty, this song is nothing less than badass, even after all these years.

As the guy who posted the video said it best, "the exact moment" in time when Karisma Kapoor got pretty all of a sudden. Especially in the yellow dress, the chick got a makeover and a half in this movie. Certainly came a long way from her purple dress/red lipsmudge days in Prem Qaidi.

A Perfect '10'?

The predictability and the cliches are outweighed by the sheer gumption of the experiment itself!

More like this, Bollywood!

Review coming up.

Sung to the tune of Nickelback's I Wanna Be a Rockstar

Gonna change my last name to Khan or Kapoor
My signing price will start at a few crores
100% advance, half cash, half check, you see

Gonna wear magenta over my white jeans
Surrounded by a posse of Bollywood has-beens
Black tinted windows on my new Class E

18 bedroom bungalow up on Pali Hill
Every morning, I'll wave from my windowsill
Whose the king of Bollywood? Me! That's right.

Be it cops or censors, I will have no fear,
whether I'm shooting movies, or shootin' deer.
Trashy magazines will talk about who and what I did last night.

Will need a big apartment just for my fanmail
Hush-hush encounters at a farmhouse in Panvel
Hoping that paparazzi didn't see the item girl come in

Six Pack Abs that could make Rambo weep
Steroids and Botox don't come cheap
Will start a designer label called "Its Rockin'"
(How creative!)

For college girls needing a break, i will vouch
As soon as they get comfy on my casting couch

Hey, hey I wanna be a film ishtar

Sexy New Hangouts

Its December. The mood is laidback, sexy, loungey, upscale yet mystic.

To fit the bill, here are the new frontiers -


The Back Room

Del Posto

Milk & Honey

The Stanton Social

Shalel

And if you really love your sake, Sakagura.

Deewar Times!

Edgy

Seriously Black

If anyone has wondered what that violin-loop drum 'n' bass track is, in the background of the sexy Johnnie Walker Black Label ad - its Never the Same, by Supreme Beings of Leisure.

Smooth!

Switched at birth?

If I had to vote (and more importantly, could), I'd vote for Alfred E. Neuman. His MADness scares me less than Bush's.

In other news, the Energizer Bunny has been arrested. Charged with battery.

General Annoyance
Testing, testing. Mini-rant is being conducted in this blogspace.

I've finally found something that 'grinds my gears' more than Sarah Jessica Parker's pretentious pout (Oh God, how I wish I could legally eliminate that woman from ever existing. Why men would actually want that twisted waif traipsing around Manhattan as their arm candy is beyond me).

And that is .... standardized test questions set by menopausal spinster nuns. Especially those "none of the above", "all of the above", and my arch nemesis - (a) I only (b) I and II (c) I, II and III, but not IV (c) None of the above. Jesus! Can't we just tell you what we know and get on with life? Does there have to be this hare-brained pretzel-knotted way of assessing our thinkability?
Sorry, a little too furious for a snowy Sunday afternoon.

In other news, highly recommended Indie flick of the week - "Sex and Lucia". Playing at a few decrepit screens in Chelsea, but available over Netflix. To contrast the adorableness of Paz Vega (who is a far, far better actress than her many-considered doppelganger Penelope Cruz, as this film clearly justifies) , SNL falls between the domains of explicit and obscure, rather comfortably. A visual artistic delight as Julio Medem captures starry nights in dark cities and bright days on the island. A startling follow-up to his earlier "Lovers of the Arctic Circle", which was AWESOME. In conclusion, SNL is engaging yet shocking. Its "Y Tu Mama Tambien" meets "Motorcycle Diaries", with Gael Garcia Bernal replaced by Vega, peppered with a smidgen of David Lynch influence (you'll see touches of Mulholland Drive, especially in the silent beach walks with the sounds of surf).

Snippets from many Love Letters to a Deceitful Blackberry

Dear Berry,

How I love thee? How I am consumed by thy greatness? Let me count the ways.

The minute I held you in my palm, and set my location and local time, I knew that our relationship would be a different one. I knew that I would hold you, grinding your trackwheel with reckless abandon, as you rambled on about all that work-related b.s. that I still don’t get. Regardless, I’m a good listener, ‘berry, and I’m just so thankful to have you, that I don’t care what information you bring to me. From that day, I knew that I would be compelled to pull you out of the recesses of my pockets, at random times of day. While eating, while driving, while peeing. At bars, parties, lunches, dinners. Even when you may not have chimed or vibrated, to indicate that ‘I’ve got mail’, I still can’t help but check. Maybe you missed something out. Nobody's perfect. Can I help that I just want to look at you? Can I help it that I’m concerned that your miniscule battery life may have gone out again? Can I help that I just want to show the world that I’m a busy, busy tycoon who is ... connected? That people in various timezones require my electronic opinion on some ridiculously crucial issue at this instant point in time, and if I don’t respond, there will be much famine, drought and needless homicide? Even the people that I email will raise their eyebrows with appreciation because of my autosignature that tells them that you are my device of choice (Although, I’m sorry that I get rid of that very signature when I CC e-mails to my boss during the day, so that he thinks that I’m at work). Its not because I’m ashamed of you, dearest. I’m a proud man, because I have you, O fair, fair Blackberry. The ultimate status symbol of importance in today’s world. The beacon of success. The icon of a man’s true arrival into the world of corporate crappitude.

You’re my ‘wingman’, Blackberry. When I’m at a bar, and that hot chick totally blows me off in front of everybody, who do I turn to? I turn to you, with deep attention. You, in turn, engage your backlight and shine on me. I have resurrected my manhood. You have restored my integrity. Each noisy grind of your trackwheel fuels my pride. And I’m ready to be rejected again. As long as I have you. Don’t get me wrong, you’re not my backup. You’re my best friend. So what if your mailbox limit gets reached every hour, I still love you.

Did you know that you were a negotiating point for me, when I took this job? I was ok with no stock options, medical insurance or retirement plan. I was ok with the deep, incisive pay cut and lowly designation. I was perfectly ok with the dusty cubicle in between the restrooms and the janitor’s closet, that nobody wanted. As long as they gave me you, in my hand (Although that medical plan would've helped out with my Carpal Tunnel).

I will always believe that there are two kinds of people in this world. People with Blackberries. And people without Blackberries. When I got you, babe, I graduated to the former. I was honored. I felt powerful. I felt superior to the Neanderthals who weren’t able to play Brickbreaker at their cousin’s third wedding, with knotted eyebrows, pretending to type mails with ground-shattering consequences to their CFO’s team in Tokyo. People think I’m obsessed with you. People think I’m in denial, in depression. Let me tell you all this! I’m not depressed. I’m GPRS-ed! I’m a Blackberry owner. The hell with you all!

I accept you as you are. The day I got you, I proceeded to load high bandwidth sites on your browser, because I was thrilled that I could browse the internet from the palm of my hand. The information superhighway was at my fingertips. Then, you crashed. I have since learnt to stick to lo-fi Google Maps, when it comes to you. I usually use it to find an internet café where I can browse high bandwidth sites. Ayo technology!

Its 3 AM. And I hear your gentle vibrations. Brrrrrrrr. . Brrrrrrr. I love the way you pause between them. You’re such a tease. Its probably SPAM, but who cares. Its 3 AM and I’m being communicated with. Do you know what that feels like? My landline hasn’t rung in 6 years. Your vibrations make me feel like a social magnet! You keep me going, Pearl. Even if I have to click thrice to get the letter ‘C’, I will never let you go.

I have to tell you this much, honey. The day I leave work, or am made to do so, I will sneak you out with me.

Don’t blink that red light at me, sweetie - I know, I know, I know what you’re thinking. Its against the policy, I’m supposed to return you to Technology Services, I’m aware of that. But no policy in this world can draw us apart. I will sneak you out those steel doors, past the security guards, and then run! Run like a free man! Just you and me. To a world where you will always hit the tallest bar. To a world where you will never switch away from GPRS mode. Back to that outdated GSM realm, or worse! No Network! Argh, ghastly! Never! Don’t keep me from being plugged in to the rest of the world, which I incidentally have no time for, because of you, but I digress! Ahem, to a world where your backlight will never timeout, and you will never cease to shine on me. Shine on me.

‘Berry, you’ve been awfully quiet since I got laid off for social ineptitude at work. Are you upset? Let me hear that Brrr once more time. For me! Just once! Don’t deprive me of that feeling. Make me feel important again! Even if it’s System Administrator. Even if its you telling me that its time to plug you into the wall again (I really don’t get why you’re into that stuff, you’re abusing it these days, you know that?). Anything!!

Fine. Be that way! I’ll just have you know this much, you ungrateful fiend! Qs, Treos and even, Iphones came about. They were sleeker, they were younger. Oh, they were so much sexier (you’ve gotta admit, you’ve put on a few grams). Fine, they were high maintenance, but I could’ve been tempted. I could’ve swayed the wrong way. But I didn’t. I was loyal. And this is what I get? I got you all the accessories that you could imagine, or that RIM could conceive! Even that ridiculous Bluetooth earpiece that made me look like a flickering blue pansy!

After all I did for you, today you lie in silence, warranty-less with zero resale value. And my world comes crashing down. Every once in a while, I still turn you on. Hoping beyond hope that that a little orange envelope will show up with a number next to it, in your top left corner. But alas, it isn’t so.

But I thank the Gods for our time together. Oh How I thank the team at Research in Motion that created a digital diva like you.

And how I thank my stars that I don’t own RIMM stock.

Miss you, baby.

Berry Poppins

PS: I will always be loyal.

------------------------------------------------
Sent from my Iphone

Oh wow, now that is a harsh reality check, Uncle Sam!

News Flash!

Foreign tourists to many of India’s most famous landmarks will no longer be able to pay the entrance fee in dollars, the government says. The ruling is aimed at safeguarding tourism revenues following the recent falls in the dollar. Until now, foreign tourists to sites such at the Taj Mahal have had the option of paying in dollars or rupees. The ruling will affect nearly 120 sites of interest run by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Aklo hosh nami daanam

Just in case any of you others have been daunted by this one. Its a Farsi line that found its way into the song, "Deewangi" from OSO. And it means, "No one has any wits left".

And before you ask, the next-to-next line is "Na koi rehsang, naa rehbar" (There's no guide or leader)

Why? Why would a lyricist incorporate random Farsi words in the midst of a Hindi song picturized on one of the largest Bollywood party sequences in history, with very little to do with Ahmedinejad's world?

I guess Monsieur J. Akhtar was pulling a Gulzar on us.

By a 'longshot'

Love the direction of this sequence. Watch out for how lengthy this single shot is - and the seamless camera movements throughout (O Saathi Re - Omkara).

Its always brilliant when directors are capable of personifying the camera as an extended eye - almost like an additional character - making us forget that it even exists - creating a parallel viewpoint.

Songs of the Moment

Bin Tum - KK, OST Dus Kahaaniyaan

The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - Iron Maiden, Brave New World

Saiyyaan - Richa Sharma, OST Zubeidaa

In other news, caught the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the leggy Rockettes, which is extra-special 'cuz of its 75th anniversary celebrations last week. Highly, highly recommended!

Taking the Chocolate "Mouse" too seriously?

One of my favorite dessert places in Manhattan, and the home of one of the most expensive desserts in the world (the edible-gold-coated $25,000 Frozen Haute Chocolate) shut down :-(

Manhattan: Serendipity 3 Is Closed

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: November 16, 2007

Serendipity 3, a popular East Side restaurant, has been closed after failing its second health inspection in a month. Health department officials said that they closed the restaurant, known for its extravagant and expensive desserts, on Wednesday night. “Both inspections revealed rodent and fly infestation and conditions conducive to pest infestation, including stagnant water in the basement,” the department said in a statement. An inspector spotted a live mouse and mouse droppings, flies and more than 100 live cockroaches, the department said.

Movie Review: Outsourced

Attended a limited release screening of this film, starring Josh Hamilton and Ayesha Dharker - and it was a pleasant surprise.

It was nice to watch a movie that provided a fresh American take on India and Desis, beyond the Apu and 7/11 jokes, the cracks on the accent, the oscillation of the head, the bad dancing and of course, call centers. Outsourced did feature most of these idiosyncracies, but it took the movie to the next level - highlighting not just the cliches that Americans are used to, but showcasing some nuances that they are not used to - resulting in understanding India better, and perhaps falling in love with it. Its nice to see a movie that's well-researched for a change - in terms of India and call centers. Ayesha, who was in attendance at the screening, spoke about how this film took only 1 month to make - a true shocker!

All in all, the film is a bittersweet tale about a guy finding himself in India, coated with delicate hues of love and emotion, sinewed with the central storyline of a call-center and its 'operations'. I liked the ability that the sidetracks had, of creating visuals of themselves without requiring too much effort and screentime - like Josh's ex-girlfriend angle, Ayesha's arranged marriage angle. Sequences like the call center employees acting out their favorite Hollywood dialogues are brilliantly handled and edited. Hard to believe that this is the director's first film.

I feel that most of the social and comedic aspects that are dealt with in Outsourced have received so much awareness in the last few years, that it gives this film the ability to build upon it, without having to explain them in entirety. Overall, well scripted and a well-written and executed screenplay, with crisp dialogues and editing.

Forget about the Brides and Prejudices that have plagued this specific genre, and watch Outsourced as soon as you get a chance.

Slogan Shogun

The Blackberry Pearl - It has the intelligence you require, with the beauty you desire.

Nice!

In other news, ever had that moment when you want know what song was used in that ad? Its playing in your head, but you just can't nail who sang it, what its called, or where to download it from. Here's a site that comes to your rescue.

Return to Innocence

Forgive the repost, but I really felt like bringing back my first post, primarily because of the fact that although its 2 years old, nothing has really changed.

This is no ordinary love.

Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Unpredictability. All leads me to suggest, nay, believe one thing - the environment is fighting back. This love-hate relationship that we share with the world around us, is far from ordinary. Once in a pale blue moon, when we choose to sit back and appreciate the magic of nature's surroundings, we do so to no extent. We run off to a lakeside paradise, or a mountainous adventure, and gorge on nature's beauty. But once we have sated our appetite, we retire to the characteristics of our dominating split personality. Taking our world, our lives, our surroundings, our thoughts, our processes, our people ... all for granted. Industries plunder the skyspheres with murderous substance. Corporations steal land from the sea, with a refusal to curb their enthusiasm. Trees are uprooted. Land is mined. Its in our nature to plunder nature. We love her to death when she catches our fancy, but will in fact be, the primary cause of her soon and sudden demise.

Today she fights back, with a veracity reminiscent of Mangal Pandey single-handedly attempting to battle the Rangoon regiment. She fights back with every ounce of dignity that kept her going, and every memory of the joyful and shy pride which was inspired by the extensive appreciation or artists and poets and writers for centuries. She fights back with anger and animosity at a human race that has cheated on her with a fairer maiden named technology. But she fights back with the firm knowledge that she is larger than life itself - a certainty that she can end this wicked game that she was forced into. When will this madness end? This relationship has turned into a vicious chess game, where the earth has turned into a massacre board where we are victimized pawns - as we face the wrath of the elements, that have been wreaked by the wrongdoings of a few misled souls. We continue to build castles in the air, develop technologies, build better, bigger and more pollutive objects of mass destruction .. and expect Her to quietly suffer in silence, cry in the corner and never speak out in her defence. Why? Because of Her cradling love for humanity?

Think again, nature-lover. This is no ordinary love.

USP of OSO

1. Deepika Padukone

2. The soundtrack - both background and score. Each interlude has theory behind it. While listening to "Daastaan-E-Om Shaanti Om" (OSO's answer to "Ek Haseena Thi, Ek Deewana Tha") at the end of the film, as it leads up to a Karz-esque climax, what blew me away was the usage of the "Veeraani si veeraani hai" line from 'Jag Soona Soona Laage', in an operatic crescendo. Intricate instrumentalization of choruses and verses throughout this song, truly create a "theme".

3. Deepika Padukone

4. The inside jokes - subtle and well-timed. The Best Actor Award nominees and the Sooraj Barjatya sequence was epic! Even the quick ones like "Govinda" changing his name.

5. Being spoof-ish in nature, Shah Rukh actually gets to ham for good reason :-) Jokes apart, the man's legendary. Reinventing oneself, building killer abs while pushing 40 and carrying off this kind of a performance requires the kind of undying talent and hardcore dedication that only SRK is capable of.

6. Deepika Padukone

7. The opening sequence of Subhash Ghai/Rishi Kapoor and the ending credits in typical Farah Khan style.

8. The picturization of "Dhoom Tana" and "Deewangi"

9. Deepika Padukone

10. My favorite: The Rajnikant sequence. Rascala, mind it!

11. A solid support cast - in order, Shreyas Talpade, Kiran Kher and Arjun Rampal.

12. Did I mention Deepika Padukone? God, she has got to be the most refreshing face ever. At the risk of sounding mystic-philosophical like Gulzar, she's like a visualization of the taste of chilled water after years of desert heat. Wow! The girl can act, can dance and can emote!

For those who haven't yet seen OSO, don't go expecting a movie to move mountains. Its a tongue-in-cheek, parody of Bollywood's trademarks, and at the same time, a tribute to the golden age of the industry - the roaring seventies - what one could clearly identify as Bollywood's Renaissance movement. Therefore, it has a smidgen of several films.

Does it seem a little mish-mashed? Yes. Did it seem like Farah had too much to convey in 2.5 hours? Hell yes!

Quite like Main Hoon Na, it does seem that Farah wants to take no chances to miss out any of the standard hit elements that film-making has defined over the years. She's like that careful and meticulous witchdoctor who adds a bit of everything to the dose, hoping that one of them will work as a remedy. She isn't a quack. She doesn't have a formula, she has twenty. And she doesn't know which one will work. Will it be the mad comedy, the buffet of stars, the reincarnation story, the Austin-Powers-type-parody-angle, the love story, the Bollywood cliches, the SRK, the SRK abs? Therefore, she plugs them all in, and edits them crisply with finesse, and color, costumes and a crew to die for. The result? Om Shaanti Om.

When she saw the rushes, I bet Farah had no doubt that she had a money-spinning blockbuster here. But, instead of playing safe like she did with MHN and OSO, it would be nice to see Farah take a specific genre and create excellence within it.

Verdict? OSO's a fun ride. Get in line.

Wow! What an industry!

The first instant thought that comes to mind as the energetic “Deewangi” – a colorful mélange of stars at a choreographed Bollywood party – draws to a close. The picturization of this song, quite like the entire film, encapsulates nearly a century of people, dialogues, movies, songs and dance moves that have captured the imagination of so many generations. It can’t help but fill one with awe and appreciation for the magical realm of Indian movies, without which our lives would be ever so plaid. As the song ends, one can’t help but wonder if OSO was meant to pay homage to the entire film fraternity. It also makes one truly understand why they rightfully call it - the film “industry”, as it has enhanced by orders of magnitude, grown exponentially, and become more and more world class as time proceeds, forging ahead with technological advancements and international collaborations.

Today’s Bollywood has adapted to the world around it, evolving into something more global and more aware than any of its founding fathers ever imagined. Today’s Bollywood is fearless of social stigmas, and portrays reality like it is. Today’s Bollywood is bold, and willing to experiment with new genres - we now have songless thrillers, dark comedies, adaptations of Shakespeare, and each one is drawing an audience of its own. Today’s Bollywood not only seeks inspiration from world cinema, but has also evolved into a source of inspiration for the cinematic world.

We may know it as a brightly colored, overtly emotional, musical-obsessed melodrama – but the entire world today has come to love, enjoy and appreciate the eternal Bollywood movie. Kudos to an ‘industry’ that hasn’t run out of steam, and undoubtedly, never will.

Pay 2 Nap


Mindblowing! It has come to this day. With major corporates getting on to the bandwagon, is it any surprise that Metronaps was conceptualized by a desi?

Only MENSA alumni can proceed



Are you kidding? Is that even English? Jeezus!

Say what?

"The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a 'mouse'. There is no evidence that people want to use these things." - John C. Dvorak (1984)

God of Small Things

A Q&A with Craig Venter - the first man to publish the complete multi-billion word genome sequence of a human being, himself.

Scientists believe that in a few years, people would be able to procure their own gene codes for as little as $10,000. How far are we from questioning divinity? Redefining humanity? Scary, terrifying, revolutionary but true.

Melody makes a comeback

If the Van Gogh wasn't sufficient enough of a clue, today one is reviewing Aamir Khan's directorial venture, Taare Zameen Par, with music by the trio, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

No doubt, its a "No B.S." album. None of the gimmickry that is usually associated with a Bollywood album. This one is straight-up good, multi-genre music, served fresh. And its the return of classic S-E-L music. And mind you, not the Jhoom-Barabar S-E-L or even the Bunty Aur Babli S-E-L.

This is the stuff that belongs on the shelf with albums like Dil Chahta Hai and Rockford (Remember "Aasmaan ke paar shaayad aur koi aasmaan hoga" ?). And even Iqbal.

The title track, Taare Zameen Par which you see in the promos, is dreamy. Brilliantly rendered by Shankar, its somehow reminiscent of the "verse" of Roja's title track, with delicate instrumentation and tinkles. To contrast this tangentially, comes the second track, Kholo Kholo, which has a rock/blues feel. Very Parikrama meets Lucky Ali. Both these songs set the pace for what is truly a roller coaster of a soundtrack.

My favorite track in the set - Shankar's rendition of the uncomplicated ballad, Maa. Historically, Bollywood has given us very few "Mother's Day" songs, where we get to laud that one special lady in our lives. One of my favorites used to be a song in Sagarika's private album, but it was still missing a significant element.

This song fills that long-standing void. Sadly, the lyrics of the verse aren't generic enough that everyone can relate to it, as they are rather specific to situations in the movie. However, the overall song is heart-rendered, and strikes a perfect resonance with the listener.

Its been forever since I've heard a light ballad that could carry a ton of emotions. Brilliant stuff.

Main kabhi batlaata nahin,
Par andhere se darta hoon main, maa
Yun to main, dikhlaata nahin,
Teri parwaah karta hoon main, maa

Tujhe sab hai pataa, hai na, maa?
Tujhe sab hai pataa, meri maa

Simple words. You only have to be able to portray your flow of thought and emotion, lucidly, and in a way that's pleasing to the ear, in order to be a good lyricist. The simplicity of the lyrics of this song go to prove that one does not have to be purposefully obfuscatory and complex and distorted in order to win the hearts of your audience. Are you listening, Gulzar Sahab?

Why take panga, yaar?



Poll of the Day, IndiaFM, 11/05

T - 4 days

Switched at birth?

Orlando Bloom and Justin Timberlake.

Hmmm.

Jab We Met

Thought that struck me, post-writing the review - wish this film had been the comeback vehicle of Kajol, with Aamir Khan, instead of Fanaa. Kajol would have fit the bill of the talkative Geet, perfectly, and Aamir would've done the brooding role of Aditya, to a T.

Its about time!



When I first heard it, I knew that this song had all the requisites of being a phenomenal acoustic track. This version just brings it all together - the melody, the feel - minus Rihanna's nasality. Would love to hear Moore's take on Unfaithful.

In other news, seems that Junoon's shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize concert in December in Oslo, along with the likes of Alicia Keys, Annie Lennox, KT Tunstall and Earth, Wind & Fire. Wow!

Intricately Mature...

Agree with the Xinugeist (a.k.a. India's female answer to Roger Ebert) on this one. Jab We Met was substantially beyond expectations. Under the overall guise of a typical Bollywood DDLJ-type movie, this "It-Happened-One-Night"-esque caper transitioned away from many stereotypes, supported by capable performances by Shahid and Kareena.

With an interesting "teacher-becomes-student" formula (My Fair Lady, Black), the film did turn out to be rather "with it", emerging to be quite mature and "today", successfully bridging the constant timegap between Indian society and its Bollywood on-screen interpretation. Snappy screenplay, simple yet cute dialogues and a catchy music score by Pritam, with songs that don't digress from the movie track. Shahid's moves are awesome. Kareena starts off suicidally annoying, gets progressively bearable rather quickly in her first 10 minutes on-screen itself, and settles into a truly adorable character.

Cons? Ultra disappointing supporting cast. Kareena's sister and her almost-husband (you'll understand when you see it) are awful! Almost felt as if they were sluggishly cast to throw more emphasis on the main two protagonists. Second half does tend to drag a tad bit (especially with the whole "waiting-to-tell-Mom/Dad-the-truth" bit).

It does have its unbelievabilities. And its "oh-c'mon" moments. But that's Bollywood. I think we've all come to differentiate Bollywood and its trademark elements and idiosyncracies, from all other forms of foreign cinema. Its nice to see movies like this that keep those elements intact, and yet highlight their own degree of uniqueness.

Last word? A breath of fresh air.

In terms of the soundtrack, I think I've been more than vocal about my thoughts on "Aaoge Jab Tum" in an earlier post. "Mauja" is the quintessential peppy punjabi number. "Yeh Ishq Haye" is aight.

But my true favorite on this OST, is quite the underdog - the first song in the movie, "Aao Milo Chalo" featuring Shaan and Ustad Sultan "Piya Basanti Re" Khan (finally being utilized exactly and optimally how his paan/tobacco-coated phlegmatic vocals ought to be - i.e. in the background! God, don't let me get started on 'Ustad and the Divas'!)

But this track is really fresh, well-sung and quite reminiscent of a lot of Shaan's traveler-type songs from Tanha Dil. And quite like the movie - its appeal is in its simplicity.

OSO!

The look of this movie reminds me so much of the Instant Karma "Saamne Yeh Kaun Aaya" video.

Listened to this entire soundtrack, end-to-end, and have got to admit - this flick's got the makings of the big hit that '07 has been waiting for. A sizzling stunning newcomer, a revamped and worked-out superstar, a killer complete musical score, oodles of anticipation - and hype-generation tactics that dreams are made of. Its the whole enchilada.

Granted - its not going to be legendary, classic cinema. But it seems geared for blockbuster success - an enthusiastic theme (a fun look at 70's Bollywood), clean 'n' crisp entertainment, a well-cut comedy track, glitzy stars, a lot of hoopla, colorful visuals and sets, peppered with Bollywood masala a la Farah. Looking forward to this one!

ListAway (Updated)

Here's a list to close for the weekend on.

Movies that will never get old, which one can watch, again and again and again.

1. Notting Hill
2. The Girl Next Door
3. Andaz Apna Apna
4. Hot Shots (both)/the Naked Gun series
5. When Harry Met Sally + Sleepless in Seattle
6. Every Austin Powers movie
7. Oceans Eleven (and only Eleven)
8. Mission Impossible (and only the first one)
9. The Godfather / Scarface
10. Fools Rush In
11. Harold and Kumar go to White Castle

Folks?

Clarice...

Talking of chilling themes, the main theme of Silence of the Lambs.

It drips with the allegory of fear.

Its blue

H2-Whoa!

The BMW Hydrogen 7



Nice! I love the closing line - "ready for the world, when the world is ready". European-based ads always have crisper graphics and slicker voice-overs.

In other news, am currently consuming the music of "Dus Kahaaniyan". Will revert with review, shortly.

And remember, there is no such thing as the theory of evolution. Only a list of animals that Chuck Norris allows to live.

As beautiful as it is melancholy

Neither is it a movie that lauds the underdog, nor is it a rags-to-riches tale. Man Push Cart is the unresolved, bittertrue story of a man trying to make a living, pushing a coffee/bagel cart, on the streets of New York City.

For those who haven't caught them first-hand, let me tell you that these carts are a veritable sub-economy that survive below-the-line, on tiny profit margins, predominantly eaten into by leasing agents and taxes. The guys who run the vendy are usually Indian/Pakistani/Middle Eastern, and in most cases, pleasant and chirpy with curious greetings that put a smile on your face, regardless of the struggle that they face commuting from the bronx or brooklyn every morning, in order to get their carts on to their pre-prescribed locations before the morning rush-hour begins. My usual guy has a brilliant memory for regular customers and their orders, a way with words that is sure to brighten everyone's day along with their morning coffee, and speed and efficiency better than a six-sigma certified supply chain system. Everyone who works in the city has their favorite coffee vendy.

MPC talks about one such guy, and his cart, and effortlessly outlines his struggle and life to create a moving and non-Moral-Science-ish experience. The unexplored twist lies in the fact that he is actually a rock star back in Pakistan, whose career didn't quite sustain at its peak, post which he came to America for the woman he loved. What I liked is that the intricacies of how he ended up working a cart, are never outlined - thereby avoiding all unnecessary plot diversions. As Ebert put it best, "free from contrived melodrama and phony suspense". The film cracked an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes - the only movie site I have come to trust these days.

The camera is an off-center spectator in this film. It doesn't sparkle with any technical brilliance, nor does it require to. It doesn't even boast of a brilliant screenplay or script, being neo-realistic in its approach.

Ahmad Rizvi is sublime and underplayed - just what his character demands - his sincere expression makes him lovable, and very easy to empathize with. The plot (or lack thereof) is fluid, and has one captured with rapt attention as they traverse his life.

If you plan to watch only 1 indie flick before the year goes out, let this be it.