In praise of all things Dharmendra-related

BACK TO INDIA…

2012-01-01T10:57:00.002+01:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!! It's been a while since my last post, and so much has happened in that time... I've moved to a new part of my country, and it's been a really interesting challenge so far.

Last year was fairly quiet on this blog, and the definite highlight for me was DEOL DHAMAKA, organised by Amaluu and Ness, which of course was right up my street… I had so much FUN coming up with Deol-related posts, and reading everyone else’s. I learned so much, laughed so much, and now love Dharmendra even more!

I am really excited about the new year and all that it promises to bring. In just a couple of weeks, I will be in India (yayyy!!) - my second visit after my amazing 2007 trip. A good friend and I will be visiting Delhi and several cities in Rajasthan for 10 days. It should be a very interesting experience, and of course I will come back and tell you all about it.

If any of you are in Delhi and would like to meet up, please do let me know – send an email to the address on my profile…. I love meeting friends from the blogosphere... so far I’ve met Veracious, Nicki, Miss SET, Snazzy, 36, Omohemi, Adura, Cheetarah, and some of my fellow SRK-crazy-fans from twitter. I’ve also come close to meeting Bollywood Deewana and Shell, but those meetings didn’t quite pan out – we will definitely have to make it happen soon. And of course, my wonderful first trip to India was with a lovely young lady I met through blogging, who has now become such a dear friend and sister from another mother. It’s always, always a such a pleasure.

Till next time, take care and enjoy every moment of 2012!!

RANBIR KAPOOR & HIS LADIES - Part 2

2011-09-28T20:59:00.004+01:00

And here’s Part 2 of the post on Ranbir Kapoor and his onscreen romances….

· Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year: In 2010, Ranbir won the Filmfare Critics’ Choice Best Actor award for his performances in his three releases from 2009: ‘Wake Up Sid’, ‘Ajab Prem...’ and ‘Rocket Singh’. Impressive as it was that Ranbir had three really good performances in one year, I really don’t think he should have won the award on the strength of all three. While he was good in ‘Ajab Prem...’ and very good in ‘Wake Up Sid’, I personally think his ‘Rocket Singh’ performance was the best of the three and definitely award-worthy. Ranbir disappeared into the character of Harpreet Singh Bedi beautifully, and rendered an understated but powerful performance in this film (directed by Shimit Amin and scripted by Jaideep Sahni).

I like ‘Rocket Singh’ a lot... it’s one of my favourites from Ranbir’s filmography so far. It’s really well-scripted and engaging, and it has wonderful performances from the supporting cast - Manish Chowdhary, D. Santosh, Gauhar Khan, Mukesh Bhatt, Naveen Kaushik and Prem Chopra, with Ranbir doing an excellent job of ‘anchoring’ the cast.

I also really like the film’s subject matter – it’s an engaging and thought-provoking look at many things – the modern-day workplace and the power politics and dynamics within it, the pursuit of self-fulfilment vis-à-vis more ‘practical’ interests, entrepreneurship, education, competition.... I also liked the shades of grey in the story... the fact that we really couldn’t root for the hero in good conscience because he was doing something wrong, and the fact that the villains turned out to be much more than cardboard cut-outs. I liked that we got to see Harpreet grow over time and learn more about himself and the world. Ranbir did a great job of expressing his character’s emotions throughout the film. And of course I loved Ranbir’s look....

But on to Ranbir and his ladylove in this film.... Shimit Amin’s 2007 hit, ‘Chak De! India’ appealed to me for many reasons, but one thing I really liked about Jaideep Sahni’s ‘Chak De!...’ script was that Shahrukh Khan’s character, Kabir Khan, didn’t have a love interest. There was so much to watch in the interaction between Kabir and his hockey team members (who were really nicely fleshed out characters), that a love interest for Kabir was totally unnecessary. I kinda wish Jaideep had similarly resisted the urge to create a love interest for Harpreet in ‘Rocket Singh’. Sherena, played by Shazahn Padamsee, was a cute character, but the film would have been just as good without her.

Sherena and Harpreet had just a couple of scenes (and a montage) together, and while they were an adorable couple, they left no lasting impact. Sherena was sweet, but her character was a bit wet noodle-y; I much preferred the sassier Koena (played by Gauhar Khan), the film’s other main female character (not saying that she and Harpreet should have hooked up, but I loved her).

Also, I didn’t think Shazahn Padamsee’s performance was any great shakes; true, she wasn’t given much to do in ‘Rocket Singh’, but I don’t think she’s a particularly good actress – not yet, at least (an opinion that was strengthened when I saw her again in ‘Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji’)... she’s very pretty but her acting leaves something to be desired.

· Raajneeti: This was the third Ranbir Kapoor movie that I saw on the big screen, and the character of Samar Pratap was Ranbir’s first truly ‘dark’ role, a nice departure from the cheery, carefree kid he played in most of his movies before this one. This was also Ranbir’s first chance to shine in the context of an ensemble cast with acclaimed and established actors, and I think he did an outstanding job and held his own. His character’s transformation from sheltered, geeky academic to Machiavellian, amoral politician was chilling but very seamlessly depicted. I thought this was a really accomplished performance by Ranbir.

While I loved Ranbir’s performance, I did not love his onscreen relationships with his female counterparts in this film. First we met Katrina Kaif, playing Samar’s childhood friend Indu, who despite being in love with Samar, is eventually married off to his brother, Prithviraj… I found the Samar/Indu scenes generally underwhelming and even a bit boring – the Prithviraj/Indu scenes were more interesting, if a little disturbing.

And then we met Sarah Thompson Kane, playing Samar’s American girlfriend, Sarah… I found her scenes opposite Ranbir almost painful. I didn’t think there was much chemistry there, and Sarah’s performance seemed so weak and stilted. That being said, there was so much more going on in ‘Raajneeti’, especially among the male characters in the film (the women in this film mostly got used and abused by the men, sadly), that there really wasn’t much scope for nuanced male/female relationships.

· Anjaana Anjaani: If this film had been shorter and better scripted, it could have been really good. As it is, I made about a hundred abortive attempts to watch it before I was finally able to finish it. It isn’t that it’s a bad film – it’s that it lacks heart and depth. It’s a shame because there was so much potential for more.

It’s really hard to feel a lot for the main characters, Kiara (Priyanka Chopra) and Akash (Ranbir), because they are self-absorbed and shallow… and because, with the exception of one very effective scene with Ranbir and the fabulous Tanvi Azmi, you don’t really get the feeling that Kiara and Akash really work through their individual drama in the course of the film. They sort of get to point A to point B without too much messy stuff in between. For a film that goes on for two and a half hours, that’s pretty poor. A good chunk of time was wasted on ineffective scenes that added nothing, and sometimes even hampered the narrative instead of moving thing along. The characters were potentially very interesting, but not explored to the extent that they could have been. Akash had a better arc than Kiara (or maybe Ranbir did a slightly better job with him), but that’s really not saying much. Basically, it could have been much better.

However, it’s not really Priyanka and Ranbir’s fault – I think they both did a very competent job with the material they were given… the material was just a bit two-dimensional. This is a cool-looking film, shot in cool locations with two exceedingly cool people wearing very cool clothes, but it could have been much more than that with a better script.

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the Ranbir/Priyanka jodi. When I first heard that they would be working together, I actually grimaced – while they are actually the same age (both were born in 1982, Priyanka a couple of months before Ranbir), PC has something really mature about her face, and I just thought she would look so much older opposite Ranbir, who has more boyish features. Of course, that (the leading lady being/looking older than her male counterpart) is not a bad thing in itself, but I felt that the film would probably not suit that look, and… I just thought it would be a mismatch.

I was wrong… Piggy Chops and Ranbir actually looked really good together in this film. The way Priyanka was styled in the film might have a lot to do with this – whereas in a lot of her older work she’s been styled in ways that made her look older than she really is, in ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ she looked fresh-faced and youthful, wearing a really hip, cute array of outfits. The AA team kept her make-up minimal. With a fresh face, fun haircut and the aforementioned wardrobe, she looked beautiful.

And Ranbir, who bulked up a bit (but thankfully not too much) before this film, and who had an equally enviable wardrobe, looked mighty fine too. I thought they complemented each other very well, looks-wise.

On other levels, however, their jodi was a little less successful. There were a couple of sexy, smouldering scenes that sort of worked, and their madcap friendship was nicely portrayed overall, but they were just okay together, not great. It could have been worse, and I did like some of their scenes together a lot (especially the ones in which Akash is protective of Kiara), but I don’t think they had a chance to fully explore the potential of their jodi in this film. So I never thought that I would say this, but I would actually like to see Ranbir and Priyanka work together again in the future.

And that’s it… my assessment of Ranbir Kapoor’s onscreen romantic relationships… so far my fave has to be Sid/Aisha from ‘Wake Up Sid’, but I really think Ranbir has been a very good leading man and has worked very well (and played very well – sorry, couldn’t resist!) with his leading ladies so far… and I’m really looking forward to seeing how he fares in the years to come. And as I said at the beginning of Part 1, while I didn’t like the ‘Rockstar’ trailer (mostly ‘thanks’ to Nargis Fakhri’s screeching and Ranbir’s general emo-ness), I will be at my local cinema if and when the movie makes it here. I’m a fan of Ranbir’s acting and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future.

So… Happy Birthday, Ranbir… and here’s hoping you continue to have a career as rich and varied as it’s been so far!

RANBIR KAPOOR & HIS LADIES (no, I don’t mean it that way!)

2011-09-25T19:22:00.001+01:00

Of the younger, ‘post-Khan’ generation of actors, Ranbir Kapoor is undoubtedly one of my few firm favourites. I have keenly followed his career since his 2007 debut with ‘Saawariya’, and I have enjoyed his work so much that I have seen all the movies he’s starred in since then. And although the ‘Rockstar’ trailer looks pretty dire to me, I will keep seeing all his movies – because I just really like watching the dude.

Why do I like Ranbir? Many reasons, but here are the top… five:

Like his parents before him (who are two of my all-time favourites), there is something very ‘natural’ and engaging about his onscreen demeanour. He has really nice onscreen energy and presence, and a confidence that always comes across without being overbearing.
I also think he’s a talented actor with the capacity to keep getting better. He really gets beneath the skins of the characters he chooses to play, and he handles both comedy and drama very well.
He’s also a capable dancer – I love a good dancer, and there are precious few in the new crop of Bollywood’s leading men. He gets a lot of goofy, loopy, silly dances, and he’s good at those, but I think he could do more ‘stylised’ stuff equally well.
He’s very easy on the eye, of course – I love his looks. I could actually wax quite lyrical on this topic (the gorgeous hooded eyes, the distinctive nose, the athletic physique, etc etc), but I won’t, because I don’t want to nauseate anyone, including myself. Suffice it to say I think Ranbir is extremely good-looking.
Also (and I think this is really key to my enjoyment of Ranbir’s work) I love his film choices – I think that unlike many other young actors, he’s been very smart about the roles he’s chosen to play and the people he’s chosen to work with. I’m sure there’s an element of luck in there as well, but I think he’s chosen the right roles with remarkable proficiency. In just 4 years, he already has a really enviable resumé.

While I love Ranbir onscreen, I’m really not a huge fan of his offscreen (public) persona. I don’t enjoy listening to his interviews, for example, because I personally don’t find him particularly witty, interesting or personable in them. I also have lots of thoughts on the way he’s conducted his personal affairs in the public eye, and especially on the whole ‘Koffee with Karan’ thing. No need to go into all that here, but yeah, not a fan of Ranbir’s apparent treatment of his ladyloves offscreen.

Incidentally though, I think his onscreen interaction with his leading ladies so far has been very good. I think that Ranbir does well with romance, not yet on the level of his dad Rishi of course, or on the level of one of the Khans, but I think he could definitely get there with more time and experience. He plays really well opposite the actresses he works with, and makes them look good, and I love that in an actor. His onscreen romantic relationships are nicely depicted for the most part, and this post is all about that…

Saawariya: Bhansali’s flop tale of unrequited love, which I talked about a little here, despite its failings, still managed to be a good launch-pad for the careers of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor.

They both looked gorgeous (even if the characters they played were irritating and Ranbir’s styling sucked). Also, Ranbir had that towel scene, which I will absolutely ’fess up to loving. Their characters didn’t have that much real interaction, though, and what they did have seemed contrived and just not that engaging or memorable. I actually found Ranbir’s interactions with Gulabji, the prostitute played so beautifully by Rani Mukherji, and Lilian (‘Lollipop’), played by Zohra Sehgal, much more appealing.

Bachna Ae Haseeno: An imperfect film, and the first Ranbir Kapoor movie I saw on the big screen, BAH was Ranbir’s first taste of a slick Yash Raj Films production. And like many recent YRF movies, it got a little bogged down in references to YRF classics from the past, and was a little too glossy for my tastes. Plus Ranbir’s character, Raj, was quite frankly a bit of an ass. That being said, I think Ranbir (as Raj) did a pretty good job of romancing the ladies in this film, losing them due to his immaturity, cowardice and selfishness, and then later trying to make amends.

Raj had three ladyloves in this movie – with the first one, Mahi (Minissha Lamba), it was puppy love, all clean, fresh and fun… until he broke her heart. She went on to nurse her hurt for years, even after marrying and starting a family with the drop-dead gorgeous Joginder (Kunal Kapoor). Raj/Mahi was my least favourite jodi in BAH, because I just didn’t think there was enough depth to their brief relationship to make Mahi lose her joie de vivre and not commit herself fully to her dishy (he was SO fine) and adoring husband, even years later, when she would presumably have been older and wiser. So this one stretched credibility quite a bit for me, but hey, Raj and Mahi were a cute couple while it lasted.

The second leading lady in BAH was the stunning Bipasha Basu – and she was my favourite. Their relationship was much more contemporary and ‘grown-up’, but just when Bipasha’s character, Radhika, started to let her guard down and believe in their relationship, Raj dumped her in just the cruellest way possible. I liked the way their relationship progressed… from the initial attraction, to something deeper, to the betrayal, and then to a grudging (on Radhika’s side) mutual respect. I also loved the fact that when he returned, Radhika put him through the wringer for a bit. I think Bipasha’s performance has a lot to do with my enjoyment of the Raj/Radhika relationship – she brought such ‘realness’ and oomph to her role… she was just fab.

BAH’s third leading lady, and the lady with whom Raj had the defining relationship of the movie, was of course with the smart and independent Gayatri (played by Deepika Padukone, whom Ranbir famously started dating shortly before the film’s release). The Raj/Gayatri relationship definitely had the most complexity and honesty to it, but I actually don’t remember that much else about it – they looked good together and had a nice interaction, but for me the Raj/Radhika relationship left more of an impact.

Wake Up Sid: I absolutely love this movie, and the relationship between Ranbir’s titular Sid and Aisha (the wonderful Konkona Sen Sharma) was beautifully portrayed. The movement from friends to roommates to a couple felt so natural and organic, and the credit for that definitely goes to Ayan Mukherjee’s wonderful story and direction, and of course to Ranbir and Konkona for how subtly they conveyed their characters’ feelings and personal development.

Ranbir’s portrayal of Sid was excellent, you really felt the character’s lack of clarity and motivation – and you empathised with it and wanted to see him get past it and find some inspiration. It could have been just another shallow depiction of the young loafer that we see so often in Hindi films, but Ranbir took Sid to another level and reminded us that, corny as it sounds, there’s a ‘Sid’ in all of us. Konkona as Aisha was fantastic too – her character reminded me of myself and my friends. And seeing Sid and Aisha come together was such a treat.

There are so many great little moments between Sid and Aisha in the film, crowned perfectly by that gorgeous closing scene. Just writing this makes me want to watch this film again. They were just. so. good.

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani: Rajkumar Santoshi’s 2009 screwball comedy was the second Ranbir Kapoor movie that I saw on the big screen, and there are many things I like about it. I love the songs from the film, I like the uniqueness and quirkiness of the story and the characters, and I like that in many ways it’s a bit of a throwback to the goofier Bollywood fare of past decades, which doesn’t get made very often these days.

I really enjoyed Ranbir’s performance in this – his character (Prem) was a really sweet and likeable cornball, and he portrayed him a boyish glee that was so much fun to watch. He also displayed comic timing throughout the film, and the development of his friendship and eventual romance with Jenny (Katrina Kaif) was also really sweet and a fun watch.

I’m not a big fan of Katrina as an actress (although I will give her full props for working hard and being a committed professional), but I think ‘Ajab Prem…’ boasts one of her stronger performances. Jenny was a little tough to buy into as a character (especially the way they dressed her – I think they were going for ‘young and innocent’ but I found it just a little silly), but Katrina managed to convey the naïveté of the character in a way that worked well and didn’t cloy. She displayed really good comic timing as well. All told, I really enjoyed watching Ranbir and Katrina together in this one.

Since this is getting a little long, Part II of this post will be up on Wednesday, which also happens to be Ranbir’s 29^th birthday....

'STRONG AND DEPENDABLE'

2011-08-19T09:36:00.003+01:00

It's been a while since I've been here... I haven't been watching lots of films these days, although I do manage to squeeze a few in here and there - recent viewings include 'Caravan', 'Chalo Dilli' and 'Break Ke Baad'; there's been so much other stuff going on.

I was so saddened by Shammi Kapoor's recent passing, and reading the warm, heartfelt tributes to him brought tears to my eyes. I have grown to like him and his work very much in the past couple of years, thanks in large part to reading Memsaab's blog. I've discovered that in his performances, he was able to portray joy, wonder, romance, deep emotion... all those things that make up cinematic magic, so very beautifully. I've also learnt a lot about the full, adventurous life he lived - the mischief he got up to, the people he loved and worked with, and his passion for what he did. I have only seen a handful of his movies, and now I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more. I've also been watching his lovely Youtube videos, which I would highly recommend... they are just so full of his charm and warmth. They sure don't make 'em like that anymore... truly a legend. I will definitely be doing some more posts about Shammi in the coming months.

I also wanted to share this lovely quote from the gorgeous Leena Chandavarkar (who co-starred with Dharmendra in 'Rakhwala' (1971) (quite a fun movie if you ever come across it) about Dharam's kindness to her when her husband lay dying in hospital in the late 70s:

"At a time like this, I will never forget Dharmendra. There are some people who have godliness in them and I think he is one of them. While Siddharth was fighting for his life in hospital, the doctors said he needed a life saving drug, which would be able to digest protein. I don’t know what made me call Dharmendra. Even as a young girl, I had always thought of him as strong and dependable. Prakashji answered the phone and immediately put her husband on. While I was trying to explain how serious Siddharth was, he said, ‘Never mind that, just spell out the name of the drug and I will try and get it as fast as possible’. The drug was Tracilol, only available in London. I don’t know how he managed it but within a few hours, he got it for me. Siddharth died 11 months later. But at that time, Dharmendra really went out of his way. I shall always remain grateful to him."

Source: http://cineplot.com/leena-chanavarkar-memories/ (the entire interview is a great read - thanks to my friend Ang for sharing.)

IIFA ROCKS!!!

2011-06-30T10:27:00.001+01:00

I’ve just returned to Lagos, the crazy city I call home, from an AMAZING 5-city working vacation that featured lots of quality time with special friends and family, time spent learning new skills, some sightseeing, and a few days experiencing the sheer, glorious madness of IIFA 2011 in Toronto. IIFA crowned a whirlwind of crazy, frenetic activity for me, and it was SO memorable.

Although I left Toronto right before the big awards night on Saturday, I was able to attend the IIFA Rocks event on Friday night, which simply rocked!! I was also able to meet some of my fellow SRK fans from Twitter (which was very special), and to spend some time watching stars go by at the Fairmont Royal York hotel, where all the Bollywood stars stayed during the IIFA festivities. I saw so many of them, and I have to say they all looked pretty great! Boman Irani looked so tall and handsome! Ranveer Singh was so warm and friendly with the fans. Mahie Gill is tiny… and she was shy, or nervous, or something. Sonu Sood is an absolute HUNK (fanning self). And so on….

Please don’t ask me what these acrobats were about, because I don’t remember. Pretty cool though.

I’m sure some of the other Bollybloggers that attended the IIFA events in Toronto will have lots to share on their blogs, mostly about the awards night and the red carpet party with Shah Rukh Khan and Vivek Oberoi on Friday night (which I hear was amazing), but I figure there won’t be too many blog posts about the IIFA Rocks event (since most people were at the aforementioned SRK/VO party that night)… so here I am, sharing my impressions and pictures of IIFA Rocks….

(Warning: I will probably use the word ‘amazing’ about a gazillion times in this post. Bear with me please; sometimes it’s the only word that fits!)

The massive crowd at Ricoh Coliseum

IIFA Rocks had something for everyone – great fashion, stars aplenty, music, dance, and even awards – the IIFA technical awards (sound, editing, costume design, special effects etc) were handed out (the big winners were ‘Robot’, ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ and ‘Dabangg’). The technical awards were handed out mostly by actors – Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Shah Rukh Khan, Bipasha Basu, Malaika Arora Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sonu Sood... and many more. And there were many other Bollywood celebs that just came to watch the festivities.

Malaika ‘Munni’ Arora Khan and hubby Arbaaz prepare to present an award as the hosts of the night look on

It was a pretty funny (and telling) moment when Shah Rukh Khan was making his way backstage to prep for presenting an award, and at the same time, it was announced that Niharika Khan had won the award for Best Costume Design for ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’... as Niharika was making her way to the stage to receive her award, she got pretty close to King Khan (who of course was pretty close to the front as well), and of course his hulking bodyguards, thinking she wanted to talk to or touch SRK, asked her to step aside. The poor lady tried to explain that she had just won an IIFA award, but they just moved on. A nice little dinner party anecdote for her!

Can you spot SRK, Rakesh Roshan, Hema Malini, Esha Deol, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia D’Souza in this picture?

There was a huge crowd at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum, and everyone was super-excited, dressed sooo stylishly, and raring to go!! Some stars were already seated, and every time a star’s face showed up on the big screen, a roar would go up from the audience. Some celebs, usually (I noticed) those who aren’t exactly on the A-list right now (e.g. Ameesha Patel, Zayed Khan) got VERY excited when the crowds cheered for them, while others (e.g. SRK – who of course got the loudest cheers, Riteish Deshmukh, Anil Kapoor) accepted their cheers and acknowledged the crowds more graciously. Fun!

Anil Kapoor, he who never gets older

I was impressed by how well-organised the event was. It did start late, but not ridiculously so, and once it got started, it went like clockwork. Great planning by Wizcraft and great execution by their team and all the sponsors, participants and volunteers. Although I was in the cheap seats, I had a pretty great view of both the stage and the stars in their front row seats. I looked at the big screen from time to time, but not a whole lot, as I could actually see pretty much everything clearly from where I was sitting, which was great. I loved my seat, and even though I kinda wished I could have shared the experience with a friend or two, I had an amazing time dancing hard to the Bollywood beats and cheering for all the stars.

Karan Johar and Anushka Sharma were introduced as the night’s hosts, and I think they both did an outstanding job. We all know Karan Johar is an excellent host with his ready wit and good sense of humour – I think he could probably present a show like this in his sleep, but Anushka’s eloquence and poise was a revelation. Just as with her first onscreen performance in ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, there was no indication that she was doing this for the first time. Her confidence was supreme, she read off the prompter without looking like she was reading off a prompter, she adlibbed nicely here and there, and she generally did a great job of effortlessly complementing Karan… and she looked absolutely gorgeous doing it!!

Anushka and her winning smile

Saif Ali Khan was originally pegged to host, and I personally am glad he couldn’t make it and got replaced by Karan and Anushka. They made a great pair. I liked when Anushka teased Karan over the fact that ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ won more technical awards than ‘My Name Is Khan’, and when Karan joked that we were making him and Anushka feel irrelevant by ignoring them in order to scream whenever a star’s face was displayed on the big screens.

I love the funny faces here!

Composers and musicians Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who had a great band and were amazing performers throughout the show, kicked things off nicely with a stonking performance of ‘Laung da Lishkara’ from ‘Patiala House’. Up next was Jermaine Jackson with a spirited tribute to his late brother Michael. I loved every minute of this, from ‘Can You Feel It’ to ‘Scream’ to ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Something’. I could not stop dancing and singing along – I LOVE those songs!! Then Sonu Niigaam joined Jermaine onstage and they sang a moving duet, an original song written by Sonu. I thought it was beautiful and very nicely done….

The first fashion collection of the night belonged to the talented Rajesh Pratap Singh, who showcased a beautiful collection of clean-cut, extremely wearable clothes… lots of black (which I love), beautiful tailoring, strong lines, some glitz, and distinctive prints (vibrant but ‘grown folk’ stuff). I loved his use of earth colours and a rose motif which should have looked a bit played-out but actually looked fresh and young. I also loved his dark, long velvet jackets and coats on both men and women. Stunning collection! His models walked to ‘Main Doon Hon’, ‘Rock On’ and ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ (one of my faves!) performed by S-E-L, and I loved it.

I also loved the diversity of his models – it was great to see models of different races wearing his designs – and thankfully, this was a theme throughout the night. His showstoppers were some cricketer guy (Brett something or other, I think), Rahul Khanna and Zayed Khan. Rahul seemed kinda bashful up there on the ramp, which was so adorable and cute (aawww!!!), and Zayed was flamboyant and all over the place, which was also cute in a very different way. They looked great!

At this point Bipasha Basu walked pretty close to my part of the arena, looking fierce in a TINY (and I do mean TINY) sequined black dress – and it struck me that, like her dress, Ms Basu is pretty tiny – I mean, you see her in pictures and onscreen, and she looks a lot more... substantial... than she actually is... she is pretty compact really, but her body is absolute perfection – all those hours in the gym have definitely paid off! Another tiny woman, Dia Mirza, performed next – her dancing was not great, but she had loads of charm, energy and such a fun attitude onstage... I really enjoyed her performance.

Tiny Bipasha in her tiny black dress

The next fashion segment belonged to American retailer The Bay, one of the sponsors of the IIFA Rocks event. The clothes were predictably lovely and classic, and the models walked to S-E-L’s ‘Uff Teri Adda’ and ‘Paint It Red’. The only real surprise of the collection was the addition of a few luxe pieces that looked really glam... the final one being a glittery column worn to perfection by Neha Dhupia, who was the perfect showstopper.

Up next was one of my favourite parts of the night – an energetic romp of a performance by RDB and Mindy Kaur (along with some fab backup dancers). I just LOVED Mindy’s fierce attitude, energy and cool confidence... she really brought the heat. They performed remixes of ‘Kambakkht Ishq’, ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’ and some other song I don’t know. It was so much fun... I just could not stop dancing!

The fabulous Mindy Kaur and RDB

There was a very moving performance by Salim-Sulaiman of their original songs from the upcoming movie ‘Azaan’, which will star some newbie Sachin something-or-other. The movie did not look particularly great from the trailer, but I loved the performance of the songs – really lovely. And wow... Salim Merchant has SUCH a beautiful voice – I didn’t really realise that until I heard him sing live.

Up next was a collection of jewelry by Vikram Phadnis for Gitanjali... it was very ornate stuff, beautiful, but I felt I had seen it all before... then Sonakshi livened things up for me as the gorgeous and poised showstopper. I love her regal carriage... all the other models just seemed to pale in comparison. She was utterly fantastic. When Karan and Anushka came back, Karan commented on how beautiful Sonakshi was, and I am pretty sure I hearda tiny trace of envy in Anushka’s voice as she agreed with him!

Sonakshi's regal posture is evident even from this angle

Up next was Sonu Niigaam, who had amazing energy onstage along with that gorgeous voice – he really is a great live performer and I enjoyed every moment of it... I didn’t know most of the songs he did, but I loved it all... and when he did ‘Tumse Milke’ from ‘Main Hoon Na’, I was in ecstasy!

Mallika Sherawat was next with a smokin’ hot performance... she was sultry, flirty and fun, and I enjoyed it....

Mallika doing her thang

.. and then it was time for the final fashion show of the night... by the genius that is Sabyasachi. I love his designs, so I was so excited! This was a beautiful collection... he brought the drama with a collection that was strong, striking, even fierce at times... but still wearable. The clothes were bold but still graceful and feminine... beautiful.

I love the way Sabyasachi mixes bold colour blocking and stripes with delicate, elegant florals and some really intricate, rich detailing... and somehow he manages to pull it all together and make it look coordinated and so unique. As S-E-L and their band performed ‘Kajra Re’, the final showstopper of the night, a dazzling Bipasha, who has lost NONE of her modelling mojo (the other models simply seemed to fade away), sashayed out onto the stage to crown the collection and the event. There was a funny moment when Sabyasachi came out and Bips tried to dance with him but he adamantly (and obviously unhappily) refused. Poor Bips – it was a little awkward, as she returned to dancing by herself!

Bips shows 'em how it’s done

S-E-L and their band ended the night perfectly with a rousing performance of ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’... all the night’s performers jumped onstage and ‘jhoomed’ away... so much fun... and then it was all over....

I had such a fabulous time! What a night!!!

STYLISH? QUI? MOI??

2011-04-15T20:55:00.007+01:00

(Eek... I wrote this post AGES ago but for some reason never posted it, and just realised now that it was still sitting in my drafts...)

Amaluu, who writes the wonderful Bollystalgia! blog, very kindly and graciously nominated me for a Stylish Blogger Award (thanks Amaluu!). There are many things I enjoy about blogging, but by far the best thing has to be the opportunity to get to know so many great bloggers like Amaluu and to share ideas and opinions with them.

I don't blog very often these days, but even when I find myself taking long breaks from this blog, what inevitably brings me back is always the desire to share something with and learn something from this richly diverse group of bloggers who always manage to evoke raucous laughter, wild imaginings, deep thought, and so much more, in me.

Anyway, on to the Stylish Blogger tag... I get to share 7 facts about myself, and then I get to pass this on to 7 more stylish bloggers. So, facts about me:

1. I love to drive, it's one of my very favourite things to do, but I have an absoloutely terrible sense of direction while driving. I can drive to the same place everyday for weeks and still get lost every single time. I am also not a very careful driver - I get into a lot of scrapes on the road.

2. I absolutely crave adventure and new experiences, and will try just about anything once - with a few exceptions (see 4. below).

3. I am grossed out by a number of things, but have only two true phobias... frogs and buttons (yes, buttons - don't ask). They make me shudder with fright and disgust.

4. I am one of those annoying people who won't give up on a task (or a hobby, or an interest, or a project, or even a silly spreadsheet) once they really get stuck in. I have learned (the hard way) to be careful about what I get myself into, because chances are, once I'm in, I'm really, really in, and it might be a long time before I get out (especially if I'm really good at it and/or really enjoy it). I can get totally wrapped up in stuff very easily.

5. I am naturally very shy, although I've gotten much better at handling it over the years. I used to be painfully shy, now I'm just shy. Once I get really comfortable with people, though, I get very goofy and silly.

6. I almost always root for the underdog (except when the underdog is insupportable for reasons of principle) - I just don't see the point of supporting the person with the most supporters.

7. My greatest passions are travel, writing and music. To pay the bills, these days I am a lawyer who somehow got roped into the rustic (but often very interesting) world of shipping. But I intend to live off my passions eventually.

Phew... that was tough... now to the easy part... there are SO many blogs that I love and consider extremely stylish and well-written, but since I'm posting this so late, I think most of them will already have received this award, plus I guess this tag is really old now... so for some super-stylish blogs, please look to the left - I have lots of amazing blogs listed in my sidebar, and I love them all!

5 DEOLS IN A LIFT

2011-03-31T14:43:00.008+01:00

This is my last Deol Dhamaka post, which makes me a little sad!

A stunning testament to just how much the Deols are loved in blogland, Deol Dhamaka has been a huge, rip-roaring success, and there are over 100 (posts) HERE to show for it. I have been having such a blast reading them all, and have learnt all kinds of cool/interesting stuff, so I would definitely recommend that you check the links out.

This post is in the style of my other elevator post, but this time everyone involved in the encounter is a Deol… so I think the answers will be a lot more obvious this time!

D1 (to D2): Hey, where are you going?

D2: My stylist called in sick this morning, so I have to dash out to the hair salon. There’s this place in Bandra that’s been getting rave reviews, so I’m going to try them out. Keep your fingers crossed for me; you know how much value I place on my hair. I’m hoping all goes well. Where are you off to?

D1: Where else? The gym. I’ve been slacking off a bit these days; I need to get back in shape.

D3: But I thought you weren’t doing action films anymore… does it really matter?

D1 (looking around in mock bewilderment): Did someone just speak?

D4: Gosh, no need to be so rude to D3!

D1 (laughing): Listen, as much as I love you, I don’t need a little kid telling me how to behave. Go back to your little island in the Mediterranean or wherever it is you’ve been shooting your cute little film.

D4: Hmmm… you sound a little… bitter.

D1: Well, that’s because I probably am a little bitter. Let me just make one thing clear to you, D4, no-one can look after your interests as well as family can, and…

The lift door slides open, and in walks D5. Everyone in the lift falls silent, except for…

D3: I am SO glad you’re here! D1 is being so rude to me! No one talks to me the way he does; I get respect everywhere I go because I demand it... but D1 is just SO disrespectful!! Arrgh!! What have I ever done to deserve this?

D5: You should all be ashamed of yourselves… you are all adults now and I expect you to act maturely.

D2: B...b…but I wasn’t involved!! I wasn’t mean to D3. I am just going to the salon. I didn’t say anything… I just want to go get my hair done… it’s... it’s just so stressful having it in this… unstyled state!!

D4 (laughing): Don’t be such a baby, D2!

D5: Yes, don’t be a baby! GROW UP!!!

D2 promptly bursts into tears. D1 tries to comfort D2…

D1: Don’t cry dear! I have just received a great new film script to produce, and I have cast you in the lead role. It’s a fantastic story – there’s action, romance, comedy… plus Anil has already agreed to direct. Come on, cheer up, cheer up!

D3: Is there a part in there for me?! My career needs revival too!!

D1: I’m sorry, did someone just say something?! D4, is D5 STILL TRYING TO SPEAK TO ME??!! I AM GETTING REALLY FED UP!!

Faced with D1’s frightening anger, D3 bursts into tears of distress, and is comforted by D5…

D5: Don’t cry dear, don’t cry… I will pay for you to take a shopping trip to Europe, and… and… I will also pay for you to take another romantic holiday with your… err… friend… look don’t cry, everything will be ok….

D4 looks at D1 consoling a sobbing D2, and D5 petting a weeping D3, and mutters in disgust:

D4: Damn... why the hell wasn’t I born into a cooler family?!

Some Dharam pics...

2011-03-29T00:19:00.003+01:00

STAY JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER...

2011-03-27T21:26:00.003+01:00

I really do wish that March could linger just a little longer... Deol Dhamaka, a month-long celebration of all things Deol, from Bobby's curls to Sunny's dancing to Esha's divatude to Dharmendra's kickass-ness to Abhay's edge (and everything in between)... has been absolutely amazing. If you haven't had a chance to catch up with all the Deol-related goodness, there are currently almost 90 posts (and counting!) that you can check out at Bollystalgia's links page. It's just been SO good to read great write-ups by brilliant bloggers on an wide variety of films and topics related to the Deols. I will have one or two more posts up for Deol Dhamaka before the month runs out, but for now, I would just like to thank Amaluu, Nesspi and everyone else involved in organising Deol Dhamaka for helping to make my March so memorable and fun!

Your Inner Deol – A Quiz

2011-03-17T22:54:00.005+01:00

Disclaimer: This is just a fun quiz... nothing remotely serious intended.

So, which Deol do you identify with the most? Answer these simple questions to find out...

1. When it comes to romance, you’re mostly...

a. Passionate

b. Shy

c. Complicated

d. Affectionate

e. Uninterested

2. You would describe your dancing as...

a. Sexy

b. Light-hearted

c. Excellent

d. Clumsy

e. Fun

3. Your favourite movie genre is...

a. Romance

b. Drama

c. Action

d. Thriller

e. Noir

4. The first thing you notice about people is their...

a. Smile

b. Eyes

c. Physique

d. Accent

e. Energy

5. The word that describes your personality best (out of these options) is...

a. Independent

b. Stubborn

c. Proud

d. Aggressive

e. Self-assured

6. Family is...

a. A necessary evil

b. Everything

c. What you make of it

d. Important

e. Both a curse and a blessing

7. The decade you would most like to live in is...

a. The 1960s

b. The 1970s

c. The 1980s

d. The 1990s

e. I’d much rather live in the present

8. When choosing a life partner, the most important quality I will look for is...

a. All-consuming passion

b. Poise and confidence

c. Physical attractiveness

d. Companionship

e. Why on earth would I look for a life partner?

9. Love is...

a. Over-rated

b. Exciting

c. Private

d. Pain

e. Intense

10. What really attracts me to people is their...

a. Sense of humour... I love a sharp wit

b. Loyalty to family and friends

c. Physical appeal

d. Conversation... I have to enjoy spending time with them

e. Generosity and kindness

Scoring Guide:

	A	B	C	D	E
Question 1	2	5	1	3	4
Question 2	3	5	1	4	2
Question 3	3	2	5	1	4
Question 4	2	3	1	4	5
Question 5	4	1	2	5	3
Question 6	1	3	2	5	4
Question 7	2	4	5	3	1
Question 8	1	3	5	2	4
Question 9	4	3	5	1	2
Question 10	4	3	1	5	2

If you scored:

10-17: You can relate the most to Esha. Fiery and headstrong, you have a mind of your own and aren’t afraid to speak it!

18-25: You are a lot like Dharmendra... you like to have fun, but you also have a deep appreciation for the simpler, more enduring things of life....

26-33: You can relate to Bobby – you’re honest, a great friend and fun to be with... and you like to do things with your own unmistakable flair!

34-41: Like Abhay, you pride yourself on being your own person and choosing not to go down the well-trodden path.

42-50: You’re like Sunny – large-hearted, trusting, but with a secret taste for the unknown.

I would love to know which Deol you ended up with!! (Apparently, Bobby is my soul brother!!)

THE DECADES OF DHARAM: THE 80s

2011-03-14T22:31:00.004+01:00

This post is the third part of my ‘Decades of Dharam’ series – here are my posts on the 60s and 70s... this part has been a very long time coming because... the 80s were not at all the greatest period of Dharam’s career, in my opinion. I really think that he did his very best work in the 60s and 70s, and although there are some definite gems in his 80s filmography, there seem to be a lot of... less-than-stellar films there too.

Also, I have to say that I am, generally speaking, not a huge fan of 80s Bollywood. Growing up in the 80s in Lagos, Nigeria, I watched (and enjoyed) a few classic 80s Bollywood films... Disco Dancer and Mard are the ones I remember best... they were crazy and ridiculous, but also fun and entertaining. Since re-discovering Bollywood movies in 2005, though... I’ve definitely come across a good number of Hindi films from the 80s that I just adore (both loopy, fun films and more serious ones), but I’ve also seen many that have just... really, really annoyed me. And I’m sure that in seeking to avoid those bad 80s movies, I have also missed out on some of the decade’s better fare. This is why I love bloggers like Bollystalgia and Bollywood Deewana that celebrate a lot of the fun, freedom and entertainment that 80s Bollywood offers. (There’s a great post on this over on Shahrukh is Love, by the way).

All this means, of course, that I have seen only very few of Dharmendra’s 80s films (although I recently purchased a few more and will probably watch them sometime this year), and so I feel hugely unqualified to write this post (and so will really need you all to help me out in the comments section as always)... but anyway here goes....

The 70s ended fairly well for Dharmendra, as I noted in my previous post in this series... he finally married his paramour, Hema Malini, and although his output declined a little, the films he did make were modestly successful. He started out the 80s with 5 films released in 1980: Chunaoti, The Burning Train, Ram Balram, Shalimar and Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor. (He also made a special appearance in Insaaf Ka Tarazu.) Shalimar and Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor were lavish productions – Shalimar, famously billed as a Hollywood-Bollywood collaboration, featured British actor Rex Harrison, alongside Dharmendra and Zeenat Aman (Zeenat would turn out to be one of Dharmendra’s more frequent leading ladies in the early to mid 80s) in a story about international jewel theft. Despite the enormous expense that apparently went into making the film, it was very poorly received, but has since become something of a cult classic. Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor, based on the popular legend, was another international collaboration – this time with Russian partners.

Like Shalimar and Ali Baba..., The Burning Train (also known to me as The Film That Made Me Fall In Love With Dharmendra), was a massive production, an ambitious thriller about a train headed for the destruction and how the lives of 3 men are linked to the train and its fate. I LOVE this movie, and not just because of Dharmendra. It has EXCELLENT music (some of RD Burman’s best work, in my opinion), a great star cast (Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Vinod Khanna, Parveen Babi, Danny Denzongpa, Jeetendra, Neetu Singh, Vinod Mehra and others), and a really good storyline. Unfortunately, Indian audiences seem to have been less than impressed, as the film did not fare particularly well at the box office. It did very well elsewhere though... although I never saw it growing up, it was one of the more popular Bollywood movies in Nigeria back in the 80s – I knew the melody of ‘Teri Hai Zameen, Tera Aasman’, the schoolchildren’s prayer from the film, years before I ever saw it myself.

Ram Balram, another 1980 release, was notable for reuniting Dharmendra with his Sholay co-star Amitabh Bachchan in a film about two brothers, ‘ek chor, ek sipahee’. Dharam played the crook of course, and Amitabh the cop, while Ajit played their abusive and controlling uncle. Zeenat Aman (again) and Rekha co-starred as their love interests. Ram Balram is really not a good film in my opinion, but I found it watchable – mostly for Ajit’s camp performance and the way Dharam and Amitabh hilariously cower away from him at the slightest threat. Quite amusing. The film is a bit boring though, the storyline is full of holes, Dharam and Zeenat’s chemistry falls a little flat, and the attempt to recreate the magic of ‘Yeh Dosti’ was manful but just not good enough. For what it is though, it’s not too bad.

So, although a couple of Dharmendra’s 1980 releases did not live up to their blockbuster billing, it was a good year for him movie-wise – a good start to the decade. Moving on to 1981, and Dharmendra’s more notable releases included Aas Paas (one of his more noteworthy romances opposite Hema Malini – also notable for having Mohammed Rafi’s last recorded song on its soundtrack) and Professor Pyarelal, which Memsaab reviewed wonderfully here. He also had a fun, dance-y cameo in the ‘John Jaani Janardhan’ song from Naseeb (the inspiration for Farah Khan’s ‘Deewangi Deewangi’ number from Om Shanti Om).

In 1982, Dharmendra’s releases included the kitschy but very entertaining Ghazab (opposite Rekha), wonderfully reviewed by Bollywood Deewana here, the epic Rajput (with Rajesh Khanna and Vinod Khanna), and the dramas Teesri Aankh (with Shatrughan Sinha and – again – Zeenat Aman) and Badle Ki Aag (with Sunil Dutt, Jeetendra and Reena Roy).

Dharmendra’s first release of 1983 was Razia Sultan – notable for many things, one of which is the sensual ‘Khwaab Bankar Koi Aayega’, picturised on Hema Malini and Parveen Babi with hints of same-sex eroticism. It was also the last film to be written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, who also wrote and directed the classic tragedy Pakeezah. In one of several films in which he had his skin darkened (I might do a post on that sometime...), Dharmendra played Yakut, the dark-skinned, lowborn love interest of Razia Bano (played by Hema Malini). It has been speculated that Kamal Amrohi cast Dharmendra in this role to humiliate him, as payback for Dharam’s treatment of Amrohi’s late wife, legendary actress Meena Kumari (I talked about this briefly in my post on Dharmendra’s 60s career). I have no idea how true or false this is (and I don’t really think Dharmendra was humiliated by his role in Razia Sultan), but I do know that despite the huge budget of this lavish production, and its truly magnificent music, Razia Sultan didn’t resonate with audiences, and was not a hit.

Jaani Dost, reviewed by Bollystalgia here, was also released in 1983, as was Naukar Biwi Ka, which I really dislike, but which has some really fun songs. I should also mention that in 1983, Dharmendra’s first son launched his career. With Betaab, Sunny had a very successful debut and went on to make loads of well-received movies.

In 1984, Baazi, a revenge/action flick with Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborthy and Rekha, was released, and by this time, Dharmendra’s penchant for law enforcement roles in action flicks, which he would take into the 90s as well, was pretty well-established. In 1985, there was the star-studded and very successful Ghulami, in which Dharam, along with Smita Patil, Reena Roy, Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborthy and Kulbushan Kharbanda, sparkled in JP Dutta’s debut commercial production.

Sultanat, which marked Juhi Chawla’s debut, was released in 1986. Apparently, it’s not a great film (I refer again to Ness's awesome post), but I’d still like to see it, just to see Juhi in her first movie, and also because I love Sridevi, and she's in it too. As Dharmendra moved into the late 80s, director Anil Sharma (who would turn out to be quite the Deol favourite) gave him a hit with Hukumat (1987), and his other 1987 releases (including Watan Ke Rakhwale, which reunited Dharam with Sunil Dutt and Mithun) did quite well too.

I won’t bother talking much about Dharmendra’s 1988 and 1989 films, especially as I haven't seen them, but from all accounts, they were pretty standard 80s fare and not exactly riveting stuff. One must bear in mind though, that by the mid-to-late 80s our dear Dharam was well into his 50s... and still playing the action hero in many of his films... perhaps that says it all. I haven’t seen most of Dharam’s films from this period (the late 80s), and I really can’t confess to any particular longing to do so, especially since I still have quite a lot of his older work to look forward to. Being a little crazy about the guy though, I suspect that I will eventually get to even the most obnoxious 80s stuff, and I also suspect that I will even find a way to enjoy some of it, just because it’s Dharam. Not just yet, though.

So, we leave Dharam at the end of the 80s in his mid-50s, a little the worse for wear and rough around the edges, and possibly, finally (resilient though he was) starting to feel the after-effects of all that 'life'.... His loyal fans were still enjoying his movies, as shown by his hits in 1987, and he was still churning out movies that were very much in keeping with the cinematic style of 80s Bollywood.

In his personal life, his oldest child had joined him in the movie-making business, and his second wife, Hema Malini, had given birth to two daughters, Esha (born in 1981 – or 1982, depending on the source) and Ahana. By the way, Hema, interestingly, kept acting right through the 80s (unlike many other ‘star wives’) and had a very decent run that decade (especially with her successful, sparky jodi opposite Amitabh Bachchan in films like Naseeb, Satte Pe Satta, Nastik and Desh Premee) which was perhaps not all that surprising – she was still so young, vivacious and beautiful in the 80s, and plenty of people still wanted to watch her.

The film I’m picking as my Dharmendra-related reference point for this decade has to be The Burning Train, of course, with a fit, 45 year old Dharam looking years younger and saving lives with noble humility and all the calloused sensitivity of a broken heart. Such melodrama, such angst, such... Bollywood-ness. I love it!

As always, I would love to hear from you, especially if you have a different (and perhaps less bleak?) perspective with respect to Dharmendra’s 80s filmography. I would love to hear about which of Dharmendra’s 80s films you’ve particularly enjoyed (or not). As a matter of fact, one of the pleasant surprises I encountered when preparing this post was these comments on Bollywood Deewana's blog by Dharmendra fan GKK, who assures me that I'm totally wrong about Dharmendra's 80s films, and that he did some of his best work in the 80s. The truth is, as GKK rightly says, I really haven't seen enough of Dharam's 80s films to categorically dispute this. Perhaps I really am just parroting the conventional wisdom. And I am rather hoping that GKK is right, really... on this occasion, I would love to be proven wrong!

I’m taking another break from the Decades of Dharam series now, but I will be back soon with another Deol Dhamaka post. I am absolutely loving the month of March!!

Questionnaires - Part 2 (Bobby, Abhay and Esha)

2011-03-08T13:30:00.004+01:00

And here's the continuation of my Deol questionnaires…. Bobby, Esha and Abhay….

My favourite thing about Bobby Deol is: His smile – he has a good one, genuine and charming

My least favourite thing about Bobby Deol is: His hair (when it’s long)…. Not a fan. At all.

My 3 favourite Bobby Deol movies are: Tough. Because I haven’t seen most of his films (especially the older, more popular ones), and I am yet to see a Bobby Deol movie that I’ve liked wholeheartedly and without reservation. But I did like him in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Dostana (most of it) and Apne.

My 3 least favourite Bobby Deol movies are: Shakalaka Boom Boom was awful, and Barsaat (2005 – ridiculously tagged ‘A Sublime Love Story’) was pretty bad too. Dosti: Friends Forever was not terrible (mostly thanks to Bobby, actually), but it certainly wasn’t good either

I wish Bobby Deol would: Work with creative, original filmmakers more often

I wish Bobby Deol would not: Wear his hair long. Ever.

Bobby Deol’s best career move was: Nurturing a softer, more contemporary image

Bobby Deol’s worst career move was: Working with bad directors in low-quality productions

What distinguishes Bobby Deol as an actor: I’ve been thinking about this one for a while… maybe his generosity and willingness to share screen space and put his co-stars in the best light – something that has always struck me in his performances

My advice to Bobby Deol is: Obviously (as I’ve already mentioned it twice), I like you so much better with short hair, and I wish you would keep it short always. I also wish you would be more adventurous in your film choices and make an effort to work with better filmmakers.

And now on to Abhay....

My favourite thing about Abhay Deol is: His effortless confidence and cool... he wears it well

My least favourite thing about Abhay Deol is: Nothing really. Sometimes I think he tries a little too hard to be ‘different’ and ‘edgy’, but for the most part, I like him just fine as he is

My 3 favourite Abhay Deol movies are: Dev D, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

My 3 least favourite Abhay Deol movies are: Ahista Ahista was so dull and ended so stupidly

I wish Abhay Deol would: Work with Mahie Gill again… and soon!

I wish Abhay Deol would not: Nothing really… I like the direction he’s chosen to go in

Abhay Deol’s best career move was: Seeking his own path

Abhay Deol’s worst career move was: I think he’s made pretty good choices so far… I’m not sure that Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was a great choice for him, but I guess we’ll find out soon enough

What distinguishes Abhay Deol as an actor: His willingness to take risks, try new things, work with new directors, and develop new ideas

My advice to Abhay Deol is: I really like your choices so far. You’re doing your own thing, but not in a predictable manner. I even like that you did Aisha, although I hear you're regretting that choice now. Just keep doing what you’re doing

And finally, Ms. Diva Esha....

My favourite thing about Esha Deol is: There’s something… hard almost, a little edgy, and restless about her that I really like. Her looks are unconventional, but I find them appealing. And I think there’s an opinionated, bold side of her that flashes out from time to time. Also something that approaches masculinity, which I find compelling (in a good way)

My least favourite thing about Esha Deol is: She seems…. self-entitled to me. Like she just expects to do well, almost without trying, just because she is Esha Deol. I never really feel any passion or real depth from her

My 3 favourite Esha Deol movies are: Just Married, Yuva, Dhoom

My 3 least favourite Esha Deol movies are: Kya Dil Ne Kahaa (atrocious!), Ankahee (which, it has to be said, she was actually pretty good in – absolutely nuts, but good. It was one of her best performances so far, in my opinion – but it just wasn’t a good film)

I wish Esha Deol had: Chosen more roles (even in smaller films) that really showcased her talents and helped her grow as an actress

I wish Esha Deol had not: Taken on cutesy, saccharine roles like her role in Kya Dil Ne Kahaa… totally the wrong fit – I don't think there’s anything sweet about Esha. Roles that are a stretch for her, and she's no great talent, so she can't make them truly believable.

Esha Deol’s best career move was: I don't know.... I think she could be a lot smarter career-wise... and I think her chances have really dwindled... it would take some real effort to rebuild her career and ignite some positive buzz about her work

Esha Deol’s worst career move was: Trying to be a conventional heroine… she would have fared much better with darker, edgier fare

What distinguishes Esha Deol as an actor: That harsh, restless quality I mentioned earlier… she took it overboard in Ankahee, but I really liked it in Just Married. With the right roles, she could really harness and showcase that unique energy… but first she needs to find the right roles… and I'm not sure she has it in her. I would love to be proved wrong.

My advice to Esha Deol is: Maybe I’m wrong, but I get the feeling you aren’t passionate about acting. Figure out whether you really want to be an actor or not. If you just want to be a star and enjoy the perks (glamour, attention etc), then you have to be prepared to really work on reviving your career and going after solid roles (even in smaller, more independent films). Otherwise, you will have to get those perks some other way, famous parents or not.

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT DHARMENDRA - PART 2

2011-03-07T21:23:00.004+01:00

And the list continues....

6. DANCE MOVES: Dustedoff mentioned this in the comments to my last post, and I absolutely agree. There is something so cute, fun, carefree and almost childlike about Dharam’s dancing. And he always looks like he’s enjoying it just as much as we are. He is not a good dancer, not by a long shot, but who needs good dancing when you could have this instead?

Many thanks, Dustedoff, for bringing that one to my attention.

7. LEAN ON ME: It’s tough to put into words, but there’s something very, very comforting, reassuring and... solid about Dharam onscreen. You always feel like you can trust him to be there for you. Perhaps it helped that many of his characters have allowed him to be so caring and protective – whether it was to a love-interest ('Anupama'), a mentee ('Guddi') or a buddy ('Sholay'). You just always feel that here is a guy who would come through for you in a pinch, without even stopping to think about it.

8. HUMILITY: For all his hunkiness, here is something so personable, ‘real’ and down-to-earth about Dharmendra – which I suppose is why he is such a favourite among the ‘aam junta’ – he doesn’t seem to have any airs or graces – and this comes through really well onscreen. He never seemed to let his star power overwhelm his characters the way some of his contemporaries did (*cough* *cough* Rajesh Khanna). And he seems really humble in real life as well... his colleagues in the industry always have such wonderful things to say about working with him. I was quite touched when Amitabh Bachchan recounted how Dharmendra invited him to an event (I think it might have been the music launch of ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’), and even with all the activity around him, Dharam kept calling Amit ji to tell him to take his time and not to leave home too early.

9. GLASS BREAKING: Now this is one of those random things... I really, really like it when Dharam gets all mad, but instead of lashing out, he tries to control the angst as much as he can, until he just loses it and breaks some glass with his bare hands. This I don’t even know why I like – I just do. Probably slightly twisted, but there you go.

10. VERSATILITY: I really like how Dharam tried so many different things onscreen – slapstick comedy, family drama, action thrillers, social commentary, romance... and he did well in every department. The great thing about him is that he’s got something for everyone – a ‘The Burning Train’ for the adrenalin junkies, an ‘Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke’ for the romantics, a ‘Satyakam’ for the philosophers... and of course a ‘Sholay’ for those of us that like a little bit of everything in our masala mix.

What are some of your favourite things about Dharmendra? I’d love to hear them....

I’ll be back soon with the second instalment of my ‘Questionnaires’ – this time my subjects will be Bobby, Esha and Abhay.

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT DHARMENDRA – PART 1

2011-03-05T18:00:00.007+01:00

This guy Dharmendra had me at hello really, and the more I see of him, the more I love him. There are SO many reasons why I love (love love) Dharmendra, but here are the top 10:

1. HE’S GORGEOUS: Duh. This one’s a no-brainer. From the beautifully chiselled features to that fit physique, Dharam-ji is just, simply put, one good-looking specimen of manhood.

This is particularly enjoyable to me because, no offence meant, but for me, there aren’t really a whole lot of really gorgeous leading men in Hindi cinema. Plenty of charismatic, interesting-looking heroes for sure, but I really do feel that the women have always outdone the men in terms of physical beauty. Good looks (in the ‘classic’ sense) aren’t quite as important for the men of Bollywood – what’s more important for them is screen presence, charm and believability – which is why overweight heroes with questionable styling choices have held sway at the box office at various times. Of course, this is probably changing now (which I am actually not sure is a good thing), as the unconventional good looks of Aamir Khan and SRK gives way to the modelesque beauty of the Neils and Ranbirs of the noughties. (All this is purely my opinion, of course – I’m sure plenty of people will disagree.)

Anyway, to get back to the point, Dharmendra has always been a real treat and feast for the eyes for me in terms of his physical beauty. As one of my commenters pointed out a while ago, he was one of the first mainstream leading men in Bollywood to train for his roles – to make sure that his legs were toned and honed in preparation for Dharam Veer and all the other movies in which he proudly showed them off. He was in fantastic physical condition, carrying off very physically challenging roles with great aplomb, well into in his 40s and even his 50s, which is pretty remarkable considering that he also had a well-publicised drinking problem.

It’s often said that Dharam ji’s beauty was at its peak in the 60s, which I tend to agree with – but as I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I do tend to prefer his slightly more mature looks in the early-to-mid 70s – for me, he was just irresistible in his early-to-mid thirties.

2. THAT VOICE: I love Dharam’s voice... there’s something so raw, yet noble, strong, and almost pure about it. A little huskiness, but not enough to be menacing. A certain innocence and freshness, but not enough to be girly. Unlike his son Sunny, he wasn’t much of a shouter in his movies – he generally spoke in lower tones, and even when he got really mad, his voice would generally go lower and more menacing, not necessarily louder. But for all its quietness, Dharmendra’s voice has always held authority and projected whatever was need, whether it was anguish, angst, confidence, comfort, laughter, love.... Brilliant dialogue delivery – he always emotes so well with his voice.

And I know this has nothing to do with his voice, but I also think Dharam had fabulous lip-syncing skills – I really love watching him lip-sync to Hemant Kumar’s haunting voice in the beautiful ‘Ya Dil Ki Suno Duniyawalon’ (Anupama), or to Mohammed Rafi’s agonised voice in ‘Hui Shaam Unka Khayal’ (Mere Humdum Mere Dost). Such expressiveness in his features....

3. Speaking of his voice, another thing I love about Dharmendra is his ANGREZI!!: (By the way, I really love that word, Angrezi). Dharmendra’s father was a school headmaster in Ludhiana, but as far as I know, Dharam himself didn’t go to college. When he does speak (often halting) English in interviews etc (which isn’t often – you get the feeling he’s far more comfortable with Hindi), you very much get the sense that he pretty much taught himself the language through practice. I do feel that Dharam places a high premium on education, as seen in the high level of education his children have received, particularly in the UK. But I don’t know that Dharmendra himself enjoyed an advanced level of formal education. He probably finished secondary school and then started working immediately after that to support his family. He married young, became a father at a young age, and was working in movies by the age of 20, so he almost certainly did not go to university. (I would love to know if anyone has more info on his early life – I’ve not found a whole lot on the net)

For all this, Dharmendra has played an incredible number of Angrezi-speaking, highly educated individuals in his career – from a brilliant college student (Ayee Din Bahar Ke), to a novelist (Anupama), to professors (Chupke Chupke, Dillagi), to an engineers (Satyakam), to a doctor (Bandini), to an award-winning scientist (Black Mail), he’s played them all, and very convincingly too. Just as he’s also played loads of street rogues, criminals, etc with little or no English skills (Sholay, Patthar Aur Phool, Ram Balram, Samadhi, etc). And if there’s one thing I enjoy, it’s hearing Dharmendra do his Angrezi dialogues.

Whether he’s playing a highly educated man or an illiterate one ‘murdering’ the English language, there’s just something about it. I can’t put my finger on it, maybe it’s the beautiful accent, or the very precise enunciation or that certain shyness/uncertainty that comes through at times, but it’s just wonderful... it just gets me. Every time. And I’m not the only one – Rum feels the same, as does the lovely Bollywood Deewana – in fact he made this fab little video of Dharam’s English dialogues in Krodhi (which looks like a fabulously camp film – the wig and beard alone are quite amazing – I must watch it!). I just looove this video to bits and watch it whenever I need a pick-me-up. Enjoy.

4. SENSITIVITY: I would love to say that whenever I think about a man with sensitivity, I think about Dharam, but thanks to Ralph Tresvant, all that comes to mind is an R&B song from the 90s (albeit a pretty good one). But back to the topic at hand. There is such a sweetness and sensitivity about Dharmendra that just makes my heart melt. Especially with his leading ladies... in films like Anupama, where he’s gently coaxing a timid girl out of her shell, or Black Mail, where he shyly confesses his feelings to Rakhee’s lovely Asha and then eventually struggles to deal with his crushing disappointment when he feels used by Asha. There is something so sweet about Dharmendra sometimes, you just want to put your arms around him and give him a hug. Manly as he is (and he is very manly indeed), in his best onscreen performances you just get the feeling that he feels things deeply.

5. HUMOUR: Dharmendra has such a great sense of humour onscreen, and fantastic comic timing too. Sometimes he gets really, really wacky (Ghazab, for example – those buck teeth and that whiny act were just something else!); other times it’s more subtle (like the witticisms in Chupke Chupke), but it’s always fun. The great thing about Dharam’s comedy is the way he throws himself into it and isn’t afraid to look silly or undignified. He’ll happily dance like an absolute idiot if required... in fact; you often get the sense that he really enjoys laughing at himself.

Now who could possibly resist that??

And now, this post is getting longer than expected (and why on earth did I not expect it??), so I shall be back with Part 2 of this list later....

Questionnaires – Part 1 (Dharmendra and Sunny)

2011-03-04T11:41:00.005+01:00

I have a very good Bollywood-watching friend, and one of the many fun Bollywood-related things we do in our free time is make each other fill out questionnaires about actors and actresses… so I’m kicking off my Deol Dhamaka posts with questionnaires on the Deols and their careers… obviously (given the name of this blog) I am starting with Dharmendra!

My favourite thing about Dharmendra is: His drop-dead gorgeous looks

My least favourite thing about Dharmendra is: Nothing really, acting-wise. On a personal note, I hate reading unpleasant stories about him, e.g. that he once hit a female journalist

My 3 favourite Dharmendra movies are: Chupke Chupke, The Burning Train, Anupama (and Satyakam, Jeevan Mrityu, Black Mail, Sholay … oops, sorry, I forgot you only asked for 3)

My 3 least favourite Dharmendra movies are: Anpadh, Naukar Biwi Ka, Ayee Milan Ki Bela (I have purposely avoided many of his 80s and 90s films, otherwise I’m sure more of them would be listed here)

I wish Dharmendra had: Done more movies with Sharmila Tagore

I wish Dharmendra had not: Made so many gross, tacky movies in the (mid-to-late) 80s and 90s

Dharmendra’s best career move was: Doing a good mix of movies – romance, bromance, drama, action, comedy

Dharmendra’s worst career move was: Doing so many forgettable (and sometimes outrightly bad) movies in the 80s and 90s – no-one remembers him (positively) for them now

What distinguishes Dharmendra as an actor: His smooth blend of manliness, sweetness and accessibility. He was a pin-up, an everyman, and a he-man all at the same time. And I think he was a wonderful actor – definitely one of the most under-rated in Bollywood

My advice to Dharmendra is: Enjoy your golden years, keep doing movies with your kids every now and then, and just… enjoy. Oh, and mwahhhh!!

And now to my dear Sunny D, whom I have a soft spot for:

My favourite thing about Sunny Deol is: His childlike quality and sincerity as an actor – he got it from his dad but I think he has it to a greater degree

My least favourite thing about Sunny Deol is: The lack of nuance/complexity in his acting. He can get very hammy very quickly

My 3 favourite Sunny Deol movies are: Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Ghatak: Lethal, Apne (I really need to see a lot more of Sunny’s films – especially Ghayal and Damini)

My 3 least favourite Sunny Deol movies are: the absolutely horrendous Insaniyat is the only one that comes to mind, but then I really haven't seen many Sunny Deol films - maybe just 5 or 6 in total

I wish Sunny Deol had: Done more varied films – experimented more – at the start of his career

I wish Sunny Deol had not: Done Darr!

Sunny Deol’s best career move was: Focusing on his strengths and becoming an action hero

Sunny Deol’s worst career move was: Perhaps not venturing beyond his comfort zone in the indsutry, but then again, maybe it’s a good thing he stuck to what he’s good at….

What distinguishes Sunny Deol as an actor: Muscle and brawn nicely underlaid with that sweetness and sincerity

My advice to Sunny Deol is: Keep doing what you’re doing… I like your recent choices (really want to see Yamla Pagla Deewana!) and I think they work for you… but step it up and do more!

YAYY!! IT'S MARCH!!!

2011-03-01T10:30:00.004+01:00

... and March means DEOL DHAMAKA!!!

Deol Dhamaka is a month-long celebration of the Deol family: Dharam, Sunny, Bobby, Esha and Abhay... I haven't been very active on this blog lately, but I could write about Dharam endlessly - and I do have lots to say about the other Deols as well... so my first Deol Dhamaka post will be up soon. Please check out Shahrukh Is Love and Bollystalgia for more details.... and you can find all the Deol Dhamaka posts HERE.

Faces... and more faces....

2011-01-10T11:17:00.004+01:00

... and this was my final gift to Amreena... a slideshow of her favourites....

MAD FOR MADHURI

2011-01-05T18:49:00.004+01:00

As my Filmi Secret Santa recipient is a Madhuri Dixit fan, I also made her a few collages of Madhuri...

... young and adorable in 'Dil'...

... fierce and defiant in 'Beta'...

... warm and elegant in 'Devdas'...

Who Said What? - Bollywood Quotes

2011-01-03T22:14:00.004+01:00

The wonderful Beth once more graciously organized a 'Filmi Secret Santa' process during the recent festive season, and I had such a blast putting together presents for my recipient, Amreena. My first gift to Amreena was a slideshow of quotes by her favourite actors and actresses... some fun, some insightful, some very sweet....

BRING ON THE WOMEN!!

2010-12-10T14:21:00.008+01:00

Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Lajja’ (2001) is one of those movies that I find frustrating.... Let me start by stating my opinion of the film - which is that overall, it’s not a good film. The script is often clumsy, clunky or corny (and sometimes all three), and the directing and editing are pretty shoddy sometimes. There are elements to the story that are either superfluous or actually detract from the power of the film (e.g. the presence of Ajay Devgan’s character, Bhulwa).

But what frustrates me about ‘Lajja’ is the flashes of radiance in it, the elements that do work, the things that could have made for a really good movie if they hadn’t been overshadowed by the sucky stuff. I really like Rekha’s earthy performance, for example... but I think my favorite thing about ‘Lajja’ is the relationships between the female characters...

... especially the relationship between Vaidehi (Manisha Koirala) and Jhanki (Madhuri Dixit):

Looking over my collection of Vaidehi/Jhanki screencaps got me thinking about girlfriends (the platonic kind) in Hindi films. ‘Bromance’ is a central feature of a lot of Bollywood movies, and has been for decades. Alas, the same certainly cannot be said for relationships between women. I love my girlfriends – I’ve always had great relationships with funny, smart, strong, compassionate women... and I love reading about female relationships. I also love watching vibrant, interesting female relationships on the big and small screens, but that doesn’t happen nearly enough when it comes to Hindi films. Relationships between women are generally skimmed over and sidelined.

Yup, onscreen relationships between women are almost always peripheral in Bollywood – there were really no female equivalents of the two-hero movies that Amitabh Bachchan starred in alongside Shashi Kapoor/Dharmendra/Vinod Khanna/Rishi Kapoor/ Pran in the 70s and 80s. Neither are there female counterparts to contemporary, mainstream movies about male friendship, like ‘Rock On!’, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘3 Idiots’. There are plenty of films in which there’s real affection and friendship portrayed between sisters, cousins, or women related by marriage, although again, this is usually peripheral – forming the backdrop to the central story (which is often dominated by a man or two).

But, in stark contradistinction with the many films about friendships between men who aren’t biologically related, there just aren’t many films with similar stories involving women. Probably because the consensus is that such movies won’t do brisk box-office business, and perhaps there’s a little of the whole ‘women can’t stand to share the spotlight with each other’ stereotype in the mix as well. But I figure profitability is probably the key issue.

I have been thinking hard, trying to remember Bollywood movies I’ve seen that have platonic female relationships at their core (with the exclusion of relationships between biological sisters), and I’m not coming up with a whole lot. Apart from ‘Lajja’, there’s the lovely ‘Dor’, of course, with Ayesha Takia and Gul Panag playing two women thrown together by a combination of tragedy and serendipity....

... and there's the gorgeous 'Fire', with Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das burning up the screen in a compelling (and controversial) story about love, sex and self-fulfilment...

And of course this year, there was ‘We Are Family’, which I haven’t seen (and don’t really want to)....

... but there aren’t many more, which is why I’m really looking forward to Vidya Balan and Rani Mukherjee in ‘No One Killed Jessica’ (I know it’s not really about the women’s relationship, but at least it’s a theme), and to Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra’s rumoured two-heroine film.... I really hope these movies do well and open the door to other films with women and their relationships at their centre. I would love to see more –for example, I would love to see something with Madhuri Dixit opposite Aishwarya Rai again – but this time, not converging in concern over a childish drunk à la Devdas, but in a smart film about women balancing (and/or failing to balance) career, romance and family. Or I would love to see Vidya Balan and Mahie Gill star in a good old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness buddy romp with a sparklingly witty script. Or maybe Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi in a movie about two older women rediscovering themselves through their friendship.... And one of my most enduring dream movies is a remake of ‘All About Eve’, starring Shabana Azmi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Aamir Khan. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

... Anyway, I’d love to hear about the Hindi movies you’ve seen that featured interesting female friendships... am I exaggerating their scarcity? Which ones would you recommend? And who would you like to see in your dream Bollywood movie about female friendship?

'YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA' & 'KOFFEE WITH KARAN'

2010-11-15T23:10:00.007+01:00

Well, it certainly has been a while!!

It's been over 6 months since my last post... certainly not by design though - my laptop gave up the ghost shortly after my last post, and I've only just been able to acquire a new one. I have kept up with all the developments in Bollyblogland, though - from Khanna-o-Rama to Sridevipalooza (and lots more besides). As usual, there's been lots and lots of fun stuff going on.

I remember when 'Apne' was about to come out in 2007 - I was super-excited at the prospect of seeing Dharmendra onscreen with his sons... when the movie eventually came out, I naturally traipsed off to the cinema to see it - and I really enjoyed it. Not because it's a great movie (it's certainly not), but because it was OTT, and fun, and emotional, and very silly in parts, and just total paisa vasool for me at that point in time. I haven't bothered to see it again since that day, and I don't think it would stand up to a second viewing, but I really enjoyed it at the time. In my post on the movie, I remarked that I would love to see Dharam, Bobby and Sunny do another movie... but I didn't think it was likely.

I was obviously totally wrong! Here's the trailer for 'Yamla Pagla Deewana', scheduled to debut in 2011:

Now I don't understand about 90% of what was said in that trailer (ze subtitles, zey are my friends!!), and it looks like the film will probably have a lot of cultural references that I won't really 'get', but it does look like a lot of fun - colourful, entertaining and just fun. The trailer is actually generating some nice positive buzz for the movie. Can't wait till it comes out... hope it makes it to one of my local cinemas, and I hope it's received well.

Another fun recent development, of course, has been the return, after a loooonnng hiatus, of 'Koffee with Karan', Karan Johar's irreverent and quite frankly, nosey, chat show. It's already stirred up the pot quite nicely with Deepika Padukone allegedly making bitchy comments about Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, and Ranbir himself pretty much 'fessing up to the world that he's a little bit of a player - an adorable one to be sure, but a 'playa-playa' nonetheless. I love how Karan Johar is not afraid to go after the salacious details on this show, and how he manages to get the celebs to say stuff they probably would not say on a 'regular' day. It's also great that he manages to get just about everyone who's anyone in Bollywood to do the show.

I really enjoyed the first 2 seasons of KWK - in fact, I raved about it on this blog early in 2007, and it made it to my list of favourite Bollywood-related things of 2007, although for me the formula got a bit stale and irritating by the latter part of the second season. The show started to lose its freshness and became a bit of a vanity thing, especially for people with new movies coming out. I was quite glad when Karan called it quits, really.

But I guess a good long break was just what the show needed to give it back its 'kick', and I think one can safely predict that the third season will give us quite a few memorable moments. Just some of the people I'd personally love to see on KWK this season: newlyweds Konkona Sen Sharma and Ranvir Shorey, Vivek Oberoi (not with his wife, though - maybe with Sushmita Sen or Ajay Devgn), Amrita Rao, Shahana Goswami, Sridevi, Akki & Dimple, Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan... and of course K-Jo's 'usual suspects' - like SRK, Kajol, Bebo.... The ultimate coup for Karan, of course, would be to get the 3 Khans - Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman in the studio on the same day and for the same show... but I think we all know that's not going to happen. It's fun to imagine though - things would probably get pretty heated!

Anyway, just wanted to check in... will be back soon with some Dharam-centric posts and maybe some other non-Dharam-related observations... one thing's for sure, it definitely won't be another 6 months before my next post!

DHARMENDRA: THE ROMANTIC POET

2010-03-08T09:01:00.005+01:00

I am working on a few new posts, including the next instalment of the Decades of Dharam series... but in the meantime I would like to share this Dharmendra interview from 2007, in which Dharam talks to Tina Ambani about poetry, patriotism, parenthood, prayer... and pyaar....

Excerpts:

Do you prefer Dharam, the lover, over the action hero?
Love is also action, Tina! I am driven by love. Love should never be demanding; it must be unconditional. Love is an exquisite pain and in that pain lies intoxication. And if your lover shares that pain, the intoxication reaches another level altogether. I have been privileged enough to share such a love for over 25 years and it is amazing.

And all the female actors still rave about your good looks. How do you stay so handsome?
Whatever is in your heart and soul shows in your face. For the past few years, I have been practising pranayama [yogic breathing exercises] every day. It has transformed my life. I find it intoxicating — it has the same effect on me that alcohol used to. I used to drink a lot but I stopped about five years ago.

How do you get along with your own children?
Wonderfully. My girls, Esha and Ahana, are more open with me, though. I guess daughters have that kind of bond with their fathers. Sunny and Bobby are a little shy. Sunny is also a bit of an introvert.

The full interview is quite a treat for a Dharam fan. I always enjoy reading Dharmendra's more recent interviews (the good ones, at least) because there's something very consistent about them - both in the things he says and the way he says them, and always underneath it all... a poignant, human touch of vulnerability.

DISTINCTIVE BEAUTY...

2010-03-05T12:07:00.018+01:00

This post was inspired by Sanket, who writes a beautiful blog here... he got me thinking about distinctive facial features when he commented on these famous eyebrows:

which of course belong to this gorgeous woman:

Sanket is not a fan of Kajol's bushy brows, as he feels they distract from the beauty of her eyes. My views are completely opposite - I LOVE Kajol's unibrow! I realise that mine is a minority opinion, but I think the bushy brows add to her striking, unconventional beauty and lend her face more character and distinction... as always, diff'rent strokes...

... but speaking of distinction, as I said, this all got me thinking... about facial features that are truly distinctive... so much so that when you see them, you immediately realise whose face you're looking at. Below are 5 features that I consider truly distinctive, taken from pictures of Bollywood stars. I won't supply their names... I'll leave that to you. No prizes for guessing right though, as these features are so unique, and the faces they belong to so well-known, that the answers are easy-peasy!

First up is another set of eyebrows... but unlike Kajol's, these brows are distinctive because of their shape, not because they very rarely come into contact with grooming instruments!

Next... these gorgeous, huge eyes...

And next, lips curved in a smile that could light up an entire building...

And another pair of striking eyes....

Finally, a mouth as unique as its owner....

I'd love to know about some of the features you consider most distinctive in the faces of your favourite Bollywood stars!

MY FAVOURITE MALE BOLLYWOOD STARS OF THE 70s

2010-02-27T20:11:00.007+01:00

Thanks for checking out my list of my favourite 70s actresses, and for letting me know who your faves are! So now it’s time to talk about the guys… the men whose 70s movies I love.

• Rajesh Khanna

Rajesh Khanna’s film career was like a shooting star – brief but bright! In the years when he ruled the Indian box office (and hearts everywhere), it was pure mania.

I love 70s Rajesh – handsome, romantic, funny, and unique. He had a vibe that was just different from the other leading men of the time. I even love his trademark head-shake and the trademark RK ‘look’. Funky, fun and often more than a little camp, he captured ‘70s groove’ really well. He was a better actor than he’s given credit for these days. He was also usually good fun to watch, which is very important in my book.

Unfortunately, Rajesh’s lack of versatility as an actor (basically, he sucked at dishoom-dishoom), along with the rise of the ‘angry young man’ I’ll be talking about next, brought his reign as the King of Bollywood to a quick end in the 70s. And the less said about his more recent work, the better. I try very hard not to think about it!

• Amitabh Bachchan

No one can argue that the big B is a Bollywood icon. My darling mother, who was not a Bollywood fan, came across me watching ‘Do Aur Do Paanch’ a few years ago, and said to me, ‘how come that guy is in every Indian movie you watch?’ Mr. Bachchan is special to me because when I became re-acquainted with Bollywood about 5 years ago, he was one of the few Hindi film actors I remembered from my childhood. His camp action-adventure, ‘Mard’, was one of the first Hindi movies I saw as a child. And it’s interesting to think that even now, in his late 60s, he’s still going at it and dishing out great performances like his excellent turn as Auro in last year’s ‘Paa’ (he just won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance).

Regardless of what one may think of him, his filmography alone is proof that his status as a legend of Hindi cinema is well-deserved. I personally love the guy – I love his passion for films, and how he flings his long limbs into every role with almost reckless abandon. I love his versatility and the intensity with which he tackles each role, even the silly ones. I love that distinctively deep voice, those lanky limbs and those dark and unconventionally handsome looks. I think he can be a little pompous, a little self-absorbed, and more than a little self-righteous, but I can live with those flaws. I may call his wife the most talented Bachchan, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the big B is very talented as well – and more importantly, he’s extremely committed to and focused upon his craft.

Anyway, Amit ji did a lot of really great films in the 70s, the decade in which his stellar career really took off. Often dark, brooding and intense, he deftly created his trademark ‘Angry Young Man’ persona. From Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s ‘Anand’ (1971), the film that really got him noticed, to ‘Kaala Pathar’ (1979), he did it all in the 70s: from OTT masala (‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ – his comedy in this is classic!), to marital drama (‘Abhimaan’, opposite his then-newlywed wife, Jaya Bhaduri), to moving melodrama (‘Mili’). He played a brooding poet (‘Kabhi Kabhie’), a tortured policeman (loved him in ‘Zanjeer’), hardened criminals (‘Sholay’, ‘Muqaddar ka Sikandar’, ‘Faraar’, ‘Deewaar', ‘Don’), a shy professor (‘Chupke Chupke’)… the list goes on and on…. He worked with the top directors, the hottest leading ladies, and some lesser-known names… and he left a lasting mark on the Bollywood of the 70s.

• Dharmendra

Now everyone knows that I adore Dharmendra… he’s the reason I started this blog! I could wax lyrical about all the reasons I love him, but I’ve done that many times before… so I’ll just point you to my post on his 70s career, if you haven’t read it yet… the 70s were my favourite decade when it comes to Dharmendra films, although as Bollyviewer commented, the quintessential Dharmendra decade is more like 1965 to 1975. Here's a funny screencap from 'Chupke Chupke':

• Rishi Kapoor

Rishi was such a sweetheart in the 70s. With those earnestly cute eyes and that impish smile, he was absolutely adorable - I always just want to hug him when I watch his 70s flicks. He had great screen presence and there was always something so sincere and likeable, so charming and personable, about him in those days. Sweetness aside though, in some of his roles, notably ‘Mera Naam Joker’, ‘Bobby’ and ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, he also captured youthful love, teenage lust and a generous helping of 70s rebellion in a way that no-one else did.

From his unforgettable debut as an awkward schoolboy becoming a man in his father Raj’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’; to his equally unforgettable role as the title character opposite a luminous Dimple Kapadia in ‘Bobby’; to his youthful and fun roles opposite future wife Neetu Singh (loved them together in ‘Khel Khel Mein’, 'Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, ‘Doosra Aadmi’ and others)… there are so many gems among Rishi’s 70s flicks, and I love them.

• Vinod Khanna

I like to call him sexy Vinod. Because that’s what he is! To be honest, when I watch his 70s films, the young Vinod Khanna doesn’t actually have to say or do anything to make me happy. Just looking at him – from those dark, intense, heavy-lidded, beautifully-framed, brown eyes, to the dimple in his chin, to his beautiful physique – that’s enough for me. When he doesn’t smile, he’s scorching hot. When he smiles, everything in his face lights up. He’s a gorgeous man, and as you can probably tell, I could talk about how hot he is for ages, but I’ll spare you… partly because I’ve probably embarrassed myself enough already, and partly because he’s a lot more than a pretty face.

He was a really good actor too in his heyday – from the learned and anguished friend of ‘Muqaddar ka Sikandar’; to the serious policeman of ‘Amar Akbar Anthony'; to the intensely, evil-but-hot bandit of ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’; to the stylish young stud of ‘Mere Tulsi Aangan Ki’, he just… gave all his roles that special touch… you know what, I give up - the truth is, I obviously can’t talk about this guy ‘seriously’. He just makes me melt. Sadly, I don't have many screencaps of sexy Vinod, and the pictures I've come across on the net don't do him justice; but happily, Veracious has lots of lovely ones here.

The indomitable Pran almost made this list – he was such an icon of the 70s! I love the villainous roles he played with such relish, always leaving his indelible mark on just about every film he did, even the really bad ones. I just LOVE Pran (cue gratuitous screencap)!

So, the women are done and the men are done... that’s it on my fave actors from the 70s. There are other actors from the 70s that I love: Sanjeev Kumar (brilliant actor!) and Parveen Babi (such a babe!), for example. Even Rishi’s uncle, Shashi Kapoor, who some of you are probably thinking I just forgot to mention! But hey, one must stop somewhere….

So… those are my favourite Bollywood actors from the 70s…. Who would you choose?

MY FAVOURITE FEMALE BOLLYWOOD STARS OF THE 70s

2010-02-26T17:40:00.011+01:00

I'm doing 2 more posts for 70s Week, and they are about my 10 favourite actors from the Hindi films of the 70s… I’ve chosen 5 men and 5 women whose movies I particularly enjoyed in that decade. My all-time favourite Hindi film actors are all listed on my sidebar and show up all the time in my reviews, so these picks will come as no surprise to previous visitors to this blog. But I thought this would be a good excuse to talk about why exactly I love them so much, and of course to put up lots of gratuitous screencaps of each of them!

So I’ll start with the ladies today, and then my post on the men will be up tomorrow. I think the 70s were the last decade that women got really meaty roles in mainstreamHindi cinema (although to be fair, they got plenty of rubbish ones too). But things really nosedived for women in Bollywood in the largely trashy 80s (especially after 1983), and I think the industry is yet to fully recover from that lull when it comes to female roles. A shame. There were some great heroines in the 70s: sassy, spunky, feisty women with minds and voices of their own, and the power to make their own decisions. I miss them.

I cheated a little on the women for this list – I picked 6 instead of 5 actors, because I found it impossible to leave any of them off my list. They each, in various ways, embodied the spirit of the 70s – style, attitude, vivacity, colour, passion, adventure, glamour. Here we go, in no particular order:

• Jaya Bhaduri

I adore this woman’s acting, and although I’ve raved about her about a gazillion times on this blog, I’ll never stop raving. This award-winning actress had the extraordinary ability to disappear into the characters she played, infusing them with a life of their own that was just magical to see. She was at her best playing strong women facing down their destinies, and I just love her older performances, and for me, she is definitely the most talented Bachchan.

I’m on a quest to see all of Jaya’s movies… so far, from the 70s I’ve seen ‘Guddi’, ‘Bawarchi’, ‘Parichay’, ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Abhimaan’, ‘Shor’, ‘Kora Kagaz’, ‘Mili’, ‘Sholay’ and ‘Chupke Chupke’, and will soon watch ‘Koshish’. I’ve loved her in every one of these films, whether she was playing a street urchin, or an infatuated schoolgirl, or an unhappy wife, or a traumatized widow. She made each role memorable. In view of her prodigious talent, it saddens me that she decided to largely give up films in order to be a full-time mother, although she seems happy with her choice (see Filmi Girl’s interesting 70s Week post on Jaya for an alternate view on this).

Much as I wish Jaya had done more films in her younger days, I think she accomplished an extremely impressive body of work in her youth – absolutely great and impactful performances – and I’m grateful for that.

• Hema Malini

Hema rocked out the 70s with graceful dancing, vibrant onscreen presence and gorgeous smile. Always a classy lady, she exuded a unique confidence, elegance and poise onscreen. She wasn’t the most talented actor ever, but as a competent professional, she went for roles that played to her strengths, and she made the most of them. Apart from more conventional seedhi-saadhi heroine roles, she also took on some really fun and feisty roles in the 70s too, like her roles in ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, 'Sholay' and ‘Jugnu’.

• Sharmila Tagore

Sharmila is an actor I admire more than I love, although I do love her. I admire her stylish, glamorous looks, her great figure, and her ability to convey just about any emotion in the world with those ultra-expressive eyes and that dimpled smile. Her eyes could exude anything – from femme fatale allure, to baby-sweet cuteness, to everything in between. I admire her distinctive beauty, and I admire her strength, individuality and sophistication, and how she didn’t try to portray a false goody-goody image, either as an actress or a person. Regardless of the outcome, she did things her way, even after marriage (which may, sadly, not be true for some of the other women on my list).

To me, she was above all a style icon of the 70s (the 60s too – in fact, the 60s more than the 70s) – always so great to look at. But she was also a pretty good actress, and I’ve always found her very believable in her roles. In the 70s, from her memorable role opposite Shashi Kapoor in the masala flick ‘Aa Gale Lag Jaa’ to the challenging ‘Mausam’, Sharmila held it together and made her mark.

• Neetu Singh:

How much do I love Neetu??!! She always makes me smile, with her own beautiful smile. She was so gorgeous, sassy, fun, cute and feisty in her 70s roles. I love the fact that she had curves and owned those curves! You never got the feeling that she wasn’t comfortable in her body. I love how she attacked her roles with such gusto and vivacity. I just. plain. LOVE. Neetu.

From the adorable Veera of ‘Deewaar’ to the feisty Neetu of 'Parvarish' to the sweet young doctor of ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, Neetu was always such fun to watch onscreen. As with Jaya, I do wish she’d kept working after marriage, but I’m grateful to still have her past work to enjoy.

• Zeenat Aman:

More than any of the other actors on my list, I think Zeenat embodied the attitude of 70s cool. She was effortlessly cool, effortlessly stylish, effortlessly funky, effortlessly everything. Sharmila, as I mentioned before, was more about 60s chic, and my other picks didn’t really ‘own’ the unique look and ‘feel’ of the 70s. Zeenat totally did. Totally.

There always seemed to be something rebellious and restless lurking just behind Zeenat’s eyes, and that’s so 70s. No matter how cool, calm and ‘together’ she looked outwardly, you could sense a little inner turmoil, and that made her perfect for her roles in films like the hippie drama ‘Hare Raama Hare Krishna’ and of course, the iconic ‘Don’. I just loved her as Roma in ‘Don’, with her million-and-one hairdos, fabulous wardrobe, and great attitude. Just loved her. Plus (obviously) she was sexy and gorgeous (as most famously seen in 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', a film in which I do think Mr. Raj Kapoor deployed Zeenat's potent sexiness in a very negative way). Anyway, however you look at it, 70s Zeenat just rocked.

• Mumtaz

I love Mumtaz – she was a magnificent dancer, a lushly stunning woman, and brought such irrepressible spirit and warmth to her roles. And as Memsaab has noted, she had great chemistry with just about any leading man, from Rajesh Khanna to Dharmendra. She was great in her 70s films, especially the ones she did opposite Rajesh Khanna in the early 70s.

Shabana Azmi almost made this list – she did some great masala films in the 70s, like the fun ‘Fakira’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ and of course, ‘Parvarish’. She also made great art films like ‘Ankur’ and ‘Junoon’. But I would much rather rave about her powerful and iconic performances in the 1980s, which really established her as an excellent actor.

So that’s it for the female actors (as, incidentally, Shabana Azmi would call them – she dislikes the word ‘actress’) I loved in the 70s. Who are your favourites? Will be back to talk about the guys tomorrow….

THE DECADES OF DHARAM: THE 70s

2010-02-24T11:12:00.014+01:00

This is Part 2 of the Dharam’s Decades series… Part 1 (on the 60s) is here….

I realize that I am very much in the minority on this, but my favourite decade when it comes to Dharmendra movies is definitely the 1970s. This is possibly because I’ve seen a fair number (but by no means most) of his 70s films, and not too many of his films from the 60s (the films which most people tend to prefer). It’s also possibly because I (again, this is a minority view) personally find him more handsome in the 70s (especially the period from 1970-75). There’s no denying that Dharam was absolutely gorgeous in the 60s, but I tend to prefer his more mature, slightly rougher, more buff 70s look… in the 60s (and the early 60s in particular), he was sometimes a little too smoothly beautiful for me, if that makes any sense. By his mid 30s, he was still devastating but had a little more 'character' in his face.

I also think that by the 70s, Dharmendra had really hit his stride as an actor – he was more confident and self-assured, and that definitely came through in his demeanour. He had a little strut and swagger going. I like that. Another reason why this decade is my fave when it comes to Dharam's work is that in keeping with the general spirit of the decade, he made such fun films in the 70s. I know he made some fun flicks in the 60s (particularly the late 60s), but there's no question about his 70's movies being more fun and less serious. Nothing against serious movies, they can be absolutely awesome, but it's the fun ones that tend to keep me coming back for more.

But enough about my personal predilection for 70s Dharam… let’s take a look at his body of work in that decade. Dharam ended the 60s well, and by 1970 he was still riding that high, despite the mania that had erupted over a certain actor by the name of Rajesh Khanna. I think it's a mark of how consistently good his work was that Dharmendra was definitely one of the biggest Hindi movie stars of the 70s, despite the Rajesh-frenzy that began in the late 60s with 'Aradhana' (1969) and continued well into the 70s.

In 1970, Dharmendra’s first film of the decade, ‘Sharafat’, was released. This is a notable film because it marked his first encounter with a beautiful young actress by the name of Hema Malini, who was just beginning her own illustrious career in the movies. Dharmendra’s meeting with Hema would have a lasting impact not only on his career, but on his entire life… but more on that later. For more on 'Sharafat', which I haven’t seen, please check out Veraciously’s thought-provoking review….

In 1970, other Dharam releases included a cameo as the dashing ringmaster in Raj Kapoor’s bloated, overly self-indulgent opus, ‘Mera Naam Joker’; the wonderfully, wonderfully romantic ‘Jeevan Mrityu’ (opposite a luminous Rakhee - definitely worth seeing if you haven't - check out Memsaab's review); and the fun caper 'Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahaan', reviewed by bollywooddeewana here. Dharmendra also made another 1970s release opposite Hema Malini, 'Tum Haseen Main Jawan', a fun masala flick about a baby on a navy ship (amongst other things). With these films, Dharmendra had begun the 70s in grand style.

In 1971, ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’, co-starring Asha Parekh, a feisty Laxmi Chhaya and a ridiculously hot Vinod Khanna, was released. Although Dharmendra does a great job and Asha is good, I think Laxmi and Vinod are the real stars of this show, a tale of a reformed criminal saving a village from the terrors of a terribly evil (but oh, so sexy) dacoit, Jabbar Singh, and his gang. ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’ is a great foreshadowing of a classic film that Dharmendra would star in just a few years later, a fact which the fabulous Sita-ji explores in her great post here.

Another great film from 1971 that featured Dharmendra was Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s delightful ‘Guddi’, but it would be wrong to call it a Dharmendra film. A young and utterly captivating Jaya Bhaduri completely ruled this one, with a beautiful performance opposite Utpal Dutt. Dharmendra had an extended cameo as himself, the object of Guddi’s schoolgirl obsession, and he pulled it off with great class and charm. I love this film.

In 1972, Dharmendra and Hema co-starred in the engaging ‘Raja Jani’, and Dharmendra played second fiddle (a very cute and funny second fiddle, though), to Hema Malini, who totally owned ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, a very fun remake of Dilip Kumar’s ‘Ram Aur Shyam’. In it, Hema gave a wonderfully memorable performance as the eponymous twins of the title, one timid and one feisty.

Dharam’s 1973 releases included 'Kahani Kismat Ki' and ‘Yaadon Ki Baarat’, a lost-and-found-siblings tale best known for the classic tune ‘Churaliya Hai Tumne’, picturised on a gorgeous Zeenat Aman (and a harp). ‘Yaadon Ki Baarat’ also featured a pint-sized Aamir Khan. In the same year, the utterly, wonderfully romantic ‘Black Mail’, directed by Vijay Anand, was released, in which a dreamy Dharam co-starred with a radiant Rakhee. This film has gorgeous music, gorgeous stars, gorgeous romance… it’s all just gorgeous.

Another 1973 release for Dharam was the fun caper ‘Jugnu’, opposite Hema Malini, in a role that maximized her considerable talents as a leading lady. Hema was much more than a pretty face in her prime – she had it all: looks, comic timing, screen presence, dancing ability; and she did some really great feisty roles… but I’m veering off topic! Back to ‘Jugnu’… I was actually largely underwhelmed by it and am planning to watch it again soon to see if my views change… but there are plenty of people that love it and have written about it.

In 1974, Dharam’s releases included ‘Patthar Aur Payal’, ‘Pocket Maar, ‘Dost’ and ‘International Crook’, the theme tune to which is now indelibly imprinted upon my brain. (Thanks, Memsaab!)

Two of my very favourite Dharmendra films were released in 1975. I ADORE Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s romantic comedy ‘Chupke Chupke’, in which Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore star as an adorable married couple playing naughty little games with each other (who can blame them though?), all under the pretext of pulling off an elaborate hoax on an uncle (yeah right!) ‘Dharmila’ do a great job with this one – they charmed my socks off and made me laugh endlessly.

One of my favourite movies. I also think Dharam is so gorgeous in this film….

‘Sholay’ is a film on which volumes have been written, and very deservedly so. It has everything you could want in a movie – bromance, romance, dance (on shards of glass, no less), and lashings (and lashings) of angst. Brilliantly scripted by the genius team of Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, tautly directed by Ramesh Sippy, and lovingly set to music by the great RD Burman, ‘Sholay’ is a meal well worth savouring over and over. Dharam gets to show off his considerable comic talents opposite a sparky Hema Malini (as the talkative Basanti). To round off the main cast, Amitabh Bachchan hands in a brilliantly intense performance as Jai, Amjad Khan is utterly spine-chilling as Gabbar Singh (none of the sexiness of Jabbar Singh from 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh' here), Sanjeev Kumar is great as the tortured Thakur, and Jaya Bhaduri is hauntingly pitch-perfect as Radha.

Rumour has it that, although there was a mutual attraction between them almost from the get-go, Dharmendra and Hema really fell in love (although they seem to have initially fought it) while working on 'Sholay'… there was a lot happening on that set, wasn’t there? Jaya, Amitabh's wife, was pregnant with daughter Shweta, Dharam and Hema were falling in love, and poor Sanjeev was no doubt pining for Hema….

Dharam's relationship with Hema Malini grew stronger on both sides, until their eventual marriage in 1979. They went on to have two daughters together, Esha and Ahana. This was all rather scandalous at the time, of course, as Dharmendra was a very married man, and had been so since before his acting career began. He also had 4 children by this time. Bigamy is not permitted in his religion, and so it is said that he and Hema carried out bogus conversions to Islam in order to legally marry, changing their names to Dilawar Khan and Aisha Chakraborty to facilitate this.

I don't think anyone was very surprised that Dharmendra became involved with Hema when it all began - he was the stereotypical young, hard-drinking 'man's man' living and working in the glamorous world of 70s Bollywood, and I think he (along with every other young virile superstar) was 'expected' to cheat on his wife. He had after all already been linked with Meena Kumari and other women, and he acknowledged openly in interviews that he was not a faithful husband (the whole eyeroll-inducing 'men are naturally not monogamous, yada yada' spiel).

But Hema Malini on the other hand.. now she was a young, angel-faced, never-married woman, with a squeaky-clean reputation. The famous 'Dream Girl' of Hindi cinema, she had a very 'India's sweetheart' image, by all accounts, and in the 70s she ruled the Indian box office as a leading lady, without being involved in any untoward controversies. Hema had millions of men eating out of her hand, and she could have had just about any man she wanted - including charming movie stars like Sanjeev Kumar (who, the story goes, never married because he remained deeply in love with her until the very end) and Jeetendra. Sanjeez and Jeetendra both proposed, and Jeetendra seems to have been in with a chance for a while - Hema is rumoured to have almost become Mrs. Ravi Kapoor - there's a story about Dharmendra swooping in and spiriting her away at the last minute, but I have no idea how true this is.

Understandably, the public probably wasn’t particularly thrilled that their ‘Dream Girl’ was consorting with a married man. Closer to home, Hema’s family was also horrified at her involvement with a married man. In her authorized biography, Hema revealed that her father was so violently opposed to her marriage to Dharmendra that she only went through with it after her father’s death. Her mother, Jaya, who Hema worked closely with in shaping her acting career, was deeply hurt by the marriage, Hema also revealed.

Ironically, though, Hema also says that it was Dharmendra’s similarities to her mother that drew him to her – she loved the fact that he was ‘strong and silent’, like her maa. She also noted that he did not woo her with ‘roses or moonlight drives’, but ‘made her feel special’ just by looking at her. Whatever it was, Hema couldn’t resist it, and facing down all the opposition, married her man in August 1979.

Dharmendra never divorced Prakash Kaur, who he married as a teenager, although of course, Prakash and Hema live separately. I remember writing about the Dharmendra/Hema marriage in the early days of this blog and receiving a few strongly-worded responses condemning the couple in no uncertain terms and telling me not to call Ms. Malini 'Dharam's wife'. I think the fact that people still feel so strongly about this is an indication of what the reaction must have been like back then. I find the virulence of the reaction really interesting, as I guess I am less fazed by polygamy than a lot of people, because although I'm very much opposed to it personally, it's really not considered a 'big deal' in my culture and society (this is slowly changing, though).

Anyway, however much Hema and Dharmendra's relationship may have angered people, it did not spell doom for their respective careers. If anyone's career was at greater risk, it would have been Hema's - as the younger party with much of her career still ahead of her, she had a lot more to lose. and of course, society being as prejudiced as it is, she would have suffered more just for being the female party. Thankfully, this didn't happen. Hema continued to do very well and had some big hits even after marrying Dharmendra, and even if Dharam's career graph did experience a dip by the late 70s, I don't think this is directly attributable to his second marriage.

Anyway, before I move on from this topic, please check out these scans, graciously provided by Karen, of a 1976 interview in which Dharmendra and Hema speak (very frankly indeed!) about their feelings for each other. It’s all very passionate and romantic, the stuff of filmi forbidden-love stories, but you can’t help but wonder how Prakash Kaur has dealt with all this – all you can do is wonder though, as she and her children are (wisely, in my opinion) fiercely protective of her privacy.

Now, moving on from Dharam’s love life… Dharmendra’s other 1975 releases included the fun ‘curry western’ ‘Pratiggya’, reviewed by Memsaab in hilarious detail here, renowned for the song ‘Main Jatt yamla pagla deewana’, which showed off Dharam’s trademark dance steps (if they can be called that!), and ‘Apne Dushman’.

After the big, star-studded productions of ’75, Dharmendra’s 1976 releases were a little less exciting – there was ‘Maa’, ‘Charas’ and a few others. In 1977, things picked up again, with ‘Dream Girl’, the film which earned Hema a lasting sobriquet; the Manmohan Desai masala masterpiece ‘Dharam Veer’, ‘Khel Khilari Ka’ and a few others.

By 1978, Dharmendra was making fewer movies and getting less exciting roles. His age (a very well-preserved 43) was starting to show, the younger Amitabh Bachchan was dominating the box office, and after almost 2 decades of ‘active duty’, Dharmendra was looking just a teeny tiny bit out of date.

There were still a few memorable Dharmendra movies in these last few years of the 70s though – I really like Basu Chatterjee’s comedy ‘Dillagi’ (1978), in which Dharam plays Swarnkamal, a college professor in love with Phoolrenu, a seriously uptight schoolteacher (played by Hema Malini). Dharmendra’s age may be showing a little in this one, but he’s still very dishy, so my big question while watching this was why Swarnkamal was even interested in the boring and repressed Phoolrenu. Between Hema’s sourpuss act in this and Dharam’s constant phool-sniffing, this movie wearied me a bit, but there were enough fun, comedic bits in it to keep me nicely in the loop.

So, at the end of the rocking 70s, we leave Dharam at a rather low ebb, not the peak we left him on at the end of the 60s. Oh well… one must consider that he’d had two long decades in film at this time, and some of those movies were truly unforgettable. He’d had a pretty good run. And hey, even if he didn’t own the box office and hadn’t received the critical acclaim he so deserved for some of the great performances he delivered in the 60s and 70s, from ‘Anupama’ to ‘Sholay’, at least he had the gorgeous and graceful Hema Malini firmly esconced in his arms by the end of the 70s. (In 1979, the year of their marriage, a measly two Dharmendra films were released!) I can’t imagine that he was too badly bummed out.

To sum up, Dharam's 70s flicks were a nice masala mix of comedy, action, thriller, romance and adventure... as I mentioned before, he did a lot of 'typical' fun masala 70s flicks, and far fewer serious ones than he did in the 60s. Hema Malini was definitely his most notable heroine in this decade, despite the fact that she's lamented not doing as many films with him as she would have liked (greedy greedy! LOL) because they were 'so much in love'. But Dharam also did memorable work with other actresses in the 70s, from Asha to Mumtaz to Rakhee to Sharmila to Tanuja to Zeenat.

This has been a long post, and I didn’t even mention some of Dharam’s notable films from the 70s, like ‘Rakhwala’, ‘Do Chor’, 'Loafer', 'Jheel Ke Us Paar' and ‘Naya Zamana’. But I hope I gave a decent flavour of what the 70s were like for Dharam. Next in this series… the mostly cringeworthy 80s, by far my least favourite decade of Dharam.

Before I get there though, I will linger a little longer in the fun 70s, with another 70s week post coming up before the week runs out….

70s Week!!!

2010-02-24T09:49:00.006+01:00

*Ultra-groovy picture courtesy of V Love Movies.

It’s 70s week, and everyone in the Bolly-blogosphere is talking about it… lots of great bloggers are participating, so if you’ve been missing out on all the bell-bottomed fun, then *gasp* - where have you been?!! You need to head over to Beth Loves Bollywood pronto, where you can find out about all the participating bloggers (including Beth herself, of course)… and read all the fun, thought-provoking, enlightening posts…. I've been having a great time... I just read Memsaab’s fabulously entertaining list of her 10(-ish) favourite 70s Hindi films....

As you might notice from Beth's list of blogs participating in 70s week, I signed up to take part in the platformed festivities… but since the week began, I’ve been traveling non-stop and in a veritable tizz of endless work-related activity… added to which my trusty laptop has remained in a coma from which it may never awaken *sob sob*. Anyway, all that = no 70s week post yet, and although I’ve blogged about LOTS of 70s flicks before here (I think I’ve watched more Hindi films from that era than any other – with the possible exception of the noughties), I’m not keen on reposting an old review… I would rather write something new. And so I will. Soon. My first 70s week will probably (and quite fittingly) be Part 2 of the Decades of Dharam feature I began a couple of months ago… and that will hopefully go up today or tomorrow. After which I will hopefully do at least one more post for 70s week….

In the meantime, if you haven’t been doing so, enjoy all the brilliant posts by brilliant bloggers - thoughtfully celebrating all the things we love (and some we don’t) from the glorious Bollywood films of the 70s….

THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - IT'S PARTY TIME!!!

2009-12-24T21:15:00.006+01:00

I have so thoroughly enjoyed participating in this year's Filmi Secret Santa Project, birthed and so graciously organised by Beth Loves Bollywood. I had a great time putting gifts together for my recipient, and I received lots of awesomely creative and fun gifts from my very generous Secret Santa, all of which I've very proudly showed off on this blog.

All good things, alas, must come to an end, and so today, I received my final fabulous Christmas from my Secret Santa, with this note:

So here we are at last on Day 12 of Christmas. Dharam has defeated all evil with the force of his beauty and all that remains is to sing the end-of-whoop-ass-all's-well-that-ends-well song and invite his friends for a party! And so it came to pass.

... and this beautiful collage...

What I wouldn't give to be at that party!

I also finally got to find out who my most benevolent and excellent Secret Santa is... and (drumroll please!) she is none other than the witty and charming Amrita of the wonderful Indiequill, one of my favourite blogs. Thank you so much Amrita, your gifts were one of the best highlights of this season. Have a very Merry Christmas and a great 2010!!!

And Happy Holidays to everyone!

BEAUTIFUL DHARAM'S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS AGAINST EVIL!!!

2009-12-24T11:42:00.004+01:00

More deliciousness from Secret Santa:

On the 11th day of Christmas, Daddy's Girl puts her plan into action - Beautiful Dharam will solve all!!

Beautiful Dharam's Recipe for Success Against Evil:

One part reassurance - he'll forgive you. Promise! Just be good! Won't you be good for him?

One part seduction - don't you want a kissy? A teensy weensy kissy? Well, you know what you got to do for it!

Two parts shame - shame on your evilness! Look how unhappy it makes him! Are you satisfied now? He's so disappointed in you! How can you live with yourself, evil person?

Two parts promise - he'll introduce you to his cool friends! He'll be the brother you never had!

Two parts stalking - he doesn't like to do it, you understand. It's beneath his hotness. But sometimes a guy's gotta do what he's gotta do.

Two parts treat - you play nice and you know what happens? He treats you like a princess! He'll carry the baskets and he'll pour you champagne.

One part sugar - well, blush! Only if you're really good, mind.

BUT!! If nothing will get through your thick head - then Dharam is going to get Garam!

Bow! Bow before the power of the perfection that is Dharam!

Now... what could I possibly add to that? Except, thank you so much for all this awesomeness, Santa!!!

SECRET SANTA 10: DADDY'S GIRL TO THE RESCUE!

2009-12-22T17:21:00.002+01:00

This (being cast as the amazing Ms. Andrews in our ongoing filmi saga) is so good for my ego! Ha ha!! LOVE my planning outfit.....

"On the 10th day of Christmas, Daddy's Girl is distressed to see that The Perfect Boy is clearly overwhelmed. Just look at his face of "Nahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"But no worries! Daddy's Girl has a plan. That's her planning outfit as you can see."

SO EVIL! SO HOT!! SO AWESOME!!!

2009-12-22T17:19:00.000+01:00

My Santa sends me the best stuff ever... here's the latest:

with these words:

"Daddy's Girl's worst apprehensions come true - EVIL HAPPENINGS are taking place! Oh no! So evil! So hot! So dire!"

So totally awesome! I love it!!!

SECRET SANTA 8 - SO FABULOUS!!!

2009-12-22T17:01:00.001+01:00

Ok, can I just say I LOVE my Secret Santa?! Everything (s)he sends me is SO perfect!!! How on earth did (s)he know that I LOVE Julie Andrews and that one of my all-time favourite Julie Andrew movies is 'Victor/Victoria'? Again, I LOVE my Secret Santa!

Here's my latest gift... in our ongoing saga, Secret Santa has cast me as the fabulous Ms Andrews....

"On the eighth day of Christmas, everybody seems to have forgotten that there is evil afoot! What is wrong with all these filmi people? But never fear, Daddy's Girl is here to keep an eye on her Perfect Boy from afar."

SECRET SANTA 7: BROWNIE THE WONDER DOG

2009-12-20T15:36:00.005+01:00

My awesome Secret Santa has very kindly introduced me to this very cool friend...

Santa's words?

"On the seventh day of Christmas, even Brownie the Wonder Dog finds out about our young romance. He loves them together so much, he cries hearts!"

SECRET SANTA 6: 'MAASTERFUL'

2009-12-20T14:34:00.002+01:00

Ah... my Secret Santa reveals 'The Boy's' adoring Maa...

Santa says:

"On the sixth day of Christmas, Maa finds out about the happy romance! And she approves! The Girl isn't quite good enough for her son who is after all, let's face it, Perfect, but she isn't half bad!"

MORE GOODNESS FROM SANTA....

2009-12-17T22:34:00.002+01:00

Wow, I must have been really good this year, because my awesome Secret Santa sent me this video with the following words:

"On the fifth day of Christmas, unaware of the dark clouds gathering on the horizon, The Happy Couple sing a song the way they do.

Boy: I'm a Hindi movie Boy. I'm freaked out by aggressive women with an adventurous dress sense. Girl: You're pretty, but don't try my patience!

Obviously, the Girl wins the day. The way she does!"

Santa also send me a fabulous Dharam/Mumtaz slideshow, which I absolutely adore!

Thank you so much, Secret Santa!!!

SECRET SANTA 4: Enter The Vamp!

2009-12-16T16:20:00.002+01:00

Don't you just love a good vamp? Well, the oh-so-creepy 'Potent Pint of Evil' from my last present has brought one along....

And my Secret Santa's words on this beauty?

"Potent Pint of Evil has brought his A-game to the proceedings by introducing the Super Star Vamp! Excuse her beauty! She does not mean to hurt your eyes. Just your wallet and your heart!"

SECRET SANTA 3: 'Something wicked this way comes...'

2009-12-16T16:13:00.003+01:00

While I was basking in the gorgeousness of Dharmendra and Mumtaz, my secret Santa sent me this, with these words...

"On the third day of Christmas comes a Potent Pint of Evil. His eyes! His eyes! Do not look into his eyes!

What evil will he bring into the lives of the Boy and Girl? Oh, you REALLY want to stick around for the fourth day of Christmas!"

Yep, I most definitely want to stick around....

SECRET SANTA 2

2009-12-15T00:33:00.003+01:00

My fabulous Secret Santa sent me this gorgeous picture of Mumtaz as a follow up to yesterday's deliciously Christmassy Dharam... along with this message:

"... On the second day of Christmas, you find out that although he's Just Perfect, he was posing for The Girl. Who's clearly had a good look and has certain, um, ideas about what she's seeing!"

THANK YOU, SECRET SANTA!

2009-12-14T14:13:00.003+01:00

My secret Santa sent me this today... love it!!!

The decades of Dharam series will continue shortly....

FACES: MUMTAZ

2009-12-07T21:42:00.008+01:00

I am making up for lost time, I suppose... this is my second 'Faces' post (the first was about Dharam and Sharmila), and I just adore this woman's face. As Dustedoff put it, I love everything about Mumtaz. Adorable and sexy at the same time. Great smile, cute nose, beautiful eyes. A fabulous dancer. So lushly gorgeous. And there is something so... alive and expressive about her face. I also love the spirit, feistiness and fun she brought to a lot of her characters. Such a beautiful woman....

5 DECADES OF GARAM DHARAM - The 60s

2009-12-03T19:28:00.009+01:00

Tomorrow, my very favourite Bollywood superstar will turn 74. And not long after that, a new decade will commence (whatever will we call it by the way? Coming up with 'noughties' for this decade was hard enough!). Dharmendra started his movie career in 1960, so he has now been in the acting business for 5 whole decades! Impressive, huh? Anyway, I haven’t talked about him on this blog for a while, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity….

Although his career graph has dipped in places over the years, and he (in my opinion) hasn’t received the accolades he deserves for some of the fantastic work he’s done, it’s unquestionable that Dharam has had a terrific career. Over the next few days, I thought it would be fun to take a quick look at his work over the past 5 decades.

Much as I love Dharmendra, there’s A LOT about him that I don’t know, and A LOT of his movies that I’m yet to see, so please don’t except a thrilling and informative series! I’ll just talk generally about each decade, selecting one film per decade as a reference point, and hopefully picking up some new info as I go along. Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby present ‘The Decades of Dharam’. Here’s to the next one!

The 60s – A Star Is Born

Dharmendra made over 40 films in the swinging sixties, and by the end of that decade, he was already established as one of the industry’s leading actors. Dharam kicked off his career with a role in ‘Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere’ (1960). Dustedoff has a great review of the film here. Young and gawky as he looked, by the time of this movie, Dharam had already been married for several years, to Prakash Kaur, who remains a mysterious figure, which is probably just the way she likes it! Anyway, back to Dharam - he was even a daddy by the time he made his first film - his older son, Sunny, was already toddling around.

‘Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere’ was an unremarkable but promising start, and before long, Dharmendra was working with reputable directors like Bimal Roy (‘Bandini’, in 1963) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, with whom he worked on several movies in the 60s. Many of the films Dharam made in the early 60s were forgettable, with a few exceptions. ‘Bandini’ and ‘Soorat Aur Seerat’ were probably the most noteworthy. The rest weren’t terrible films, either, though. They gave Dharmendra a nice bit of exposure and experience... and he built on that foundation to become the confident and polished performer that emerged by the end of the 60s.

By the early to mid 60s, Dharam was also already co-starring with more established actors such as Mala Sinha (‘Anpadh’, ‘Pooja Ke Phool’, ‘Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi’, ‘Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai’), Balraj Sahni (‘Bandini’, ‘Anpadh’, 'Haqeeqat'), Nutan Behl (‘Bandini’, ‘Soorat Aur Seerat’, ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Ki’) and Ashok Kumar (‘Bandini’). It doesn't seem like he exploded onto the scene or anything, but the young man from Sahnewal was off to a pretty good start. His fame grew steadily through the 60s, and by the late 60s, he was very bankable (despite the meteoric rise to fame of megastar Rajesh Khanna, in 1969).

The 60s are also notable for at least one relationship that made a huge impact on the young Dharmendra both personally and professionally… in 1964, ‘Maain Bhi Ladki Hun’, his first film opposite Meena Kumari, was released. It is said that it was around this time that a newly divorced Meena and a very married Dharmendra began a romantic relationship that would last several years. By the time she met Dharam and worked with him on ‘Maain Bhi Ladki Hun’, Meena was already a huge star… in fact, some would argue that most of her best work was already behind her, and following her split from her husband, Kamaal Amrohi, she had begun to battle alcoholism and depression.

Dharmendra and Meena made several other movies together in the 60s: ‘Purnima’ (1965), ‘Kaajal’ (1965), O. P. Ralhan’s classic ‘Phool Aur Patthar’ (1966), ‘Majhli Didi’ (1967), ‘Chandan Ka Palna’ (1967) and ‘Baharon Ki Manzil' (1967). ‘Phool Aur Patthar’ and ‘Kaajal’ were probably the most successful of these Dharam/Meena films, but most viewers are of the opinion that Dharam and Meena did not make a great onscreen jodi. Not having seen any of these movies (I have ‘Phool Aur Patthar’ and ‘Kaajal’ but haven’t gotten round to watching them), I don't have a take on this yet.

The relationship between Dharmendra and Meena Kumari was apparently the subject of much controversy in those days, it seems, and there’s still much said about it today. Some allege that Dharam used Meena and her massive fame to further his fledgling career, taking advantage of her despondency and alcoholism, then callously moving on when it was over. Others are of the opinion that Meena used Dharam to boost her ego and revive her career for a while. Still others feel that both actors used each other. Some say there was genuine love and affection between the pair, and that it was not the mercenary relationship it’s often painted as. Who knows? Whatever they may have meant to each other in their years together, though, it would seem that their liaison brought neither of them lasting joy.

Dharmendra did enjoy some less... momentous professional pairings with actresses in the 60s though. I’ve already mentioned his work with the gorgeous Nutan andwith Mala Sinha. He starred opposite the talented Vyjayanthimala (‘Pyar Hi Pyar’). He made some films with Asha Parekh (‘Shikar’, ‘Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke’). He also worked with Saira Banu on films like ‘Ayee Milan Ki Bela’, ‘Aadmi Aur Insaan’ and ‘Shaadi’; and in the mid-60s, one my very favourite pairings, the stylish and gorgeous Dharmendra/Sharmila jodi, was born. In the 60s, Dharam and Sharmila Tagore worked together on ‘Devar’, ‘Anupama’, ‘Satyakam’, ‘Yakeen’ and ‘Mere Humdum Mere Dost’.

Which brings me to my film choice for this decade – ‘Satyakam’, in which Dharam stars with Sharmila Tagore and Ashok Kumar. It’s a serious, slightly melancholic, sometimes heavy-handed film, helmed by the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee, my all-time favourite Hindi film director. Light years away from the lighter masala fare that Dharam would make in the 1970s, it is dark, somber and complex (if you’re interested, read my lengthy thoughts on it here). And, despite the fact that I generally don’t like sad films, I love it.

‘Anupama’, also directed by Mukherjee and co-starring ‘Dharmila’ (sorry, I just had to go there!), is much simpler, and far less oppressive in tone, with better music (‘Ya Dil Ki Suno Duniyawalon’ is simply divine). The cinematography in ‘Anupama’ is also just gorgeous, but I’ve chosen ‘Satyakam’ over it because I think it captures and represents the mature, gutsy and confident actor that Dharam had become by the end of the 60s. He took on a character that many would consider unlikeable in his inflexibility, and he depicted him truthfully and gracefully, without playing to the gallery. His performance was beautifully restrained, thoughtful, thought-provoking, multi-layered. And he looked gorgeous as always. Who could possibly ask for more?

In the 60s, Dharmendra played lots of different roles - from students and lawyers, to teachers and doctors, to secret agents and policemen, with even a couple of villains thrown in... but one thing is sure, he always looked delicious doing whatever the script required. His sex symbol reputation definitely took hold during this decade. He was viewed as a handsome, romantic leading man with a difference –he could look and act tough, but he definitely had a softer, more sensitive side. And the fans swooned!

Dharam started off the 60s making more serious, ‘social commentary’ type films, and although by the end of the 60s he was still making serious films like ‘Satyakam’, he also started doing the ‘fun stuff’ that he would do a lot more of in the 70s – he made spy flicks ‘Yakeen’ and ‘Ankhen’ in the late 60s. He also took on thrillers like ‘Baazi’, (opposite Waheeda Rehman).

Up next… the 70s, possibly Dharam’s best decade… and definitely my favourite!!!

UNTITLED RAMBLINGS...

2009-12-02T18:09:00.008+01:00

It’s been a while… I haven’t felt inspired to post anything new in a long time. My love for Bollywood hasn’t waned though… I still read all my favourite Bollyblogs with keen interest, and I still keep tabs on what’s showing at our local cinemas, even if the last one I saw was ‘Wanted’, back in… September, I think (I really liked it). The truth is there’s just been too much going on in my life to allow me the simple pleasures of watching and writing about Hindi films. I really haven’t had the time or the inclination to sit down and watch an entire Bollywood film in ages.

That will probably change soon, though, after I get through this whirlwind of activity that always accompanies huge life changes. It’s funny… looking back; Bollywood has a tradition of being there for me at really low times… I remember that I really embraced Bollywood movies and music during my father’s long and painful struggle with cancer. I began with ‘Hum Aapke… Hain Koun!’ and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, then quickly progressed to ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ and ‘Dil Chahta Hai’, with scores of films in between.

Then I watched some of my most memorable Bollywood films during the difficult months after my father eventually passed on – looking back, it’s funny how those days seem constantly punctuated by Hindi films:

Attending my sister’s graduation ceremony without my darling ‘Dadda’, watching ‘Do Aur Do Paanch’.

Visiting relatives in with my mother, watching ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’.

Visiting other relatives, getting bored out my mind, watching ‘Aradhana’.

Moving to a new/old city (I was born and raised in Lagos, but lived in other places for a decade before returning here), watching ‘The Burning Train’ (and falling deeply in love with Dharmendra – then starting this blog soon afterwards).

Starting a new job, watching ‘Chupke Chupke’ (and falling even harder).

Settling into the routine of my new Lagos life, watching SRK steam up the screen in ‘Don’ (and making a wonderful new friend in the process – the one I would eventually travel to India with).

So many movies are tied up with so many moments – moments of healing, painful reminders, joyful ones too. Laughter, tears, introspection, bonding. And now… reeling from the recent, sudden loss of my beloved mother, my very dearest friend in the world, I find myself craving a long sit-down with a really good Bollywood DVD (or two).

A long time ago, I wrote a post about the things I love about Bollywood. Those reasons have changed as I’ve learned more about the industry and explored more of its products, but one thing remains constant – Bollywood still reminds me of how much I love my family; of the powerful, soul-deep, bittersweet joy/pain that comes with bonding with these people you are given to, through no choice of your own, when you enter the world. I was incredibly blessed in the parent stakes – I got the most amazing parents – the easiest people in the world to love; and even if that makes losing them that much more painful, I’m so incredibly glad and grateful to have had them in my life for the time I did.

I can’t think about Bollywood without thinking of my mother… of how she sat down with me and watched the rather painful ‘Pardes’ (and how she called me ‘I love my India’ for weeks after, after the oh-so-cheesy song from the film). I know there were a million other things she would rather have spent those hours doing, but she wanted to share my new passion (trust me, I made sure the next film we watched together was a good one). I remember how she took my new passion for Hindi films in her stride, although she did indulge in a brief period of worry over my DVD budget! I remember her singing her made-up faux Hindi song (basically the word ‘piya’ repeated over and over) and dancing for me, Bollywood style.

I remember how she actively encouraged me to visit India, even though lots of other people thought I was crazy for wanting to go. I remember how excited she was the first time I called her from Delhi (‘yay, you made it there finally!’). On one of our last visits together, I remember that she was using my laptop when she came across a picture of Kajol all decked out in her bridal finery (from the final scenes of KKHH), and asked me if I wanted to be dressed up like that if and when I ever got married. I remember how she cocked her head, smiled and said ‘I think it would suit you. You would look beautiful’.

It’s been over a month since I lost her, and I haven’t truly begun to miss her yet – I’m still at the stage where I just can’t believe she’s gone. I’ve had to go straight from receiving the devastating news, to planning the funeral, to taking care of all the loose ends that a sudden death leaves behind. The death of one’s parents is truly the end of an era – everything changes profoundly, from smaller things like Christmas holiday plans to bigger things like having to lock up a house that once was a home. It’s been an illuminating time – death always brings out the best and the worst in people. But I’ve never been prouder of my parents than now… watching their children pull together, hold hands and wade together through this storm. They lived well, they loved hard, and they left behind a beautiful legacy.

I’m not a huge ‘sharer’ and very rarely post anything personal on this blog, so I’m not sure why I’ve just done so. Maybe I’ve been inspired by reading posts like these, that celebrate family, both biological and otherwise. Maybe I just feel the urgent need to reiterate those well-worn clichés that ring so true to me, especially now – hold your loved ones close as you can, make the most of every moment you share with them, and never let them forget how much they mean to you. Life is short.

Polka Stripes, Zebra Dots

2009-08-23T16:01:00.003+01:00

Been looking through some of my old posts today, and happened across what remains one of the funniest Bollywood-related things I've ever seen: this post.

SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI: Sumptuous, Lush, Beautiful

2009-07-09T09:02:00.013+01:00

It's been a while since I've done a Director's Round-Up... so here's one... with loads of screencaps... mainly of Aishwarya Rai... but please don't blame me for that if you're not an Ash fan - blame Sanjay Leela Bhansali!

I quite like Sanjay Leela Bhansali… he is a colourful figure – from his catfights with Farah Khan to his affection for kohl, to his occasional petulance and more-than-occasional pomposity; he has PERSONALITY. He can usually be found doing or saying something interesting – even outrageous - and that’s always fun. I like the fact that he puts himself out there and isn’t afraid to be mocked (which he usually is). I also really like his passion for film (and for actors) and his almost childlike response to both praise and criticism. But this post isn’t about Bhansali’s on-set tantrums, his complex relationships with other Bollywood personalities, his thwarted attempts to cast (and arguments with) Bebo, or his legendary love for his Maa… it’s about his work as a director.

Before taking on the directing mantle, Bhansali worked with prominent director Vidhu Vinod Chopra as assistant director (and screenwriter) on ‘1942: A Love Story’ (starring Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala), the classic gangster flick ‘Parinda’ (starring Nana Patekhar, Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor), and ‘Kareeb’ (with Bobby Deol and Neha). As an assistant director, SLB’s specialties were song picturisations, sound and dubbing – all very significant strengths that continue to be seen in the films he directs.

Since he started directing movies in 1996, Bhansali has certainly made a name for himself. More than that, he’s created a brand – there are certain things you can always expect to find in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. Here are what I think are 4 of his most striking trademarks:

Visual Appeal: nothing if not an aesthete (and one of the highest order), SLB loves to create beauty onscreen. He does lots of close-ups of his (usually stunning) stars, puts lots of painstaking detail into the composition of his scenes, and just always goes for the pretty… even in a mostly sober film like ‘Black’.

He also has a distinct fondness for colour… while ‘Devdas’ overdosed on lush reds and golds, ‘Saawariya’ is bathed in hues of blue… a fact memorably lampooned by Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan in their hilarious ‘Neela Neela’ sketch at the 2008 Filmfare Awards.

Romance & Tragedy: Bhansali loves a good, old-fashioned love story. Whether it’s a husband’s unrequited love (‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’), a student’s love for her guru (‘Black’), an unstable girl’s overwhelming yearning for her storybook hero (‘Saawariya’), or a prostitute’s love for a drunken loser (‘Devdas’), there’s always a love story at the heart of SLB’s films.

And there’s also always elements of sadness and pain – in HDDCS Vanraj’s adoration of Nandini is pitted against Nandini’s love for Sameer; in ‘Black’ two lonely souls can only help each other to a certain extent; in ‘Saawariya’ Raj ends up broken-hearted despite his best attempts to sabotage Sakina's romance with Imaan; in ‘Devdas’ Chandramukhi’s pure and selfless love is poor proof against Devdas’s determination to self-destruct. There is rarely a happy ending for the protagonists in SLB’s tales of love, and even where there is one (as in HDDCS), it comes slowly and at a price (and it’s worth noting here that there are many who would disagree with me about HDDCS ending happily.)

Grandeur and Luxury: Bhansali loves to do things on a soaring, sweeping, grand scale. He loves to create fantasy in his films – an epic place far away from our mundane everyday lives… a place where strange, eventful things happen everyday. It’s never boring in his world.

His sets are so opulent as well… he likes gorgeous, glamorous things. Lots of lush, expensive silks, flowers, crystals and precious stones…. Sometimes, as with HDDCS, I love it. Sometimes, as with ‘Devdas’, I think he just goes way overboard! There was just way too much bling in that film… it just hurt my eyes sometimes!!

Music: SLB is very adventurous when it comes to the music in his films. He clearly adores music – his first film, ‘Khamoshi – The Musical’ was, as its name implies, a musical, and all his films have a strong musical element and lots of song picturisations (something I think he’s very good at). I also think he has a fantastic ear – something he doesn’t get much credit for. He is happy to take a chance on fresh, lesser-known musical talent – like Monty Sharma, Anjan Biswas and Ismail Darbar.

The music in his films is always so distinctive, creative and well-suited to the film. I think he is a genius at weaving songs into the fabric of his films… you can’t hear ‘Nimbooda’ without picturing Ash in HDDCS, ‘Chhabeela’ without thinking about Rani’s sass, ‘Dola Re Dola’ without picturing Madhuri and Ash in mid-twirl, or ‘Jab Se Tere Naina’ without picturing Ranbir in that infamous towel.

Bhansali is currently taking his love for music a step further by composing the songs for his 2010 project ‘Guzaarish’, a film which he calls ‘a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar’. Aishwarya and Hrithik, who made an effective jodi in ‘Dhoom II’ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, are set to co-star…. I think this is a pretty bold move; there aren't a lot of directors that also do good music (in mainstream Hindi cinema, I can only think of Vishal Bhardwaj at the moment (do you know of any others?) and of course Clint Eastwood in Hollywood).

Like most directors, SLB tends to work with the same crop of actors: Salman Khan shows up in 3 of his 5 films; and Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee and Zohra Sehgal show up in 2 each. He isn’t averse to new talent, though - he famously took a chance on two fresh faces when he cast Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor in ‘Saawariya’. I think he gave each of them a really great showcase – the film may have flopped, but they each made very effective industry debuts. Others will disagree, but I think SLB is definitely an actor’s director. He may be a painstaking control freak, but I don’t think that he inhibits his actors – in fact, one might argue that he sometimes over-indulges them and fails to rein them in when necessary (case in point: SRK’s performance in ‘Devdas’).

I think he actually maximizes his actors’ talents – he capitalizes on Aishwarya’s beauty and formidable dancing skills while also giving her roles that maximize her modest acting talents. He capitalizes on Salman’s youthful exuberance while also allowing him to be shallow (apologies to Sallu fans – I like the guy, but I really don’t think he has loads of depth – and while we’re on the subject, I think SLB cast Salman appropriately in ‘Saawariya’ – let’s face it, his youthful charm has worn thin. This role (tiny as it was) had a little maturity to it, something Sallu Chacha desperately needs at this point). On the flipside, Bhansali gives Rani Mukherjee demanding roles (although he should have used her more in ‘Saawariya’ – she was the best thing about that film!), allowing her to put that powerhouse talent to good effect.

I also think the ability to write a screenplay that allows characters to grow, develop and express themselves through more than just their dialogues, is one of SLB’s strengths. I do sometimes think his focus on the characters’ nuances and foibles takes something away from the development of the story – sometimes (most strikingly in ‘Saawariya’) you’re just not sure where it’s all going. But I do think he writes a good screenplay.

Unlike Karan Johar, whose scriptwriting genius I find lies in his use of language and his ability to put together a thoroughly effective dialogue, I think Bhansali really knows how to ‘sketch’ a good scene – with SLB the body language and movements of the characters within their immediate environment is more important, more striking, than what actually comes out of their mouths. This I suppose is because he possibly thinks more in terms of visuals than words – something which can be a distinct strength (as in HDDCS – remember the chandelier scene, or the tram scene?) or a weakness (as in ‘Saawariya’ – great visuals, not a lot of substance). He seems happy to let someone else handle the dialogues while he focuses his energy on setting up his scenes and creating the ‘moment’.

Whew… who knew I had so much to say about Sanjay Leela Bhansali? He’s not even one of my favourite directors… anyway, to round off this roundup… I’ve seen 4 of Bhansali’s 5 films (I’m hoping to watch ‘Khamoshi’ soon – it’s generally very well-liked), and here are my brief thoughts on each of them….

BLACK: Rani Mukherjee hands in an amazing, sensitive performance as a blind, deaf and mute girl, Michelle McNally, who is helped by her teacher, Debraj Sahai (played by Amitabh Bachchan) to engage with the world around her. Later in life, Michelle gets a chance to return the favour. Ayesha Kapoor, the child actor who plays the young Michelle, is also pretty remarkable – speaking of which, Aamir Khan’s comments on the film kicked up quite a storm (see The Bollywood Fan's comments on the controversy here)…. I enjoyed this film for the stellar performances, the quietness, intensity and humanity of the drama, and the lovely dream-like quality it has.

HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM: HDDCS offers gorgeous visuals, beautiful music, and great performances by all the major players (especially Ajay Devgan, but Ash and Salman are very good too). Fake Italy (aka Hungary) really annoyed me – perhaps to an irrational extent, but I still really enjoyed it, and I love how it ended (although there are many who don’t). I think I’ve grown to appreciate it more with the passage of time, which doesn’t happen with a lot of films. I really love Filmi Girl’s 2-part write-up on the film – check it out.

DEVDAS: A very flawed film, but I think this is worth watching for the song picturisations, Madhuri Dixit’s poised, classy performance, Madhuri and Ash’s fantastic dancing, some excellent music, some very prettily staged scenes and Kirron Kher. I do so love SRK, but the less said about his highly annoying and unsympathetic portrayal of Devdas, the better. Oh dear.

SAAWARIYA: All the reviews of this film were so DIRE that I was pleasantly surprised by it. I didn’t love it, but it’s thankfully quite short, and worth watching for Rani’s sexy earthiness (especially in ‘Chhabeela’), Sonam’s gorgeousness, and of course, Ranbir in that towel… hot stuff. When I revisit this film, I watch ‘Chhabeela’ and ‘Jab Se Tere Naina’, flick through a couple of Sonam and Ranbir’s scenes, and really find that it’s not quite that bad!

AN ENCOUNTER IN A LIFT...

2009-06-29T14:04:00.002+01:00

Ever wondered what would happen if 10 Bollywood A-listers got into the same lift and embarked on a very slow journey from the ground floor to the top floor of the Bollyworld Building? Well, this rather unlikely event happened in one of my recent fantasies… and this is what ensued...

I am leaving out the names of the protagonists… you get to guess who said what…

No. 1 (on her cellphone): Aarrrgghhh!!! I am so stressed out… my schedules have been so hectic! I’m so tense!!! I really need a break. I was thinking about a fabulous shopping spree, or maybe a spa break, but No. 3 says he’d rather go skiing! Skiing? Can you imagine? I’m like, skiing frantically up and down some booorrrrinnng resort is the last thing I need right now!

No. 2 (shaking her head with disgust): Keep it down yaar! We don’t care about your shopping trips or spa breaks or whatever! Spoilt brat! And if you’re going to yak on and on like this when we start shooting soon, I might have to consider pulling out of this film… although I would really hate to do that to my darling No. 4…

No. 3 (adjusting his bandana): And also, No. 1, would you mind not complaining about me to your friends? And right in front of me too?

No. 4 (holding out his arms in a very ‘spontaneous’ pacifying gesture): Come on guys, we are all members of the same film fraternity. We love each other! And No. 2, you know you won’t pull out of my film, darling – you and No. 1 will be dynamite together on the big screen, darling, and you know it!

No. 5 (practising her poses in front of the mirror): I don’t know why you think anyone would be interested in seeing this film, No. 4! I mean, these are actresses of the older generation. They are like aunties to me. People want to see younger, trendier people on the big screen – you know that, right? People like… me. Even my dad always hides his age and pretends to be younger than he really is for this same reason. But please, although I know you must now be regretting casting these two dinosaurs, do not even thinking of casting me in your film. I only do films I strongly believe in and work with genius directors… not commercial suck-ups like you.

No. 2 (lifting her eyebrow): If that dinosaur thing was a dig at me, No. 5, don’t be so naïve. There are very few actresses that have the longevity that I have – that can go away for a few years and then come back and have a superhit film. The world appears to be at your feet now, but very soon you’ll be forced to eat humble pie. Just look at….

No. 6 (flexing his pecs): Me. Just look at me. I can’t believe I have to work so hard for recognition these days. Once upon a time, I was the toast of the industry. Now I have to engage in fights with other guys in the industry, make up fake relationship troubles, randomly hop on auto-rickshaws after weddings, even do the whole TV-show-host thing in a bid to get more airtime….

No. 7 (fluttering her lashes): Speaking of which, No. 6, can I be on your show, please? Please?? I love you so much… I’m your biggest fan… in fact, your super-sized posters are all over my bedroom…. And you know I am now a bona fide star in this industry, everyone is comparing my performance in my Hindi film debut to No. 2’s performance in….

No. 2 (rolling her eyes): Chup! Shut up! You are only a pale imitation of me at the moment. You certainly have potential, but if you spend all your time following No. 6 around (much as I love him and have always enjoyed working with him), you’ll end up with a boring, unchallenging career… kinda like….

No. 8 (trying hard not to look at No. 6): Hey, don’t say it. Please! Don’t ‘take her name’! Please watch what you say about my friend – we really bonded during our recent film together. I mean, with all due respect to you, she’s so much more than just a pretty face.

No. 6 (taking off his shirt in a fury): Kya? Why are you defending my girlfriend? Are you saying I’m not man enough to stand up for her? Are you spoiling for a fight, you idiot? Don't you remember what happened to the last guy that took me on? His career has gone down the tubes! Come on, let’s take this outside!

No. 4 (managing just in time to restrain himself from touching No. 6’s bare chest): Come on No. 6, come on guys. We are all part of the same Hindi film fraternity. Even when we fight, we love each oth—

No. 6: Shut up No. 4, what gives you the right to talk? I’m pissed off at you as well. Ever since my fantastic performance in your debut film, you haven’t cast me in anything else. Don’t you know I am a much better hero than that loser, traitor and fraud you keep using over and over?? And this idiot No. 8? Trying to pass him off as the latest hot and shirtless young stud in your last production was the ultimate insult to me….

No. 4 (quivering with equal measures of fear and excitement): So sorry No. 6… y-y-you know how much I respect your talents and….

No. 9 (snapping his fingers ever so coolly): Yeah, No. 6, come on, take a chill pill. You’re really scaring No. 4 and No. 8. You know, we really do all love you. Even I have never had anything but love for you, despite the fact that you emotionally, mentally and even possibly physically abused my wife back when you were dating… I’ve got nothing but love for you, dude!

No 10 (closing his eyes in ecstasy and running his fingers through his wig): Speaking of love… this is amazing. I mean, I love you all. 100 per cent. I feel so excited and inspired in the presence of all you huge stars. Thank you for blessing me. I feel so inspired – 100 per cent. In fact, I have just composed a song in honour of all of you great stars… please listen as I begin to sing it in humblest of tones…. Taaahhhhhhhnnnnnrrreeeeehhhhhnnnnnn ihhhhhhnnnnnnnnn elllleeeehhhhhnnnnnvaaayyyyyyyytoooorrrrrhhhhhhhhhnnnnnnn.

No. 1 (pounding on the lift’s doors): Waaaahhhhhhhh! Darwaza kholo!!!!

I know... no need to say it... I’m ridiculous. But I actually really enjoyed doing this... see you again soon(ish)....