I AM FIFTY... AIN'T THAT NIFTY?

...Or just an excuse for yet another stonkingly bad title, anyway. This is my fiftieth post and I'm pretty stoked about it. When I started blogging, I had no idea I'd still be blogging 50 posts later. This blog has been great fun for me, and it's given me a nice little personal space in which to express my feelings about Bollywood and movies in general. Carla once described her site as a labour of love, and I feel the same about this blog. It's very time-consuming, but it's great fun, and it gives me a useful reference point for how these movies have made (and still make) me feel.

Hearing from the readers of this blog is really the icing on the cake. It's great to connect with other Bollywood fans around the world and to share our common (and not-so-common) experiences with these movies. It's great to learn about the different things others have taken away from the movies I've seen, from the hilarious, to the inspirational, to the educative, to the fun. I really love getting comments and exchanging views (hint, hint). I also get a kick out of looking at my site stats and seeing that people have come here looking for pictures and stuff and have found them.

Anyway, I'd like to use this post to plug www.chakpak.com, which is a pretty interesting movie site, and which has given me some fab widgets to liven up my old picture-less posts with! So thanks, www.chakpak.com. I love your widgets!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME…

Yayyy!! It’s my birthday tomorrow! I’m really excited about it, although I have no plans for the day yet… it’s always nice to know that you’ve survived another year of life – and this past one has been a particularly tough one, so I’m very thankful to have made it this far.

There won’t be any Bollywood elements to this birthday, sadly – can’t think of anything interesting and birthday-ish enough. (Any suggestions? Please?) Just watching another Bollywood DVD alone and eating some junk food won’t cut it – been there, done that. I’m watching ‘Karan Arjun’ at the moment, but I’ll probably finish it tonight. I have to say I’m really liking it, which surprises me since almost all the reviews I’ve read have been either blah or just bad. Anyway, I’m going to try and relax tomorrow, maybe treat myself to a pedicure, or a movie, or a new outfit… And my family and friends will call (one or two might come over), and there’ll probably be a little cake for the people in my house… not bad, eh? But I’d still appreciate suggestions for making this birthday a bit Bollywood-y.

In other news, something seems to be wrong with Blogger… it arbitrarily cut a huge chunk out of my last post (I know it was too long but sheesh) and is refusing to let me edit the post; and it is not ‘refreshing’ (apologies for my technophobe lingo) my blogs even after I’ve published new posts - weird. (This seems to be all fixed now)

Anyway, have a great weekend ya’ll.

THE BIRTHDAY POST - ALL ABOUT DHARMENDRA

The basics

Dharmendra was born Dharam Singh Deol on 8 December 1935. He is an acclaimed Bollywood actor and more recently a politician (his wife Hema Malini is a politician as well). He is an MP representing the Bikaner constituency, and he’s a member of the BJP. He was given the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement in 1997, his only major acting award, which seems a bit unfair.

He has four children: Sunny and Bobby with his first wife (both successful actors, Sunny (Dharam's lookalike) moreso than Bobby), Esha and Ahana with Hema Malini. Esha is a moderately successful actress, and apparently her father isn’t thrilled about her choice of career – he once said Bollywood is an unsuitable place for girls. Whatever. Esha calls herself a ‘Daddy’s girl’ – so I guess we have something in common (I’m no fan of hers, so this doesn’t exactly thrill me - props to her on sticking with her career choice though). Dharmendra’s nephew Abhay Deol is also an actor.


Ten Things I’ve Recently Learnt about Dharmendra.

1. Apparently, he’s currently separated from Hema Malini (haven’t confirmed this yet).

2. His first movie was ‘Railway Platform’ (1955). He had a very very small blink-and-you'll-miss-it part.

3. He’s Punjabi – from Phagwara (some sources say Sahnewal - it seems he was born in one and grew up in the other).

4. His first wife was Prakash Kaur. He married her in 1954, and she is Sunny and Bobby’s mother (so I guess that’s who Bobby looks like, huh?)

5. He worked for an American drilling company as a young man.

6. He’s working on developing a hi-tech film city in Jaipur.

7. At the early stage of his career, he was advised by a director to become a hockey player, because he was ‘too muscular’ to be an actor (those were the Shammi Kapoor days). Understandably, he was hurt but not deterred.

8. He was born into a Jat Sikh family but is rumoured to have at some point converted to Islam, changing his name to Dilawar Khan. People have speculated (unconfirmed) that he did this only so he could marry Hema Malini. He’s actually been slapped with a lawsuit as a result of this (marrying a second wife is not permitted under the Hindu Marriage Act) – can’t confirm what the status is on the lawsuit.

9. He’s been criticized for not being a very good politician, and for being absent at house sittings. He admits to not enjoying politics – he enjoyed acting but sees politics as work.

10. Dharmendra’s second marriage to Hema Malini is still the subject of controversy, because there is a perception that it was immoral and unbecoming of a politician and public figure. Dharam hasn’t exactly helped his cause, as he has named Prakash Kaur as his wife on certain documents.


Dharmendra Interview Snippets/Quotes:

'People have learnt the art to hype their movies and their career. They have learnt to project themselves as bigger and bigger stars. And better actors are often left behind, as the others move ahead. It used to be same earlier, but not to this extent. Now there is media to create a lobby. Unfortunately, I am very unfit for all this. I have seen people who have not been in the industry for years, yet they manage to be in the headlines. I am still working here, but I am never mentioned. And neither do I think it necessary to force myself into the limelight.'

I love you just the way you are, Dharam.


'I have been working for nearly 42 years. But in last 5 years, I have worked in films where I did not even know the co-stars or the production unit. I cannot recognize them, even if they try to remind me. This was only because I wanted to face the camera. But we had to make way for the youngsters. We were unfit for the scripts and stories. So I started doing what came my way.'

Aaww… now that’s kinda sad.


'I can sum up my career in a few words. God, or what men call fate, gives few opportunities but man can make the most of it. It is a reward of hard work and dedication, that men call destiny. If you do not believe me you can try it out yourself. Wishes give birth to hope. Successful efforts take on the shape of prayers which have been answered by the heaven.'

Hmm… I wonder if this interview was actually in Hindi, then translated. Because it sounds clunky (‘the heaven?’). But I agree with what he said, very true.


‘I proudly say that I am a product of the media. I would not have become an actor if Filmfare was not there. I owe my success to the media’.

Sucking up or sincerity? Either way, nice.




Two Dharmendra Interviews may be listened to here:

http://ww.smashits.com/video/zoomin/85/interview-with-dharmendra.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/asiannetwork_aod.shtml?asiannet/sonia_dharmendrarm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. DEOL!

ALL ABOUT DHARMENDRA

This video features my gorgeous Dharmendra with Tanuja Chandra. Very romantic and intense. Enjoy.

Go, go, go, go, go Dharam, it’s your birthday
I’m gonna party like it’s your birthday
Gonna watch your movies like it’s your birthday
And you know I’m ’a have a blast
’Cos that’s your birthday!!

Yes, I’m going to have a little Dharam-party tonight after work – with selected clips from my very miserable selection of Dharmendra movies, plus a nice cold drink and a nice fattening snack. Music of choice? ‘Pehli Nazar Mein Humne’ from ‘The Burning Train’ on repeat, with my other Bollywood favourites as well (I’m currently loving Shaan’s fantastic voice on ‘Main Hoon Don’, as well as some other people’s voices on ‘Koi Tumsa Nahin’ from ‘Krrish’. Of course, my perennial faves like ‘O Saathi Re’, ‘Bole Chudiyan’, ‘Koi Ladki Hai’, ‘Dhadak Dhadak’ and… I’d better stop now or I’ll go on endlessly… ‘Suraj Hua Maddham’ will get a listen as well)...

I must admit that my celebration of Dharmendra may (oh, who am I kidding, it most definitely WILL) be interrupted by a certain other man… but Dharam, you know I wouldn’t let anyone but the extremely intense and compelling (especially when he gets mad) Jack Bauer (supported by the dark-eyed little-boy charm of Tony Almeida and the hunky deep-voiced chocolate-ness of President Palmer - when he was still alive) crash our little shindig. Come on, you can make an exception for Jack, can’t you? (Gosh, I am so silly) Anyway, it’ll certainly be fun celebrating my honey’s birthday tonight… even if I’ll be the only one at the party.

But until tonight, I’m celebrating my dear Dharmendra’s 71st birthday with a post that’s all about him... enjoy.

GO DHARAM, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!

...not today, but tomorrow, December 8, is my honey (the term 'my honey' is rather loosely used here, as the man has no idea I even exist) Dharmendra's birthday! He's going to be 71 years tomorrow. So I'm thinking of something to celebrate this man and his accomplishments... will let you know what I decide tomorrow. Go, go, go, go, go hottie (younger Dharmendra) and man I still just admire to bits (older Dharmendra), it's your birthday! I know, I'm getting a bit too excited.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAHRUKH KHAN!

I said just about everything I'd like to say about SRK yesterday, so all I'll say today is Happy 41st Birthday, SRK... and please try to quit smoking. Cigarettes are not good for you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!