Yay, the Raees love song! I could do with a little more guyliner, but otherwise it’s pretty great! There’s even a wet white shirt scene, which adds a touch of class to any pictuarization.
Remember how back when the whole ADHM and Fawad thing came up, there were all these rumors about Mahira in this movie? How they were going to replace her and stuff? And then it ended up being that she wasn’t going to be replaced but they were moving the whole production to Dubai to film the second half because she couldn’t come to India?
I never really bought the Dubai story, at least not the way they were selling it. Mostly because of the release date mambo that had already been happening. If they film was going to be released on Eid until it was re-scheduled at the last minute, and this controversy came up in like October, than how much could really have been left to film?
The production did actually go to Dubai for a few weeks, but I strongly suspect it was just to film this song. Which might have been planned for Dubai anyway, or some exotic location, it’s clearly a romantic fantasy type song, they wouldn’t have wanted to film it on the docks of Gujurat or something.
Which brings up a bigger question: why is there a romantic fantasy song in this movie at all?
I’m not complaining, you understand, I like Shahrukh making eyes and bumping noses with an interesting woman. And I like him relaxing in a hot pool in his white shirt (although it is an odd thing to do, why not take of the shirt? You are just ruining your clothes!). But considering this is from the director of Parzania, and the original teaser focused so much on realism and gangster life, and that it is co-produced by Excel Entertainment, a swoony romantic fantasy song is an odd fit.
I wonder if it is like Dabangg? One of the commentators (moimeme I think?) mentioned that Salman had re-written the script, and then it came up again in the recent Koffee episode, it was his idea that they add songs, that they lighten the mood, that they put in certain lines of dialogue. Basically everything that made Dabangg Dabangg-y is because Salman had them put it in. And those were also the things that made Dabangg Salman-y.
Wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they shot the regular parts of Raees and then Shahrukh gave it an overhaul and said “Okay, we’re increasing the romantic part slightly, putting in an item number, and a love song, and a big dance number for me. I know it’s not what the director is comfortable with, or what Excel likes to do in their dramas, but it’s what will work best for a movie with me.” Which is completely fine! If you have a resource like Shahrukh, with more industry experience than everyone else on set put together and more talent in certain areas in his little finger than any other man alive has in his entire body, than use him! Let him gently guide your film into becoming a real “Shahrukh Khan Hit” instead of a “semi-okay sort of interesting movie that didn’t make much money and no one really liked.”
dontcallitbollywood 
Gnhgngfsfh, Was not expecting the wet white shirt bath scene with guy liner. Whoooo boy.
Not over the moon about the song itself but it may grow on me.
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I kind of liked the song, it’s not my favorite, but it has an interesting sound.
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Spot on analysis and speculation, as usual! I’m starting to feel torn about the whole nose rubbing thing. I agree it’s umm, diverting to watch. But it starts to feel like the childhood thing, “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you!” but instead, “I’m not kissing you, I’m not kissing you!” 🙂
I look back to his older songs with Juhi, Rani, Preity, and Kajol, and they are very steamy while not continually telegraphing “This actor does not kiss co-stars except on the neck.” One exception being a few scenes (ahem) in KANK which also highlight that clearly. I can cut a lot of slack for KANK. Except for the Amitabh/Abishek/prostitute scenes, which I skip on re-watches. Blech. But I love the Amitabh/Kirron scenes. Yay!
Back to the topic–I like your theory of how the team may have come to mix elements of a more straight gangster drama with a masala SRK starrer. And wow, Mahira is striking–really a great match for SRK it seems.
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Yeah, I get what you mean about the nose rubbing. Although I like it, at least after only two watches. Obviously, I will have to watch this song a few dozen more times and that may change my opinion. But right now, I think the nose rubbing falls in the category of “sweet loving gesture on its own that someone might do even if they could kiss.” Just barely within that category, but still there.
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I really like the way he uses that nose touching/rubbing thing most of the time, like in this dance scene from Dilwale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbyXWyLB6eM. Whoever edited this video liked it too! I agree, it can be really tender and moving. But more effective when used sparingly, I guess. On re-watches of this song, both the song and the vibe between them is growing on me, and the “I’m not kissing you!” thing is less noticeable.
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That is the shot I used for my Christmas gifts that year! I had it printed on a plaster snowflake ornament.
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I love the song! It has a pleasant, upbeat bounce to the rhythm. Arijit is always fantastic and Harshdeep Kaur has done a couple of my favorites (Uff and Nachde Ne Saare). Their voices sound really nice together. I hope that the female part is larger in the full version.
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I just looked up Harshdeep and she did Heer from Jab Tak! I love that song, and her voice. It is so clear and classical sounding, but also has a touch of roughness to it that made it a really good fit for the sort of folksong style for Heer.
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I didn’t even realize that she did that one as well. That is another great song! I also just put it together that all three are Katrina songs. It’s interesting that a more classical style of voice would be paired up with Katrina but it definitely works and suits her.
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The opening was a little too Gerua for me. (Left me thinking, “where were the seagulls?”) The wet shirt scene did me in, though.
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I was thinking of that love song from Ghajini and also Holiday: A Soldier is Never off duty. Oh! And Dabangg! Really, they are filming way too many songs in the same Dubai sand dunes.
Margaret
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 10:51 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m with Ryan C on this one. I, too, love the song. It’s got a great hook and I’ve been listening all day. Bought the song on iTunes this morning (even though I know I’ll end up buying the album, it’s worth $1.29 to be able to listen now!) and it is longer–4:59 to be exact.
I get a little irritated at the no kissing stuff, simply because in real life, lovers kiss! But I’ve suspended my disbelief, or at least my irritation, when it comes to a lot of Hindi movies because I love the romance of it. And these two together are just lovely. I remember reading a story which made the rounds while they were still filming that Mahira jumped when Shah Rukh first touched her in a scene they were shooting. It really threw her (If you’ve been watching “Humsafar” you will surely notice there’s no touching). She was completely unprepared for it. According to the story, Shah Rukh took her aside and calmed her down–can’t you just picture that one?–and they successfully shot the scene. And this song as well, apparently.
I also think you’re right about including a romantic song and other elements that work with Shah Rukh in a movie but I wonder how that decision was made. On the one hand, he always insists that he takes a hands off approach and leaves such decisions to his directors but gives input when asked. Until he sees the final cut, when he takes copious notes which he hands to the director, the final line of which is something like, “But you should do whatever you want.”
And did anyone else read/hear that Pritam wrote 2 love songs for this movie?
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I might have to splurge for the iTunes version. I can’t get it out of my head! I’m dying to hear the full song.
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Looks like Gaana.com has the soundtrack rights. I hate it that the rights get split between gaana, raaga, and saavn. But luckily they are all free, so I recommend downloading all 3 apps, just in case!
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I will download those! I’ve just been using the Stingray music app for my iPhone that comes free with my cable service. It has a bunch of Indian music ‘stations’. Those are useful for when I’m cooking or something and can just throw on music in the background. It would be great to have apps to listen to specific soundtracks.
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Oh, I don’t believe he leaves those decisions to directors for a minute! I believe he thinks he does, that he is just talking over his character and what would work for the part with the director, but in reality that is way more input than a regular actor or a movie star from somewhere else would have. Plus, he’s the producer on this too. He would be the one paying the composers for those extra songs and figuring out filming locations and all that.
I do think that he is respectful of the director and talks everything over with them and doesn’t do anything they would object to. But I know he has multiple meetings with his directors for months before casting is even finalized, I am sure that is a lot of “Shah sir, what do you think of an action scene here?” Which could be answered, “I like it, but I think we need a romance scene here and here, and what do you think about casting a stronger actor to play this role and increasing that part, and maybe we should shoot this song overseas and….” TECHNICALLY, he is still just answering a directors question, but it turns into a whole discussion of the film, and these discussions continue all through the pre and post production period.
Oh! And with the kissing thing, I remember there were all these discussions during filming about how much Mahira Khan was going to agree to for the love scenes. I think the Pakistani press was even more interested than the Indian.
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My one take away on the song (besides really liking it and I don’t get hooked on songs so much) is that no where does he do the arms outstretched thing. I think that is a signal of the kind of character he is creating here. I like the no kissing, at least for Shah Rukh. He did it in Jab Tak Hai Jaan at Yashji’s insistence and it is the ONLY time (counting all the silly silly films he did earlier) that I have been embarrassed watching. He can make NOT kissing sexy, he can’t make kissing sexy, ironically. As to Mahira: sorry to keep harping on Humsafar (Pakistani soap opera she did) but in that she does SO much with no touching its the best. I’m really looking forward to seeing her performance.
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Kissing is really really hard to make sexy on film! This is what I have decided after watching way too many kissing scenes in movies. It’s easy to make it romantic, the perfect shot of the couple embracing against the sunset kind of thing. But the intense kissing closeup ends up just looking kind of funny unless it is shot and acted juuuuuuust right. Notorious, for instance.
Shahrukh has 25 years of experience making NOT kissing look sexy and angled just right for the camera and all of that. But then when he has to actually kiss, it just looked kind of like an immature boy fumbling around. Also, I am now up to episode 8 (or 9?) of Humsafar and it is SO MUCH BETTER. Definitely a slow start, the first 3-4 episodes have a lot of set-up, but now it is just chugging along.
Oh, and your “big arms” thing is really interesting! Going back to kissing from a distance looking romantic, the big arms pose is another thing that looks pretty and romantic from a distance. Not including it sort of indicates that this will be less the big romantic kind of love story, and more a grounded human kind.
On Fri, Jan 6, 2017 at 10:46 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I remember reading something a while back about the big arms thing, and found it here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/There-is-nothing-of-Shah-Rukh-Khan-in-this-character/articleshow/55828949.cms. The director says, “There’s nothing of SRK in ‘Raees’, not even his trademark gesture. In my film when he lifts his hand, it is to slap someone,” 🙂
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Thanks for the link! I read the whole interview. Bad news about the confirmation that Mahira’s role is smaller than planned. Which probably also means the relationship/romance track is smaller than it could have been, and that’s my favorite part!
On Fri, Jan 6, 2017 at 12:36 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m still wondering if he’s wearing little prosthetics to pooch his cheeks out a little, like we talked about when you posted the trailer. I may have just spent 5 minutes comparing the Femina and GQ photos (presumably without cheek poochy things) to stills from Laila and this song. I think so but I can’t tell for sure. Yep, it’s definitely Friday afternoon. 🙂
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Meanwhile, I am working on this weeks TGIF post. Very productive.
On Fri, Jan 6, 2017 at 1:34 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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While I delay reading your Humsafar Episodes 8-14, (I’m on 11) I’ll compare the cheeks in the photos. That aught to keep me off the streets for a while. Procrastinatrix, I hadn’t seen that article; thank you for the link.
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