Molly in comments, and also Ryan C lately, have been keeping me up to date on what they have been watching and doing and thinking about as they dive into these movies. Super fun for me! I’m learning new things from them, and seeing old familiar films with new eyes. And so, to make it a little easier so we don’t have to keep hoping post to post with their reports and my responses, I am putting up a new area just to talk about the films you are watching. Also, this now means I have a regular scheduled post for every weekday (Monday Questions, Tuesday and Thursday 101, and TGIF photos). Yay! No more need for originality
So, what did you see this week? What did you think about it? What did you like or not like? What has it made you excited to watch next? Tell me all about it!!!!
I’ll start out. I finished Humsafar, Mahira Khan’s Pakistani soap opera. On Friday I went with some friends who hadn’t seen it yet and watched Dangal for the 4th time. After writing my “favorite films” post, I had to skim through Kabali and Dhanak again.
dontcallitbollywood 
I think this is a wonderful idea. I’ve run myself ragged on a couple of occasions trying to find which old post I had written a comment on! This should make it easier to keep track of comments, replies, further recommendations, etc.
Humsafar took four nights to watch. Last Friday, before we really dove into that, we watched Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. We were looking for something light and fluffy and this definitely fit the bill. I liked it quite a bit. It took awhile to get going, but once it did, it was a pleasant romantic comedy/drama. The narrative technique proved surprisingly effective. A group of friends arrive at an airport, along with a girl one of them is trying to date, and promise to tell her a wonderful love story that will bolster her faith in romance. The girl, an outsider to the group, doesn’t have much interest at first but as the story goes on, she is drawn in. Watching the movie was kind of the same experience. It’s one that sneaks up on you. Imran was a bit more rough around the edges than his later work, but not bad by any means (my wife really, really likes him). I thought that Genelia D’Souza was great- very quirky, cute and charming. The supporting cast of friends were all decent and likable but none really stood out. The songs weren’t anything special, and proved to be rather forgettable, which held it back from being a great movie. Oh, and I really loved the Ratna Pathak and Naseeruddin Shah scenes together. Very cute!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bite your tongue about the songs! That’s an AR Rahman soundtrack, it has to be PURE GENIUS! Seriously though, even Rahman occasionally has some duds, but Jaane Tu really is one of his “good” ones. At least, I think so. The songs were a little chewed up in the film, maybe I like it better because I was able to listen to the soundtrack before seeing how they were presented in the film. Pappu Can’t Dance, which gets the biggest film presentation, is actually I think one of the weaker songs on the soundtrack. The title song is really lovely if you listen to it straight through, kind of Miles Davis-Dave Brubeck-y. But of course in the film, you just got a few minutes of it.
If you like Imraan, unfortunately you’ve already seen all his really good movies. All two of them, this and I Hate Luv Storys. And even there, “good” is a sliding scale. Check out Matru Ka Bijli Ka Mandola, that’s another cute one. And then that’s kind of it for decent Imraan films Unless I am forgetting something, in which case I am sure someone will chime in 🙂
Oh, and the structure is kind of similar to Chalte Chalte, if you haven’t seen that yet, the Rani and Shahrukh film. But with a bit of a meta twist, that the first half is the friends telling this perfect love story. And then the second half is us seeing the couple “for real” with all the flaws that show up after your perfect love story is over.
Something else that is interesting with the Jaane Tu friends, did you notice how they all had kind of their own stories going on in the background? In the director’s commentary or in interviews or somewhere, I can’t remember, the director talked about the full backstories he came up with for each character, which are still there in little moments. The other girl is gay, that is why she is so wise about how her friends are messing up their love stories, because she has had to figure out her own sexuality and desires and it was a lot more complicated for her. The girly-girl and the character I always think of as “young Oscar Levant” weren’t actually in love when they got together. The director meant for it to be clear that they accidentally fell into this because they were both sort of lonely and the girly-girl had a crush on Imraan. But right at the end when Imraan is rushing to the airport, they have a small moment with each other and realize they really are in love. And the other friend has always been the lonely sad one, the only one without a romantic partner, so them telling this story to the girl he brought along is kind of completing the circle so now they are all paired up. Well, except for the poor gay girl.
If you liked the general feel of Jaane Tu, check out Joothi Hai Sahi by the same writer/director. It’s with John Abraham as the lead, and the friend group has even more to do, and their stories in that film really are fully investigated. The heroine is terrible (directors wife), but everything else is great.
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 11:06 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Oh boy, I didn’t realize the soundtrack was done by AR Rahman! I normally do a little digging around after I watch a film, but after this one I jumped right in to Humsafar. I’ve loved everything I’ve heard that he has done. Maybe I should give the full soundtrack a listen. He definitely deserves the benefit of the doubt!
And now to completely throw my credibility out the window: I didn’t mind the two movies that Imran did with Kareena- Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (where Ratna also played his mom) and Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. I’m not saying they were classics, or anything, but they were nice ‘timepass’ kind of films. Gori Tere had a couple songs I really liked (Tooh and Chingam Chabake). I watched Break Ke Baad early on and really hated it. I will have to try Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. I started it once but only got about ten minutes in when something came up. It seemed quirky, funny, and right up my alley. Chalte Chalte also sounds wonderful and I love love love Rani and Shahrukh together!
That’s also a great little tidbit about the supporting characters. I would have loved to see some of those side stories fleshed out a little more. I can certainly understand how those aspects get whittled down, though, especially when the movie is already at two and a half hours. I’ll put Joohi Hai Sahi on my list as well!
LikeLike
Really? Gori Tere Pyar Main? I found Imraan’s character so unlikeable in that, I could barely finish the movie. I haven’t seen Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tu, but from what I have heard (and knowing it is the same director), I suspect I would have a similar problem.
Chalte Chalte is absolutely a must watch if you haven’t seen it already. A classic SRK romance film. Not a really “Great Film” the way I think Kuch Kuch and DDLJ are, but really cute and sweet and well-written and well-acted as well. Watch out for a surprise cameo from Johnny Lever that will actually make you cry instead of laugh.
Oh! And one more thing about Jaane Tu! Genelia’s older brother was played by Prateik Patil. His mother, Smita Patil, was this amazing screen presence back in the 80s. She did mostly art films, but she had a face you could never forget, or look away from. And then she died a couple weeks after Prateik was born of complications from childbirth. This was Prateik’s first big mainstream role, and people were really taken with that same quality his mother had, of just pulling you in with his screen presence. And then he had a string of flops and didn’t turn out to be anything special after all. But Jaane Tu was kind of this moment in time when everyone went “Wow, Smita’s son! He’s got whatever it was that she had.”
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 2:38 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Ekk Main was definitely the better of the two. It had a Woody Allen feel to it. I think it has the same director as Kapoor & Sons. And with Gori Tere, his character was so obnoxious and grating in the first half, I can totally see how people would hate it. I probably should have kept that one to myself (I’m not very good at doing that)!
I also listened to the Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na soundtrack while I cooked supper (loving those Indian music apps you recommended). I must eat my words on that one- it sounded great. You know, I had a similar reaction when I watched Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani for the first time. I liked the movie and didn’t think much of the soundtrack. I received the blu-ray as a Christmas gift. We just watched it again a few weeks ago and I thought it was fantastic. I’ve kept the soundtrack in heavy rotation. It might be how the songs are cut within the film (although with Yeh Jawaani they’re pretty much the full versions).
LikeLike
The Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na soundtrack is one that feels very unified in its disunity to me. In something like Rockstar, Rahman is clearly going for a particular sound and they all sound kind of the same. But in Jaane Tu or Rang De Basanti, each song is different, and yet they are all recognizably part of the same story. Or same characters. Or something. You can’t have Khoon Chala without Rang De Basanti on the same soundtrack. And with Jaane Tu, it feels like, for instance, the young bounce of Kabhi Kabhi Aditi leads directly to the more meditative and sweeter and deeper Jaane Tu Mile Kya Hai. It’s a different angle on the same emotions. And listening to the soundtrack takes me right through the film again.
Which I guess is why they release the soundtrack before the film. I can listen to it and get a vibe for what kind of movie and story this will be, and then even if the songs are all chopped up in the final product, I can still find that same mood.
Oh, and Joothi Hai Sahi has another great Rahman soundtrack, but this time instead of doing a kind of character journey thing, all of them have a distinctive jazzy sound. Maybe because it is set in London and he wanted to experiment with a very urban western sophisticated kind of flavor?
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 4:23 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I’ll jump in just to say I enjoyed and own both Kareena-Imran moves, too! I think they must have enjoyed working together so much that they were both drawn to another film so soon after just so they could have a true happy ending;) I do love the ending of Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tu. But to qualify this…I’m a big Imran Khan fan/apologist. Thus my love of Matru Ki Bijilee Ka Mandola, which I do believe is underrated.
Re: Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na…one of the films I saw early on in my fandom and own and I need to go back to it for a rewatch. I was one of those people that, even not knowing any of Smita Patil’s films, loved Prateik Babbar/Patil in this. His character seemed to be part of an entirely different movie, one I was ultimately more interested in than the pleasant rom-com in front of me.
Also Jaane Tu Meri Kya Hai sung by Sukhwinder Singh is one of my top 10 film songs. The melody is just so pretty and I love the atmospheric intro. Also love anything Sukhwinder Singh does though so I could be biased.
LikeLike
I really love Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola too. I think everyone involved was wonderful, Imraan but also Anushka and Pankaj. And Bardwaj managed to make a movie that felt like a Shakespearean farce without actually being Shakespeare. And I was completely in love with Imraan after Jaane Tu came out (I got to see it in theaters in India, which just added to the experience). And my love survived through Break Ka Baad (not great) and I Hate Luv Storys (hated the character for the first half) But Once Upon a Time in Mumbaaii Dobara killed my love. Putting him next to Akshay just made it all the more clear that he was never going to be a real star. And he was aging out of the “promising up and comer” category.
LikeLike
Filmilibrarian, you hit the nail on the head! I watched the two Imran/Kareena on consecutive nights. I think half of the reason I liked Gori Tere Pyar Main was because of the ‘true happy ending’ that you mentioned. I’m definitely a sucker for those.
I didn’t realize that Imran was such a divisive actor. I mean, I know he’s not the greatest actor and he doesn’t exactly have star presence, but I think he’s pretty good in the right kind of role. I also completely forgot my favorite movie that he’s done, and one that’s sitting on my shelf, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. That’s also the movie where I turned a corner on Katrina (again, in a role that suits her skill set). Do people dislike that one too?
LikeLike
Speaking just for myself, I’m okay with Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, but I really began to appreciate it after I head a friend talk at a conference about how it works as a meta commentary on filmi romance. Kat’s name is “Dimple Dixit” (combining Dimple Kapadia and Madhuri Dixit), Imraan’s character is a film person who is put in charge of finding the perfect filmi heroine type girl for his brother, the Madhubala song is another random reference to a famous heroine, and of course the ending is all about using the filmi tropes to trick everyone and achieve their own happy ending.
I have no idea why Imraan is so divisive! I mean, he’s a failed chocolate hero, just like Viviek or Shahid or Ritiesh Deshmukh or any of dozens of others. Had a great launch, got some fan following, followed it up with some modest hits and some big flops, now his career is essentially plateaued at the one or two so-so films a year point. No reason people should have a “Oh yeah, Imraan! He’s okay” feeling about him. Maybe it’s because he just doesn’t feel like he cares as much as the others? He has this slight hipster vibe in his interviews and photoshoots, he doesn’t really do the big awards shows and stuff. I don’t know, feels stand offish?
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 12:26 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I like to think of Imran as the rom-com specialist. It’s as if he only does rom-coms but then they are good enough to watch once or twice. I liked Gori Tere Pyar Main the first time I saw it but not so much when I watched again. I have to agree with Ryan that my favorite Imran movie is Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.
I read somewhere that Imran is planning to direct a movie with Alia in the lead. Also apparently he signed a film with Phantom Films.
LikeLike
Wow, Imran with Phantom! That is either going to be super bad or kind of okay.
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 5:59 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I got a DVD from Netflix that is a compilation of dance numbers from a whole bunch of A.R. Rahman films. Now I need to see Rangeela, Roja, and Daud because the dance numbers were so intriguing. Especially the wedding night one from Roja.
LikeLike
Those are all great movies to watch!
Rangeela and Roja are straight up classics. Rangeela was Ram Gopal Verma’s big breakthrough in Hindi films. And, I think, his best movie so far. Maybe because Aamir Khan (supposedly) was a bit of a pill and insisted on adding in all sorts of touches to his character that made it deeper and stronger. Although, I should warn you, there is a Jackie Shroff in a tiny swimsuit appearance.
Roja is the movie that was Mani Ratnam’s big breakthrough in Hindi films. It was made in Tamil and then dubbed (which changes some plot points to the point of nonsense, there is a whole thing about our heroine needing a translator because she only speaks Tamil, while she is speaking Hindi). It’s also got a great performance from Shahid Kapoor’s father Pankaj.
Both of them have brilliant soundtracks, and it was the combination of the two of them that really made AR Rahman arrive in the national scene.
Daud, on the other hand, is a mid-level kind of fun timepass crime-comedy from RGV. But I have a strange soft spot for it, and there is that AR Rahman soundtrack to recommend it!
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 12:14 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I was away from Wednesday last week until Monday night so that was 5 days of no Bolly viewing – I had withdrawal symptoms…
Since getting home I have finished watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai on Netflix. I wanted to give both main characters a tight slap (as they say in Indian movies) on a number of occasions, especially Fawad’s character. But overall I enjoyed it and can see why it resonated with Pakistani women so much.
Last night was a re-watch of Dear Zindagi.
LikeLike
If I am reading The Internet correctly, it looks like the Dear Zindagi DVD is out in India but not America. Which means I can probably find it in the Indian shops near me, if not yet necessarily through Amazon. Now the question is, do I drag myself to the shops tonight and try to buy it, or go Dear Zindagi-less until Friday when I will be over that way anyway?
Margaret
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 4:49 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Dear Zindagi is on einthusan already anyway if you want to wait until friday.
LikeLike
I did the re-watch via Einthusan.
A question about Zindagi Gulzar Hai – something I wasn’t quite sure of (and will try to not give away any spoliers) – Z and K get married and stay at his home (ie his parents) for a couple of days and then K goes to stay with her mother for a couple of days, without Z. Maybe to pack up all her stuff or something. Is this usual in Pakistani marriages?
LikeLike
I don’t know! I had someone ask me this already, and I never found a good answer. I’m going with “it’s a custom in Pakistani marriages” until I learn elsewise.
LikeLike
I will ask a Pakistani friend.
Up to #6 of Humsafar – Sarah = viper in stilettos…
LikeLike
See, I didn’t mind Sarah! When you get to the end, you will have to come back and check in with us again. My opinion on her changed and I ended up feeling kind of sorry for her. But someone else (Molly maybe?) said that she hated her just as much at the end as ever.
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 6:15 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I just checked Amazon and DZ is for sale, and streaming on Prime.
LikeLike
I spent all of last week on Zindagi Gulzar Hai and I loved it. To get out of that hangover, I finally watched Zootopia on Sunday and I loved that too! I decided to check out Rustom since it was on netflix but I didn’t really like it much. Yesterday, I watched Kanche which is a Telugu movie in the backdrop of WWII. The reason I decided to watch Kanche was because the director, Krish, has another movie coming out this weekend called Gautami Putra Satakarni. This was my second time watching Kanche and I enjoyed it much more than when I first saw it. It’s a pretty good movie, you should totally watch it if you find a subtitled version.
LikeLike
I watched about 4 more episodes of Humsafar on Netflix with my mum.
Also saw about 10 minutes of the new Koffee with Karan before Jacqueline and Siddarth got annoying.
I hope to show my husband OK Kanmani this weekend because I have no interest in OK jaanu
LikeLike
They get less annoying when the games start. But not that much more interesting, so feel free to continue ignoring it.
OK Kanmani is SO GOOD! I am already prepared to be disappointed in OK Jaanu.
LikeLiked by 1 person
While I was away for a few days I took a few books with me to get them finished. One of them was Stephen Alter’s ‘Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief’ which I found really interesting – https://www.amazon.com/Fantasies-Bollywood-Love-Thief-Moviemaking/dp/0156030845
I watched Omkara ages ago but will have to schedule a re-watch soon – with the advantage of the background information from the book.
LikeLike
I still haven’t read it, but I love Tom Alter (Stephen’s actor brother) forever and ever for his ten million roles as “random white guy who speaks Hindi”. Especially Asambhav! In fact, if you want to follow up Omkara with it’s exact opposite, check out Asambhav where Arjun Rampal plays an Indian Commando who can also dance! And Naseeruddin Shah is a Swiss club owner/drug dealer/cat burglar/neon green speedo wearer. And Priyanka Chopra is a club dancer/drug mule/spunky heroine.
LikeLike
Finally got to see Dear Zindagi and MS Dhoni this weekend, plus I fit in a couple of non-Indian films for variety. I spent the last few weeks before Christmas watching Humsafar but was only doing rewatches for the longest time.
I thought MS Dhoni was a bit too long and I’m not sure about the premise of doing a biopic on someone who isn’t even 40 yet! SSR was very good. I can’t think of a film where he has attempted any broad “filmi” acting and I think that’s interesting. His understated performance in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy was very good, too. I really liked Kiara Advani in her small role. Didn’t get all the fuss about the other actress…I honestly think she got nice reviews because of the tragic element to her character. I did like the fact that Dhoni’s story was not a story of such awful trials and tribulations that he had to overcome…it was a story about hard work, perseverance, and how your family, friends, and community help you along the way and are invested in your success, too. I loved his childhood coach and the shopkeeper! The scene where he runs out to thank the latter for his kit bag was the one scene where I teared up.
I was slightly disappointed in Dear Zindagi and I partly blame this for reading too much about it before hand and watching some of the songs too much beforehand, as well. Sometimes doing that takes away the surprise element for me that’s critical to my enjoyment, but sometimes I can’t help spoiling myself! Plus my expectations may have been too high. It’s a nice story that deals with real issues that many can relate to and it’s certainly a beautiful film to watch with interesting supporting characters, too. It’s very Good Will Hunting to me. Alia Bhatt is obviously talented, but I think her Udta Punjab performance was better.
And I watched Steve Jobs, which was brilliant, and Bridget Jones’s Baby, which I absolutely adored. I saw the first Bridget Jones at least three times in the theater. I don’t watch as many Hollywood films anymore and it was a nice change of pace. And just for fun because it’s fun to translate Hollywood films to Hindi films..I would cast Sonakshi, Arjun Rampal (as Mark Darcy) and Ranveer Singh (as Daniel Cleever).
LikeLike
I found SSR very very good in Dhoni as well. And I thought it was an interesting concept for a biography, focusing on the time when he was just waiting and waiting for something to happen, not the big dramatic successes, or even the big dramatic failures. His next movie is with Kriti Sanom, which makes me a little nervous, because she wasn’t exactly stunningly good in Dilwale.
I know what you mean about Dear Zindagi. It’s part of the reason I like to watch movies opening night, so I can go in fresh and make up my own mind about them. I think I would say that Dear Zindagi is just as good a film as it aspired to be. It wanted to tell a story about these particular characters with this cast in this way, and it did that very very well. But, just thinking of Alia’s other roles this year, it didn’t have the ambition to tell a broad story like Udta Punjab, or the intense personal tragedies of Kapoor & Sons. So I wouldn’t call it a Great Film necessarily, just a very very well-made little film.
I really have to get around to the Bridget Jones. I loved the first one too, and the second one had about 20 minutes put together of good stuff. But I’ve heard the 3rd one is a return to form. Oh! And the recasting reminded me (by the way, Ranveer in the Daniel Cleever role is BRILLIANT), have you read Karachi Your Killing Me? I started it a few months back, and then it kind of got lost in the Christmas rush, but I am picking it up again. And it is very Bridget Jones like (and also written in first person), our heroine is a struggling reporter in Karachi who drinks too much and parties too much and feels trapped in a dead end job. And it’s already going to be made into a movie! With Sonakshi as the lead, and her “Mark Darcy”, the guy that keeps popping up, is Kanan Gill! The slightly-more-attractive one from the Pretentious Movie Reviews youtube channel! I am super excited about this.
LikeLike
Yes, the “waiting” sequences in MS Dhoni were so well done. It certainly wasn’t a flawless film but easily earned a spot in my Hindi sports film shelf section (along with Sultan, Brothers, Chak De India, and Patiala House…I put Dil Bole Hadippa in rom-com…though it could go either way and being a librarian I may have spent far too much time debating how to shelve it!) I also like that it gave me some more context for Sachin, Virat Kohli and Dhoni in terms of cricket superstars. I’m a baseball fan so I keep thinking I will someday understand cricket and appreciate more.
Normally, I’m relatively good about avoiding spoiler reviews and overdosing on songs before I see a film, but since I don’t get to see them in the theater and have to wait until they pop up online…it makes it harder and harder to wait! Dear Zindagi was more polished than English Vinglish, but I think I was more impressed with Gauri Shinde’s voice as a writer/director than in this one. I really did like Dear Zindagi, don’t get me wrong (SRK with a beard, great clothes, and an understated role is catnip for me, too) and I know I’ll want to own it and it’s a perfect film to show non-Hindi film watchers, too.
Absolutely, the third Bridget film is a perfect finale…the second one was definitely not as strong. The wonderful Emma Thompson helped with the screenplay and gives herself some great scenes. I like my recasting; I know Arjun Rampal was terribly wooden in his early romantic roles and just passable in We Are Family, but I know he’s got a great romance left in him! His performances in D-Day and even Inkaar have signs of brooding hero/Mr. Darcy greatness. Inkaar is a movie I have a love-hate relationship with because in terms of sexual politics it was on the same level as Ki & Ka and probably much worse, but I thought both performances were really, really interesting.
I have read Karachi, You’re Killing Me in preparation for Noor, too! Probably one of the desi chick-lit books that most closely catches the spirit of the original Bridget books. I’m really hoping the film does it justice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this new feature. I haven’t seen anything old or new this week, but I have watched every snippet of the Daboo Ratani Calendar launch and that’s loads of fun. Quick question: whatever happened to the TED talk Shah Rukh did a few months back. Has anyone seen it?
LikeLike
I haven’t seen it. I love Shahrukh’s wit and talking and all, but I get so exhausted watching everything he does! There is just SO MUCH!!! Hour long talks about universities and marathon interviews and all sorts of stuff.
At some point when I have a chance to catch my breath, I’ll have to see if I can track down this years Dabboo photos for us all to drool over!
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 10:15 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Oh and one more thing: I think Chalte Chalte is another one of SRK’s underrated films. He is extraordinary in it and so is Rani. It really shows what happens AFTER the couple who are apart are together. It was the last and only successful film of the film company he had with Juhi, DreamzUnlimited and that failure still makes him sad which is maybe why he never talks about the film. Any of you who have not seen it, it is a must.
LikeLike
I agree! I would still put it in the second tier of SRK films, but that’s just because I reserve the top tier for stuff like Swades, Fan, Darr, those kinds of things. But his performance, especially in the “bad scenes” right at the end, is amazing, one of his all time greats. He breaks your heart without ever going over into melodrama, keeping it firmly grounded in the real character he created back in the beginning. Which is why I usually skip those parts and just watch the towel scene over and over and over and over. Which is the other reason it is a must watch!
If you have already seen that scene, you know the little cocky half smile he gives Rani right after she takes the towel? That’s what my friends and I call his “you forgot I was sexy” face. As in “you were playing with fire and forgot I was so sexy, but now you have suddenly remembered, haven’t you?” He makes that face a lot and it is always good.
On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 10:17 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Cool, an opportunity for me to witter on about my new obsession, Asha Jaoar Majhe. (Bengali, not Hindi). Bengali films make a nice change of pace from Hindi films: quiet and slooooow. Well, I am pleased to announce that I have found the Bengaliest film ever. This film has no dialogue or music, and the pace can be best described as “meditative.” The camera lingers on a fish dying as it’s weighed in the morning, or a cat eating the remains of lunch, or laundry sliding across a line. The two actors are marvelous in conveying a relationship without words. The sound mixer won an award, and he deserved it. It’s shot in gorgeous subdued colors. I cued it up on Friday, meant to watch a bit before preparing dinner, and the next thing I knew it was 10 oclock and I hadn’t eaten. It probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I felt like I was actually in an apartment in Kolkata experiencing these two people’s lives. I’ve never seen anything like it.
LikeLike
Okay, I may have to check that out! So far my only Bengali experience is the PC Barua Devdas (and that was shot in Hindi anyway) and a weird short film with Radhika Apte. This sounds more like Uncle Boomee or Satantango, one of those weird art films that are more about the experience than the plot.
On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 2:14 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I had a chance to watch Daddy last night. I’ve been waiting all day for a spare 30 minutes to get my thoughts written down. I loved it! I’m normally pretty resourceful but this was definitely a tricky one to track down. I had to go to some rather unsavory (and possibly Russian) corners of the web- but I am glad that I did.
It began in a really interesting way that seemed incredibly unique and inspired. It was almost set up and shot like a thriller- synthy, paranoid score, giallo-inspired staging, that loud phone that keeps on ringing, keeping the audience jittery. I didn’t expect it at all and really enjoyed the stylistic choice. It was effective at putting the viewer into the same mindset as the characters (or at least the main character Pooja, who didn’t really know what was happening). Once Pooja learned the truth, a half hour or so in, then it settled in to a more somber and dramatic tone.
I really liked Mahesh Bhatt’s style. There was a bit of a glow that softened up the images, but this was really shot in a low key, straightforward way. The acting and the scenes were staged simply and effectively. He doesn’t seem to waste time on camera movements or unnecessary flourishes-every shot seems to serve a purpose. I didn’t even realize that I’ve already downloaded several of his other films from Einthusan (Arth, Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke and Chaahat). I am looking forward to watching more of his work. Do his other films share a similar style? Or was this deliberately simplistic because it was made for television on a lower budget?
The acting carried the story. Anupam Kher was fantastic. This had to be one of his career defining performances. It was fairly restrained, especially for Hindi cinema. I must admit, I was expecting something way more over-the-top. It must have been tempting to get carried away in the melodrama but he really seemed to keep the performance grounded (save a couple of drunken staggering scenes). The ugly, beat up, oversized suit that he wore was absolutely perfect. It was also kind of strange to see him with hair (even if it was a hairpiece). I liked how in the flashback scenes his hair was thicker and shiny, but in the present day, it was patchy, messy and a lot of his scalp showed through. The scene at the bar (he is challenged by a fan and can’t even sing a few bars, realizing that alcohol has robbed him of his gift) broke my heart. The supporting cast was all great and I was surprised to discover that it was Pooja Bhatt’s first role. She was very good! Also, I saw Alia’s mom Soni Razdan in the credits but I couldn’t figure out which role she did. Did she play Priya, Pooja’s mom? It seems like a real family affair.
I thought the songs were really nice, especially the one that he sings right at the end, after breaking free of the alcohol demon. The moment when Pooja finally calls him Daddy was wonderful! It was a dark story, and rather brooding, but ultimately filled with hopefulness. It is far better, and more enjoyable, than Aashiqui 2. I still have to watch the original Aashiqui to compare.
LikeLike
Mahesh Bhatt films are definitely on a continuum. Arth and Daddy are aaaaalllllll the way on one end, super meditative and low budget but brilliant. And then Hum Hain Rahe Pyar Ki and Chaahat and dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin are aaaaallllllll the way on the other end, super fun and light and commercial. There is always a sort of confidence in shot framing and cleverness in how the story is told that is consistent, but otherwise these movies have almost nothing in common. And then, somewhere in the middle, is stuff like Sadak. Sadak, by the way, is really really good! But definitely more commercial than the other stuff
Daddy, in case you didn’t notice, is very loosely autobiographical. Mahesh’s first marriage fell apart partly because of infidelity and partly because of his drinking (you can see that story in Arth). Pooja was raised in her mother’s household and it was partly an effort to connect with her that lead Mahesh to finally start working on recovery for his alcoholism. This all happened just a few years before he made this film (Pooja is only 16 in Daddy), and then Mahesh kind of massaged and changed the story a little and turned it into a movie.
Unfortunately, the “good” Mahesh Bhatt films are all really really hard to find! I was only able to find a somewhat chopped up version of Arth in The Internet. And then one I really want, and just cannot find ANYWHERE, is Tamanna. Pooja Bhatt is a daughter abandoned by her family for being a daughter when she was born, rescued and raised by a Hijra (played by Paresh Rawal). It’s definitely one of those “there is only one copy still in existence in some obscure store in some small town” kind of movies. But someday I will find and watch it!
LikeLike
Oh no, I better check the run time of the version of Arth from Einthusan. I definitely don’t want to watch it in an edited down form. I had an awful experience the first time I watched Dil Se. It was a really nice looking version from Youtube, but it seemed rather incoherent with very odd scene cuts and edits. And then, at the end, Shahrukh and Manisha embraced and it cut right to the credits. It made no sense! I discovered that nearly twenty-five minutes had been chopped out (obviously the more violent bits, once I discovered the actual ending). Terrible!
LikeLike
Have you heard of Induna.com? They are in India, but ship world wide. More to the point, they have a lot of older films. However, some of the older and more obscure films are on VCD’s not DVD’s. If you can play them on your computer, then that’s another viable option.
LikeLike
I get my DVDs from Induna. They only take a few days to arrive.
LikeLike
Thanks for the idea! I used to order more from Induna, but now I am trying to get more Malayalam and other regional films, and Induna is mostly Hindi.
LikeLike
I watched Chalte Chalte last night. It was another solid recommendation. I thought it was great! I liked the framing of the first half (which Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na must have drawn some inspiration from). It was a sweet love story with some nice songs and moments. I enjoyed the relaying of messages back and forth by the traffic cop. I liked the whole unplanned layover scenario (I recall something similar in Hum Tum) and how an unexpected opportunity opens up the door for Shahrukh’s character. It makes you feel like fate is on his side. It gives him that tiny window to really turn on the charm and win her over. And it was fun to watch! I liked the moment when he finally returns her home. He’s going through his jacket pockets, looking at all the memories of her that he can keep. There is the boarding pass, amusement park ticket and finally the photo, which he rips in two and they each keep half- too cute! And that pays off nicely later when it’s joined back together in a frame.
The second half was great in a different way. It was very interesting to see where one of these stories goes after the happy ending. In life, it isn’t an ending at all, it is a beginning. In many of these movies, with characters so fundamentally different, it would be a difficult path to navigate. There would definitely be an adjustment period. Difficulties and problems and tensions would certainly arise. The part that we normally see, the coming together, is the easy part. The difficult part would be the days and months and years that follow. It was tough to watch, at times, especially when the money troubles arose and Shahrukh’s anger (and pride) boiled over. I thought both performances were really well done and somewhat grounded in reality. I also enjoyed that the supporting cast were all ‘character actor’ types. They weren’t all impossibly handsome, beautiful and glamorous. They just seemed like normal people. That really helped to sell the story, setting and characters.
Oh, and I don’t think I’ve ever liked Johnny Lever more in a role! Such a sad and sweet character.
Tomorrow night, the kids are having a sleepover with their grandparents. We are going to watch a double feature of OK Jaanu and Dangal (which I am thrilled is still playing). I’m very excited!
LikeLike
You may beat me on OK Jaanu! The apartment saga continues (it’s a whole thing, now there’s a cleaning lady) so I have to stay home tonight. But be sure to report back if it is worth my taking a break from washing EVERY THING I OWN WHICH IS ALL COVERED IN TOXIC FLOOR DUST in order to go see it.
I am so glad you enjoyed Chalte Chalte. The first half is pleasant and nice (I love the moment when Rani goes to get Shahrukh outside her house, knowing he would still be waiting for her, and the way he throws away his jacket when he sees her). But the second half is something else altogether. To me it feels like the walk a tightrope of showing how their marriage has problems (he works too much, she gets lonely), but they are normal problems that all couples have and they can get past. It’s healthy to fight and then make-up.
And then when his business goes under, it’s exactly the kind of problem that can realistically torpedo a marriage. And uff! The fight scenes! It’s not just that he is mad at her, it’s all the insecurities and issues with class and wealth that have been in their marriage all along, and all her issues with just not seeing it as a problem!
Okay, I can’t let Chalte Chalte go without making sure you know the backstage drama of it. As someone else mentioned, it was the only successful movie Shahrukh made with his old production house. They really really needed a hit, so they picked out a guaranteed winner of a rom-com script (based loosely on Forget Paris, but really really loosely). And they put Shahrukh in the lead and a bunch of good cheap character actors around him and brought in Farah to do the songs and Aziz Mirza (long time friend of Shahrukh and experienced journeyman director) at the helm. And then it was supposed to be Shahrukh and Aish in the lead, reunited after Devdas but in a happy movie this time. Remember all that talk about how beautiful Rani’s character was supposed to be, and how she was positioned as so fancy and high class and all that? It worked fine with Rani in the role, but it would have made more sense with Aish. Anyway, they start shooting, and Salman shows up on set angry and jealous for some reason and drives his car (supposedly) into a fake tree in the background, ruining the shoot. And thus began the Salman-Shahrukh falling out (they made up later, but it was the first rift). And also, thus Aish was fired and Rani jumped on the role. Maybe if it hadn’t been this tricky “I need this movie to go well or I’m bankrupt” situation, Shahrukh would have kept Aish in the part and been less mad at Salman. But as it was, he was quick on the trigger to just cut that drama out of his life.
Anyway, I think it made a better movie with Rani, Aish would have made the “I’m in love at first sight with your beauty” scenes better, but I think Rani added something a little more real and human to the marriage parts.
On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 12:44 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I watched Chalte Chalte some time ago with a friend and neither of us like it very much 😦 Don’t remember why particularly so perhaps a re-watch is necessary.
LikeLike
The second half turns surprisingly bitter. If you aren’t prepared in advance it’s a bit like, I don’t know, Chocolate Cake with hot pepper in it. But if you are prepared, it can be amazing at bringing out the other flavors.
On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 4:22 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Mr. India was wonderful! I am kicking myself for watching after my son went to bed. He would have really enjoyed it. There are some lightly scary and upsetting bits but I’m pretty sure he’d be okay with it. I’m definitely going to buy it (there was a blu-ray release from the UK) so I’m sure we’ll have lots of opportunities to watch it together.
I loved the aesthetic of the movie. It seemed to mix all the best elements of Hindi cinema, and 80’s action/adventure, with a Roger Corman/New World Pictures sci-fi feel (movies like Forbidden World, Battle Beyond the Stars and my personal favorite, Starcrash). I intend that as a huge compliment! It had some great comedic moments (the Sridevi as Chaplin segment, the scene when Anil first discovers the “gadget” and others had me in stitches). I had tears rolling down my cheeks during the emotional climax (and also during an earlier, quiet scene where the kids haven’t eaten and Anil feels like he’s failed them). I know that “I laughed, I cried” is such a cliché, but there are very few movies that actually bring forth both emotions so effectively. It certainly applies here. This was the rare film that mixed all of its ingredients together so well and the resulting dish was near perfection.
I thought the songs were great. The ones with the children were all so cute and fun, especially the football one (I LOVED the interaction with Sridevi). Hawa Hawai was fantastic and had me grinning ear-to-ear. I almost died when she ate the fruit from her head-wear! My favorite, and the one that caught me completely off guard, was the I Love You song (Kate Nahi Katate Ye Din Ye Raat). It was so sensual, the chemistry was palpable, and the way it was filmed was masterful. The song itself was so good- the perfect tone for that hot and steamy moment. I never imagined that a woman dancing with an invisible man could be so sexy!
Anil Kapoor was just perfect for this role. I can totally see why he became India’s Dad. He was wonderful in his scenes with the kids, so playful and child-like himself, that I completely bought in. He really was that lovable man that just wanted to help the poor orphans because his own childhood was so difficult. Sridevi was the perfect heroine to play off of him- hard-headed but also goodhearted and very resourceful. She is so expressive and fluid in her movements. And her comedic timing is impeccable. She is a joy to watch in everything but this might be my favorite performance (that I have seen). Amrish Puri was delightfully over the top in his villainy. It was a marvel to behold. It reminded me of some of the more memorable Bond villains, comic book baddies, or Joe Spinell in Starcrash. It also reminded me of my three-year-old some mornings when he wakes up in a grumpy mood. I have to bend over backwards, sing, dance and appeal to his whims to convince him to get dressed and walk his brother to school (“Owen… is pleased”).
LikeLike
I am so glad you watched it! And enjoyed it. The first thing you need to know is that it was directed by Shekhar Kapur, as in “the Elizabeth Saga Shekhar Kapur”. And more importantly, Shekhar Kapur is Dev, Vijay, and Chetan Anand’s nephew, brilliant filmmakers who helped create Indian film back int he 50s and 60s. Anyway, Shekhar is a truly great director, kind of better than his material here. Although will you ever be able to watching the Elizabeth movies in the same way knowing that the same mind came up with Mogambo’s hide-out?
Mr. India was an all-time hit when it came out and is still something really special for Indian film. A theme part (really just a water ride with Mr. India themed obstacles) opened recently in Bombay, and every song in it is a classic.
Let’s see, what else? Oh! The Chaplin sequence was mostly improvised. It was supposed to be just a quick site gag, but then Sridevi was so good, they had her just keep going and going.
And I love your vision of Mogambo as a three-year-old. I bet that’s what they were going for too. A kind of “bad guy” that a little kid could relate to because they’ve felt that way too.
LikeLike
I was shocked when I found out the director also did the Elizabeth movies and the Four Feathers. I wasn’t a huge fan of those films but I could certainly appreciate them for their technique and artistry. At the same time, I am not surprised at all that he comes from such a great film pedigree. This sort of a movie, in the hands of a lesser director, could have been an absolute disaster. There is such a fine line between a cult classic and the worst movie you’ve ever seen!
LikeLike
Indeed! Mr. India is one I tend to describe only generally before showing it. Because if you get into the whole world domination plan and everything else, no one is willing to give it a try.
On Sat, Jan 14, 2017 at 2:43 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I saw OK Jaanu last night. You were better off cleaning all the stuff in your apartment. It was a disappointment. A lot of reviews used words like “pointless” or “unnecessary” to describe the movie and I have to agree. It is a scene for scene remake that didn’t really add anything to the original. Aditya and Shraddha had some chemistry together but that was really natural and almost accidental, nothing that the screenplay or their performances earned. Aditya was okay, charm and huge smile turned on, but they dressed him like a 12-year-old boy most of the time. Shraddha was really bland in her role and didn’t hold a candle to Nithya Menen. I want to like her, she seems like a nice girl, but she just isn’t very good. They also felt really immature and goofy (perhaps the director’s idea of how “millennials” are). The original pair seemed innocent, and sweet, navigating their way through unknown emotions. This pair came off as childish, entitled and rather obnoxious. Another thing that annoyed me was the amount of times that they said the title phrase- it must have been a dozen. If it was a drinking game, you would be quite tipsy by the end!
The filmmakers subtracted a lot from the original. It seemed like the character building had been trimmed back, especially in the scenes between the young couple and the older couple that become their lesson in love, and all that it really means. I would have to watch the original again, but it sure felt like there was more interaction (dinners, conversations around the house) between the two generations. It also seemed like something was missing between the young couple and the formation of their relationship. It didn’t show them spanning time, lounging around, and getting to know each other, as much. The major ‘beats’ were all there, but it felt like something essential to falling in love with these characters was missing. As a consequence, I didn’t really feel anything for any of them. I’m a pretty easy cry (OK Kanmani really got me, especially the heartbreaking scenes with the older couple) but this didn’t even come close. It is a true “middle of the road” type of movie. Afterwards, we had an hour to kill before Dangal started. We went to the concessions for samosas and tea. The theater had run out of samosas! That affected me more emotionally than anything OK Jaanu had to offer.
Dangal, on the other hand, was absolutely wonderful. We loved it! It was one of my favorite movies of the year (possibly my absolute favorite) and I am so glad that we watched it on the big screen. All of the praise was definitely warranted. The young actresses were so good. I was particularly impressed with the younger pair that played Geeta and Babita in the first half. I was expecting fine performances from the older pair but the two younger ladies knocked it out of the park! Aamir was fantastic. The story was great and I was on the edge of my seat for the entire film, dying to know what happened next. Every scene felt vital and crucial to the development of the characters and movement of the story. The wrestling scenes were so well done- choreographed and filmed to perfection. It really felt like you were in the mud pit or down on the mat.
I did want to mention the great audience. It was close to being sold out, with a lot of big families and older people. There were tons of kids, in pajamas with blankets and stuffed toys (it was a 10:30 start time). Once the movie started, it became apparent that a lot of the crowd had seen the movie before and probably multiple times. They were speaking lines of dialogue at the screen, howling with laughter at the funny parts (I found the first half extremely funny) and shouting encouragement during the wrestling scenes. Kids danced in the aisles during the songs. It was amazing! It really added to the experience. Near the end, when the Indian national anthem played, about a quarter of the audience rose to their feet and stood at attention. Incredible!
LikeLike
I am so glad you had that audience experience! I’ve had it several times now, but I can never quite predict what will make it all come together. A good film, no school the next day, maybe the cheap night at the theater, and suddenly it feels like you are all this glorious family watching together. Also, at my show only 5 people stood during the national anthem, but they were the 5 right next to me, so I was sort of the wall that stopped it from moving through the rest of the audience. Made me feel kind of guilty, but then it’s not actually my anthem, so I shouldn’t stand, right?
The younger actresses really impressed me too! They weren’t promoted nearly as much, but I wonder if that is just because they were kids? You wouldn’t want to drag them to talk shows and red carpets and personal appearances and stuff. But I went in thinking that the older girls would be a much larger part of the film than they were, and not realizing how good the kids would be and how important their part of it would be.
I’m sorry OK Jaanu was bad, but glad that I didn’t waste time watching it (10 hours and counting on apartment cleaning, thus the lack of blog posts this weekend). From your criticisms, it sounds very similar to the issues between Saathiya and Alai Payuthay. Ratnam is the master of drawing in characters with just a few strokes, and it is really hard to translate that. I still liked Saathiya, because I feel like they changed the characters into different people instead of shallower people, if that makes sense? But it sounds like with this one it was missing the little Ratnam touches that showed you the young people had worries and responsibilities and weren’t just carefree, but without anything else to replace it and make them seem like more than just shallow anything goes kids.
LikeLike