Happy Monday! I had an exhausting weekend of watching 3 movies, plus doing the church service. And groceries, putting pictures on the wall, etc. etc. So being at work on Monday is kind of a nice break.
As always, this is where you can ask me any question from the personal (“are you seeing Munna Michael?”) to the specific factual (“is this the first Michael Jackson tribute in Indian film?”) to the general discussion (“is this the best Michael Jackson tribute in Indian film?”)
Speaking of general discussion, I have a question for you! I watched Ninnu Kori yesterday (review going up Tuesday) and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, and both of them got me thinking about the meaning of marriage and stuff. So, question! What is your favorite married couple in Indian film? The couple that you aspire to having a marriage as good as, the couple that you want to hang out with and be your couple friends? You can pick as many couples as you like and any reason you want. Oh, and what is the worst?
For me, I think the worst is depressed Rani and Aamir at the start of Talaash. They are so distant that they don’t even talk any more, just going through the motions.
And the best would be Anil Kapoor and Tabu in Biwi No. 1. I LOVE them! I want them to be my best friends and arrange my life!
dontcallitbollywood 
Ooh ooh! Great question. My favorite married couple in Hindi movies, so far, is Amitabh and Hema Malini in Veer Zaara. Watching “Lodi” always cheers me up, and gives me relationship goals. Like–no relationship is perfect, but communication, compassion, affection, and humor go a long way. Worst married couple has to be both versions of the parents in the movies about the Noida murder case–in Rahasya and Talvar. Regardless of who committed the murders, they are gross.
My question for you/other readers. What are your thoughts about the ongoing admiration for Michael Jackson by Indian celebrities (and pop culture more widely) given his likely history of grooming and sexually abusing children? Do you feel differently about it than, say American celebrities or pop culture seemingly ignoring that aspect of his past? If so, why?
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There is always the debate when there is that kind of scandal with that level of artist about how to separate the art from the artist. Roman Polanski, Charlie Chaplin, and recently Nate Parker and Birth of a Nation.
What’s kind of interesting in an abstract sense is that the Indian public/artists really do only have Michael’s art, not his personal life. It seems like Michael Jackson has two big issues for the American public that have infected all his products. First is the why he serves as an odd cross-section of our racial issues, can you look at his famous face and not trace the self-hatred in it? And second is his grooming and questionable behavior with young boys.
Now, if I am in India, all that American racial stuff will be invisible to me (unless I am really really tuned in to American culture). And as for the grooming stuff, it can be hard to parse out what is unreliable gossip and what is “real” if you are looking at celebrity news from another culture. I don’t know how it was reported in the Indian press, or even if it was reported. And if it was reported, how reliable would people find it? Would they take it as almost accepted fact, like Salman running down homeless people, or as totally unsubstantiated gossip just reported to sell newspapers and brought up in court so the complainants could get money, like all those random court cases that precede a big film release?
So, I don’t “blame” Indian culture/celebrities for ignore or forgiving this part, I assume it is true ignorance. Michael’s art has traveled internationally in full. But his personal life has not. So they are just looking at the art, not the artist.
On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 9:12 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Michael Jackson was acquitted of the child molestation charge, just as Salman was acquitted of the drunk driving charge. But some people prefer to go with gossip.
The Roman Polanski issue is completely different, in that he was convicted of rape, he confessed to it, and then he skipped out of the country while on bail, as he didn’t want to face the prison term that went with his conviction. And the really bizarre reactions (to me) in his case are all the European apologists who don’t deny that he did what he was convicted for, but argue that his “art” should excuse it. I even read comments to the effect that Americans are too hung up over trivial sexual matters.
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The Roman Polanski issue is incredibly complicated, and relates to prosecutorial misconduct along with everything else. Personally I still have a hard time with him, but it is hardly cut and dried. For one thing, one of the people calling for him to be forgiven and return to America is the victim, now a middle-aged woman. Again, I personally still don’t like him, but I don’t want to write off his defenders as simply “apologists”. There is a lot more to it.
The Michael Jackson issue is of course also extremely complicated, I think what feels strange to some people is how it just isn’t even an issue, doesn’t seem to be noticed, in Indian culture about him. Which, I suspect, is because the full weight of his accusations haven’t made their way to the Indian press, or haven’t been presented in a way which lets people understand why it is such a problem for some people in America.
On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 8:11 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I didn’t want to get into a big discussion about the Polanski case, but do you have a source for saying that the victim “forgives” him? What I read the last time this was in the news was that she didn’t want a new trial, *because she didn’t want to be forced relive that horrible experience again* — which is completely understandable, but very different from saying that she “forgives” him.
Similarly,most people who think Michael J. was guilty do so because he settled an earlier ( I think) similar accusation out of court. But when a second one surfaced, he decided to fight it in court and “won”, i.e., was acquitted.
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Polanski link: http://www.indiewire.com/2017/02/roman-polanski-rape-victim-samantha-geimer-forgives-1201784366/
Direct quote:
““I’m all for the truth getting out. He’s apologized, I forgive him. I know that he’s sorry and he didn’t mean to hurt me. He’s admitted what he did. He went to jail.””
On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 8:40 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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my fav couple (though not married) are Amitabh & Parveen Babi in Deewar. actually I just love Parveen’s character in that movie- mature, confident , capable of taking care of herself, knowing what she can give & not expecting too much in return. the trouble with relationships is that it is all great at the start but living too long with one another, people can start taking each other for granted or expectations start changing with changing situations (e.g a child & therefore needing other spouse to step up), but the change in the other partner doesn’t occur. oh well.
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I really like them Parveen and Amitabh too. They are just so honest with each other. Amitabh opens up to her more than to any other character in the film, including his mother and brother.
On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 10:25 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m sorry this is off topic but this is kinda breaking the India Internet right now
https://mobile.twitter.com/PrabhasRaju/status/886935161069109249/photo/1
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Just to be clear, this is literally just a cute photo of Prabhas? I am beginning to be worried that he may have to leave the country to be safe from his fans at this point.
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I got so many bunch of girls send me this with “ovaries exploding” type of comments… 😂 this is from a photoshoot for a magazine but this is supposed to be his look for Saaho. Apparently he’d asked Sujeeth to write him a film (he didn’t take him seriously though and Prabhas had to insist and his home banner is now producing the film) and Sujeeth is apparently famed for hero makeovers.
Yes this is literally a cute photo of Prabhas. A single photo. Leaked not shared by his social. Breaking the Internet. Good publicity, Eh?
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See, this is smart film promotion! cheap cheap cheap, and gives the people what they want.
On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 6:44 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Just noticed the picture was shared around by a lot of guys too. I showed beau and he’s like yeah cool hair I should get that get 😐 I may be sharing my celebrity crush with my mom AND my boyfriend. Things are officially in the weird territory now.
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When I was a teenager, a family friend pointed out that not only did my sister, my mom, and I all share crushes, they were all dead too. All 3 of us, swooning over Cary Grant, Lawrence Olivier, Joel McCrae. Strange sort of incest crossed with necrophilia.
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Ewwww… Hahahhaa… Well I used to have a crush on Oscar Wilde and Charles Darney. I’m just thankful I didn’t have to share those with women in my family. Gay and dead guy and completely fictional guy are not really crushes you want to “share”
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Oscar Wilde? I guess I can see that. I had a crush on Algernon from The Importance of Being Earnest, and he was in many ways a Wilde standin. But straight. Ish.
I also currently have massive crushes on various Indian film scholars and directors, but I’m too embarrassed to tell you who.
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Hehe.. Now you gotta share.. I had a really bad crush on Mahesh Manjrekar.. Of all the people! Trust me, my list (of crushes) is dark and full of terrors! 😁
Oh and I’ll have to post the fanfic from the browser. It’s going to get stuck in moderation. Browser WP is being a bitch to me.
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Really? After Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! ? Or before?
And I will keep my eye out for your fanfic in moderation! Well, until I go to sleep.
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During Kaante.. 😁 yea I know I have a problem. 😂
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Really? I just assumed it was because he directed Vaastav and Astitva. Heck, I almost have a crush on him for directing Astitva! And if Mahesh Bhatt was about 30 years younger, after watching Arth, OMG would I love him.
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Haha
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Oh, and most embarrassing/oddest crush, Rajinder Dudrah! Oh my god, the man is brilliant and says everything I want to say. I have a colleague of a friend of a colleague kind of connection to him, and I have want to send him a fan letter. Or at least try to get an autographed book. Meanwhile, Ashis Nandy I want to slap in the face because I feel like he personally offended me.
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Hah!!! And it all starts with that little moment of “shit, do I have a crush on this guy?”
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Rani and SRK in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
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Best or worst ? Or both?
A runner up for me was SRKajol in the second half of K3G. Mature, complaining, joking, but still with the love underlying everything. Also, still kept the sexiness alive ten years into marriage with a kid!
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Best and couple friends to hang out with. I would never be friends with Kajol. Too loud and hyper!
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Rani and SRK did seem nice. I liked how kind they were to each other. I wouldn’t be worried about a fight breaking out in the middle of dinner with them.
Although, on the other hand, SRKajol would probably either fight or make out right in front of you. Which would certainly be very entertaining!
On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 12:08 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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And you and hubby would just be sitting there giving each other looks like “We wasted our weekend away from the kids for THIS??”
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Pingback: Wednesday Watching Post: What Are You Watching and Reading and Thinking This Week? | dontcallitbollywood
One of my favorite married couples is Nagarjuna and Shriya in Manam back in time. They were really cute together. I also loved Suri and Taani from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
I always wonder what happened to Sana Saeed after Student of the Year. I kind of liked her in the film and I’m sure she could have been successful if given the chance. Why did Karan never sign her for any film? He could have given her a chance in some rom-com like Shaandaar or Hasee Toh Phasee.
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Both your couple choices are making me think “ooo, should I change mine?” I really like Shriya and Nagarjuna. And Shahrukh and Anushka were delightful. I think maybe Shahrukh and Anushka are the couple that, in the end, were the most happy together and got the most joy out of their marriage of any I have seen. But I don’t know if they would be as fun to be around as some other couples, they are both such quiet private people (which is part of the reason their marriage gave them so much joy, to find someone they could open up to). Shriya and Nagarjuna, I love as a married couple, but I might love even more as a courting couple.
Looks like Sana is working steadily on TV, maybe she just prefers it that way? I thought she did a good job in SOTY, and obviously Karan most have a fond feeling for her. But I could see that she just enjoys being a minor celebrity who does the occasional TV appearance. At least I hope that’s what it is. I would hate to think that all my curses over the years towards Little Anjali have somehow ruined her life.
On Wed, Jul 19, 2017 at 12:48 PM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Oh yeah, I forgot about the hanging out with others part of it. Maybe Sonam and Fawad from Khoobsurat would be fun to hang out with. Actually Rani and Salman from Baabul were also really cute together!
I thought she did a good job in SOTY too and I would rather see her as a heroine in movies rather than a Jhanvi Kapoor or a Sara Ali Khan. She has connections with Dharma so I’m surprised that she never showed up again. I liked her chemistry with Varun in SOTY, and though I love to see Varun with Alia, I wouldn’t mind this pairing either. Now that I think of it, none of the other friend characters in SOTY have been seen in other movies either. I know that Boman Irani’s son, the guy that played Pseudo, is apparently directing a movie for Dharma but I don’t know anything about the others.
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Pseudo was definitely the stand out from the friend group, so I’m glad to hear his career is moving on. I think I saw the athletic assistant coach Sikh actor in something else as well but I can’t remember what.
On Fri, Jul 21, 2017 at 2:04 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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