Yes, I am still feeling guilty about that. I am sure I will get over it someday, probably sometime after I stop feeling guilty for not watching Dhadhak. Oh well, I always have to feel guilty about something, might as well be this.
Happy Monday! As always, you can ask me anything from the personal (“what other movies have you missed in theaters and felt guilty about?”) to the specific and factual (“why do so many movies come out simultaneously?”) to the general discussion question (“what would have been the potential value in seeing Namaste England?”).
The only rule is, you have to let me answer first! The discussion just goes better that way. But once I answer, you can feel free to leap in and join the conversation.
Now, question for you! Important question! What should Dog Hazel be for Halloween?
Current top contenders:
Bumble bee
Pumpkin
She dresses as me and I dress as her
What do you think? And obviously, I will be taking a photo and posting it for all of you to enjoy.
dontcallitbollywood 
Namaste England as expected has bombed badly, just making around 3.5 crores or something. I really liked Parineeti before she got thin or whatever. Doesn’t seem like she’s the same person or actress ever. I think she’s trying to hard to be the quintessential heroine, even though she was appreciated because she seemed different from all the other ones. She was so great in all her films until Kill Dill IMO. What’s your take?
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I agree! I think taking the time off was a big mistake, she lost her career momentum and also, I think, some of her acting ability just because she wasn’t using it for so long. And since her return she seems more interested in the glamorous kind of roles in commercial films than taking risks.
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 8:26 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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As much as I want to support Parineeti because she comes across as such a normal, girl-next-door kind of actress and we need them to counter the glamour girls, I’m starting to think that when she is good on screen it’s a bit of a fluke or she’s just playing herself. She has never played anything different than the spunky troublemaker/rulebreaker who’s also a sweet girl-next-door underneath it all. I mean *never* has she deviated from this role. And she is now able to do it in her sleep and it’s not working for her. Maybe she was never really that good an actress to begin with or maybe she just hasn’t been challenged at all. There’s a moment at the end of Meri Pyaari Bindu (which was her last decent performance) where I could see a more mature natural presence coming through and I want her to find characters that can draw on that. I pray Sandeep Aur Pinky Farrar is different, because Jabariya Jodi looks like more of the same. Kesari sounds like a glorified cameo.
I think Arjun is just getting lazy. Or maybe he knew from the beginning that Namaste England was a lost cause and completely phoned it in. He seems far too interested in gaming the system by picking sure fire hits like Mubarakan that will keep his brand afloat and the two Chetan Bhagat films were safe bets…neither of them lost money. His next films see him branching out and trying new genres so thank god for that. He also has much stronger connections in the industry that will keep him afloat. I don’t think Parineeti is really helped out by her family connection. And somehow I think her connection to Manesh Sharma seems to almost have hurt her. Is he not well liked?
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Interesting point about Manesh Sharma. I hadn’t thought about him being liked or not liked, but he is definitely the flagship producer for YRF right now and I think YRF might be a bad fit for Parineeti. They want safe films, nice unobjectionable family films, and they don’t care if they are hits or not because the studio can make money even with a modest return. The more “safe” films Parineeti does, the less interesting she gets as an actress and public figure. I haven’t seen Mere Pyaari Bindu, but from what I have heard, if it were made from a different studio it had the potential to be something more like Cocktail or ADHM, where the heroine was a real trainwreck of a mess of a person and the relationship was clearly unhealthy and painful and the whole mood was just a little more agonizing and adult. It could have been a sleeper hit, or it could have been a big flop, but either way it would have made people sit up and notice Pari in a new way.
It’s funny how “safe” Maneesh is as a producer, considering that his last film as a director was the biggest darkest strangest risk YRF has taken in years.
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 9:40 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Bumble Bee….she will look cute!
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Yes, but she always looks cute!
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Shouldn’t Dog Hazel have a Bollywood themed costume? Though I’m blanking on ideas for what specifically.
I’m kind of appalled by A Star is Born and thinking about why. After all, it’s not like I don’t enjoy regressive fantasies (I loved Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre and even enjoyed Twilight). But there’s something about ASIB that makes me stabby and I think it’s the way the heroine gives all credit for her success to the man. I can’t deal with that level of martyrdom.
All this has me thinking about problematic art in general and how we make choices about what we will consume or not, which fantasies we can try on even if they have bad elements and which fantasies we reject like our immune systems attacking a pathogen.
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I do have a Shahrukh mask, but I think putting it on Dog Hazel would be way way too disturbing.
What I like about P & P and Jane Eyre is that the romance is regressive, but the heroine is not, if that makes sense? Jane Eyre builds to Jane deciding that she has worth because she cares about herself, even if no one else does. The love is there to give her the greatest possible temptation to her own sense of self worth. And P & P is about growing up and changing the way you see yourself and the world as you become more open to alternative views. Twilight, not so much.
Anyway, I know what you mean about what fantasies we can and cannot tolerate! I don’t like the Star is Born fantasy, more because of the “Zeta” aspect of the hero, I never have any interest in some tortured broken man (blech!). But the rest of it doesn’t bother me as much, although I don’t find it particularly appealing.
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The appeal of Twilight for me, at least the first one, is it perfectly captures the feeling of being 13 years old and in love for the first time. The rest of the series I enjoyed in a gawking at a trainwreck kind of way, particularly Breaking Dawn.
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I’m not sure how you would dress as dog Hazel. I thought about going as one of my dogs but – just wearing a pretty collar could get a bit chilly. And I don’t want to freak out my neighbors. How about a nice sari for Hazel? Either in Kajol’s favorite green or wedding red. (My dogs are going as each other. My boy, Ronin, will wear the girl Gracie’s pink collar and she will wear his blue one.Kind of like a canine Ithihasa.)
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I love your dog costume idea! If I had another dog, I would definitely do that. I think I figured out how we can dress as each other, but I am still stumped on an Indian themed costume.
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 8:19 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I read with great interest your post on the stages of a female actor’s professional life (a long time ago) and I wonder if you think marriage will have any effect on Deepika’s career? Or Ranveer’s career? I mean, I know the answer to that already but I figured let’s be nonsexist.
Very tough choice of costume but I’m going to go with bumble bee. I like when animals dress as other animals.
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I think Dips’ career has already been affected by marriage, which is why everyone (including me) just assumed she would get married this year. She’s in a public serious relationship, she’s running out of fertile years, producers are more cautious about signing her. And she is looking for big interesting films to sign instead of going on a signing spree and taking whatever she is offered. When you reach that point, you kind of HAVE to get married, just to make it official since everyone is assuming it anyway.
But I also think it’s a good thing! Like, for her personally. She’s been growing and growing as an actress and playing Shahrukh’s heroine one more time just isn’t going to cut it. And marrying Ranveer means getting off the treadmill of interviews and public appearances, she will always remain relevant just as his wife. I think that kind of life would drive Sonam (for instance) INSANE, but I think Dips might really like taking a step back and focusing on her art and not worrying so much about anything.
Ranveer, I think it will also affect his career. It’s the death knell for wild young man roles, especially once the kids arrive. But then he couldn’t play a wild young man forever, good timing to have his first masala action film coming out right after the wedding.
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 10:12 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Khilji was wild & mad, so was Ram in Ramleela. Apart from those two,are there any other wild,mad roles he played?i think you meant his public persona as the wild,mad guy.Its phenomenal that actors in their prime-especially females-are choosing to get married when they feel like it. Deepika is the classic study of how high an actress’s career can go in Bollywood. She has done everything-acting with big stars, low key female centric film, awards,Hollywood film,highest paid actress, getting paid more than her heroes. Anything she do will just be repetitive. She’s a bigger brand than Sonam but lacks the familial support system, to start a business like Sonam or Anushka. I think she will go the Ash way of doing occasional interesting,high profile films or a low-key women centric film but will continue her public persona as the glamourous diva through her various endorsements & appearances. Those beauty brands can definitely afford to keep her on the payroll. A woman as smart & hardworking as Deepika would not be content just to be someone’s wife.
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I agree with this analysis. She’s now able to just do what she wants and enjoy married life with no concerns about any effect on her star power. I think she will be more like Kareena in married life. Still play romantic roles (even with younger male leads, as well!), still do dramatic roles (like Kareena in Udta Punjab), and the cameo appearances and endorsements for fun and cash. I also wouldn’t be surprised if both Deepika and Ranveer both try to do Hollywood films. He does have an agent there and I just think he wants a bit of world domination for himself. They don’t need to, of course, and still could rule Bollywood unchallenged for years to come.
I think that Ranveer’s roles will be continuing to expand after marriage, especially the action genre roles. So wild angry man roles are still an option (as well as more low key dramatic work which I want to see), but I think somehow that he won’t be able to do as many light rom-coms, unless he’s opposite Deepika (which also needs to happen someday!).
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So Dips and Ranveer apparently scheduled one of their wedding receptions on the same day as Priyanka and Nick’s wedding, scandal!!!
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Shocking! I look forward to this becoming a tempest in a teapot that rolls out for years and years and years and years. Similar to the semi-annual tradition of Jaya Bachchan passive aggressively scheduling Amitabh’s birthday party on Rekha’s birthday.
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018 at 10:56 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Oh this is hilarious! This cheered me right up as I slog through student papers! Do you think Dips did it on purpose? Like, I’m REALLY getting married, nyah!
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OK, just read it and it looks like it’s probably not even going to happen, even assuming Prick really get married. Damn!
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Filmfare is reporting it too:
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Now, this is the kind of news where I am totally there for the whole “thing and then the people saying stuff about the thing and then the people saying stuff about the stuff people said about the thing” never ending cycle. Yes! Let this continue for eternity and slowly drag in every person in the industry until it all turns into a massive feud that breaks everyone forever into two factions! So long as I don’t have to help host/organize either event, I am here to watch the show
On Tue, Oct 23, 2018 at 8:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Yes, we need to start a pool on the exact day and time Pinkvilla comes out with the “Why hasn’t Amitabh Bachchan tweeted about Dips vs Piggy Chops?” story.
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“He claims to be a leader in the industry, and yet on these important issues he is SILENT!”
And then Sonam can get into a twitter feud and end it by saying “choose love” and Shatrughan Sinha can say something tone-deaf and chauvinist and everyone will call him brave, Shabana Azmi can remind us that she has always been the only person to speak out on these important issues, and Salman will say something surprisingly honest and off the cuff when surprised at a press conference, and Shahrukh will accidentally say something way way too mean and then have to walk it back, and Aamir will post a long long long statement through an image on twitter and sign off with just “a.”
And Priyanka, of course, will somehow leak a story that ties this into her passionate secret decade long affair with Shahrukh.
On Tue, Oct 23, 2018 at 5:52 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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