Kind of an odd Interval point. It’s a legitimate cliff-hanger, but it’s a mental cliff-hanger, not an action packed one. (part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here)
Dear Zindagi Part 5 (SPOILERS): Past Interval Point!
4
Happy Birthday Manish Malhotra! In Your Honor, a Post About Costumes!
I was debating what, if anything, to do for Manish. And then Filmilibrarian started a conversation on my Monday Questions post about costumes, and I have decided to ruthlessly re-purpose it for a post about costumes in honor of Manish. Sorry Filmilibrarian! Your question was just too good to resist!
Monday Morning Question Post! With Caffeine!
Happy Monday! I’m sad the weekend is over, but glad I get to have coffee this morning! (5 more Christmas presents left to find and buy, 12 arriving by mail today, second Christmas party hosting tomorrow night, and Befikre comes out on Friday! And that’s not even mentioning the Raees trailer celebrations! I’m exhausted already and it’s still 20 days left) And I’m also happy that I get to put up a questions post, one of my favorite things! (previous posts here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here)
Dear Zindagi Part 4: SHAHRUKH ARRIVES!!!! OMG!!!!
Happy Navy Day! Time for Boat Songs!!!
Huh. There really aren’t that many navy-based movies in India. At least compared to America. Although Navy-movies is kind of an odd genre, maybe it’s America that’s the weird one for having so many. On the other hand, plenty of songs with boats! Because, similar to songs with cars, it’s a nice way to get the hero and heroine alone.
Koffee With Karan Report: Parineeti and Aditya Roy Kapur are So Charming!
It’s a good thing they are charming, because they aren’t really anything else. Not famous, not controversial, not really anything. But charming! Very enjoyable people to spend 45 minutes with.
Dear Zindagi Full Summary Part 3 (SPOILERS): First Song!
The last section got a little extreme with the general thematic analysis. But this time, I am going to stay strictly focused on what happens in this actual section. Or at least, that’s the goal.
Christmas Give-Away Post!!!! Winner Week 5!
Thank goodness I am doing this give-away (if you are new to it, whoever makes the most comments each week gets a Christmas card)! Because I have sooooooooo much going on with Christmas, it is very nice to have a quick and easy thing to post. Today I picked up my rugs from the cleaners (so they will be clean by the time family starts arriving), put up all my decorations, bought snacks for the Christmas party I am hosting tomorrow, and got my car fixed (that last wasn’t Christmas related, it was just something I needed to do). And thus, fewer posts. But at least I can throw this up in between shopping online for all my relatives! (week 1 here, week 2 here, week 3 here, week 4 here)
2 New Heroes: Who Looks Better?
I feel SO GUILTY about this, but I am going to re-purpose a question and my response from Monday Morning questions into a post. I’m sorry! I don’t mean to just use you guys for post fodder! But it was a really interesting thing to think about, I hadn’t compared the two before, and I think it’s kind of cool looking at them like that.
Dear Zindagi Full Summary Part 2 (SPOILERS): Let’s Talk Color Tones!
I have now seen this movie 4 times, which means in theory I should be able to remember in in exact detail and give a perfect summary. But in reality means I am going to mix up the order of a couple of scenes and forget an important line and stuff. Oh well, someday my brain-recorder technology will be perfected and I won’t have to worry about this any more. (SPOILER review here, non-spoiler here, and part 1 of the summary here)
TGIF Post: Our Evergreen Heroes
Moimeme pointed out that my Superlative post was tragically lacking in some of the worthy old-timers. So I am giving our Evergreen heroes their very own post. Hopefully it will make you look at some of our current father-role actors and go “Hey! He used to be HOT!”
Indian: Subhas Chandra Bose Has a Different Meaning for Americans
Not the easiest thing to see as “heroic” a figure who fought along side Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany! Yes, I understand the “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” ideology, and that in many ways the evils of colonialism could be considered equal to the sins of Japan and the Nazis, or at least related. But supporting Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany still doesn’t seem like something to necessarily be proud of?
Rediff Comes Through Again! Interview With Gauri Shinde
Thank you rediff! Yet another in depth thoughtful interview for me to pick through! This time with Gauri Shinde, talking about what I was just talking about in the first part of my Dear Zindagi summary, how funky and sidewise career paths can be in the Indian film industry. Along with other interesting things.
Happy World AIDs Day!!!
I just got an email from Howard Brown reminding me (donate to them! They do good stuff), and I thought it might be interesting to look at the few times Indian film as acknowledged the AIDs epidemic in the country. It’s about the same amount as American pop culture has acknowledged it, but more musical!
Dear Zindagi Full Summary (SPOILERS, of course) Part 1: Right From the Start, We Learn This is a Woman’s Story
I mentioned in my SPOILER review, how this is a very very female story, both in content and style. Sure, the narrative is all about one woman’s journey, based on emotions and relationships and all that “girly” stuff. But it is also told in a very female way, more about what is unsaid than what is said, through body language and intuition and so on. Which starts in the very first series of shots.
Another Dangal Trailer! And Another 3rd Wave Feminism Story!
Ha! The twist I thought might have been hinted at by the trailer is the twist! Aamir trains his girls just like he would if they were boys, but then they grow up and want to be women and it all gets complicated.
Boys: Don’t Make Me Be a Teenager in Love in India!!!
Attakathi, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya, Premam, and now this, they all have very similar content, the kind of content I don’t really see in American film, or even in Hindi films that much. The struggles and pain of being in love, and not being of an age for it. It isn’t something American movies deal with, maybe because it isn’t an issue in the same way in America? At least, not any more.
Koffee With Karan: Ranbir is Turning Into His Father!
I don’t mean he’s getting the famous Kapoor figure (fingers crossed he never has that). Or the onscreen charm (he has always had that), but he is beginning to get just a hint of that terrifying interview quality. From what I’ve seen and read, it sounds like all the Kapoor men (except Shashi) have that a little bit, that slight hint of “Lord of the Manor, Don’t Cross Me or I’ll Have You Killed” in their eyes. On the other hand, Ranveer is still a total sweetheart. (first episode discussed here, and second here, and third here)
First Look at SRK’s Imtiaz Ali Movie!!!!
Yaaay! First look and a release date! But no title. And, more interesting (to me), Salman tweeted the first look, not Shahrukh. They did something similar with the Dangal first look, and I think also Sultan?
Giving Tuesday! Here Is What You Can Give To From the National to the Local
This year help is needed more than ever, there is a decent chance many of my relatives will be getting “donation in your name” gifts. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun! Here are some of the groups that I particularly like, with a filmi explanation for why you should care. (I feel bad not including any Indian organizations, but I am nervous about endorsing the wrong ones since I don’t know enough about their work on the ground level. All the ones listed below I know well and can confidently endorse)
Katching Up With Koffee: Varun and Arjun! Karan’s Boys!
I missed this, because Star TV didn’t have the courtesy to suspend all broadcasting in honor of Dear Zindagi Week. It’s just the worst when these multinational media conglomerates don’t bother to tailor their products to local cultures. Anyway, catching up now, up first, Varun and Arjun! (first episode discussed here, and second here)
Box Office! They Know that North America Had a 4 Day Weekend, Right?
Global figures are out for Dear Zindagi! Yaaaay! And it did best in North America! Which has no significance whatsoever because North America had an extra 2 days in the weekend! And on the other hand, had a lot of competition here! But being a hit in Australia, now THAT is significant! (as always, the figures come from Rentracks courtesy of Bollywoodhungama)
Monday Morning Questions Post Post-Holiday!
Happy Cyber Monday!!! You Know What Would Make a Great Xmas Gift? My Book!
It really would! Especially if you have been trying to explain to your family and friends why you like these movies and take them seriously. Let me make the explanation for you! It will save you so much energy and anger. Or, you can buy it as a Christmas gift to yourself, and then have handy talking points all ready for all the family gatherings.
dontcallitbollywood 