Category Archives: Films, music and celebrities-India and others

Haunting melodies in Hindi cinema of the bygone era

I had to remind myself today that one point of time I was consistently thinking of films, songs, lyricists, musicians and everything related to Indian film industry, courtesy my job as a radio jockey in FM Rainbow 101.3MHz

It is close to six years that I have forgotten what it is to be in the RJ’s seat. Of course I do miss the days, adulation from listeners and my own working style.

But today being a mother, stay at home person and a writer has taken the front seat right now in my driving phase of life.

Today I happened to hear the song ‘Kahin deep jale kahin dil’ from Bees Saal Baad. It just invoked a gush of memories of me doing my script shows before Meethi Yaadein, my show on Mondays and Wednesday mornings.

Thankfully to help people like me retain beautiful memories of songs in films, there have been many beautiful melodies in hindi cinema that continue to mesmerize the listeners even to this date. Of course I am talking of these melodies from 40’s to late 70’s.

A few songs that immediately come to my mind belonging to this category are:

Kahin deep chale kahin dil from Bees Saal Baad

Naina Barse Rim Jhim from Woh Kaun Thi

Ayega Aanewala from Mahal

Gumnaam hai koi from Gumnaam

Mera Saaya Saath Hoga from Mera Saaya

 

Portrayal of women in hindi movies

A movie that I watched recently made me admire the director’s ability to show how people need not be dark and transparent characters always and there is always room for the dark hearted souls to change and the good ones to be alert not to be misled.

But in the movie Badlapur, I was again very disturbed by the portrayal of women. Women were shown to be treated ruthlessly or objects that exist in this world to be able to satisfy the male gender.

I do feel it is high time wise directors show sense in directing movies that have a huge mass appeal in a country like India to portray women as they should be. With respect.

The hero seemed to take great pride in taking so called revenge in the movie if he was able to convince the woman from the enemy camp (as perceived by the hero) to sleep with him.

It’s really time that India wakes up and understands that women want to be treated equal. Treat women as men and that is as HUMANS=PEOPLE Not as objects.

 

Unwanted attention for a non actress

I have been refraining myself from writing about her as I did not want to be judgmental. But Karenjit Kaur Vohra aka, Sunny Leone is bombarding through paid pictures in a supplement of TOI, being celebrated by TV shows and news about her is coming everywhere.

I happened to go to a mall recently and I went to the poster closely that declared Ragini MMS -2. I remember being not a serious fan of spooky films, there was something mysterious about the first movie and thankfully I was not disappointed with the story line (Ragini MMS). I remember even the promotional material and marketing tricks were good enough for a complete hater of sexual films to go and check out Ragini MMS dekha kya?

Here right from the posters to the kiss between two female starlets and everything else is nothing else but body show. When I mentioned this to a friend, he said, ” Jis film mein Sunny Leone rehagi, aur kya expect karegi?”

Shame that Hindi film needs another non actress to act here in films. I would have appreciated if Ms.Sunny had done something dramatic in acting than body display for which she doesn’t need any training, effort or encouragement.

Sad, but have to repeat this again, I think… Hindi film producers and directors, stop women objectification.

You guys are bimbos not us. Brains are better to be showcased than anything else. And yes Sunny may be basking in the limelight but hoping there will be lot more women(and men..am I asking for more???) who do not want to watch a dud film again.

Thankfully now we have choices for good cinema, need not watch skin display for the sake of being in the limelight.

What do films mean to a film buff like me?

It’s a long term association. People like me who love films  end up reading, researching, staring at celebrities galleries online or picking celebrity magazines at the given opportunity may appear silly to others. But just as people have their fascinations towards watching cricket, Formula one racing, reading about technology, watching tech shows that display the latest gadgets, film world too attracts its admirers.

However with the given cash revenues coming into Indian film industry particularly Hindi films, I have grown a resentment with the so called 100 crore club films that make money without a good script, music or anything else. For me it has always been the story as the leading point why I would want to watch a movie again.

Yes there are a number of movies that I have watched more than once, at different junctures of my life. A-Z-the best movies that you need to watch in Hindi cinema

Putting down a few of them that you might like if you are a Hindi film buff. These are in no particular order of date of release but movies that you might want to catch upon at home sitting on your couch on a lazy boring weekend. Presenting a list  for a dummy who wants to get taste of good Hindi cinema.

a) Masoom featuring child actors (then) Urmila Matondkar and Jugal Hansraj with the brilliant star couple Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi

b)  Sholay featuring the superbly comic timing actress Hema Malini with Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri. Of course the movie was iconic for Gabbar and Thakur’s portrayla by Amjad Khan and Sanjeev Kumar respectively.

c) Mr. India featuring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. Who can forget another memorable character on screen -Mogambo played by Amrish Puri

d) Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak featuring one of the most good looking star couples on screen Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla

e) Lagaan featuring the actor Aamir Khan

f) Jaane-Bhi-Do-Yaaron featuring Naseerudin Shah and an actor who made death so laughable -Satish Shah

g) Dil Chahta Hai- You have to watch it for the story, detailing to characterization and scenic locales. Many ended putting Goa on their holiday list since this movie was released.

h) Andaaz Apna Apna- Yet another brilliant performance by Aamir Khan but credit must also be given to Salman Khan for equally putting a superb comic act right through the movie

i) Taare Zameen Par- This is one movie where you forget that Hindi films are all about lead actors and actresses singing and dancing. A child star steals the show effortlessly with a beautiful script.

j) Chupke Chupke featuring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh Bachchan. You got to watch it for the performance of Dharmendra.

k) Kahaani featuring the gorgeous Vidya Balan who plays a revenge seeking pregnant woman.

l) Dil hai ki manta nahin- Even though this was a rip off from other classics, the actors portrayed their roles beautifully- Again a successful movie of Aamir Khan and Pooja Bhatt.

m) Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge featuring the then versatile actor who has become one of the most recognized faces of Indian cinema- Shah Rukh Khan. You have to watch it for the story line and the chemistry between Kajol and SRK.

n) Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam- Watch this for the breathtaking scenes of how the director portrayed of Gujarati traditions. He has gone overboard since then with the recent Ram Leela. But due credit must be given for this direction in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

o) Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara featuring the threesome Hrithik Roshan, Faran Akhthar and Abhay Deol

p) 3 Idiots- Watch it to figure out on why Indian parents are obsessed on their kids scoring well in academics. Brilliant performances by Aamir and others.

q) Madras Cafe featuring John Abraham. But the story and the performance by Prakash Belawadi is not to be missed.

r) Chak De featuring Shah Rukh Khan and the gang of energetic support cast who really made the movie what it was.

s) Cocktail- A movie that made many fall in love with Deepika Padukone.

t) Om Shanti Om- A movie that needs to be watched to encourage the woman director Farah Khan. Brilliant story, a good take on how we Indians love films and celebrities, brilliant star cast. She has not yet been able to repeat the success of her direction with another movie.

u) Pushpaka Vimana – Hats off to the direction and act by one of India’s best actors- Kamal Hassan. This was a silent movie that spoke a lot through the silent medium.

v) Sadma- The movie made many cry at the climax scene. Watch it for a beautiful emotional journey taken through by Sridevi and Kamal Hassan. This was a remake of the tamil film but thank god it was remade so that it could reach a much wider audience.

w) Kaun featuring the gorgeous Urmila Matondkar who proved that she was more than a beautiful face .However a movie that truly belonged to Manoj Bajpai

x) Rangeela featuring the versatile actor Aamir Khan and yet another beautiful performance by Urmila Matondkar. She looked breathtakingly beautiful too in this film.

y) Hera Pheri featuring Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty. Watch it for sheer laughs.

z) Padosan- A movie that you shouldn’t miss, no matter what your age is, you can understand Hindi and have enough time to watch it at home, then make sure you catch this ever green comedy flick of Hindi cinema.

A few others that are worth mentioning are, Jab We Met by Imtiaz Ali, A Wednesday featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher, Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair and Bhaag Milkka Bhaag featuring Faran Akhtar. The list is seeing endless, so let’s finally end it here.