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When they announced that 2011 IIFA's would be held in this little country Canada that I call home, I just about jumped through the ceiling. So what if they were all the way across the country, there was no way I was missing out on this! Even though most film awards generally come off, shall we say, biased, I have booked my plane ticket, booked the accommodations and actually secured said tickets (apparently quite rare to come by!) to the ceremony and can not wait to go with my sister and Filmigirl! I am also taking this opportunity to meet up with some other fantastic blog and twitter friends out there! It is sure to be a wonderful and crazy 4 days!!! Are you going to be there and where can we party! Oh June, you just can't get here fast enough!!!!

So, as I said in an earlier blog post, I have not abandoned watching my favorite industry's films, even if they aren't on as much as they used to be. Here's a quick rundown on what I've seen lately and a quick take on each.


I enjoy crime thrillers if they are done well. My experience with Vivek Oberoi has been limited to Saathiya, but how can I pass up a movie that involves amnesia, heists and lots and lots of black leather!? The film starts out with a daring robbery, but to be perfectly frank, even with all the hi jinx, plot twists (there are 3, count them 3 Maya's - who's the real one? It's hard to tell), and Vivek's earnest attempt at the handsome, confused action hero, Prince didn't really do it for me, and I'm pretty sure I dozed off halfway through the second half of the film. I'm not even sure I remember how it ended. However, the music isn't half bad and I give it extra points for the 3 to 1 femme fatale ratio!




A random selection on Valentines Day (which proved to be quite a coincidence since one of the film's major plot lines surrounds the day itself) starring the adorably young Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala (who I have to admit I didn't recognize right away and only thought she looked like the girl form Dil Se).

Based on the 1939 original film Love Story (which has since spawned 3 Hollywood remakes and one other Bollywood film, Bheegi Raat), we witness the developing love between Karan and Anita, both which do a very fine job within their characters. Actually, I was quite pleased with Manisha's performance. It was nice seeing her in a lighter role where she's not tortured by her past! As far as love stories go, and this one has been touted as the most romantic film of all time, you certainly do get your share of schmaltz, but it's all done in the very best Bollywood traditions! I thought it was a very sweet movie!




Ajay Devgan, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Paresh Rawal star in this light comic drama about the pains of sharing your accommodations with relatives. Having been a house guest myself (as my family co-habitated with my mother while our house was being built), I can empathise with the pangs that these people go through - it's no fun sharing space for very long! The movie was humorous throughout, with some scenes being more thoughtful than others, but I have to admit, even with a twist ending, my sister called it as soon as the movie started. I love Koko in everything she does (she's just a class act to me), and she was good in this, as was Ajay, but Paresh, as the overly flatulent house guest (which I could really do without... I just don't get the appeal of fart comedy), was the glue. Lots of genuinely funny moments and overall a nice time pass film.




So, I posted a short while ago a list of all the films that I had waiting for me on my dvd shelf and nearly everyone recommended I put on Omkara NOW! So, I did. I have two thoughts on this... #1 trying to watch a serious heavy film during the day when I'm trying to squeeze the most out of naptime maybe isn't the best idea and/or #2 I should stick with the light fare films because, although I would have to say the acting in this film was superb, it just didn't seem to be my cup of tea. SACRILEGE, I can hear many of you shouting at me as I type. It's not that I don't enjoy the odd very serious movie (I loved Roman Polanski's The Pianist and Scott Hicks' Shine, both very dramatic, moving pieces of film), but I have a hard time watching darkly shot films, and aside from Shakespeare in Love, I could really do without the Bard's prose turned screenplay. However, it does have this SMOKING hot item number from sensational Bips!




Aaaah, an inspirational movie about the educational system and how money is more precious than our children's academic pursuits. Barf. Okay, I originally purchased this film based on Shahid's enimagic sex appeal, and I was happy to see Ayesha Takia in it (hopefully we'll see her come back to films soon), but I have a hard time watching movies about children. Probably has something to do with the fact that I'm surrounded by real living breathing youngsters all day every day, so what am I thinking watching movies about kids? Good lord! *smh* At any rate, apparently Shahid was hired to play a cameo only in this movie, which makes no sense to me since he was practically in the whole thing, but he does lend it that star power that it most likely desperately needed at the box office. Nana Patekar does a really nice job as the school's principal, and I tell you, if I had to report to him, I'd sure make sure my shirt was tucked in and my shoes were polished. Nana Patekar is one actor that demands my respect, even though the only other movies I've seen him in are Bluffmaster and Taxi Number 9211 (which, incidentally houses one of the coolest filmi songs I've ever heard, Meter Down!). Anyway, that's a lot of ramble that doesn't say much of the film, but if you like movies about kids (maybe you have Taare Zameen Par or Dance Pe Chance at home), this movie is about as sweet as you get.



So that's a quick rundown. I hope I didn't miss any. I am desparately waiting to do a movie run into the city very soon (crossing my fingers for this weekend) and then I'll be in movie heaven again. So many new ones I can't wait to get my hands on!

Viva la Bollywood!!!