tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58561064775637611382024-03-14T01:12:30.759-07:00.Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-27136553669382071432011-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:002011-08-30T14:20:01.736-07:00Chammak Challo Promo!!!!!!!!!!!OMG, SUPER LOVE the new promo for Ra.One!!!! I just had to post this if for no other reason than so I didn't lose it. Shah looks absolutely adorable and now that the synopsis is out, I think the film is going to have lots of heart and some good laughs.
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<br />Also, Shah's "look" for the film...
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVs29TmPVUw/Tl1TU177VnI/AAAAAAAACN8/H3rdBk4ekQI/s1600/382352424.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVs29TmPVUw/Tl1TU177VnI/AAAAAAAACN8/H3rdBk4ekQI/s400/382352424.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646761125333390962" /></a>
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<br />The waiting is killing me!!!!
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<br />Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-26035581312767181182011-07-13T09:31:00.000-07:002011-07-22T07:54:46.452-07:00Don 2, or what's with the hair? Really?With a huge win under his belt for best male actor for MNIK, the extremely ambitious Ra.One coming out in approx 3 months time AND the release of the sequel to his hit crime drama remake Don, it is definitely the year of Shah Rukh. The teaser trailer for Don 2 hit the airwaves this morning, and I have to say it looks polished, action packed and Shah looks devilishly evil. I don't know what the story is for Farhan's 2nd film in the franchise, but I can not wait to find out!!!<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1at8wo8TnEM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />So, a question to Shah Rukh fans. Which movie are you looking forward to the most and why?Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-36211780373419717242011-06-30T08:45:00.001-07:002011-06-30T08:47:18.055-07:00Shake That Biscuit Baby!Oh. My. God.<br /><br />This, and only this, makes me want to see Delhi Belly. <br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IGYA_P7ZHcw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Oh, Aamir, you are priceless. <br />God bless you.Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-26160835382183610242011-06-29T08:43:00.000-07:002011-06-30T16:44:14.187-07:00WHAT'S UP TORONTO?!!!! My adventures at IIFA Part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sim5mK0KqZc/Tg0J8LwexdI/AAAAAAAACN0/rxIiNoiGloM/s1600/IMG_6707.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sim5mK0KqZc/Tg0J8LwexdI/AAAAAAAACN0/rxIiNoiGloM/s400/IMG_6707.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624162439208551890" /></a><br />How can you possibly top a night with Shah Rukh and Vivek? With another full day of Bolly goodness, that's how!<br /><br />After the haze that was Friday night, Saturday morning came far too quickly, but there was so much to do that, even with a mild hangover, I got my butt out of bed and got ready to face the day. After some much needed lunch, we did a quick stop at the TIFF Lightbox to have a look at the Raj Kapoor exhibit. They were running clips from a few of his films, including Shree 420, and if you had the time you could pose to have a picture of your face superimposed on a still. Unfortunately for us, their camera wasn't working, which was really too bad because that would have been cool. Oh well.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-11dFqIhxN-Y/TgyhS97lpaI/AAAAAAAACLs/Tfd8aIxnOYw/s1600/IMG_6674.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-11dFqIhxN-Y/TgyhS97lpaI/AAAAAAAACLs/Tfd8aIxnOYw/s400/IMG_6674.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624047381913118114" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EeKXkT7jwZM/TgyhuR7R_9I/AAAAAAAACL0/TYqDJO4bLNM/s1600/IMG_6675.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EeKXkT7jwZM/TgyhuR7R_9I/AAAAAAAACL0/TYqDJO4bLNM/s400/IMG_6675.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624047851137007570" /></a><br />From the Lightbox, we made our way to the Fairmont Royal York, which was the hub for all the celebs and I think official press central. I'm not sure how we managed to get in unnoticed, as there were people standing at the front doors requesting to see people's room cards. In any case, we were there, milling around among all the peeps, hoping to connect with a wizcraft person in order to secure an interview with a favorite actor. Unfortunately, that didn't work out for us, but we had a very exhilarating visit, even managing to somehow make our way up to the 19th floor executive suites. I don't mind telling you that my heart was racing the whole time! I felt like we were going to get busted any minute, and almost did end up getting kicked out when we were loitering a little too long on the main lobby floor by another very scary white security guard. There was a few celeb sightings, although my stupid bladder kept me from seeing Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UD3v7ayglwE/TgyoHGHAbhI/AAAAAAAACL8/pW6fWgU3TM0/s1600/IMG_6677.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UD3v7ayglwE/TgyoHGHAbhI/AAAAAAAACL8/pW6fWgU3TM0/s400/IMG_6677.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624054874531458578" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u23xC_RiGVE/TgyoZpd94-I/AAAAAAAACME/XcOlUdVc0n8/s1600/IMG_6687.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u23xC_RiGVE/TgyoZpd94-I/AAAAAAAACME/XcOlUdVc0n8/s400/IMG_6687.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624055193260647394" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfNl9tgoCqs/Tg0JNGPNMuI/AAAAAAAACNs/-0NeVxC3cYw/s1600/IMG_6688.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfNl9tgoCqs/Tg0JNGPNMuI/AAAAAAAACNs/-0NeVxC3cYw/s400/IMG_6688.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624161630272959202" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chilling on the 19th floor where we bumped into some CBS and BBC peeps.</i></div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XrQ_-wK8emQ/TgywlZ6ry_I/AAAAAAAACMk/w-6f2Atl3tg/s1600/IMG_6696.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XrQ_-wK8emQ/TgywlZ6ry_I/AAAAAAAACMk/w-6f2Atl3tg/s400/IMG_6696.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624064191337581554" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nMX5oqqUCQ/TgyqIzrySqI/AAAAAAAACMM/IZx4s99PToI/s1600/IMG_6697.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nMX5oqqUCQ/TgyqIzrySqI/AAAAAAAACMM/IZx4s99PToI/s400/IMG_6697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624057102968441506" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><i>We weren't exactly sure who this was underneath the sunglasses and 5 o'clock shadow, but he looked like someone we should know. If you figure it out, let me know. </i></div><br /><br />After we decided our celeb stalking wasn't going to get us to our final goal, we decided it was time to check out the events and goings on around the Rogers Center, so we made our way through the busy Toronto streets and eventually came to the Samsara stage, where we got to see Raghav perform. I wouldn't have known Raghav from Adam, but I do know this song, and it rocked!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-49Unx1m7gwk/Tgyv2c3OHlI/AAAAAAAACMc/2Kqf8fwME7w/s1600/IMG_6712.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-49Unx1m7gwk/Tgyv2c3OHlI/AAAAAAAACMc/2Kqf8fwME7w/s400/IMG_6712.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624063384674508370" /></a><br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xcXKvplFapw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8sXEPc2yH20/TgyuuCsBjWI/AAAAAAAACMU/xjimU0HGlRk/s1600/IMG_6702.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8sXEPc2yH20/TgyuuCsBjWI/AAAAAAAACMU/xjimU0HGlRk/s400/IMG_6702.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624062140697644386" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>There were less people here than I thought there would be, but that's before I realized that most of them were lining up at the green carpet (some from the night before) to get a glimpse of their favorite stars as they headed to the awards that night)</i></div><br /><br />As the afternoon wore on, we headed out for a bite to eat, where we witnessed some protest of something or another (I'm guessing, like most things, it was over some sort of political "damn the man" protest). After some deliciously bad for you pub food, and a pit stop to THE cutest dress shop ever, we hoofed it to our hotel room to get ready. In our hurry to get to the Rogers Center by a start time of 7pm, we forgot to take any pictures in our lovely formal wear. Silly us! Since when does an Indian event EVER start of time? The show was supposed to start at 7pm, I think it finally began at 9pm, and ran a staggering 5 1/2 hours, due in part to every single celebrity thanking Toronto and saying what a warm welcome they've received. Yes, we all feel the love, now let's move it along!<br /><br />So, the list of winners has been circulating now since that night, so I just want to touch on a couple of things I loved about the awards themselves.<br /><br />#1 - Boman and Ritesh were very good at hosting the function. There was A LOT of gay humor (dancing in drag, near kisses and lots of embracing!), and in between they were funny and eloquent and it was a delight to watch them interact. They did a hilarious sequence of short films, that made fun of everything from Munnabhai to My Name is Khan to DDLJ to Sholay. Ritesh did a really funny character with no arms that must be from some movie, but I didn't recognize it. If anyone knows who I'm talking about, let me know. I'd like to be in on that joke. <br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMoNt8u0ca0/TgzvSU29LpI/AAAAAAAACMs/Zzj8-oX-TSk/s1600/IMG_6785.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMoNt8u0ca0/TgzvSU29LpI/AAAAAAAACMs/Zzj8-oX-TSk/s400/IMG_6785.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624133132794801810" /></a><br />#2 - Ranveer Singh! What a performance, and, in my opinion, the very best of the night. Sure Bipasha's was sexy, The Deol clan did a fine job, and Priyanka's was, well, that's when I got up to stretch my legs, but none compared to the sheer exuberance that the newly crowned best male newcomer gave to his audience. I had thought that Anushka was going to join him on stage (and I'm not sure what the story is there), but it was so much fun! Kya energy, kya style, kya performance!<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uDSHERn61Lg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezk5OK3h7Fs/Tgz5JwFxpcI/AAAAAAAACM0/aOQrs-Db028/s1600/IMG_6784.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezk5OK3h7Fs/Tgz5JwFxpcI/AAAAAAAACM0/aOQrs-Db028/s400/IMG_6784.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624143980602172866" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Anushka and Ranveer win hottest couple. And really, who else is it going to go to? I love that look that she is shooting at him! Someone is not impressed!</i></div><br /><br />#3 - Arshad Warsi is ROBBED!!!! Everyone knows I am a huge fan of Arshad's and Ishqiya was in my top 5 favorite movies of last year, but when I look at his performance of Babban, I just can not believe that he didn't win this. Now, to be fair, I haven't seen Ranjeeti, a film that spouted several best actor nods, but I just can't see anyone comparing to the raw, yet perfect culmination of role and actor that we saw in Arshad and Babban. He said in an interview this past weekend that he does the movies like the Dhamaals, the Golmaals, the Munnabhais for the audience and he does the films like Ishqiya for himself. I'm so happy he has apparently signed on for 3 more serious films in the immediate future. Maybe we will get to see him finally take home some well deserved accolades!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBqIv-1teaA/Tgz9t1Zn22I/AAAAAAAACM8/A41oqOCDxe4/s1600/IMG_6759.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBqIv-1teaA/Tgz9t1Zn22I/AAAAAAAACM8/A41oqOCDxe4/s400/IMG_6759.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624148998549396322" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Arshad takes his turn at thanking Toronto "in case he doesn't make it back up to the stage"</i></div><br /><br />#5 - Shah Rukh wins best actor for My Name is Khan! Okay, I get it. A lot of people did not like this movie. I, on the other hand, loved every single second of it. I firmly believe the reason it made such an impact on me is because I am a parent, but I also believe that Shah Rukh was amazing as Rizwan Khan. It was a character very far removed from the lover boy Raj and it took a tremendous amount of talen to play the part so effectively. I will always applaud actors that take risks with their careers, even if we only see them do it once in a while.<br /><br />And, while we are talking about Shah Rukh, I just have to say, I appreciate the fact that, despite his fractured knee, he still came on at the end of the show and did a little dance tutorial for all of his fans. Oh sure, someone else could have stepped in and filled the bill, but I honestly and truly believe that he is someone who really doesn't want to let people down, so something is better than nothing. I had a good time watching him show us how to do the belt move from Dabangg, or the guitar move from Rock On, and the amusing "back stories" behind them. That is something you would NEVER see at an Academy Awards, and part of the charm behind this movie industry!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-KPHdW1vG8/Tg0ApGy5DwI/AAAAAAAACNE/8jmeNzidjeg/s1600/IMG_6812.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-KPHdW1vG8/Tg0ApGy5DwI/AAAAAAAACNE/8jmeNzidjeg/s400/IMG_6812.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624152215854321410" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rock on Shah Rukh!</i></div><br /><br />Final last notes...<br /><br />While the show did run a tad long (!), I loved how people got their time to talk. I dare anyone to tell Dharm<span style="font-style:italic;">ji</span> that his turn is over!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D0LSGku6fxU/Tg0BEYp_1KI/AAAAAAAACNM/5NESD5LdYHE/s1600/IMG_6795.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D0LSGku6fxU/Tg0BEYp_1KI/AAAAAAAACNM/5NESD5LdYHE/s400/IMG_6795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624152684505322658" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sonu Sood wins for best villain! So happy and proud for him. Loved that he thanked his mom from above! SO SWEET!!!!! I'm searching out more of Sonu's movies for sure!</i></div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DWNbe-RNZzs/Tg0DWoEZ3WI/AAAAAAAACNc/zvLeRpcC4Yc/s1600/IMG_6790.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DWNbe-RNZzs/Tg0DWoEZ3WI/AAAAAAAACNc/zvLeRpcC4Yc/s400/IMG_6790.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624155196903513442" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sonakshi takes home best female newcomer! Yay! How gorgeous is this woman, seriously?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> I can not wait to see what comes her way in the future.</i></div><br /><br />What a terrific adventure it all was! I have heard rumours that IIFA may be held in Las Vegas next year, in which case I better start saving now, because there is NO WAY I am missing that one!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9zCaixF1HfY/Tg0EKNsZn3I/AAAAAAAACNk/RHBGp2LDnTk/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9zCaixF1HfY/Tg0EKNsZn3I/AAAAAAAACNk/RHBGp2LDnTk/s400/IMG_6727.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624156083176710002" /></a><br /><br />Until next time....Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-89011776825666039852011-06-28T09:27:00.001-07:002011-06-28T16:07:35.284-07:00IIFA - an adventure in Toronto Part 1There's something strangely sad about coming home from a vacation that fulfills nearly all of your expectations. Now that I'm back, full throttle into the reality that is my life, I feel as if the last 4 days were little more than a dream. I wish I was still sleeping!<br /><br />Friday was such a blur. My sister and I got into Toronto in the afternoon, and, after meeting <a href="http://filmigirl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Filmigirl</a> (who is AWESOME by the way), and checking into our hotel, we headed to meet the lovely <a href="http://bethlovesbollywood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beth Loves Bollywood</a> and Irena at Aroma. The food was so divine I couldn't get enough. Mmmmm......<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kD7gyTCjcQg/TgoJnyC-k5I/AAAAAAAACJ8/7szimCO8Psw/s1600/IMG_6575.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kD7gyTCjcQg/TgoJnyC-k5I/AAAAAAAACJ8/7szimCO8Psw/s400/IMG_6575.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623317663779296146" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hK19orQgF0A/TgoLwGKODCI/AAAAAAAACKE/_JgFX-xe34Q/s1600/IMG_6574.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hK19orQgF0A/TgoLwGKODCI/AAAAAAAACKE/_JgFX-xe34Q/s400/IMG_6574.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623320005640588322" /></a><br />Even Mini Khan made a welcome appearance! What?! I was just curious!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiiA4U0-6lc/TgoMA1tNHmI/AAAAAAAACKM/6Sin1_hP1SY/s1600/IMG_6570.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiiA4U0-6lc/TgoMA1tNHmI/AAAAAAAACKM/6Sin1_hP1SY/s400/IMG_6570.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623320293281701474" /></a><br />With the Red Carpet Vivek Oberoi party (you know the one that was highjacked by Shah Rukh!), on it's way it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready. I never EVER wear a dress, but this was a special occasion, so I had to get all dressed up. Once we got to the Sheraton, I was so happy that we had line by pass tickets. That was until I realized that there was no such thing and we had to stand at the back of the line anyway. Oh well. At least it moved fast! So, go from this line to get your wrist bands, to this line to get downstairs, to this line for red carpet pictures and you are finally in! WOO HOO!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUaRl9ws18Q/Tgo1MRTL7OI/AAAAAAAACKc/nZlEr0jj980/s1600/DSCF0215.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUaRl9ws18Q/Tgo1MRTL7OI/AAAAAAAACKc/nZlEr0jj980/s400/DSCF0215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623365569644063970" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-LUmfnmBwI/Tgo3W4-UekI/AAAAAAAACKk/SwtxkPYOXoQ/s1600/IMG_6597.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-LUmfnmBwI/Tgo3W4-UekI/AAAAAAAACKk/SwtxkPYOXoQ/s400/IMG_6597.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623367951115909698" /></a><br />I have to tell you, for someone who loves desi/filmi music so much but only gets to appreciate it in the comfort of her home or blaring in the car, it was SO GREAT to be able to dance to my favorite songs in a club like setting. Of course, after getting a wine, we started up right away!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fj9kf45ViSw/Tgpeic9HfGI/AAAAAAAACLk/4yGcgNTo-lo/s1600/IMG_6598.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fj9kf45ViSw/Tgpeic9HfGI/AAAAAAAACLk/4yGcgNTo-lo/s400/IMG_6598.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623411030706584674" /></a><br />Apparently, like most Indian organized events, there was absolute chaos! No one with a vip wristband knew where to go for the actual meet & greet. Some people were saying, "Just head to the front", which we tried only to be scolded at very ominously by a large white security guard. SCARY! Finally they announced where to go, and, as we made our way over, we were bombarded with people just trying to get a closer look. However, those wristbands were awesome things, because it allowed us to actually go on stage with the very handsome Vivek Oberoi. I remember thinking I wondered how I would ever react if I got a chance to actually meet a celebrity. Would I be cool. Would I be a total fangirl. I'm not actually 15 years old anymore, after all. So, when I got a chance to meet Vivek, I think what I came up with was, "I'm so happy to meet you. I loved you in Prince." Smack head! What a wasted opportunity! Though, to be fair, they were ushering us over that stage so fast I felt completely rushed! Oh well, at least I got myself a pic of the event to commemorate my complete lack of eloquence.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUI8YpXTV3k/TgpRedJXMyI/AAAAAAAACLc/9usBbwoMOfs/s1600/PLP-BCSRKVOMeetGreet-0070-M.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUI8YpXTV3k/TgpRedJXMyI/AAAAAAAACLc/9usBbwoMOfs/s400/PLP-BCSRKVOMeetGreet-0070-M.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623396668387308322" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I hate this picture of me, but oh well, it's me and VIVEK OBEROI! WOOT!!!!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Vivek was done, we were graced by the one and only Shah Rukh Khan. You know, for the amount of people that seemed to be milling around outside the Sheraton, there didn't seem to be the thousands of peeps inside that we were expecting. That being said, I didn't get as close to him as I would have preferred, figuring at least 30 - 40 yards between the love of my life and myself. It was close enough though to get a few snaps and see him answer questions, say some dialogues, show off his signature filmi move. The crowd was crazy over him, and I'm embarrassed to say that after all was said and done I had to excuse myself to go compose and get it together!! Geez! At some point I'm sure I will outgrow this crazy fangirl inside me.... ah who am I kidding, I'll be the same when I'm 60!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wFaZHTPRPg/Tgo4Fug2jSI/AAAAAAAACKs/lMa3onxkLkM/s1600/IMG_6642.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwFaZHTPRPg/Tgo4Fug2jSI/AAAAAAAACKs/lMa3onxkLkM/s400/IMG_6642.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623368755761810722" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the better shots I got of Shah Rukh. He looked tired I thought, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but still very handsome and dapper! </i></div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMY_H7byBm8/TgpLkG4yj-I/AAAAAAAACLU/XUy5GHYPYNo/s1600/1b.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMY_H7byBm8/TgpLkG4yj-I/AAAAAAAACLU/XUy5GHYPYNo/s400/1b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623390168421666786" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A much better pic courtesy of Projected Life Photography, who very kindly took our photographs with Vivek and some great photos of the guest of honor!</i></div><div><br />After all the hubub over our wonderful hosts of the evening were over, the dj threw on some fantastic tunes and filmigirl, my sister and I hit the dance floor! No sooner had we started to rock out when we were joined by a small group of ladies, who were amazed that we knew the words to the songs! From that point on, we had people coming up to us all night wondering who we were, how we knew Bollywood, asking to take our photos. It was strange but fun and we continued to dance the night away until the wee hours of the morning! I even won an official party Shah Rukh tshirt! Woot!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tY3_DPDBCE/Tgo8TKRCnJI/AAAAAAAACLE/P11wMdBeG6o/s1600/IMG_6629.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3tY3_DPDBCE/Tgo8TKRCnJI/AAAAAAAACLE/P11wMdBeG6o/s400/IMG_6629.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623373384596495506" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cRPCfXal5F8/Tgo8rWUTOSI/AAAAAAAACLM/wC9euqcJNkY/s1600/IMG_6628.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cRPCfXal5F8/Tgo8rWUTOSI/AAAAAAAACLM/wC9euqcJNkY/s400/IMG_6628.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623373800148252962" /></a><br />I was so excited to meet some of my SRKAngels from twitter, including srksuperfanatic and shahrukhzangel and twitter friend Daniel. Brief as it was, I was thrilled to spend time with them all.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1z4GrSkkQxo/Tgo6difbaPI/AAAAAAAACK0/qJzc_04FigE/s1600/DSCF0234.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1z4GrSkkQxo/Tgo6difbaPI/AAAAAAAACK0/qJzc_04FigE/s400/DSCF0234.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623371363874728178" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Shruti, me and Nabila! SRKAngels represent!!!</i></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BGZ4n7xvJv8/Tgo7Yu5lW2I/AAAAAAAACK8/WfJO7-_MG8U/s1600/DSCF0224.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BGZ4n7xvJv8/Tgo7Yu5lW2I/AAAAAAAACK8/WfJO7-_MG8U/s400/DSCF0224.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623372380817939298" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Filmigirl, Daniel and me!</i> </div><br />A fantastic day! An even more fantastic night. It was really an amazing time, and I made memories to last a lifetime!<br /><br />Stay tuned for Part 2 - IIFA fever!</div>Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-66407958392990970302011-06-20T08:53:00.001-07:002011-06-20T09:20:44.511-07:00Time Flies!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9DZQ_vcliYE/Tf9zOsHhltI/AAAAAAAACJc/p5gMPTIKGeA/s1600/IIFA-Awards-2011-tickets-on.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 250px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9DZQ_vcliYE/Tf9zOsHhltI/AAAAAAAACJc/p5gMPTIKGeA/s400/IIFA-Awards-2011-tickets-on.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620337556179752658" /></a><br />Holy smokes! Has it been that long since I did a post? I completely missed my 2nd bloggiversary (bummer), but as spring moves forward, my love of all things Bolly related continues to grow! I've seen a bunch of films in the last couple of months, but I am so behind on my reviews that I'm going to do a loved it/hated it post soon. Coming up: Patiala House, Golmaal 3, Band Baaja Baaraat, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Break Ke Baad... <br /><br />I am SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED to be leaving to attend IIFA 2011 in 4 days!!! I have purchased a gorgeous (and "fresh" outfit according to my very persistent but fun salesman) so I can attend the awards in style! I couldn't believe when I read Shah Rukh would be performing the final number of the night. SCORE! My bank account has experienced a disastrously high shrinking rate, however my closet has become home to some wicked party wear!<br /><br />And speaking of Shah Rukh, what else are you to do the big IIFA weekend but party, so when we got the chance to go to a Vivek Oberoi & friends event, why not! Scooped VIP tix up and was excited to see who "friends" were, little did I know that the night would be host to special guest Shah Rukh! WHAT!!!! As little as one week ago no one even knew if he was going to be gracing Canada with his presence, now he's going to be at everything I'm attending! My heart was experiencing serious palpitations last night on the arrival of this news.<br /><br />So, parties, awards, movie poster art museums, movies all with my sister, Filmigirl and a host of other wonderful twitter/blogger friends I can not wait to meet, Friday can not come here fast enough!!!! I can't wait to post all the pics and tell you all how much fun I know we are going to have. Can it just be Friday already!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-57259775319080937612011-04-28T13:51:00.000-07:002011-04-28T14:02:58.930-07:00Kingdom of Dreams PhotoshootWhat a great day today! First Kolkata Knight Riders won their game today against Delhi, complete with several waves and kisses to me from our lovely owner(yay for my boys in purple and gold!), then I got to see the specatcular Harry Potter trailer for Deathly Hallows 2, THEN I stumbled upon this wonderful new photoshoot with Shah (who, by the way I am missing like crazy!). So I had HAD to share some of them with you. Check out pinkvilla.com for the entire photo spread.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TpZYNeyZKE4/TbnVSH36vmI/AAAAAAAACJQ/68vJ-b5j3g8/s1600/SRK%2B%252814%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TpZYNeyZKE4/TbnVSH36vmI/AAAAAAAACJQ/68vJ-b5j3g8/s400/SRK%2B%252814%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600742118939868770" /></a><br /><div>So dapper in this all black ensemble! Shah is nothing if not genuinely classy!</div><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ek5zrkyNjU0/TbnVF9tyIDI/AAAAAAAACJI/QSyapcb1qE4/s1600/SRK%2B%25285%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ek5zrkyNjU0/TbnVF9tyIDI/AAAAAAAACJI/QSyapcb1qE4/s400/SRK%2B%25285%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741910054576178" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYOXu61v2H8/TbnU_7WVz1I/AAAAAAAACJA/bkpP0_DK0n0/s1600/SRK%2B%25284%2529_0.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYOXu61v2H8/TbnU_7WVz1I/AAAAAAAACJA/bkpP0_DK0n0/s400/SRK%2B%25284%2529_0.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741806340165458" /></a><br /></div><div>I am so loving the little smirks! Kya smile!!!</div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mrp3S4jpGA/TbnU0ZhnKBI/AAAAAAAACI4/ufaFf0fPODE/s1600/SRK%2B%25282%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mrp3S4jpGA/TbnU0ZhnKBI/AAAAAAAACI4/ufaFf0fPODE/s400/SRK%2B%25282%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741608282073106" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJyjd074hkA/TbnUtDTa4TI/AAAAAAAACIw/y-hfhdSuaxs/s1600/SRK%2B%25286%2529_0.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJyjd074hkA/TbnUtDTa4TI/AAAAAAAACIw/y-hfhdSuaxs/s400/SRK%2B%25286%2529_0.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741482057883954" /></a><br /><div>Oh my gosh! Loving the mural behind him. If someone would like to come to my house and paint it up for me like this I would be infinitely grateful!</div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3idWB0KCy1E/TbnUjGITyiI/AAAAAAAACIo/z3x8Thkr7AI/s1600/SRK%2B%252812%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3idWB0KCy1E/TbnUjGITyiI/AAAAAAAACIo/z3x8Thkr7AI/s400/SRK%2B%252812%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741311017896482" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YGspCAJgTZk/TbnUX4aZd_I/AAAAAAAACIg/KGcygVisGXU/s1600/SRK%2B%252815%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YGspCAJgTZk/TbnUX4aZd_I/AAAAAAAACIg/KGcygVisGXU/s400/SRK%2B%252815%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600741118357108722" /></a>Taa daa! A super terrific block of pics! Go, run and check out the rest of them now!<br /></div></div>Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-22012108381923400042011-04-04T20:06:00.000-07:002011-04-09T07:52:27.463-07:00Guzaarish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TiD62eWAJE/TZpYtOYZWvI/AAAAAAAACIY/8ssjRS-FJS8/s1600/Guzaarish-2010-Hindi-Movie-Watch-Online.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 277px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591879421311671026" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TiD62eWAJE/TZpYtOYZWvI/AAAAAAAACIY/8ssjRS-FJS8/s400/Guzaarish-2010-Hindi-Movie-Watch-Online.jpg" /></a><br />Apparently I am on a video viewing rampage it seems. How interesting that it just happens to coincide with my last trip to the video store. I've several to write up, but I think I'm going to start with my latest, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <em>Guzaarish</em>.<br /><br />I remember seeing the first sneak peaks and trailers for this film and at once thought it looked beautifully intriguing. Then the music was released and I was completely underwhelmed. Only one song spoke to me, and the rest nearly put me to sleep. I belong to a small percentage of people I'm sure who are averse to kiss the ground SLB walks on. Of his films that I've seen I've only really enjoyed HDDCS (and yes, that does include <em>Devdas</em>), but after the disaster that was <em>Saawariya</em>, I was reluctant to go on another journey with the director, regardless of who was in it.<br /><br />When the trailers were airing I'd heard stories that the movie was going to unwind similarly along the lines of the magical drama <em>The Prestige</em>. After the film was released there was apparently a slough on controversy over the main theme of the story, a smoking scene with Aish, alleged plagiarism of Indian writer Dayanand Rajan's unpublished novel <em>Summer Snow</em> and the similarity between the film and the 2004 Spanish film <em>The Sea Inside</em>. They say any publicity is good publicity, but even with all that, the film didn't do well at the box office, and it's a real tragedy because <em>Guzaarish</em> it really is an incredibly touching and lovely film!<br /><br />Simply put, the story is about one man's pursuit to achieve the final word on his life. Quadriplegic for 14 years, Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik) decides to take matters into his own hands and appeal to the courts, with the aid of his best friend and lawyer Devyani, for euthanasia. The film also follows the close relationship between Ethan and his long time nurse, Sophia (Aishwarya). Instead of getting into the political matters of mercy killings, which I'm sure it was SLB's intention to perhaps shed some light on the taboo subject, I'd rather talk about the moments in this film that left a lasting impression on me.<br /><br />One might think that a film about a man's quest to live and end his life with dignity might be a sombre affair, but the dialogues are peppered with humour, and it's these exchanges that really make you fall in love with Ethan's character. You'd think that a person who had to deal with the unfortunate after effects of an accident that left you in a wheelchair for the rest of your life would be bitter and cynical perhaps, but Ethan tends to looks at situations differently, using his experiences to help enhance the lives of others with his inspirational book and radio show, and attacking his own mishaps with a dry wit. One of my favorite scenes takes place right after Ethan nearly falls out of bed.<br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCd0QiiSWmo/TZowsKbDxLI/AAAAAAAACGA/pJD05fRAcbg/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m05s177.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591835422604117170" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCd0QiiSWmo/TZowsKbDxLI/AAAAAAAACGA/pJD05fRAcbg/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m05s177.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M4laY731J30/TZowhLv034I/AAAAAAAACF4/hfgyrl1HExI/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m15s70.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591835233981095810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M4laY731J30/TZowhLv034I/AAAAAAAACF4/hfgyrl1HExI/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m15s70.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdjNFjhTUeQ/TZowUapctsI/AAAAAAAACFw/F4gILZnU7Bo/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m59s14.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591835014642579138" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdjNFjhTUeQ/TZowUapctsI/AAAAAAAACFw/F4gILZnU7Bo/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h29m59s14.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vSRoDrRNoWE/TZowHF_DFwI/AAAAAAAACFo/sBmhsL2zVPc/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h30m40s157.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591834785757730562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vSRoDrRNoWE/TZowHF_DFwI/AAAAAAAACFo/sBmhsL2zVPc/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h30m40s157.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFDui1JyZ8s/TZov0bS5diI/AAAAAAAACFg/cANFPh-AOpY/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h31m38s238.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591834465060615714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFDui1JyZ8s/TZov0bS5diI/AAAAAAAACFg/cANFPh-AOpY/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h31m38s238.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOJq3fjSBKs/TZooiS3yc7I/AAAAAAAACFQ/BUiRkYXqA5M/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h32m33s13.png"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOJq3fjSBKs/TZooiS3yc7I/AAAAAAAACFQ/BUiRkYXqA5M/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h32m33s13.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591826456980386738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOJq3fjSBKs/TZooiS3yc7I/AAAAAAAACFQ/BUiRkYXqA5M/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h32m33s13.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoE8aCnRnEg/TZooHDx0upI/AAAAAAAACFI/x6ydUfKbfL0/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h33m01s46.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591825989072370322" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoE8aCnRnEg/TZooHDx0upI/AAAAAAAACFI/x6ydUfKbfL0/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h33m01s46.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0L7_OI6EH70/TZoIcF2adjI/AAAAAAAACE4/6hjlIqNFv70/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h34m32s192.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591791166033655346" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0L7_OI6EH70/TZoIcF2adjI/AAAAAAAACE4/6hjlIqNFv70/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-11h34m32s192.png" /></a><br />I suppose it is a combination of brilliant direction and acting that, as a viewer, you feel empathy for your protagonist when watching any kind of movie dealing with disabilities. When I watched the scene where Ethan was faced with a leaky roof, I thought my heart was going burst with compassion for the man. One second I am welling up over how completely tragic and desperate the moment is, then, once again I am laughing at how he seems to overcome it all with his amazing humor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mE_CMEEvZkc/TZozMyi6VGI/AAAAAAAACG4/Xt-8IIG7G_s/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m03s74.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838182153540706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mE_CMEEvZkc/TZozMyi6VGI/AAAAAAAACG4/Xt-8IIG7G_s/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m03s74.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t9Gh5-VCNKE/TZozGL8JpLI/AAAAAAAACGw/Rh_zfrFaNzo/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m18s224.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838068711204018" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t9Gh5-VCNKE/TZozGL8JpLI/AAAAAAAACGw/Rh_zfrFaNzo/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m18s224.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPYnhAeQfKc/TZoy_3uyLcI/AAAAAAAACGo/L7olvYHsOIM/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m21s254.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591837960207216066" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPYnhAeQfKc/TZoy_3uyLcI/AAAAAAAACGo/L7olvYHsOIM/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h28m21s254.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1C1fREtaR38/TZoy1kv28_I/AAAAAAAACGg/9P5doTPyAQ8/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h29m21s87.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591837783312757746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1C1fREtaR38/TZoy1kv28_I/AAAAAAAACGg/9P5doTPyAQ8/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h29m21s87.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzDJveoVzw0/TZoytrVd6bI/AAAAAAAACGY/bWatiKSH2eQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h29m51s126.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591837647642159538" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RzDJveoVzw0/TZoytrVd6bI/AAAAAAAACGY/bWatiKSH2eQ/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h29m51s126.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZlEPCbRRQo/TZoyXAIscvI/AAAAAAAACGQ/NqQEF0FaAOc/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h32m02s158.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591837258088739570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZlEPCbRRQo/TZoyXAIscvI/AAAAAAAACGQ/NqQEF0FaAOc/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h32m02s158.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZURAik7u-YI/TZoyJ5GepXI/AAAAAAAACGI/ndDD6kMsGTk/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h33m13s98.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591837032862098802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZURAik7u-YI/TZoyJ5GepXI/AAAAAAAACGI/ndDD6kMsGTk/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h33m13s98.png" /></a><br />When Hrithik said he was going to lend his voice to a song in <em>Kites</em>, I thought "Cool!", then I listened to it and thought, "Boy, how I wished he hadn't done that". In <em>Guzaarish</em> he lends his pipes to another song. However, this time it was poignant and what turned out to be a very special moment in the movie for me! <strong>SPOILER ALERT</strong> Ethan sings, as a tribute to his mother at her funeral, <em>What A Wonderful World</em>, with such meaning that you don't care that he's not a playback singer. It's intended to be a personal acknowledgement to the bond they shared, and it's incredibly touching. The song has special meaning to me as well, as it was played also at my step-father's funeral. Beautiful.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9VNGgUHvkwQ" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>END SPOILER</strong><br /><br />I have to say that I was really relieved with the look of this film, and by that I mean it was colorful! Beautiful crisp vivid colors in almost every shot. Bright reds, glorious greens and, yes there was some calming blues in there too. What SLB managed to bring out in a lot of the film was a total ethereal quality. The scenes where Ethan flashes back to his days as a magician are really stunning. Cinematically speaking, it really is a lovely film to watch.<br /><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrKL7YXv8y4/TZo5KVviyqI/AAAAAAAACHY/YW1ToeAFuT0/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h22m52s231.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591844737131924130" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrKL7YXv8y4/TZo5KVviyqI/AAAAAAAACHY/YW1ToeAFuT0/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h22m52s231.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cwu7sItOUPo/TZo2ZdnMMyI/AAAAAAAACHQ/cM2xg_w0PGw/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h20m10s181.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591841698407527202" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cwu7sItOUPo/TZo2ZdnMMyI/AAAAAAAACHQ/cM2xg_w0PGw/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h20m10s181.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODaL1IouseQ/TZo0tBJNi2I/AAAAAAAACHI/Jizp4-QVdjI/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h37m05s112.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591839835339721570" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODaL1IouseQ/TZo0tBJNi2I/AAAAAAAACHI/Jizp4-QVdjI/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h37m05s112.png" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkZXjOoZFnM/TZo0ZoNJajI/AAAAAAAACHA/JBYuSqby2ps/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h34m55s7.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591839502227827250" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkZXjOoZFnM/TZo0ZoNJajI/AAAAAAAACHA/JBYuSqby2ps/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h34m55s7.png" /></a><br /><br />I'd said that when the OST was released, I wasn't sure of the songs in the film, except for <em>Udi</em>, which was instantly catchy. However, in the context of the story, each and every song works wonderfully and is, perhaps, one of the best examples of how a film and music work symbiotically together in perfect harmony. Even the background score is beautiful and does exactly as it should, enhancing the mood of the film in every frame it plays.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nTLaTgJ4zz4" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br />I love the Spanish vibe to this tune. I love Sophie's ability to let loose a little bit and I LOVE Ethan's response to it!<br /><br />This film, even with all it's beauty and song, would be nothing without the absolutely brilliant acting done by each and every person yielding a script. It's quite a large cast of supporting players, but it's Shernaz Patel (Devyani Dutta) who stands out to me as the best friend/lawyer. Both sympathetic to her friends cause, battling it out in court, and saddened to know that if she wins it ultimately means the end of her friendship, Shernaz plays the torn woman well. Aditya Roy Kapoor plays Omar Siddique, the young hopeful magician who weasels his way into Ethan's home but ends up being the recipient of all of his tricks. I just saw Adi in <em>Action Replayy</em> (which I'm not quite finished yet), and thought he was capable, if you can look past that giant mop of a hairdo! I can see him with a successful supporting character career.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bXk9b3ztnaA/TZpXERl2SQI/AAAAAAAACH4/yyB9cEE7s-0/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h32m25s35.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591877618287134978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bXk9b3ztnaA/TZpXERl2SQI/AAAAAAAACH4/yyB9cEE7s-0/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h32m25s35.png" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0VlLIWOqK40/TZpYKet5FhI/AAAAAAAACIQ/gnfsNd7YGGk/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h33m50s125.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591878824401376786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0VlLIWOqK40/TZpYKet5FhI/AAAAAAAACIQ/gnfsNd7YGGk/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-13h33m50s125.png" /></a><br />Aish was beautiful, of course, in this film, and she does a wonderful job as Ethan's nurse. You can tell that their relationship runs deeper than the standard nurse/patient relationship and it's her resounding quietness that demonstrates just how much she cares about him, especially during the scene where she is being attacked by the court's prosecutor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RXqIj15kjA/TZpVRTdph1I/AAAAAAAACHo/BETUtE4S1ls/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h23m29s127.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591875643104659282" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RXqIj15kjA/TZpVRTdph1I/AAAAAAAACHo/BETUtE4S1ls/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-15h23m29s127.png" /></a><br />However, this film belongs to Hrithik. It is a daunting task to take on a role, I would imagine, that requires you to sit in a chair, immobile (with the exception of a few minutes of film) with nothing but your face to convey what you are going through. Hrithik was able to express everything, love, anger, depression, happiness all with his face, and he was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!! And you know what?! The "Jesus" hair that he had to sport for so long that everyone gave him SUCH a hard time about, well you don't even notice it. I mean, you notice it, but you don't care. This role did nothing but solidify why Hrithik is one of India's top superstars and why he is one of my favorite actors! Also if you are looking for a hot Hrithik, you do get one in the magic flashbacks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jqd341_VKWQ/TZpXs1_nKoI/AAAAAAAACIA/QIOheuY5jpE/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h44m30s212.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591878315253639810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jqd341_VKWQ/TZpXs1_nKoI/AAAAAAAACIA/QIOheuY5jpE/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h44m30s212.png" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-upvuaw7WP4Q/TZpX54U0PBI/AAAAAAAACII/7kt93bZ1uMg/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h22m26s32.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591878539217746962" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-upvuaw7WP4Q/TZpX54U0PBI/AAAAAAAACII/7kt93bZ1uMg/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h22m26s32.png" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_P3HDxe162E/TZpQBrCCQvI/AAAAAAAACHg/5dNrD295T6Q/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h47m48s146.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 225px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591869876995244786" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_P3HDxe162E/TZpQBrCCQvI/AAAAAAAACHg/5dNrD295T6Q/s400/vlcsnap-2011-04-04-12h47m48s146.png" /></a><br />No, SLB, it is I that is having a love story with you. You took a tough subject, treated it with extreme care and made a film just so lovely it's a crime that people didn't embrace it as I have. Oh, sure, it has a few flaws, but I'm not going to talk about them. What I'm going to take away from this film is that love, and life, are precious as long as you live by what makes you happiest.<br /><br />One sidenote: I saw a film a long time ago that tackled a similar subject called <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113443/" target="_blank"><em>It's My Party</em></a> about a man that has to cope with the lasting complications of advanced AIDS. If you liked <em>Guzaarish</em>, you should definitely check out this American film.<br />Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-43837141922869331962011-04-01T07:27:00.000-07:002011-04-01T08:44:31.083-07:00IIFA Nominations AnnouncedNews is fast and furiously flowing on twitter this morning regarding the IIFA nominations, which, to be quite honest, are not surprising one bit and are really just an echo of all the other awards already given out this season already. <br /><br />Nomination voting was held earlier this month, and, apparently, voting attendance was astonishingly high, with over 1500 industry stalwarts, actors, directors, producers, technicians and composers (among others) casting their votes. <br /><br />One of the things I'm very excited about, however, is that one of my favorite funny character actors, the extremely talented Bowman Irani is scheduled to host the event! A great choice, IIFA team! Rumours of who is going to be in attendance otherwise are sketchy at best. I already read that Akshay Kumar would be performing only to be rescinded the next day. I guess only time will tell! <br /><br />Here's the list of <s>completely unsurprising</s> nominations so far. <br /><br />Negative Role:<br />Naseeruddin Shah - Allah Kay Bandey<br />Sonu Sood - Dabangg<br />Emraan Hashmi - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai<br />Manoj Bajpayee - Raajneeti<br />Ronit Roy - Udaan<br /><br />Comic Role:<br />Paresh Rawal - Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge<br />Johny Lever - Golmaal 3<br />Riteish Deshmukh - Housefull<br />Anil Kapoor - No Problem<br />Pradhuman Singh - Tere Bin Laden<br /><br />Supporting Female:<br />Amrita Puri - Aisha<br />Dimple Kapadia - Dabangg<br />Ratna Pathak - Golmaal 3<br />Shernaz Patel - Guzaarish<br />Prachi Desai - Once Upon A Time In Mumbai<br /><br />Supporting Male:<br />Mithun - Golmaal 3<br />Arshad Warsi - Ishqiya<br />Emraan Hashmi -Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai<br />Arjun Rampal - Raajneeti<br />Manoj Bajpayee - Raajneeti<br /><br />Leading Female Nominees:<br />Anushka Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat<br />Kareena Kapoor - Golmaal 3<br />Aishwarya Rai - Guzaarish<br />Vidya Balan -Ishqiya<br />Katrina Kaif - Raajneeti<br /><br />Leading Male Nominees<br />Salman Khan - Dabangg<br />Hrithik Roshan - Guzaarish<br />Shah Rukh Khan - My Name Is Khan<br />Ajay Devgn - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaa<br />Ranbir Kapoor - Raajneeti<br /><br />Best Direction Nominees:<br />Band Baaja Baaraat<br />Dabangg<br />Guzaarish<br />My Name Is Khan<br />Once Upon A Time In Mumbai<br />Udaan<br /><br />Best Film Nominees:<br />Band Baaja Baarat<br />Dabangg<br />My Name Is Khan<br />Raajneeti<br />Once Upon A Time In Mumbai<br /><br />I've picked up most of these films now and will make sure to watch all of the nominated films before June! I don't think we'll see much differences between this awards ceremony and the others, but you never know. My hope is that Arshad and Vidya both win for their respective categories!!! And, I'm really hoping that the MNIK nominations will persuade Shah to come out (FINGERS CROSSED), even if he doesn't take home anything! <br /><br />2 months, 23 days to go!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-49859938060805294952011-03-28T10:27:00.000-07:002011-03-28T10:50:26.455-07:00Raja Hindustani<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHt0ipUdC9s/TZDHpPLgjmI/AAAAAAAACEw/DnbZgMHzqII/s1600/raja4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHt0ipUdC9s/TZDHpPLgjmI/AAAAAAAACEw/DnbZgMHzqII/s400/raja4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589186648830152290" /></a><br />*** contains some spoilers<br /><br />It all started with a kiss. Well, at least that's what lead me to this '96 film by Dharmesh Darshan starring Karishma Kapoor and Aamir Khan. Raja Hindustani, Darshan's only real feather al a cap, definitly has it's moments, least of all that infamous scene in the rain under the tree, both good and bad. Overall, I enjoyed the film, at least enough to keep clicking "next" on youtube.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nB6BM2lyW3U/TZDFmDfzx0I/AAAAAAAACEQ/p2TTPtLBlnk/s1600/raja2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 196px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589184395131209538" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nB6BM2lyW3U/TZDFmDfzx0I/AAAAAAAACEQ/p2TTPtLBlnk/s400/raja2.jpg" /></a><br />The film starts out with Aarti and her father celebrating their birthdays in upper class style and, right off the hop you sense that Aarti's "maa" doesn't necessarily possess fuzzy warm matronly feelings for the girl, but that could be because she is, indeed, the evil stepmother whose intentions become clear very early into the film. Oh well, that's okay because she is the apple of her father's eye and when she asks to go to Palankhet, the place where her parents met, he abides without blinking an eye. It is here where she meets Raja, the under-educated, unsophisticated, short tempered cab driver who is smitten for Aarti the very instant he sets eyes on her. Raja does his best to woo the upper class ladki, but unfortunately she can't see past the confines of friendship, even when Raja attempts to class it up in an attempt to show her just how urban he can be by donning some very, shall we say, colorful clothing. It's quite heartbreaking really, Aarti's reaction, when you know that Raja just wants to desparately to show her that he can be the man she wants. Even Raja's concern for her safety and reputation garners him nothing but a scolding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlSGfTHqBbU/TZDF0MWVB_I/AAAAAAAACEY/72EdbIj0lbo/s1600/raja3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 280px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589184638025533426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hlSGfTHqBbU/TZDF0MWVB_I/AAAAAAAACEY/72EdbIj0lbo/s400/raja3.jpg" /></a><br />Then, finally, we are rewarded with that kiss. Usually we get the illusion of a kiss. Shadowy, heads tilted at such an angle, camera break away at just the right time, but Darshan lets us in on the couple's first romantic moment with abandon. And what a moment it is! Raja's hesitation, Aarti's complete surrender, it's all just culminates into the perfect few minutes of film. Finallly, Raja seemingly has won the girl, but his hopes are dashed by a serious case of bad timing, when Aarti's dad shows up to take her back home, and, ironically, they need someone to drive them back to the city. Thankfully, the trip to the airport is interrupted by some (un)fortunate traffic, and the group becomes guests at a musical interlude. It is here where Raja's pain and passion come forth so predominately that even Aarti can not keep from throwing herself at him, no consideration to her father's wishes.<br /><br />What follows is a relationship that is riddled with misunderstandings, scheming, fighting and one helluva crazy finale that had me rolling my eyes back into my head and simultaneously laughing at the audacity of Hindi filmmakers. There are plenty of wtf moments, but through it all I was captivated by the continued deterioration of Raja's ability to use a straight blade. However, that wasn't enough to deter me from the reason I enjoyed this film, which can pretty much be summed up in two words. Aamir Khan.<br /><br />Even though I would classify this film as a typical boy/girl romance, I think you see the roots of Aamir's dramatic tree in his Raja character. He is so expressive with his eyes, whether he is yearning for the girl or mad with rage. I wanted him to win the girl, even if I thought he could do better, and I felt his pain when he was hurting. A finer actor Aamir couldn't be, and I am constantly surprised by how accomplished he was even in his early films.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFzjT1OZYX0/TZDF87QUZ6I/AAAAAAAACEg/Cuhw-xotfqQ/s1600/raja5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 390px; height: 223px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589184788055746466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFzjT1OZYX0/TZDF87QUZ6I/AAAAAAAACEg/Cuhw-xotfqQ/s400/raja5.jpg" /></a><br />Karishma Kapoor, however, is an actor that, although I haven't seen many of her films, I can take or leave. I was extremely grateful that she'd had some eyebrow threading for this film though (because honestly, the girl's had some serious catepillars above her eyes and I'm sometimes shallow that way). As an actress, I think she played Aarti well. She was self-absorbed enough to make us believe she doesn't see Raja's intentions and self-delusional enough to make us think she loves him enough to make it work. What I really liked about her character though was that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself against her father's wishes. I found that quite refreshing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XL5OQ1DB-Kk/TZDFbteS9MI/AAAAAAAACEI/C2OWR4XF3A4/s1600/raja1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589184217420592322" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XL5OQ1DB-Kk/TZDFbteS9MI/AAAAAAAACEI/C2OWR4XF3A4/s400/raja1.jpg" /></a><br />A small shout out to the supporting players. Aarti is accompanied to Palankhet with her two gender confused chaperones (played by Navneet Nishan and Veeru Krishnan)who were instrumental in providing some of the comic relief, along with an almost toned down and thus completely bareable Johnny Lever. We even see Johnny, who plays sikh Balvant Singh, in a small side-plot where he pursues a love interest of his very own. Archana Puran Singh was devilishly evil as the wicked step-mother and it was a wonderfully nice surprise to see Farida Jalal, who is perhaps my very favorite filmi character actress!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Mblm1dDME/TZDGOkjJi7I/AAAAAAAACEo/K6x2xqPJFtc/s1600/raja6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 284px; height: 167px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589185091198356402" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Mblm1dDME/TZDGOkjJi7I/AAAAAAAACEo/K6x2xqPJFtc/s400/raja6.jpg" /></a><br />Though this film did okay business at the box office, I think it was the music that propelled its popularity. Pardesi Pardesi is a beautiful song sung by Sapna Awasthi, Alka Yagnik, and Udit Narayan, and serves as the backdrop of the couple's relationship throughout the film. Kitna Pyaara Tuhje is another delightful song that's featured in the film before it gets all heavy handed.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PREUB3_8EJ0" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br />At any rate, I liked this film. It definitly had it's share of surprises. I am certainly enjoying delving into Aamir's older work.<br /><br />Until next time...</div>Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-76148222146231304002011-03-23T07:51:00.000-07:002011-03-26T08:31:56.093-07:00Wednesdays are wonderful dontcha know!Well I had hoped to have this up yesterday, but blogger wasn't letting me publish for some reason. I'm crossing my fingers that it will let me do it today so I can bring you the following....<br /><br />Ah, Wednesday. The week is half over, so that's always a plus. Also I have my very first Stampin Up home party tonight, which I'm a little nervous about, but also excited, so that's cool. However, when I woke up this morning and did my ritual internet rounds, I was beyond thrilled to see that the one and only Shah Rukh had indeed returned to twitter (as he had proclaimed he would in an earlier interview, but to be quite frank I wasn't holding my breath). Huzzah!!! Also, if you are watching the Cricket World Cup, the first look of Ra.one will be aired exclusively during the Ind-Aus match today! How excited am I? <br /><br />That being said, there is a sneak peak available now. It's just a teaser, and oh how it teases. I can not wait for this film. I think it's going to be exciting, groundbreaking and it has Shah in tight black leather. How can it be wrong?!<br /><br />Enjoy this quick 15 min!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_XrNV4RR3SA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />I will post the first look as soon as it becomes available online!<br />Have a super Wednesday!!!<br /><br />...and here's the 30 second promo! <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7lb8AtsfKH8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-63206018822328480662011-03-18T08:24:00.000-07:002011-03-18T08:44:51.746-07:00I love Fridays!It has recently come to my attention that, for some, Bollywood has been a barren desolate filmi world without the presence of Shah Rukh. His absence from twitter has been felt as we all wait in the wings for Ra.One to finish and release. Pics of his awful hair extensions for Don 2 couldn't even fill the void!<br /><br />Anyway, it made me wonder, what is Bollywood to me? Is it one man or is it a multitude of wonderful pieces that all add to a whole?! Shah is what brought me to Indian cinema, that's for sure, but I think there's a lot that has kept me! I've a list of actors that I really enjoy, thought, honestly there's only two men that will make me drive to the city to watch a film in the theatre. However, I have found that even in this "dry" spell, the music has kept a permanent daily place in my life. I can not stress enough that filmi music reawakened my love for song that had lied dormant for many years (which is odd since music used to BE my life). So I thank the music directors and playback singers for constantly providing us with great music even if we are always waiting for our heroes to come out with their new projects.<br /><br />And, because it's Friday and I haven't posted a pic for a while, I came across this lovely little pic of our boy Shah showing us those wonderful abs that I'm hoping we'll get to see in Ra.One!<br /> <br />Enjoy and have a super Friday!!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMc-zDMkTpM/TYN7AkFSCYI/AAAAAAAACDQ/nz-wPFKBkoo/s1600/259694900.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 245px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vMc-zDMkTpM/TYN7AkFSCYI/AAAAAAAACDQ/nz-wPFKBkoo/s400/259694900.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585443212485593474" /></a>Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-36386200896706902462011-03-16T11:29:00.001-07:002011-03-17T17:03:24.864-07:00Top 5 Thursday: Best Kisses!Well, today is St. Patrick's Day, a holiday I've celebrated every single year since I was in college *cough* 16ish years ago. What does this annual celebration mean to me? Well, it used to (and still does) mean a day to let your hair down and indulge in some very green barley, but St. Patrick's day is also synonymous with kissing (I MUST find my "kiss me I'm Irish" button). So, in honor of St. Patrick, I present my top 5 favorite tv and movie kisses. There are multitudes of lip locks floating around there on film (check out AMC's awesome <a href="http://www.filmsite.org/filmkisses1.html" target="_blank">Best and Most Memorable Film Kisses of All Time in Cinematic History)</a>, but to me what makes the best kisses are ones that you are emotionally invested in. The kisses I chose to make my list all left a lasting impression on me. They made me either gasp with delight, cry buckets whether happy or sad tears, clap with enthusiasm or get all hot and bothered. So, without further ado, here are my top 5 kisses, television or movie, of all time!<br /><br />#5 Belle & the Beast - <em>Beauty and the Beast</em><br />This movie made my top 5 love stories of all time post so it's not surprising that it falls into this list as well. The classic tale of girl falling in love with a hairy man! When the beast is fallen by the abrasively arrogant Gaston, Belle rushes to his side and proclaims her love her him. Shooting lights splash down from the heavens and he is transformed into the handsome prince he once was. Once Belle realizes that this human is indeed the beast that she had come to love, they passionately embrace surrounded by whirling magical residue in what firmly lands in at #5 on my kiss list! Way to go beast! True love wins in this wonderful fairy tale!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwcn0mVX4LA/TYKBSX0pAAI/AAAAAAAACCw/ShwWDsUvvZ4/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m09s33.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585168640525271042" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwcn0mVX4LA/TYKBSX0pAAI/AAAAAAAACCw/ShwWDsUvvZ4/s400/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m09s33.png" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvlO0h-cMbI/TYKBHHa0TvI/AAAAAAAACCo/WrHb6M2cPGw/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m15s94.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585168447143431922" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvlO0h-cMbI/TYKBHHa0TvI/AAAAAAAACCo/WrHb6M2cPGw/s400/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m15s94.png" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0FRgOc0fG8/TYKA6lNQ3eI/AAAAAAAACCg/5nKP9CJKLis/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m21s161.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585168231801347554" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0FRgOc0fG8/TYKA6lNQ3eI/AAAAAAAACCg/5nKP9CJKLis/s400/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-15h43m21s161.png" /></a><br /><center><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Yowzers, Disney, that's some smoking animated action right there!</span></em></center><br /><br />#4 Raja & Aarti - <em>Raja Hindustani</em><br />I had never seen this film prior to thinking of doing this post, but I knew the kiss scene was somewhat infamous. And, after queuing it up on youtube and watching it (look for a review to come very soon), I have to agree that the fuss is totally worth it. That Raja falls in love with Aarti at first sight isn't up for debate, so when the perfect moment arrives (in the rain no less! Hello, this is Bollywood after all!) it is just about the sweetest, most innocent kiss I have ever seen and is so telling of their true feelings for each other. I can imagine, that when this film came out in 1996 that this scene caused quite a stir, and while kissing in Hindi film is becoming more prominent (read: Emran Hashmi), I certainly don't think it was back then. I can just hear the gasps coming from the men in the audience and the sighs from the women as they grasp their love ones arms from all the welling emotion. Okay, well, maybe that would have just been me! </p><p><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bPYvnSW42rk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />#3 Jim & Pam - <em>The Office</em><br />One of my favorite tv couples of all-time, I remember watching season 2's finale, <em>Casino Night</em>, and nearly falling off the couch when this kiss happened. First Jim tells Pam that he's in love with her, she pretends to herself that all the time they've spent hanging out in and out of the office has been nothing more than friendship (silly silly girl!) and rebuffs his statement of amore! However, Jim is no quitter and he decides to find out if Pam's actions speak louder than her words and when he surprises her alone in the dark deserted office, theirs is a kiss that speak volumes!!! I was SO HAPPY after I witnessed this moment of true affection that I spent the next, oh, probably 2 weeks or so, reliving it via youtube! While Jim and Pam have currently reverted into the kind of boring married role that I know oh so well, their relationship certainly started off with a big GIANT BANG!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7vjNstzKdA/TYKLCOJ3TRI/AAAAAAAACDI/U6qUgxcN0KQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-16h10m03s42.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7vjNstzKdA/TYKLCOJ3TRI/AAAAAAAACDI/U6qUgxcN0KQ/s400/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-16h10m03s42.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585179358168304914" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nGE2PkmFN5w/TYKK3Wst8BI/AAAAAAAACDA/8paAATEGlEk/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-16h10m15s152.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nGE2PkmFN5w/TYKK3Wst8BI/AAAAAAAACDA/8paAATEGlEk/s400/vlcsnap-2011-03-17-16h10m15s152.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585179171483414546" /></a><br /><br />#2 Krishna & Babban - <em>Ishqiya</em><br />I think when I watched this scene from one of my favorite films of last year, the smoke alarm went off in my house! The raw sexual nature of this kiss between house favorites Arshad Warsi and Vidya Balan is off the charts! It's no secret that I find Arshad the complete package, but this kiss! This kiss made me want to take a hot shower followed by a cold shower followed by a cigarette! *fans self* Anyway, for Bollywood, I'm pretty sure it was pushing the boundaries (up there with <em>Murder</em>, so I've heard), so I applaud this film for continuing the trend. Thank you VERY much! <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AFvcAhwer50" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />#1 Kurt & Blaine - <em>Glee</em><br />I am a total Gleek, I admit it. What I really love about this show, aside from the music (I was a vocal major in college after all), is that it has produced characters that you just fall in love with. Even the ones that I don't really want to like, I end up still having a soft spot for them. This season, imparticular, has given us really fantastic story lines, and when they really started exploring Kurt's sexuality and the consequences of it, I was thrilled that someone was putting a face to the bullying that goes on in school these days. I adore Kurt (played by the equally adorable and fantastic Chris Colfer), and was saddened when he had to leave his school for Dalton. But there is always a silver lining, isn't there. In Dalton he found a place where no one was judging him, and best of all, he found a kindred spirit in Blaine (played by super cute Darren Criss). As all good tv shows do, Kurt and Blaine started playing out the typical will they or won't they scenario, only it's not often you see same sex couples on tv played so realistically. So, when <em>Originals</em> aired last week, they answered the question loud and clear! My heart soared, I clapped so loud that hubz told me to keep it down, I had to wipe the tears away from my eyes several times, and I loved that kiss so much I watched the show 3 more times the next day! I applaud the creators of <em>Glee</em> and Chris and Darren for putting this on primetime tv and hope that one day we will all be able to celebrate such moments without prejudice. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nbsl84aAaNE" frameborder="0" width="480"></iframe></p><br /><br />So, once again, Happy St. Patrick's Day. I wish for you all love, prosperity and a long happy life this fine day!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-67969452538794869522011-03-15T09:55:00.000-07:002011-03-15T09:57:16.551-07:00IIFA... and other important things like movies!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!!!!<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pY6qfHTm5aY/TX-WdMszMEI/AAAAAAAACCY/EzMIE5v-T80/s1600/prince11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pY6qfHTm5aY/TX-WdMszMEI/AAAAAAAACCY/EzMIE5v-T80/s400/prince11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584347491332206658" /></a><br />I enjoy crime thrillers if they are done well. My experience with Vivek Oberoi has been limited to <em>Saathiya</em>, 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, <em>Prince</em> 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!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NDzMxtvmHZM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W2Lb-RHZU78/TX-VQZ_NoZI/AAAAAAAACCQ/QNkEq2Cllec/s1600/mann-hindi-movie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 397px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W2Lb-RHZU78/TX-VQZ_NoZI/AAAAAAAACCQ/QNkEq2Cllec/s400/mann-hindi-movie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584346172049170834" /></a><br />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 <em>Dil Se</em>). <br /><br />Based on the 1939 original film <em>Love Story</em> (which has since spawned 3 Hollywood remakes and one other Bollywood film, <em>Bheegi Raat</em>), 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!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ut5Gu9OtlXs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IAK9YtNDJ7c/TX-R46F8UnI/AAAAAAAACCA/ta6K8u1c87U/s1600/atithitumkabjaoge.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IAK9YtNDJ7c/TX-R46F8UnI/AAAAAAAACCA/ta6K8u1c87U/s400/atithitumkabjaoge.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584342469815587442" /></a><br />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. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TVabKd2GFb8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph7oldyv9W0/TX-Quu3ApGI/AAAAAAAACB4/rslO0Uujkzw/s1600/omkara.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph7oldyv9W0/TX-Quu3ApGI/AAAAAAAACB4/rslO0Uujkzw/s400/omkara.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584341195489846370" /></a><br />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 <em>Omkara</em> 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 <em>The Pianist</em> and Scott Hicks' <em>Shine</em>, both very dramatic, moving pieces of film), but I have a hard time watching darkly shot films, and aside from <em>Shakespeare in Love</em>, I could really do without the Bard's prose turned screenplay. However, it does have this SMOKING hot item number from sensational Bips!<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FDHke6gJWEg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mgIwMc5r6js/TX-OSHbnLkI/AAAAAAAACBw/_egCClkAP44/s1600/Paathshaala_poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mgIwMc5r6js/TX-OSHbnLkI/AAAAAAAACBw/_egCClkAP44/s400/Paathshaala_poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584338504846356034" /></a><br />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 <em>Bluffmaster</em> and <em>Taxi Number 9211 </em>(which, incidentally houses one of the coolest filmi songs I've ever heard, <em>Meter Down</em>!). 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 <em>Taare Zameen Par</em> or <em>Dance Pe Chance</em> at home), this movie is about as sweet as you get. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zegjKGJ1PzY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />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! <br /><br />Viva la Bollywood!!!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-22687820756439564472011-03-14T07:42:00.000-07:002011-03-14T10:31:13.306-07:00Happy 46th Aamir<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61wHjINIWbk/TX5PCoryL8I/AAAAAAAACBg/2EEuL7DOuJQ/s1600/aamir-khan-31_1024x768.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61wHjINIWbk/TX5PCoryL8I/AAAAAAAACBg/2EEuL7DOuJQ/s400/aamir-khan-31_1024x768.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583987494685388738" /></a><br />Aamir has been a favorite actor of mine since I started watching Hindi film, and though he is widely known for his "serious" acting, he has done everything from the chocolate boy roles to comedy to drama, and there hasn't been an Aamir Khan film that I haven't liked yet. Sure, he's come under fire for refusing to act his age (READ: <em>3 Idiots</em>), but there's no denying he delivers at home and at the box office. Here's a look at some of my favorite Aamir films...<br /><br />The terror-romance genre might not be for everyone, but I actually really loved <em>Fanaa</em>, even with it's miracle eye surgery, and for the first time I saw Aamir as a romantic lead. Thank goodness post interval he cut his hair (ya, I'm superficial like that), but his and Kajol's connection in the film was both sweet and unfortunate. I think the two of them have nice chemistry. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_SFtZ6mmz3U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />I have to admit that I up until this point, I never really understood Indian humour (and probably a lot of it still flies over my head), but <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2009/12/andaz-apna-apna.html" target="_blank"><em>Andaz Apna Apna</em></a> opened my eyes and made me laugh out loud too many times to remember. Aamir has spectacular comic timing and he is so silly in this film you can't help but like him (and Salman too for that matter!) <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tKvkc1M8xI4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />When I first started watching Aamir's films, I wouldn't have ever categorized him as the "sexy" actor, though that isn't to say he doesn't have an unconventional attractiveness about him. Anyway, I'm not sure who did the styling in <em>Dil Chahta Hai</em>, but I would imagine that dressing him up in those tight red pleather pants was their way of appealing to Aamir's sexual side? Check them out, if you can get past the effulgence of Saif's bright shiny silver duds! <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TJPUXfudRPQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />*spoiler alert* If I had to pick one moment from this film that demonstrates how wonderful Aamir is at acting with his eyes, it would be this scene at the end of DCH between Akash and Shalini when Shalini's "fiance" goes to stop Akash in the middle of his proposal. I LOVE it! <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_vD0ajl4Iy8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />I would say, without hesitation, that <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/everything-i-know-about-cricket-i.html" target="_blank"><em>Lagaan</em></a> falls firmly into my list of top 10 favorite Hindi films that I've seen. The story is brilliantly inspirational, the acting is amongst the best in film, the music is outstanding, and Aamir still stands out in a superb ensemble cast. And, in my humble opinion, he looks amazingly sexy in a dhoti! Purrrrrrr.... <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Mz8o3MMyO80" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />So, <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-weekend-part-1.html" target="_blank"><em>3 Idiots</em></a> fell into it's share of controversy and Aamir reluctantly admitted recently that he probably had no right to play a college student, I still really enjoyed this film! Could have something to do with the fact that it was a theatre experience (as they are so few and far between), but he was suitably charming, funny and serious when he needed to be. <br /><br />Even though<em> Zoobie Doobie</em>, ear-wormyness aside, has been proclaimed as terribly awful, I enjoy it and the picturization is fun! <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lF8W7DyPhsI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />The very first Aamir movie I saw was the student drama <em>Taare Zameen Par</em>. While I would argue that Darsheel Safary is the real star of the film, I loved Aamir's compassion as a teacher and found myself wishing that all educators cared about their students as much. A wonderfully inspiring piece of celluloid (that was for all the KJo fans out there! lol)<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y7I-Jz5NdRI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />There's many more wonderful Aamir filmi moments out there, and I wish I had time to categorize them all, moment by moment, but no one has time to read that!<br /><br />Happy Birthday Aamir. I wish you many more years of continued success and happiness!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-42826654643942023272011-02-09T08:05:00.000-08:002011-02-19T08:41:13.726-08:00Please to Explain my Absence...Warning: personal blog post ahead!<br /><br />It has been a long time (an eternity it seems) since I did a blog post, and it's not that my beloved Bollywood has left my life, far from it, but some time ago my oldest son gave me a wake up call that I have been trying to answer and it has taken me away from my laptop more that I realized it would. <br /><br />I've never been, shall we say, thin, but I never realized how much I had let myself go. After two kids and 11 years of marriage (the last 4 being much more harder than I ever thought marriage would be), I found myself sitting at the dinner table one night commenting on my reflection in our living room window. Just another regular night at supper until my then 5 year old son told me the reason my reflection looked so bad was because I was fat. Now, one should most likely take what a 5 year old says with a grain of salt, but that night I realized that he was right, and after a good cry in the bathroom, I decided that I was never going to hear those words come out of his mouth ever again, and thus began my weight loss journey. That was a year ago.<br /><br />I was pretty successful watching my diet (thanks to a great calorie counting app on my itouch), and was working out at home most days of the week while all the children slept in the afternoon. I think I lost about 30 lbs. Then my youngest stopped napping and I lost my free afternoon time (so I thought). I also thought I learned how to eat right so I stopped using my calorie app. And the weight stopped coming off. I don't think I lost a single pound in 4 months. So, after my gallstone surgery this summer (which, lets face it, probably occurred because I was overweight), I decided to get really serious and joined an outdoor bootcamp as soon as I could after my surgery. Who knew climbing hills in -25 winter weather would be so beneficial? I found and started using a new iphone app (called my fitness pal), which, if anyone is struggling trying to figure out how, what and how much to eat, you should definitely check it out... it's much more than just another weight loss website), and I started working out again at home with my sister 5 days a week. I'm happy to say that I have achieved 50% of my weight loss (and for those that are really curious, you can check out some very embarrassing before pics and one simple today pic at the mfp website <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174504-half-way-there" target="_blank">here</a> - scroll half way down, I had trouble figuring out how to load my pics).<br /><br />Anyway, there you have it. While I still have time to watch some movies, and do my morning and evening facebook stuff, I haven't had time to blog and I've been away from twitter far more than I would have liked to. But I have not disappeared (well, in mind anyway), and I am hoping to be a little more consistent with some movie posts in the future. <br /><br />Thanks all for not abandoning me!!!<br /><br />xo<br />ShellieShelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-34851758945518401362011-01-02T08:37:00.000-08:002011-01-02T08:46:40.409-08:00Ra.One First Look - and by that I mean VAVAVAVOOM!!!!!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TSCqMtlvZZI/AAAAAAAACBU/0mO0_5o9zeg/s1600/166661_479067067025_356656922025_6316819_5469830_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TSCqMtlvZZI/AAAAAAAACBU/0mO0_5o9zeg/s400/166661_479067067025_356656922025_6316819_5469830_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557629075548235154" /></a><br /><br />OH. MY. GOD.<br /><br />2011 is certainly off to an auspicious start with Shah Rukh tweeting the newly released poster of his g.one character from Ra.One! And hubba hubba is an understatement! Those eyes (though honestly I prefer the deep dark soulfull brown ones), that suit (and what I really mean here is that body!)... really one man should not possess so much sexual appeal, it really is dangerous!<br /><br />Anyway, the poster is really exciting! As the most expensive Bollywood movie ever made, I had high expectations, but this confirms for me that Shah and the Ra.One team are going to "electrify" us with how brilliant this movie is going to be visually (I already know Shah will not disappoint me in the acting field).<br /><br />So, thanks for that wonderful start to my new year! Can it just be Diwali yet?!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-65091956779200568352010-12-29T07:42:00.000-08:002010-12-29T09:47:09.330-08:00Resolution Time<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TRttwZzUJNI/AAAAAAAACBE/PdrgOmQ5do8/s1600/HappyNewYear-03.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556155243618903250" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TRttwZzUJNI/AAAAAAAACBE/PdrgOmQ5do8/s400/HappyNewYear-03.jpg" /></a><br />Well, it's that time of year again. The presents have been played with, the tree waits patiently to be taken down and plans for how to spend the last night of the year are under way. As it is so incredibly difficult to find a babysitter, we are going to be having a quiet night at home again (blah!), though I'm still going to have a martini in one hand an and apple pie shooter in the other (so yum!). Have to try and ring the new year in with a little style, right!?<br /><br />As I reflect on the year that has been, despite not really making any new year's resolutions last year, it has been a year of personal growth, discovery and angst. I committed myself to a workout regiment and nutritional program that resulted in a huge milestone in my weight loss goal (50 lbs!), I made some really terrific friends online through twitter (thanks to Shah Rukh, who was really the only reason I went on in the fist place), I continued my Bollywood education (though you must forgive me, the latter half of the year it's been difficult to keep on top of my movie collection). I've also had to deal with the ongoing saga that is my friendship with my bff, and I sometimes think that things will never get back to the way they used to be, all on account of my marriage, which is also a continuing work in progress. My 6 yr old started grade one and my 3 year old finally got potty trained. I had moderate success with my card classes and struggled half the year keeping and getting kids in my dayhome. Ah, life, you are a roller coaster personified, aren't you?<br /><br />Well, I am going to continue not making resolutions this year and am just going to keep trying my best to keep on the same track I'm on. HOWEVER, I really need to get back to the movie watching. I tried watching critically acclaimed <em>Love, Sex Aur Dokha</em> last night and couldn't get past the 2nd story. If this is parallel cinema, then I am going to firmly stay planted in the land of masala, heart wrenching kjo dramas and frothy, light hearted rom coms. I've got so many movies sitting on my dvd shelf waiting to be watched, but none of them are calling to me. Maybe some help from my bolly blogging buddies is in order? Here's the list of what's waiting downstairs. Help me out people, what do I NEED to watch?<br /><br />Aagar<br />Apna Sapna Money Money<br />Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?<br />Bewafaa<br />Black<br />Chamatkar<br />Chor Machaye Shor<br />Chori Mera Kaam<br />Chori Chori Chupke Chupke<br />Deedar<br />Delhi 6<br />Dev D<br />Deewana<br />Deewane Huye Paagal<br />Dhamaal<br />Dil Hai Tumhaara<br />Don (original)<br />Doosra Aadmi<br />Duniya Meri Jeb Main<br />Ghaab<br />Golmaal<br />Gora aur Kala<br />Guddu<br />Haan...Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya<br />Heaven on Earth<br />Hera Pheri<br />Hum Saath-Saath Hain<br />Hero Hindustani<br />Insaaf Ka Tarazu<br />Jaan-E Maan<br />Just Married<br />Kaminey<br />Karz<br />Luck<br />Maine Pyaar kyun Kiya<br />Mujhse Shaadi Karogi<br />No Entry<br />Omkara<br />Paa<br />Phir Hera Pheri<br />Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha<br />Raajneeti<br />Raaz<br />Ram Jaane<br />Raavan<br />Ram Shyam<br />Road, Movie<br />Sarkar<br />Seeta Aur Geeta<br />Shakti<br />Vaadaraha<br />Water<br />Yeh Dillagi<br /><br />Now that that is out of the way, let me wish all my wonderful followers, commentors, friends and family a wonderful New Years!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TRtyU23SmVI/AAAAAAAACBM/3Uo0uymRlms/s1600/new%2Byears%2Beve%2Bdrink.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556160267942009170" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TRtyU23SmVI/AAAAAAAACBM/3Uo0uymRlms/s400/new%2Byears%2Beve%2Bdrink.jpg" /></a><br />I wish you Health...<br />So you may enjoy each day in comfort.<br /><br />I wish you the Love of friends and family...<br />And Peace within your heart.<br /><br />I wish you the Beauty of nature...<br />That you may enjoy the work of God.<br /><br />I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...<br />For those things that really matter in life.<br /><br />I wish you Generousity so you may share...<br />All good things that come to you.<br /><br />I wish you Happiness and Joy...<br />And Blessings for the New Year.<br /><br />I wish you the best of everything...<br />That you so well deserve.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G1YbfCQmr4o?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G1YbfCQmr4o?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY DEAREST FRIENDS NEAR OR FAR!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-81662960109133077132010-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:002010-11-29T09:18:11.462-08:00My fav movies this yearWell, it's nearing the end of 2010 - I can't quite believe how fast this year went - and that usually means lists are going to start popping up all over the place. Even though I know that the year is not quite up, I seriously doubt that I will get a chance to see anymore new releases this year (especially since I'm going to try and do a complete <em>Harry Potter </em>reread and rewatch this month), so I'm going to recap what films I thought were outstanding or left the biggest impact with me this year. So, without further ado, here are my pics for the best of 2010.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPZ-0sDHqI/AAAAAAAACAc/2TIhapx6Ijc/s1600/my-name-is-khan-03.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 335px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545015239541726882" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPZ-0sDHqI/AAAAAAAACAc/2TIhapx6Ijc/s400/my-name-is-khan-03.jpg" /></a><br />The anticipation for this movie was probably the most I've seen for a film yet, and reviews were definitely split. Some raved about it, loving Shah's take on Rizwan and the love story between him and Mandira, some thought the depiction of Georgia was incredibly stereotypical and had problems with how American's were portrayed. I say a movie is a success if it gets people talking about it in any capacity, and MNIK certainly got people talking. I thought Rizwan was probably Shah's best character so far in his career and the movie touched me on many different levels. You can read my full review <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-name-is-khan_24.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It was not an easy movie for me to watch, but will always remain one of my favorites.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xfUQ560bHxs?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xfUQ560bHxs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPanhTThrI/AAAAAAAACAk/uqdhrUrXUVA/s1600/ishqiya1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPanhTThrI/AAAAAAAACAk/uqdhrUrXUVA/s400/ishqiya1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545015938712307378" /></a><br />When I think of <em>Ishqiya </em>I think of incredible acting by some very talented individuals (Naseeruddin Shah and Vidya Balan are both outstanding in this film), I think of a great OST (<em>Ibn-e-Batuta </em>and<em> Dil To Bachcha Hai</em> will probably always stand out as some of my favorites), but mostly I think of how incredibly hot Arshad was in this film, and his scenes with Vidya throughout the film are so steamy you can't help but sit up and take notice. If you haven't seen this film yet, go watch it and then come back and see if you agree with <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/ishqiya.html" target="">my review</a>.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bn7LkiAmskA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bn7LkiAmskA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPcHUM3C9I/AAAAAAAACA0/hbzpgrBumrc/s1600/poster7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPcHUM3C9I/AAAAAAAACA0/hbzpgrBumrc/s400/poster7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545017584463055826" /></a><br />My most recent viewing was Salman Khan's <em>Dabangg</em>. You can read my full review <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">here</a>. Arbaaz Khan's offering makes my list for many reasons, but mainly because this movie is just too much fun to not enjoy and it may be responsible for changing my mind about Salman Khan, not an easy task. I just posted my review so I feel like I'm being being a little redundant, but I can't stress how much I enjoyed this movie. Salman's characterization of Chulbul was so awesome you can't help but admire his candor. If you haven't seen this film, grab a group of friends, a large bucket of popcorn and prepare to laugh your ass off!<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YpnohT_a-2I?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YpnohT_a-2I?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPa56kQ_QI/AAAAAAAACAs/2Gc2ia_hknQ/s1600/hum_tum_aur_ghost.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TPPa56kQ_QI/AAAAAAAACAs/2Gc2ia_hknQ/s400/hum_tum_aur_ghost.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545016254731975938" /></a><br />For me, it was an Arshad kind of year. <em>Hum, Tum Aur Ghost</em> was, so far, the first and only Internet watchalong experience I've had, which totally enhanced the film for me. As for the movie, I thought it was a nice twist on the usual romance churned out (not that I don't usually enjoy rom-coms, I love 'em), but I liked the added depth of drama that Arshad's first production had. This film was certainly panned by the critics and fans alike, but I thought it was a lovely film. Check out all my reasons <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2010/05/hum-tum-aur-ghost_27.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w8iCb6A3La4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w8iCb6A3La4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />The one thing I have said over and over again is how much I hate being so far away from an Indian cinema. Movies I'm still really looking forward to seeing from this year include <em>Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Action Replayy, It's a Wonderful Afterlife, Golmaal 3, Tees Maar Khan</em> and <em>Guzaarish</em>. I also still have <em>Love, Sex aur Dhokha, Atithi Tum Kab, Ravaan</em>, and <em>Road, Movie </em>waiting in the wings on my dvd shelves. I've said it once (or twice) and I'll say it again. So many movie, such little time.<br /><br />So, there you have it. My fav's of 2010. What were your favorite films this year and why?<br /><br />Looking forward to 2011 though it will be another year full of waiting (a Diwale release for <em>Ra.One </em>is just about going to kill us Shah fans!). I can't wait to see what the fraternity brings us!!!!<br /><br />Coming soon...my favorite songs of the year!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-16251045388636318242010-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:002010-11-23T10:01:11.887-08:00Chulbul Pandey, how I adore thee!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOwAcd5UydI/AAAAAAAACAU/eFDK6yOqBPk/s1600/dabangg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 319px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOwAcd5UydI/AAAAAAAACAU/eFDK6yOqBPk/s400/dabangg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542805730447641042" /></a><br />Every once in a while a film comes along that hits the nail right on the head. A film that makes you retract all your pre-established thoughts regarding a certain actor or a certain genre of film. A film that begs to be watched over and over again because is it JUST THAT GOOD! The moment I saw the trailer for <em>Dabangg</em> I was compelled to see it, despite the fact that it was a Salman Khan vehicle. It showed great promise of being one helluva good time, and when something has that kind of pull on you what else are you suppose to do except give in and enjoy the ride? So that's exactly what I did!<br /><br />My repertoire of true masala flicks is shamefully short, so I don't have a whole lot to compare Arbaaz Khan's offering to, but one thing I do know is that first time director Abhinav Kashyap knows his stuff. <em>Dabangg</em> has got a most excellent mix of actions, romance, comedy, melodrama, fantastic music, hot item girl number and the most brilliantly cheesy shirt ripping off sequence I have ever seen (and I am not kidding - I had to rewind and watch it several times!).<br /><br />Besides the aforementioned shirt scene, there was so much I loved about this film. We get a bit of family history right at the beginning and then it's BAM! - right into the action. I have to honestly say that I didn't care for the violent action in Salman's <em>Wanted</em>, but here the fighting is choreographed so well. We get a bit of Matrix in there, but it's all done with a comical edge that it feels fresh and exciting. When Chulbul stops in the middle of a fight scene to dance to a ringtone I just about died laughing! This is the type of humour that is clearly present throughout the movie. That's not to say that the fight scenes are funny. Far from it. Salman Khan means business when he's dealing with the bad guys, even if he punctuates the ending with a chuckle. It's just the type of film that is way OTT and doesn't take itself seriously at all, which is 100% the point!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv_siSE6iI/AAAAAAAACAE/vObvZszvaNw/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h38m46s170.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv_siSE6iI/AAAAAAAACAE/vObvZszvaNw/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h38m46s170.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542804906991479330" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv-3TfCD5I/AAAAAAAAB_0/M5ZPJ_vBhTI/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h36m05s164.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542803992486219666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv-3TfCD5I/AAAAAAAAB_0/M5ZPJ_vBhTI/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h36m05s164.png" /></a><br /><center>Who wouldn't love this face?</center><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOwAAcW0TpI/AAAAAAAACAM/xjP0-9WKClQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h37m34s25.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOwAAcW0TpI/AAAAAAAACAM/xjP0-9WKClQ/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h37m34s25.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542805248998133394" /></a><br /><center>Even this beauty is not impervious to Chulbul's blundering charms</center><br />Central to the story is Chulbul's quest to win the headstrong Rajo's heart and hand, played strongly by newcomer Sonakshi Sinha, but, like any good Hindi film, there's so much more! We get family drama that sees Chulbul butting heads with a step-father (Vinod Khanna)who has never accepted him and his useless bhai Makkhi (Arbaaz Khan who looks strangely like an Indian version of Quentin Tarantino with a moochi to me), all while loving Hindi maa (Dimple Kapadia) tries to keep the peace. Politics plays a part as well as we see the corrupt, power hungry and extremely buff (!) Chedi Singh (Sonu Sood) looking to consolidate power and get rid of the competition, and that includes a certain cop that keeps getting in his way. There's a lot going on, but the glue that binds it all together is the self appointed Robin Hood who steals from the bad and gives to himself. It's all about Chulbul people!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv-ULYXzAI/AAAAAAAAB_s/_8vWbEOrKIg/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h33m59s179.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542803389015378946" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TOv-ULYXzAI/AAAAAAAAB_s/_8vWbEOrKIg/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-23-10h33m59s179.png" /></a><br /><center>Yowza!</center><br />And this movie is all about Salman Khan. There is not a single doubt in my mind that Sallu bhai is the only actor out there that had the sheer audacity, chutzpah if you will, to play this character. Every line, every expression, every dance move screams Salman and he does it with such panache that you can't help but enjoy the ride he's taking you on. I am generally not a fan of Salman, really only enjoying him thus far in <em>Andaz Apna Apna</em>, but whether it was his own personality shining through (as he has often said that he doesn't ever act, he just plays different versions of himself), or his snappy comic timing, but Salman is Chulbul, no doubt about it, and <strong>THE</strong> reason to watch this film!<br /><br />Add to the action, the hoopla, the amour a killer OST by Sajid-Wajid complete with some very interesting choreography. <em>Munni Badnaam</em>, <em>Hud Hud Dabangg </em>and <em>Humka Peeni Hai</em> are all extremely danceable. I won't ever forget <a href="http://currysmugglers.com/2010/11/03/projectmunni/" target="_blank">project Munni</a>, but even if shaking your tail feather isn't quite your thing, the songs are seriously catchy, even the movie's ballads are interesting to watch on screen.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-0Mo6EC8A4s?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-0Mo6EC8A4s?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />(Loving the dancing in this - esp the belt move!)<br /><br />Over the top and extremely fun, self mockery or not, <em>Dabangg</em> makes it's way onto my list of one of the best films of the year!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-11878349413127543582010-11-04T12:55:00.001-07:002010-11-09T11:47:07.797-08:00Naach<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmlJ6ZjytI/AAAAAAAAB_k/uk6yUBjVT8I/s1600/naach.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmlJ6ZjytI/AAAAAAAAB_k/uk6yUBjVT8I/s400/naach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537638806542600914" /></a><br />I need to preface this review by telling you that I am a HUGE fan of dance. I love shows like So You Think You Can Dance for exposing and promoting so many genres of dance and I can watch item songs for hours admiring the dancing, so ask me how excited I was to put on a movie called <em>Naach</em>? I had high hopes, the kind that <em>Chance Pe Dance </em>didn't quite fulfill, and I loved <em>Rangeela</em>, despite it's nightmare inducing speedo scene. However, that being said, I was familiar with the type of work he's done currently, yet that didn't seem to stop me from treading into the murky disconnected "realistic" world that is Ram Gopal Varma.<br /><br />There is a basic, very basic, story involved. Aspiring actor meets aspiring choreographer, she teaches him how to dance, they fall in love, he makes it big and leaves her in the dust. Will she find her own path? Will the two lovers reunite and make mediocre music videos again? Will you even care? If you are brave enough to venture into this territory, you just might find out.<br /><br />One thing I have to give Varma credit for, he doesn't pollute the finished product with a lot of plot twists or dialogue. There were so many points in this film where I wondered if perhaps the writers had gone on strike and all we were left with was more tantric twisting from Antara Mali and brooding stares from Abhishek. In fact, there was so much stretching in this film I thought we were getting ready to run a marathon. Don't get me wrong, Antara has got one hell of a killer body, but watching someone do this<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMExGwMnI/AAAAAAAAB-E/oAYxbE1prRs/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h40m40s86.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537611230357762674" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMExGwMnI/AAAAAAAAB-E/oAYxbE1prRs/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h40m40s86.png" /></a><br /><center>or this</center><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMpI0UZhI/AAAAAAAAB-U/T948y1I6_vM/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h52m07s43.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537611855198184978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMpI0UZhI/AAAAAAAAB-U/T948y1I6_vM/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h52m07s43.png" /></a><br /><center>or this</center><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMecIjsFI/AAAAAAAAB-M/X5wRhpA82dg/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h56m51s67.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537611671404785746" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmMecIjsFI/AAAAAAAAB-M/X5wRhpA82dg/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h56m51s67.png" /></a><br /><center>or this</center><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmRI3JiHJI/AAAAAAAAB_E/z2UC5g24xI0/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h58m51s253.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmRI3JiHJI/AAAAAAAAB_E/z2UC5g24xI0/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h58m51s253.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537616798257650834" /></a><br /><center>or this</center><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmNBzavygI/AAAAAAAAB-c/geAq8XnwQt0/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h45m35s219.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537612278950513154" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmNBzavygI/AAAAAAAAB-c/geAq8XnwQt0/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h45m35s219.png" /></a><br />all in slow motion is just not my idea of fascinating dance! Shall I go on? Well, let's just say it gets old FAST! We get it, Antara. You are a contortionist. And completely full of yourself. Next time I want to take a hot yoga class I'll call you. Then you won't have to actually pretend to "act" in any more movies. Okay!? Have we got a deal? Good!<br /><br />I have to say that the girl does have a few good thoughts in the film. This is my favorite:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmPebkFatI/AAAAAAAAB-s/xTG4nnUoa-g/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h47m20s253.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537614969786690258" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmPebkFatI/AAAAAAAAB-s/xTG4nnUoa-g/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h47m20s253.png" /></a><br />However, it didn't save us from this nightmare worthy move.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmP8Sjmk4I/AAAAAAAAB-0/Kb589iyyi04/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h43m25s202.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537615482764825474" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmP8Sjmk4I/AAAAAAAAB-0/Kb589iyyi04/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h43m25s202.png" /></a><br /><center>MY EYES!!!!!</center><br />There's a lot of debate that floats in the blogging community over Abhishek's ability to actually emote as he acts. I've always been on the side that usually enjoys his films. That being said, he is completely lazy in this movie, relying solely on those sullen looks I mentioned earlier and deadpan delivery. I'm guessing he gets excited over his big break, but mostly I think he's just bored with it all.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmR_k1WzNI/AAAAAAAAB_M/FqrApH558eE/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h39m42s26.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmR_k1WzNI/AAAAAAAAB_M/FqrApH558eE/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h39m42s26.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537617738233990354" /></a><br /><center>Did you feel that? The shiver that went down your spine? Somebody's watching you.</center><br /><br />That being said, Abhishek gives me my favorite line of the movie:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmOoDyRIZI/AAAAAAAAB-k/rTq2L8UH9Dw/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h44m51s36.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537614035690791314" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmOoDyRIZI/AAAAAAAAB-k/rTq2L8UH9Dw/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h44m51s36.png" /></a><br /><center>Nice try Ram Gopal Varma! Trying to influence our perception of this load of self-indulgent tripe through subliminal messaging will not work on me!</center><br /><br />If you can wade through all the drivel, there is one thing that redeems this movie, if only slightly, in my eyes and that is the wonderful performance of Ritesh Deshmukh, who plays film director Diwakar. A different role for me, as I'm used to him being the underdog buddy or love interest, but he was extremely convincing from the word go. In fact, the chemistry between Ritish and Antara was much more credible than with Abhishek. He looked like a love sick puppy and I just wanted to hug him and tell him to go find a girl worthy of his affection. <br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmfzU_EHUI/AAAAAAAAB_U/kDY7ynmCXkQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h53m43s240.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmfzU_EHUI/AAAAAAAAB_U/kDY7ynmCXkQ/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h53m43s240.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537632920984100162" /></a><br /><center>There, there Ritesh. There's more to life than a girlfriend who's flexible!</center><br /><br />Not only did I not get the dancing (which was far too abstract for me), but the music did nothing for me either. I get that Varma likes to experiment within his filmmaking, but it's just too out there for me I guess. Plus I never realized that music videos were that big in India? Is there a whole platform I'm unaware of? Someone please educate me!!<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s-wFdtMJ7g0?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s-wFdtMJ7g0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />And a final word from the master of meh...<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmQ2CZ7nkI/AAAAAAAAB-8/v1q3P_wTNkY/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h50m35s153.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmQ2CZ7nkI/AAAAAAAAB-8/v1q3P_wTNkY/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-09h50m35s153.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537616474861706818" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmhm__gA8I/AAAAAAAAB_c/ja66Usc049w/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-11h24m12s2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNmhm__gA8I/AAAAAAAAB_c/ja66Usc049w/s400/vlcsnap-2010-11-09-11h24m12s2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537634908213609410" /></a><br />Don't be too sure RGV. Not all your audience are mindless drones.Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-22829197727840050512010-11-04T07:53:00.000-07:002010-11-04T08:22:48.089-07:00Tees Maar KhanOh My Gosh! I simply ADORE Farah Khan, so how excited was I to catch the newly released trailer for her new movie starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif? <br /><br />Check it out!...<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PYmpVwrmKT8?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PYmpVwrmKT8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />How fun does that look!? Seriously! Farah's movies are just above brilliance for me. The costumes, the style, the music! I can not wait! This could just be the movie that does it for Akshay and Katrina for me. <br /><br />And the newly released <em>Tees Maar Khan </em>theme song. <br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mzWr3R6zHpk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mzWr3R6zHpk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Very James Bond sounding, na? I wait with anticipation to hear the rest of the ost! I'm sure it will deliver.Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-66630365738804595612010-11-01T09:49:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:44:06.893-07:00Happy Birthday Shah!Wishing my beloved darling Shah a wonderful 45th birthday!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNAsyNA7s9I/AAAAAAAAB90/nAW1Um7Dxps/s1600/glasses.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534973183036994514" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNAsyNA7s9I/AAAAAAAAB90/nAW1Um7Dxps/s400/glasses.jpg" /></a><br /><br />You are my light when it's dark, my joy when there's sorrow, my happiness always.<br /><br />Wishing you many many more wonderful years of love.<br /><br />Just in case you want to refresh your memory, check out all the reasons I love Shah Rukh <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5856106477563761138&postID=5284425388112398766" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNAtKRITghI/AAAAAAAAB98/abOX9HDAueU/s1600/x2_1aedb5a.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534973596458517010" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TNAtKRITghI/AAAAAAAAB98/abOX9HDAueU/s400/x2_1aedb5a.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And to commemorate this very special event this year, a few of my favorite Shah songs:<br /><br /><em>Mere Mehboob</em> is one of my go to songs for when I need cheering up. Shah is adorable to the nth degree in this, plus the song is so catchy. It just instantly brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. Poor Sonali doesn't stand a chance!<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlEF_DoKxNA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlEF_DoKxNA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Though I've probably posted this on my blog several times, I can not not do a fav's list and leave <em>Kal Ho Na Ho </em>off. It is, without a doubt, my favorite Sonu song, and a wonderfully beautiful picturization in a film that will always remain one of my all time favorites.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6wujcTa6RDM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6wujcTa6RDM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />This song still remains #1 on my top 25 played itunes, even after 2 years of constantly putting new music on there. Even though I haven't seen the original <em>Don</em> yet (though it sits on my dvd shelf waiting its turn), this song doesn't serve any purpose in the updated film except perhaps to pay homage to the original. That being said, I LOVE that they put it in regardless. It's fun, Shah looks fantastic, the music is peppy and Udit is so perfect that it just flows so seamlessly between his singing and Shah's bit. <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SiUkZhz06aA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SiUkZhz06aA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />I fell in love with this song immediately when I saw it. <em>Yes Boss</em> was a film that I tried watching when I first started watching Hindi film and I didn't quite get it. When I finally got around to putting it back on the dvd player I wondered how I could have NOT gotten it back then. <em>Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon</em> is a cute little song, but what I like about it the most is how completely cute and quirky Shah is in it trying his very best to win the gorgeous Juhi over without her quite knowing it. Such perfection!!!<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3uxe_dAKjrM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3uxe_dAKjrM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><em>Om Shanti Om</em> will always be a movie that I will hold dear to my heart. It was the first movie I bought online, the first time I saw Shah in all his ab glory, the first film I watched over and over and over again. <em>Ajab Si</em> was also the first song I learned the words to. Beautifully sung by KK, it's wonderful how Farah uses it twice in the movie when Om sees Shanti for the first time. It's a whole lot of firsts and that's why it lands on my list.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/d0jIbm_Xv1E?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/d0jIbm_Xv1E?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Okay, so I could go on and on, but I think I'll stop at five for now. What are your favorite Shah songs?<br /><br />As I finish up this post, it is nearing the end of Shah's birthday in Berlin, or Rome or wherever he is tonight! Once again, happy birthday my darling!!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-52068952759565404122010-10-25T13:13:00.001-07:002010-10-26T09:11:14.890-07:00Anthony Kaun Hai?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMb9bBEB2yI/AAAAAAAAB9k/tEFWVF81y7I/s1600/anthonykaunhaidvdru0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMb9bBEB2yI/AAAAAAAAB9k/tEFWVF81y7I/s400/anthonykaunhaidvdru0.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532387832854862626" /></a><br />A mistaken identity, hit men, murder, petty thieves, a diamond heist, romance! Raj Kaushal's <em>Anthony Kaun Hai?</em> promises to be a non stop comic thriller, according to it's dvd sleeve, but I'd have a hard time categorizing it as such. To me, it plays out more as a comedic crime drama with romantic undertones. Certainly there doesn't seem to be any real elements of the typical thriller, in my opinion, but that doesn't mean that this movie isn't worth your time because there are so many things that work for it.<br /><br />The film is told in a series of flashbacks as Champak 'Champ' Chaudhary (Arshad Warsi) attempts to convince the cool and stylish Master Madan (Sanjay Dutt) that he's been the victim of mistaken identity. Champ, a small time crook specializing in documentation fraud, is arrested the day of his nuptials and spends 6 months in a prison where he meets a supposedly dumb and deaf inmate, Raghuvir Sharma (Raghuvir Yadav), serving a life sentence of stealing diamonds. The two hatch a plan to spring Raghuvir from prison, reclaim and split the stolen gems, and live their lives in splendor, Sharma with his daughter Jia (Minissha Lamba) and Champ with his lost love Rosa. However, as it usually goes, life has other plans when a series of hit men derail the two's plans.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMWw1BfiKkI/AAAAAAAAB8k/r2SYFrAmGxU/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h53m20s234.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532022142274775618" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMWw1BfiKkI/AAAAAAAAB8k/r2SYFrAmGxU/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h53m20s234.png" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMWw_GDbH5I/AAAAAAAAB8s/VDZF3ryqTAA/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h53m25s28.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532022315297742738" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMWw_GDbH5I/AAAAAAAAB8s/VDZF3ryqTAA/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h53m25s28.png" /></a><br />While this movie was most likely marketed on the existing comedy genius of Arshad and Sanjay as a pair, this film belongs solely to Arshad. I mentioned recently that I enjoy Arshad's comedy, but was more directly drawn to those roles of his where the comedy is more subtle. Rather than the in your face physical haha's or overblown laughs that seem like they try to hard, I much prefer the subtle, more realistic comedy, and that's what we get from him here (aside from the hair and beaded beard that is!). Because the basis of the film revolves around his story and how he becomes mistaken for Anthony Gonzalves, Arshad has plenty of screen time to fill, and his recounts are compelling to watch. The thing about Arshad is, even if he's playing a small time crook and deadbeat, he is always still so likable. Now that is a quality you can't fake! Also I think I am officially turning watching Arshad's films into my very own drinking game. Is there a single film of his where he's not chugging back a beer, a shot, a jigger of some sort? I'm beginning to think not, but that's okay - I'm all for method acting!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMpQh18nUI/AAAAAAAAB8c/pJBY_ot9Rw8/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-11h04m56s117.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531310131280387394" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMpQh18nUI/AAAAAAAAB8c/pJBY_ot9Rw8/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-11h04m56s117.png" /></a><br /><center>Drink!</center><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMpH5u15AI/AAAAAAAAB8U/eJbR0DLiOp8/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-10h53m55s166.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531309983074214914" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMpH5u15AI/AAAAAAAAB8U/eJbR0DLiOp8/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-10h53m55s166.png" /></a><br /><center>Drink!!</center><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXE9WcUXcI/AAAAAAAAB88/oaKHO9mcInc/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-25-11h24m46s19.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532044275569941954" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXE9WcUXcI/AAAAAAAAB88/oaKHO9mcInc/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-25-11h24m46s19.png" /></a><br /><center>DRINK!!!!!!</center><p><br />A shout out to <a href="http://bollywoodfoodclub.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sitaji</a> - I'm not sure if this is Johnny Walker, but it is for sure whiskey and it has a black label, so I'm entering it into the Sitaji collection of JW sightings (though it could also be JD?)<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMMvcP0qlI/AAAAAAAAB8M/HD-Uabz6WFc/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-13h59m48s109.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531278776517044818" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMMvcP0qlI/AAAAAAAAB8M/HD-Uabz6WFc/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-13h59m48s109.png" /></a><br />Sanjay Dutt features prominently in the film as the suit wearing, wine drinking, Ferrari driving hitman Master Madan. Apparently the only thing he likes more than money is film (aaah, an assassin after my own heart), which is ideal really, otherwise there would have been no story! He is all business when it comes to dealing with those in his way, but he does it in such a refined manner. Yes, there is a place in this world for the gentleman killer after all.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXFZC3wcMI/AAAAAAAAB9E/VL5v61O4u7c/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-10h37m12s46.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532044751352656066" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXFZC3wcMI/AAAAAAAAB9E/VL5v61O4u7c/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-23-10h37m12s46.png" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXHL-2vmXI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Y-55siNqCCQ/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-25-11h23m17s98.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532046725959620978" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXHL-2vmXI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Y-55siNqCCQ/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-25-11h23m17s98.png" /></a><br />Minissha, Raghuvir and Gulshan Grover as Inspector Suraj Singh round out the cast. As the love interest, Minissha does a good job and gets a chance to actually act rather than just look good. There's something about her eyes that are kind of mesmerizing. Raghuvir and Gulshan serve as just filler to me. Not bad, but not great. </p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXbs6OahvI/AAAAAAAAB9c/AqQVZAxWKg4/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h52m21s155.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532069281884964594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXbs6OahvI/AAAAAAAAB9c/AqQVZAxWKg4/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h52m21s155.png" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXbkfCw4WI/AAAAAAAAB9U/bT8m_AxxJMI/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h03m15s132.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532069137149387106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMXbkfCw4WI/AAAAAAAAB9U/bT8m_AxxJMI/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-14h03m15s132.png" /></a><br />Like most films, there are flaws in Kaushal's film, but the biggest for me was the music which was helmed by Himesh Reshammiya. A strong effort I suppose, but even now, thinking back to the songs, I can't recall a single one which is strange because the film is chalf full of them (seven to be exact). I do, however, remember one song only because it includes a wet Arshad frolicking in water. I know, but what's a girl to do?<br /><br />One last tidbit, specifically for Sitaji again, a variation on the "tight slap"....<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMLjcon8lI/AAAAAAAAB8E/FR7MFdb8UnI/s1600/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-13h45m25s187.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531277470951010898" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TMMLjcon8lI/AAAAAAAAB8E/FR7MFdb8UnI/s400/vlcsnap-2010-10-20-13h45m25s187.png" /></a><br />Who exactly is Anthony Gonzalves? Well, I guess you'll have to watch to find out, but at least it will be an interesting ride!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5856106477563761138.post-39426630994232113562010-10-14T07:36:00.000-07:002010-10-14T13:05:52.270-07:00Top 5 Thursday - Favorite Ladies of FilmI haven't done a top 5 Thursday in a while, so today I thought what better than showcasing my top 5 favorite actresses of all time. There are so many talented females out there, and lots of them come and go, but then there are those woman who continue to prove themselves on and off the screen continually making quality films. Though no one's repertoire is without the occasional flop, what defines a true actress to me is what comes next, that she continue to stretch herself and try new things, even if they don't work. Beauty, brains and passion define my top 5 ladies.<br /><br />Preity Zinta<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFy0zmtEI/AAAAAAAAB7c/4pQh_xgHBDs/s1600/preity-zinta-116a.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527963807091438658" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFy0zmtEI/AAAAAAAAB7c/4pQh_xgHBDs/s400/preity-zinta-116a.jpg" /></a><br />So much more than just dimples, Preity remains consistent on my blog and in my heart as a favorite actress. Though her filmography has lessened over the years, some of her work in the early 2000s lands on my list of favorites. <em>Kal Ho Na Ho, Veer Zaara, KANK, Salaam Namaste</em>, even <em>Jhoom Barabar Jhoom</em> - all movies enhanced by her beauty, tone and delivery. Cute, yes, but also brassy and socially conscious. See my previous post on all the reasons I love her <a href="http://shellsbollyworld.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-i-love-preity-zinta.html" target="_blank">here</a> . Preity is the quintessential girl next door, and someone I could see being BFF's with!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFs7Pc_qI/AAAAAAAAB7U/BhobqYOtqAs/s1600/Preity_Zinta_1634.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527963705739640482" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFs7Pc_qI/AAAAAAAAB7U/BhobqYOtqAs/s400/Preity_Zinta_1634.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFnd9Yy6I/AAAAAAAAB7M/pKjbWiAH8oA/s1600/preity-zinta-wallpaper-23270-5641.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527963611979893666" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdFnd9Yy6I/AAAAAAAAB7M/pKjbWiAH8oA/s400/preity-zinta-wallpaper-23270-5641.jpg" /></a><br />Audrey Hepburn<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLclVSeudiI/AAAAAAAAB6k/MbeJ_3dMJVk/s1600/Audrey-Hepburn-512X384-312.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527928115288765986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLclVSeudiI/AAAAAAAAB6k/MbeJ_3dMJVk/s400/Audrey-Hepburn-512X384-312.jpg" /></a><br />When I think of classic and ethereal, Audrey comes to mind. She, quite simply, is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen grace the silver screen. While I haven't seen all of her movies, <em>Breakfast at Tiffany's</em> and <em>My Fair Lady</em> remain constant favorites and continue to stand the test of time even now. Also I'm pretty sure she is responsible for my fascination with large brim hats! What Audrey left was a legacy, one that would try to be replicated (I see bits and pieces of her in Natalie Portman every now and then), but can never be reproduced. Timeless and sheer perfection!!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLclNQ_NgwI/AAAAAAAAB6c/34TIKP0aD2Q/s1600/248a31645d7e.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527927977449194242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLclNQ_NgwI/AAAAAAAAB6c/34TIKP0aD2Q/s400/248a31645d7e.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Ezy50aY6Bg?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Ezy50aY6Bg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Rani Mukherjee<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdIJtPqciI/AAAAAAAAB7s/Ezh9wwl56pw/s1600/Rani800x60003_1024.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527966399221887522" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdIJtPqciI/AAAAAAAAB7s/Ezh9wwl56pw/s400/Rani800x60003_1024.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdGFkSFQ_I/AAAAAAAAB7k/dU8tEQ2tV74/s1600/songte6.jpg"></a><br />Rani was my first. She helped introduce me to this wonderful world of Hindi cinema, and so she will always have a special spot in my heart. No matter what silly irreverent tabloid newsbits she comes up against, I will always hold Rani in a position of class. To me she comes across as a very soft but determined actress capable of doing both the romantic lead and the more serious stories. While some would argue she is past her prime, I think she's only getting better with age. The sweet little girl we saw enter the screen in <em>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</em> has grown into a stunning woman. They say good things come in small packages, don't they!?<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc3EXy_2_I/AAAAAAAAB60/5qIpIiUb6mI/s1600/Rani-Mukherjee0.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 245px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527947615867493362" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc3EXy_2_I/AAAAAAAAB60/5qIpIiUb6mI/s400/Rani-Mukherjee0.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc3ABuL3cI/AAAAAAAAB6s/eHw9njKzyFE/s1600/rani_mukherjee_002_ycwq.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527947541222251970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc3ABuL3cI/AAAAAAAAB6s/eHw9njKzyFE/s400/rani_mukherjee_002_ycwq.jpg" /></a><br />Kate Winslet<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdfbAU3oMI/AAAAAAAAB78/Ns15Yv4l5eA/s1600/kate-winslet-336226.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 298px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527991985169211586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdfbAU3oMI/AAAAAAAAB78/Ns15Yv4l5eA/s400/kate-winslet-336226.jpg" /></a><br />Kate has been my longest female crush. I first saw her in Peter Jackson's <em>Heavenly Creatures </em>(which also launched the amazing Melanie Lynskey), the true life story of two best friends who lose themselves in a fantasy world and end up committing murder. It was the beginning of what would be a filmography chalk full of every kind of movie imaginable. Kate has done the blockbuster (yes, I admit I am a <em>Titanic</em> fan and saw the movie 8 times in theatre), the arthouse film, the serious drama, the crime thriller, the romantic comedy. She's pure theatrical gold and is one of the few actresses today that isn't scared to take anything on, including nudity. Not only is she ballsy, but without a doubt a stunningly gorgeous girl.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdfUEDxpgI/AAAAAAAAB70/rwBcVxdovrw/s1600/kate_winslet_violetine_paveiksliukas_67809.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527991865912174082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLdfUEDxpgI/AAAAAAAAB70/rwBcVxdovrw/s400/kate_winslet_violetine_paveiksliukas_67809.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E-vUl-1FJ9E?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E-vUl-1FJ9E?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Kajol<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc6_FeB9CI/AAAAAAAAB7E/uSlMwKkVQ34/s1600/Actress_4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527951923094877218" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc6_FeB9CI/AAAAAAAAB7E/uSlMwKkVQ34/s400/Actress_4.jpg" /></a><br />Arguably my favorite Hindi actress, there's nothing I don't love about Kajol. Not only do I think she is stunningly beautiful, but she has a fierce wit that can challenge anyone (I've seen her spar with the best and win). Her role as Mandira in last year's<em> My Name is Khan</em>, is one of my favorite female roles ever (as a mother it shakes me to my core everytime I watch her break down). Whereas some actresses decide to live a life as wife and mother when they get married, I applaud Kajol's decision to stay in the industry despite being a married mother of two. She brings so much richness to the screen even now, whether playing the blind girl, the terminal ex-wife, the distraught mother, Kajol's acting has matured just as she has. I hope she continues for a long long time. Plus we're the same age, so I consider her my Indian soul sister!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc62bcbyLI/AAAAAAAAB68/njbRhUr-GX8/s1600/2891090551_1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 397px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527951774374938802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-dIKuwbEI40/TLc62bcbyLI/AAAAAAAAB68/njbRhUr-GX8/s400/2891090551_1.jpg" /></a><br />Upon searching youtube I stumbled across this song from the movie <em>Yeh Dillagi</em>, which I've never seen, but it's apparently a remake of the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina, so now I must find it. Very cute song with Akshay Kumar. If anyone has seen it let me know how it is.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WYBabNRJyHs?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WYBabNRJyHs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />So there you have it. My top 5 leading ladies. Long live the strong female actress!!!Shelliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08758282383525747870noreply@blogger.com8