.

Chammak Challo Promo!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

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.

Also, Shah's "look" for the film...

The waiting is killing me!!!!

Don 2, or what's with the hair? Really?

2011-07-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

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!!!

So, a question to Shah Rukh fans. Which movie are you looking forward to the most and why?

Shake That Biscuit Baby!

2011-06-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

Oh. My. God.

This, and only this, makes me want to see Delhi Belly.

Oh, Aamir, you are priceless.
God bless you.

WHAT'S UP TORONTO?!!!! My adventures at IIFA Part 2

2011-06-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

How can you possibly top a night with Shah Rukh and Vivek? With another full day of Bolly goodness, that's how!

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.

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!!!

Chilling on the 19th floor where we bumped into some CBS and BBC peeps.

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.

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!

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)

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!

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.

#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.

#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!

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!

#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!

Arshad takes his turn at thanking Toronto "in case he doesn't make it back up to the stage"

#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.

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!

Rock on Shah Rukh!

Final last notes...

While the show did run a tad long (!), I loved how people got their time to talk. I dare anyone to tell Dharmji that his turn is over!

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!

Sonakshi takes home best female newcomer! Yay! How gorgeous is this woman, seriously?

I can not wait to see what comes her way in the future.

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!

Until next time....

IIFA - an adventure in Toronto Part 1

2011-06-28T09:27:00.001-07:00

There'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!

Friday was such a blur. My sister and I got into Toronto in the afternoon, and, after meeting Filmigirl (who is AWESOME by the way), and checking into our hotel, we headed to meet the lovely Beth Loves Bollywood and Irena at Aroma. The food was so divine I couldn't get enough. Mmmmm......

Even Mini Khan made a welcome appearance! What?! I was just curious!

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!

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!

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.

I hate this picture of me, but oh well, it's me and VIVEK OBEROI! WOOT!!!!

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!

One of the better shots I got of Shah Rukh. He looked tired I thought,

but still very handsome and dapper!

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!

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!

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.

Shruti, me and Nabila! SRKAngels represent!!!

Filmigirl, Daniel and me!

A fantastic day! An even more fantastic night. It was really an amazing time, and I made memories to last a lifetime!

Stay tuned for Part 2 - IIFA fever!

Time Flies!

2011-06-20T08:53:00.001-07:00

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...

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!

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.

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!

Kingdom of Dreams Photoshoot

2011-04-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

What 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.

So dapper in this all black ensemble! Shah is nothing if not genuinely classy!

I am so loving the little smirks! Kya smile!!!

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!

Taa daa! A super terrific block of pics! Go, run and check out the rest of them now!

Guzaarish

2011-04-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

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 Guzaarish.

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 Devdas), but after the disaster that was Saawariya, I was reluctant to go on another journey with the director, regardless of who was in it.

When the trailers were airing I'd heard stories that the movie was going to unwind similarly along the lines of the magical drama The Prestige. 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 Summer Snow and the similarity between the film and the 2004 Spanish film The Sea Inside. 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 Guzaarish it really is an incredibly touching and lovely film!

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.

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.

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.

When Hrithik said he was going to lend his voice to a song in Kites, I thought "Cool!", then I listened to it and thought, "Boy, how I wished he hadn't done that". In Guzaarish 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! SPOILER ALERT Ethan sings, as a tribute to his mother at her funeral, What A Wonderful World, 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.

END SPOILER

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.

I'd said that when the OST was released, I wasn't sure of the songs in the film, except for Udi, 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.

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!

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 Action Replayy (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.

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.

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.

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.

One sidenote: I saw a film a long time ago that tackled a similar subject called It's My Party about a man that has to cope with the lasting complications of advanced AIDS. If you liked Guzaarish, you should definitely check out this American film.

IIFA Nominations Announced

2011-04-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

News 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.

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.

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!

Here's the list of ~~completely unsurprising~~ nominations so far.

Negative Role:
Naseeruddin Shah - Allah Kay Bandey
Sonu Sood - Dabangg
Emraan Hashmi - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
Manoj Bajpayee - Raajneeti
Ronit Roy - Udaan

Comic Role:
Paresh Rawal - Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge
Johny Lever - Golmaal 3
Riteish Deshmukh - Housefull
Anil Kapoor - No Problem
Pradhuman Singh - Tere Bin Laden

Supporting Female:
Amrita Puri - Aisha
Dimple Kapadia - Dabangg
Ratna Pathak - Golmaal 3
Shernaz Patel - Guzaarish
Prachi Desai - Once Upon A Time In Mumbai

Supporting Male:
Mithun - Golmaal 3
Arshad Warsi - Ishqiya
Emraan Hashmi -Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
Arjun Rampal - Raajneeti
Manoj Bajpayee - Raajneeti

Leading Female Nominees:
Anushka Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat
Kareena Kapoor - Golmaal 3
Aishwarya Rai - Guzaarish
Vidya Balan -Ishqiya
Katrina Kaif - Raajneeti

Leading Male Nominees
Salman Khan - Dabangg
Hrithik Roshan - Guzaarish
Shah Rukh Khan - My Name Is Khan
Ajay Devgn - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaa
Ranbir Kapoor - Raajneeti

Best Direction Nominees:
Band Baaja Baaraat
Dabangg
Guzaarish
My Name Is Khan
Once Upon A Time In Mumbai
Udaan

Best Film Nominees:
Band Baaja Baarat
Dabangg
My Name Is Khan
Raajneeti
Once Upon A Time In Mumbai

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!

2 months, 23 days to go!

Raja Hindustani

2011-03-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

*** contains some spoilers

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Until next time...

Wednesdays are wonderful dontcha know!

2011-03-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

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....

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?

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?!

Enjoy this quick 15 min!

I will post the first look as soon as it becomes available online!
Have a super Wednesday!!!

...and here's the 30 second promo!

I love Fridays!

2011-03-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

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!

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.

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!

Enjoy and have a super Friday!!!!

Top 5 Thursday: Best Kisses!

2011-03-16T11:29:00.001-07:00

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 Best and Most Memorable Film Kisses of All Time in Cinematic History), 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!

#5 Belle & the Beast - Beauty and the Beast
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!!!

Yowzers, Disney, that's some smoking animated action right there!

#4 Raja & Aarti - Raja Hindustani
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!

#3 Jim & Pam - The Office
One of my favorite tv couples of all-time, I remember watching season 2's finale, Casino Night, 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!

#2 Krishna & Babban - Ishqiya
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 Murder, so I've heard), so I applaud this film for continuing the trend. Thank you VERY much!

#1 Kurt & Blaine - Glee
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 Originals 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 Glee 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.

So, once again, Happy St. Patrick's Day. I wish for you all love, prosperity and a long happy life this fine day!

IIFA... and other important things like movies!

2011-03-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Viva la Bollywood!!!

Happy 46th Aamir

2011-03-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

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: 3 Idiots), 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...

The terror-romance genre might not be for everyone, but I actually really loved Fanaa, 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.

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 Andaz Apna Apna 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!)

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 Dil Chahta Hai, 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!

*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!

I would say, without hesitation, that Lagaan 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....

So, 3 Idiots 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.

Even though Zoobie Doobie, ear-wormyness aside, has been proclaimed as terribly awful, I enjoy it and the picturization is fun!

The very first Aamir movie I saw was the student drama Taare Zameen Par. 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)

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!

Happy Birthday Aamir. I wish you many more years of continued success and happiness!

Please to Explain my Absence...

2011-02-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

Warning: personal blog post ahead!

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.

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.

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 here - scroll half way down, I had trouble figuring out how to load my pics).

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.

Thanks all for not abandoning me!!!

xo
Shellie

Ra.One First Look - and by that I mean VAVAVAVOOM!!!!!

2011-01-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

OH. MY. GOD.

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!

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).

So, thanks for that wonderful start to my new year! Can it just be Diwali yet?!

Resolution Time

2010-12-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

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!?

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?

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 Love, Sex Aur Dokha 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?

Aagar
Apna Sapna Money Money
Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?
Bewafaa
Black
Chamatkar
Chor Machaye Shor
Chori Mera Kaam
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke
Deedar
Delhi 6
Dev D
Deewana
Deewane Huye Paagal
Dhamaal
Dil Hai Tumhaara
Don (original)
Doosra Aadmi
Duniya Meri Jeb Main
Ghaab
Golmaal
Gora aur Kala
Guddu
Haan...Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya
Heaven on Earth
Hera Pheri
Hum Saath-Saath Hain
Hero Hindustani
Insaaf Ka Tarazu
Jaan-E Maan
Just Married
Kaminey
Karz
Luck
Maine Pyaar kyun Kiya
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
No Entry
Omkara
Paa
Phir Hera Pheri
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha
Raajneeti
Raaz
Ram Jaane
Raavan
Ram Shyam
Road, Movie
Sarkar
Seeta Aur Geeta
Shakti
Vaadaraha
Water
Yeh Dillagi

Now that that is out of the way, let me wish all my wonderful followers, commentors, friends and family a wonderful New Years!

I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generousity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY DEAREST FRIENDS NEAR OR FAR!

My fav movies this year

2010-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Well, 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 Harry Potter 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.

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 here. It was not an easy movie for me to watch, but will always remain one of my favorites.

When I think of Ishqiya 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 (Ibn-e-Batuta and Dil To Bachcha Hai 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 my review.

My most recent viewing was Salman Khan's Dabangg. You can read my full review here. 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!

For me, it was an Arshad kind of year. Hum, Tum Aur Ghost 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 here.

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 Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Action Replayy, It's a Wonderful Afterlife, Golmaal 3, Tees Maar Khan and Guzaarish. I also still have Love, Sex aur Dhokha, Atithi Tum Kab, Ravaan, and Road, Movie 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.

So, there you have it. My fav's of 2010. What were your favorite films this year and why?

Looking forward to 2011 though it will be another year full of waiting (a Diwale release for Ra.One is just about going to kill us Shah fans!). I can't wait to see what the fraternity brings us!!!!

Coming soon...my favorite songs of the year!

Chulbul Pandey, how I adore thee!

2010-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

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 Dabangg 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!

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. Dabangg 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!).

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 Wanted, 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!

Who wouldn't love this face?

Even this beauty is not impervious to Chulbul's blundering charms
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!

Yowza!
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 Andaz Apna Apna, 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 THE reason to watch this film!

Add to the action, the hoopla, the amour a killer OST by Sajid-Wajid complete with some very interesting choreography. Munni Badnaam, Hud Hud Dabangg and Humka Peeni Hai are all extremely danceable. I won't ever forget project Munni, 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.

(Loving the dancing in this - esp the belt move!)

Over the top and extremely fun, self mockery or not, Dabangg makes it's way onto my list of one of the best films of the year!

Naach

2010-11-04T12:55:00.001-07:00

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 Naach? I had high hopes, the kind that Chance Pe Dance didn't quite fulfill, and I loved Rangeela, 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.

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.

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

or this

or this

or this

or this

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!

I have to say that the girl does have a few good thoughts in the film. This is my favorite:

However, it didn't save us from this nightmare worthy move.

MY EYES!!!!!
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.

Did you feel that? The shiver that went down your spine? Somebody's watching you.

That being said, Abhishek gives me my favorite line of the movie:

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!

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.

There, there Ritesh. There's more to life than a girlfriend who's flexible!

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!!

And a final word from the master of meh...

Don't be too sure RGV. Not all your audience are mindless drones.

Tees Maar Khan

2010-11-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

Oh 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?

Check it out!...

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.

And the newly released Tees Maar Khan theme song.

Very James Bond sounding, na? I wait with anticipation to hear the rest of the ost! I'm sure it will deliver.

Happy Birthday Shah!

2010-11-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wishing my beloved darling Shah a wonderful 45th birthday!

You are my light when it's dark, my joy when there's sorrow, my happiness always.

Wishing you many many more wonderful years of love.

Just in case you want to refresh your memory, check out all the reasons I love Shah Rukh here.

And to commemorate this very special event this year, a few of my favorite Shah songs:

Mere Mehboob 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!

Though I've probably posted this on my blog several times, I can not not do a fav's list and leave Kal Ho Na Ho 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.

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 Don 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.

I fell in love with this song immediately when I saw it. Yes Boss 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. Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon 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!!!

Om Shanti Om 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. Ajab Si 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.

Okay, so I could go on and on, but I think I'll stop at five for now. What are your favorite Shah songs?

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!!

Anthony Kaun Hai?

2010-10-25T13:13:00.001-07:00

A mistaken identity, hit men, murder, petty thieves, a diamond heist, romance! Raj Kaushal's Anthony Kaun Hai? 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.

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.

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!

Drink!

Drink!!

DRINK!!!!!!

A shout out to Sitaji - 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?)

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.

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.

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?

One last tidbit, specifically for Sitaji again, a variation on the "tight slap"....

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!

Top 5 Thursday - Favorite Ladies of Film

2010-10-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

I 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.

Preity Zinta

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. Kal Ho Na Ho, Veer Zaara, KANK, Salaam Namaste, even Jhoom Barabar Jhoom - 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 here . Preity is the quintessential girl next door, and someone I could see being BFF's with!

Audrey Hepburn

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, Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady 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!!

Rani Mukherjee

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 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has grown into a stunning woman. They say good things come in small packages, don't they!?

Kate Winslet

Kate has been my longest female crush. I first saw her in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures (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 Titanic 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.

Kajol

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 My Name is Khan, 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!

Upon searching youtube I stumbled across this song from the movie Yeh Dillagi, 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.

So there you have it. My top 5 leading ladies. Long live the strong female actress!!!

Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II

2010-10-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

"This a mindless work of fiction, the characters happen to be fictional, despite our sincere efforts. The locations, however, are real. The story has been plagiarised from several films"

When a movie starts with such a comically inspired declaration and ends giving sincerest thanks to such prolific American directors like Quentin Tarantino and Joel & Ethan Coen, you know you are in for an interesting ride. Director and writer Shashanka Ghosh has, not too delicately, given us a slightly dark, definitely satirical look at the battle between two Mumbai (not Bombay!) crime lords.

Generally, this is a genre that I steer clear from. I'm more prone to put on the fluffy, popcorn pieces that tackle such serious topics like will they or won't they, but after reading FilmiGirl's review during Arshad Week, and being a new avid Arshad Warsi fangirl, I bought this film and finally found the time to put it on. What it delivered, despite it's original mindless admission, was an unusual and engaging story.

Arshad Warsi plays Puneet Sayal. He has a job as a copywriter, he lives with his girlfriend, Angi Sinha (Sandhya Mridul), and puts in about as much effort into each of them as one would tying a shoe. Like a lot of us, he dreams of a day when he will have earned enough money to leave his job and live a life of peace. It's the kind of life that you live, day be day, because there's nothing else to do. Then, one day, news brings disturbance into Puneet's otherwise prosaic life and he finds himself in a position to directly upset the balance in the city's ongoing gang war. What follows is the birth of a friendship that not only propels the story forward but changes the lives of everyone involved in some way or another.

There are a lot of players in Ghosh's story. Anant Jog and Pratima Kazmi play dominant kingpin Ganpat and ambitious runner-up Gangu, who sit comfy in their homes while they demand loyalty from their minions who do their dirty work for them. While I found Anant slightly disconnected, Pratima does an excellent job playing the female don counterpart with all the manipulating tactics one would expect from a Maa type character. "Go and eat, son", "yes, Maa". "Cut off your own finger for me", "yes, Maa". Insidiously fiendish!

Sandhya Mridul, as the lady cop love interest fits the role perfectly. Having seen Sandhya recently in Hum, Tum Aur Ghost, I love the girls no nonsense, plucky, spunky (insert more adjectives here) attitude. HTAG, however, gave more scope to work with, and as Agni, her role wasn't nearly developed enough for me. Give the girl some good roles and she could be the next big Bollywood vixen! And a perfect addition to my James Bond girls post I did this summer I might add.

The real relationship in this film, however, is that which is forged between Puneet and Vishnu, and the two characters are played perfectly by Arshad and Prashant Narayanan. I've never seen Prashant in anything before, but I found his portrayal of Ganpat's #1, appropriately restrained. His is a solemn character, for sure, which plays nicely off of his counterpart. Arshad, who is almost always used as the one character who supplies the comic relief, does just that, but with an edge of realism and honest emotion. I can't express how much I prefer these roles of substance of his over the low brow strictly comic ones. I'm really looking forward to the cop drama he's going to be filming on the west coast of Canada where I will most likely be ~~stalking him~~ planning a family vacation.

The film, while it is riddled with the type of violence one would expect in a gangster drama, is also punctuated with loud bursts of comedy brought to you by the Bazpur Boys, a loud boisterous bunch of Punjabi vacationers out looking for a good time (they play an integral role in the open ending of one of our main characters). We also get treated to several songs, none which are situational but that doesn't mean they don't add a little spice to the narrative. Watch for Maria Goretti sizzling in an item number and my favorite song of the bunch Allah Ke Bande.

Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II is Shashanka Ghosh's answer to Bollywood. It was my answer to a boring Monday afternoon.

Trailer Tuesday

2010-10-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

So even though I haven't been able to watch many movies lately, the desire to see what's coming up is still there. Here's a look at some of the film's coming out that I am looking forward to seeing.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey
Release Date: December 3

There's going to be big buzz surrounding Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, I can just imagine. Ashutosh Gowariker, who is to me one of Hindi's best directors - certainly he has the midas touch after such completely brilliant films like Swades and Lagaan and the ethereal beauty of Jodhaa Akbar. My only concern is, no matter how good the director is, the sum of the parts equal the whole and if he couldn't make a film with Harman Baweja work, I don't know if I should hold my breath for Deepika. However, I have always liked Abhishek and it will be interesting to see what Ashutosh can bring out of him.

Action Replayy
Release Date: November 3

Vipul Amrutlal Shah heads back to his Akshay roots for this fun and visually stimulating comedy set in one of the best eras ever - the 70's! The hair, the fashion, the music - I ADORE it all, plus we get a bit of Back to the Future vibe with this, so the possibilities for hilarity are endless. Also any movie with the absolutely amazing Kirron Kher wins points automatically in my books. Can not wait!!!

Break Ke Baad
Release Date: November 26

I'm not sure if I'm a bit of a masochist, and god help me, but I am a romantic comedy junkie. I'm fairly certain this movie isn't going to have much of a story, and Deepika looks like she's rehashed her Love AajKal 2-dimensional insipid avatar, but I have a small soft spot for cutie Imran Khan, and there are moments in the trailer that look so awwwwwww worthy. Besides if I can sit through such Hollywood junk like All About Steve, Break Ke Baad deserves my attention.

Guzaarish
Release Date: November 13

The thing about initial trailers is that they are so vague. What is this movie about? Some say a remake of Prestige (which is a bunch of bunk. Except for the magical elements I don't see the resemblance at all). It looks like the love story of a retired magician (due to an accident caused by an illusion gone wrong?) with his nurse. There must be more, but love stories on their own are enough sometimes for a great movie. I have to admit, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not one of my favorite directors, and Devdas remains at the bottom of my fav Shah movie list *insert gasp here*. However, Aish and Hrithik are pure magic together (someone please PLEASE for the love of god to a Mr. & Mrs. Smith remake with them), and I expect that they will not let their fans down this time ether. And if all else fails, Bhansali always gives us beautiful looking movies, so it will be a feast for the eyes nonetheless.

Well, that's it for now. Now that Christmas designing is done, I can finally breath again and a movie night (or two) is definitely in order. Somehow I need to make a dent in this pile of movies on my shelf.

Ah, September, you are a Fickle Fellow

2010-09-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

Well, September is almost over. It has truly been a month of ups and downs for me. I did my very first order of wedding invitations for a dear friend on twitter, and hope to perhaps start my own handmade wedding invitation business in the new year; lost a little girl in my dayhome who I've had since I started (tears flowed freely as she left on her last day), and subsequently have had to fight off creditors as my income plummeted (for anyone ever considering opening a private dayhome as your means of income, I say RECONSIDER!!!); and I got in my first big fight with my best girlfriend, made up and went to Vegas for our annual birthday celebration.

I love Vegas. I've been there three times now, on the strip, and it never gets boring. What did get boring, however, were the clubs. No dance space, men who just decide they're going to come up behind you and start humping your ass until you move away, and urban house music sprinkled every now and then with a top 40 dance hit. I longed for a good desi club, but as far as I know there isn't a single one in Vegas, let alone on the strip. Too bad. If I'm wrong, someone let me know for next time.

My actual birthday day was great though. We spent the entire morning/afternoon by the pool. Despite what a lot of people on trip advisor said, the pool area at NYNY hotel is really very nice. We had a cabana, complete with unlimited snacks, drinks and service. It was wonderful, and the weather was so gorgeous I could hardly stand the thought of coming back to crappy Alberta, especially since we had probably the worst summer on record ever! I got a lovely silver scarf and Indian cookbook from my gf's mom and friend, who also accompanied us on our trip.

After they literally had to kick us out of the pool area (which closes at 6! Wtf?! I will never understand why they don't keep them open into the evening), I was taken to The Gaylord Indian Restaurant at the Rio hotel (is it just me or is that the worst name for an Indian restaurant, seriously?). We indulged in a couple of bottles of wine (in addition to the champagne and malibu rum we'd had earlier), made some new friends (a table with teen ladki beside us joined in a little dance when Mauja Hi Mauja burst forth from my phone), ate some super delish and exceptionally overpriced eats and shared some laughs with our servers. Once again they had to kick us out. The rest of the night was spent dancing and fending off unwanted advances at Jet nightclub at the Mirage, then at Nine Fine Irishmen at NYNY where my gf insists she was given a roofie laced shooter from the husband half of an older couple from Detroit. Aaah, good times.

Birthday celebrations took a disappointing turn when I got home though when I didn't get so much as a card from neither my husband nor my mother. Bless my sister, however, for knowing me so well and surprising me with a copy of Anupama Chopra's King of Bollywood. Thanks didi! So, all in all, a good birthday, though as much as I try to deny it, this body of mine is getting older, even if my mind isn't, and partying all night definitely takes it's toll. NAHIIIIIIIIN!!!!

Birthday talk aside, though I didn't blog at all this month (I really don't know where all my times goes these days), I did manage to watch a few movies. Sholay finally graced my screen. LOVED IT!!! So much goodness I could hardly stand it. If you haven't seen Sholay (Erin I'm looking at you!) get on it NOW!!!! I also finally got around to see Rocket Singh, which I also really enjoyed. Ranbir Kapoor has really been impressing me lately. I think I'm ready to put Saawariya behind me.

What else?.... Oh, I watched Badmaash Company, which was one movie I was extremely excited to see and would have probably seen in a theatre if I had one nearby. What can I say about BC? I was confused at first what they were doing. Was it a con? Was it legitimate? The registered company name really threw me off. Who cons someone and then has payment made to a licensed business name? Also, Shahid, who dresses up to the nines to go gambling in a casino and takes their ginormous wads of cash in a white garbage bag? You can take the boy out of Delhi....

Lastly, I was devastated when I was not able to accompany my sister this summer to a screening of Kites, so I was beside myself to receive a copy and had to watch it immediately. Despite all of the rumored spoilers, I was actually still surprised at the ending. I thought it was a lovely film and Hrithik and Barbara both were just passionate and lovely. My only real critique was that I couldn't understand how they kept getting found so fast and easily. Tony, dude, she doesn't want you. Give it up! Also I would have liked to have seen Kangs a bit more, but what are you going to do? I have Vaada Raha sitting on my dvd shelves to watch if I can stomach a whole movie with Bobby Deol.

So that's been pretty much my entire movie experiences this summer. What the heck? I need to get back into the Bollywood swings of things. So many movies, so little time.

Happy viewing all!

Teacher Teacher, Can you Teach Me?

2010-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Tomorrow my 5 year old son will step over the threshold into his Grade 1 classroom. Gone are the days when I get to let him sleep in (thus procrastinating my wake up time). Gone are the days when I can steal an afternoon cuddle. Gone are the days when the only homework is to practise saying Carly's kangaroo is cute. I guess at some point you have to hope you have done a good job in their most formative years and hand them off (at least temporarily) to their teachers to continue teaching them all the stuff you've forgotten about in your adult years.

Anyway, amongst all the back to school shopping I got thinking about teachers. There's really all kinds and I've experienced everything from the kind that sits you in the front of the class for giving an ill-timed whoopee in the middle of fractions to the band teacher that you had a serious crush on in high school to the distinguished professor who you looked up to and drank beside in college. Here's a look at the teachers that Bollywood has offered to me so far.

Sushmita Sen - Chemistry teacher, Main Hoon Na
I think if all chemistry teachers looked like Sushmita, we'd have a lot of really stupid chemists in the world. This was the first movie I saw Sushmita in, and, while I don't think she solved a single problem on the blackboard, she sure had a lot of chemistry with an equally sizzling Shah Rukh.

Points:
Ability to mold young minds: 1/5 Unless we are talking about the "saree factor" lesson! Girls listen up, look like a lady to catch that guy with the greasy hair you secretly lust after.
Teaches by example: 0/5 Experiments and laboratories have no place in this teacher's world. I'm pretty sure she carried some books though.
Experiences life altering lesson from students: 0/5 None that I can recall unless it's okay to date students.
Hotness factor: 5/5 Like I said, Sushmita is over the top sexy in this film. I think even I would lose myself to daydreams in class.
Overall teaching score: 1/5
Do they give chemistry degrees at the school of "Next Top Model"? Sushmita's sex appeal, however, is enough to make anyone's "beaker" explode!

Shah Rukh Khan - music teacher, Mohabbatein
Raj Aryan Malhotra arrives at all boy school in hopes of changing the views of one very strong willed headmaster through corrupting the sex-starved minds and bodies of three young, very impressionable men.

Points:
Ability to mold young minds: 4/5 So minds are taught to love, not learn, but it's still molding no matter how you look at it.
Teaches by example: 2/5 Did anyone actually learn to play an instrument in this film? I saw Raj teaching I'm pretty sure, but the lesson inevitably lead to flashbacks or lessons on love.
Experiences life altering lesson from students: 0/5 I think if any lesson should have been passed on to Raj it should have been only love that which you can touch (though I imagine lusting after a ghost would result in lots of touching of another kind).
Hotness factor: 4/5 Well, the hair is perfect, the face is perfect, the body is perfect, but I want to take a whip to Shah's costume designer. Turtle necks and over the shoulder sweaters belong on the rich snobby type in the Hamptons on a cool fall day not on Shah ever! Karan if that was you, tsk tsk!!!
Overall teaching score: 3/5
Shah can teach me anything, anytime of any day as far as I'm concerned - I promise to be a very willing and open student!

Aamir Khan - art teacher, Taare Zameen Par
Admittedly, it's been a while since I saw this, but it was my very first Aamir Khan film and I remember it being a beautiful and especially heart warming film, though to be honest it's Darsheel Safary that gives the movie it's heart and soul. But what would a student be without a teacher?

Points:
Ability to mold young minds: 5/5 Molds minds young and old in this one.
Teaches by example: 5/5 Ram practises what he preaches for sure. Just don't follow his dancing skills.
Experiences life altering lesson from students: 0/5 I don't remember him learning anything. All the lessons were on the other end.
Hotness factor: 3/5 With his faux hawk, pointy ears and eyebrows, Ram is a peculiar looking man, but I still find him strangely attractive sometimes. I guess it's not all about looks sometimes.
Overall teaching score: 4/5
Ram Shankar Nikumbh is the quintessential teacher, modern in his thinking and approach to his students. He cares about the welfare of his students over all else. So he dresses like a weird troll-clown every once in a while. Everyone has their fetishes!

Boman Irani - college dean, 3 Idiots
The one thing I have to give credit to Boman for is he is a master character actor. He is just about perfect as the autocratic tyrannical Virus. Students either mock him or fear him and it feels just right.

Points:
Ability to mold young minds: 1/5 for perfecting the kiss ass
Teaches by example: 0/5 Unless the example is how to suck the life out of your students, literally
Experiences life altering lesson from students: 5/5 There's nothing that a handmade labour vacuum can't do!
Hotness factor: 1/5 I think sometimes power = sexy, so that's Virus' only point, though some could be into the tight little afro and chest high pants look!
Overall teaching score: 1/5
Virus' only salvation is that, like any good self-delusional teacher, he does experience a breakthrough it the end that could only be delivered by a lesson delivering man-boy.

Shahid Kapoor - dance instructor, Chance Pe Dance
Okay, so I'm really stretching it here, since Sameer just kind of ends up temporarily falling into a teaching position, but when all is said and done he does end up leave some impact upon his impressionable dance deprived youths, if only how to do a step ball change.

Points:
Ability to mold young minds: 2/5 You won't be made fun of if you do something well and in shiny clothing
Teaches by example: 5/5 If I wanted someone teaching me dance, it would probably be Shahid. He's got the moves for sure!
Experiences life altering lesson from students: 2/5 Nothing like helping a bunch of kids you initially hated to make you realize you need to reach for your dreams too. Think of them as little stepping stones on your way to stardom!
Hotness factor: 5/5 The hotness level is off the charts for Shahid in this film. It was really just a matter of time before the shirt came off and those delicious abs were on display in full view. mmmmmm.... excuse me while I cue up Pump it Up
Overall teaching score: 3/5
An awful high score for someone who didn't want to be a teacher in the first place. If Sameer was played by, oh let's say, Bobby Deol, it probably wouldn't have been so generous.

So to all the parents out there sending kids to school this week, I raise my glass and say thank god summer is over!!!

Shah & Gauri sitting in a tree...

2010-08-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

When I heard that Shah and Gauri were going to be starring together in a commercial for D'Decor, I have to admit I was not one of those fans that squealed in delight. Honestly I find Gauri cold and impersonal, which probably suits her in real life (Lord knows it's got to be a hard job being the celebrity wife of someone so entirely huge as Shah), but can she warm up to the camera? Who knows. I guess we'll see when the commercial for D'Decor home furnishings finally airs.

In the mean time, here's some pics from a recent press conference.

Gauri showing some kind of emotion! She looks very pretty and engaging in these. Maybe there's hope for this commercial after all.

Have a great Thursday!

He's Back with a Dabaang!

2010-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Stop the presses!

Lord help me, but I am excited about Salman Khan's new production Dabaang, which is completely uncharacteristic for me since it's not a secret he's not one of my actors of choice. However, I can recognize that there's really only a handful of today's Bollywood men that can successfully pull off the brawn that's required in a good action packed masala flick. Even though I wasn't on the "we love Wanted" bangwagon, I can see some of Salman's funny charm coming out in this role as Chulbul Pandey, which is surely going to be as epically good and Veer was epically bad.

The awesome trailer...

While I don't consider Sallu the best dancer, his moves sure do entertain! Mallika Sherawat and Salman, as he attempts to bring a buff Village People look to the big screen. What's not to love!

And the newest song promo...

Once again, I will be waiting to see this on dvd, along with so many others that have come through the theatre. Moving to the city sure does sound enticing some days!

Sallu bhai I salute you!

Happy Independance Day!

2010-08-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

I adore India and all I've learned about it in the last 2 years, the good and the bad. While I've yet to actually visit, the piggy bank is filling up and I know that I will make it one day! In the mean time, I relish all that I get to experience via film, music, the web and friends. Join me in wishing India a very Happy 63rd Independence Day.

Jai Hind!!!

Chaahat

2010-08-11T08:30:00.001-07:00

It has been ages since I did a film review, and just about as long since I saw this one. Chaahat was brought over to me from a wonderful dear friend who lives in the UK. He said it was an early Shah Rukh film that was hard to come by. I had never heard of it, so I had zero expectations but as the credits started rolling but I saw the names Shah Rukh, Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah, I got excited! Also this movie was directed by Mahesh Bhatt, who was responsible for one of my favorite early Shah films Duplicate.

Shah plays Roop Singh Rathod, the musically gifted son to once musically gifted father Shambunath (Anumpam). Melodrama strikes early when we learn that dad is sick and needs medical attention in the big city which is costly. Roop, who loves his father dearly, heads to the big mean city of Mumbai to find a job singing. As luck would have it, he gets hired by the commanding and tough Ajay Narang (Nass), who has a very protective and an almost unnatural love for his sister Reshma (Ramya Krishna). Things are going very well for Roop. He meets the girl of his dreams, Dad seems to be on the mend, and he's got a great gig singing for the rich. Too bad Reshma decides to go all Fatal Attration on Roops ass. What Mahesh treats us to for the rest of the movie is a culmination of sweet romantic moments, crazed jealous bitch fights, and a little Shah dishoom complete with the all too famous mouth blood element.

I loved Shah in this film. There's still quite a few of his early movies I've yet to see, and I imagine there not all great films, but it's so interesting to see where he's came from and how he's grown. Though he's a polished actor now, it's refreshing sometimes to see the young, vulnerable, naive side to him. The dance sequence for Nahin Lagta shows him at his intense best. What I wouldn't give to see him REALLY dance nowadays. His performances on stage lately seem, I don't know, slightly wooden in the boogie down sense.

Nass was so mean in this film, and I'm not talking the evil villainish type of mean like in Krrish, but cold, calculated mean. Like you don't want to piss him off or do wrong by someone he loves if you want to live. Yet, despite the eerie volcanic personality, he comes across as one totally classy guy. Rich, good looking, powerful, and played just wonderfully, like there's ever any other option. Ramya Krishna too was really good at the jealous obsessed lover of sorts. I totally bought her crazy 100%.

Pooja Bhaat and Anupam Kher were just okay for me, with Anupam getting brownie points for being the coolest dad in a film I've seen recently. Personally I think Shah had more chemistry with the horse than with Pooja, but that's just me.

Overall Mahesh doesn't score nearly as high on the entertainment scale with this one as he did with Duplicate, but it is a definite watchable film for any Shah fan. Does true love conquer all? It could, just watch your back.

Happy Birthday Kajol

2010-08-05T07:32:00.001-07:00

Yes I am still alive.

Some days it doesn't feel like it though, especially last month when I learned that I suffered from gallstones. After spending nearly a week in the hospital, I came home with bruised IV spots on my arms that seemed to take forever to heal and the knowledge that if I had another attack I would need to go back to the hospital and have the entire darn thing removed. Why they didn't just do it while I was there I'll never know (this is the same place that lost the results for my ultrasound for 4 days). But I am a stubborn soul, and have a life to tend to, so I went about my business until a really big attack landed me back for another 6 days and I am now gallbladder free and slowly on the mend. In the mean time, I'm home, and am going to try and get back to my normal life, and that means MOVIES!

So I just wanted to extend happy birthday wishes to one of my favorite actresses, Kajol, who was one of my first lady loves and still has the power to draw me in to her films. I am very much looking forward to We Are Family. I think the female power of Kajol vs. Kareena is going to be stellar!

Though there's a slew of films of Kajol's that I haven't seen, but lots of my favorites include My Name Is Khan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Fanaa, U Me Aur Hum and Baazigar. It's no wonder I think Kajol and Shah are magic!

So Happy 36th my almost birthday twinsie!

Top 5 Thursday - Come take me away, please!

2010-06-17T10:13:00.001-07:00

Our first Top 5 Thursday on twitter was dedicated to those men/women that you would have a free pass with if they ever managed to cross your path. You know, those ones that get you so hot and bothered that you search out their pictures online, watch their movies and tv shows insistently and overall drive your husband/boyfriend/significant other crazy with your obsession. I've kept a list in my head probably since puberty set in, and it has changed as I've become more mature (in age only!) and have discovered new *ahem* talent, but one thing stays consistent and that's that I definitely have a "type" of man I find irresistible. See if you can figure it out by the end.

Without further ado, the 5 men who succeed in taking my breath away....

#5 Javier Bardem

I just recently saw Vicky Christina Barcelona and was instantly smitten with Javier's charisma and presence in the film. Definitely the film presented him in a very sexy way (who wouldn't want to be swept up in a hot steamy weekend with a handsome stranger in Spain!?). That being said, I might have to avoid No Country For Old Men, as I'm sure it will totally ruin the fantasy! If there's one thing Javier can do it's make me curious about Spanish cinema, so if anyone out there knows of some good titles, let me know!

#4 Ewan McGregor

What can I say about the man who's been on my list the longest? He's insanely gorgeous, with those blue/green eyes, that Scottish accent, and I do know what's under that kilt! To me, he's the definition of a true actor, one that follows his heart rather than a paycheque, and has been successful in theatre as well as film, even shooting his own documentaries. His filmography consists of everything from commercial blockbusters to arthouse film to indie productions. He's an actor that refuses to be typecast, and actually turned down an offer to play James Bond in Casino Royale for that very reason (aak! I would have LOVED that!). Some of my favorites are Little Voice, Brassed Off, Moulin Rouge, Trainspotting and of course Star Wars. Plus I love that he's one of the few actors that is not afraid to take on alternative roles. I'm really looking forward to seeing him and Jim Carrey in I Love You, Phillip Morris.

#3 Arshad Warsi

I've always been a fan of Arshad's, but sometimes there's one movie that makes you just sit straight up and take notice of someone in "that" way, and that's what happened to me. Ishqiya was definitely a turning point in his career, and I think we'll really start to see what he's capable of in the near future. I think Arshad's got that type of sex appeal that appeals to the bad girl in us. He's potently masculine, can really act like nobody's business, is funny as hell and is a trained dancer. What more could you ask for?

I hate to be redundant, and I know I've posted this song before, but I just absolutely adore it to pieces so here it is again!

#2 Gerard Butler

Okay, so I could also have a thing for the Scots, I admit it, and he may be extremely cocky, so I've heard, but that doesn't take away from how amazing I think he is. Gerry comes across, to me, as a real laid back kind of guy, one that's not afraid to throw back a pint and get down on the dance floor. He first wowed me with his mysterious dark take on the Phantom (I was even impressed with his singing), then, even though I never actually watched 300 (tried to, but for some reason just couldn't get through it), the effort he put towards his body did not go unnoticed! His movies are hit and miss with me but he is one of those actors that I will watch even if it's not a genre I particularly enjoy, and I could listen to that accent as it crookedly flows out of that lovely mouth for hours!

Check out this hilarious Japanese interview I found! Complete with a language lesson. So funny!

#1 Shah Rukh Khan

I don't know what to say about Shah Rukh that I haven't said a thousand times already. He is THE perfect package to me. Smart, sexy as all hell, completely talented, a good husband and a great father. I would go across the universe and back for him and his films are always go to's if I need cheering up, need to dance, need to get "in the mood". ha ha. Seriously, I don't see any man ever bumping him from my #1 spot. I am truly a gone soul.

Here's a clip from the London premiere of Raavan

So those are my dream men. Did you figure out the common links? Let me know who you'd drop everything for.

I Hate My Alarm Clock

2010-06-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

This morning I was visiting a friend who works at Taco Bell. She had a friend who was coming to stay with her. His name was Rahul Khanna. He was very handsome, easy to talk to. We were getting along fabulously, and there was an instant connection. You know the kind where, when you're hanging out on the couch watching a Bollywood flick, you just kind of snuggle together, maybe hold hands. Not too intimate, but just enough to forget there's anyone else in the room.

I had just finished doing a load of laundry that didn't seem to wash properly in the washing machine (must remember not to put too much in those things!), when Rahul came and grabbed my hand, and much like the film Bollywood/Hollywood (which, incidentally, I had just just recently seen), he led me through my house until we found a room free of other inhabitants. Before I knew what was happening, he grabbed me, lifted me up into his arms and carried me to the bedroom.

"I don't know when it happened," he started to say, "but all those little things that you do have driven me crazy. I've fallen in love with you."

"I love you too," I tell him before we embrace in a passionate kiss and....

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Everything I Know About Cricket I Learned From Lagaan

2010-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

When The Bollywood Fan asked me if I wanted to do a guest post as part of his epic annual Lagaan week, of course I said yes. It is, after all, one of my favorite Aamir Khan films, virtually housing everything that is good and beautiful about Hindi cinema into it's lengthy but lovely film reels. I struggled for a while with what I was going to write, but then it became so glaringly obvious, every thing I think I know about cricket I learned from Lagaan.

What is cricket anyway?

You'd think that cricket would be played as a game of fun or sport, for entertainment or perhaps exercise, but na, it is actually a bartering tool, in this case between the British and the residents of the villages of Champaner. Accept the wager and the entire province doesn't pay taxes for three years. However, lose and it's triple lagaan. An enticing option for sure, if you can play, and I say why not. I think that waging bets on such important aspects of one's livelihood should indeed be common practise. "I'm sorry gov't, I can't afford to pay my taxes this year, but how do you feel about hockey" (I am Canadian after all).

Learning the game

Your best bet to successfully learning how to actually play cricket properly is to get yourself an "insider" - someone who has an in depth knowledge of the rules and is willing to go behind their family's backs or their country's rule to help the opposing team.

Yes, don't ask don't tell policy. Very smart Memsahib! And no one shall ever suspect anything either.

So now what? Language barrier? No problem when you have a translator and a parasol. In fact, the aspects of the game are quite simple.

Batting, bowling and fielding are too hard to understand? What are you going to do when she starts telling you about pitches, wickets, creases, overs, etc etc. Strap on your thinking caps, boys, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Practise Practise Practise
Okay, so knowing how the game is played and actually playing it are two different things. Follow these simple steps and you will be successfully playing in no time:

#1 - Learn how to catch

Why just throw a ball back and forth to each other when you can chase chickens? I think someone should enlighten the MLB to this technique, what say?

#2 - Learn how to bat
Rule No. 1 when batting - own the bat; become one with the wood and envision a hit!
Rule No. 2 when the above does not happen, best not to come up with excuses. Slipped out, my foot!

Rule No. 3 focus, keep your eye on the prize and try again!

Now, it's not always necessary to whack the ball so far that the temple bells ring, but if it was me playing, I'd want all the help from the God's that I could get, and if they could give me a 6, then so be it!

#3 - Learn how to throw

Now, not everyone is blessed with a good throwing arm, but if Charlie Sheen can do it in Major League, surely there are several good men out there that have it in them too. Use life to motivate you - even if the end result is a chicken war. (I'm starting to think these chickens are the 12th player in this game!)

Then again, some people are naturally gifted!

#4 - Learn how to run

It seems easy enough to run, but it's imperative that you have speed when playing cricket. It could make the difference between a single and a double run, and when you're playing for the livelihood of an entire province those feet better be given 'er. Practising on stairs, however, probably not the easiest way to improve your speed. Maybe we should get the hens out again.

You're only as good as your theme song

Oh, it's true. A team is nothing if they don't have a good theme song to back them up. Something that the crowd can sing as they cheer for their favorites to take home the cup! Plus nothing puts the spirit back into a group of men as they hear their song being chanted back to them! CHALE CHALO Champaner farm team! Plus you know when you have a song that an "I love you Bhuvan" poster isn't far behind.

What to wear to a cricket match
So you're going to see a cricket match in the middle of the dusty and dry Champaner, what do you wear? Well, if you're British you dress up in Sunday's finest of course. After all, you are the elite, especially amongst the masses of common native residents and must stand out, especially if it means wearing your very best frills. "Winston, pass me my finest hat so I can show the people we are trying to crush just how civilized I can look, will you?"

[SPOILERS]

How to celebrate a win
So, you've just beaten the odds and came out of a seemingly impossible situation as the victors! What do you do now? I encourage you to invite the spectating masses to crowd the field thus increasing your chances for numerous amounts of high fives and butt slaps.

Of course, your journey probably wasn't done just on your own, so, if you have a loved one that has supported your cricket playing dreams, now is the time to show them your appreciation. Keep the pda's pg rated though, after all, you never know who could be watching.

And what would a celebration be without a little comraderic singing and dancing in the rain? You've learned a lot about yourself and of your fellow teammates, so let them know that you appreciate the journey that you've taken together!

How to celebrate a loss

You know that sometimes you just can't win them all, and, unfortunately there will always be one winning team and one losing team when it comes to gambling on sports. If you find yourself on the losing end, feel free to release your frustrations on whatever furniture finds itself in your way. After all, when the stakes are so high that you need to cover the other team's loss and you end up being transferred, you have to get rid of those frustrations somehow.

A word to the wise, however, maybe gambling isn't your game and you should have just stuck to the ball and bat afterall.

So there you have it, the ins and outs of cricket according to the gang from Lagaan. I have since happily taken my newly found knowledge and applied it to even more cricket watching, so not only did this film help me learn of a fascinating sport, but has since instilled a newly formed love with the IPL! Now can someone please lend the KKR some chickens to catch!?

Mini Reviews: Think of them like little chocolate bars

2010-06-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

It seems like lately time just has been getting away from me. Before I blink, a month has gone by. What the heck happened to Spring? Before I know it, school will be out, then back in again and it will be winter. Someone tell Father Time to slow it down a bit please! Anyway, I don't really like doing these condensed mini reviews - I feel like I miss so much, so I'm choosing to think of them as those little bite size chocolate bars you get at Halloween. Small, but still delicious! With that being said, here's a few thoughts on what I've seen lately.

Abhishek Bachchan is the suavest of conmen, but his games end up losing him the love of his life (Priyanka Chopra). What's a guy to do, especially when a newly acquainted doctor (Bowman Irani) tells him he's only a short time to live? What other than take an up and coming grifter (Ritesh Deshmukh), teach him everything he knows and go after the "big one" - one final con, if you will. Maybe while he's teaching how to successfully rip people off, he will earn back the love and trust of the woman he pines for?

Rohan Sippy delivers a fun and stylish film with a nice blend of action, suspense, comedy and drama. The dialogues are first rate, with Nana Patekar hitting home runs every time he opens his mouth. I especially enjoyed him during the film's climax and subsequent resolve at the end of the film. Himmam Dhamjia's cinematography is great, making Mumbai look gorgeous (please can I just go now?), and the music is completely catchy.

The perfect popcorn film.

I arrived at my sister's for our usual Monday movie night late and, with a handful of films, picked the one with the shortest running time. Written and directed by Aparna Sen, the film stars house fav Konkona Sen Sharma as Meenakshi Iyer, a young traditional Tamil Iyer Brahmin mother, on route to Calcutta. She finds a helping hand in Raja Chowdhury (Rahul Bose)and in return, when Hindu extremists board their bus looking for Muslims, she lends him her last name pretending that they are married. The exchange bonds the two throughout the film in some very personal and intimate moments.

In a few words, this film is about humanity, kindness and love. It shows us how love conquers hatred, it shows us that humanity and love know no religion, caste or colour and it is one outstanding picture. The acting was superb, the direction equally so and the film itself is beautiful - especially the scene when the Raja shows Meenakshi how to take a picture. Really beautiful stuff.

Don't ask me how I go from something like Mr & Mrs Iyer to Pyaar Impossible, but I everyone already knows my guilty secret - you know the one - so I felt obligated almost to watch this (and yes, I actually did buy it! I know, I know!)

So, because I'm already hanging my head in shame, I guess I'll just keep on going and say that I actually found this film to be quite sweet. Uday Chopra plays the geeky, but uber intelligent Abhay, whose groundbreaking computer software has been stolen by the handsome Sidhu (Dino Morea). In an effort to find his balls and reclaim what is rightfully his, Abhay follows Sidhu to Singapore and discovers the love of his life, Alisha (Priyanka Chopra), is a public relations rep for the same company who has purchased his stolen software. He mistakenly gets hired by Alisha to be the new nanny for her rambunctious daughter. Will Abhay get back the software? Will he win Alisha's heart? Will he ever get a decent haircut? I dare you to watch and find out.

I hated this dress!
I have to say that I thought Uday was really funny in this. The scene where he's serving Alisha's guests was quite physically hilarious and probably one of the best moments in the film. Priyanka did a decent job as well, though anyone could have really played her role given the depth of the story. There were a couple of things I found quite ridiculous about the film, however. One was how demanding Alisha was. Do people just expect their nannies to be at their every beck and call for their own personal use? Also, oh my God, if my child acted like hers does in this film, they'd be strapped down permanently. What a horrid child! Story aside, the music in the film was also very much below par. I think there was 5 songs or so, each of them had the same recurring Pyaar Impossible theme running through them. One song - 5 variations I suppose. Come on Yash Raj, you can do better than that.

Overall a light, very light, serving of filmi frothiness and a decent attempt by Uday for his first film.

The first time I saw the preview for this I knew I wanted to see it. Even though Deeps hasn't impressed me since Om Shanti Om, I love Farhan Aktar.

Farhan plays Karthik, a bit of a loser at work and at life. His boss walks all over him. Shonali, the girl he adores, doesn't even know he exists. In fact he and Abhay from PI could be the same person (tee hee). One day he receives a phone call from someone who says that he is Karthik and that, if he listens to his advice and follows exactly what he says, making sure not to tell anyone his secret, his life will turn around. Well, if you can't trust yourself, who can you trust? Karthik immediately takes his phone caller's advice, and low and behold, his life starts to change for the better. Things go smoothly along for him until he confides his secret and then the mindgames begin.

I thought that writer and director Vijay Lalwani did a good job of keeping the suspense high in the film, and it kept me guessing until the very end. Farhan is especially good at these subdued roles and amazingly enough, I enjoyed Deepika in it. Another plus for the film is the fantastic music! I love each and every song (with the exception of maybe the opening song).

So that's it for now. I did get a chance to also watch an early Shah Rukh film, but I want to do it justice, so watch for a review of Chaahat coming soon.

Get Your Feet Moving

2010-06-14T08:18:00.001-07:00

Isn't it funny when you get the chance to go away for the weekend to do something for a whole weekend that you used to love and when you get there you just end up thinking what a boring time you're having? That was me this weekend. I used to love scrapbooking, could sit in my craft room for hours and hours creating wonderful pages of my boys for scrapbooks that I would eventually pass on to them whether they wanted them or not.

I had 52 hours away from the family, with a room full of good friends, including my best friend who I always get a little too silly with, and this is what I ended up doing:

- played on facebook
- stared for hours at a scrapbook layout website trying to get inspired
- lurked on twitter
- ate way too much food (who serves dessert at every meal anymore? I need to work out twice as hard this week now. Thanks a lot bed & breakfast owners!)
- relaxed in the hot tub (a highlight for sure!)
- enjoyed a few drinkypoos (though not enough to get really silly)
- attempted to start writing my post for Lagaan week
- eventually did get about 6 or 7 pages done. This is a new record low for me
- listened to season 3 of the Curry Smugglers

So, while it wasn't a very productive weekend, it did lead up to this post which actually does have a point. While I was listening to the season opening episode of Paresh and Sachin's baby, I came aross this song that made me want to get out of my chair immediately and dance till I couldn't dance any more.

The song is On The Dancefloor by a group called The Bilz & Kashif.

I need to explore these guys a little further, but holy man, what a song! What do you think? Here's a few others I came across on youtube...

So, while being home now means being back to reality, which always includes an endless amount of dirty diapers and yelling at my youngest to "GET DOWN", at least I can still tear up the dancefloor!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

2010-06-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this has absolutely nothing to do with Bollywood at all (or Monty Python for that matter), but my sister sent this link to me for this comedy group Flight of the Conchords tonight and I had to post it. I found it so funny, especially the first video Business Time. Wonder if House favorites the Curry Smugglers could do a remix with this one! ;)

And a parody on what I am assuming is Fergie's My Humps...

I'm not sure what it says about me that I thought this was funny as hell, but then again I have a soft spot for musical comedy, being a fan of Canadian comedy favs Arrogant Worms and Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie.

That is all.

Yes Boss

2010-06-02T13:39:00.001-07:00

It seems forever ago since I received my very first batch of dvd's in the mail, but I remember the excitement levels were extremely high. They were all Shah Rukh Khan films, of course, and one of the first I attempted to watch was Yes Boss. I say attempted because I don't think my sister and I got past the first half hour. But we were both newbies, not yet schooled in the art of Hindi comedy, and Shah Rukh in a clown costume was just a little beyond our comprehension.

That was then.

This is now.

I finally got around to putting what some consider to be Shah and Juhi's funniest movie back on the dvd player, and when it was finished (after I rewatched some of the songs, that is), I thought why did I wait so long? Yes Boss is kind of like a chocolate ice cream cone, full of rich decadent goodness, with tiny sprinkles of happiness on top. It's a film that is bahut sweet and when you're all done you feel totally satisfied!

Directed by Aziz Mirza, Yes Boss is the story of Rahul (Shah Rukh), the ambitious assistant to manipulative, married yet womanising businessman Siddharth (Aditya Pancholi). Rahul's loyalty to his boss is unlimited, and he does everything for him, Siddharth's own personal enabler. In return, Rahul's boss promises to help him become an independent businessman in the corporate world. Our story really begins when Siddharth decides to dig his claws into the innocent and lovely young model Seema (Juhi), with whom Rahul develops feelings for almost immediately. When ensues is an incredibly funny series of events that includes silly costumes, heartwarming moments and even a bit of dishoom dishoom!

Gosh, I love Shah and Juhi together! They are the 90's couple for me, and in this film (just like the others I've seen them in), they play off of each other making every moment filmi perfection! I think there's some debate between Shah fans as to which are better - his early work or the films he's making now. I find it a hard decision to make, a toss up if you will, because each have their own merits. I will say, however, that I love this type of role. His Rahul reminds me of Sunil in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na, a simple, sensitive, generous, happy and struggling middle-class guy. He is completely convincing and gets to play pretty much every range of emotions as he struggles with his feelings, with his ambitions, with his jack ass of a boss. And he looks adorable through it all (make sure to catch the bathtub scene about half way through!)

Juhi, as always, is the epitome of innocence. Beautiful and vulnerable, she is just completely enchanting as Seema, an aspiring model. She comes across as a very simple and gentle young woman who has great values and who, like Rahul, has dreams of finding success. Personally, I think of Juhi as Bollywood's sweetheart, and she gets to show off all of the emotions that qualify her as such. The growth of her character is believable, and as expected, she is fantastic in the comic sequences.

Other cast members are good. Aditya Pancholi manages to be as hateful as his character requires. Kashmira Shah is pretty good in a small role and she is so gorgeous that many would wonder how her husband even thinks of cheating on her. Reema Lagoo and Johnny Lever do their usual stuff.

One more aspect that significantly contributes to the film is undoubtedly Jatin-Lalit's soundtrack. Every song stands out. Ek Din Aap is very melodious and soothing; Choodi Baji Hai Kahi is joyful and is beautifully shot among some breathtaking landscapes. Also Shah as a sad clown breaks my heart every single time. Chand Taare is lovely and Suniye To and Jaata Hai Tu Kaha are very catchy, the later is an extremely fun song to watch, very colorful and energetic. Main Koi Aisa Geet is my favorite of the film though and is brilliantly pictured on Shah and Juhi as he tries to entertain her and finally succeeds. Plus I love Juhi's yellow dress!

So do I think that Yes Boss is more humorous than what I considered to be Shah's funniest film, Duplicate? I don't think so, but it is probably the sweetest feel good movie I've seen of his. They don't make films like this anymore. Brilliantly done!

Freida Pinto who? My choices for Bond Girls

2010-05-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

With Freida Pinto rumored to star in the next James Bond film (has this been confirmed yet?), I got to thinking, even though she seems to still be cashing in on her 15 minutes of fame born by Slumdog Millionaire's success, there are much much better Indian actresses that could not only handle 007 in the bedroom, but also in the field. Here's my thoughts on who would make some kick ass Bond ladies.

#5 Riya Sen - Okay, admittedly I haven't actually seen any of Riya's movies, but one of the components to being a bond girl is the hotness factor, and Riya Sen totally fits that qualification in my books. I see her as a Wai Lin kind of character (Tomorrow Never Dies), smart, quick and a love interest. Also, if Denise Richards can play a bond girl, almost anyone can, don't you think?

#4 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - I can take or leave Aishwarya if I'm being totally honest, but I loved her character in Dhoom 2. She was gorgeous, of course, but she was also a chick with attitude, fearless and cunning, doing whatever it took to get what she wanted in the end. All that and a soft side. I totally see her doing a Vesper Lynd kind of role (Casino Royale) - double agent that falls for the man she's suppose to hate. Perfection.

#3 Kangana Ranaut - Kangs is what I would term a "serious" actress, or at least anything I've seen her in would qualify her as one. She's the type that really gets into her role, almost losing herself I think, and often plays tragic heroines. I can totally see her playing something like Live and Let Die's Solitaire, the virgin psychic who is employed, and abused, by Dr. Kananga (seriously, that's him name. Fate, na?).

#2 Kareena Kapoor - I haven't always liked Kareena. Often I've found her characters spoiled, self centered, but she has definitely grown on me as an actress and I think she would be the perfect candidate to play a role like Elektra King (The World is Not Enough). She can be soft and sweet one moment, completely ego maniacal the next, and you never know what her motivations are until she reveals them. I can totally see her playing the tortured and scared kidnap victim, succumbing (so it seems) to Bond's love and then playing everyone for the fool. Now that I think of it, can someone please just write this screenplay now!

#1 Bipasha Basu
Bips definitely has the yowza factor and I consider her to be probably the most sexiest female actress today. She manipulated her way through Race (well, almost), was fierce as the super ambitious model in Bachna Ae Haseeno, and knows how to wield a gun and looks good doing it in Dhoom 2. Not only could she hold her own to the infamous ladies man, but I think she'd probably end up turning the tables on him. She could easily slip into a role like Xenia Zirgavna Onatopp from Goldeneye. James, Don't even try to start something with her. She's got a workout vid and can probably kick your ass!

Who do you think could slip into the shoes of a Bond babe?

Hum Tum Aur Ghost

2010-05-27T16:01:00.001-07:00

Even though it seems like it was already forever ago, my first movie watchalong experience was a lot of fun! Lead up to see Arshad Warsi's first production was high in my little world, and when the time came to watch, my expectation levels were elevated much higher than they probably should have been, but I absolutely enjoyed every second of it (well, almost every second).

Hum Tum Aur Ghost is the story of fashion photographer Armaan Suri (Arshad), a man who hears voices, can't sleep and relies on alcohol to get through his days (perfect for filmigirl's drinking game!). Though he has the love of girlfriend Gehna (Dia Mirza), his is a secret that he fails to share with her. Who wants to tell the people they love that they think they're crazy anyway? That's what therapists are for. However, soon Armaan meets Kapoor (Boman Irani), the self-appointed ghost who let's Armaan in on the joke that it's ghosts that he's seeing, and he's been selected to help each of them find their own peace. What follows is a journey of one man who finds himself by helping others in the process.

Yes, exactly what I imagine a day's end is like!
Directed by Kabeer Kaushik, who also worked on the Arshad starrer Sehar (which I've yet to see or even find for that matter), HTAG has done a great job of successfully meshing drama, romance and comedy throughout. This isn't the typical boy meets girl film. Aarman and Ghena are a couple when the story begins, and it's refreshing to see a couple realistically navigate through the murky waters that is a romantic relationship. There are some really comical moments too, like a few of the outlandish requests some of the ghosts make to Aarman, or when Kapoor inhabits Aarman's body. Lastly we get loads of drama, in the form of Aarman's 'missions', relationship angst and an amazing (albeit slightly overdone) climactic ending.

I feel like all I'm doing lately is praising Arshad Warsi on this blog, but I guess that's what happens when you discover something new that you love. As Aarman, Arshad brilliantly and seamlessly switches between tortured, yet funny drunk and concerned, empathetic man on a mission. The sheer delight of watching him play the lead rather than the supremely self-assured sidekick is what makes this film, and the fact that he gets to exhibits all of it in a romantic drama is bonus for me. We get to see him do some fantastic dancing, cleverly play off of Boman and shed a tear or two despite being such a man's man! I loved every second of it.

I found it hard to believe that this movie was a box office flop. Through the entire thing I thought it was a cute and charming movie that was best illustrated by the actor's skill and chemistry with each other. I have never seen Dia Mirza in anything before, though I knew who she was. First off let me say that I think she is absolutely a stunning woman, not in a sexpot kind of way mind you, but very innocently beautiful, and she definitely makes use of one of her assets, her large expressive eyes. As Ghena, she played the concerned and affected girlfriend very well, and the comfort she felt with Arshad was very evident. There's a lot of jodis who simply fizzle on screen, but this is not one of them. Now I know a lot has been said off-screen about these two, but you can't deny that these two have fantastic chemistry.

And what of our supporting actors? Well Boman is always a favorite of mine. He almost always gives a performance that is exaggerated, but in HTAG he is unusually restrained. Sandhya Mridul plays Mimi, Aarman's friend and assistant. I discovered that I'd seen Sandhya before in Saathiya, but I can't for the life of me remember her at all. I will now though. She was fantastic, and whether it was the acting, the script or the directing, she played her role with style, void of all the usual stereotypical trappings we usually see.

So by now, everyone must know I'm a huge S-E-L fan, and I think they did a great job with the music for HTAG. I remember Arshad saying that there was only one situational song in the film, and when it happened to be Banware Se Pooche Banwariya I was so excited. Fast paced, racy, youthful, energetic, [insert more synonyms here], it is instantly catchy and gets me dancing every time, plus, as I said earlier, it allows me to see Arshad show off his dancing skills. Interestingly enough, Maria Goretti, Arshad's wife, was even involved in the song, forming a part of the chorus group. Dekho Raste Mein is a wonderfully romantic song, landing itself in the film during a montage with both KK and Shreya Ghoshal lending their vocal talents; and Kal Tum The Yahan serves as the backdrop of the couple's relationship angst and is beautifully sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Caralisa Monteiro. Overall, a fantastic album and the film's setting really enhances it more.

Like FilmiGirl, I don't really know why this movie flopped so bad. Critics said the story was weak, I didn't see it. It is funny, moving, stylish and beautifully shot (seriously - there are stunning STUNNING visuals!), and for me a home run.

Top 5 Thursday - Guilty Pleasures

2010-05-20T08:17:00.001-07:00

Okay, so guilty pleasures. Everyone's got them. Things they love, but are afraid to admit for fear of supreme embarrassment and/or intense mocking . Well, this week's Top 5 assignment was to think of your top 5 guilty pleasures, in any category. Here's a list of mine: let the ridicule begin!

5. A twofer for you. Okay, so this one is not Bollywood related, but ever since I happened to see the totally fun High School Musical (gp#1), and yes I do believe that this is what high school should always be like!, I've had a crush on Zac Efron (#2). So 19 years to my 32 at the time, but what's a girl to do? Have you seen him? Totally adorable.

4. Ta Ra Rum Pum. I thought this movie was really very good when I watched it. I remember watching it early into my filmi adventures, a double header night with Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (which I also really liked, btw). I thought the race car premise was fresh and an interesting departure from what I had seen thus far. Then I realized that almost everyone who'd seen it thought it was dreadful. Even so, I willingly own a copy and the tunes frequent my ipod often.

*note* as I'm writing this I'm reading Suzy's review at her blog, and the subsequent comments and I am truly ashamed that I like this film.

3. Another non-Bolly related item, but still international is my love affair with ABBA. No, not the Abba of the Bowman Irani type, but the original 1970's Swedish pop band. I think ABBA is something you either love or hate, and I have adored them as long as I can remember. I LOVED Mamma Mia, the musical movie event (even rehearsed the dance they do to Super Troopers for a party I was attending with my best friend), I own the PS2 singstar karaoke game, and I've scoured, yes scoured, the internet and costume shops trying to find knee high silver platform boots. For me, Abba has stood the test of time and I will probably be a Dancing Queen for a long time to come.

p.s I was Meryl!

2. My affinity for Dick shows. Now get your mind out of the gutter - I mean Private Detectives! Remington Steele and Magnum were early loves and I used to want to be Laura Holt. Oh the dresses, the adventure, the quirky situations. Aaaah. Nowadays, I can't get enough of totally funny and cute James Roday, who plays Shawn Spencer on the USA Network's Psych (which is not available any longer in Canada. Boo!!!!). They even did a Bollywood themed ep once! I think I even did some investigating of my own when I was younger as to how to become a P.I. Of course that didn't pan out, but my pyaar continues!

1. Uday Chopra - the piece de resistance I think on my cupcake of shame. Yes, poor Uday has been the topic of many a joke, especially in twitterverse, but I admit, I actually like the guy. I think he's kind of sweet, if a little thick, and even willingly bought Pyaar Impossible (thought I haven't watched yet). Nepotism aside, he is the true definition of an underdog, at least in films. And, just to clarify, this doesn't mean I want to lick ghee off his chest (Christy!), but my feelings for Uday are strictly the platonic "I hope he does well in life" kind of feelings. So there!

So that's my guilty pleasures. I dare you to share yours!

Kabul Express

2010-05-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many times I've said I don't watch war movies, so why am I compelled to keep putting them on the dvd player? Well, I suppose it doesn't hurt when Arshad's in it, that's for sure, but it also doesn't hurt when you have someone like Kabir Khan helming the wheel. Known mostly for his documentaries, Khan crafted Kabul Express from his own experiences in Afghanistan. He gives us a thought-provoking movie that still manages to make us laugh at the same time. As a mainstream film, Kabul Express does stretch the boundaries of what's usually considered 'traditional' Bollywood fare. There are no songs (at least not during the duration of the story), no dances, no picture post-card Swiss landscape complete with flowing saree and turtleneck sweaters, and the film is relatively short coming in at just over 100 minutes. However, with Aditya Chopra and Rash Raj Productions providing the cash, the quality of this film is top notch, and it shows in every single frame.

Kabul Express is a road movie, of sorts. It follows journalist Suhel Khan (John Abraham) and cameraman Jai Kapoor (Arshad Warsi) who have come to Afghanistan to film their own footage on the condition of the country. Circumstances land them in a position where they unwillingly become transport for a Taliban passenger (Salman Shahid). Their journey thereon – along with an Afghani driver (Hanif Hum Ghum) and an American photojournalist (Linda Arsenio) – is as much metaphorical as it is literal, for it’s as much about them getting from Point A to Point B as reaching a new understanding about one another.

With Yash Raj backing this film, you know you're going to get at least one leading Bollywood hero. That hero comes in the form of long haired John Abraham. I can admit that John's entrance into Dostana made me sit up and take notice, but he's one of those actors that I don't get that excited over generally. I imagine he was cast in Kabul Express because they needed a name to sell the film to the masses. While he did have one moment or two in the movie, there's not much substance to John's performance. The same could be said for Linda Arsenio. I find it immensely interesting that, as an American born and raised actress, 99% of her film roles have been in the Indian film industry, Tamil and Telugu mostly. That being said, I found her to be unconvincing in her role as a photojournalist. Something about her line delivery felt very rehearsed and unnatural to me.

On the flip side though, we have Hanif Hum Ghum, whose animosity towards the Taliban came across very convincingly. Though Khyber was not a character that I liked, I thought the part was acted well. In my recent review of Ishqiya, I failed to mention Salman Shahid's performance, which was a highlight to so many. However, in this movie, his portrayal of Imran Khan Afridi was complex and incredibly convincing. He has probably what is the most human moments in the film, the exchange between him and his daughter being one of those moments. Beautifully acted Salmanji!

Could be that I have boarded the "We Love Arshad" train, but (and I say this with completely unbiased honesty) Jai is brilliantly essayed by Arshad Warsi and is the soul of Kabul Express. If Salman Shahid gets the most human moments in the film, Arshad get the most memorable ones. In a film that has the potential to be a completely sombre experience, he gets the opportunity to shine, delivering witty one-liners and comical conflicts with that unique Warsi style. His character has more dissension with the others, and because of it he experiences the most growth. Jai and Imran's exchanges over the cigarettes and cricketeers is hilariously endearing.

This is one movie that really showcases the stunning beauty of a place that one doesn't necessarily think beauty exists. The cinematography by Anshuman Mahaley is really breathtaking, whether we're seeing flowing sand dunes or building ruins. Simply just gorgeous. Like I said earlier, there are no songs in the movie, however, if you check out the special features you will across a very strange music video created long after filming ended. Also, there is a very interesting featurette that gives some amazing insight as to what filming was like for the cast and crew. Not only were bullets flying overhead as they shot, but there were actual threats looming over the heads of several cast and crew that required immediate intervention. Either you have people that are crazy or insanely passionate about what they are filming!

It is a delicate feat to take something like the middle East post 9/11, what one would consider a very serious political topic, and very craftily treat with humor. Kabir Khan successfully gives us a movie that reminds us that behind all the preconceived notions that may exist out there, people are really simply just human. Go and watch it!

Beauty and Brains... these gals have it all

2010-05-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

As I continue to watch films, meet new faces and new stories, opinions change, but there are a few ladies who I will always remain constant in my list of favorites. Whether it's their talent, their beauty or their attitude, here's a list of my favorite film actresses.

#5 Konkona Sen Sharma
Though I haven't seen very many of Koko's movies, of those movies I have seen, she's left a huge impression on me. Her beauty is atypical, and most of her appeal comes from within I think. I have a huge list of movies on cue with her (Omkara, Life...In a Metro, Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge, Traffic Signal, Mr & Mrs Iyer for starters), and am very much looking forward to seeing much much more from her. Whether doing parallel or commercial cinema, I think she's going to be around for a long time giving us the very best!

#4 Vidya Balan
Everyone gives Vidya such flack for being too old for some roles, not old enough for others, and even I thought she was older than she actually is (4 years MY junior in fact), but one thing's for sure, she is definitely proving to everyone that, regardless of age, the girl can ACT! Feminine, bold, smart and true to herself, Vidya exhibits the very best of what being female is all about. Her roles in Ishqiya and Paa (which I've yet to see), have really made her stand out recently, though she's been in the spotlight for some time now (and not just for her fashion sense!). I can't wait to see what she does with her career post all the recent accolades.

#3 Preity Zinta
Preity was my first. Along with the rest of the Temptations team, Preity entered my heart early with KANK and KHNH, which is probably why she'll remain in my top list for a long time to come. Coming across always as spunky and independant, Preity stands on her merits, even if it means standing up for the little guy. Revisit the reasons why I think she it outstanding here.

#2 Kajol

I consider Kajol one of the first ladies of modern Hindi film. Like Preity, she was one of the first actresses I met and fell in love with, and even to this day, she continues to surprise and impress me. No matter how you feel about the film, her portrayal of Mandira in My Name is Khan was extremely moving and emotional to me. With baby #2 on the way, I certainly hope she continues to balance the roles of wife, mother and actress.

#1 Juhi Chalwa

There's just something about Juhi that makes you want to love her. Her beauty is uncompromised, with a smile that could melt anyone's heart. She has perfectly transformed herself from the cute girl next door image we got to see in her earlier films, to a woman of substance now, who not only still finds time to act, but balances a career as a business woman as well. I don't think I've seen a single film of hers so far that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed (and that includes her kooky fortune teller role in Kismat Konnection), but some of my favorites are Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Duplicate, Yes Boss, Andaz Apna Apna. I can't wait to discover more gems!

So, that's my list. There are so many talented actresses out there that I couldn't include them all (though Rani Mukherjee would have been included if I'd done my top 6). Who are your favorites?

London Dreams/Munnabhai MBBS

2010-04-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Wow, what happened to April. I don't know about you, but it seems like time is perpetually stuck on fast forward. Either that or all the days are melding into one giant cluster. Anyway, though my time has been taken over once again with card designing, I still have managed to take in a few movies. Here's a couple of thoughts...

Sometimes all it takes for me to watch a film is one song. In this case it was a few, as I think the soundtrack to London Dreams is just about brilliant. And that's a compliment to the Shankar Eshaan Loy team, because it meant I was willingly going to sit through an entire movie with Salman Khan!

London Dreams stars Ajay Devgn as Arjun, the man who's only aspiration in life is to perform at Wimbley Stadium, thus setting right the disastrous embarrassment his family suffered at the hands of his grandfather. Salman Khan plays Mannu, the childhood friend with a natural gift for music that could possibly help Arjun achieve his goals, if a predictable case of the green eyed monster doesn't set in first.

I actually didn't mind this film. I thought Ajay was his handsome brooding self, though to be perfectly honest I could have done without the physical self-discipline. Despite the fact that Vipul Shah probably should have cast someone a little younger for the role, he carries it well. Salman, well what can I say about Salman? He had some fairly important scenes in the film and yet I managed to laugh out loud several times at scenes that were sometimes intentionally funny, sometimes not. If there's one thing I can give him credit for, he sure knows hot to play the ignorant buffoon to a tee! Asin, as the boy's love interest, wasn't nearly as memorable or engaging for me as her role in Ghajini. She was lovely to look at though.

What I remember most about London Dreams is the ending though (and probably not for the right reasons). All I can say is someone must have gotten a heck of a deal on plastic water bottles. Not a bad time pass film I suppose.

I watched Lage Raho Munnabhai quite some time ago, and was really impressed with the way Rajkumar Hirani told his story Munna. Would the first in the series be better or worse than it's successor? The film starts off much in the same fashion that LRMB does, with Munna's goons participating in some charade that's relevant to their "social work". Soon, we discover that it is time for an annual parental visit from the Mumbia crime don's family and watch in amazement as every single person helps transform the area into a very effective looking hospital facade, complete with patients and medical instruments. Oh the lengths we go to impress our parents. However, enter Dr. Asthana (Bowman Irani), and soon all hell breaks loose, shattering Munna's duplicity and breaking the trust this small family had. Deciding not to roll over and give up, Munna decides that he has to turn his lies into reality and heads off to medical school, a journey that includes more hi jinx, some heartwarming moments, lessons learned and some romance all wrapped up in a pretty comical package. Though the be honest, I could have done without the romance bit.

Sanjay Dutt is really just the perfect actor to play Murli Prasad Sharma, and I find it very interesting to take a character that's suppose to be rough and make him so completely sympathetic. Murli craves acceptance from his father, yearns for love and understands the differences between what is morally right and wrong. So he does a little bit of kidnapping on the side - most of Murli's road's paved with good intentions. LRMB was the first movie I'd seen Arshad Warsi in, and I loved him as Circuit. He is the perfect accompaniment to Munna's character, and though he doesn't have a whole lot of extensive dialogues in the film, his sheer presence, his expressions and mannerisms make him a force of comedic talent. Bowman, as always, does a good job in a role that's more caricature then realistic, but what else do we expect from Mr. Irani? Jimmy Shergill has a small role as a patient that's bound to draw out a sympathetic tear, and Gracy Singh (Dr. Suman Asthana) gives the film some feminine charm.

If I had to compare the two, I would say that Lage Raho has a slight edge for two reasons: Arshad Warsi's role as Circuit is more developed, giving the actor more opportunities to shine, and the music is catchier. I had to revisit youtube to even remember the songs in MBBS. However, M Bole To is fun to watch.

One last note. I'm not sure how accurate the info I found is, but I read somewhere that Shah Rukh was the initial choice for Murli, and all I can say is thank goodness that wasn't the case because Sanjay personifies Munna 100%, and the movie would have been very very different had Shah starred.

Ishqiya

2010-04-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Or I am more aptly naming this "Hot Holy Damn, Arshad Warsi is Too Sexy For Words!" Okay, now that I've got that out of my system for now, I have to say that I was very excited to see this movie. I remember seeing the promo trailer eons ago and thought it reminded me quite a bit of the Cate Blanchett/Billy Bob Thornton/Bruce Willis film Bandits. While that movie did include a love triangle between the three leads, that is where the similarities end.

Directed by first time director Abhishek Chaubey, who cut his teeth writing screenplays and assistant directing for movies like Omkara, The Blue Umbrella and Kaminey, all which were critically acclaimed (though to be honest I tried watching Kaminey once and fell asleep). What Chaubey achieves in this film is the perfect balance of comedy, gritty realism and romance resulting in a wonderfully compelling, extremely well written story of two down and outs who find much more than either of them are looking for.

The movie begins with Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) finding themselves in a bit of hot water with Mushtaq Bhai (Salman Shahid) for something we're not quite sure, but there's a history there and it involves money and ice. Our boys are resourceful though and find themselves at the doorstep on an old cell-mate, who has unfortunately expired. However, his widow, Krishna (Vidya Balan) cautiously let's them in, and thus begins the foundation to our story.

Both of the men are instantly drawn to Krishna, for she is a crafty sorceress, selectively choosing which sides of her personality to expose to each man. And it works. Tapping into both Khalu and Babban's desires, Krishna hatches a plot that will solve all of their financial problems, but no scheme ever goes off as you originally plan, and what ensues is a roller coaster ride complete with unexpected twists and turns.

Ishqiya is one of those films that relies heavily on performance. It is almost entirely dialogue driven so you'd better hope that you have actors on board that can give the script the kind of genius it requires. Luckily for us, we get that in all three actors. Naseeruddin Shah is one of the those actors that demands respect even if you've never before seen another one of his movies. As Khalu, he expresses every characteristic of an aging man who falls for a young woman so wonderfully that you believe he has a genuine chance of winning her. His performance comes off as effortless, which is almost what you'd expect, but still leaves you in awe.

Thank God that we are getting to see some strong roles played by equally strong women. Vidya Balan has been on my radar for some time, but in this film she just shines! There are not many actresses out there than can emote such a variation of emotions at once. Yet, as Krishna, Vidya perfectly plays a character which requires her to look madly in love, vulnerable & helpless yet tough & menacing, the epitome of grace one moment yet wild and seductive the next, sometimes without even uttering a word. Absolutely one of the very best roles I have seen of Vidya's ever. Plus I'd kill to have Vidya's eyebrows (Okay, not really relative to the film, but they're really awesome!)

Arshad Warsi, oh my gosh, what can I say? There's something about Arshad that compels me to watch him. He is often the only good thing in otherwise sub par movies, at least for me, but in Ishqiya, I was absolutely blown away! With his kohl ringed eyes, ready wit, goofy grin, aggressive sexuality, angry stare and lovable roguishness, Babban is a force to be reckoned with. *spoiler* Though it was reported that he was very nervous about a crucial kissing scene in the film, it paid off big time, and is one of those erotically charged scenes that will be remembered in Hindi cinema for some time.*end spoiler* With Ishqiya under his belt, maybe we'll get to see Arshad in roles that he was born to play, instead of the secondary comic relief, because, man on man, does he have something very special! I'm very much looking forward to watching his first home production Hum, Tum Aur Ghost where he plays the lead romantic role. Also, if anyone is interested, Filmigirl will be hosting an international watchalong of HTAG on May 7th. Go here to register.

A quick note on the cast's chemistry. One word: perfection. We get a complete sense of camaraderie between uncle and nephew with Babban and Khalu in every sense. They love and fight with each other as real family would in a very believable way. The sexual tension between Khrisna and Babban is undeniably sweltering, and I applaud Chaubey for pushing the envelope.

Though the story and performances are undoubtedly key in the success of Ishqiya, I have to make special mention of the wonderful cinematography. No gringy cities, no European locations, only rural India, and every frame is shot to enhance its beauty. Also, no Hindi movie would be complete without music. The film's music, from Vishal Bhardwaj, is brilliant. Not only do we get to hear some beautiful older tunes (if someone knows what the opening song is called by the group of singers when Babban and Khalu are dancing, let me know), but there are clear winners on the soundtrack. Dil to Bachcha Hai and Ibn-E Batuta, which has been stuck in my head for days (watch the dvd special edition for a fun picturization), are my favorites, but the whole soundtrack is beautiful. Even the background score is fantastic, and fits the overall feel of the movie perfectly.

Run, don't walk, and watch this film. It is officially my new favorite Hindi movie. Also, make sure to watch all the special features on the dvd. In addition to Ibn-E Batuta, there's also a terrific making of featurette, as well as loads of deleted scenes (including a small shower scene for those Arshad fans!). Absolute perfection.

Top 5 Thursday - Item Songs

2010-04-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before, probably more than once, that twitter has become an increasingly large part of my daily life, so when my fritters (twitter friends for anyone not familiar with tweetspeak) came up with the idea to do a top 5 Thursday, of course I was in! Last week was actually our first, but the subject was your top 5 favorite sexy pics of your #1 celebrity crush, and I didn't think you'd want to be submitted to pic after pic of sexy Shah Rukh (though if I'm wrong let me know! I can always post them). So I thought why not start posting them here as a weekly feature?

I know everyone's expecting me to put songs on here like Dard-E Disco, Maahi Ve, Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte (and believe me I super love them too), but I am always looking to expand my knowledge, and, in my research to find my favorites, I have come across some songs that I'm going to call my new favorite item songs. So without further ado, my new favorite 5...

Having recently discovered the wondrous magic that Helen possesses (yes, I think I may actually want to be Helen, and I know: get in line!), Mehbooba Mehbooba from Sholay is my newest very favorite item song. I can not get enough of this song, and Helen, gosh, well, she is just magnificent in it! I haven't seen Sholay yet, but I bought it on my last visit to the city. Now I just have to find time to fit it in!

Another movie I haven't seen is China Gate, but how can you see an item song like Chamma Chamma and not instantly see how great it is! Urmila Matondkar is fierce and anyone who can dance like that, with that much gold on them, is just simply amazing in my books. Plus, I loved learning that this is the song that opens the Indian inspired show in one of my favorite movies, Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge (even then I must have know I needed Bollywood in my life!)

Okay, it could be John, but I think Shut Up & Bounce is one of the better current item songs ~~that features a nearly naked man~~ from the last couple of years, I think. Actually, I totally dig the opening guitar riff and I totally wish I could pull of Shilpa's bikini-cover up thingy. Feel free to pause several times during the song if you wish (I know I always do!)

Well, I couldn't very well have a fav's list without any Shah Rukh on it, could I? Another movie I haven't seen, but I discovered Kaal Dhamaal a while ago. It could very well be one of the sexiest items numbers featuring a man that I've ever seen. Tattoos, leather, bondage, waterfalls, what else could you ask for, plus it's all very animalistic, which is appropriate considering the movie takes place in the jungle.

One of my least favorite movies in the last couple of months was De Dana Dan, but I simply can't stop moving my a** to the soundtrack. Hotty Naughty is total fun, I can't get enough of Neha Dhupia's costumes (gives me great Halloween ideas!), plus how can a song set in a casino NOT make me want to go back to Vegas? The clip cuts off too soon, but it was the only one I could find online.

And a bonus?
I know it's cheating, but I couldn't do an item song list and not put what is probably my most very favorite item song of all time on it, could I? I don't think any explaination is needed, now excuse me while I go practise dancing on a train...

Chance Pe Dance

2010-04-19T14:07:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'm going to say first off that I had no expectations for this movie. Okay, if I'm being honest, I had one: to drool! After the credits rolled, however, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it, starting with Shahid in all his goofy glory from the first song to a very cute opening sequence that has Sameer dancing, ironing his breakfast and wiggling his way through what is one of the most enjoyable opening sequences I've seen in a film in a long time.

There was a lot about this film that I liked, besides Shahid's delicious abs. I think it's rare to come across a film that is 100% completely original these days, but that's not to say that you can't take a story that's been told a hundred times and not make it feel fresh and genuine. Sometimes some of the most endearing truths of life emerge from situations that work in a direction opposite to the unique. However, words on a page are simply that, until they are brought to life, and, in this case I can think of no other actor that could have done Sameer justice other than Shahid. His performance felt honest and real to me, and was much more convincing than the route Farhan Aktar's character took in Luck By Chance. In an industry where it's eat or be eaten, it's often very easy to get lost and discouraged, and it was relatively refreshing to see Sameer continue with his dreams despite losing pretty much everything. He goes through the predictable grind, but with such extraordinary sincerity and involvement, you realise the one truth about life’s vagaries. Every struggle, no matter how similar on the surface, is different underneath.

Bollywood's changing. There's no doubt about it. It seems more and more films are being made following a "Hollywoodized" formula. Whether or not that path is going to benefit the Hindi film industry or kill it is the subject for another post, but it makes me wonder the future of the "Bollywood hero". Though I don't see the notion of an aging leading man as anything but completely natural and necessary (I need my Shah Rukh Khan for many many more years), it does raise the question of where does the next generation of actors fit in? Up until now I've viewed Shahid with a certain amount of distant curiosity, but after seeing him in this movie, I believe that he has really got that "thing". You know, the IT factor that keeps the film scrips coming and keeps the girls lusting, even when compared to some of the other up and coming actors like Ranbir Kapoor or Imran Khan.

A touching moment
It was interesting to learn that Genelia was not the first choice for this film and that Jiah Khan actually completed half of the movie before she was replaced, and I say thank God! As with Shahid, I've only seen her in two other movies, and in Life Partner she was so abrasively annoying that I didn't know if I'd be able to watch any more of her films. However, as Tina Sharma, she was absolutely a delight to watch. Independent (no meddlesome boyfriends or parents here!), self-assured and adorable, Genelia is perfect in this movie, and perfectly natural as well. I loved that she had her own career, lived on her own and lived by a set of principles that extended past her own little world. She probably is underutilized in a girlfriend kind of role, but, with that being said, I think she plays an important role in Sameer's life, and some of my favorite scenes are between her and Shahid (for the record, I liked the chemistry between the two of them - Genelia's best pair up that I've seen to date).

Now that I've got my love on for this film done and out of the way, there were a couple of things I had issues with. For someone whose career path is choreography, Genelia's opening dance sequence was completely juvenile. Which brings me to my second point. Chance Pe Dance was marketed as a dance movie (with the only dancing we really get to see during the song picturizations) when it's not actually about the world of dance. Don't get me wrong, I'm okay that it was the story of a struggling actor, but then market it as such, otherwise you leave the viewers a little confused. This leads me to my third point. I was warned about the special effects during the song sequences being distracting, and I agree, with One More Dance being the worst offender. And can I just add that I absolutely love watching good dancers, but the thing that irritates me most is when all you get to see if above the waist. What I mean is I want to see the whole body move when it's dancing, including the feet, and if filmmakers can show Hrithik Roshan in all of his dancing glory, then surely they can do the same for Shahid, who I believe is one of the best right now. Also, I was worried about the introduction of the dance teacher job, and I thought to myself, "Please God, don't turn this into a movie about children." However, it was just a detour, albeit a completely unnecessary one (although the scene where the kids all give their lunches to Sameer was touching). Keeping that in mind, I totally felt ripped off when the kids finally got their chance to shine on stage, all we got to see was a choppy slow-mo version of their dance.

Hey, if Jewel could live in her van for years...
"No worries, pop, I'm getting work, really!"
I don't have much to say about the music from CPD, though I will say this. I loved the background score. The "Doo-be-doo-be-doo-ba" bit totally fit the mood of the film, fun and light. The only song that stayed with me though was Pump It Up. Could possibly have something to do with finally being able to see Shahid's spectacular bod, but what can I say? The man knows how to rock it!

There's lots about this movie that doesn't make much sense, but it's still a very fun ride. Definitely watch it if you are a fan of Shahid or Genelia, even if you have suspend a few brain cells and just go with the flow.

One of my fav scenes:

Sameer, you've got that look in your eyes...

I'm One, Can you Believe it?

2010-04-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

As I was doing a survey yesterday about my blog, I realized that I am officially one year old this month. My how time flies! I actually started a blog about random musings well before April of last year, but I had a difficult time maintaining it. Didn't hold enough appeal for me I guess. Then I met and fell in love with the Hindi film industry and decided to resurrect the dead goat that was my blog and "Shell's Bollyworld" was born.

As I talked about in my spiral into Bollywood post, there was (and still are)very few people who I can share my love of film with (and believe me I have tried!). What I discovered online was a completely wonderful group of people, more extensive than I could have known, that not only shared my interest, but actually made it more fun than I ever could have thought. The blogging community has become like a second family to me, one that extends past simple comment moderation. Passing the boundaries of blog posts, I've met even more fun and fabulous people on sites like twitter and facebook and even got to meet one of my very first commentors, Old is Gold just this month. In an attempt to be even more connected, I started a blog network of sorts that opens up even more avenues of communication within the community. See this post if you would like to participate.

The very first blog I found was via an article in Filmfare magazine that featured filmi blogs originating outside of India. Your one stop shop for all the little tidbits that Mumbai has to offer and beyond, FilmiGirl not only delights me daily with loads and loads of gossip (I wonder how she manages to do it every single day!), but her essays are introspective often sparking debates or inspires others to respond via their own blog post. She also has a wicked sense of humor that's not only evident in her dailies, but when she announces she's going to do something like the deconstruction of Dhoom 2, you know you're in for a treat.

Then I found Beth at Beth Loves Bollywood and all of a sudden I discovered I had the capacity to develop a whole new appreciation for knitwear, scarves and Shashi Kapoor! Not only are Beth's film reviews intellectually insightful and thoughtful, but she also has fabulous cha cha moments and was the brain child of last year's filmi Secret Santa (which I think was a fabulous success! Can't wait to do it again this year!)

I remember getting the first commentor on my blog who wasn't my sister. It was exciting and exhilarating and led me to bollywooddeewana, whose blog is a vast array of knowledge, ranging from movies from nearly every decade to fashion in the industry. I thought it was funny when we recently connected on facebook and I had to investigate his page before realizing who I had just friended!

Meeting Old is Gold was a fantastic treat, and when I started blogging I never thought I would find someone online that was so close in proximity to me geographically speaking. It simply amazes me that someone would know that a movie is from the 50's, not the 30's, just by who is singing a particular song, but that's why I look to OiG for guidance. She inspires me to look beyond what I know and one day I'll expand my filmi horizons. In the meantime, I know I can always get a good laugh reading her always hilarious screen caps!

It's so hard to keep up with everything that comes out these days in terms of music, but that's when I turn to Darshit's blog Movies, Music and Me. He always has reviews of new music up right away and has been responsible for steering me to songs I would have never even known about (from Shaapit, for example). I always love his fantastic song lists and they always expose me to more filmi goodness, whether we're seeing songs on trains, Holi or best of's. Fantastic stuff!

One of the bloggers who I hold the highest respect is The Bollywood Fan. Holding a veil of secrecy over his real life (I think he is the only blogger who's real name I don't know) he is a vast of knowledge when it comes to Bollywood. A huge Aamir Khan fan, his reviews are wonderfully in-depth - if you haven't checked out the links related to Lagaan week you absolutely must. I never realized so much could be said about a movie! I've had the opportunity to engage in some very interesting debates over language with him and it is always a pleasure! I'm still waiting, tbf, for your take on MNIK!

What I have really begun to treasure though is the FABULOUS group of women who not only share their thoughts in blogland, but provide constant wit and laughter daily in twitter. Who else allows my inner fangirl to misbehave as much as she needs to? #SRKAngels, Jocelyn, Daddy's Girl, Erin, Ani, Anita, Alex, Reema, Pitu, Suzy, Christy, as well as new friends who haven't ventured into blogworld yet (that I know of), I derive as much joy in our twitter convo's as I do experiencing the unique humour in every single one of your blog posts! You all inspire me to become better than I am, and I want to thank you for that!

And, finally, my wonderful sister who not only has a fascinating blog of her own, but also introduced me to Bollywood, inspired me to start my own blog, and created my banner(she's bahut talented). Thanks sis! Love you!

There are so many more fantastic people and blogs out there that I have found and more that I am discovering all the time, so I thank you to everyone for helping me evolve and learn. It has been a wonderful year, and I hope the next year brings even more filmi goodness. I really hope that the IIFA's next summer give us all a chance to get together! Let's see if Toronto can contain our crazy!

Love you all, my Bollywood family!

Bhangra Baby!

2010-04-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last year, my sister and I were so excited to attend a Bhangra dance competition in Calgary, only to find out that the show was cancelled (and this too only when we drove in to go). It was a huge disappointment, but when we discovered the show would be back this year we immediately made arrangements! What we got was a fantastic evening full of amazing dancing, some unexpected singing and a whole lot of fun!

Our day started with the hour and half drive, of course the ipod blaring and lots of car dancing, until we reached the Indian area of Calgary to meet OldisGold for some preshow get to know ya time! There's something really cool about meeting a blogger friend in person for the first time. After spending too much money on movies, we headed over for some eats, and, over lassis, butter chicken and dal, we talked about Hrithik's extra appendage, how I'm cheating on Shah Rukh with my newly formed crush on hunky khol wearing Arshad Warsi, mangoes, and the blogger get together in Boston and how we need to plan another one (IIFA in Toronto next summer, anyone!?). Then we did a short tour of the jewellery boutiques in the area before we had to rush off to get to the show. It was so nice to meet Ira, but way too short! Next time we must plan to spend more time visiting!!!

Arriving at the Jubilee, we were quite obviously the minority, but I love people watching, so it was awesome to see all the gorgeous kameez', sari's and bahut handsome desi men! We weren't able to get tickets with Ira, so, after planning to find each other after, we headed to our seats. It was a packed audience, and I could feel the energy in the room as the competition started, the Punjabi spirit was high! There was lots of amazing dancing and really, the competition as a whole blew my mind. All 8 groups made the dancing seem so effortless, watching them just move across the stage almost like they're floating, it really was just amazing. The music was incredibly loud and fantastic and I had a hard time staying in my seat throughout. Chair dancing sometimes just doesn't cut it! The energy, that incredible dhol drum beat, there really is nothing like good Bhangra beat!

The winners:
Pehchaan Apni Nachdi Jandi (PANJ) - Surrey, B.C
(not from the actual show, but you get the idea!)

My faves of the night:
Shan-e-Punjab Arts Club - Surrey, B.C.
Incidentally, Shan-e Punjab also got the largest audience reaction, especially when they brought out some junior dancers towards the end of their set. They came in 2nd! Again, the clip isn't from the Calgary show, but still so good.

My favorite part of the show, however, was near the end. While the judges were off in deliberation, the stage was house to all the teams as they waited, and two musical guests, Calgary's The PropheC and Vancouver's Raju Johal. With all of the impromptu singing and dancing that took place I felt like this was probably the closest I'd ever get to a Punjabi wedding! Even the stage crew was getting into it.

We had a too short goodbye after finally finding Ira amongst the masses, and then made our way home the exact same way we came. It was quite possibly the funnest and most lively nights I've experienced, and I can't wait to go again next year! Thanks to my sister for accompanying me! Hadippa!

Shortkut: The Con is On

2010-03-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Setting a film inside the world of Bollywood has been done before, and very brilliantly in movies like Rangeela, Luck By Chance and Om Shanti Om (and I'm sure there are others I haven't seen). The opportunity for humor is arguably there, so you'd hope that writer Anees Bazmee and director Neeraj Vora would take full advantage of the acting talent they have and come out with either a satirical or situational take on the industry. Unfortunately, what we end up getting is a muddled mixture of both, with a few jokes here and there, but the movie doesn't quite reach it's potential despite a promising storyline.

Shekhar (Akshaye Khanna) is a hard working and talented assistant director, who is all set to make his own film. Life seems to be going his way. He's married famous actress Mansi (Amrita Rao), he's finished writing his first script, he's even sold it to a reputable producer, signing bonus and everything. Enter Raju (Arshad Warsi), the very definition of "non-actor", who wants to be famous despite the fact that he can't act. His biggest obstacle though is that he seems to be blacklisted in the community. Kya karoon? No sweat. He simply steals a copy of Shekhar’s script and gives it to a producer who is willing to cast him as the hero. The film is a superhit and before you can blink an eye, Raju becomes superstar "King Kumar" with five hits to his credit! How? We don't get to know. It just is. Most likely Raju has gotten very crafty at steeling scripts.

*mini spoiler* In the mean time, poor Shekhar, overcome by depression, decides to leave his dreams of filmmaking in the dust, gets a job at a catering company and, when his wife says she wants to help pay bills, goes into a drunken fit of dejection. Who wants to live with that? Not Mansi. *spoiler over*

Will Shekhar ever get his life in order? Will he get his revenge on Raju? Will Raju ever learn to dance?

There were things about this film that I liked. Namely the acting. Though a little typecast, Arshad has always been a master at playing the overconfident, smooth talking liar, which is probably why we see variations of this role come his way often. As Raju, he is the exact amount of annoying in his portrayal as the shallow, uncouth ass, and it's his performance that holds the plot together. The only thing I didn't quite understand, and this is due mainly to the script more so than Arshad's acting, was why the heck he was so hell bent on destroying Shekhar. Hadn't he already done his damage, especially since there was nothing really to reciprocate on his end? As I reflect on Arshad Week, I realize I've seen more of his movies than I thought, and one thing I remember about many of those films is that he always sticks out to me. There's just something about him that makes me sit up and take notice, and look forward to seeing much more of his work.

I am not a fan of Akshaye Khanna. I pretty much hated him in Race and was indifferent in DCH, but, despite all the eureka yelling moments, I actually kind of dug him in this. He was likable through most of the film. That is, you really wanted to him catch his break and make it, even when he was exercising his right to be an ego maniacal male. The sole reason for Amrita Rao’s presence is pretty much just to add a touch of glamor, and she glams it up just right in my opinion. However, the romantic angle isn't required, and the film often lags during the scenes between Shekhar and Mansi. I think the film could have benefited had it been purely about the power struggle between our two male leads.

There were lots of things I liked about Shortkut. There were some truly funny moments like Raju disguising himself to meet a noted producer (and is it just me or did he not look a little like Robert De Niro?), or when Raju has problems getting even one line right so Shekhar has an assistant squat beside him reading his dialogue to him. I also liked the climax (though immediately it felt almost like a carbon copy of Frank Oz's Bowfinger). This movie also has one of my current favorite tracks, Kyun Hota Hai Dil Deewana, which I loved before I saw this and then loved even more after watching it in the film. In 3 and half minutes we get to see Arshad in all his comic glory, with a little bit of sexy thrown in from both him (yes I said it) and Amrita. LOVE IT!

The music in it's entirety is done by house favorites SEL, but not all the tracks are as ipod worthy as Kyun Hota Hai. I think Mareez E Mohabbat, at least in the chorus, is pretty catchy, but can someone please tell me why Anil felt the need to showcase himself and Sanjay in the picturization? Despite being sung my another house fav Sonu Nigam, the worst song of the bunch with the most ridiculous lyrics (sorry Javed Akhtar) is the nauseating Kal Nau Baje.

So, overall, probably not the best movie to feature for Arshad Week, but it's all I had. And as I type the finishing touches up my husband has walked through the door with Ishqiya! I CAN NOT WAIT!

Happy Birthday Shashiji!!

2010-03-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Despite thinking that Shashi Kapoor is one of India's cinematic treasures, I have seen only one of his movies (and that too very recently - see my post on Shaan). However, it is Shashi week over at Beth's blog and today is Shashi's 72 birthday so, here's my little tiny contribution and tribute to the wonderfully charming legend - just a couple of songs that I find completely fun and irresistible!

The hair, the smile, the moves, Shashi you are MAHVELOUS!!! Can't wait to see more! Happy Birthday!

Shamrocks and Movie Flops

2010-03-17T08:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it's not an Indian holiday that graces the blog today, and I'm not Irish, but I've been celebrating every year since I was 18 years old, so I thought I would quickly wish everyone else out there a Happy St. Patrick's Day. For the first time in 17 years I am stuck at home with the kids while my husband works, not even a babysitter for when he gets home, and so the extent of my celebrating is done right here and now. Boo hoo!

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

And now for some Bollywood...

I haven't been able to get much time lately for any movie watching (I blame twitter!), but I did manage to get through a couple, and I do mean get through. Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and De Dana Dan made their way onto the dvd player, but neither movie was able to hold my attention. Actually, if you asked me, I'd be hard pressed to remember what APKGK is even about. All I pretty much recall is the movie has tons of songs (I did actually really enjoy Prem Ki Naiya - it's totally fun!)

I was excited to watch De Dana Dan, just because I love the music! So energetic and fun, I thought how can the movie be anything but just that. Well, it certainly tries to be funny, with hijinx galore, but it just feels so forced that I barely so much as even chuckled throughout. At the core, a good story line, but it loses focus half way, and I found that there were way too many characters to try and follow. I lost interest about half way through. Too bad.

I dare anyone to listen to this and not want to dance!

The common link: Katrina Kaif. She's obviously a beautiful woman (there are many polls that prove people adore her look), but I just can't seen to warm up to her acting. She doesn't ever leave much of an impression on me and I keep thinking maybe this movie will be the one where she impresses me, but so far I haven't discovered that film. I'm almost desperate to watch a really interesting, get yourself lost in, kind of movie. With over 30 or so movies to choose from I keep picking the wrong ones. Maybe I should just put on Dev.D already.

Is anyone else looking forward to Housefull. I know, I know. How can I say I want to watch some quality film, and then follow that with a blurb about Housefull, but it has got a fantastic cast, music by my favorite's Shankar-Eshaan-Loy, and Akshay's nerdy avatar. With only 3 other movies under his belt, we'll see if Sajid Khan can give us a movie that makes us laugh instead of cringe.

Calling All Bloggers

2010-03-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

As the Bollywood blog community grows and expands past these blogging walls, it becomes a challenge to find everyone on sites such as twitter, facebook, etc. So when Beth (from Beth Loves Bollywood) mentioned we should have some sort of master list of who's who, I thought that was a fantastic idea. Then I thought, wouldn't it be nice to be able to send someone something every once in a while if you wanted to, like a birthday card for example. I think so, so here's what I was thinking:

I would love to create a master list, so to speak, of our wonderful Bollywood blogging friends. Once it is compiled, I will send out a copy to anyone who would like one. Here's the information I was thinking of including:

*http address for your blog
*twitter username
*mailing address
*your name
*any other info you'd like to include (ie. birthday, anniversary, shoe size. Just kidding!)

If you don't feel comfortable giving out all of the information that's okay too.

So, if you'd like to be included, email me your information at vox23@hotmail.com, I will organize it all and send it out automatically to anyone who gives me their information hopefully by the end of the month.

Also, feel free to pass this on to anyone who might not necessarily read this post as well. I don't want anyone who would want to be included to be left out because they don't follow my blog.

Hope to hear from you all soon and have a wonderful day!

Shaan - More fun than a barrel of monkeys

2010-03-03T08:13:00.000-08:00

If you look at my roster of movies watched, there's not a lot on there that pre-dates the early 90's, but I've been desperately wanting to watch something, ANYTHING, with Shashi Kapoor, so when Filmigirl recommended Shaan, I ordered it immediately. There is very little about this film that isn't totally absurd. With a bond-like opening complete with a gyrating woman flashing scenes from the movie on her spandex clothed body, I knew I was in for a treat! We get beautiful and smart women, fantastic heroes, the evil villain and his henchmen, man eating crocs, plenty of dishoom dishoom, a diamond heist, carnival sharp shooters, man eating beagle pups, a Helen dance number and a monkey! My goodness, could it get any better?

The force is strong with these two
Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor are Vijay and Ravi, two conmen whose ambitious but good-natured antics are a constant frustration to their policeman brother Shiv (Sunil Dutt). When criminal mastermind Shakal launches a vendetta against their brother, Vijay and Ravi gather a colorful band of thieves to attack Shakal’s underground fortress. I started laughing the moment we see Vijay walk into the motel for the couple's first con and nearly died from laughter during Aaje Jaate Huye. This is the glory that is Bollywood filmmaking!

While I originally wanted to watch this for Shashi, the movie is really owned by a very dashing Amitabh Bachchan. Though the film, no doubt, tried to cash in on the partnership of the two, it is the Big B that owns this film. He gets the funniest bits, the meatiest romance (though romance in general isn't fully explored in this film), and the best parts in the climax. This is my very first pre-facial hair Amitabh movie and I can completely understand how he became such an icon. Cool drink of water that he is, Amitabh certainly had what it took to get the ladies' attention. Bahut handsome!

Amitabh does his very best Manoj Kumar impersonation
Dear Shashi, you are the only actor who's been able to make an impression on me before I even saw you act. It's too bad that this movie only gives you glimpses of what makes Shashi Kapoor so special. Though he still gets to flash that sigh worthy smile, it's almost like he just there to pretty up the quota. There were a few times, when the story focused on Ami (and it does that a lot), that you almost forgot Shashi is in the movie. I wish that the roles had been more equal.

"Come darling, we have LOTS of time to focus on us, since I'm only in 3/4 of the movie"
I have to admit that, though I haven't seen very much pre-Brosnan bond, even I know that Sippy's Shakaal is based on the infamous Bond villian, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Because of this, however, all I could see was Dr. Evil in every frame. The lair, which was way more understated that I would have liked (with the exception of the giant gold eagle), even came equipped with rotating table and chairs that fling treasonous subordinates to their doom (much like I remember happening to Will Farrel). Kulbhushan Kharbanda plays Shakaal just right though with the right amount of criminal insanity that allows you to find loopholes in every plan he hatches. My favorite: the deadly gas that is released in the same room that he's in (sans gas mask), it lingers low to the ground at all times and is really only deadly if you suck on the canister it's escaping from. Genius!

"Yes, those are sharks behind me. Later you'll see rays and piranha too. Even I don't understand where my lair is"

A quick note about the supporting players. I've read that, at the height of his popularity, Amitabh didn't like to share the limelight so much in his films, and that's probably why the rest of the cast's roles were so limited. Sunil Dutt, gets a nice piece of the action for the first half of the movie and we get to see Shatrughan Sinha (Rakesh) flex his trigger finger throughout the majority of the film. No movie would be complete without a female counterpart, so we see the boy's love interests and kindred spirits in Parveen Babi (Sunita) and Bindiya Goswami (Renu) though Parveen totally overshadows Bindiya in almost every frame they're in together. Nevertheless, it's too bad that we don't get more of these sticky fingered ladies in all of their conning glory. Raakhee Gulzar gets the largest female role as Shiv's wife. It's too bad her character is so completely helpless and stupid (watch the scene where Rakesh is suppose to be protecting her and her daughter and see if you don't agree with me).

"We are so lucky to have such handsome smart men pursuing us, though they've just lost their brother"

"We don't have time to mourn, we are too busy showing off for you!"
Under no circumstances should this movie be taken seriously, but I sincerely doubt it was meant to be. I'm sure I read that the film was a flop in India. Whether Shippy was trying to manipulate the duo that made Sholay into such a hit or was just having fun doesn't really matter to me. Most of the time this movie exploded onto the TV screen in a series of unbelievable scenes, energetic songs, and classic dialogues.

I love this song. It's totally out of place in the film, totally hilarious in picturization yet completely darling. Mohd. Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar do a wonderful job.

An absolutely fantastic gypsy style number sung by R.D.Burman and Mohammed Rafi and featuring the Helen, the one I've heard of and seen in so many blogposts. This is my first Helen song and I agree with all - she is one beautiful woman and a pleasure to watch dance!

For sure one thing is true: it has wet my appetite for more campy masala goodness. Can't wait for more!

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