It is never easy to think of what to write and hence the first thought that comes to me is the beginning/start to initite writing. It was never easy beginning to write this time as well but i sense i had a few thoughts buzzing in my mind and if i were as capable to bring them in writing without having to type them i sure would have landed up with, though repeated yet a handful of thoughts. Neurons, human brain and what not.
It's surprising how I have more to write totally opposite of the way i usually begin and am thoughtless. For the moment, more than being so, i feel i am not in a mood to stop, which is the way i usually am but in context of having to write continuously does makes one feel good...but i know i know this para has all been rubbish....lol..!
Although I may have a shift (work) to attend in a few hours from now, but never have i felt such a hunger...i know too strong a word...so considering how thoughtless (unattached to a thought for long) am i now...i would prefer to say....i'm in a mood for bite to write (just as victor in Terminal would say Bite tu eat..) but i aint no Victor though no less than him but it is never easy to be able to latch on to a thought...or more precislely hold on to a thought...for long..especially when the thought makes little meaning...but i would like to think and believe that every thought emerges from a seed of a smaller thought which grows into a plant, tree with leaves...i know i know...am playing with words now.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Movies, Masti & Magic
I'm sure this subject comes to me quick and fast - ofcourse movies.
Having seen the last two awards ceremonies with due attention besides being a witness to some wonderful piece of work in the year 2008 ranging from Oye Lucky to Jodha Akbar and Slumdog (unless it released in 2009), it's been an enthrilling experience and some great work is coming to front letting know how talented is the generation of today.
When I talk of movies for the year 2008, I would like to give a special mention to - Johnny Gaddar, Oye Lucky, Wednesday, (Mumbai Meri Jaan is yet to be seen), some parts of DevD (especially Emotional Atyachaar) we have witnessed some very interesting movies being made besides the likes of greats like SRK, Aamir, Akshay, Hrithik but these small budget movies have done wonders.
From what I recall having heard from Anurag Kashyap that the outcome is very much a result of the budget allocated unless otrherwise the makers may end up asking the biggies to play roles which these so very fitted actors from Abhay Deol to Neel Nitin to little sardarji from Oye lucky played.
The year also went to movies like Rock On which is a mix of great performance by Farhan Akhtar letting world know about him being so talented and versatile, not only managing the Big screen but also creating presence on the idiot box.
But none can deny the effort SRK puts in his surinder sahni role playing from a punjabi middle aged to a chichora munda. Some people may find it hard to digest the storyline of accepting a not so smart and nearly ugly Mr. Sahni by Anushka but the humor that SRK brings with his Mr. Sahni role that it sure comes out to be an effort based performance which only he seemed more fitted for as were roles by Aamir in Gajini, Akshay in Singh is Kinng and Hrithik in Jodha Akbar.
So the year has been marked by performers big and new, young and not so young, makers with pockets full and lacking funds, but they had one thing in common - great performances and a final product of an acceptable movie.
A movie like Wednesday not only had great actors in Naseer but the sheer timing of the movie made it work with the audience and was spot on.
Though while Gajini is being talked about one can see where the movie comes from. For many it's a make of a Tamil movie by same name, in actuality it's a remake of a Hollywood flick of 90s named 'Memento', which in the basic storyline may be comparable but the Indian versions have been made to suit the home audience.
So in all this was a year full of surprises with equal appreciation to the award organisers bestowing recognition on them.
And just in time I recall Jaane Tu - the teenage story but yet again represented by Abaas Tyerwala.
So in all the year had some great movies which have been showcased and the images set in posterity for the generations to come and look up to them.
Astalavista.
Having seen the last two awards ceremonies with due attention besides being a witness to some wonderful piece of work in the year 2008 ranging from Oye Lucky to Jodha Akbar and Slumdog (unless it released in 2009), it's been an enthrilling experience and some great work is coming to front letting know how talented is the generation of today.
When I talk of movies for the year 2008, I would like to give a special mention to - Johnny Gaddar, Oye Lucky, Wednesday, (Mumbai Meri Jaan is yet to be seen), some parts of DevD (especially Emotional Atyachaar) we have witnessed some very interesting movies being made besides the likes of greats like SRK, Aamir, Akshay, Hrithik but these small budget movies have done wonders.
From what I recall having heard from Anurag Kashyap that the outcome is very much a result of the budget allocated unless otrherwise the makers may end up asking the biggies to play roles which these so very fitted actors from Abhay Deol to Neel Nitin to little sardarji from Oye lucky played.
The year also went to movies like Rock On which is a mix of great performance by Farhan Akhtar letting world know about him being so talented and versatile, not only managing the Big screen but also creating presence on the idiot box.
But none can deny the effort SRK puts in his surinder sahni role playing from a punjabi middle aged to a chichora munda. Some people may find it hard to digest the storyline of accepting a not so smart and nearly ugly Mr. Sahni by Anushka but the humor that SRK brings with his Mr. Sahni role that it sure comes out to be an effort based performance which only he seemed more fitted for as were roles by Aamir in Gajini, Akshay in Singh is Kinng and Hrithik in Jodha Akbar.
So the year has been marked by performers big and new, young and not so young, makers with pockets full and lacking funds, but they had one thing in common - great performances and a final product of an acceptable movie.
A movie like Wednesday not only had great actors in Naseer but the sheer timing of the movie made it work with the audience and was spot on.
Though while Gajini is being talked about one can see where the movie comes from. For many it's a make of a Tamil movie by same name, in actuality it's a remake of a Hollywood flick of 90s named 'Memento', which in the basic storyline may be comparable but the Indian versions have been made to suit the home audience.
So in all this was a year full of surprises with equal appreciation to the award organisers bestowing recognition on them.
And just in time I recall Jaane Tu - the teenage story but yet again represented by Abaas Tyerwala.
So in all the year had some great movies which have been showcased and the images set in posterity for the generations to come and look up to them.
Astalavista.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Life's vicious..
It's true yet strange how we all have different perceptions and views on what exists around us. Two people may not essentially have the same opinion and view over what they see and how they perceive.
What may be a spade for one may come out as Heart perceived by the other.
After all it is we who perceive things to be the way we want to based on what comes to us, but it is sad that there are few who fail to see how things actually exist, though no denying that any object would have a different vision from where one looks at it yet the existence of that object cannot be denied.
This varying vision is what leads to people growing apart and not letting go their self go away from them.
After all life is vicious and one cannot DEPART from here.
What may be a spade for one may come out as Heart perceived by the other.
After all it is we who perceive things to be the way we want to based on what comes to us, but it is sad that there are few who fail to see how things actually exist, though no denying that any object would have a different vision from where one looks at it yet the existence of that object cannot be denied.
This varying vision is what leads to people growing apart and not letting go their self go away from them.
After all life is vicious and one cannot DEPART from here.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Asli aur Ugly
It is difficult to write at times but sometime it comes easy and quick. I mean it's as simple as if you have something to observe and react to it instantly that you can write. But this time it's all about plain and simple truth. We as humans have needs and these are what makes us work towards in situations we otherwise may not.
Asli and Ugly is all about the outside world, place where we work spend most of our time and then end up being so involved and busy that it's our asliyat and at time turns very UGLY too. Situations make us do literally what not and for who just ourselves. Everyone wants something for them and somehow we are not brought up so that we become comfortable with the idea of why people want something for them. We wish that someone should be selfless to us but when the most closest ones to us dont react so how could we expect the rest of the world to be with us that way.
So the asliyat behind this UGLYiyat is our need and the situation we fall into that makes us do everything....Rest more later...!
Asli and Ugly is all about the outside world, place where we work spend most of our time and then end up being so involved and busy that it's our asliyat and at time turns very UGLY too. Situations make us do literally what not and for who just ourselves. Everyone wants something for them and somehow we are not brought up so that we become comfortable with the idea of why people want something for them. We wish that someone should be selfless to us but when the most closest ones to us dont react so how could we expect the rest of the world to be with us that way.
So the asliyat behind this UGLYiyat is our need and the situation we fall into that makes us do everything....Rest more later...!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Mehboob Khan
Mehboob Khan
UPPERSTALL PROFILE
A man of humble beginnings and little formal education, Mehboob Khan became one of India's greatest Filmmakers. Like many other filmmakers of his time, Mehboob's craft was learnt in the Film Theatre, the common motif in his films usually being the oppressed poor pitted against the oppressive rich be it the poor tribal against the money-grabbing capitalist in Roti (1942), the commoner against the prince in Aan (1952) or the poor peasant woman against the slimy zamindar in Aurat (1940) and Mother India (1957).
Born Ramjan Khan in Bilimoria, Gujarat, he ran away from home to Bombay and spent his earlier youth scrounging work in the studios. He started his career with the Imperial Film Company as a bit player in Alibaba and the Forty Thieves (1927). As one of the thieves he was hidden inside a wooden vat!
He then joined Sagar Movietone and played supporting characters in several films before getting his first break as a director there with Judgement of Allah (1935). Inspired by Cecil B. DeMille's The Sign of the Cross (1932).
Judgement of Allah showed the Roman - Arab confrontation. Packed with action, battle scenes and natural catastrophes culminating in the Arab victory, the film was extremely popular. More importantly it formed a lasting team with the cameraman of the film Faredoon Irani who photographed every film Mehboob made.
Manmohan (1936), inspired by Barua's Devdas (1935) and Jagirdar (1937) consolidated his position but with Ek hi Raasta (1939), Mehboob gave his first inclination of his social concerns and political leanings.
The film is about a war veteran who having seen much death and destruction goes through a period of uneasy adjustment. Charged with killing a rapist, he is brought to trial. He mocks the system that made him a war hero yet condemns him for killing a criminal.
The beginning of World War II witnessed the collapse of Sagar. RCA with financial backing from the Tatas took it over and renamed it National Studios. Mehboob with his entire production unit joined the newly formed company for whom he directed three of his most important films - Aurat (1940), Bahen (1941) and Roti (1942).
Aurat highlights a peasant's love for his land. The story of a resolute young woman who starts life full of hope and dreams but ends up old and careworn having survived flood, famine, starvation and a wayward son whom she shoots to protect the honour of the village was the predecessor of its more famous re-make Mother India and many critics are of the opinion that this stark epic was much more realistic and has an earthiness the latter lacks.
Bahen was about a brother's obsessive love for his little sister but Roti was unlike anything Mehboob had done earlier. A blistering attack on capitalism and the lust for money, the film is set in an imaginary country where the economy functions without currency and barter is the rule. Mehboob contrasts the life of the city people and their value system based on money with those of the supposedly uncivilized tribals who have no currency and live by barter. Towards the end the rich protagonist (Chandramohan) dies of thirst in the desert, his car full of gold ingots, the desert symbolic of the aridity of monetary greed.
Mehboob then left National to set up his own Mehboob Productions. (A hammer and sickle was chosen for the company's emblem even though he was formally unassociated with the Communist Party). Mehboob Productions came out with a regular output of films but which after Aurat and Roti were surprisingly lightweight.
Anmol Ghadi (1946) did create a stir because of its casting coup of three singing stars together - Surendra, Noorjehan and Suraiya, besides a great musical track by Naushad. (He gave music for every film that Mehboob made after Anmol Ghadi)
Mehboob's next masterpiece was perhaps Andaaz (1949). The triangle to beat all triangles, Andaaz remains startlingly modern even by today's standards even though it propagates traditionalism. A film whose cult status was established right from the casting - Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor battling for Nargis who became India's top female star with the success of the film. She claims that she was just friends with Dilip Kumar and loves Raj Kapoor whom she has married. But Mehboob questions friendship between two members of the opposite sex as Raj suspects her of being unfaithful and Mehboob makes his heroine pay for it as she has to shoot Dilip Kumar to prove her fidelity. She consequently goes to jail where she tells her husband that she has had to pay for her modern lifestyle and may her daughter not make the same mistakes she did. However the film unintentionally actually goes deeper than that and as played by Nargis, looks at a woman who is genuinely torn between the two men. She has responded to both their love and is not just friends with Dilip Kumar. In fact when Dilip Kumar declares his love for her on her wedding day, her reaction is not one of shock but one that only confirms her worst fears. Consequently what comes out is a highly charged and volatile love triangle.
Mehboob followed Andaaz with the spectacle Aan (1952), his first film in colour. Aan even had a release in London and was much appreciated even though a critic quipped - it goes aan and aan and aan!
Amar (1954) was an interesting film in that the hero (Dilip Kumar) rapes a woman (Nimmi) who fleeing from the villain has taken shelter with him. The cowardly hero now refuses to come forward and sees the woman suffer the consequences of the rape. When his fiancé (Madhubala) finds out what has happened she stands up for the girl and the hero eventually marries her. Though regarded by Mehboob as his favourite film, the film flopped, as audiences could not accept a weak and negative hero.
Mehboob returned to familiar territory remaking his earlier hit Aurat as Mother India (1957). Mother India was his magnum opus and is the ultimate tribute to Indian Womanhood! This epic saga of the sufferings of an Indian peasant woman has an inherent and perennial appeal, being typical of the Indian situation. So tremendous was its success that the film is in fact a reference point in the long-suffering mother genre and is like an Indian Gone With the Wind (1939). Raised in a village himself, Mehboob himself was familiar with rural life, its customs and manners, its soil, seasons, sufferings and joys and he creates a totally Indian experience in milieu, detail, characters and dramatic incidents. Further, Mehboob raises all these elements to make a highly charged film that is larger than life and one that admittedly takes a totally romanticized look at rural India. The film makes heavy use of psychoanalytic and other kinds of symbolism and nationalist allegory. (The peasants forming a chorus outlining a map of India) In fact everything about the film is highly charged right down to the strong, earthy central performance of Nargis. The film represents the pinnacle of her career and won her the Best Actress Award at the prestigious Karlovy Vary festival. The Film became the first Indian Film to be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film Category and at the 1958 Academy Awards lost out to another masterpiece Federico Fellini's Nights of Caberia by a solitary vote at the third poll. Its influence continues to be seen in Hindi Films till today in films like Ganga Jamuna (1961), Deewaar (1975) and Waaris (1988).
After the high of Mother India, Mehboob aimed to fly even higher with Son of India (1962) but the film was a total misfire and in fact his weakest film.
He died in 1964 harboring ambitions to make a film on the life of Habba Khatoon, the 16th century poetess-queen of Kashmir.
UPPERSTALL PROFILE
A man of humble beginnings and little formal education, Mehboob Khan became one of India's greatest Filmmakers. Like many other filmmakers of his time, Mehboob's craft was learnt in the Film Theatre, the common motif in his films usually being the oppressed poor pitted against the oppressive rich be it the poor tribal against the money-grabbing capitalist in Roti (1942), the commoner against the prince in Aan (1952) or the poor peasant woman against the slimy zamindar in Aurat (1940) and Mother India (1957).
Born Ramjan Khan in Bilimoria, Gujarat, he ran away from home to Bombay and spent his earlier youth scrounging work in the studios. He started his career with the Imperial Film Company as a bit player in Alibaba and the Forty Thieves (1927). As one of the thieves he was hidden inside a wooden vat!
He then joined Sagar Movietone and played supporting characters in several films before getting his first break as a director there with Judgement of Allah (1935). Inspired by Cecil B. DeMille's The Sign of the Cross (1932).
Judgement of Allah showed the Roman - Arab confrontation. Packed with action, battle scenes and natural catastrophes culminating in the Arab victory, the film was extremely popular. More importantly it formed a lasting team with the cameraman of the film Faredoon Irani who photographed every film Mehboob made.
Manmohan (1936), inspired by Barua's Devdas (1935) and Jagirdar (1937) consolidated his position but with Ek hi Raasta (1939), Mehboob gave his first inclination of his social concerns and political leanings.
The film is about a war veteran who having seen much death and destruction goes through a period of uneasy adjustment. Charged with killing a rapist, he is brought to trial. He mocks the system that made him a war hero yet condemns him for killing a criminal.
The beginning of World War II witnessed the collapse of Sagar. RCA with financial backing from the Tatas took it over and renamed it National Studios. Mehboob with his entire production unit joined the newly formed company for whom he directed three of his most important films - Aurat (1940), Bahen (1941) and Roti (1942).
Aurat highlights a peasant's love for his land. The story of a resolute young woman who starts life full of hope and dreams but ends up old and careworn having survived flood, famine, starvation and a wayward son whom she shoots to protect the honour of the village was the predecessor of its more famous re-make Mother India and many critics are of the opinion that this stark epic was much more realistic and has an earthiness the latter lacks.
Bahen was about a brother's obsessive love for his little sister but Roti was unlike anything Mehboob had done earlier. A blistering attack on capitalism and the lust for money, the film is set in an imaginary country where the economy functions without currency and barter is the rule. Mehboob contrasts the life of the city people and their value system based on money with those of the supposedly uncivilized tribals who have no currency and live by barter. Towards the end the rich protagonist (Chandramohan) dies of thirst in the desert, his car full of gold ingots, the desert symbolic of the aridity of monetary greed.
Mehboob then left National to set up his own Mehboob Productions. (A hammer and sickle was chosen for the company's emblem even though he was formally unassociated with the Communist Party). Mehboob Productions came out with a regular output of films but which after Aurat and Roti were surprisingly lightweight.
Anmol Ghadi (1946) did create a stir because of its casting coup of three singing stars together - Surendra, Noorjehan and Suraiya, besides a great musical track by Naushad. (He gave music for every film that Mehboob made after Anmol Ghadi)
Mehboob's next masterpiece was perhaps Andaaz (1949). The triangle to beat all triangles, Andaaz remains startlingly modern even by today's standards even though it propagates traditionalism. A film whose cult status was established right from the casting - Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor battling for Nargis who became India's top female star with the success of the film. She claims that she was just friends with Dilip Kumar and loves Raj Kapoor whom she has married. But Mehboob questions friendship between two members of the opposite sex as Raj suspects her of being unfaithful and Mehboob makes his heroine pay for it as she has to shoot Dilip Kumar to prove her fidelity. She consequently goes to jail where she tells her husband that she has had to pay for her modern lifestyle and may her daughter not make the same mistakes she did. However the film unintentionally actually goes deeper than that and as played by Nargis, looks at a woman who is genuinely torn between the two men. She has responded to both their love and is not just friends with Dilip Kumar. In fact when Dilip Kumar declares his love for her on her wedding day, her reaction is not one of shock but one that only confirms her worst fears. Consequently what comes out is a highly charged and volatile love triangle.
Mehboob followed Andaaz with the spectacle Aan (1952), his first film in colour. Aan even had a release in London and was much appreciated even though a critic quipped - it goes aan and aan and aan!
Amar (1954) was an interesting film in that the hero (Dilip Kumar) rapes a woman (Nimmi) who fleeing from the villain has taken shelter with him. The cowardly hero now refuses to come forward and sees the woman suffer the consequences of the rape. When his fiancé (Madhubala) finds out what has happened she stands up for the girl and the hero eventually marries her. Though regarded by Mehboob as his favourite film, the film flopped, as audiences could not accept a weak and negative hero.
Mehboob returned to familiar territory remaking his earlier hit Aurat as Mother India (1957). Mother India was his magnum opus and is the ultimate tribute to Indian Womanhood! This epic saga of the sufferings of an Indian peasant woman has an inherent and perennial appeal, being typical of the Indian situation. So tremendous was its success that the film is in fact a reference point in the long-suffering mother genre and is like an Indian Gone With the Wind (1939). Raised in a village himself, Mehboob himself was familiar with rural life, its customs and manners, its soil, seasons, sufferings and joys and he creates a totally Indian experience in milieu, detail, characters and dramatic incidents. Further, Mehboob raises all these elements to make a highly charged film that is larger than life and one that admittedly takes a totally romanticized look at rural India. The film makes heavy use of psychoanalytic and other kinds of symbolism and nationalist allegory. (The peasants forming a chorus outlining a map of India) In fact everything about the film is highly charged right down to the strong, earthy central performance of Nargis. The film represents the pinnacle of her career and won her the Best Actress Award at the prestigious Karlovy Vary festival. The Film became the first Indian Film to be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film Category and at the 1958 Academy Awards lost out to another masterpiece Federico Fellini's Nights of Caberia by a solitary vote at the third poll. Its influence continues to be seen in Hindi Films till today in films like Ganga Jamuna (1961), Deewaar (1975) and Waaris (1988).
After the high of Mother India, Mehboob aimed to fly even higher with Son of India (1962) but the film was a total misfire and in fact his weakest film.
He died in 1964 harboring ambitions to make a film on the life of Habba Khatoon, the 16th century poetess-queen of Kashmir.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Passion Blog
It's going to be a simple post....!! I shall work towards enhancing as the days proceed...
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