Sridevipalooza--The Interviews

Sometimes trawling the depths of Youtube can really pay off.  I found an excellent interview with Sridevi on Doordarshan's Baaje Payal from 1994 which focuses on her dancing.  The interview is replete with clips and commentary from costars and choreographers (including Saroj Khan) commenting on the energy and emotion she put into her dancing.  There's also a fairly in-depth discussion about the animosity between Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.  The interview is split between Hindi and English so it's easy enough to follow, and even if it weren't it's worth it for the film clips alone!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:

Mayday, MAYDAY!

SOS guys.  S.  O.  S.

There are NO Sridevi movies streaming on Netflix.

What's a girl to do?!  I was all set to launch a night of Sridevi classics and now I have to wait three days for Netflix to mail a DVD to me.  Someone call the UN...this is definitely a human rights violation.

In the meantime, I'll be browsing Youtube for vids for tomorrow's Sridevipalooza post, and deciding which Sridevi film to pick out on Netflix.  I've narrowed the choices down to Judaai, Sadma, and Chandni.  Thoughts?

(I know which film Kajol would choose!)

Song of the Day--Main Teri Dushman (Nagina)

What a coincidence!  I've been listening to Main Teri Dushman on repeat for the last few days, ever since I read Sepia Mutiny's excellent post on Mallika Sherawat's Hisss.  And today I find out that Amaluu is hosting a Sridevi birthday celebration!  How perfect.  So in honor of the gorgeous Sridevi, here's the greatest take on the Cobra Dance I've ever seen on film:  Main Teri Dushman.

Film: Nagina
Directed by: Harmesh Malhotra
Music by: Laxmikant and Pyarelal
Starring: Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Rishi Kapoor, Prem Chopra

A Thought on Voices...

I wish I had the time to flesh this out a little more, but for now just a brief thought...

I had "Dhadhak Dhadhak" from Bunty aur Babli playing in the background and was vaguely lazing off into a nap, and woke myself up realizing that I'd just pictured the entire video for the song with Shahrukh as the star rather than Abhishek.  I guess I've gotten so used to hearing Udit Narayan sing for Shahrukh that regardless of who I knew the actual star to be, I only pictured the face that I associate with the voice.

Has that ever happened to anyone else?  Are there singers who will always correspond in your mind to a specific actor, no matter who they're actually singing for?

Found It! Mauli Dave's "Kem Che"

In an earlier post I mentioned Mauli Dave had done a bang up job covering "Usne Bola Kem Che" in her final appearance on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (ohhhh how I love that show!) but couldn't seem to find a vid to prove it.  Turns out I had a vid of my own, buried in the dark recesses of my computer.  I love love LOVE her take on this.  She's clearly having a hell of a time up there on stage--everything is perfect, from her costume to her facial expressions.  Shekhar is definitely enjoying it, as is that day's guest (can someone please tell me who that is?  I thought it was Shekhar for the longest time...he's gorgeous!).

I'm Still Here! (Song of the Day--Mehbooba Mehbooba)

I just realized it's been a month since I updated (again...I'm really really bad/new at this). No worries though, I'm still here! A lot of other things have been fighting for my attention (mostly work, sigh) but I've got a few reviews in the works. Keep an eye out in a week or so for my thoughts on Fashion, Darna Mana Hai, and a few odds and ends (a Bollywood-themed episode of Hotel Babylon?  Swoon!).

For now here's a Song of the Day--it's been in my head for weeks and now it'll be in yours, muahahaha.  ;)




Mehbooba Mehbooba
Film: Sholay
Director: Ramesh Sippy
Music by: Rahul Dev Burman
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Jaya Badhuri, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan
Featuring: Helen

The Man Loves to Dance! (Govinda Week 2010)

Not being a massive fan of Govinda, I thought my Govinda Week contributions would be limited to just one post.  But not so!  This morning my mp3 player decided to bust out with Bhagam Bhag, and I couldn't help but want to post it!



Between Bhagam Bhag and Soni de Nakhre in the last post, it only makes sense to go all out and put up a bit of Govinda LIVE:



For those of you who own IIFA 2007 on DVD (and don't we all?), you'll remember what really makes this performance funny. It's not Salman on a fake horse, it's not Govinda in drag, it's not Hrithik's non-plussed look every time the camera hits him. It's that whoever was in charge of the subtitles translated the chorus of Soni de Nakhre as "oh pup, puppy shame, puppy, oh jannah jannah."

Aishwarya and Abhishek on Love Bollywood

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan will be chatting about Raavan with Raj and Pablo LIVE on the BBC Asian Network's Love Bollywood this Saturday at 9am GMT!  Don't miss it!

Govinda Week 2010!

Because all the cool kids are doing it, here's a post inspired by Govinda, that whacky lovable dancing wonder.  Sadly I don't own any of his films or there'd be a review here instead, but what I can offer are a couple of my favorite Govinda songs!


 "Usne Bola Kem Chhe" from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai is a song I first came across while watching SaReGaMaPa a few years ago.  Mauli Dave did an outstanding version, and it became one of my favorite songs.  It was only a few months ago that I thought to myself, hmm...maybe I should check out the original. (Be patient, the guy who posted this vid did a bit of self promotion in front of it!)





My only other exposure to Govinda (besides his brief bit in Om Shanti Om, which follows) comes from his appearance with Salman Khan at the 2007 IIFA Awards, where he performed to the hit song "Soni De Nakhre" from the film Partner.  I love love love him in this video.  He almost makes up for having to watch Salman and Katrina "dance."



And lastly, a very brief glimpse of Govinda in "Deewangi Deewangi" from Om Shanti Om.

It's a Wedding! (Kajra Re)

I'll be at a wedding in NY this weekend, so no posts for a week.  But no worries, I'm leaving you with a song I heard at no less than four weddings in the last two years.  Enjoy!!

Song of the Day--Sapnon Se Bhare Naina (Luck By Chance)

I can't get enough of this track!  If you haven't seen Luck By Chance yet, get on it!  It's a really well acted film with a unique storyline, great dialogue, and, as evidenced by this song, a fantastic soundtrack.  (Plus Farhan looks crazy hot and there's a great plot featuring Hrithik Roshan!)

Song of the Day--Noorie

It's not Bollywood, per se, but I've loved this song ever since I heard it on the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack.  It's by Bally Sagoo, featuring Gunjan, and the video definitely used to creep me out!

Ladies Special: Barbara Mori, Priyanka Chopra, and Freida Pinto

Kites may be headed for a flop, but Barbara Mori is already looking ahead.  When asked at a recent press conference if she'd signed any more Bollywood films, she replied that she hadn't, but added "I want to work with Shahrukh Khan!"

Priyanka Chopra is busy shooting for Vishal Bhardwaj's Saat Khaan Maaf, in which she plays a woman who murders seven (!!) of her husbands over a span of 40 years.  Says Priyanka, "“In Saat Khoon Maaf my character ages from 20 to 60. That’s really tricky. We’ve done a looks test of me at 60. Will I look hot as a 60-year old? I hope so!"

Freida Pinto and Dev Patel are getting married!

Freida Pinto and Dev Patel are not getting married.

Hrithik Roshan on CNN

A few days late, but CNN's Connector of the Day segment has produced another interesting interview, this time with Hrithik Roshan.  After opening with a bit of a promo for Kites, the host peppers Hrithik with a few...er...annoying questions from fans (annoying in that Duggu's probably answered them each a million times before; there's nothing particularly noteworthy or new there).  I did love his answer to the question "how does it feel to be a heartthrob?"  His reply?  "It feels good, but you have to realize there is no unconditional love."

Wise words indeed.

Song of the Day--Pyar Ki Peer Suhani (Bilwamangal)

Full disclosure:  I know very very little about this song and the film it comes from.  I had a lovely Bollywood calendar that I turned into wall art, and one of the posters in the calendar was of Bilwamangal.  The film released in 1954 and starred Suraiya, Ulhas, C.H. Atma, and Asha Mathur.  Suraiya herself is singing this song, which is really starting to grow on me.  Hope you like it as much as I do!

Extras: Aishwarya's L'Oreal Interview, Abhay on Femina

A few extra tidbits for everyone today:

Here's Aishwarya pimping for L'Oreal and looking lovely (though sounding a bit...faux...in the accent department).  It's nice to see a touch of personality from her, even if it's in a packaged makeup promo!




And speaking of lovely, here's Abhay Deol on the cover of the June issue of Femina.  Looking hot as always! 

I will say I'm a bit sad to be promised some shirtless Kunal Kapoor in this issue and then not be able to find the pictures! So in the spirit of not depriving anyone of a bit of Kunal swooning, an oldie but a goodie:

Raajneeti Trailer

Raajneeti is another film I can't wait to see, particularly because I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of Ranbir Kapoor.  The addition of Arjun Rampal and Naseeruddin Shah don't hurt either!

It's especially nice that UTV has distributed this trailer with subtitles--not that I wouldn't have appreciated it either way, but the English is helpful. :)





Raajneeti (Politics), a film by Prakash Jha, starring Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal, Vivek Oberoi, Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shan, and Manoj Bajpai.

Raavan Trailer!

Ok, I caved.  I've gone Raavan crazy!  I simply can't wait for this film--I'm not always in the Aishwarya camp but I'm always interested in what Abhishek's doing, and Raavan is looking like an incredible film for him.  I'm excited to see Vikram as well; I've not seen any of his films yet, so Raavan will be my first (and of course I'll be watching the Tamil version of the film, which stars Aishwarya and Vikram as well, with Vikram in Abhishek's role).

I love love love this trailer, especially Abhishek's "dusssssssss sar vaale" at the end.

Aishwarya Rai in Scorsese's Next Film?

Rumor has it that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be appearing in American director Martin Scorsese's next film.  Seems that Scorsese has had a yen for Aishwarya ever since seeing her in Devdas, and has made plans with her during their time together at the Cannes Film Festival.  Can't wait for more details! 

Martin Scorsese Floored By Aishwarya Rai

Martin Scorsese Keen on Casting Aishwarya Rai

Song of the Day--Chale Jaise Hawaien (Main Hoon Na)

This is one of my all-time favorite songs, and the first Bollywood film I ever purchased!  I had a roommate who lent me a copy of Devdas, and after seeing it I knew I needed more.  So I went over to the Eros International website and sought out more Shah Rukh Khan.  Main Hoon Na was the first one that came, and I loved it.  A roommate and I rewound "Chale Jaise Hawaien" over and over, for two reasons:  first, it's a damn catchy song;  second, Zayed Khan is a fine looking boy.  I still get a case of the weak knees when he takes his jacket off halfway through the song.  Swoon.   Too bad he's not much of an actor, but as a pretty face--oh yes please.

The film was choreographer Farah Khan's directorial debut, and I really love her style.  The end of the film features a Grease-like sendoff, which I find adorable.  The film itself is a bit fluff, with some exagerated action sequences and a fair amount of Shah Rukh's trademark "if I squeeze my face in on itself really hard, it might look like I'm actually crying," but overall it's incredibly entertaining.  Amrita Rao is adorable, Zayed is man-candy, Shah Rukh gets a an action plotline and a romantic one (with the lovely Sushmita Sen) and my wonderful Boman Irani plays a hilarious schoolmaster.

Something fun to look out for:  this entire sequence was shot as one continuous take, and Farah Khan said that anytime someone stopped, the entire shot had to be canned and started over again (which apparently led to a backup dancer fainting in the heat!).  Watch Zayed, especially in the choreography that leads up to his first chorus:  he's clearly making mistakes, but you know he's all "No. You're not stopping.  You're DOING this."  And he does.

So Many Movies, Oh My!

I went on a teensy bit of a shopping spree at Induna the other day--mostly to pick up copies of films I've already seen (albeit on my tiny little computer screen via Netflix) but also a couple of new titles to enjoy.

Rocket Singh, Dhoom 2, Love Aaj Kal, Dostana, Luck By Chance, Wake Up Sid, Road Movie, and Hum Tum aur Ghost

Rocket Singh, WUS, Luck By Chance, and Dostana are favorites of mine that I'm sure I'll be watching over and over again; Road, Movie is one I can't wait to see, especially since it features my lovely Abhay Deol.  Love Aaj Kal  I meant to pick up last year, since I have a hard time turning down anything starring Saif Ali Khan (with one exception: I'm looking at you, Race).  Dhoom 2 is one of those films that, well, isn't great, but at the same time it's nice to have a good high-quality version of it lying around for days when I feel the need to watch "Dhoom Again" ten or twenty times in a row.  And Hum, Tum aur Ghost comes via an excellent write-up by Filmigirl.  I think it's only fitting, having actually met Boman Irani a couple of years ago, that I watch all of his work!!

Raavan Posters!

I'm ridiculously excited about Raavan--mostly the Hindi version, because of Abhishek, but of course I'll watch them both!  It releases June 18 and I've tried as much as possible to stay away from spoilers, trailers, etc., because I really want it to be fresh and new and surprising when I watch it, but I couldn't stay away from the site today, and nabbed the official posters to share with you.  I also grabbed a copy of the pic that's been freaking me out all day (in a good way, in a good way) and gave a listen to some of the background score.  If you want to saturate yourself in the mood of the film, definitely give the site a look. 

Raavan--The Film

And now some visuals!  These posters are all for the Hindi version of the film, but the Tamil posters are on the site as well.

 

And what I like to call "the eyes picture," which seriously I find a bit terrifying, but at the same time I can't look away from:

 

Decorating, Filmi Style

What do you do with a beautiful calendar of old film posters?  Use them to decorate your horribly barren white walls!

I loved this calendar--it was a wonderful random find at the gift shop at the Freer and Sackler Galleries downtown.  Happily I've been able to put it to good use. 

Some close ups:

Andaz, Guide, Darr, Khubsoorat, Pyaasa, and Teesri Manzil

 

Naya Daur, Awara, Baiju Bawara, Deewar, Bilwamangal, and Dil To Pagal Hai

The Stars Do Cannes: Mallika, Aishwarya, Deepika, and Abhishek

The filmi world is being well (mostly, anyways) represented at the Cannes Film Festival this year.  Aishwarya Rai has been looking stunning as usual, Abhishek is finally by her side on day 3 and looking handsome as always, Deepika was beautifully elegant and Mallika was...well...you'll see.

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Elie Saab

 This pic has been all over the net; I think the gown is truly stunning but I thought the massive hair (you don't see it as much in this pic but ohhh trust me, it was sky high) was a distracting mistake.  She looks gorgeous at any rate--very feminine and pretty.

 

 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Giorgio Armani Privé

I love this look on her--very bold and dramatic.  The guys on the left are definitely enjoying the view!

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the Raavan photocall

Simple, elegant daytime look.  Love the hair, this is so much better than the first night's big bouffant! 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the Raavan photocall (full length)

Soooo part of me wants that Raavan poster for my wall, but the other part of me knows it'd be way too terrifying to wake up to each morning.  I love Abhishek but love only goes so far, you know?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan

 Abhishek!  Abhi finally turns up at Cannes (to promote his new film Raavan). 

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (in Sabyasachi) and Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek looks his perfect, handsome self, with Aishwarya on his arm in an elegant sari by Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Gucci

Her most beautiful look so far.  Simple and elegant.

 

Deepika Padukone in a sari by Rohit Bal

Deepika looks stunning here, but the real star of the photo is obviously the man with the balloon pants standing next to her.  I have a strange need to know who that is, and why he thought that might be a good idea.

 

Mallika Sherawat

Here we have Mallika Sherawat, showing us one (actually two) of the things that made her famous...

 

Mallika Sherawat

...and the other.  Bless her, I love Mallika.  I've seen her on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, follow her on Twitter, and have caught more than a few of her interviews, and all indications are that she's a sweet girl and a lovely person, so I feel a bit bad coming out and calling her trashy, but with an outfit like that, and compared to Aish and Deepika, can a person really blame me? 

Mallika, Hisss Hisss

Mallika Sherawat posing with a snake to promote her film "Hisss" at the Cannes Film Festival.  This was pretty much too good to not get its own post.  (Image from Getty.)

Becoming a Bollystar in Washington, D.C. (Part 1)

So you wanna pack your bags, move to Mumbai, and become the filmiest film star in Film City.  You're going to need three things (four if you include looks, but that's a given right?).  Not only do you need to be able to act (relatively anyways), but you need to be a great dancer and speak flawless Hindi*.

*None of this applies if your name is Katrina Kaif, apparently.

As far as learning 'the trade' goes, Washington, D.C. isn't the most ideal city, but it can still be done.  There are a couple of excellent outlets for picking up Hindi as well as a number of dance programs that can have you well on your way to your first Filmfare Award!

Learning Hindi in DC:

1.  The USDA Graduate School
The Graduate School at the United States Department of Agriculture offers top-notch instruction in more than a dozen foreign languages, including Hindi (and rumor has it that they'll be adding Urdu soon).  Classes are held over a ten week period (one three-hour class weekly) and are offered at four different levels. 

I've taken the Hindi courses at the USDA Grad School, and can vouch for the professionalism of the instructors and the program itself.  Word of caution:  these classes are intense.  Expect to spend ten or more hours each week studying and preparing assignments.  The classes move very fast, but you'll learn a lot.

2. The International Language Institute
The ILI is located in Dupont Circle and offers Hindi instruction on nine levels.  Its advantage over the USDA Graduate School is that it tends to offer more scheduling options; while classes are still held on an evening or weekend plan, you can generally choose between the two, which isn't always the case with the USDA (where you usually only have one section per level offered each session).

3.  The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Summer Language Institute
Whew.  Say that a few times!  SAIS, in addition to Hindi training offered as part of a graduate degree program in South Asian studies, also gives non-SAIS students an opportunity to study foreign languages intensively in the summer.  Hindi is offered at several levels (generally novice and intermediate) in a compressed 8-week session, with classes held Monday through Thursday evenings.  This option is far pricier than the USDA or ILI, but covers much more material and is designed to impart a solid grip on the language by the end of the summer.

Best of luck studying Hindi!  Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the best places to study "Bollywood" and Indian classical dance in the DC area.

I Come Bringing Hilarity!

I've been ridiculously lazy about blogging the past couple months (months!!), but I'm back! Couple of things:

1. I'm trying a new template. I'm still working on tweaking the html a bit, so there may be a few small changes here and there, but for the most part this new look is final. Thoughts?

2. As part of the template change, I ditched the Twitter link I had earlier. No worries, I'm still, um, Tweeting (?). You can find me at http://twitter.com/BombayTalkies.

Now for the promised hilarity!  I know I've already reviewed Dostana, but I gave it a rewatch while cleaning tonight and seriously had to rewind this scene about ten times.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Officer Javier's famous "Who is she TALKING to?"

Yes, But Can They Act? (The Women)

I'll admit it--I'm a Bollywood pusher.  I'm quick to suggest Hindi films to my friends, always eager to send them links to fun videos of stars they've said they like, and really take pleasure in seeing them enjoy films which I'm sure they thought would be cheesy and awful (or films that were cheesy and awful, but that they enjoyed all the same).  The question I always have to ask myself before I show a film to a friend is "which one will do the trick?"  Though not exactly big Bollywood fans, most of my friends have exceptional taste in films, and I know I can't get away with showing them any old thing and hoping they'll be impressed.  They won't be.  I try to start with films that are as familiar as possible:  films with believable storylines, a judicious use of dancing, and, above all, good acting.

Ahh, good acting.  From my first exposure to Hindi films I wondered if that even really existed as a requirement to getting into the film industry.  So much of what I saw early on was mediocre, forced, and, well...filmi.  Don't get me wrong, I love Shah Rukh Khan, but the first films I saw of his were Devdas, Kal Ho Na Ho, and KKKG.  All wonderful films, but a bit thin on the acting skill.

So who in the industry has actual acting chops?  Here's my list.  Mind you this is based solely on the films I've seen (I think that should be fairly obvious!) so feel free to let me know if my judgement has been misplaced!

Let's start with the ladies (in no particular order), as for some reason it's by far the shorter of the two lists:

Konkona Sen Sharma
I first caught her in Amu, a decidedly non-Bollywood film about the 1984 massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, and she began making impressive showings in more and more of the films I loved: Life in a Metro, Wake Up Sid, Omkara, Luck By Chance, and Mixed Doubles.  She brings a certain vivaciousness to her roles, and definitely makes interesting script choices.  I've yet to be disappointed by one of her performances, and have started working my way (albeit somewhat slowly) through her entire body of work.

Shabana Azmi
Admittedly I haven't seen much of Shabana Azmi's work, but I've loved what little I have.  I think the first of her films I saw was the British film Madame Sousatzka, which hardly anyone remembers, but she was lovely in it, playing the mother of a young piano prodigy.  And then of course there was Deepa Mehta's Fire, with a lesbian storyline which angered conservative filmgoers and led to cinema halls being burnt to the ground.  Needless to say she was absolutely brilliant in it.  I've just begun to watch Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and so far she's just as lovely as I expected.

Nandita Das
I've sadly only seen three of her films: Fire, Earth, and Provoked.  I thought she did well with the material she was given in Provoked, and she was absoutely brilliant in both Deepa Mehta films.  I'll never forget the scene in Fire where she dons a man's suit and mustache and dances Chaplin-esque in front of the mirror.  She is always competely believable in her roles; no hysterics from Nandita Das.

Mahi Gill
She made a stunning debut in Dev D; it will be fascinating to see how her career progresses from that.

Vidya Balan
So far the first really mainstream actress on my list.  I saw her in her debut, Parineeta, and was blown away.  She played Lolita in a perfectly understated way, and you couldn't help but be lost in her character.  The majority of the films I've seen her in since have been similarly impressive: Lage Raho Munnabhai and Bhool Bulaiyaa.  Others have been so-so, but I think that's more a lack of decent material (ahem, Kismet Konnection) at fault than her.

Kalki Koechlin
Very good, I thought, in Dev D.  Again, will be interesting to see what sorts of projects she takes on in the future.

Tabu
Anyone who knows me knows Tabu's my girl.  I adore her.  Cheeni Kum, Kandukondain Kandukondain, The Namesake (especially The Namesake), Maqbool...the woman can do no wrong.  The way she madly, deperately ran around the house in The Namesake, turning on all the lights and crying out in grief on the walkway killed me.  She's perfect.  She has a way of making me think, after a film is over, that she alone saved the movie for me.  Cheeni Kum is a perfect example of this: though I thought Amitabh's character at the beginning wasn't half bad, by the end the movie had become almost unbearable, with the sole exception of Tabu's elegant performance.

Gracey Singh
Again, haven't had the good fortune to see very much of her, but that's not for lack of trying: though definitely one of the most intriguing and talented actresses (and dancers!) to hit the big screen in the last decade, she gave up films after doing only two.  But those two were so good:  Lagaan had me from beginning to end, and there's still no finer dance sequence than Radha Kaise Na Jale, in my opinion.  And in Munnabhai MBBS she was light and sweet and just right.

Shefali Shetty (Shah)
I've seen her in exactly one film, and it's my favorite: Monsoon Wedding.  She was heartbreaking in that film, and it's a performance that ranks as one of the best I've ever seen--not just in Indian cinema but in film, period.  

If I've left anyone out, apologies.  It's not that I don't love them (there are very few actresses I truly dislike), but it's likely that all I've seen of them are the same old recycled overly dramatic/vapid girlfriend roles.  There are a few (Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, etc) who I do think have started to hit their stride but who honestly have not yet established themselves as "solid" actresses the way the women above have.

All Abhishek, All the Time

Not gonna lie, I'm totally in love with Abhishek Bachchan, and he's been all over the place recently. Earlier I linked to CNN's "Connector of the Day" preview for him; sadly my question (about his thoughts on doing more comedies, which I think he has a real talent for) didn't make the cut, but a few interesting ones did (and one completely banal, annoying Q about what it's like being married to "the most beautiful woman in the world." Someone should inform CNN that AB is NOT Mr. Aishwarya Rai.).

Here's Abhishek's Connector of the Day interview.  The conversation is a bit scattered, but one interesting tidbit is that he and Aishwarya are scheduled to star in a remake of Abhimaan, the 1973 film which starred his parents (Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Badhuri) and concerns a man who becomes jealous of his wife's success.  It's being scripted by Rajiv Menon--can't wait to see how it turns out!

(Seems to be a lot of Abhimaan confusion--will they or won't they, etc.  I'm going to go with Abhishek on this one and say the film is definitely on.)

For those who can't watch the video, this article goes a bit further in depth on Abhi's opinion that more Hollywood actors should come try their hand at Bollywood. 

Bollynews

Just a couple of tidbits to share today:

A.R. Rahman was formally invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  He joins 133 other invited artists and executives in becoming a voting member of the Academy.  Congratulations Maestro!

Dev Benegal's Road, Movie, which stars my lovely Abhay Deol, is rumored to have been picked up for mainstream distribution by Robert de Niro.  

Irrfan "In Treatment"

Seems it's an Irrfan Khan sort of day!  And really, when isn't it for me?  A little bird just told me that Anil Kapoor isn't the only Indian actor riding the successful wave of Slumdog Millionaire right to America's shores.  Irrfan is finally getting some well-deserved recognition stateside and will be playing a prominent role in all 43 episodes of the third season of "In Treatment," the therapy drama starring Gabriel Byrne.  I might have to start watching!

Irrfan Khan to star in "In Treatment"

Song of the Day--Marjaani (Billu Barber)

Marjani

Film: Billu Barber
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Irrfan Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Om Puri
Music: Pritam

The first time I heard this song it was being performed at one of the zillion awards functions by Bipasha Basu, and it took me ages to track it down.  But track it down I did, and it was worth it.  Marjaani is one of the handful of item numbers that make up the bulk of the "Billu" (or "Billu Barber") soundtrack, and is by far my favorite number in the film.  It has a sound very similar to some of the Persian pop music I listen to, and that feel is backed up by the beautiful set and costumes.  There are two things about this video that I absolutely love.  The first is how much fun Shah Rukh and Kareena seem to be having.  Look at their faces!  Acting or no, they both look like they're having a great time together.  The second is Irrfan--though he only features in the video for a few seconds here and there, those few seconds pack a punch.  The sweet, earnest look on his face as he's vying for a better look at the action towards the end of the song totally makes this clip for me.  He's excellent.  So, so excellent.

Exciting Happenings in DC!

Two big events coming up in the DC area that I wanted to pass along (click on the links for more information):

Shreya Ghoshal and Atif Aslam
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Door opens at 5pm, concert begins at 6
DAR Constitution Hall

Bhangra Blowout
April 17, 2010
DAR Constitution Hall
Show starts at 7 sharp!


In addition to featuring the country's best bhangra teams, Bhangra Blowout will also include a special guest performance by RDB!!

Here's last year's Bhangra Blowout champion, VCU:

India Is Where They Make The Cheese...

I was going about my normal Friday night routine, i.e. staying home like a loser and Google-stalking Priyanka Chopra like it's my job (and let's be honest, it probably is someone's job somewhere, especially with all the recent gossip about her and Gerard Butler) and I came across a little news blurb about her support of the Indian field hockey team.  "Phir dil do hockey ko!" says Priyanka, and why not?  India's hosting the World Cup, so absolutely, let's support the home team.

"Phir dil do hockey ko (give your heart to hockey again)" is more than just Priyanka's personal cheer.  It's the catchphrase of a set of ads by Hero Honda (yes, that Honda) designed to a) support the Indian field hockey team and b) to ensure an entire generation of young Indians come as close as possible to killing themselves on dangerous (but elegant!) motorcycles.  Two birds, as they say.  Anyways bare with me, there's a point here somewhere.

I consider myself an average to above-average sports fan, and I'm pretty sure if this phenomenon were going on in the States I would have noticed.  In India, it seems, there's a song for everything.  Got a big sporting event?  Write a song, toss in some Bollywood stars, tug on some heartstrings, and voila!  Two years ago we had "Aaya India" in celebration of India's cricket team, and now we have the "Dakh Dakh Hero Honda" commercials for the hockey team.  (There's a "Dakh Dakh Hero Honda" music video as well, though it seems to feature the cricket team, so who knows what's going on there.)

Maybe someone more familiar with "Bolly-Patriotism" can fill me in--is this a common occurance in India?  Do all major sporting events come with a music video in support of the home team?  I'm not sure that I've really seen this anywhere else (outside of some gag-worthy Olympic numbers).  "Aaya India" is a damn catchy song, but that not withstanding this all seems pretty cheesy.


Aaya India*:


*Eternal thanks to anyone who can identify the guy at 1:35.  He's beautiful and I want him.  That is all.

Dakh Dakh Hero Honda:



Phir dil do hockey ko:

A Chat With Abhay Deol

Sanni over at ...So They Dance linked to a great interview CNBC did with Abhay Deol (current king of my filmi heart) that shouldn't be missed.  He speaks thoughtfully about the difference between craft and art in acting and explains the way independent cinema is funded and produced in India.  And of course he's charming and adorable throughout!

Part One:


Part Two:


Part Three:


And for a little taste of what it is about Abhay Deol that excites me so much, check out this preview for one of the standout films of last year, Dev D.  Dev D is the most recent in a long line of takes on the classic Bengali novel "Devdas" by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (the most well known probably being the 2002 classic Devdas, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai), and is definitely a huge departure from the tones of the previous versions.  Where Devdas was lushly romantic, tragic, and filmi, Abhay Deol's Dev D is, well, sex drugs and rock 'n roll.  Seriously.  See for yourself. 

Connect with Abhishek Bachchan!

Ever wanted to ask one of Bollywood's biggest names a question?  Here's your chance!  CNN regularly hosts a forum for interacting with the world's biggest celebrities, and today's "Connector" is Abhishek Bachchan!  So get on over there and post your message!  (I've already posted mine and will report back if my question is selected for him to answer!)

Connect with Abhishek Bachchan

Film Review--Dostana

Thanks to the huge demand on Netflix for this film, I had to wait almost six months to see "Dostana" (Friendship).  And it was definitely worth it.  Set in Miami, the Karan Johar-produced "Dostana" stars Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham as Sameer and Kunal, two strangers who happen to have answered the same ad for an apartment.  Shown the door by an auntie who doesn't want her beautiful young niece Neha (played by Priyanka Chopra) living with two men (who will surely corrupt her!) they pretend to be gay, and the relieved auntie welcomes them to their new home.  Trouble brews and antics begin when Sameer and Kunal both fall in love with Neha, and do everything they can to thwart her new romance with her boss (Bobby Deol in a guest appearance).

Warning: spoilers ahead.

Overall I thought the movie was excellent.  It was young, fresh, slick and well acted.  Abhishek proved once and for all that he's an excellent--maybe even brilliant--comedic actor.  I agree with the majority of reviews which thought that the first half was far stronger than the second--most of the first half of the movie is spent setting up the "Three's Company" type relationship between Sameer, Kunal, and Neha, and has a couple of excellent song picturizations (Shut Up 'n Bounce, Jaane Kyun) as well as a hilarious dinner party sequence that you have to see to believe.  Trust me, nothing tops watching the three leads dance to Beedi Jalaile with Boman Irani and a flamboyant blonde immigration official.  Nothing.



The comedic aspect of the film is replaced in the second half with slower storylines involving Sameer's relationship with his mother (Kirron Kher) and Neha's frustration with her job and burgeoning feelings towards her boss, as well as the boys' roundabout scheme to break them up and win Neha for themselves.  All ends well though as Sameer and Kunal realize they have to let Neha go, and the movie redeems itself with an upbeat, fun number (Desi Girl).  Oh and John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan make out.  ;)

Helllllloooooo John Abraham.  Perfect way to kick off a film.

The boys run into a soldier, who's upset because his boyfriend has just been shipped off to Iraq.  He tells Sam and Kunal they're "such a cute couple."

Sam gets an idea.  "We'll pretend to be gay!"  All thanks to this hotdog.  (Get it?  It looks like a penis.  Karan Johar is a 4th grader.)

The boys make up an elaborate "jab we met" story.  I think the dog collar was a nice touch.  Very romantic.

Their whirlwind romance progresses.  Their sense of fashion does not.

Kunal offers Sam some wise advice.  This film is fun and servicey!

Greatest damn foreign extra in the history of Indian cinema.  Someone get this man an award!

Abhimanu gets some misleading advice from Sam and Kunal about how to win Neha over.

Neha confronts the boys over their selfish scheming.

"How do we win over the girl we lied to about being gay and then whose relationship we almost ruined because we fell in love with her but now we're willing to let her go yet she's still mad at us?  I know!  We'll make out!"  (A big gay kiss solves every problem.)

It worked!  Group hug and a happy ending.  :)

Thoughts

A lot of (mostly western) reviews have taken issue with the stereotyped representation of homosexuality that you see in Dostana.  True, the film is fairly camp.  Ok, it's totally camp.  What else do you expect from Karan Johar (possibly the most well-known closeted homosexual in India)?  This is the same guy who threw a few cutesy gay jokes into Kal Ho Na Ho.  Remember Kantaben?  No?  Let me refresh your memory:



I think Dostana is pretty progressive for a country that just decriminalized homosexuality last year.  Not only does the entire plot revolve around a gay couple (yes, I know, they're not really gay, but they're the only ones in the film who know that), but the couple is played by two of the biggest names in commerical Hindi cinema.  Ten or twenty years ago an Abhishek Bachchan or a John Abraham wouldn't have touched this film with a ten foot pole.  Now not only do they jump on it, the film was a big hit, and there's a sequel in the works.  Their relationship may not have been depicted with as much realism or maturity as, say, the one between Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das in Fire, but there's something to be said for the 'what's the big deal?' reaction they get from most of the other characters in the film.  Neha is totally accepting.

One review I've read has criticized Neha's response to their announcement (in which she shrugs her shoulders and says 'no big deal.  To each his own.  Personal choice, right?'), saying that the film was wrong to imply that homosexuality is a 'personal choice.'  The criticism is valid but I think it misses the point, which is her complete lack of surprise or judgement of their confessed orientation.   Her aunt reacts with a bit of shock but sees their sexual orientation as a positive, and really takes to them.  Even Sameer's mother, who at first is so horrified to see her son in another man's arms that she faints in his doorway, comes to love Kunal and embraces him as part of her family (complete with a Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham-backed aarti). 

I think the campy style works here.  It's a Karan Johar film about faux-gays living in Miami.  Everyone's fabulous.  Boman Irani is a bitchy, queeny fashion magazine editor and he's fabulous.  The flamboyant immigration officer who comes over to observe the couple (and cop a few feels of John Abraham--I mean, who wouldn't?) is fabulous.  So what if the film fell apart a bit in the middle?  All was forgiven as soon as I saw this:



The Music
The soundtrack was composed by one of my favorite teams, Vishal and Shekhar.  It's an all-around solid effort--lots of fun songs to get up and dance to!  Khabar Nahi and Kuch Kum didn't do much for me, but the remaining four tracks more than made up for it.  Here are the highlights...

Shut Up 'n Bounce

The film opens with 'Shut Up 'n Bounce,' a catchy item number by Shilpa Shetty (sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, naturally) which introduces Kunal (John Abraham) and Sameer (Abhishek Bachchan).  John does what he does best, which is stand around and look pretty.  Shilpa does was she does best, which is dance around and look pretty.  And Abhishek does what he does best, which is brood...and look pretty.  I love the picturization--it's bright, flashy, and sets the tone for the Miami-based film.  The first time I heard the song I wasn't wild about it, but it's grown on me a lot and now I blare it everywhere I go.  I think you'll see why.  :)




Jaane Kyun

Sung by Vishal himself, Janne Kyun is fun, lighthearted, and probably my favorite song on the soundtrack.  I also can't get over how fantastic the picturization is.  It's a montage where we see the boys moving in, getting settled, and hanging out with Neha (who apparently can't hold her liquor!) around town.  I absolutely adore Abhi's reactions to being made fun of by John and Priyanka while they're watching the movie, and his 'scared of the dark' routine had me completely cracking up.  One word to sum up this song?  Cute.



Desi Girl

I don't think Priyanka could have enjoyed this more if she'd written it herself.  A song all about how Priyanka is the hottest woman ever?  Yeah, that sounds right up her alley. ;)  This was "the" song of Dostana for quite some time, and is still probably its most popular.


Maa Da Ladla

This one trots out every sexual inuendo possible, but it's all smoothed over by the brilliant Kirron Kher.  Plus lots of opportunity to ogle John and Abhi. ;)  (Sorry if this one comes up with an ad, but the quality makes up for it.)




Maa Da Ladla--Remix

A fun remix to close out the film.  Love the random Lord of the Rings reference at the beginning!

Top Ten Countdown

Courtesy of Radio Mirchi, here are your top ten songs for the week of February 22.

1.   Sajda (My Name Is Khan)
2.   Give Me Some Sunshine (3 Idiots)
3.   Uff Teri Ada (Karthik Calling Karthik)
4.   Dil Toh Bachcha Hai (Ishqiya)
5.   Tera Hona Laga Hoon (Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani)
6.   Salaam Aaya (Veer)
7.   Aaj Din Chadiya (Love Aaj Kal)
8.   Sajna (Couple's Retreat)
9.   Tu Hi Haqeeqat (Tum Mile)
10. Shukran Allah (Kurbaan)

Song of the Day--Billo Rani (Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal)

Billo Rani

Film:  Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal

Starring:  John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Bipasha Basu, Boman Irani, Naveen Andrews

Music by: Pritam

Full disclosure:  I haven't seen this film yet.  All I knew when I found this song was that the film had a crazy title and that it was a remake of the American film "Goal!"  Not a lot to go on.  But I'm crazy about this song.  The picturization leaves a LOT to be desired; Arshad is a fantastic dancer and I'd have liked to see more from him (even given that his character seems to be a bit gimpy here).  You know who I don't want to see dance?  John Abraham.  He's not good at it.  The dancer here reminds me a bit of the item girls in those raunchy Bhojpuri films...a skimpy lehnga choli and far too much makeup.  The song is catchy though, and little bits here and there have almost the feel of an 80s American country song.  Will definitely be checking this film out soon, if for no other reason than to admire Boman's acting skills and drool over Arshad.

Some Things Need Improving...

I fell in love with Penn Masala when I heard their renditions of "Mere Sapno Ki Rani" and "Aap Jaise Koi" on the American Desi soundtrack, and got one of their CDs just for those songs.  A month or so ago I decided to expand my horizons a bit and listened to the rest of the album.  I'm in love with the whole thing, naturally, and was especially thrilled to find their take on "Om Shanti Om," which I had only heard in Farah Khan's "Om Shanti Om."  (By the way, how did I not realize, in a film full of homages, that even the choreography of that song was a perfectly done copy of the same song from "Karz?")  But the song that really stood out to me was "Ek Pal Ka Jeena," from Hrithik Roshan's (and Amisha Patel's!) debut film "Kaho Na Pyar Hai."  I listened to it over and over and over, to the point of obsession (ask my sister).  The original, though, was crap.  Maybe not crap but...it was slow, and looked like something out of the early 90s (not uncommon for a Bollywood film made in 2000, but still).  I was unimpressed.

So what do you think?  I'm giving you the original (complete with Hrithik's delicious..well...everything) and the new version.  Enjoy!




And Penn Masala's version:

Am I Hearing Things? (Updated)

Sorry it's been so long (two months!)--everytime I think I've got something to post other things come up and before you know it it's been...well...two months.  This is a short thought though, so no excuses!

Today I was doing my usual procrastination routine--going from one video to the next on Youtube--and I came across a vid of a talented young dancer who goes by the name Ridy performing to something that sounded...familiar.  I played the song about a dozen times, mostly to try to copy some of her choreography (it's hard!) and then I had an epiphany.  Listen to the song (Jatrabala, by Mila) and see if it doesn't sound like something I've already posted here on Bombay Talkies. (The first video is the official video for Jatrabala, the second is Ridy's performance.)





Now tell me that you can't sing "Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo" right along to that song! I'm not saying it's a copy at all, but the songs have the same feel, the same beat, the same rhythm; they're variations on a theme. And it's a theme I LOVE.

Now off to practice my dance skills!

UPDATE:  So apparently the writer/composer of this song, Fuad, is the Pritam of Bengal.  I'm definitely not the only person to notice the similarities between this and Babuji.  Some have gone so far as to call it a full rip-off.