Archives For india

Since I got my computer back (and found a set of hindi fonts too), I’ve been playing around with a basic Rani Mukerji Fake Criterion collection. I decided to skip Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, but include Aiyyaa. I actually like the movie a lot more than I initially did. Plus, it’s not a supporting role, so it beat out roles in Yuva, Bombay Talkies, Veer-Zaara, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Talaash.

Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Aiyyaa Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Black

Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Paheli

Serious dramas lend themselves out for cooler Criterion covers, though I must admit that I liked the disorder in the Aiyyaa cover. And I have to apologize for the Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, I just couldn’t think of any particular symbol from the movie… but at least I got to test out that new (tricky) hindi font.

I think I might do a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set.

I still think Paheli deserves a bit more than its current 6.8 IMDb rating, though I’m pretty sure it’s gone up a couple of decimals since I first rated it. I just don’t know why it was so difficult to find this clip of the ending credits song, Phir Raat Kati, which translates to something like Then the Night Passed. It sorta tells you a story throughout the song, and the choreography is super fun while not being your typical Bollywood number.

The music in the movie is also pretty good, with lyrics by Gulzar.

Too bad it’s in this pretty bad quality clip, though it’s better than the good rips of the credits with the small window.

We’re still being pumped for Haider [1][2] with an (short) interview Tabu is doing with Rajeev Masand about the apprehension of playing this part, her choosing the role, and how her ‘brand’ of acting is most often remembered for her seriousness. Though I still owe Hera Pheri a rewatch, I don’t think Biwi No. 1 classifies as one of Tabu’s movies, she’s hardly in it! I thought Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa was funnier, though Kelki Dave stole that movie out of everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydUt9GgHa9Q

The funniest bit is, of course, when it’s pointed out that she refused Vishal’s offered with a “I’m not playing Shahid Kapoor’s mother,” while bursting out laughing.

She also admits that maybe she’s just lazy to pick films, so that’s something else she has in common with my Yu-chan fandom, apparently. That’s why there will be no other one quite like Joan Crawford. I’ve been re-connecting with Yu-chan, I’m having such fandom conflictive feelings.

Gotham Awards - Uma Thurman, Mira Nair, Tabu
So this is where that photo comes from,” was the first thing I said when I ran into this photo of Mira Nair celebrating her Gotham with Tabu and Uma Thurman. You can also get a sense of how tall Tabu is when she’s not dwarfed by Thurman, who officially is 1.81m but maybe taller (plus, heels). And it’s not because Uma is leaning to one side either, ‘coz on this pic where she’s much closer to the camera or this other more general shot, she’s not dwarfed either.

Also how sweet is Tabu with Ang Lee?

And… I can see where Tabu gets her stern look. I’ve seen her complain about journalists and paparazzis not picking better photographs for the posts and articles they write on her, and from the short time I’ve followed her, I can see what she means. It’s like when CCTV picks photos of John Kerry. LOL

Having said that… Screening photos are such a waste of time coz they always look like horrible snapshots because these things are never lit, so you get all that harsh light of the flash bulb.

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I think I could work more on the 2013 list, but then it will be 2015! LOL I also hate that I don’t have my font pack at hand because this graphic is UHHHH-GLAY. My Frankenstein Computer is back! I’m so happy~

Anyway, here are 30 album picks by all different artists that released (almost) full-length albums these last two years. And here are all their covers in gallery form, and here’s a Facebook Gallery, it contains some playlists and iTunes links. And here’s a Xiami playlist, where you can (almost) access all the albums. And a Weibo post in case you’re there.

And here’s the YAM Magazine list that contains all my ramblings, with playlist/streaming and buy links.

I don’t think there’s been any significant update since April [1], but since my internal hard disk got busted after a sudden power outage, I lost my last mindmap. Instead of recreating it, I revamped it with some clean-up names and added some others. The clean-up? I got rid off Aishwarya (at least, until I watch other films of her), Nana Patekar (haven’t seen him in a while), same with Arshad Warsi, Sanjay Dutt. Got rid off Kareena, Sonakshi Sinha, Abhishek Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Ajay Devgn, Salman, and Preity.

Only filmmaker to go is M.F. Husain, because- well, no more films. Also, there’s more order, because I’m lumping all Karan Johar directed or backed projects on his hub.

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It’s been a year yo! [1]

Objectively speaking, though I love Tabu with all my fandom heart, I gotta admit that Rani Mukerji is the best movie hub to start out. The only thing she’s missing, really, is films with these other directors like Vishal or Vikramadytia Motwane. I doubt Imtiaz Ali would ever cast her in anything- besides, most his movies… though decent, are quite overvalued. Especially RockStar. And she was >THIS< close to getting to The Namesake, that really…

Rani’s got Bhansali, Hassan, Balan, Konkona and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. That’s of course on top of Shahrukh Khan, Aamir (and the other two Khans), Mani Ratnam, Juhi, and family connections aside, Kajol. And look at the times she’s worked with Amitabh Bachchan… and even son. That’s basically the whole contemporary commercial Indian film spectrum.

Tabu, on the other hand, has Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar, sure. She would also get Hassan (though not at his best), and Konkona… as well as Mani Ratnam, Amitabh, and Juhi (in her leading lady days) — probably more crossovers like Govinda and Salman. She also has Mira Nair and Ang Lee in her bag (though not strictly Indian-verse), and a whole bunch of regional films… but they’re more Telugu than anything else. Then there’s Nagarjuna. She had that symbiotic film-relationship to Madhur Bhandakar, whose career isn’t very good at the moment, though I thought Heroine improved in the horrible story treatment he had in Fashion.

I haven’t dared to watch Juhi’s earlier filmography because there’s so much early Aamir, and I’m not a fan of him in those days or Indian commercial films in general. Confession: Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! and Hum Saath-Saath Hain are pretty bad. Both the same director, a director Tabu wants to make a new comedy with. Not a comedy with Rajkumar Hirani, or a Motwane-backed project like Queen or Hasse Toh Phasee. She wants the dude that gave you Salman.

I’m becoming one of those fans that question her film choices. xD Having said that, I am still looking for Idee Sangati (or however you romanize it). I know Telugu films aren’t my thing, and not even Manam is changing my position, but I need to watch that movie.

Though I did knocked the trailer out because I thought Rani might have been a little “too chunky” to pull off the chasing and fighting [1], her frame actually makes much more sense. I’ve never met in real life a come-hither-you sexy of a female (or male) cop, as many of them just look like the police that are played by extras, instead of them sexy male or female leads on Hollywood movies.

Plus, Rani does look like a total badass, so what’s not to like?

And seeing that she’s promoting self-defense classes and all, why not just lump black-belt Rina Takeda in here. ‘Coz, duh! Rina Takeda would not only take Rani (or Madhuri or Priyanka) out, she would also take down SRK, probably Salman and maybe Akshay Kumar… though I may have read he knows martial arts or something? Maybe he was just a fan of Hong Kong martial arts movies…

The other day I caught a rerun of Moulin Rouge! on tv, and this is the first time I’ve lived it — I not only sing out loud, but recite as well as cry during the whole show… so, yeah~ I LIVE IT — since I started watching Indian films. The only thing that would make that movie better is to have had Urmila in there for the Chamma Chamma [clip] sample.

You can’t really get any more Indian -near masala levels- than this, and of course my mind had to have a Battle of the Courtesans between Satine, The Sparkling Diamond and Chandramukhi. It’s a visual battle between Baz Lurhman and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a flawless duel between Nicole Kidman and Madhuri Dixit, and a fight for the dramatic between Moulin Rouge! and Devdas.

satine-moulin-rouge-chandramukhi-devdas

On one side, you got the courtesan manipulated to stay that falls in love with the mistaken penniless writer, until she finds out the evil duke will kill her loved one- oh, and she’s dying of tuberculosis. On the other, the courtesan lives in a mysteriously super posh and luxurious whorehouse, and is the most sought after until she falls in love with the rich lawyer who’s suffering of a broken heart and likes to get drunk to forget his sorrows… that is, of course, until he dies of liver failure after a long period of continuous intoxication.

Jesus, Chandramukhi. Forget, Devdas, and elope with Christian.

It’s been a few years since I did a “what I like about” post [1][2], and considering that it’s been one full year since I officially started watching Indian films, I thought it’d be great to look back to see What I Like About Bollywood– pardon me, Indian Films.

what-i-love-about-bollywood-indian-films

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This is the first time in my movie-counting life that I’ve seen over 50 movies by the middle of the year. As a general number, I picked 48 a year, to make sure I -at least- watched one film a week for my end of the year list.

amys-2014-film-count

There’s a LOT of bad and meh movies so far, but there’s also a decent Top10. Not unbelievable, but decent. It’s a working one that would do for a Dec.31 or Jan.01 publishing date. LOL