Hrishikesh Mukherjee Zindabad
W/W brought to my attention that Hrishikesh Mukherjee has passed away. He was one of the handful of directors who have been the saving graces of Bollywood, and who made wonderful movies ("Golmaal" being my personal fav); these I know even my grand kids (if gene propogation ever gets that far) will enjoy as much as I have enjoyed them. Further, another reason I heart Hrishikesh's movies is that Gulzar wrote many of his best songs for them; "Aane waala pal, jaane waala hain" comes readily to mind. So here is Hrishikesh's "Golmaal", in full at YouTube, to (re)watch*; yes, you will have to be patient and watch this movie in 7-8 min segments**.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee Zindabad!
*To my non-desi readers, sorry, this version doesn't have English subtitles.
**Viewing suggestion: As you are watching a clip, open the next clip in the seqeunce in another browser window, so that it is buffered and ready to watch without any delay.
Movie Posts
... link (no comments) ... comment
Pliss Don't Grab The Choli
This Fast Company article on the comeback of 3-D movies at theatres here in the United States, made me go all mushy inside with nostalgiee. Do you remember the first desi 3-D movie "Chota Chetan", circa 1984, along with those dorky blue and red cardboard glasses one wore to see this movie? My failing memory prevents me from giving you a brief synopsis of Chetan* apart from commenting that it left me disappointed for the 3-D tricks weren't all that many. Also for the longest time afterwards, I had these 3-D Spider Man comics that had to be read using those cardboard glasses.
Now this also got me thinking as to how we can use this technology to enhance the whole Bollywood experience. And since my brain is currently in its state of evening coma, the quickest application I can think of now is to make certain aspects of the Bollywood song 3-D. Just imagine what jhatka heights we can reach if we 3-D-ize khalnayika Madhuri's choli thrusts for the gentlemen, and tapori Govinda's sexy pant thrusts for the ladies?! (Yes, you may safely conclude that this writer isn't getting any). I invite you, kind readers, to put on your kinky hats, and come up with other 3-D applications for Bollywood, and apply them to scenes from movies, past and present.
Meanwhile, I will try to find out what is really behind the choli.
*This Iyerospace blog post explains what "chetan" means in Malayalam, why "randi" is not such a bad word in Telugu etc.
Movie Posts
... link (2 comments) ... comment
Good Cinema - Dasi
I have previously posted on Telugu cinema that sought to explore (and provide commentary) on the other India - the non-shining kind. B. Narsing Rao's critically acclaimed, and award winning movie "Dasi" is another excellent addition to this list of cinema (vs. 'fillums' churned out by Tollywood/ Bollywood).
In brief, this 'painterly' movie (Mr. Rao is also a painter and music composer) is set in 1920s feudal Telengana, and powerfully brings to the viewers the life of a bonded housemaid or dasi, who forms a part of the dowry to a rich Zamindar. Archana, who plays the lead role of the 'dasi' Kamalakshi (or Kamili) is brilliant in portraying how women are, literally, dirt in such a screwed up social system. While one wishes all that is seen in this movie has disappeared, the country of a thousand mutinies continues to be a witness the same, or nearly equivalent versions, of such shame.
You may watch this movie (with English subtitles) here:
Movie Posts
... link (no comments) ... comment