Posts Tagged ‘Bollywood’

Make Sure to Go Watch My Name is Khan – Feb 12

// February 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian

Shahrukh Khan and Kajol–two of the biggest Bollywood celebrities–made history when they rang the bell to open up NASDAQ on Monday.

I am not sure what promoting capitalism has to do with the film.  Does Shahrukh Khan’s character (Rizwan Khan) in the movie also ring the NASDAQ ‘ghanti’ to reunite with his loved one? But anyway, it seems part of the heavy marketing scheme for a movie that promises entertainment value as well as progressive thought.

Watch the NASDAQ event here:

Best Songs from Bollywood – 2009

// January 16th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Desi-Indian

Want to try out new, ‘exotic’ International music and just don’t know what to listen to after seeing the gazillion Indian music albums out there? Well, here is a listing of some of the best songs from Bollywood in 2009, in my opinion.

New York – Tune Jo Na Kaha

3 Idiots – Behti Hawa Sa Tha

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3 Idiots: Review

// January 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian

All is more than well. On the way to breaking all Bollywood records, 3 Idiots is actually a simple movie with a touching message. It reminds one of Dil Chahta Hai. It is once again, male-oriented, and Aamir Khan outshines everyone else. But the movie speaks to everyone: Don’t run after success. Make yourself capable enough so that success runs after you.

Indian students are widely expected to become engineers, doctors and scientists and pressured by their parents to do extremely well in their studies. This pressure, combined with a system of education that promotes memorization over critical understanding, does not make for the best way of teaching. The film provides a critique of this narrative in the form of Rancho (Aamir Khan) who questions conventional norms and standards as a student at the Imperial College of Engineering, and succeeds in guiding his friends towards real success before disappearing mysteriously.

It’s hilarious. The ‘balatkar’ speech where Rancho replaces the word ‘chamatkar’ (miracle) with ‘balatkaar’ (rape) will go down in history as an epic success in dialogue writing. The movie leaves us with the message of becoming a thinker, not a participant in the wild rat race of life. It’s easily the best movie of 2009.

Priyanka Chopra in Saheli-Ana: Why Should Boys Have All the Fun?

// December 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian, DesiPundit, Videos

I can turn my brain off for a second and enjoy this video of Priyanka Chopra in a new avatar:

Of course, I don’t understand why the other woman has to appear dressed like a man to denote that kind of ‘Dostana.’ This adoption of gayness for humor is a troubling trend that reveals the deeper homophobic attitude of India. Why on earth is a gay relationship funny and any different than a straight relationship?

So far, only men have been acting gay for humor on the big Bollywood stage (Saif Ali Khan and Shahrukh Khan have entertained us with their gay act for far too many Filmfare Awards), but now Priyanka takes the cake for going a notch further.

Anil Kapoor in American Series 24. Kudos But…

// December 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian, DesiPundit

Longtime Bollywood icon Anil Kapoor (known in America as the anchor in Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire) has been roped in for some cameos in Season 8 of the hit television cult series 24.

That’s great for the presence of Indians on American television but what is up with Indian actors playing the role of “Middle Easterners” in Western scripts? It is certainly a trend.

Anil Kapoor plays “Omar Hassan” in 24, a Middle Eastern leader who comes to the U.S. on a peace-making mission.

In I Can’t Think Straight, Bollywood actor Lisa Ray was roped in to play a Jordanian (with a really bad accent, might I add). She’s forgiven due to her unforgivable chemistry with Sheetal Sheth.

But wait. Why not actually roping in an actor from the Middle East to play these roles?

Kal Penn, also of Indian origin, has already done a stint on the series, albeit as a terrorist. I suppose some particular features serve as a proxy for ‘terrorism’ as much as being Latino serves as a proxy for ‘illegal status.’

Of course, there is a difference between mis-representing and under-representing.  Ben Kingsley played Gandhi with finesse and character.  Straight actors on the L Word portayed their gay roles with compelling performances that made us doubt their heterosexuality.

Still, it begs the question – Why not increase the visibility of Arab-Americans and other peoples from Central Asia and the Middle East on the global platform and tackle stereotypes by giving them such positive roles? There is not a lack of people who can perform in such roles.

Dil Bole Hadippa – Yash Raj Films, Try Something New

// September 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian, DesiPundit

Ingredients: Punjab ka sarson ke khet, dialogues on India-Pakistan friendship, folk dance, estranged parents, sprinkles of NRI flavor, boy-meets-girl, pursuit of dreams, tie up lose ends, and all’s well that ends well.

Outcome: Rehash of yesteryear’s Yash Raj films turned into an average, cliched affair that leaves you yearning for more.

Watch it for: Rani Mukherjee gender-bending as a 5′ 2 sardar boy to play cricket in the men’s team.

Dil Bole Hadippa is full of taunts and recollections of movies such as Bunty aur Babli, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Veer Zaara… Maybe Yash Raj films is trying to make fun of itself, but it is wholly unimpressive. Dialogues are cliched and nothing sticks out as memorable besides the initial buffalo-girl banter between the main protagonists, Veer(a) and Rohan. The screenplay is rough and jagged at times and besides a good 20-20 game towards the end, it just does not flow together. Songs are hastily put in and impede with the already lagging screenplay.

Women’s liberation is a subtle theme that never really threatens to turn preachy. I still don’t know whether that is a good thing or bad. The slight undertones of homophobic panic does not help. If Director Anurag Singh had stuck to just achieving one thing with this movie, it might have worked. He put the whole Yash Raj bag of tricks into one movie and it comes out as a bad recipe which is neither a Chak De India nor a DDLJ. It just doesn’t go down well. Hazam nahi hua.

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My Name is Khan And Hence I was Detained

// August 15th, 2009 // 8 Comments » // Desi-Indian, DesiPundit, Immigration, Racism

Imagine detaining Tom Cruise in Mumbai because his common name is on a list of common names allegedly associated with ‘terrorism.’

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/8312/shahrukhkhan14999619559.jpg

Shahrukh Khan is living a Kafkaesque nightmare — detained in New Jersey for his last name while he is in the United States shooting “My Name is Khan.”

And ironically, he was detained because his name ‘Khan’ (a common Muslim last name) is on some ‘no-fly’ list. Talking about giving credence to his new movie.

The Times of India reports:

The actor, who is visiting the US to attend a South Asian event where he was the guest of honor was released after Congress MP Rajiv Shukla spoke to the authorities in the US and the Indian consulate. The actor was detained after his name flashed on the computer. He was asked several questions about the purpose of his visit. His hand baggage was checked. He was not allowed to even make a phone call for nearly an hour.

I know about ridiculous things that happen due to airport security paranoia. I know that even former Indian President, Abdul Kalam, was frisked last month by an American airline in New Delhi.  Shahrukh seemed offended and perturbed, rightly so.

“I told them I was a movie star and had recently visited the country for the shooting of my film. Nothing seemed to convince the immigration officer. There were other immigration officers who even vouched for me but this particular officer did not listen to anyone. I even told them I had an invitation from the South Asian community and was there to attend an event.’’

What’s interesting is that Dave from Change.org was just telling me earlier today that Newark is not a safe space to travel for undocumented immigrants. Apparently, immigration officers don’t just discriminate based on documentation but race is also a proxy for criminality.

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Dil Bole…Gender Bending

// July 20th, 2009 // No Comments » // Desi-Indian

Alright, this is the tried and tested girl meets boy, Jab-We-Met type Yash Raj formula with a gender-bending twist. Rani Mukerji dresses up as a sardar so that she can join the men’s cricket team, led by her love interest–Shahid Kapoor. The movie is complete with the dil bole singing, dancing, big sets and extravagant locales. There isn’t anything ground-breaking, earth-shattering and path-breaking about this save for the fact that the queen bee’s movie career depends on this film.

She seems set for a sixer.

You know what I am doing on September 18, 2009.

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