My Favourite Actors – Part I
Om Puri. Boman Irani. Ranvir Shorey. Vinay Pathak. Vijay Maurya. Javed Jaffrey. In no particular order.
In celebration of my making it through to the next round of Sankalan, I’ve decided to write a nice self-indulgent piece about some of my favourite actors. The reason they’re my favourites is that for every character they play, they go into a lot of detail to create something new. A lot of actors just play themselves over and over again. Not so with these fine folk.
Om Puri
Bollywood Calling: I think I’ve watched and shown this film to others more than any other. “Baalls! Baalls! I want more baalls!” “Bastard I kill you.” “You have to feeeel…lusty.” “…like (y)anything.” What a killer accent! The first time I watched this movie, I forgot that Mr Om Puri isn’t South Indian. Anyone who hasn’t watched Bollywood Calling, please do!
Ardh Satya, Droh Kaal, East is East: Kya boloon?
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron: “Kaun sa moddel hai?” “Hum sab Draupadi ke barabar ke shareholder hain.” One of the ultimate Punjabi characters.
Gandhi: I was a kid and didn’t know anyone when I saw Gandhi, but I simply couldn’t forget Puri saab’s scene. Only about a decade later did I realise it was him.
Mr Yogi (TV): The finale was so hilarious. Anybody remember him yelling into the phone – “Battery khatam ho gayi hai!!!”
Kakkaji Kahin (TV): I was too young to understand anything, but I remember his laughter and dialogue delivery.
Tamas: Saw a few bits during a festival somewhere and was blown away.
Yuva: One of the best Bengali accent acts – by a non-Bengali!
Ranvir Shorey
Pyar Ke Side Effects: He was the best thing about this movie. Hilarious.
Khosla Ka Ghosla: Kya boloon?
Mixed Doubles: The last scene where he quarrels with Konkona took the cake for me.
Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd: “Sil-pa”. And the way he yells at Kay Kay Menon when he tells him “Hota hai” after his wife runs off.
Bheja Fry: Now that’s creating a character. Weirdo? So what? It worked.
No Smoking: Again, creating a new character. Fabulous!
Buddha Mar Gaya: Most people are probably not too proud of having worked in this film, but I did get a few laughs from Ranvir.
Mithya: His crowning glory as of the present. So many scenes worth hollering at, especially the Hamlet “Ho ya na ho” piece and – oh well, too many!
Ugly Aur Pagli: This movie was half good because of Ranvir. Mallika was too far removed from Gianna Jun, the heroine of the original Korean movie My Sassy Girl.
Boman Irani
I’ve been a fan of Mr Boman Irani right since his Krack & Jack ads. In acting school, we were asked to write a comparative analysis of 3 to 5 performances of our favourite actors. I chose to do my write-up on him, because he’s created so many wonderful, diverse, memorable characters.
Let’s Talk: Anyone with any interest in acting should watch this phenomenal 3-character movie directed by Ram Madhvani. I’ve watched it innumerable times. Even Aamir Khan recommends it.
Munnabhai MBBS: Doctor J [Dot] Asthana is the character that made Boman saab famous. The movie would be half of what it is without the worthy opposition of Dr Asthana.
Lage Raho Munnabhai: Kya boloon Lucky Singh ke baare mein?
Lakshya: He has just couple of scenes here, but man does he so totally seem exactly like how a father in that situation would be. And the way he handled the scene where he talks on the phone to beta Hrithik who’s on the front almost made me teary-eyed.
Darna Mana Hai: I’m sure everyone will agree that the segment with Saif and Boman Irani was the best of the lot in this film.
Khosla Ka Ghosla: Isn’t Kishan Khurana one of the truest, best villains ever?
Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd: Especially memorable for the scene where he asks Kay Kay with a sly smile, “Aapko nahin lagta ki yeh duniya bada depressing hai?”
Everybody Says I’m Fine: He had nothing to do apart from saying “Thank you” and sitting in a chair and having his hair cut, but look how he did it!
Being Cyrus: Perfect portrayal of a really irritating bloke.
Waqt – The Race Against Time: I watched and rewatched his scenes with Mr Bachchan and Rajpal Yadav – what timing!
There’re many more I could mention – Main Hoon Na, Veer-Zaara (the film bored me), Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara, My Wife’s Murder, Don…
Vinay Pathak
Vinay Pathak’s riding a high wave with Dasvidaniya, and deservedly so; he’s another perfect actor.
C For Clown (play): One of the advantages of living in Mumbai is being able to go to Prithvi theatre and see some of your idols perform in the flesh. This astounding play also had Ranvir Shorey and Rajat Kapoor.
Bheja Fry: Fine, it was a copy of The Dinner Game yada yada yada. But you still have to act well to pull of a comedy like this. Vinay did so many memorable things with his character, like the heads up weird half-laugh.
Khosla Ka Ghosla: Remember – “Aapka naam Chiraunjilal hai? Aapka baap ka zaroor aapse koi dushmani thi ha ha ha…” One of my favourite moments in the film.
Manorama Six Feet Under: Brij Mohan and his malpowas – what a character!
Johnny Gaddar: Another note-perfect performance.
Mithya: He was hilarious all the way up to his sudden death.
Dasvidaniya: A really tall task – a movie about a dying middle class loser. And look how well he’s pulled it off.
Vijay Maurya
It wouldn’t be hard to believe that Dawood Ibrahim himself made a secret special appearance in Black Friday, so authentic was Vijay Maurya’s portrayal.
Mumbai Meri Jaan: So perfect, dammit! And the scene with the rifle in the bathroom – wow! And the scene where he shuts down a bar. And…
Sa Hi Besura (play): After seeing Vijay Maurya in this play, I put him up on the pedestal of my acting idols. Now that’s called range! People in Mumbai, watch this play whenever you get a chance.
Paanch: I’m one of the lucky few people who’s seen Paanch. Back in 2002 when I saw it, I didn’t know Vijay Maurya, but I was definitely amazed by all the actors. (There’s NO REASON to ban Paanch, for heaven’s sake! The censor board must have been watching aastha channel and evangelical TV for months before they saw Paanch.)
Black Friday: Um, if you haven’t seen Black Friday yet…just do.
Javed Jaffrey
Javed Jaffrey’s got it all – the looks, the height, the ability to outdance just about anybody and a killer of a voice. Maybe I’m actually glad he isn’t a mainstream hero – that gives him the liberty to play all sorts of wacko characters.
Oh Darling Yeh Hai India: I don’t know how I’d feel about this movie now, but when I saw it back it its day, I loved it. It was completely crazy, but fun to watch. I still remember Mr Anupam Kher’s duplicate President of India auctioning off the country to Javed Jaffrey for just one rupee.
Salaam Namaste: “Ghost of the kicks not listen to the talks.” “Maan na maan, no mehman.” “I don’t trust the Indians.” What a character! Eggjackly!
Dhamaal: There was no need for him to play a lisping retard, but I still found his act very funny. Dhamaal is one of the very very few Hindi comedies that I actually didn’t mind for being brainless.
Shaurya: Deepak Dobriyal, Javed Jaffrey and Kay Kay were the three good things about this film, whose politics and procedurals have otherwise been called into question.
Roadside Romeo: I watched Roadside Romeo only for Javed Jaffrey, and he didn’t disappoint. His South-Indian accented Charlie Anna was howlarious!
Maggi Hot & Sweet Tomato Chilly Sauce TV ads: How I loved these ads! “It’s different.” And who was Javed’s partner in these ads – the great Pankaj Kapoor! Someone should’ve made a whole movie with these two characters!
Recently Watched Films
The Warrior: 8/10. A great lesson in using visuals to tell a story.
Chung King Express (Hong Kong): 3/10. People say great visuals, great style, great imagery…I say so what! The bottomline is I was freaking bored. And I hate weirdness for the sake of weirdness. 3-Iron, which also had breaking and entering, was much better.
Wanted: 10/10. Some of us love movies because they show us wonderful new fantasy worlds. I loved Wanted – supreme blockbuster stuff.
The Accidental Spy: 6/10. One of Jackie Chan’s weak movies. Someone got lazy about the editing. It has just two noteworthy sequences and takes itself too seriously.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico: 8/10. For those who love stylish gun battles.
Tropic Thunder: 10/10. Loved it! Loved it! Highly recommended. The actors were all wonderfully entertaining – Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr (who deserves all the applause he’s getting for his performance here) and the surprise star (whom I recognized only in his third scene).
National Treasure: 3/10. Just not interesting enough.
Pride and Glory: 7/10. Starts very predictably, but acting and a better second half elevate it a bit.
Dasvidaniya: 9/10. It’s slow but not the boring kind of slow. Wonderful performances from everyone. When I watched it in Fame Malad, there was a bunch of 6-7 stupid teenagers passing comments throughout the first half. After the interval, I told them to shut up and they did, and it’s to the film’s credit that it held the attention of even these idiots till the very end.
Dobermann (French): 9/10 as a great movie. 1/10 for ungreat ethics and morality (ha ha).
Vantage Point: 10/10. The stuff of good blockbusters. Unconventional Rashomon-like structure with a thrilling chase climax. I don’t know why Western critics disliked it. First time I bothered to look up a Hollywood editor’s name after Casino Royale, and found it’s coincidentally the same guy – Stuart Baird.
Aashiq Banaya Aapne: -10/10. A couple of girls were watching this at a birthday party where I was. I just happened to watch bits and pieces while raiding the kitchen. Amazing concepts this film had.
Metal – A Headbanger’s Journey (Documentary): 10/10. A fascinating documentary made by a heavy metal fan that examines why metal is so loved and so reviled.
The Host (Korean): 10/10. Goes into my list of all-time favourite movies. Bong Joon-Ho (Memories of Murder) is a goddam genius! The Host is a monster movie, a dysfunctional family black comedy and a political satire all mashed into one. (And how the hell are all Korean actors so good!) Monster movies usually show the monster bit by bit, saving it up, but not The Host. We see the monster in full daylight straight away. Most Hollywood movies follow a generally predictable path (thanks to Syd Field & co.) – not so with movies like The Host, Memories of Murder, The Chaser etc. You can never be sure how things are actually going to play out.
Tags: boman irani, Dasvidaniya, Favourite actors, Javed Jaffrey, Om Puri, Ranvir Shorey, The Host, Tropic Thunder, Vijay Maurya, Vinay Pathak
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Aashiq Banaya Aapne: -10/10. A couple of girls were watching this at a birthday party where I was. I just happened to watch bits and pieces while raiding the kitchen. Amazing concepts this film had
Sirjee,are u referring to the *ahem* song??? *gives goofy grin*
Hey wut abt Vijay Maurya as Jam K, the rapper. I loved his gangsta rapper act! Says he “I hate pappa, i love rap”. LOL!!!
@Vikram. Yeah I am referring to the way the film ended. I went WT#@*%
@Magik
It was as I was typing out this piece that I remembered “Oh crap! I haven’t yet seen Bombay to Bangkok!”
Seriously vantage point 10 / 10? I have it but never seen it ..Your rating kind of tempts me to now…
Arthi, many will disagree with my 10/10 for Vantage Point. You may not like it as much as I did. But I rate movies depending on how I react to them emotionally, not only intellectually. I guess Vantage Point thrilled the teenage boy I once was
@Kenny watch it for VM. He rocks the film. i always thot the movie should have revolved around VM vis-avis Shreyas Tal, not vice versa.
Chk out his gags here –
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=K2xBbr6nWwE
The Host is one of my all time fav ….and abt actors well Vijay Maurya did a decent job in Socha na Tha as well and ppl forget Vinay Pathak’s act in Jism…i thought he was awesome there as well…..
Well i did love Om Puri, but of late his performances have been plain disappointing.
Love Vinay and Ranvir.
In fact both Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey, put in great performances in Jism also. Both were John Abraham’s friends. Vinay was the cop who investigates the murder.
Vijay Maurya was picture perfect in Mumbai Meri Jaan.
Among other fav actors of mine Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja( he was good in Gangster, Woh Lamhe), Abhay Deol( very underrated).
Recently watched Nikita on World movies, really loved it. The taking was superb, and the heroine was excellent. I guess it is one of Shriram Raghavan’s favorites the other being Leon.
House of Flying Daggers: Loved it.
Hard Boiled- One of the best Hong Kong action flicks.
I love the whole Mexican trilogy, very stylish, very energetic. BTW Quentin Tarantino makes a cameo in Desperado i think.
Some other flicks i seen of late on TV
Manorama Six Foot Under- One of the best thrillers i seen.
Priceless(French)- Not a very great movie, but Audrey Tatou is worth it.
400 Blows, Stolen Kisses(French)-Truffaut’s Antoine Doinel series.
All the actors u have mentioned above(may be not Jaaved Jaffrey) but also :
Paresh Rawal
My all-rime favourite. He looks so real in every role he does. Thankfully he is choosing good roles now. Hera Pheri- Need i say nethin
Mumbai Meri Jaan- how real…his lip expression while acknowledging praise but also feeling shy at the same time is fantabulous.
Nana Patekar-One of his kind. Some might say he is hysterical but i don’t care. Dare i say Jack Nicholson of India?
Great list of actors and movies, will look forward to Part 2. Javed Jaffrey was pretty good in Fire also. It’s sad that he’s typecast as a comedian, I think there’s a real good actor just waiting to be tapped into.
Btw, do you still blog about your Sankalan adventures?
I am getting bored of Boman…he is becoming the Brahmanandam( telugu comic actor) of Bollywood
I liked everything about Vantage Point till just the end. The end was such a let down for me. Very disappointed.
Btw, did anybody liked “There will be Blood”, I could not see any post on PFC for that. I loved it. Daniel Day-Lewis is God, man!
You missed Deepak Suri in Page 3…
I thought he was awesome…
@Pratik
It’s a bit scary to blog about Sankalan. The stakes are pretty high and I’ll have a major heart attack if I don’t make it to the final 3
@OM
Yeah, Boman saab needn’t have done Love Story 2050 or Dostana. But then, if I were in his shoes, I probably wouldn’t have been able to resist the paychecks either
@Vishesh
I’m sure I’ve seen a blog about There Will Be Blood. Daniel Day Lewis IS God.
@Satya
Yeah. Missed Deepak Suri
Yes….for all the posts about “No Country For Old Men”, there was hardly any for There Will Be Blood.
As Sankalan’s website hasn’t been updated yet, could you tell us which of the 12 candidates listed on their site made it to the next round? Btw are they planning for season two?
Thanks
My favourite actors
Naseerudin Shah,Vinay Pathak,Kay Kay Menon,Rajpal Yadav,Om puri,Ranvir Shorey,Irfan Khan,Khulbushan Kharbanda
Rohan, the next 6 are Geetika Tondon, Sumit Roy, Uttam Sirur, Vijay Borade, Sonal Jain, and yours truly. It’s round 3, actually, not season 2. Gotta write our first drafts now
By season 2, I mean Sankalane 2. After your completion is over, after they get a winner, will there be such a wonderful opportunity for others who missed it?
Thanks
The Baiscope folk had told us that they intend to make Sankalan an annual affair. So keep your fingers crossed
well i never really understood whats the great deal abt chung king express..and am glad i found another one who feels the same…………
Finally watched Bombay to Bangkok. Should’ve watched it before writing this piece. Vijay Maurya was superb! HE should’ve been the centre of the film