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This and That, Saawariya, Eklavya and the Oscars
Very sorry for the weirdest and worst article title that you may have ever seen- feeling to brain dead right now to think of some coherent thoughts, leave alone a proper header. Whew…I realize that I haven’t posted on PFC for ages again…so I decided to pull up my socks before Oz paaji pulls me up again…well, well, there isn’t much going on here in Calcutta- the initial excitement of college is finally settling into a more boring existence.
Well, well- Kartik has been nagging me on the phone for weeks now to “GO OUT AND MAKE A FILM!!!” – unfortunately am really short on time and ideas- especially ones that fit into one minute…still there is this group project that we have got to do that includes making a photo narrative comprising approximately 40 stills- have been working hard on it and wracking my brains- some of the planned shots seem difficult, but will hopefully pull it off- will surely put it up here once it’s done…
Unfortunately couldn’t catch Johnny Gaddar this Friday…was really keen to watch it…maybe sometime late this weekend- but it sure is a relief to watch great stuff coming out of the factory finally…and yes, I mean the Bollywood factory and not another now infamous one owned by a gentleman once fondly referred to by us former fans as Ramuji. Manorama 6FU was like a torrent of rain on a parched desert…and one truly was parched and roasted after going through Trial By Fire (Aag), Apna Asmaan and Nanhe Jaisalmer through three painful Fridays at the cinemas. And now comes Sriram Raghavan with his looks-to-be-stunning Johnny Gaddar…and hope is reborn.
Then again, the good news is that I had the privilege of meeting much acclaimed
Director Mr. Jahnu Barua yesterday with a friend whose father happened to know the talented Assamese filmmaker who has won the national award an astonishing 9 times. Didn’t really get to talk to him much, really- as I would have loved, but was great spending time with the humble and down to earth director, who was in Calcutta to hunt for locations for his next Hindi feature Har Pall- starring Shiney Ahuja, Preity Zinta and Dharmendra- which is about 60% complete now. May get to be around the sets (serve tea, etc) when he shoots here. . Asked him if he was aware of PFC, he said he had heard of it but didn’t know much…the reclusive man wasn’t very keen to reveal pretty much anything about the film…but have asked him if he would come on board PFC, maybe a few months before the film’s release.
It is now quite sure and confirmed that Saawariya is, indeed an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s short story White Nights. Though I am by no means a fan of Bhansali, I still have to admit that he does have a way with images- enough to compel you to see his films. Before talking about the story, let me say that I found the title song on air rather disappointing- Monty’s work in Devdas and Black was superlative- though over utilized- and Saawariya’s music, by the first glimpse, doesn’t seem nearly as good. The song does not have an exceptional melody, and Sameer’s lyrics are plain ordinary- Shail Hada though does make an impressive debut as a singer.
Now off to White Nights. The story, whose synopsis can be read here- makes it very obvious where Bhansali has got his ‘inspiration’ from. And this confirmation dampens the little hope that I had from Saawariya- me thinks this melancholic, intimate tale of love will be ruined by Bhansali’s obsession for superfluous opulence that Pratimda described so well sometime back. Where, where Mr. Bhansali is the need for all those intricate, 5o crore hand painted sets? What the hell is it for? Black was supposed to be a stark film- just because it does not look like a holi celebration like Devdas does not make it stark. Still, would love to be proved wrong by the so-called Guru Dutt of our time…
Ahem. Eklavya is India’s official entry to the Oscars and every one- Tom, Dick and Sajid, and not to forget Chintu, Mintu, Pintu and Farah has an opinion on it. Dharm director Bhavna Talwar has been screaming hoarse “CORRUPT JURY, CORRUPT JURY!” relentlessly out of our TV sets, while Vidhu Vinod Chopra calls her a crab- how sweet. Anupam Kher has an opinion even without having seen either film- so much like most of India’s people. With the kind of jury that we had to select the film, what do we actually expect. God knows what propelled Mr Sudhir Mishra to be part of this joke of a jury that includes respectable names that you have never heard of and will never hear of, I assure you, and then some people like ‘Apne’ Anil Sharma and Red Swastik director Vinod Pande- the honorable chairperson of the jury, whose films if sent to America, would make even the winners of the Razzies smirk (or maybe squirm).
As for me, I don’t really think Eklavya is such a bad choice when compared to the rest of the names being touted- that incredibly even included Chak De India. Would the current fuss hve been made had Eklavya been a hit? Then all and sundry would have quietly kept shut and kept their comments neatly tucked in their smart little bottoms. Actually, I don’t really care about the whole thing- honestly, I don’t think there was any film that I know of really worth sending- and that has nothing to do with the quality of the films, but rather with the fact that I don’t think any of them could really be nominated or win an Oscar.
So let’s let Mr. Chopra be happy, don’t ruin his precious seconds of fame, his bright pink candy bar that he seems to be greedily holding on to and enjoying like a petulant school kid. Don’t try to take away his candy bar and make him sulk and bawl. He’ll learn the hard way.
12 Responses to “This and That, Saawariya, Eklavya and the Oscars”
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“It is now quite sure and confirmed that Saawariya is, indeed an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky
Re: Saawariya, you can read the actual story [a ref=http://www.prutsr.nl/files/white_nights.html]here[/a]. The story line is simple but the tone of the story which is told mostly in a dialogue between the two protaganists is emotional and intense as are the characters themselves as young people in love often are. If you read the actual story, it is pretty clear how Bhansali must have identified very strongly with the hero of the story,
sorry for the bad link - it’s here -
http://www.prutsr.nl/files/white_nights.html
white nights on black(movie) sets in blue hue.
:).
i dont like the newcomers or the music rite now but maybe after i will watch it ..ill be drooling over the guy and d movie ..thts d magic of Bhansali
. i guess u mustve got some great shots in drwned calcutta for 1 min movie. for me life came to a full stop in those days. a
nyways i am also residing in calcutta and a fashion designer from nift..u can tell me if i can help u in anyway.
@night- Yeah, I know indiafm reported it, but it was just a rumour then, and rumours in bollywood, are of course more often false than not.
@zazu- had downloaded the story before writing this piece…wil complete reading it soon and give further comments…still, from what I know of it- methinks Bhansali will ruin it. Bhansali’s films may blow you away at first, but on repeat viewing, the more you see them, the worse they feel.
@tuhina- hey tuhina- great to know that you are here…actually haven’t started taking the photos yet…will start on Monday…in any case actually my idea is not to take ‘natural’ pictures, but rather ‘posed’ and stylised ones- my concept is based on film references- would love to get your inputs- you can mail me at forrestgump47 @ hotmail.com
As for the blue color in Saawariya- it gives the impression that there is a Krishna connection in the film…esp with the title and the shades of blue interspesed with green- peacock feathers! Let’s see what Mr Bhansali has to offer this time- wil surely see it!
Hey I was a big Ramuji fan at one time. “RGV ki Aag ” was the turning point! Though i seriously recommended the movie to all who wanted to appreciate good cinema..coz once you see this, you KNOW what bad cinema is!!!
About Ekalavya, yeah…agree it isn’t all that bad.
Cinemagirl…
Hi… though i don’t deny that RGV ki ‘Aag’ was a very bad film, but i wish RGV had got a fair chance the way Farhan Akhtar got when he was making or re making ‘Don’ the moment RGV announced remaking of Sholay, the media and some people from the Sippy Family behaved in such a manner that they would not mind seeing RGV on a pyre…
The best deal he got was from ramesh Sippy himself who did not utter a single word till RGV ki ‘Aag’ was released. There was his interview in Bombay times and he was speaking for the first time whch read ‘RGV was Brave at the same time foolish’ that said it all….
You mean that was his excuse for casting Nisha kothari too??? :-? Oh Please…a bad movie is a bad movie. I didn’t once compare it with Sholay but watched it in isolation as just another movie…
i am not at all justifying that, but what i was trying to say was he was already written off by the media even before he had made the film, than the court case, media speculation etc etc etc…
Bhansali’s Promo of Sawariya reminds me of “TAAL” .. Films like SAWARIYA should highlight in BOLD font 1172 MARKETED BY:XXX .. In my personal opinion yes Bhansali makes good movies but this one is more of hype.. and Now you are as HYPED as your MOVIE..BLACK maybe a copy of watever but i like the way it was made and Yes Bhansali is definitely a good director amongst all the so called POPULAR DIRECTORS..
I once read FARHA KHAN’S statement that Bhansali is the most over rated DIRECTOR.. Iam still wondering if he is more overrated OR one movie wonder FARHA KHAN herself?
Remove Shahrukh Khan from MAI HOON NA.. whats left tell me?? A movie where scenes are directly lifted..The last fight sequence is directly lifted scene by scene..Where the color and look of the movie is from any Shahrukh/Johar film..
In sabki movie mai kuch nahi rehta hai bas rehta hai Shahrukh Khan, Colorful clothes, Peppy music, 5-6 Gaane..2.30 ghante ki movie mai 30-45 minutes ke gaane ke liye choreographer to lagega hi. Where is the DIRECTOR tell me?? Music is so called good coz of the Music Director .. Usse bhi pata hai Bhai Shahrukh ki movie hai.. Have to give my best Shot..Personally i dont like Karan Johar/Farha Khan/Leela Bhansali Movies.. These are not my kind of MOVIES..But if i go by people who like their movies, Ask all the ppl who liked Mai Hoon Na, n0 one ever said “KYA DIRECTION HAI” ..
Now you are making another movie “OSO” which highlights the fashion comp of the current time and 60’s.. Movie will be a HIT no doubt..Promo bhi Dhamaka hai.. But then Promo’s DIRECTOR nahi banata hai .. Story wahi Pehle ke Janam mai SUPER ZERO.. Doosre Janam mai SUPERHERO.. Character GAZAB ke jaise hoga..Pura din channel pe wahi bajaoge you will be forced to like it. wat lyrics “DARD ‘E’ DISCO”.. DISCO mei Dard.
RGV tab tak theek tha jab tak he used to work with ACTOR’s.. Now he has started working with STARS and started a career development agency.. RAMU ki picture mai Kaam karo, sidha STARDOM.. Yea yea, dont know who was in JAMES.. Sidha STAR DOOM..The thing i like abt RGV is the same thing i hate.. He makes movies just to prove a point.
Waise SIR, Aaj ki Tareek mai aapke chele aap se acchi picture bana rahe hai.
I have listened to all the tracks of “Saawariya” and I like almost all of them…..after a long time film has broken the monotony of the formula numbers — one disco item, one sufi rock item and so on and so forth….it is plain melody that rules the roost. And that is so good to listen to…..
As regards OSO that is one of the most average soundtracks I have listened to for a long time. And that is exactly what I meant by a formula soundtrack…..and as regards the film I really have very little expectations from it.
@Arijit - I agree that Saawariya is kinda refreshing amongst the usual formula numbers, but my gripe is the repeated presence of Kunal Ganjawala whose voice I LOATHE. If only they had opted for Shaan throughout instead (he appears in one track) - MUCH more pleasant.