Desicritics Category: Culture: Celebrities

Chiranjeevi Enters Politics, Promises Change

Aaman Lamba — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:16:52 EDT

The Obama spirit has many adherents. Telugu film star announced his much-awaited entry into politics on Sunday in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, promising change and that he would fill the power vacuum in state politics. He asserted he had no enemies in politics. His new party's agenda and name would be announced at a plenary meeting on the 26th of August in Tirupati. The date was chosen to coincide with Mother Teresa's birth anniversary.

Film stars in India have often chosen politics after attaining stardom, or rather, post their creative peak. Tamil Nadu is particularly prone to giving their celluloid heroes a chance at the political hustings, with M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa having garnered much political capital out of their earlier careers. The trend is more pronounced in the southern states, and Bollywood stars-turned-politicians have been perceived more as dilettantes in the political scene.

the other political groupings in Andhra Pradesh have been attempting to counter the potential threat in next year's elections from an expected shift towards Chiranjeevi's new party. While the Telugu Desam Party might claim the legacy of the late NT Rama Rao, they are covering their bases by inducting NTR's family members like Hari Krishna, Bala Krishna, and Taraka Ram - themselves film stars. The Congress (I) has enrolled Rajshekar and his wife, Jeevitha, who are film stars.

Chiranjeevi plans to include his own family members in his party. He is still active in films, although not as much as before. In his recent film, Stalin, he plays the eponymous Stalin, in this case an ex-army officer who wants to overcome the apathy prevalent in society by rendering unconditional support to any and all. He retains the adulation of a wide spectrum of fans, and received the Padma Bhushan award in 2006, following which Amitabh Bachchan termed him the 'King of Indian Cinema'. The role of fan clubs has long been recognized as a critical factor in the rise of film star-politicians. Political parties have also funded films that project their agendas and highlight favorable stars. It will be interesting to see if Chiranjeevi will be able to mediate his celebrity status to political success.

TV Review: Sonali Kulkarni's So Kool - Not So Kool

Gauri Warudi — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:43:08 EDT

Well, at least not yet. Maybe it’s a bit too early to judge or comment, but I couldn’t help but write about this. I’m talking about actress Sonali Kulkarni’s show on Star Maaza, the Marathi presentation from the STAR stable.

I had read about this show being produced and was even quite fascinated by the title, which borrows from Sonali’s name- ‘So’ ‘Kool’. Last night Sonali sent me a text message reminding me to watch the show and I did. I swear, I sat eagerly and enthusiastically in front of the TV. I love watching TV, really. Unlike many who run it down, I mark my ‘TV time’ when no one else can monopolize it.

Coming back to the show. It’s a talk show (haven’t we got enough of them?) wherein achievers from different fields are to be interviewed by Sonali. The show is being written/directed by Sandesh Kulkarni, Sonali’s brother.

Both the siblings are good friends of mine, but that has nothing to do with my views when I sit to watch a film/program. However, I’m not sure I’d like to tell them what I felt about the show; honesty doesn’t always have sporting takers! I should know, ‘cos a few years back, a ‘friendly’ playwright had asked me to give him my honest opinion on one of his plays and when I did, hell had no fury!!! So, then , I’ll just key in my opinion here.

Yesterday’s guest was Avinash Gowariker, fashion photographer and brother of filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker. Avinash was as usual blunt and forthright in the way he spoke. No pretenses, no being politically correct. What you see in Avi, is what you get. A tad pompous if you ask me! But what the hell, he knows his job. I gathered the show was meant to be an informal chat, without too many frills etc; but informal doesn't translate to shabby or haphazard, now does it? I am sorry to say, but the product that was telecast last night lacked finesse, lacked preparation on Sonali’s part and well, camera angles - the less said the better.

The interview was shot at Mehboob Studios in Avinash’s work place (I learnt from their conversation) and hey! the conversation between them was anything but clear. Awkward silences and embarrassed laughter. Stilted conversation and lacklustre repartee was what I saw on my small screen. Once they shifted to Avi’s house, (which again was conveyed through Sonali's lines) the camera was even worse. Both of them seemed huddled in one corner and gave the viewer a very claustrophobic feel.

All in all, the show left me a tad angry and irritated at the lack of sensitivity on the part of the producers to the audience’s intelligence. I hear one of the next guests includes the well-known Dr Anand Karve. I sincerely hope they get their act together before getting him to face the camera.

So Kool is telecast on Star Maaza on Sat at 2130 and Sunday at 1030 AM

Sporting Bindra, Unsporting India

Kartikeya — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:41:12 EDT

Abhinav Bindra gave an interview after his winning effort at the Beijing Olympics, in which he basically underlined the fact that the Olympic medal was just one moment in his life, and that in his sport, the difference between winning and losing is so miniscule, that some luck is inevitable to success.

I think it is an important and non-trivial distinction between wanting to be better at something relentlessly, and wanting to be an Olympic champion. The former is an aspiration, the latter is a reward.

The overwhelming narrative about Abhinav Bindra has focused on his ambition and his success against the odds (tremors, a tampered gun). This narrative misses the point and in constructing a bollywoodesque hero myth, does Bindra serious injustice.

The whole point of Abhinav Bindra's success, as revealed in his interview, is that he wants to be the best shooter that he can be - that he's obsessively interested in training and working hard, enjoys the tough training regimens and has basically committed his life to his sport. The Olympic Medal or the World Championship Medal (both of which he has won now) are merely the biggest prizes on the way.

This is not unique to Bindra.

There is a difference between focusing on a given contest when it is at hand and bringing the entire might of one's powers to it, and aiming for it obsessively — coveting the prize. The point of being a sportsman is not being an Olympic champion. The point is to be the best sportsman you can be. Because we don't seem to understand that, we are unable to respect those athletes who have qualified for the Olympics but may not come away with podium finishes.

I have read more than one news article in the last couple of days which says something to the effect that "Indian athletes have a habit of not performing when it matters". That is not only rude, it is also hopelessly misguided.

There is a whole other aspect of this issue which has been written about ad nauseum, and Dileep Premachandran has this version of it. It refers to unprofessionally run Sports Associations which makes a complete pigs breakfast of managing and helping athletes compete at the international level.That is a bureaucratic problem, and as such is not too difficult to solve.

What is far more important, as Rajaraman points out, is our view of sport and sporting ambition. Cricketers who wake up in the morning in distant suburbs in Bombay and make their way to dawn training sessions on the maidans in town don't do it thinking about playing for India at every stage. They do it because they love playing the sport.

What does this mean? It means that there is inherent value associated with participating in sport — serious, organized sport — that contributes to the sport as well as to the sportsman. School cricket is competitive in Bombay and children who are serious about cricket move to better cricket schools, in order to pursue better cricket. A very famous cricketer once moved from IES English in Bandra to Shardashram Vidyamandir in Dadar in the mid-eighties, so that he would be able to play cricket. A illustrious friend of his travelled 50 kilometers a day to study at the same school so that he could play good cricket as well. Both went on the perform well for Bombay and India.

They did this not because they were driven by the ambition to play for India, but because they were interested more immediately in playing cricket, and in being as good at it as they could be.

Gold and Cash

We have to stop this medieval, feudal practice of showering winners with gold and cash, for it reveals a very poor attitude towards the sport.

All these agencies, which have been falling over each other to announce cash awards to Bindra (these awards range from the absurd to the downright silly), should stop and think about the other Indian athletes at the Olympics. Instead of giving the money to Bindra, they ought to contribute it to a corpus of some sort which athletes can dip into if they want to go somewhere to train or buy expensive equipment.

Bindra's Wikipedia page provides a summary of the awards he has won:

"Bindra was rewarded by various Indian state governments and private organizations for his achievements. These include the state governments of Punjab - Rs 10 million (approx. US $250,000), Harayana - Rs 2.5 million, Maharashtra - Rs 1 million, Karnataka - Rs 1 million, Tamil Nadu - Rs 0.5 million, Madhya Pradesh - Rs 0.5 million and Chattisgarh - Rs 0.5 million."

The Wikipedia page also highlights free life-long railway and airline passes from Indian Railways and Spicejet Airways, respectively.

The states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh have absolutely no connection with Bindra. Neither does Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan has, in fact, gone one step further, by drawing attention to his silly World Tour in the process.

Everyone wants a piece of Bindra right now. Nobody really cares about the other Indian athletes at the Olympics, neither is anyone really interested in the sport that Bindra competes in. I'm pretty sure that none of the luminaries in question will be able to write or speak one coherent paragraph about the sport of shooting.

Misguided Souls

In short, nobody really cares about sport. Everybody cares about the winner. In doing so, they contribute nothing to the sport - indeed they undermine it at every turn. They are no different from those misguided souls who burnt effigies of Indian cricketers after the world cup. To them, as to those vandals, sport is merely a site of prestige - it has nothing to do with joy or skill or excellence.

The bureaucracy, associations, etc. etc. are all secondary issues. There is a reason why cricket is a thriving sport in India - because it is played on the streets, by middle-class kids with proper bats and balls, and by poor kids with makeshift stumps and handmade balls. Because interest in cricket goes above and beyond India winning or losing. Because Ranji Trophy cricketers can make a living playing domestic cricket in India today. In such an atmosphere, it was a matter of time before India's bare fast-bowling cupboard filled up.

The BCCI manages cricket quite well, but cricket thrives in India because it thrives in communities. That's where other sports have to gain a footing. Otherwise, all we will have is parasites like Amitabh Bachchan clinging on to Abhinav Bindra's gold medal-wearing back.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn: (Dec. 11, 1918 - Aug. 3, 2008)

temporal — Mon, 4 Aug 2008 13:24:17 EDT

Even in chains we ourselves must complete
That circle which the gods have mapped out for us- Vladimir Solov'ev:

Alexander Solzhenitsyn died late Sunday evening at age 89, his son said in a statement.

Solzhenitsyn's unflinching accounts of torment and survival in the Soviet Union's slave labor camps riveted his countrymen, whose secret history he exposed. They earned him 20 years of bitter exile, but international renown. And they inspired millions, perhaps, with the knowledge that one person's courage and integrity could, in the end, defeat the totalitarian machinery of an empire. LINK

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was the oldest living Nobele Laureate.

He has written over thirty books beginning with One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962,). In his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, he said:

So also we, holding Art in our hands, confidently consider ourselves to be its masters; boldly we direct it, we renew, reform and manifest it; we sell it for money, use it to please those in power; turn to it at one moment for amusement - right down to popular songs and night-clubs, and at another - grabbing the nearest weapon, cork or cudgel - for the passing needs of politics and for narrow-minded social ends. But art is not defiled by our efforts, neither does it thereby depart from its true nature, but on each occasion and in each application it gives to us a part of its secret inner light.

And then like a neuro-surgeon's scalp he wielded his words to speculate further:

But shall we ever grasp the whole of that light? Who will dare to say that he has DEFINED Art, enumerated all its facets? Perhaps once upon a time someone understood and told us, but we could not remain satisfied with that for long; we listened, and neglected, and threw it out there and then, hurrying as always to exchange even the very best - if only for something new! And when we are told again the old truth, we shall not even remember that we once possessed it. LINK

A man of letters, a man of arts he never minced words. Others accused him of being anti-Semite, anti-Soviet, anti-West, anti-US. He ignored the epithets and ploughed on. His three-volume The Gulag Archipelago earned him an exile in 1974. He was invited to move to the US in 1976 and he remained there until his return to Russia in 1994.

In an interview he gave SPIEGEL when asked if he was afraid of dying he replied: "No, I am not afraid of death any more. When I was young the early death of my father cast a shadow over me -- he died at the age of 27 -- and I was afraid to die before all my literary plans came true. But between 30 and 40 years of age my attitude to death became quite calm and balanced. I feel it is a natural, but no means the final, milestone of one’s existence."

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn bibliography

News Analysis, Electronic Media and Journalistic Integrity

temporal — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:35:35 EDT

News Analysis

Journalism is a vast field. I wish to examine a sub-genre called News Analysis. Good Analysis demands objectivity and fairness in reporting. In brief, be truthful and factual. While complete objectivity is not entirely possible to achieve, good analysts (and journalists) recognise it by being open, by being fair and by being guided by their conscience.

A good host or anchor wears many hats simultaneously. S/he has to be a good listener, a sharp analyst, a diligent investigator, fair and balanced and above all, given the time constraints, should be quick on foot.

When reporting or interviewing, they stick to facts, research them diligently, offer insights, counter points and counter-claims with references to balance the assertions and claims of the interviewee or the guests and are quick to explore misuse of facts and the biases, tilts and spins of their subjects or guests.

Electronic Media

The electronic media in India and Pakistan are still very much in their infancy. The anchors and reporters have still a long way to go. With some, one can see the influence of print media. They repeat incessantly - oft times repeating verbatim nanoseconds later what their guests had just uttered.

They speak on TV as if they were on radio - or worse - in a classroom. The anchors discuss subjects with their expert guests on which their knowledge is scant or non existent and oft times their homework is shoddy or non-existent.

The elements of journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.
Its first loyalty is to the citizens.
Its essence is discipline of verification.
Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover.
It must serve as an independent monitor of power.
It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
It must strive to make the significant interesting, and relevant.
It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.
Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.
It must protect and enhance the rights and responsibilities of citizen

Should networks and their anchors be neutral?

It is not possible to be entirely neutral. We see with our eyes and hear with our ears. The moment we hear we, our, I, me -- the neutrality is gone the way of Dodo bird.

We bring our personal take, our prejudices, our slant into what we say or write. While this is largely and universally true and applicable to the bloggers, netjournos and the media world over, the best in the media stand out because they try harder. They make that extra effort to compensate for their inherent shortcomings by listening fairly to the other view point, by being diligent in their research, by being fair in their comments and analysis.

Not every network or media person fits this portrayal. That is where one can sift between the wheat and the chaff - between the genuine and the erstaz - between the authentic and the wannabee - between the fair and the agenda driven media person.

The best in the media see the issues and persons as coins - they examine the contours, shape, metal, markings and symbols discernible on the coin - and - they also examine the other side of the coin similarly. And they try to do so with utmost fairness and integrity.

Kismat Konnection, On and Off Screen.

Sakshi Juneja — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:44:02 EDT

Aziz Mirza's on-screen love-meets-fate story, Kismat Konnection, starring the new generation's Jumping Jack aka. Shahid Kapoor and the ever subdued, Ms. Goody Two Shoes aka. Vidya Balan – disappoints miserably. Surely nothing new I am adding here; practically all reviews published seem to be screaming out loud the same stuff.

In terms of storyline, first half is barely bearable and the second half drags on and on and on. Thankfully I watched it in one of those popular lounge-seating-cinemas, so my tusshie didn't bear the brunt and I even managed to catch up on some quality sleep. Acting-wise Shahid Kapoor came across reasonably good; I mean you can't deny that he does a better impression of King Khan than King Khan himself. The other half of the Konnection, Ms. Balan according to me did a so-so jig. The woman seriously needs to display some variety in her role selection process and not repeat the gullible, abla stree kinda-characters.

Overall, Kismat Konnection is more aptly disconnected, predictable and a tad too boring. My advice, skip it.

Now let's move onto a more interesting trivia on off-screen Bollywood Kismat Konnection.

Shahid and Kareena’s last film together (before the break-up) received two thumbs up from all around; the audience, the critics and the box-office. Kareena re-invented herself, whereas Shahid gave his very first mature performance. Needless to say, everyone wished Aditya and Geet to sort things out, have raunchy make-up sex and live happily ever after.

Today however the story is different. Very different.

Both our leading stars have moved on (so they say) and all too quickly replaced each other’s presence with a new set of lovers. Much to the benefit of our gossipy mainstream media, I might add. Kareena adores the much older Saif (and parivaar inclusive) and Shahid seems to be swinging between the tennis star (Sania Mirza) and the “helloooooo Mumbaiiii” lady (Vidya Balan). And while they continue to increase the sale of Bollywood tabloids with their ‘in-love’ antics, their on-screen chemistry (with new partners) seems to lack all luster.

For instance: Kareena and Saif’s very first release and the much-hyped Tashan bombed at the box office and how. So much so lover boy Saifu cried all the way to the producer, Aditya Chopra and Kareena baby was deemed unfit in her size zero image. And while one would think Shahid had the last laugh after being brutally dumped, unfortunately kismat seems to have whacked him once again. His very first release, since the Kareena break up, opposite his rumoured real-life lady love, Vidya Balan – is a definite flop, as the next few days will prove.

So even though their off-screen life with new love in tow may be rocking, their on-screen konnection looks to have fizzled no sooner than it began.

This is not the end.

Here’s another off-screen love story I heard where the outcome has a lot to do with kismat, lucky charm, bad luck and other such related jazz.

Aditya Chopra, the head-honcho behind Yash Raj Films shot to fame with his directorial debut with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge back in 1995. Since the time he took over the family-run production house from Papa Chopra, it’s been raining money and success.

However the success factor seems to have taken a down turn since his affair with actress Rani Mukherjee and divorce from wife Payal Chopra. If one goes by the popular story doing rounds within the Bollywood fraternity – the ill-faith of most Yash Raj releases at the box-office since the beginning of 2007, has been solely because of Aditya Chopra’s separation from wife Payal.

Apparently before their union (now the validity could be questioned), the Chopras had consulted a few known astrologers and were completely bowled over by the probable enormity of the “luck” factor brought into the Yash Raj household via the Adi-Payal matrimony. On the dark side were also informed of the not-so-good consequence if ever the marriage ended up on the rocks.

So while Aditya and his lady love Ms. Mukherjee go about (discreetly) professing their love with Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, the weekly box-office tells a different story – Love, okay but magic…zilch.

Interview: Straight Talk With Onir, Director of My Brother Nikhil

Sakshi Juneja — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:59:48 EDT

Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to meet up with Onir, director of My Brother Nilkhil at a coffee shop in Versova. Onir, (who goes only by his first name), arrived a little late and wanted to wrap things up in fast. So without much ado, I went right ahead and asked the first question.

Please tell us something about your creative background?

I always wanted to make films, the only thing I can remember wanting to do is make films. When I joined college I took up literature parallel with film studies. Literature I think is very closely related to films and in India you don't start with film studies after school, you can only after graduation. And then I got my scholarship for Training in Film Making for which I went to Berlin.

And what brought you to Bollywood?

After I trained in Berlin I went back to Kolkata because that's where I did my university and initial training in film studies. I worked there for a while, made some documentary films and all. But anyway my aim was "fiction" and I realized the environment of Kolkata is not where I wanted to work because I was very young and wanted to be respected for what I do. And I found people very patronizing at that point there and it didn't suit me.

I came to Bombay as an editor actually…I started off as an editor. And it took me 10 years to make my first film. But for me it was very clear – I don't come from a film family, I don't come from a family where someone can say, here take 3 crores and make a film. I wanted to do it on my own, on my own terms and make the kind of films I wanted to make. Probably that's one of the reasons why it took that long because I was definite about the kind of films I wanted to make. And for me everything that I was doing while trying to make a film was a step towards that. I mean I produced music, directed music videos, made documentary films and then scripting; basically a whole lot of things.

And all this helped me to be able produce and direct my film within a controlled budget, since I had worked in every possible department.

For your first film, what made you pick a dicey subject like alternate sexuality and HIV?

Actually it became my first film by accident. The first script I wrote was also a dicey subject but it never got made. Hopefully it will someday. It was basically a story of a gigolo and nobody had the guts to finance such a project. And then I wrote my second script but nothing happened and then I wrote my third script. At that time I had just finished editing a documentary script on Dominic D'Souza who was the first known case of HIV in India. And that story kind of stayed with me…you know his photograph haunted me. And at one point I was getting frustrated because every story that I was writing found no one to finance it.

That's when I decided to do it myself. Sanjay Suri is a friend and has complete faith in me. I decided to go ahead with Dominic's story and make it into a docu-fiction and release it on TV. It sounded good and so I started writing. It was something I wrote in 10 days as it had left a lasting impact on me. It just came…just came like that.

And then we started meeting actors and everyone we approached said "yes" so we thought that instead of making it a TV film let's make a feature film.

Actually till I completed the film I never thought that this was a taboo. It was just that this story deeply moved me and the entire crew and cast were doing this for peanuts because they simply loved the story too. It was only after completing the film that I realized – Oh my God! In India, homosexuality is illegal what with Article 377 and there might be problems for release. So I was worried only when the censor time came, luckily that went through smoothly without any controversies.

It became my first film by accident, but all in all, the subjects I generally choose are slightly off the beaten track. Stories, which have already been told do not interest me; I need to tell stories wherein I too grow as a person and not just become a director, that's not my aim.

'Bas Ek Pal' (2006) didn't do well at the box office. According to the tabloids, it didn't appeal to either the critics or the masses. Where do you think the problem lay?

Two things. After My Brother Nikhil I got slotted. People expected My Brother Nikhil Part 2. For me it was however very clear that I didn't want to do that. I wanted to do something totally different which would help me grow as a director. In fact to me I have matured as a director only after Bas Ek Pal. In terms of reception it was a mix. Some critics really raved about the film whereas in print it didn't receive a favourable response.

The first reaction is obviously you get very defensive about everything that you do. But later on I sat down and analysed the film all over again and realized that there were certain things that went against it. The distribution for instance: In Mumbai only 14 prints were released and only two night shows were available in the suburban side. Another thing I believe I messed up with was the execution of the film's climax scene.

Otherwise I think it's a complex, very mature film, which to me was the exciting bit. Unfortunately the current trend involves audience watching comedies and idiotic comedies. And it's very worrying when rubbish films like Welcome, Partner become box-office success. Personally I have nothing against comedies but these are bad films, period. And good, deserving films like Johnny Gaddar and Manorama Six Feet Under are complete washouts.

Sometime in 2006 you were thinking of making an adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' starring Hrithik Roshan. Is this project going to see the light of day?

Again, today no one wants to do a dark film. I am talking around, speaking to artists and film banners but everyone is looking for profit. For example Omkara was critically applauded but financially, it didn't do well. Therefore actors are skeptical about taking up such offers. Actors, producers, basically everybody.

You also acted in Schau mir in die Augen, Kleiner (2007) aka Here's looking at You, Boy - The Coming out of Queer Cinema (International: English title). This is a documentary on the history of gay and lesbian film. How was it like acting in an international setting?

No I did not acted in the film. It was a documentary film which featured 14 directors from across the world on the subject of homosexuality. And I was selected as one of the directors and it was featured during the Berlin Film Festival. A fantastic experience overall.

What do you think about the censor board's stand in today's Bollywood?

Honestly speaking I have been very lucky. Like with My Brother Nikhil I thought there will be plenty of issues but it was cleared without any cuts.

But then it was backed by Yash Raj Films.

No. The censor dealing was done before Yash Raj's takeover of the film for distribution. My team consisted of all first timers, including myself. I was literally shaking once the film was given for censorship approval. When I met them they said that we will give the film a 'U' certificate provided you give a statement at the beginning that it's a fictitious film, which I was ready to comply with. And for me this was a huge thing, I mean we live in a country, which is still very outdated in terms of its views on sexuality, especially alternate sexuality.

Do you think there is a lack of good scripts in Bollywood? If so, why?

Yes it's true. Because apart from actors we don't want to pay anyone else. Actors believe they are the film themselves and therefore charge enormous amounts. Then there is no budget left for anything else. Also our copyright laws are weak that it's an easy job to keep making remakes. Plus financiers prefer to stick with the 'tried-and-tested' formulae and our audience goes ahead and approves such re-creations. And at the end of the day everything boils down to the audience.

Which actor/actress you would like to work with in the near future?

Actually I never had this fascination or inclination towards working with any special set of actors. For me the script comes first and whoever suits it best and is within the budget is offered the role. So no wish list for me as of now.

Any recent movie you wish you were part of?

Johnny Gaddar. I thought it was a brilliant film. Sad it didn't do well. Then there was Manorama Six Feet Under and I also liked Chuk De minus the beginning and the end.

Define 'crossover cinema'?

Frankly I really don't know; I mean crossing over to what? Films from India which are screened overseas are mostly big budget films. It has nothing to do with quality but everything to do with who's backing the project (film).

People perceive that films like Page 3 and My Brother Nikhil are crossover films but unfortunately they don't even get released overseas. Especially the US and UK market, the thing is NRI audiences are worse than the audience back home because they are so nostalgic about India that they prefer to watch its glossy image. And therefore you have big banners making films especially to please them by inserting glamorised costumes and bhangra songs.

Where do you see India cinema going over the next decade, given that in recent times we have seen a shift in the kind of movies being made and scripts being written, as well as the willingness of mainstream actors to try different genres other than commercial flicks?

I don't know really. We keep talking about how big is Bollywood but frankly we are living in a make believe world. For example, if you look at the earnings of a biggest grosser of the past couple of years and compare it to a Korean film, which would be looked at as world cinema, ours would be barely 13% of that.

Our films are not world cinema. When we talk about overseas we simply mean NRI audiences. Our films have still not matured with respect to world cinema. The day we are able to get the local audience in cities like New York, London, Sydney maybe then we would qualify as global filmmakers. But then our population is so huge and spread out that we really don't care much about the world market.

Hopefully 10 years from now we will have audiences which are open to all kinds of cinema.

What is your take on depiction of homosexuality in today's Hindi films?

It sickens me honestly. I find it silly mostly the way it is depicted. I find it stupid how actors are insecure; if it's not making fun they wouldn't want to do the character. They are insecure about how they will be perceived but that's really stupid because enacting a homosexual character doesn't make one a homosexual. Even our double standards are put on display. Today one animal rights group will ask for help and the whole Jing-bang will be there to lend a helping hand but when you talk about human rights, basic human rights let alone homosexuality, no one will give you the time of the day.

Similarly our whole society including the film industry is so homophobic. So they'd rather make fun of it. And what is even more depressing is that some of them are closet homosexuals themselves. I mean they don't have to talk about their sexuality but the least they could do is not make a mockery of others and their sexual preference.

I feel it should be dealt with with a certain responsibility; after all you are talking about someone else's life. But I suppose Bollywood specializes in making mockery of those who are 'different'.

Can you tell us something on your new and forthcoming films?

Well I am working on a film called Sorry Bhai. A romantic film with an interesting star cast. I have Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi, Sanjay Suri and Chitrangada Singh is making a comeback with this film. I am looking forward to it because it's a different genre for me, it's a happy film but it also deals with complexities of adult relationships.

Your involvement with HIV/Aids awareness campaign.

After My Brother Nikhil I have been involved in all kinds of campaigns, seminars, conferences dealing with Human Rights. I am also trying to remove time for conducting workshops for Aids infected youth in Shillong, hopefully every year. See the thing is movies and all will keep happening but life also involves personal growth and being part of such activities helps me achieve that.

Straight speak and blunt – Onir was a refreshing change from the run of the mill Bollywood interviewees. Here's looking at you Onir and wish you all the best for your future projects!

Fiction: Dismal Reveries

Diya S. — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 08:41:10 EDT

The beautiful golden retriever’s coat almost gleamed in the sunlight. He seemed to be in immense hurry as he tugged hard at his collar, but some how his master seemed least concerned. She was tired of her shoots and had no intention to be punctual. she was also tired of people screaming her name all the time. ‘Katrina Kaif’ might have become a brand name- but she just didn’t care. All she craved for was some peace and serenity.

As she walked on, she became lost in her reveries. She though of all the things she had- the cars, the money, the beautiful clothes- she had it all. And yet she felt that she had been a happier person seven years earlier. During those days her feet might have adorned Hawaii chappals instead of Gucci and yet she longed for those care free times. Also, she missed her mom and dad so much. Her dad might have been a humble clerk, but the compassion contained within his heart simply surpassed anyone she had met till date; except of course her darling mom. She might not have had been a great cook- she still remembered those half burned chapattis- but she was a great mom and even a greater human being. They had not been too well off but they led a happy and contended life. But she obviously yearned for more. Like all other misled youth, she also believed that luxury could buy happiness. She so wanted an A/C and looked on at the almost ancient table fan with contempt. And it was due to all these expensive wishes that she had decided to become a model and eventually an actress. Five to six years down the line, she had achieved her goals and all the goodies that came with it. And like all busy actresses, she too had no time for anything else except her work. And soon she saw less and less of her parents- the two people she cared most in the world about. She still remembered those mid shoot calls of her mom, which she had to unceremoniously reject. She tried her best to keep in touch with them, but in spite of her efforts, it became more and more difficult to do so.

Then one fateful day, they were gone- two wonderful human beings effaced from the face of the earth due to someone's reckless driving. When the news of their accident reached her, she was shaken beyond wits and it took her almost two years to recover from her grief and guilt of being away from her parents during their last days. Even their thoughts made her cry till date.

Suddenly she stopped, to shake off all the unpleasant emotions that had taken over her for a moment. She then checked her watch and realized that it was almost past eleven and decided to return home to get ready for her shoot.

As she entered her apartment, she was greeted by a fruit basket, which invariably made her smile. She knew that it was send to her by her gym instructor, who was always advising her to eat healthy. As she nibbled at a papaya and got ready for her shower, her thoughts trailed towards her upcoming movie. It was a typical masala mirch film - the type she was weary of. The movies she really wanted to do seemed so out of her reach. There had been a documentary she had seen recently, which was about young Muslim boys and how even in their tender age, they were made to parade around in AK-47, in the name of jihad. That documentary had chilled her heart and she really wanted to make a movie on the topic. But when she presented her ideas to a famous producer, who also happened to be the director of the movie she was enacting in, he had been too busy to even consider the idea. He had more important things to think about, like the song which was supposed to be shot at the locales of France, and for which they were to leave soon on his private jet, which happened to be a Boeing 747. Anyways, she already knew that there was no producer who would take her seriously- to them she was just an air headed actress who also happened to be famous.

She checked on the time once again and decided it was time to buck up. So she chucked away all her unwanted thoughts and got ready for her refreshing shower.

Bomb Blasts, Social Responsibility, and Baazigars

tunnelvision — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 09:03:53 EDT

On the 13th May, 2008 at 7.30 PM in Jaipur, the first bomb planted by terrorists went off at 7.30 in terribly crowded streets of the Pink city and by 8.00 PM nine blasts had spilled the blood of hundreds of innocent people. About eighty people died and above two hundred injured lay crying in hospitals.

Concurrently, at 8.00 PM, in Kolkata, the IPL Cricket match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Dare Devils began. Kolkata Knight Riders' co-owner Shahrukh Khan was present. His team won the game and he danced at the victory of his team. He had millions of reasons to dance and not even one reason to show concern for ordinary people who go crazy even to have a look at their idol. The cricket match was planned long back and couldn’t have been cancelled.

That is reasonable but consider the horror of seeing cheerleaders dancing in Kolkata as Jaipur lay bleeding. Some would say that they are paid to dance and they did their job.

Die-hard Shahrukh fans will opine that he is a very busy man and he couldn’t have known about the horrific events folding in distant Jaipur.

It appears increasingly impossible to look for such elusive sensitivities from our icons. He was perhaps so terribly focused with his maniacal concentration looking forward to a win, he lost contact with other matters. Like a latter-day Arjun, he focused all his energies on the cricket match. In today’s connected world it is unacceptable and unthinkable that he, his staff, or his resourceful associates didn’t know of the horrific bomb blasts.

It’s horrendous to know that nobody bothered to suggest toning down the victory celebrations and displaying concern for the dead and wounded as result of the terrorists' attack. At least, it was expected that he could have avoided dancing at the end of the match and had mourned the terrible event in Jaipur.

Other Baazigars of 100 plus TV channels gleefully continued to beam glamorous advertisements and laughter show promos while continuously reporting the bomb blasts.

It seems that the media is the biggest gainer of natural and unnatural calamities befalling helpless people. We must know by now that these Baazigars don’t have any sensitivity left along with zero social responsibility.

To talk about the concept of social responsibility of our icons is perhaps totally insane and useless as they have not heard and/or understood it.

Movie Review: Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na

Mayuri Sharrma — Sat, 5 Jul 2008 13:45:43 EDT

For a while now, we’ve been scoffing at ‘Pappu’ because he can’t dance, saala. We’ve also sung along, soothing her by explaining ‘Kabhi kabhi zindagi mein Aditi…’ We finally get to see Aditi and her gang on screen in Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, produced by Aamir Khan Productions.

Aditi a.k.a Meaow and Jai a.k.a Rats (Imran Khan) are best buddies. It’s plain for everyone around them to see that they are much more than just that and are made for each other. Everyone, except they themselves. When it is pointed out by friends and their respective parents, they laugh it off because Aditi dreams of marrying a ‘stud’, someone who is tough and aggressive, completely unlike how Jai is. And Jai dreams of marrying a soft romantic girl, completely unlike what Aditi is.

After making up their minds that they don’t wish to marry each other, they promise to set each other up with their desired mates. As they are pointing out various prospective suitors to each other at a disco, Jai spots a girl and it is love at first sight for him. Watching him falling in love with Meghna (Manjari Fadnis) releases dormant feelings that Aditi was so far unaware of. She goes ahead and gets engaged. Its only when they see each other with their partners do they realize that they actually feel far more than friendship for the other.

Imran Khan is a find! He rocks, and how! He rightfully fills the young, chocolate-boy slot that has been laying vacant for a while now. A natural in front of the camera, the fleeting scenes where his inexperience shows fit beautifully into the script and his character. He is confident; immensely talented and it was such a relief to see a fresh faced, normal and causally clothed hero who is such a change from the ripped bodies, chiseled faces, perfectly teased and moussed locks and designer - clothed debutant heroes we’ve had so far.

Genelia is pretty, sparkling, very spontaneous and livens up each shot. Just wished she had polished her Hindi and diction, though.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Jayant Kriplani and Anuradha Patel, on screen after so long, playing Aditi’s parents.

Ratna Pathak Shah playing Jai’s widowed Mum is a sheer delight and Naseeruddin Shah playing Jai’s dead father (tacked to the wall, in photo frame no less!) makes you guffaw with his clever lines.

The fresh faced youngsters who play Jai and Aditi’s friends are an immensely cute bunch, with a special mention to ‘Jiggy’.

Very interesting cameos by Pratiek Babbar (Smita Patil and Raj Babbar’s son) who though slightly awkward, has a laced with wit part, making you smile each time he comes on screen.

Sohail Khan and Arbaaz Khan’s amusing sudden appearances make you guffaw and wish they stayed on for a wee bit longer.

For a debut directorial effort, Abbas Tyrewala has done a good job. And he has the potential to improve with each future project.

The plot is nothing new and liberally dotted with clichés. What makes this film work is the brilliant casting, well-etched characters, controlled and effortless performances, believable and identifiable circumstances and the screenplay that keeps coming up with something surprising each time you think you interest might wane. With immensely hum able music (A R Rehman) and catchy lyrics (Abbas Tyrewala) adding to its charm.

My Rating ****

My very own Rating Chart.

* I want my money back + a fully booked and paid 3 month trip to _________(please fill in a destination of choice)

** I don’t want my money back even though I didn’t like the movie, but director/producer may please pay for my popcorn/samosa/parking.

*** Time and money both well spent!

**** Loved it!

***** Whistle, clap, even smile at irritating neighbor-who-kept-talking-on-cell phone, queue up to buy tickets again and extol virtues of the movie.