Bollywood's Spoof in 2007

As an all-out entertainer, there is no beating "Om Shanti Om", starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade, Arjun Rampal and Kirron Kher (that's the latest spelling of her name). The first half is a spoof on Bollywood movies in the 70s, which is absolutely hilarious. Shah Rukh Khan may be going through an "unpopular-with-his-peers" phase right now, but this movie is really one of his best in terms of entertainment. There was much talk about how he had developed his six-pack abs just for this movie, showcased in the song 'Dard e Disco', but personally I feel you should keep your eyes shut tight till the number is over.

One controversy related to this movie, which is still raging, is a spoof on yesteryear actor, Manoj Kumar, who has taken umbrage and gone to court seeking to delete the offensive scenes. Sometimes, it's not such a good idea to copy the real onto the reel.

'Om Shanti Om' copies the ending of 'Madhumati', a film of the 50s (1958 to be precise) without giving it any credit. To those who might be interested in the art and craft of Bollywood movie making in the 50s, 'Madhumati' is worth a watch for many reasons. It has amazing music, it stars the great acting talent, Dilip Kumar with Vyjanthimala and is directed by Bimal Roy, who knew his craft so well that he was a legend in his times.

Fillip to Women's Hockey in Bollywood

Since the world's eyes are presently fixed on the sport's arena, it would be fitting to talk about "Chak De", a feel-good movie on women's hockey in India. It's a movie that gives you a glimpse into the sheer diversity of people, languages and culture in India. It is an enjoyable movie even while it gives a realistic portrayal of the problems that plague women's hockey in India - of building a cohesive national team with players who identify more with their region than the nation, the lack of communication due to the language barrier and difference in backgrounds, the disinterest of officials in a girls' team and most of all, the lack of support for what is supposed to be the national sport of India, which just does not generate the big bucks and interest the way cricket does.

'Chak De', which loosely translated means 'go for it', is based on the true story of Mir Ranjan Negi, former hockey goalkeeper and coach, who faced the ignominy of match-fixing charges after India's disastrous defeat to Pakistan in the 1982 Asian Games. Shah Rukh Khan essays this role with a passion and conviction that makes the predictable end seem possible.

As I said, it's an enjoyable movie and for all young ladies in India, the 'McDonald's scene' in the movie is one of the most enjoyable.

Bollywood's Hit, Definitely a Miss

The numbers game is always played out in Bollywood - who's number one, two and zero among the actors? The one who delivers the most hits is naturally The Number One, in popularity and earnings. The current favorite appears to be Akshay Kumar, who's been around for some time but only really gained recognition in recent times due to his excellent comic timing. Apart from this, his USP lies in the fact that he does all his stunts and doesn't use a double.

Having said all that, I completely fail to understand why his recent movie "Singh is Kinng" was such a resounding success. The only redeeming features are Katrina Kaif's beauty and Snoop Dogg's rendition of the title song. Even the reviewers seem to have got it right. As one of them put it, "this isn't worth your car fuel or cola-corn double whammy". However, when you look at the director, Anees Bazmee, you begin to get the picture. His film "Welcome", also starring Akshay Kumar, has a similar feel and is as avoidable.

It's a sign of the times that there were Sikh protests in Amritsar against this movie, even though the makers had tried to ensure that the community found nothing objectionable about the depiction of the Sikhs. There was a time when Sikhs were known to have a good laugh at themselves and enjoy "Sardarji" jokes just as much as the next person, which stemmed from the fact that they were pretty much secure and happy with who they were. Now a small minority seem to have lost their sense of humor. Let's hope they remain a minority!

'Jodha Akbar', a Bollywood epic

A movie,which has two of the best looking actors in Bollywood, is 'Jodha Akbar'. It has Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan in the roles of a Hindu princess and the Mughal ruler, Akbar. It is a movie that is more of a fictionalized love story than one based on historical facts. Before its release, this movie generated quite a bit of controversy related to its adherence to historical fact. The angle that the director of the movie, Ashutosh Gowarikar, wanted to explore was the human, romantic one - what must it have been like for a Rajput Hindu princess to be married to a Muslim ruler. In my opinion, while it is true that Akbar was an enlightened Mughal ruler and some of that is shown in the movie, whether he would have paid quite so much attention to a particular queen when he had countless others and concubines too is a moot point. Especially as he was supposed to have married her for political considerations rather than any personal reason. However, it is a tantalizing glimpse into what may have been, except that historians are not privy to such matters.

For its sheer pageantry and portrayal of that period in Indian history, this movie could easily rival Hollywood's 'Troy', even if it does not have its pathos.The songs have beautiful lyrics by Javed Akhtar, one of the finest lyricists in the industry and the music composed by the renowned A.R.Rahman is outstanding, especially my favorite 'Khwaja Mere Khwaja', a Sufi devotional song. For those interested, there are many translations available on the Net of this song.

Independence Day with Bollywood movie "Pinjar"

Today is Independence Day for India.

Though many movies have been made on this period of India's history, there is none so poignant as 'Pinjar' (2003), based on a novel with the same name by Amrita Pritam, a renowned Punjabi writer. Her sensitivity to the social issues of her time always found voice in the incredible beauty and artistry of her poetry and novels, even if much of it got lost in translation. It is a fitting tribute to this depiction of the Partition days that the movie is being screened today by one of the TV channels.

The euphoria of the historic moment of independence was marred by the pain, bloodshed and turbulence that followed from the partition of the country into India and Pakistan. A sensitive movie on what qualifies as recent history is worth a watch, even if only to realize the sheer repetitiveness and futility of intolerance.

India in Bollywood Movies

This is a call to all 'serious' Indian filmmakers. Could you please make movies that focus on the good that is in India? We have movies on widows, poverty, caste etc. and nothing that captures indefatigable spirit , joie de vivre of India and its people, for instance. I can't think of a single positive movie about India on the 'serious' circuit, the kind of movies that get sent off to film festivals around the world, purporting to show other inhabitants of planet earth 'the real India'. I wrack my brains but I'm unable to come up with any movies that defy the stereotypes of Indian life, which exist in the minds of people abroad. Anyone know of any?

I'm all for movies that highlight social evils in the hope of prompting public debate and action but a one-sided view of any society or country is an anomaly that needs to be corrected. There is absolutely no country that is perfect. Granted there are some that seem to have it all but when you visit them, you back out of there so fast, the immigration official blinks at your return. They seem to lack that aliveness and vibrancy that immediately engulfs you the moment you step on Indian soil. So let's have movies that allow an intense love-hate relationship (there's plenty to hate too) with the country, that's far better than what-an-awful-place type of movies.

The Spirit of India in Bollywood

If there are 2 movies that quite capture the timeless essence of India, its spiritual core, they are 'Guide' (1965) and 'Benares' (2006). "Guide", which starred Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman was an absolutely amazing movie for its time and it will never lose its relevance. That's because the movie simply and masterfully shows the play of darkness and light that exists in every human being and how this play forges the twists and turns in the lives of the two protagonists. There is no one to blame, there is no black and white and that was the tremendous strength of the story. The ending too is so totally believable of all that is India, the truths uttered at the very end resonate with the ancient truths of our land.

The believable factor is also what makes "Benaras" outstanding. Urmila Matondkar shines in her restrained performance. This movie gives a glimpse of what India is all about, the good and the bad. As a bonus, the movie is a visual treat. When you see it, you will understand what I mean.