30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 26-30

And finally!!! The last five songs of my 30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge picks!

Day 26 - A song you play when you're happy:

"Panchhi Banoon" from Chori Chori (1956) is THE happiest song ever. Can you seriously listen to it without smiling or wanting to skip through fields and forests?




Day 27 - A song you play when you're sad:

I love a lot of sad songs, but "Tere Bina Zindagi" from Aandhi (1975) is hauntingly beautiful ...




Day 28 - A song that makes you laugh:

"Ek Chatur Nar" from Padosan (1968) is the ultimate ... Mehmood is the KING but Kishore Kumar and Sunil Dutt are awesome as well. What a team and what a fantastic movie!




Day 29 - A song you can relate to:

"Ae Dil Dil Ki Duniya Mein" from Yaadein (2001) is not necessarily a great song, and the picturization is seriously odd (why are people rocking out to this sad, slow song at the club?), but there was a time when I really could relate to the lyrics - particularly the part about 'bahar koi hasta hai, andar koi rota hai' (on the outside they laugh, but on the inside they are crying).




Day 30 - A favorite song that is picturized on the legend that is Amitabh Bachchan:

I love SOOO many Amitabh songs so it was really, really hard to choose one as a favorite, but "Dekha Na Haye Re" from Bombay to Goa (1972) is definitely one of the top ones on my list. And hey, I can really see where Abhishek Bachchan gets his fashion sense from ...

Thanks for sticking with me through this challenge ... I'm looking forward to trying the same with Tamil songs next!

30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 21-25

More of the Bollywood Soundtrack 30-Day Challenge ...

Day 21 - A difficult song that you wish you could sing:

It was a toss up between "Jhoote Naina" and "Suniyo Ji" from Lekin (1991) - both are gorgeous, difficult classically-based songs. Suniyo Ji is probably more difficult technically, but I absolutely love Jhoote Naina. I'm more of an Asha Bhosle fan than Lata Mangeshkar (though both are phenomenal and unique in their own ways), and I could practice forever and never get those perfect little trills that Asha does in Jhoote Naina!




Day 22 - A song that you know the whole routine and choreography to:

There's a lot of songs that I've memorized the dances to - particularly girl dances by Madhuri Dixit and Aishwariya Rai (think "Piya Ghar Aaya", "Thodasa Pagla" and "Dhola Re Dhola", for example) ... but then I also love to watch the totally random moves of background dancers in songs and memorize a lot of those too. And then there's the aerobic ridiculousness of the Sridevi-Jeetendra routines from the 80s -- "Ek Aankh Marun" from Tohfa (1984) is one of my favorites and yes I do have every single one of these nonsensical moves memorized.




Day 23 - A song that you dedicate to your friends:

"Thodisi Jo Peeli Hai" from Namak Halal (1982) will always remind me of one of the best parties I've ever been to, at which our group of friends actually partied to this song on the dance floor!




Day 24 - A song that no one would expect you to love:

"Zubi Zubi" from Dance Dance (1987) is a pretty random song to love. Amrish Puri is beyond creepy in it too. But I have a remix of it on my iPod and I've been known to put it on repeat on occasion.




Day 25 - A song that reminds you of your childhood:

"O Gopala" from Gopaal Krishna (1979) was choreographed by my mom back in the early 80s for a large group of her students in Canada. I think I was about five or six years old the first time I performed it, and I still remember the entire dance! I love this song.



More to come and sorry the updates have been so spaced out!

30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 16-20

Here's more of my picks for the 30 Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge!

Day 16 - A song that you would potentially have at your wedding as a first dance:

I actually used a Tamil song for my first dance at my wedding ("Vaseegara" from Minnale) and am 100% satisfied with the song we had, it was perfect for us and is still super meaningful. But let's pretend that any Hindi song would have been in the running for our first dance ... I would have probably chosen the title song from Yeh Vaada Raha (1982). It's just CLASSIC.



Day 17 - A song that you know all the words to:

Honestly, the answer to this would be ALL the songs from ALL the early 90s soundtracks - Maine Pyar Kiya, Baaghi, Aashiqui, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Patthar Ke Phool, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, etc. etc. PLUS many of the older songs my sisters and I used to perform with our band back in the 90s ... but I'll just use "Antakshari" from Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) as a sample ...




Day 18 - Favorite patriotic song:

"Mere Watan Se Achha" from Ladki (1955) is definitely my favorite -- I ADORE Vyjayanthimala (she was my mom's favorite actress and it rubbed off on me) and my mom actually set this up for us one year when we were dancing for India's Independence Day. Lots of fond memories.




Day 19 - A song you love but are embarrassed to admit it:

"Disco Bhangra" from Ganga Jamuna Saraswati (1988) is a complete travesty, I know. The Michael Jackson outfit (complete with glove), the awkward choreography and the clearly out-of-comfort-zone Amitabh are just cringe-inducing. And yet something about this song is catchy!




Day 20 - A song picturized on your favorite yesteryear/current Bollywood star male/female:

"Aa Meri Jaan" from Chandni (1989) isn't necessarily one of my favorite songs but I do love the picturization ... Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor are indeed my absolute favorite actors and can be considered both yesteryear and current! Both started films at a very young age and had huge successes in the 70s and 80s (yesteryear) and both are currently filming various projects. I also think that they both did a tremendous job in this song ... Rishi's vulnerability and sadness is so beautifully subtle, and Sridevi's determination to smile through her tears shows Chandni's unique strength.

More to come! Please do come back and visit soon!

Quick Take: Ooh La La - Tu Hi Meri Fantasy ... the wannabe

So I listened to the "Ooh La La - Tu Hi Meri Fantasy" track from The Dirty Picture (Silk Smitha biopic starring Vidya Balan) today and at first I really liked what I was hearing. The music perfectly evoked the crazy, glittery feel of the 80s. I was envisioning stacks of matkas, brightly dressed background girls, etc.

But then as the song went on, it sort of went downhill for me. One issue being the lyrics ... I really feel like they could have come up with better than throwing in the word "Fantasy", and the "Ooh La La" just seemed like a cop-out.

And then by the first music interlude, I realized what they had done. They had simply taken an existing song from the 80s and played around with it a little, changed the lyrics, and OUILA!

Here's the original song:



And here's what they did with it:



You see? Come on, guys ... you mean you can't come up with an ORIGINAL song that evokes that time?

30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 11-15

It's time for more of the 30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge ... a fun way to share meaningful songs and your own personal memories with them!

Here are my picks for Days 11-15:

Day 11 - A song that can potentially be used as a chat-up line:

"Aati Kya Khandala" from Ghulam (1998) is my unequivocal pick for this one. I totally LOVE Tapori!Aamir, and when this song came out ALL the 'Roadside Romeos were singing it.



Day 12 - A song to express matters from the heart:

"Main Shayar To Nahin" from Bobby (1973) was the first song that came to mind that fits this category. I love the way that instant, innocent puppy love-at-first-sight Raj feels for Bobby brings out so much raw emotion in him.



Day 13 - A song to express a broken heart:

I have a lot of favorite 'Dard Bhare Geet' songs ... I sometimes like to put them on when I'm cutting onions so I can attempt to do the 'single pretty tear' like Rani Mukherjee. "Ya Rabba" from Salaam-E-Ishq (2007) is my favorite song to listen to when I'm in a melancholy mood.



Day 14 - Your favorite song or the closest thing to it:

"Tujh Mein Kya Hai Deewane" from Bade Dil Wala (1982) was my absolute favorite song when I was six years old. I STILL love it and have it on my iPod, and listen to it pretty often, so I'd say that's the closest thing to an all-time favorite song I've got.



Day 15 - An English song that has been covered by Bollywood:

There are SO many songs in this category, and there's a lot that I love regardless of how ridiculously they've been copied (cough cough, "Oye Oye"). "Aate Jaate" from Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) is sort of iconic for Hindi Film fans, but everyone knows (and doesn't care) that it's shamelessly lifted from "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder.

Stay tuned for Days 16-20!

30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 6-10

The 30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge is a little game I found on Facebook where for each day you are supposed to list a song that fits a certain category for you. It's fun because it's personal but also makes you think about and remember certain songs.

BollyBloggers like Beth Loves Bollywood, ApunBindaas, Totally Filmi and Dolce and Namak have all been listing their favorites on their blogs or twitter too - be sure to check out their choices!

Here's more of my 30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge ... enjoy!


Day 6 - A song you can chill to:

Okay, so this one is admittedly a remix, but I love it! My choice for best song to chill to is "Dil Kya Kare" from Julie (1975)




Day 7 - A song you like dancing to:

My sister actually choreographed the "Spirit of Rangeela" music from Rangeela (1995) back in our college days ... in Bharata Natyam, not the red spandex dance style Urmila does here. But I love the upbeat, funky music combined with totally traditional classical dance moves - it really works somehow.




Day 8 - Favorite item number:

Now I love Munni and Sheila and all, but when it comes to item numbers, no one can beat Helen. My favorite is definitely "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" from Caravan (1971). As my bestie @jb0413 says, it doesn't get any better than a song with a giant birdcage and slide in it.




Day 9 - Favorite song from a Yash Raj movie:

It's hard to choose because I think the most epically romantic songs are all from Yash Raj movies ... but I think I'd have to go with "Nila Aasmaan" from Silsila (1981). Amitabh's voice is just soooo smooth.




Day 10 - Favorite song that is often played at Indian weddings:

Without a doubt, it's "Jhoote Dedo Paise Lelo" from Hum Aapke Hai Koun (1994). Not only is it fun and cute, but it has a specific purpose in Indian weddings -- I've been to so many weddings where they play this song as the bride's side and the groom's side fight & negotiate over the shoes (including one that turned into a full out CHASE on a hillside with people throwing the shoe like a football).



My song choices for Days 11-15 will be up soon!

30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge - Days 1-5

So back in July I discovered the 30-Day Bollywood Soundtrack Challenge on Facebook and it sounded like too much fun so I had to participate. Obviously, I haven't completed this effort in 30 days, since it's now late October and I still haven't finished. But I've been having so much fun thinking of the various songs that I decided to also share them on twitter with the hashtag #30DayBollySongChallenge and was THRILLED when fun, fearless bloggers like Beth Loves Bollywood, ApunBindaas and Totally Filmi as well as tweeters like @dolce_and_namak and @elegnt_hedgehg joined in the fun!

These guys were putting their song choices into blog posts, which I realized was an excellent way to keep record of them for posterity. So I dug way back into my Facebook timeline to find my earliest choices for this challenge, and here they are!

30 DAY BOLLYWOOD SOUNDTRACK CHALLENGE

Day 1: A song that makes you happy:

"Zindagi Milke Bitayenge" is from my all-time favorite movie Satte Pe Satta (1982), and I cannot listen to it without getting a huge cheesy smile on my face.



Day 2: A song that makes you sad:

"Jidhar Dekhoon" sung by Amitabh Bachchan himself from the movie Mahaan (1983) is beautiful and heartwrenching.

*unfortunately there are no embeddable links to this song on YouTube, but click the song title above to link to the song*

Day 3: A song you like driving to:

"O Mere Dil Ke Chain" from Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972) - it's that R.D. Burman bongo beat + Kishore Kumar's voice that gets me.



Day 4 - A song you like walking to:

"Khatooba" from Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor (1980) ... it's pretty random but I have an awesome remix of it on my iPod that it's especially good for when I need to walk fast.



Day 5 - A song that reminds you of someone:

"Mera Laung Gawacha" from Naagmani (1991) will forever remind me of the Jajoo Sisters - three sisters that lived in the Metro Detroit area that were famous for dancing this song back when we were teens.



So there are my first 5 choices. What would you choose? Please feel free to join in the fun either on Facebook, Twitter or on your own blog!

My favorite Amitabh comedy scenes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMITABH BACHCHAN!!! 

In honor of the ultimate superstar's birthday, I've combed through YouTube to find my favorite comedy scenes of his from over the years ... there are far too many to really do justice to his abilities, but these are the ones I always think of and come back to ... enjoy!


Stupid Little Puppy - LAAWAARIS


Angrezi Nahin Aata Hai - KHUDDAR


I Can Walk English - NAMAK HALAL


also the famous 'makhee' scene! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkcaJgjHlx0

Humein Tumhare Soorat Pasand Nahin - SHAHENSHAH


Bahut Khatarnak Machine Hai - YAARANA


Daaru Peene Se Liver Kharaab Ho Jaata Hai - SATTE PE SATTA


Ek Kamra Milega - SHAAN


Two Type Cockroach in World - HUM


Suresh - DO AUR DO PAANCH


Wishing Amit-ji many, many, many happy returns of the day and health and success for years to come!

Song of the Day: COLUMBUS COLUMBUS!

Happy Columbus Day!!!

From me, Prasanth and Prasanth ...

Columbus from Jeans (1998)

Addendum: Salman is an equal-opportunity dupatta-lover

So in my last post I theorized that Salman Khan has a 'thing' for green dupattas on the basis of "Jhoote Dedo Paise Lelo" from Hum Aapke Hai Koun (1994) and "O Hare Dupattewali" from Sanam Bewafa (1991).

But after thinking about this a little further, I realized I was unfairly assigning him with a fetish. Because really if you think about, Salman loves all kinds of dupattas:

Lal Dupatta - Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004)

Odhni Odh Ke Nachoon - Tere Naam (2003)


Dupatta Tera Nau Rang Da - Partner (2007)


Chunari Chunari - Biwi No. 1 (1999)


Odh Li Chunariya - Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998)


Lal Chunariya - God Tussi Great Ho (2008)


Teri Chunariya - Hello Brother (1999)


So clearly, Sallu is an equal opportunity lover of dupattas, chunaris, odhnis, etc. of all shades of the rainbow.

Sallu's penchant for Green Dupattas

The other day I was joking about potential Bollywood Quiz questions in response to CurryBear's fake-out question "What color was Madhuri Dixit's dupatta in ..." and I suggested that it COULD be a real question. Quick - without looking up the video or your DVD cover or any pictures - What color was Madhuri's dupatta in Jhoote Dedo Paise Lelo from Hum Aapke Hai Koun? It does kind of make you think.

But it's sort of an easy question ... I mean he DOES specifically say it in the first line of the song - "Dulhe ki saaliyon oh hare dupattewaliyon."

Which also led me to think of the other song where Salman Khan specifically notices the 'hare dupattewali'. And I just had to share this with everyone!

So here we go - 2 songs in which Salman sings about green dupattas. Fetish?

Jhoote Dedo Paise Lelo - Hum Aapke Hai Koun (1994)


O Hare Dupattewali - Sanam Bewafa (1991)

Quick Takes: What I've seen lately ...

It's been busy, busy, busy around here lately. End of the summer meant no more school/camp for the kiddo (which means no break for mommy), we moved to the suburbs and are still climbing over boxes and unpacking, etc. Then I spent a week at home in Detroit helping my husband's niece settle in at University of Windsor (Canada). It's been a lot of running around and falling into bed exhausted at the end of the night.

But anyway, that doesn't mean that I haven't been watching movies. I have been. A good amount, actually. Not many count as true 'Bollystalgia' material, since they aren't old or favorite films, but I thought I'd just share what I've seen lately and my quick thoughts on them:

Patiala House (2011)
A pretty solid film, though a touch melodramatic at times. I am not a fan of Akshay Kumar, but I'm beginning to like these films in which he plays a loser - he does it well. Anushka Sharma is cute and charming in her role, though I am not fond of the blue-gray/hazel contacts. Of course, the highlight of the film for me was Rishi Kapoor. I love him so much that it's very, very hard for me to see him as the antagonist, but he is such a beautiful, skilled actor and I am so glad his career is still going strong. Overall, a good film - worth seeing.

Kaavalan (2011)
This film is, as most people know, the Tamil version of the Malayalam film Bodyguard (recently remade in Hindi with Salman Khan - I can't wait to see it!). For the most part it seemed like your typical Vijay stuff - fight scenes, romance, etc. Nothing astounding. The ending had quite a twist though and I was surprised by it. So I'll say the film was memorable compared to most other Vijay films. Asin was the usual - cute but not extraordinary. I'm looking forward to the Hindi one to see what Salman brings to it.

 We Are Family (2010)
I know this is unbelievable, but I don't think this movie was as bad as everyone made it out to be. I really liked the original Hollywood movie (Stepmom) and thought it had good material for a Hindi remake - but honestly the casting was just all wrong. I wish KJo had cast Kajol in the Julia Roberts role and chosen a mature woman for the Susan Sarandon role - someone like Madhuri Dixit for example. Anyway, I watched this film expecting to hate Kareena Kapoor, like I always do. I ended up finding her the most tolerable of the three lead actors. I didn't expect much from Arjun Rampal so I wasn't shocked when he didn't perform well, but Kajol was just awful. Unfortunately they stripped away all the complexity of Susan Sarandon's character and made Kajol's character really annoying. And yes, the "Jailhouse Rock" song was indeed a travesty. But the movie as a whole was ... ok. Very, very flawed, but still interesting. I think the standout from the film was Aanchal Munjal as the eldest of the three kids - Aleya. She even looked like Jena Malone!

Seedan (2011)
I saw this film a while ago actually, but I thought I'd throw it in here. I found it interesting and somewhat different from your typical Tamil hero flicks. Ananya plays the lead and I thought she was really cute - though she did remind me quite a bit of Devyani (not one of my favorite actresses). I'm not a fan of Dhanush, but his character was quite special in this - no spoilers but I figured it out as soon as he appeared. The film deals with loss of faith in God after 'love-failure' and how it is restored. Not particularly profound or anything, but I just thought the film was simple and sweet and different, so I enjoyed it. Apparently it was a remake of the Malayalam film Nandanam (starring Prithviraj).

Siruthai (2011)
Don't you just love that picture of Karthi? It makes the film look a lot more rocking than it was. But don't get me wrong, it was fairly good. Masala-goodness with the likeable Karthi in a double-role (which requires the filmi suspension of belief about two totally unrelated people looking exactly alike) and Kareena Kapoor Tamannah taking care of the glamour quotient. The first half was very light-hearted and fun while the second half was heavy handed with fighting and emotional drama. Most memorable was the song 'Chellam Inda Chellam' picturized on the beach.


 
HouseFull (2010)
The first time I tried to watch the movie, I failed miserably ... somewhere around the point where Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh get electrocuted and the vacuum cleaner sucks up Lara Dutta's pet bird. But the second time around I actually surprised myself by enjoying portions of it. It definitely got a few snickers out of me, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it a good movie. It's not even decent. It's silly, slapsticky and nonsensical - which is all great when you're in the right mood for it. But still, the Tamil film Kadhala Kadhala - from which HouseFull borrows many, many scenes and situations - was FAR superior. I mean, Akki and Riteish can never be even close to as hilarious as the combination of Kamal Haasan and Prabhu Deva. Kadhala Kadhala is still one of my favorite Tamil movies to date and is truly hilarious. But HouseFull was brainless fun - and again, loser!Akki works for me.

Vaanam (2011)
I caught this film on Sun TV soon after we moved into our new place (and got Dish Network - woo hoo!) and was almost instantly sucked in. This was one of those films where multiple storylines are all running at the same time until they all converge in the climax. Running around are Simbu, Bharath, Anushka Shetty, Prakash Raaj and several other characters. There's so much going on that you end up a bit overwhelmed but it all comes together neatly at the end. A really, really interesting film and I highly recommend it. Standouts were Anushka Shetty in a somewhat coarser role than I would expect from her, and of course Prakash Raaj (he's so awesome!).

Peranmai (2009)
This film was quite a surprise! Another one I caught on SunTV, I found it very different. Jeyam Ravi, who I've always seen as a 'chocolate hero' TOTALLY buffed himself up for this film. It's unbelievable! And he displays it quite prominently (read: NEKKID) in the beginning of the film. But it also stars a cast of young women who are in training as NCC Cadets - a striking difference from the glamour girls we usually see in Tamil films. Not only are these girls in training for physical combat, but they are also mean, spiteful, spoiled young girls who mistreat Jeyam Ravi's character for being of a tribal cast. Even the one girl we see as having a soft spot for Jeyam Ravi ends up betraying him pretty badly. Luckily for all of us, nothing brings people on opposite sides together like a little national threat - i.e. foreigners trying to sabotage India's fab new satellite launch. Jeyam Ravi is incredible in this - he's acted beautifully and physically transformed himself beyond any of our current, working action heroes. Color me impressed!

Mankatha (2011)
This is the first Indian film I've seen at the theatre in a while and I was super excited to see it! It was quite a whirlwind of a film too. I must say that by the end my head & eyes were actually aching from the furious pace of the editing and effects - it was a bit too much for me. But the stunts and action sequences were great. I also want to mention how pleasing it was to see two solidly middle-aged heroes (Ajith Kumar and Arjun) playing roles that were MEANT to be middle-aged. Ajith's new salt-and-pepper look was actually kind of hot! And 'Action King' Arjun looks slimmer and more fit than before. The film was a bit convoluted but reminded me a bit of Ocean's Eleven, The Fast Five and Sin City at different times. Some of the side characters were particularly compelling (Vaibhav Reddy as Sumanth, for example). Trisha was totally unnecessary in the film but I enjoyed the song sequence where the background kept morphing (I called it the HGTV/Ikea commercial song). I was disturbed by the pairing though - even though he's supposed to be much older than her, they just looked creepy together. Overall though the film was totally entertaining and great action fun, but man, if your eyes can't handle craziness then watch out!

Race (2008)
We ended up watching Race right after we came home from Mankatha because a family friend said that it was along similar lines. We stayed up until 3 a.m. watching it - which I'm still not sure was worth it or not. It was painful waking up the next morning. Anyway, there were definitely things about Race I really enjoyed - the tension between the brothers (Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna), Akshaye as a baddie, EVERYONE as a baddie, Anil Kapoor as the fruit-loving cop, the slickness of it, guessing the twists, etc. But I think I started to lose it at the 3rd or 4th twist. I think it had a ton of potential and was definitely entertaining, but ultimately my favorite bits were ditzy Sameera Reddy and Johny Lever's cameo. Verdict? Fun but not amazing or re-watchable.

Anyway so that's it. I have a couple posts a-brewing and now that the kid is starting school maybe I'll actually find some time to organize my thoughts and write them!

Song of the Day: Blister in the Sun, but BETTER! - Manam Virumbuthe from Nerukku Ner

The other night I was watching one of those 'hit song hours' on Jaya Max (can I just say how much I LOVE having Tamil channels through Dish Network?), and this song came on. I had almost completely forgotten about how much I love this song! Yes, ok, the lifted part from 'Blister in the Sun' is sort of silly, and the main part is copied from Thyagaraja's Manavyalakim (Carnatic/Classical song), but still - when this song came out EVERYONE was humming it.

Simran (one of my favorite Tamil actresses - ok I know she's not Tamil, but she was by and large, a Tamil film star) looks totally GORGEOUS and super young in it - I love her! And I actually cracked up laughing when Surya walks on-screen ... I had forgotten how absolutely teeny he was in Nerukku Ner (1997). Even if you don't watch the whole song, you HAVE to check out the part at about 1:10 when Surya walks in and strikes a pose.

The sidey girls are kind of hilarious in this too. It's like they purposely sought out the homeliest girls in all of India. It's almost sad when they make them gyrate like that (and a bit frightening too). I'm not sure what the random Kathakali dancers and the Elephant are doing there towards the end of the song, but whatevs.

I LOVE Harini's voice too ... she's so young but her classical touches are so lovely. She sounds really sweet. Githa from Words from a Lotus reminded me that there was an Unnikrishnan version of this song on the album that never made it in the film. Hahaha ... I would have loved to see a Baby Surya version of this!

Enjoy!

We'll never forget you Shammi-ji! - Shammi Kapoor Unplugged

This weekend Hindi filmdom lost one of it's brightest shining stars - Shammi Kapoor. He finally is at peace as he passed away from renal failure this weekend. As part of Kapoor Khazana, I had created a small tribute to him earlier on this blog - my Dance Like A Kapoor: Shammi Kapoor post!

I also wanted to share a wonderful video series that's available on YouTube - where you can hear about Shammi and his life adventures in his own words.



As his Wikipedia entry notes, "Tall, athletic, lively, fair complexioned, green-eyed and with handsome features, Shammi was a heartthrob, and his good looks and physique complemented his image" ... and yet he was so much more than that. He was a spiritual, positive person with gratitude for the gift of life -- that's something we can all learn from. I also loved that he was one of the few from his generation that truly embraced the internet age, having set up and managed a website dedicated to the Kapoor Family as well as posting regularly on Twitter. One of his recent tweets stated:

 

 SIGH. Shammi-ji will definitely be missed - but never, ever forgotten!

When Rishi went cray-cray ... or DID he? - Badaltey Rishtey (1978)

Photo credit: desiradio.com

Love triangles and janam-patrikas ... complex stuff indeed. These are some of the main elements thrown out there in Badaltey Rishtey (1978) starring Rishi Kapoor, Reena Roy and Jeetendra. Love triangles are a typical Bollywood plot device, and one that has enraptured audiences for ages. Hell, they even enrapture the youth of America (Twilight, anyone?). But Badaltey Rishtey is a slightly twisted love triangle film, with a twist.

Manohar Dhani (Rishi Kapoor) is a happy-go-lucky orphan who works multiple jobs (among them, doing guided tours of Simla) while pursuing his graduate degree. A chance meeting with Savitri (Reena Roy) at the train station results in love at first sight, at least for Manohar.  Savitri requires some woo-ing, and if you know Rishi like I do, woo-ing is what he does best. Manohar, being a crafty, resourceful fellow, poses as a delivery Ande-wallah (egg-seller) to visit Savitri daily until he is able to charm her into meeting him. Savitri, seeing his sweet nature and optimism despite the fact that he is alone in life, falls in love with him. Hurray!

Photo credit: guyanafriends.com

 Oh wait. Because Savitri is such a perfect, delicate flower, she also attracts the attention of Sagar (Jeetendra), a wealthy businessman whose family lives in Simla. Savitri, coming from a modest family, teaches music to earn a living. She lives with her aging mother and her brother (Asrani) who works as a painting contractor. One of her students, Prema (Rachna Bhatt), happens to be Sagar's younger sister. Savitri arrives for Prema's lesson just as Sagar has returned home, and literally falls into his arms (she's a klutz! It's so attractive, just like Bella from Twilight!). Then Prema plays a recording of Savitri singing, and Sagar is a goner.

He begins moping around the house, listening to the recording over and over and painting pictures of Savitri. When he attends Savitri's music performance, he insists that she must sing the song for his sake, and gets all googly eyes when she does, not knowing she is singing to Manohar.



His sister-in-law (played by the delightful Shoba Khote) notes what's going on and resolves to get him together with Savitri. Sagar also loans a large sum of money to Savitri's brother, who he seems to vaguely be friends with. Clearly there are ulterior motives for his generosity.

Sagar's sister-in-law approaches Savitri's mother (Dina Pathak) with a proposal, and the mother is absolutely thrilled. She feels that their family astrologer's predictions for them to attain wealth is finally being realized. Savitri refuses the proposal because she is already in love with Manohar, and her mother immediately uses her 'Maa' powers to summon a heart attack and get herself hospitalized to get back at Savitri. The mother's illness had also been predicted by the astrologer, down to the exact date.

Meanwhile on a romantic romp in the snow, Manohar is seriously injured and hospitalized. Savitri is distraught, and her guilt increases when her friend tells her another aspect to her astrological predictions -- Savitri is destined to marry, but her husband will be in grave danger for the first 40 days of their marriage and could possibly die. After that, she will be married and live happily ever after. Dun Dun Dunnnnnnnnnnn!!!!

Photo credit: zulm.net

Unable to bear the thought of causing Manohar's death and succumbing to intense pressure from her ill mother, Savitri agrees to marry Sagar, but only after telling him about her predicted fate. Sagar is so besotted that he decides to take the risk and marry her anyway. Whatta guy! Leaving Manohar alone with his godfather in the hospital, Savitri marries Sagar. As they leave their wedding, Sagar helps a stranded car on the road and gets into a horrible accident. He survives without a scratch, and everyone waxes poetic about how Savitri has brought good luck to Sagar.

When Manohar learns that she has left him, he assumes that she betrayed him and married Sagar for his money. Savitri ends up writing Manohar a letter telling him about the prediction for her future, and says she still loves him and that in 40 days if her husband dies, she will come to him. Whaaaa?

The story then takes a wild turn, with Manohar pursuing Savitri relentlessly, pretending to befriend Sagar so he can kill him and reunite with Savitri. Savitri, seeing Manohar's wild behavior, begins to question her love for him. So which guy will survive? Who will Savitri end up with?

Photo credit: Cindy's BollyBlog

While not an astounding or groundbreaking film by any means, I will say that this film held my interest, particularly as Manohar's character starts his descent into madness in the second part of the film. Rishi Kapoor is absolutely darling as Manohar in the beginning, and then becomes increasingly threatening. I love Rishi so much that I actually struggled with seeing him in a negative role! But the entire idea is that Manohar IS charming and could easily befriend anyone, so his underhanded ways go unnoticed by everyone except Savitri. He's adorable, flashing his 1,000-watt smile all the way to the bittersweet end.

A sweater vest to add to the list of awesome Rishi's Knits!

Reena Roy is beautiful but somewhat vapid as Savitri. She spends much of the film with blank, questioning expressions. I did like the fact that Savitri is NOT a perfect character, despite appearances. She is selfish, a bit shady and seems to relish the role of a victim. She does try to redeem herself towards the end, but her choices are definitely not the smartest or most moral. I mean if someone is trying to poison your husband, you really ought to tell someone (preferably the police).



Jeetendra plays the consummate good guy, albeit a bit stalker-ish in the beginning. He's loyal, friendly, upstanding and patient with Savitri. He's the only character of the three that doesn't represent 'shades of gray' between good and bad. Therefore, he is the character I find most boring. The one sort of funny thing about Sagar is how excited he is to get it on with Savitri. He talks incessantly about their 'Suhaag Raat' (honeymoon night, i.e. pow-chicka-pow-pow time), which has been delayed until he survives the 40 days. Talk about foreplay. Sagar is maybe not all that together in the head either, as he talks to his painting of Savitri about how much he wants to DO her. Savitri is a magnet for the crazies!

Photo credit: octoberzine.blogspot.com's also fab recap of this film!

Asrani, Dina Pathak and Shoba Khote put in good supporting performances, and Rachna Bhatt is quite fresh and lovely as the young sister. The songs were more melancholy in nature, though the title song was quite popular at the time. My favorite of the lot is definitely this one - it's funky and fun, and who doesn't love a romp in the snow with Rishi?

As fellow blogger Cindy mentions in her review of this film, as I re-watched this film, I was reminded of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Woh Saat Din. This film does find a way to make you understand and relate to the 'change of heart' far more successfully than those films do, though it is still problematic. It's not a wholly satisfying conclusion, as Cindy also noted, but it does sit a bit better with me than the other two films do.

Photo credit: random google search

It's a film that's worth the watch if you love Rishi, or if you love late 70s fashion (Reena Roy's geometric print sarees are a joy!). Or for the amusement of subtitles like this:

Ahhh, bromance.

Iconic SPB - some of my favorite Bala songs!

There is absolutely no way to really represent all that there is to love about S.P. Balasubramaniam. That booming, powerful, distinctive voice really speaks for itself. I've been to three SPB Concerts in my life, and loved every moment of each one. I would totally go to a million more. I remember the first time I was sitting in the auditorium for his concert ... I closed my eyes as he started singing and inexplicably, Salman Khan's face flashed before my eyes. Damn Raamlaxman! Their use of SPB as the 'voice' of Salman in films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Patthar Ke Phool, and Hum Aapke Hai Koun has permanently fixed a Salman=SPB equation in my mind, even though I don't think it actually suits him at all. You'll note that the end of my playlist below is heavy on Salman songs ... I couldn't help it!

So when Githa of Words from a Lotus mentioned that she was doing SPB Day, I immediately started trying to compile my favorite songs. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I am SUCH a fan of his that it was absolutely impossible for me to do so in a day. So many, many days later, here is my humble playlist of favorite SPB songs. This is by no means a comprehensive list, I'm sure there are many more that I've forgotten, but these were definitely the ones that came to mind first!

I've started with Telugu, Tamil and then Hindi - so it's not quite in a 'real' order, just by language. Enjoy the voice of this LEGEND!



My Favorite SPB Songs Playlist:
 
- Shankara Nada Shareera - Shankarabharanam (1981)
- Nada Vinodamu - Sagara Sangamam (1983)
- Mannil Inda Kadhal - Keladi Kanmani (1990)
- Ilaiyanila - Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982)
- Pani Vizhum Malarvanum - Ninaivellam Nithya (1982)
- Pothi Vecha Malligai- Mannvasanai (1983)
- Punjai Undu Nenjai Undu - Unnal Mudiyam Thambi (1988)
- Kala Kala Magam - Punnagai Mannan (1986)
- Guruvayoorappa - Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal (1989)
- Rathiriyil Poothirikkum - Thanga Magan (1983)
- Priya Priya O Priya- Kattabomman (1993)
- Devi Sri Devi - Vaazhve Mayam (1982)
- Rum Bum Bum - Michael Madana Kamarajan (1990)
- Mettupodu - Duet (1994)
- Madathile - Veera (1994)
- En Veetu Thottathil - Gentleman (1993)
- Oruvan Oruvan - Muthu (1995)
- O Maria - Saagar (1985)
- Dil Deewana - Maine Pyar Kiya (1989)
- Aaja Shaam Hone Aayi - Maine Pyar Kiya (1989)
- Tumse Milne Ki Tamanna Hai - Saajan (1990)
- Tumse Jo Dekhte Hi Pyar Hua - Patthar Ke Phool (1991)
- Sun Beliya - 100 Days (1991)
- Saathiya Tune Kya Kiya - Love (1991)
- Aaja Aaja Give Me A Kiss - Love (1991)
- Pehla Pehla Pyar Hai - Hum Aapke Hai Koun (1994)
- Teri Hi Arzoo - Chandramukhi (1993)

Painting by Venkat Meruvu

Kapoor Khazana: Dance like a Kapoor Playlist! *Karishma Kapoor*

Photo credit: http://filmreviews.bizhat.com

Time to do an extended Kapoor Khazana post in honor of Karishma Kapoor!

I have to preface this by saying I'm not really a fan of Karishma. I really made fun of her like crazy over the years for overacting and being generally awkward. But in retrospect, I like Karishma (aka Lolo) FAR more than her sister Kareena (aka Bebo). Kareena is certainly beautiful, but there's just something so annoying about her personality (or whatever we can tell of her personality). And though I never really liked Karishma's acting, there was never a sense that she wasn't a nice person. She seems more down-to-earth and humble than her sister, which makes me like her a hundred times more than Bebo.

My mom always liked her, strangely. I guess because Karishma's acting style was in line with the actresses of the 50s and 60s, when my mom was growing up. She always said Karishma reminded her of Sadhana, who was a friend of my mom's back in Bombay (and is Karishma's aunt). And whenever I watch old Mala Sinha movies, I totally think of Lolo and Bebo. They must have grown up studying the actresses of that era, and that's what they emulate on-screen.

I will give Karishma credit for being a pretty good dancer. I don't think she as fantastic as a lot of other people thought she was -- there's a certain awkwardness to her posture which makes me critical of her dancing. But then again, I am extremely critical of dancers. So regardless of my nit-picking, she certainly deserves her very own Dance Like a Kapoor Playlist!
*not in chronological order, just in order of how I thought of them*
**no commentary either, because really I don't have much to say except she's amusing.

Main Albeli - Zubeidaa


Mein to Raste Mein Jaa Raha Tha - Coolie No. 1


Husn Hai Suhana - Coolie No. 1


Le Gayi Le Gayi - Dil To Pagal Hai


Jhanjhariya - Krishna


Maiyya Yashoda - Hum Saath Saath Hai


Sona Kitna Sona Hai - Hero No. 1


Pucho Zara Pucho - Raja Hindustani


Aankh Milaoongi - Fiza


Oonchi Hai Building - Judwaa


Deewani - Mere Jeevan Saathi

Kapoor Khazana: Rishi Kapoor - The Heroine's Hero!

There's one thing I find really interesting about Rishi Kapoor's film choices ... his willingness to do heroine-oriented films. Obviously, Bollywood is based in a patriarchal society. Films almost always center around the journey of a HERO - Heroines are often thrown in as just a love interest and not much more. Although Hindi cinema has evolved to a certain point, sadly South Indian films still extremely hero-centric. And since much of Hindi cinema is copied from South Indian cinema (don't take offense, it's been that way for a very long time!), we still see far more films that center on a male protagonist's experiences. In fact, ApunBindaas recently did a very interesting post about Hindi films copied from Hollywood that actually changed the female protagonist into a male one for Indian audiences. It is what it is, and it may take a very long time for the industry at large to change.

But back to Rishi ... if you look over his filmography (particularly as he got older), you will note that Rishi is one actor who has not been afraid to take a male lead role that is primarily just there for the female lead to fall in love with, and the rest of the film centers on her experiences. It's really unusual - I simply can't imagine other leading actors, whether his contemporaries such as Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor or Amitabh Bachchan, or today's heroes like the Khans (SRK, Aamir and Salman), doing films where they weren't the primary focus. But Rishi has done it, time and time again ... and that gives me a strong respect for his confidence in himself and his approach to films.

Here's a list of 10 films that Rishi took a backseat to the heroine - which seriously makes me love him even more!

 
 Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981)
The bulk of this story focuses on Kanchan (Padmini Kohlapuri), a poor young girl who adopts her sister's son after she and her husband tragically die. Rishi plays the husband's younger brother who searches for his long-lost family and ends up falling in love with Kanchan. There's a wide variety of characters (many of whom share the same name) but the movie really follows the journey of Kanchan more than anyone else!

Nagina (1986)
A snake follows her mate beyond the boundaries of species - when a young boy is bitten by her mate and a snake-charmer uses his powers to have the snake pour his soul back into the boy to revive him, the female snake transforms into a human body (Sridevi) to reclaim her love. This movie wholly and completely belongs to Sridevi and I don't think anyone can deny that!

Chandni (1989)
As the title suggests, this movie is all about Chandni (Sridevi). Rishi plays her primary love interest, Rohit, who gets hurt in an accident and then begins to push her away in a twisted attempt at selflessness. Unfortunately by the time he comes to his senses, he has a rival for Chandni in Lalit (Vinod Khanna). Again, this is a Sridevi show, though Rishi has some wonderful moments to shine in the film, particularly when he is haunted by his memories of Chandni.

Henna (1991)
In the grand tradition of RK Films that are heroine-centric (such as Satyam Shivam Sundaram and Ram Teri Ganga Maili), Henna's story had an amnesia-affected Chander (Rishi Kapoor) crash land in the rustic hills of Pakistan. He is saved and nursed back to health by innocent and lively Henna, played by Zeba Bhaktiar, and they quickly fall in love. Eventually Chander's memory returns to him, and he realizes he has a love interest/fiancee waiting for him back in India. Henna had a typically RK-feel to it, very lush and epic, and it approached Indo-Pak border conflict in a subtle and romantic way long before films like Veer-Zaara. Ultimately Henna's character emerges as the true hero of the film.

Deewana (1993)
Deewana is heralded is Shah Rukh Khan's big debut in Hindi films, but both SRK and Rishi Kapoor's characters were just aspects of Kajal (Divya Bharati)'s story in Deewana. A young woman falls in love with a singing star and marries into his home, but then he is tragically taken from her. Shortly afterward another young man pursues the young widow relentlessly until she finally gives in, only to find out that her husband still lives!

Sahibaan (1993)
I'm not going to pretend this was a good movie. It wasn't. I really wanted it to be, because when the previews came out I was totally charmed by the village setting and Madhuri's outfits and make-up. Unfortunately we ended up laughing out loud throughout the film (yes, at the theatre). But it was definitely Sahibaan (Madhuri)'s story! Rishi once again played the love interest that conveniently disappears and reappears (he has a habit of doing that in films). Sahibaan is about a village belle who captures the eye of a rich, alcoholic, murderous Sanjay Dutt, but her heart already belongs to a simple bansuri-playing villager (Rishi Kapoor).

Damini (1993)
This WAS an excellent film, and one that I've recommended over and over. And though Rishi is the romantic hero, and Sunny Deol gave the performance of a lifetime in it, the film is 100% Meenakshi Seshadhri's. And she is stunning and brilliant in it! Damini is the story of a vibrant and honest woman who marries into a wealthy family but doesn't quite find acceptance, though her husband (Rishi Kapoor) sincerely loves her. After witnessing the brutal rape of a maidservant by her brother-in-law and his friends, she decides to testify against him and is consequently tortured by her in-laws, who are trying to cover up the crime. Sunny Deol plays a gruff, drunkard lawyer who is compelled to represent Damini in court and help her find justice.

Saajan Ka Ghar (1994)
This movie was absolutely heartbreaking. Juhi Chawla stars as a sweet, unassuming woman whose mother died giving birth to her, causing her father to turn completely against her. He remarries and her stepmother also abuses her, but her stepbrother becomes her champion. Eventually she marries Rishi Kapoor's character, but finds a similar reception in her mother-in-law. All the poor girl wants is parental love, and she is rejected again and again. This movie totally made me cry. And again Rishi plays the sweet, supportive husband who really doesn't do much for the plot.

Yaarana (1995)
A crazy little romp of a film about Shikha (Madhuri Dixit), a woman fleeing from a creepy rich stalker guy (Raj Babbar), who happens to run across and fall in love with Rishi Kapoor mid-flight. This movie is only remembered for Madhuri's hit song Mera Piya Ghar Aaya, though I thought it was funny. Again, the film is all about Shikha's experiences, and though Rishi's character brings in the opportunity for romance and comedy, it's a Madhuri show through and through.

Prem Granth (1996) 
The last of the epic, heroine-centric RK Films, Prem Granth followed the tragic life of Kajri (Madhuri Dixit), yet another RK innocent village belle thrown into horrible circumstances in life. Rishi Kapoor plays the love interest who fades into the background during the worst times and leaves Kajri to suffer alone. Though I think Prem Granth had good intentions, it is perhaps guilty of being a bit too heavy-handed in the tragedy. Kajri's experiences are truly horrific. The message is that love conquers all, but they seriously make that poor girl experience ALL before she can find her happiness.


So these are just a sampling of films in which Rishi took hero roles in female-centric films. I'm sure there are many, many more and I'd love to hear which ones are your favorites or stuck out in your memory. I believe his willingness to take the lead male role in heroine-oriented films makes him a unique hero in the Hindi film industry, and it makes me incredibly proud to be his fan!

To check out more Kapoor Khazana links, click here!

Kapoor Khazana: Woo like Rishi Kapoor!

I love Rishi Kapoor as a romantic hero! He has this incredible sweetness to him, even at the height of his "sweater uncle" phase. And over the years, he's had some truly CLASSIC romantic numbers in his films, particularly in the early 80s.

Rather than just list my favorite romantic numbers of his, I found myself categorizing them and thought I'd share this mental list with you all. I found some different yet all effective ways that Rishi Kapoor wooed his heroines ...

So here is Rishi Kapoor's Guide to Wooing the Heroine of Your Dreams:

ROMANCE HER IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Tere Chehre Se - Kabhi Kabhie
When you're romping about in the snow, you definitely need Rishi's charm (and sweaterliciousness) to warm you up!


Mitwa - Chandni
Honeymooning in Switzerland with Rishi? Yes, please. Can I have a suitcase full of Sridevi's gorgeous saris too? And luckily Rishi can always lend you a sweater for cool, mountain evenings.


Kaise Jiyunga Mein - Sahibaan
Frolicking in the woods and misty hills! Of course seedhi-saadhi gaonwali Madhuri Dixit fell for him!



FULL-OUT CHASE HER DOWN

Humko To Yaara Teri Yaari - Hum Kisise Kum Nahin
You think a full leather suit would slow our Rishi down? No way! Kaajal Kiran is no match for Rishi's charms!



Rabbi Re Ralli - Yaarana
Ok, so maybe his taste was a little weird in this one since he fell head-over-heels in love with Madhuri's strawberry blonde wig, but he sure wasn't going to let her get away! I want to generally have a discussion with the costume designer for this film, but hey, the song is fun anyway.


DAZZLE HER WITH YOUR ATHLETIC ABILITY

Pakdo Pakdo - Naseeb
Yes!  Kabbadi time! How adorable is Rishi in this!


SERENADE HER

Saagar Jaisi Aankhonwali - Saagar
I can't even comment, I'm too busy swooning.



Yeh Vaada Raha - title song
One of the best Hindi love songs of ALL TIME. This one truly stands the test of time. A true classic. And Rishi uses a bit of slow dancing in his romancing with Poonam Dhillon and the great outdoors with Tina Munim ... it never hurts to serenade someone with Kishore Kumar's voice either.



Sochenge Tumhe Pyar - Deewana
I know this is supposed to be about Rishi, whose gaana has clearly charmed Divya Bharati in this song, but I am way too distracted by the background girls and their multitude of props (flags, peacock feather fans, and glittery tassels ... and that's not even counting their mullet wigs).




PLAY HARD-TO-GET

Kahin Na Jaa Aaj Kahin Mat Jaa - Bade Dil Wala
I love this soundtrack so much - all the songs are so fabulous. And this one is quite an earworm for me. Now Tina Munim is trying to keep Rishi from getting arrested in this song, but still she's obviously in love enough to declare it in front of an entire party (all of whom think he's married to her sister Sarika) ... and she really has to keep drawing him back with her song!


Tu Tu Tu Tara - Bol Radha Bol
Ooh I can't stand this song. It is such a poor remake of the fabulous tamil song "Raakamma Kai Thattu" from Thalapathi (Rajnikanth and Shobhana!). But man, does he make gorgeous Juhi Chawla chase!



SEDUCE HER

Jaane Do Naa - Saagar
What can I say? UNF. These kids have grown up since their Bobby days! This song is HOT HOT HOT, as is Dimple in that sari.


Dhak Dhak - Gharana
A little dancing in the rain, that gets the ladies every time. Meenakshi Seshadhri is all a-flutter from Rishi's game.


MAKE HER MAD THEN CHARM HER BACK (ROOTHNA MANANA)

Mein Der Karta Nahin - Henna
If only my husband knew that whenever he was late, all he had to do was sing this song to me as charmingly as Rishi does here, and I'd melt in his arms.


Tere Kasam Mein Hoon Tera Deewana - Prem Granth
This song has always stuck in my mind ... he is so adorably persistent! And not in a creepy stalker way, in a charming Rishi way! How can Madhuri resist?


Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai
I love love love love this song!!! Shailendra Singh's voice is perfect for Rishi, and he has that 1,000-watt smile on full blast. He is just so winning ... I am completely smitten and have been since I first saw this movie back in the 80s. Also, sorry SRK, but Rishi sang and danced on top of a train first. Ok, so maybe his is a back-projection, but still ... he's soooo cuuuuute. Excuse me as I SWOOOON.


Hope you enjoyed this fun list, which had some of my absolute favorite songs (Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun from ZKDH, The title song of YVR and Kahin Na Jaa from Bade Dil Wala, for example). And if you have determined some categories of Rishi Wooing that I missed, please do share them with me!

The good news is that Kapoor Khazana is extending into July, so there's still hope that I can get to my Karishma, Kareena and Ranbir posts! And I still have lots of Rishi Squeeing to do, so I'm ever so pleased that the lovely Katherine of Totally Filmi decided to continue this blogging event!

Definitely check out all the Kapoor Khazana links so far at this link.