flixtime

First, just a quick follow-up to my earlier post regarding the box-office numbers for "Omkara", for its second weekend (this past one), it ranked at number 24 in U.S. box office with a gross of $294,988 (down 31% from the first weekend, still on 47 screens with a screen average of $6,276) and its two week gross now stands at $789,694. All the previous figures are from boxofficemojo.com. I understand that it is not doing too well in India as it is not perceived to be family-friendly fare.

Mistress of Spices (2005 - English (USA/UK)) - Following up on 2004's "Bride and Prejudice", this is the latest English-language film to star Aishwarya Rai. "Bride and Prejudice" was a poor film....even worse than a lot of Bollywood's output, and given my initial sampling "Mistress of Spices" is yet a further step down. Again, it is not fair to judge, but I could only sit through the first 13+ minutes of this before I shut it down in search of a more entertaining way to spend my evening.......maybe cleaning the bathroom or something of that nature. I'll torture myself - by continuing to check Red Sox' box scores and - by later finishing the entire film (thank god it is only 90+ minutes). The storyline is laughably idiotic....maybe if it were done thirty years ago by a far more gifted filmmaker it might work but not here. The performances from what I've seen so far are pretty bad and because it is just such an apt description I'll borrow a favorite description used by my fellow DVDTalker toddly6666 and just say that the whole thing is "amateurish".....that really sums this up. The film is based on a novel, but the screenplay was written by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice) and her husband Paul Mayeda Berges (who also directed....or at least tried to). I see Gurinder Chadha has upcoming directorial projects for "Dallas" and "I Dream of Jeannie"...be very afraid. She is no longer attached to the "My Sassy Girl" re-make but she does still have a writing credit so, given her most recent efforts, don't set your expectations too high on that front either. I've never really thought too highly of Aishwarya Rai as an actress but the pathetic projects she is being given among English-language films is downright degrading. From his early scenes in this one, male lead Dylan McDermott is just cashing a paycheck....and there is no chemistry whatsoever between the two. Despite suffering through only the first 13+ minutes, I am confident that even upon completion of the entire film, "Mistress of Spices" will rank among the very, very worst films I've seen this year.

Shock (2006 - Telugu) - Though director/producer Ram Gopal Varma started out in the Telugu film industry, he tends to work predominantly in Hindi-language cinema nowadays. This revenge film is a rare (from what I gather) Telugu effort from his producing wing (note: he did not direct it). I'm weary now of writing about bad Indian films, so this will be brief......skip it. I've read comments where Ram Gopal Varma has been critical of Telugu cinema and its audience (he has been critical of rural Hindi filmviewers as well). Aside: whether his comments are right or wrong, from what I've read in his interviews, I find Varma rather unlikable. Given all that, I was shocked (ok, maybe not) that this film seemed so typical as it did. You've seen this type of revenge film done a million times before and much, much better. Sub-par performances, weak storyline (including a momentum (what little there was) killing and wholly unnecessary extended romantic flashback post-intermission), poor action scenes (actor Ravi Teja is entirely unconvincing doing action), etc....not worth a look (not even for the curious...but at least it was better than "Mistress of Spices").

toddly6666

Flixtime, haha..i don't have to watch those movies to agree with you! I'm just waiting for KRRSH to come out on DVD and check out the martial arts...there hasn't been a tempting Indian/Bollywood movie to see in ages - the only non-bollywood film that i'm waiting for is THE NAMESAKE. And the last good Indian/UK film I saw was A FOND KISS...

flixtime

You might have read might earlier thoughts on "Krrish", but in case you haven't, given how hyped Hrithik Roshan's Hong Kong training was, I was very disappointed in the martial arts aspects of "Krrish". You saw "Anniyan" already and that was much better in that regard....at least they gave you that big dojo scene. There is hardly anything I'd call particularly impressive martial arts in "Krrish". Mostly Hrithik Roshan being lifted on a wire from one place to another, tons of slo-mo or other such effects, and then maybe only some brief punching/kicking towards the end. All the earlier fighting is way too bogged down with wirework and slow motion. Heck, I was more impressed by the scene in that Korean film "Windstruck" where actress Jun Ji-hyun beats up those four high school guys early in the film. But given how high profile a film "Krrish" is, I can't argue with anyone wanting to confirm things with a viewing. But just keep your expectations set low. In general I found both "Krrish" and surprisingly "Superman Returns" too, to be disappointing efforts. Not unwatchable or anything, and reasonably entertaining I suppose, but both were big letdowns for me personally.

flixtime

I did force myself to finish "Mistress of Spices", the good news is that there was an issue with my counter so I had actually finished a little more in my first attempt than the previously reported 13+ minutes.....which meant I had less torture to endure during my second sitting. Everything I assumed from the opening portion I first watched holds true for the rest of the film........truly awful! And on a related note of "truly awful", that is what I am hearing about the just-released, shot in New York City, mega-star (Shakrukh Khan (overacting...what a surprise!), Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, and both Jr. and Sr. Bachchan) venture "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna".

Anyway, my main reason for posting is to link to a couple of newly-released trailers for two high-profile upcoming Bollywood releases:

Dhoom 2: Back in Action
Junior Bachchan and Uday Chopra once again re-team for this sequel to "Dhoom" (2004). I believe John Abraham is back again too in perhaps a minor role. Thankfully Esha Deol has been bumped in favor of Bipasha Basu. And this features the first teaming of Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai....with Hrithik Roshan playing the bad guy. Hopefully all that training he did for "Krrish" might actually get utilized in this film. Unlike the first film, there will be less focus on motorcycles (opting for other action choices) this time around (which is a good idea given the disappointing bike work in the first film). This sequel was shot partly in both Brazil and South Africa. It is releasing in late November. Following are a couple of links (both are to the same version of the trailer):

http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/d2/d2_theatrical.asx
http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/d2/d2_theatrical.wmv

Kabul Express
Two Indians, an American, one Afghan, and a Pakistani, on a journey together....."Kabul Express".
An unusual film in an unusual genre by Yash Raj Films! Shot extensively in Kabul, this film directed by Kabir Khan stars John Abraham & Arshad Warsi (Munnabhai MBBS, Munnabhai 2, and Anthony Kaun Hai?) with a Pakistani actor Salman Shahid, an Afghani actor Humghum and an American actress Linda Arsenio in stellar roles. This topical film will make for a very interesting viewing by global viewers who have followed the happenings in Afghanistan over the years. I believe this is slated for a September release. Here are a couple of links (again both are of the same version of the trailer).

http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/ke/ke_theatrical.asx
http://www1.yashrajfilms.com/ke/ke_theatrical.wmv

toddly6666

FLIXTIME, I was disappointed and seriously bored by Superman Returns as well. And concerning Bollywood movies, I put my expectations all the way at the bottom every time I see one - sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't work.

Another movie that looks awesome is an American/Iranian-made movie called MAN PUSH CART , which looks like an awesome Pakastani-American indie movie.Check out the website and trailer at:
http://www.noruzfilms.com/films/mpc.html

That trailer is okay, but there is a newer one which looks more tempting. I couldn't find it online...

flixtime

Thought this might be of interest to some of you....following are video links to a recent three part interview with Director/Producer Ram Gopal Varma done by CNN-IBN (talks about his films and such, also interspersed are very, very brief clips of some films including a very little of the upcoming "Shiva"). It's a nice watch so give it a look.

Part 1 aka Video 1 - http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/18446/...pal-varma.html
Part 2 aka Video 2 - http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/18446/...pal-varma.html
Part 3 aka Video 3 - http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/18446/...pal-varma.html

And for those who might find the accents a little challenging to follow, following is a transcript of the videos.

Being: Kingpin Ram Gopal Varma
Interviewer: Anuradha SenGupta of CNN-IBN

Mumbai: Rains threaten to wash it away, bomb blasts fracture it's spirit, dreams that come true and extremes that co-exist. Mumbai city evokes both insights and clichés with equal fervour.


Celluloid odes to it are common. But perhaps no filmmaker has been as constant in his affection as Ram Gopal Varma has been while depicting this city. So we bundled him into our car and took him for a ride.


Ram Gopal Varma:There is no doubt that I love Mumbai. I love this city more than I love women perhaps.


Anuradha Sengupta: Having said that, you have made some woman quite unhappy out there.


Ram Gopal Varma: I don’t think they would mind. I love the energy that the people in Mumbai have. In this city, you may have known a person for several years and yet you may not have any clue about his background.


In Satya the situations that I have shown could not have taken place anywhere else except in Mumbai.


Anuradha Sengupta: That is an interesting fact. In most films of yours Mumbai city is not just a backdrop but also the very protagonist.


Ram Gopal Varma: Well, I don’t think that has been done as a conscious effort on my part. Actually, Shyam Benegal was the one to have brought this fact to my notice for the first time. He saw Sarkar and Company and then called me and said,"You have set a reference point for any film based in Mumbai."


Anuradha Sengupta: But then why do you say that it was not a conscious effort by you?


Ram Gopal Varma: It wasn’t really. The only thing is that when you are making a realistic film with real characters in it, the ambience too has to look real.


Anuradha Sengupta: Why did you choose to live in Mumbai? You were making films in Hyderabad, 14-15 years ago. Then what made you leave that city and come to Mumbai?


Ram Gopal Varma: The main reason why I came here was because I loved Hindi cinema. Ever since I was a kid I was in love with Hindi films. I had always wanted to make Hindi films. And Mumbai is the big city where Hindi film industry is centered.


I was making Telugu films earlier, but that was only like a ‘calling card’. I thought if I could make Telegu films, perhaps Hindi film industry was not that far away.


It was the intention to enter the Hindi Cinema that drew me to Mumbai. The very first time that I came here was to buy video-cassettes as I used to run a video library.


This city has always fascinated me. I had my eyes wide open walking around and looking at the tall buildings. Coming from Hyderabad, it was almost like visiting an exotic foreign country to me.


Now, even after living here for so many years, I come across locations that I had not imagined to be there in this city.


Anuradha Sengupta: Dharavi was the first place that you visited when you came here, isn’t it?


Ram Gopal Varma: Yes. It looked to me as if there was just no space. The whole thing is under one roof. I was fascinated that so many people can actually live in such a congested place.






Science tells you about hygiene and space and I have seen people in trains with kids barely five or six months old, crawling just about four feet away from trains that are running in full speed. These sights defy your imagination completely.


Anuradha Sengupta: It must have been quite exciting for you to become a producer and then produce a string of films. But somewhere down the line, do you think ‘The Factory’ has belied its own promise?


Because when you are doing a production, you have to guarantee a certain quality of maintaining those high standards that have been benchmarked by this industry.


Ram Gopal Varma: That is quite right.


Anuradha Sengupta: Have you been able to maintain those standards in all your films?


Ram Gopal Varma: No, I don’t think I have succeeded in that. I think the idea is to maintain high standards and it is very right. I hope to achieve it with my forthcoming projects this year.


That is the good and the bad part about myself. I have to get excited and charged to start off. That is how I have made most of my films.


I made Satya without having even a story in hand. I just went ahead and started it and that’s how it happened.


I feel that starting off so many films without a proper system can upset its creativity. I have limited time to do that quality control. That is why I stopped making new films until I get the system right. But I think I’m all geared up now.


Anuradha Sengupta: How are the systems in place now? What’s really different this time?


Ram Gopal Varma: Probably I have got my own sensibilities and moods back. The people surrounding me have not said this but it’s the feedback that I have got through proper channels about what’s working and what’s not working with my films.


It’s not necessary that the people around me have been lying so far. May be they all got psyched along with me and could not figure out the real picture.


Anuradha Sengupta: May be these ‘people around you’ just wanted to please you by giving a wrong feedback, isn’t it


Ram Gopal Varma: Yes, whatever the reasons are. Now I have set up a system where to keep a check on myself, which is the most important thing.


Anuradha Sengupta: It’s a fact that when you give people their desired opportunity, they start swearing by you. But once that the project is over, the fallouts come up— perceived or otherwise. Do you agree with that? Isn’t this what happened with Road and James?


Ram Gopal Varma: When a film is not being made the right way and I as a producer intervene, the director feels I’m spoiling it. Because he thinks that that he is right in his place, and he does not likes being corrected.


Actually, nobody knows exactly what could be the right and what could not be right when you are making a film. There could be many reasons why a film won’t work.






Secondly, I don’t think they owe me anything or that I owe them anything for the failures and the successes that we may have seen.


In today’s times, I don’t think that directing a film is such a great deal. When a person has been hired to direct a film it’s the individual’s choice for him to work or not to work with me.


As far as I am concerned, I decide on my own whether I would work with a particular director for a second time or not depending upon the given situation.


Anuradha Sengupta: What was the best film that came out of that phase?


Ram Gopal Varma: If you ask from my productions? Nothing.


Anuradha Sengupta: Not even a single one?


Ram Gopal Varma: No. See some might have worked like Ab Tak Chappan but I think it could have been done in a far better way. I wasn’t happy with that project either.


Anuradha Sengupta: Do the people who have got their first break by you, get annoyed when they hear statements like this?


Ram Gopal Varma: By making these statements I am only being critical of their work.


I am critical of myself as well. Eventually if I’m making the film, endorsing it and taking responsibility for it not doing well, I have every right to say what I think about the film.


Anuradha Sengupta: would you call yourself an obsessive person? I mean you get obsessed with certain themes that you want to do, it’s there playing in your head, isn’t it?


Ram Gopal Varma: I think so, yes.


Anuradha Sengupta: You did a lot of films with Urmila Matondkar and Antari Mali. There is a sense that Ram Gopal Varma, the filmmaker, in some of these films, took a backseat to Ram Gopal Varma, the man. Do you agree?


Ram Gopal Varma: It is my personal choice to chose the actors that I like and recommend for my films. If made four films back to back with Manoj Bajpai playing an important role in Satya, Kaun, Shool and Road . But because he’s a man, nobody asked me as to why have I done so.


I made eight films with Sandeep Chowta that too way before he even made a successful track. So if it’s a woman, it’s easy for people to point fingers like this.


Anuradha Sengupta: Is it also because there is a sense of the artist in the muse, isn’t it?


Ram Gopal Varma: That’s not true. I stay focused on the vision that I have for my films. I have my team of hardworking technicians and actors who would always be working with me.






And it’s similar with many other filmmakers as well. But because I talk so openly, people don’t hesitate to raise such questions. But it’s fine and perhaps a part of life to be confronted with different types of situations.


Anuradha Sengupta: Though you have experimented with genres, your specialty remains violent films based on cops and criminals. You have given a genre to Hindi cinema that it can call it’s own. Do you agree?


Ram Gopal Varma: Right from my teens, I have been influenced by this kind of cinema. I was a huge fan of James Hadley Chase, Fredrick Forsyth and Godfather. Godfather has been the most influential book in my life. This is one of the reasons that I chose the subject of cops and criminals for most of my films.


Secondly, I was a kind of toughie in college when I was doing my engineering. I am not saying that I was into gang fights and things like that but I used to have always had this illusion that I was a tough guy.


So I think there I got to know the mindset of people who live by violence.


I made my first film Shiva when I had just got out of the college. So the experiences I have had while in college and the real life characters that I came across inspired me to create the same in that film.


Anuradha Sengupta: So does that mean that the central character Shiva which was played by Nagarjuna was actually autobiographical?


Ram Gopal Varma: Not exactly autobiographical but yes, there was a guy I knew who was a lot like that. But the real character had many negative shades, which I cut out to create its reel-character. I edited him.


The underworld fascinated me because of the organizational complexity and people being a part of it. My first thought of Satya was a famous person being shot dead.


Someone who I was with at that time, a producer, told me about the gentlemen’s recounting details before he was shot dead at around 10 am.






Anuradha Sengupta: Are you referring to the T-Series head, Gulshan Kumar?


Ram Gopal Varma: Yes. I kept thinking in my mind as to what that killer must have been doing before he killed him? Being a filmmaker I was thinking of those inter-cuts.


Did he wake up early that morning? Did he ask his mother to wake him up? Did he have his breakfast before he kill him? Or he had it after he killed him?


These were the questions popping up funnily in my head. Then I realized that you always hear about these killers either when they have killed someone or after they are dead. But what is it that they do in between?


I started reading magazines and articles that were based on these criminals. It was interesting to see that the criminals arrested with their faces hidden behind black clothes had really thin arms. They did not even look like the proto-type gangsters that you see in films like Agneepath.


Anuradha Sengupta: Is it the psyche of a guy who commits violence that draws your interests?


Ram Gopal Varma: I definitely am not interested in simple people. I have a child-like fascination towards things larger-than-life. I like power. I have always wanted to be powerful; I like women to be sexy and so on.


Anuradha Sengupta: So you believe in ‘basic instincts’.


Ram Gopal Varma: Yes, you can call them ‘basic instincts’. My hero would essentially be like the one in Sarkar or Shiva. I look at this from an altogether different angle because the characters that I’m dealing with intimidate me.


My intelligence is to suck the audience and their psyche into my films. I want them to feel what the character is going through in the film. For example, in Satya when people call it a realistic film I wonder how do they know its real? They don’t know anything about underworld neither do I.






It’s not so much about the realism in the depiction of the underworld. I think they connect to the character’s realism. When Bhikhu Matre comes home and his wife nags him, they connect to that emotion. It is because of the same emotion that when he goes out and kills someone, it seems real.


Anuradha Sengupta: What is your take on crime and the criminal mind? We are standing at the Juhu’s Centaur hotel, the place where one of those bombs went off in 1993. What is your take on these things?


Ram Gopal Varma: Lot of people say that I seem to be empathetic towards criminals. The way I portray their characters in my films, it seems there is so much of life in it.


But the point is to understand a person’s mind and his psyche where it is coming from.


I see everybody from human angle does not mean that I’m empathizing with criminals. Seeing everything in terms of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ is a very superficial way of looking at things.


I am a very non-violent kind of person in real life. I can’t even stand the sight of someone bleeding. I am scared of injections; I hate the very sight of blood. I can’t even see somebody getting slapped.


Anuradha Sengupta: Then please explain how have you gone through all those violence based films that you have made?


Ram Gopal Varma: I guess, because I fear violence so much, I understand it more than anyone else. Even while shooting, in rare times when we have to use blood, I shut my eyes completely.


I can’t see it. But I have also heard that a similar person, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi chief could not stand the very sight of blood.


Anuradha Sengupta: So just when we thought we have known you, it seems we don’t know you.


Ram Gopal Varma: Yes, may be.


Anuradha Sengupta: Your latest film, Shiva is a remake of your former prodigy, James. What is your take on that?


Ram Gopal Varma: If you look at my films, most of them have been remakes of some earlier work. For example Satya was a remake of Drohi and Bhoot is a remake of Raat.


I think we all have a few ideas in our mind, that we want to be recapitulated again and again. You might have read a lot of books, but you develop some as your favourites and can’t have enough of it.






Anuradha Sengupta: The point is perhaps that you do what you want to do. Isn’t it?


Ram Gopal Varma: That is exactly the point.


Anuradha Sengupta: But the question is, how do get people to back you? Because you are one person who has never been at loss of backers.


You have had a good relationship with Jhamu Sugandh, Bharat Shah, the Ke Sera Sera association and now the Adlab Films. They all seem to be backing you, while all you are doing is pleasing yourself?


Ram Gopal Varma: When there is no sure-shot formula as to what is going to work, why not just do what you are willing to do? I don’t think I am taking a risk myself or at the cost of my ‘backers’.


Anuradha Sengupta: But are you not at the risk of repeating yourself ? Because you keep pre-visiting themes thinking that there are ideas that could be reworked in a better way.


Ram Gopal Varma: The very fact that Satya and Bhoot were remake of my earlier works and they worked, clicks me. I think re-visiting things seems to be working for me. I don’t think people watch stories. I think they look at way of telling the story.


Anuradha Sengupta: Don’t you think it is rather a case of running out of ideas?


Ram Gopal Varma: No, I don’t think so. The plot line of shiva might be the same old cliché of an honest cop in a corrupt system.


But the characters, and situations that I have created in this film are completely new. When people see the old version and the new Shiva, they will realise its value.


Anuradha Sengupta: But how many people would really do that? I mean how many of them would get that deep into the craft of your cinema?


Ram Gopal Varma: I am sure they won’t, but they would feel it. Though they may not feel consciously about it.


Anuradha Sengupta: Nach was a film about a woman as a normal human being and yet there was a dissonance about it, isn’t it?


You as a filmmaker were as uncomfortable with this concept as the main protagonist Abhishek Bachchan was with the woman.


Ram Gopal Varma: There was a confusion in that project. Perhaps I have never dealt with a strong character like the one in that film.


It is perhaps because I have always looked at women as sex symbols. Mixing up the glamour and the song element, which was there in my mind at that point of time, was to drive a larger audience. I think there a huge mistake there.


Anuradha Sengupta: Why are you always taking chances, revisiting old themes and making out-of-league films?


Why are you being this ‘dog with a bone’ that you can’t let it go?


Ram Gopal Varma: I guess that gives me a high. Like this film Sholay that I have always loved all these years. I have seen it 27 times and I remember every dialogue and every frame in that film.


Anuradha Sengupta: What is the most riveting dialogue from that film?


Ram Gopal Varma: De jitne gali de sakta hai Thakur is perhaps my favourite one. As long as you are in control of the situation and have the guts to bear the consequences of what you are doing, you can do anything. Somewhere that line symbolizes my ideology.


My well wishers are worried because they think that I might not be able to create a remake of Sholay matching up to the same standard of the original film.


While my enemies are tense because they fear that I might create history with its remake. So, I think moré or less everyone is tense about this project.


Anuradha Sengupta: Are you tense about it?


Ram Gopal Varma: I am tense only for the reason that since I respect and love that film so much, I want to be alert enough to see that I don’t end up making any mistakes.


Anuradha Sengupta: There are rumours at various instances about people not getting paid fully, or not on time. Why is that?


Ram Gopal Varma: I think it can happens in any company in any industry. If someone really thinks like that why is he working here in the first place?


Naturally when I have five films on floor, with so many people working together, some confusions and rumours can arise at times. Unless the people who are facing these problems come up to me directly and discuss it, how can I help?


Being a high profile industry, these things are talked about a little more. I think its not fair for anyone to spread such rumours. It’s not even worth my time to be pondering over these things.


Anuradha Sengupta: You have said that when you look at strong, powerful men the way they are, you feel attracted and inspired. Today as the filmmaker, director and producer that you are, do you feel powerful?


Ram Gopal Varma: I am very strong and powerful. Being strong and powerful to me is to be able to get up in the morning and doing what you want to do.


As long as I can remember I have always done what I have wanted to do in life. No one including myself can stop me from doing what I have wanted to do. What more can I ask for?


Anuradha Sengupta: In the context of Bhoot you said that "it’s the walk to the door and not the resolution that is the exciting part." We hope that you always enjoy the walk to the door.


Ram Gopal Varma: Thank you.

flixtime

Though I plan on catching up, I haven't been watching many Indian films lately. It doesn't help that a lot of the high-profile releases might be clunkers (KANK, Don, Umrao Jaan, Shiva, Kabul Express, etc., etc., and etc.)...fingers-crossed on "Dhoom 2".

But I am here to give you the title of the best Indian film of 2006 (displacing "Omkara", "Fanaa")......and it clearly should have been India's Oscar submission in place of the awful "Rang de Basanti" (others in contention were "Krrish", "Omkara", "KANK" (based on what I've read I can't whip up the patience to subject myself to it), "Corporate" (which gets an easy thumbs down from me by the way), and a handful of others.

The champion is:

Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006 - Bollywood (Hindi)) - Sanjay Dutt (aka everyone's favorite gunrunner...haha........unless he or his Dubai cronies are reading this in which case I humbly apologize and beg forgiveness) and sidekick Arshad Warsi are back again in this sequel to one of my favorites of 2003 "Munnabhai M.B.B.S." (apparently slated for Hollywood re-make as "Gangsta M.D." with Chris Tucker). "Lage Raho Munnabhai" is a wonderful feel-good comedy that while not laugh-out-loud funny did plaster a smile on my face virtually throughout its running time, if I wasn't smiling it was because I might have been a little misty-eyed during the films more heartwarming scenes. The message in "Rang de Basanti" was one of violence...the message here is to follow the path of peace and take the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi to heart. I hang my head that this was passed over in favor of "Rang de Basanti". I don't want to get into the story...it's not revolutionary or anything but it is a very nice commercial storyline. You don't need to have seen the first one to watch this (but if you haven't why not give it a look too because they are both terrific) but there are some nice touches for folks who seen the first one. Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi are terrific as Munna and Circuit; they share a great chemisty in their scenes together. The female lead played by a relative newcomer was so-so but she got better as the film progressed and for a Hindi film her role was rather limited. Diya Mirza shines as one of the female supporting characters, and all the other supporting players are solid as well. Songs (dance numbers even fewer) are limited but the music is entirely fitting and yet another point in the film's favor. "Lage Raho Munnabhai" is not only my favorite Indian film so far of 2006, but it too would rank well on my entire list of favorites in 2006. For what it is worth, the film seems to have scored equally well with both critics and filmgoers. The DVD was recently released (English-subs of course) so if you have some free time do check it out. I myself can't wait for the next installment of the adventures of Munna and Circuit....any foreseeable part three sure has a lot to live up to.

Sri Ramadasu (2006 - Telugu) - also watched this Telugu film recently and found it reasonably enjoyable despite most of the Hindu mythology in the film going over my head...and the film's major drawback some overdone and bordering on very annoying comedic characters (mostly early on). Still though the film is worth a look if you don't mind a more traditional religious-themed film. There's a lot of religious/classical music but the dance aspect is limited....I really liked a couple of the songs.

flixtime

An anticipated guilty pleasure "Dhoom 2" opened this week....hopefully it will be good. I have a lot of catching up to do with Indian cinema, in addition to titles mentioned in my earlier post, I also want to check out "Jaan-e-Maan", "Naksha" (even though I understand it blows big time), "Dor" from director Nagesh Kukunoor, the comedy "Khosla Ka Ghosla", perhaps too actor Naseeruddin Shah's directorial venture "Yun Hota To Kya Hota", also an older release "Being Cyrus" that I've skipped over a few times along with "Banaras"...and on the Telugu side "Pokiri" (which I don't expect much from because I don't have much regard for the abilities of the lead actor Mahesh Babu), also "Godavari".

Pournami (2006 - Telugu) - This is director Prabhu Deva's most recent effort after the entertaining "Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana". I found this one also to be thoroughly enjoyable. Even at a runtime of 2:40 I sort of wanted it to go on even longer. Prabhu Deva did a lot of nice things in this film and there are elements that I feel he can expand upon in future directorial efforts. After a nice opening scene, there is a stretch of silly humor early on but it was amusing enough, and it didn't go overboard to the point where it or the characters became annoying. I thought the cast was perfectly suited to their roles and did a nice job overall. The film throws a smorgasbord at you as a viewer but I do have to say that pretty much all of it stuck successfully....I won't quite call it a "masala" flick but maybe instead a sort of a slightly artsy masala flick....you get a nice mix of silly comedy, romance, melodrama, action, and of course some nice classical song and dance. The first half was quirkily entertaining. The more serious second half features a flashback storyline that plays things a little more routinely, but was still solid. One point I'd also like to single out for praise.....I thought the cinematography was excellent and you are treated to some really gorgeous images and use of color. The film didn't really have any significant depth or strong emotional hook but it was a very, very enjoyable viewing...and it retains a definite sense of traditional Indian cinema accompanied (finally) by at least some sense of, shall we say, vision. I'd be very comfortable in placing it in the number two slot right behind "Lage Raho Munnabhai" as one of the best of 2006. And, after two high quality efforts, Director Prabhu Deva is certainly someone to keep an eye on in the coming years.

flixtime

Jaan-E-Mann (2006 - Bollywood (Hindi)) - This film is a romantic triangle comedy/melodrama with Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. Let's just say that my list of favorite Indian films of 2006 is starting to get very crowded at the top right now. It could change after I've given it some thought but right now I'd rank it ahead of "Pournami" which puts it second to "Lage Raho Munnabhai". I was most definitely caught off guard by this one and found it to be gloriously entertaining. It certainly is the same old story seen many times before but this entry still felt fresh and vibrant. Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are infectiously likeable and perfectly cast in their roles in this effort. Preity Zinta, despite being the object of their affections, isn't really asked to do much but is okay for her part. The two male leads are definitely the driving force of the movie and the chemistry between the two is on par with that of Sanjay Dutt (who it seems I jinxed via my recent gunrunner comment...for those who don't know it was recently announced that he got convicted - illegal possession of firearms - "Black Friday" Bombay Bomb Blasts case from '93) and Arshad Warsi in the Munnabhai sequel. The movie is slick, glossy, and a polished piece of commercial entertainment. With Bollywood film runtime's trending just north of the 2-hour mark as opposed to just south of 3-hours, this one was a nice throwback with a lengthy but wholly satisfying mark of 2 hours and 50 minutes. The film is set mostly in New York City (at least as far as shooting exteriors), and despite every New Yorker having a British/Australian accent (but this is one of those films where you simply overlook some details like that...and while the accent thing has bothered me in other efforts, I didn't mind it here). Most of the song & dance numbers were pretty good with two outstanding ones coming in the first hour. "Jaan-E-Maan" is the first directorial effort from a fellow by the name of Shirish Kunder and I'm eager to see what he can do next.

The DVD was recently released (with English subs naturally) so if you've got some time this weekend then head to your nearest rental store and maybe give it a look.

For those interested, here is a link to the official site where you can check out a nice trailer:
Jaan-E-Mann Official Site


Given my recent outstanding run with "Lage Raho Munnabhai", "Pournami", and now "Jaan-E-Mann" (all three of which I look forward to re-watching) my appetite for Indian cinema is very much energized and renewed. That being the case, I'll probably slate both "Dor" and "Khosla Ka Ghosla" for a viewing in the coming week....or if I have some time maybe even venture out for "Dhoom 2" on the big screen.

flixtime

The law of averages………

Shiva (2006 – Bollywood (Hindi)) – Gaining a high-profile from its "sledgehammering of a metal spike through a man's skull" trailer, this is the latest directorial effort from renowned director/producer Ram Gopal Varma and once again finds him returning to the crime genre as was the case with his films such as “Satya”, “Company”, “Sarkar”, etc.

Due to the casting choices, among other things, I had some doubts going into this one. I had even further doubts after the buzz got out that it was a bad film. We “oh so enlightened” Westerners often point to Director Varma as the shining star of contemporary Indian cinema. Though I’ve been off the Varma bandwagon for some time now, this latest effort seals his fate. “Shiva” (2006) is a godawful movie, and due to the fact it lacks even for a “so bad it’s fun” quality, it claims the spot as the worst Indian cop film I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen some really bad ones).

Except for yummy lead actress Nisha Kothari flashing some skin in a later song sequence, this film is entirely without any redeeming value. The budget is non-existent, the script is aimless and/or idiotic, and the film is deadly dull from start to finish. The runtime is at an even two hours. The storyline of good and righteous individual (whether it be a cop or just an average joe) vs. evil bad guys (gangsters, politicians, rich, etc.) has long been a staple of Indian cinema and to see it executed so poorly is a stunner (it lacks even the charm/skilled-effort to be considered as a throwback/homage to likeminded films from previous generations). There are four ill-fitting and weak song (with some dance in three of them) numbers in the film, and a heavy-handed background score. This film is sort of a re-imagining (cops now instead of college students) of Varma’s first big directorial hit also entitled “Shiva” (1990 – Telugu-language). It’s been a while since I saw that film but, while not really worthy of great praise, it was far better than this latest and hollow effort. The first song in this film and later the climax certainly reminded me of that earlier effort. I had reservations about lead actor Mohit Ahlawat’s (“James” (2005)) abilities (as well as Nisha Kothari’s) to pull off a demanding role like this, but honestly there are so many far worse things wrong with this film that I wouldn’t feel right in targeting much criticism at the leads. For those of you who have seen “James”, that too was much more entertaining than this one.

This film was boring….about a third of the way in I started to find our protagonists to be unlikable as I cared little for our cop/reporter pair of Ahlawat and Kothari. They started to remind me of a spoiled highschool cheerleader and her bully football quarterback boyfriend….really tough to root for. Far too much of the film is spent on this romantic tangent and the script delivers only the barest of attention to the crime aspect of things. The action scenes are poorly done and Ahlawat is totally unconvincing in the way he delivers a punch, etc. There is one scene just before the midpoint where a hitman comes in but the attempted hit plays more like something out of Austin Powers if Mini-Me were a hitman. Even a later small action scene is unintentionally funny and the bad guys come across as buffoons more than anything else.

The cinematography (usually of skilled caliber in a majority of Indian films) is poor and dull with too many dialogue scenes shot too close and in a similar manner (no variety), some ill-considered use of tilted camera shots, etc., and too many dark scenes. I recall Varma was very critical of the director who delivered “James” (produced by Varma), well to whom should Varma be held accountable for this piece of junk….despite my recent misgivings about him, I still find it hard to believe that the man who gave us classics such as “Satya” and “Company”, or even workmanlike efforts such as “Sarkar” could subject the public to something as incompetent and negligent as “Shiva” (2006). It’s been a while since I’ve handed it out, but here it comes again, “Shiva” (2006) gets graded as a “zero/zilch/nada” in my book.

nitin77

ram gopal varma has really only made 2 good films, Company and Satya, but boy were they good.

Everthing else I've seen from him had potential but is usually brought down for vrious reasons from he directing to the scripting to some truly bad background scores.

flixtime

Dor (2006 – Hindi) – This is the latest effort from Director Nagesh Kukunoor (“Hyderabad Blues”, “3 Deewarein”, last year’s cricket film “Iqbal”, etc.). From what I understand, the basic story was taken from a South Indian Malayalam-language film (which I’ve been trying to source but not yet successfully) but as I understand Director Kukunoor did make significant alterations/enhancements in adapting it to Hindi and a North Indian setting.

The tale has as its focus two female leads and is a gentle, low-key, and at times near poetic story of a quest for forgiveness and mercy. I don’t believe that this was released quite in time for Oscar consideration or it should have been a strong contender to be India’s nominee. I’ll need to let it settle a bit but the film is so impressive that it is likely to surpass “Lage Raho Munnabhai” and claim my top spot as India’s best of 2006.

The runtime on “Dor” was approximately 2:05. The cast is comprised of lesser known performers and the players in the primary roles (2 female leads, and one male supporting character) are terrific. Co-lead actresses Ayesha Takia and Gul Kirat Pinag deliver solidly with warm, natural, and heartfelt performances. Supporting actor Shreyas Talpade (he was the lead in “Iqbal”) is also deserving of much praise for his role that provides this otherwise dramatic film with a bit of very pleasing comic relief. The cinematography is excellent and you get the gorgeous scenery of the mountainous state Himachal Pradesh set against the equally gorgeous scenery of the desert region of Rajasthan. The colorful Indian clothing looks beautiful set against the neutral tones of the desert areas and old architecture in Rajasthan. The look of the film reminded me very much of the Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Paheli” and even more so of “Hari Om” (I think some of the locations in this film were very similar to “Hari Om”). The film is certainly visually pleasing.

There are maybe five songs and they are all very good and very much serve to enhance the film. Most are set to narrative montage with one having a brief but charming bit of dancing as characters dance to a song on the radio (so even that song is incorporated into the story).

Towards the latter half of the film, “Dor” started to remind me of Deepa Mehta’s “Water” (2005) in that this film gained some depth by examining the place (sometimes) of women in Indian society. But, to the film’s benefit, this aspect of the film was not overdone and remained under the surface of things, as the character/relationship-driven nature of the film rightly remained the focus. I ranked “Water” relatively high on my Best of 2005 list, and I’ll say that I thought this film was superior to “Water”.

“Dor” is most certainly recommended viewing (and the English-friendly DVD is available now). I did watch the “Making of” extra on the DVD and if this was indeed in some way inspired by a Malayalam film, I was disappointed that the Director did not make at least a little mention of it during the short “Making of” segment.

Sidenote: I wish Malayalam cinema was as easy to source as Tamil and Telugu cinema as I understand that they produce some pretty good films. I know that I’ve watched at least a couple of Tamil films that were re-makes of Malayalam films.

And here is a link to the official site for “Dor” (click on “Media” for a choice of trailers with different samples of the music):
"Dor" (2006) Official Site with trailer


Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006 – Hindi) – I’m a bit typed out so this will be brief. This was a serio-comedy focusing on a middle-class Indian family and the elder father’s lifelong dream of purchasing a plot of land to build his dream home for the family. The runtime was around 2:10. The film was okay to watch but also flat and I never really got in to the characters and their plight. The first forty minutes needed to be tightened up and I think a female supporting character could have been dropped entirely and her role mixed with another character’s. The last two-thirds is better and you get a bit of caper/con film towards the end as the family has to work together to reclaim what’s rightfully theirs. There wasn’t any traditional song and dance that I can remember, or at least none of significance. There are a few songs but mostly incorporated into the storyline and set to a montage of scenes. Despite my lukewarm thoughts on the film, in a way, it was most definitely a step in the right direction for Indian comedies.



Next on tap in the coming week or so are two high-profile remakes of two much loved originals: “Don” (lead actor Shah Rukh Khan inspires little confidence in me nowadays) and “Umrao Jaan” (likewise Aishwarya Rai).



And to close:
Acclaimed Tamil/Hindi Director Mani Ratnam (“Nayakan”, “Roja”, “Bombay”, “Dil Se”, “Alai Payuthey” (remade in Hindi as “Saathiya”), “Kannathil Muthamittal”, “Ayitha Ezhuthu/Yuva”) returns in a few weeks with his latest “Guru” starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai (and music by A.R. Rahman).

Here is a link to the official site with trailer (click on “Media” at the top):
"Guru" Official Site with trailer

I like Abhishek Bachchan quite a bit but I think he is at his best when he basically plays himself in contemporary roles. He’s likable and charismatic, but I’m not entirely sold on his acting abilities otherwise. Viewing the trailer, I have some doubts if he was able to pull of what seems to be a demanding role.

flixtime

Heresy……

Don (2006 – Bollywood (Hindi)) – This is a faithful update of the original 1978 classic that offers just enough (or more) tweaking of the storyline to keep things interesting….all in all, the new “Don” is a very enjoyable popcorn muncher. I most definitely found this to be a very, very pleasant surprise and it will be a strong challenger that could rank as high as number 3 on my Top 10 list for Indian cinema 2006.

Though a faithful remake, it does update many scenes from the original by copying from a host of recent Hollywood films. I don’t recall which films exactly but as an example, the original action scene that opens the 1978 “Don” is updated here by an action scene that, though I don’t recall which movie it copies from, it most certainly is an exact copy of a scene I’ve seen elsewhere. Even a scene that follows shortly is taken from some other movie that I’ve viewed….and so it goes on a number of occasions throughout. In general, the action scenes were effective in generating excitement in me as a viewer.

The original “Don” was somewhat modest as far as production values and used mostly natural settings. This new version is a much grander, big-budget film in that sense…very slick and polished, and generally feeling of greater scope. The majority of this new version is set in Malaysia and you get ample shots of the Petronas Towers.

I’ve expressed reservations concerning Shahrukh Khan both for this film and in general, but I thought he was fine for the role. While it is pretty much the same old Shahrukh schtick, it worked okay for me in this film and he is, at least temporarily, back in good standing as far as I am concerned. It might be considered sacrilege but I think I preferred Shahrukh’s interpretation of the character(s) over Amitabh Bachchan’s in the original. Shahrukh’s Don is a little edgier and more of a thug than the more sauve portrayal by Amitabh Bachchan….in general I thought Shahrukh’s version was more interesting, even as the Vijay persona (which plays more to his strength as an actor).

Priyanka Chopra was excellent as Roma (though we don’t get to see her in the nurse’s outfit and white stockings made famous (at least to me) by Zeenat Aman in the original). If there were any justice in the world Priyanka would receive all the international acclaim that is mistakenly directed towards Aishwarya Rai. Priyanka is gorgeous, a top-notch dancer, and versatile as an actress…definitely a shining light for Indian cinema.

I also thought that this new version improved significantly on the original in terms of the Jasjit tangent of the story and Arjun Rampal does a really nice job.

There were five song and dance numbers in the film and except for the first one I thought the remaining four were nearly the equal or better than those in the original….again it helped that this seemed to have been a much more lavish telling of the story. Generally speaking, the songs (re-mixed or slightly updated versions perhaps?) and there placement in the film are very similar to the original (as far as I recall...though I think the third and fourth songs had their order flipped in this new version).

The runtime on this was 2 hours and 49 minutes and it moved along very well throughout. The film is the third directorial effort from Farhan Akhtar (who previously directed the modern classic “Dil Chahta Hai” (though I’m not wild about it) and “Lakshya” (which I found disappointing). Farhan is actually the son of the gentleman who wrote the screenplay for the original 1978 version.

Anyway, I found “Don” to be very entertaining and I actually wouldn’t mind watching it again sometime soon (I'm curious to see how it holds up on second viewing). As is the case with the various incarnations of "King Kong" or something like "Cape Fear", I think movie fans should find room in their hearts for both versions of "Don". Both films are a good time and each has points of merit over the other. I realize that the original is a classic for many who grew up with it, but as someone new to Indian cinema, the re-make will be my preferred choice for future viewings.

The DVD is now available (with English subtitles) and is a nice package as far as Indian DVD’s go. It’s a 2-disc set (haven’t gotten into the extras on Disc 2 yet) and also comes with a 130 page comic of the entire film. This comic is done by taking various stills from the film and sort of adding some cartoon-like stylization and snippets of dialogue. I only glanced at it but I thought it was a really nice extra.

For those who might want to check out a trailer, here is a link to the official site:
"Don" (2006) - official site with trailer
Just double-click “downloads” in the lower right after you enter the site.

In general I’ve really been enjoying my Indian cinema viewing lately and as of right now I’m actually more enthusiastic about Indian cinema than Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cinema….and that hasn’t happened in a long, long time. I’m not saying it is better than those countries but in many ways and on a basic level I’m finding it more entertaining (in terms of escapist entertainment). While there are certainly areas that need major work (originality, writing, variety, etc.), I wonder if the coming few years might see a breakthrough for Indian cinema on the international scene.

Vision of Love

Thanks for the Guru website. It looks interesting.

I got my Tamil friend obsessed with Korean films and series so I don't get to hear much about Hindi and Tamil films from her anymore. :P

flixtime

roy_stalin, the "Shiva" DVD has been a bit of a mystery as it's release is way past due. I gave up waiting and just opted for a "rental VHS copy" so I could at least check it out. I don't know if you are fortunate enough to have some local Indian movie rental shops near where you live/work but if you are - and you can't wait for the DVD - you should be able to at least rent a copy to view now. That said, given that it is past due, I wouldn't be surprised to see "Shiva" pop up on DVD at any time now.



Forgot to mention this before, the major theatrical release from last week was "Baabul" which is a big romantic/family melodrama starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, and John Abraham....and directed by the guy who did "Baghban" (2003) which starred Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. The trailers, etc. aren't doing a whole lot for me personally, but for those interested here is the link to the film's official site:
"Baabul" (2006) - official site



A just a sidenote...an increasingly irritating trend on recent DVDs is the abundance of unskippable ads/trailers/promo material. The "Don" (2006) DVD had a ton of it (I have to go back and see in more detail if there is a way to bypass it), and worse even a few minutes more junk after you finally reach the main menu and hit play to start the movie....it's more than annoying losing ten plus minutes of time especially when you are settling in to watch a long movie as it is. I'm just going to load up DVDs now before dinner and let it run so when I watch after dinner at least I've bypassed all the nonsense before the main menu.

flixtime

toddly6666, I was a little concerned about perhaps taking the Top 10 DVDs thread too far off on a tangent so I took the liberty of responding to your post from that thread here in this one instead.
I never made it to the theater to see "Dhoom 2" and I've so far bypassed the rental copy so I'll likely wait for the DVD. It seems that, like the original, "Dhoom 2" is one of those check-your-brain-at-the-door films but I hope it turns out entertaining at least on a sort of guilty pleasure basis.

I've seen all those other action films you mentioned, though I don't recall too much about "Mission Kashmir" or "Hero" since they were a long time back. From what I do remember, "Don" would be my second favorite of the bunch after "Anniyan". I feel a little responsible for giving you that extra push to go ahead and purchase "Don" so I truly wish that you like. Let me know what you think after you check it out.



Anyway, I'm a bit hooked on the youtube stuff, so for all those interested, here is a song & dance clip of the "Gori Gori" black & red song from "Main Hoon Na" (2004). It's a really fun clip to watch and one of my favorites (long list) from the past few years.
"Main Hoon Na" - Gori Gori song at youtube

And since we've mentioned it, the Matrix-cloned dojo fight from "Anniyan" (2005).
"Anniyan" fight scene at youtube

And some great songs from "Anniyan"
Song 1
Song 2
Song 3

Maybe I'll post some more youtube song & dance clips that I like a little later.

toddly6666

FLIXTIME, thanks for the advise.

I also recommend the Tamil movie called BOYS, by the Anniyan director. Yes, it's about a boy band, but the music is really good. The movie is entertaining as well. The movie is worth buying just for this one bullet-time effects-filled song:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xd3m-tju5Bg

flixtime

toddly6666, I've bypassed watching "Boys" many a time basically because of what you wrote - it being a film about a "boy band". I've heard it's good, and since you give it the green light, I'll give it a rental sometime soon.

And to kill some time for those interested.....more youtube videos!

Jaan-E-Maan (2006) - song Humko Maloom Hai
I covered this movie a few posts above, and here is the first song in it, a really great 10-minute long sequence.

Dil Se - song Chaiyya Chaiyya
This is a classic number from a renowned film. Spike Lee liked the song enough to use it for the opening credits of the recent Denzel Washington film "Inside Man".

Ek Ajnabee (2005) - song Ek Ajnabee (Mama Told Me)
Great dance number from the Hindi film remake of Denzel Washington's "Man on Fire". The dude in the video is Arjun Rampal who also co-starred in the "Don" re-make.

Bluffmaster (2005) - Right Here Right Now
Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra in a hip hop-inspired number. I think it played over the end credits.

Kaaka Kaaka (2003) - song Uyirin Uyirae
Great fast-moving song that open this Tamil film.

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) - Maahi Ve
One of the more traditional style Hindi film numbers that I reallly like. Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Preity Zinta.

Taxi No. 9211 (2006) - song Meter Down
Like the Bluffmaster link above I think this one played over the end credits. The movie was lousy but I think this song became reasonably popular.

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) - Pretty Women
Another good number from this film (which maybe I should re-evaluate because I hated it the first time). Again with Shahrukh Khan.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) - song Say Shava Shava
Another very popular number.

James (2005) - I don't know the song name but the girl is the yummy Nisha Kothari I've referenced a few times in this discussion

Nisha Kothari again in the only good thing about Ram Gopal Varma's new Shiva movie
Don't care squat for the song, but she's easy on the eyes.

toddly6666

FLIXTIME, don't worry about it, the title BOYS is the most disturbing thing about the movie. The music is done by A.R. Rahman, so can't go wrong with him usually. The main girl becomes the lead singer of the band so that makes it easier on the eyes. The thing I like about BOYS (haha, that sounds wierd) is that it makes Bollywood movies seem better when youth are starring. Most Bollywood movies do not have teen actors. Ironically, Bollywood films would make more sense if the majority of the films starred teen actors, because the storyline, acting, theme of adolescent childish love is obviously more realistic and charming with young actors, than watching old actors such as Sharhu Khan or Salman Khan trying to act all innocent with their goofy dance steps. BOYS is the first time where it made sense that males were dancing around like flamboyant fools, because at that adolescant age, it's okay. After the age of 21, it just looks silly. The ladies are a different story - Bollywood dance numbers are awesome as long as the female is the main focus, any age.

DIL SE is a good movie. I have the Tamil dvd version, the only anamorphic video with English subtitles. Sure it's dubbed from Hindi to Tamil, but I can't hear a difference.

Is JAMES like a controversial violent action Tamil movie? Is it any good?

flixtime

Have you seen the Tamil film "Kaadhal" (see my first post in this discussion)? It's a slower-paced, character-based story, and grounded a little more in realism than the usual Indian fare. The performers are young actors like you mention above. The lead actor was actually in "Boys" but the rest are newcomers pretty much. I personally think it is a great film (despite a short sidetrack post-intermission) and would recommend it to everyone.


I have the Hindi-language version. I've watched enough now that I can distinguish between Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, etc. Given that "Dil Se" is set in Northern India, hearing it in Tamil (a southern language) would likely bug me a little. I'm a fairly recent convert to foreign films and when I first started watching I couldn't distinguish between let's say Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai but now it comes easy. In the early days, I think I once even watched an entire Japanese movie with Chinese dub and didn't even realize the mistake I made. Now I get a kick out of watching a movie with someone who can't tell the difference in languages and it seems quite impressive when you get some East Asian movie such as from Hong Kong that might have a brief bit of Japanese dialogue and I sort of make quick comment that the character is speaking Japanese (I think that movie "2046" had something like that and it was plot-relevant but it wasn't clarified to people who can't tell the difference till later that the person wasn't Chinese).


Nah, I wouldn't equate "James" to what you are saying (see post #14 in this thread for a better description than I could give now since more time has passed since I've seen it). By the way, the pelvic thrusting, short skirt reference in post #14 was referring to the first Nisha Kothari song linked above. I really should have thought of including youtube links in my reviews some time back.



And now for the moment you've all been waiting for......even more youtube video links....woo hoo!

Omkara (2006) - title song and short fight scene from the film
I covered the film earlier in this thread.

Omkara (2006) - Beedi song with Bipasha Basu, Vikek Oberoi

Omkara (2006) - Namak song with Bipasha Basu

Koi...Mil Gaya (2003) - song Idhar Chala Main Udhar Chala
Charming number with Hrithink Roshan and Preity Zinta. toddly6666 and I have mentioned the movie "Krrish" recently. "Krrish" was a sequel to this film. But they are different style films and "Krrish" can be viewed as a standalone.

Dhoom (2004) - song Dhoom Machale
This was another popular song from 2004. This version is not the film version but is the English-language version. I actually prefer watching this clip as compared to the movie version which is coming up......

Dhoom (2004) - song Dhoom Machale as it appeared in the film

Anyway, I suppose that's enough of this youtube stuff before I really bore you guys.

toddly6666

Flixtime, thanks again for the recommendations - i'll research Khadaal...
I was wondering if you can help me find this 70s Indian/Tamil JESUS CHRIST MOVIE called Dayasagar/Karunamayudu.

The only DVD that I see a link to is here:
http://www.indiaplaza.com/dvd/pd.aspx?sku=306015

Do you know if this DVD has English subtitles or know of other DVD version of this movie and its DVD specs (widescreen, anamorphic, english subtitles, hindi audio, tamil audio, etc?

flixtime

toddly6666, your post is the first I've heard of this "Jesus Christ" movie. Next time I go to my local little India I'll look around for it but I'd be surprised to see it on the shelves. Given the age of the film, I wouldn't expect too much in regard to DVD quality, you'll probably just have to take what you can get. Maybe best thing is to shoot an e-mail across to Indiaplaza and ask about English subtitles. Hopefully they get back to you; I've never used them before. Again, I'll look into it and ask around next time I get a chance but maybe Indiaplaza is your best bet (if it has English subs).

toddly6666

FLIXTIME, I got the DON dvd and watched it. It was surprisingly the most professionally-made polished Bollywood movie that I have ever seen. I thought it was highly entertaining. The only thing that slightly threw off the movie were a couple of the martial arts scenes. If it lost those scenes, the movie would be the most perfect Bollywood crossover film into mainstream. I just laughed when Sharu Khan used the elbow head blow that was used by Tony Ja in Ong Bak. I thought the best fight scene was between Sharu Khan and the hot girl with the chain. But in DON, this movie wasn't about the action, this movie was about the direction, good acting, and non-hyper pace of a normal movie.

DON = FACE OFF + THE DEPARTED/INFERNAL AFFAIRS directed by Johnnie To. This is what the movie felt like to me, which was great.

DON kicks the ass of THE COMPANY, a totally overrated amateurishly filmed movie about cops and criminals. I think DON is the best Bollywood cop/criminal movie I've seen yet.

nitin77

I havent seen Don, the trailers have put me off.

But calling Company amateurish is completely unacceptable

toddly6666

NITIN, the trailers don't represent DON one bit. That's why I didn't see it as well. The movie is good and a lot better than COMPANY.