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| Dilasha | Posted
on 20-Sep-02 06:17 PM
Okay, enough rambling about Hillary, hostility, astrology, bahuns, teej, etc. etc. :) Folks it’s Friday, a perfect time to delve into some fun stuff so let’s talk about movies! In fact this particular one. The exceptionally talented, brilliant and phenomenal director Shekhar Kapoor is back in the limelight with another Hollywood project, The Four Feathers starring the lovely Kate Hudson and Heath Ledger the Aussie lad. I haven’t been keeping up with the world of television lately (thanks to Newsweek that fills my appetite). However, yesterday I just felt the urge to know what’s going on in the world so I turned on the set when Lo and behold some terrific clips of this movie appeared that caught my attention. Ever since I watched his beautifully crafted “Masoom”, I’ve been an ardent fan of Shekhar Kapoor. I even had a slight crush on him, (boy with that looks and personality, who wouldn’t?) :) Anyway, I loved “Masoom” so much that back in those days I aspired to be a filmmaker like “Shekhar Kapoor”, much to the dismay of my mother of course. But then destiny had something else in store for me. After Masoom came Mr. India, Bandit Queen and Elizabeth. With Elizabeth, Kapoor successfully carved a niche for himself in the Hollywood arena the result of which is his new project The Four Feathers and thus proved that one doesn't need to be a Brisitsh or an American to make an English movie. Shekhar Kapoor is one of those few Indian directors who focuses more on the quality than the quantity aspect of filmmaking for which I admire him although I wish he made more movies than commercials. I also like the fact that he is excellent when it comes to handling emotions of his actors on screen not to mention the fact that he shares wonderful rapport with kids hence their powerful performances. Remember that particular scene in Masoom where the kid (Jugal hansraj) in the middle of a song sequence cries to his father, “mein hostel mein nahin jaunga” and his father (Naseer) replies, “nahin beta aapko hostel mein hi rehna padega” to which the naive son, with his twinkling and teary eyes asks, “mein aapke saath kyun nahin reh sakta?” Oh what a perfectly natural scene it was! Caught between his love for his family and his responsibility as a father to his only son born out of wedlock, whose mother is deceased, Naseer finds himself in panic—stricken condition. On the other hand his wife (Shabana Azmi), distressed and mad with her husband’s betrayal goes through immense pain and trauma. Kapoor handled every scene with such finesse that the whole movie turned out to be spectacular and soon he became a household name in India. Coming back to The Four Feathers, this movie seems to be an epic love story. Looking at the beautiful costumes, the bright ambience created through exotic locations, the deserts and the camels and of course the British accents, one can easily figure out that Shekhar Kapoor is back with another magical presentation. I am definitely planning on watching it this weekend and if anyone who sees it would like to share his/her opinion on the movie in this thread, more than welcome! Arios!! |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 20-Sep-02 08:32 PM
Dilasha, You have written so eloquently about Shekhar Kapoor and his talent as a director. I could not resist in adding one scene he crafted so beautifully in Masoom. When the boy (Jugal Hansraaj - currently Mohabatein fame) first time is coming to visit his father, the scene is train station. The camera pans from top of the station with full view of the platform with the steam coming out of engine and coolies with red shirt on taking the passengers to their destinations. The camera then zooms and follows a 4 feet tall boy from behind. Audience has still not seen the boy (born out of wedlock between Nasaruddin and Ms Pathak - forgot her name, she is Supriya Pathak's daughter) so far and the they (we) become restless to see the face of the boy but the camera seems unware of the torture audience is going through, and suddenly without any warning the boy turns and whole screen becomes full of a hazel eyed beautiful beautiful handsome innocent boy's face, and the whole audience gasp and let out a big 'aaahhhh'!. I felt my heart came out of my mouth. I still get goose bumps just describing the scene. And there were many many scenes like that in that movie. I would definitely see Four Feathers!!!! Let us know how you liked it. - iti |
| czar | Posted
on 20-Sep-02 08:32 PM
Lovely commentary ! While we are on the topic of Indian movie makers, might I also mention Mira Nair's " A Monsoon Wedding?" Slick treatment, plot generally held through. Nevertheless, a splendid movie experience. The Merchant Ivory duo made quite a statment in their hey day. I maybe mistaken, but Merchant and Ivory were of Indian origin too. Even the celebrated Sir Andew Lloyd Webber is looking eastward. Witness his latest creation 'Bombay Dreaming' playing in London now. Its his collaboration with the musical talents from bollywood. For better or worse, bollywood and its progeny are all set to give hollywood a taste of its magic (or horror as the case may be). |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 20-Sep-02 10:42 PM
Supriya Pathak. Now I remember her name was Supriya Pathak and (Deena Pathak is her mom's name). Oops! Old time....... :-) |
| SITARA | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 12:49 AM
Dilasha...Man Woman and Child ....of cours!!!!! hey...nice writing!!!!! Talking about film...has anyone seen "The Cup"????? Subtitiled and really hilarious inits simplicity. It is about a Tibetan Monastery in India, where young boys are sent by their families to enter monkhood. But, the boys are boys first and monks last!!! They have an addiction...to soccer! During the world cup, they sneak out from the monaster, into the village to watch the world cup! It is beautiful, simple and eloquent in its innocence!!!! The dialogues are oneliners and really funny! See it!!!!!! |
| SITARA | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 01:04 AM
CZAR, talking about Mira Nair; What about "Kamasutra"????? Now, that was quite a treatment there. A women's quest for love and lust. The heroine uses her sultry charms to lure a prince away from her childhood playmate/nemesis!!!! She thrives in the power she wields over the prince and yet does not give him her heart. Rich and poignant in the narration and expression, "Kamasutra" captures the imagination as only a sensual film can!!!! Set in the 14th century time of the erotic age, Mira nair takes a bold step in exploring women's sexuality. The colour is rich and vivid and the plot intriguing!!!! She finds love but in the arms of tragedy!!!! Here again, the myth of love and reality flirt with eachother to bring the audience to an anticipated hush.....waiting for the love to be consummated and the lust to be quenched! :) |
| Paschim | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 04:14 AM
Dilasha -- great thread! Wow, I love that movie Masoom. LS and you are talking about segments of acting...what about the SONGS? They're some of the best I've ever heard: "tumse naaraaz nahin...jindagi hairaan hoon mein...ohhh..." Such a classic! Czar and Sitara -- I liked Mira Nair's "Monsoon Wedding" too...haven't seen Kamasutra in full yet (big surprise, eh?!)...Andrew Weber's "Bombay" with A.R. Rahman's music is actually moving to NY's Broadway from London soon, I heard...and of the Merchant Ivory duo, only Ismail Merchant is Indian -- he's a Parsi; but James Ivory is American, I think. Can't wait to see this new Shekhar Kapoor movie, but look forward to your reviews in the meantime. |
| anepalikt | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 11:39 AM
Nice Dilasha! Yes, Shekhar Kapoor rocks! And he is so darn sexy:) Masoom was phenomenal. I loved it. It was so sad. Elizabeth was great and Cate Blanchett is amazing. I love period peices so Four feathers should be interesting. Have any of you watched "Masala" (not Mississipi Masala ni Pheri). I liked Masala a lot and also Bhaji on the Beach. Both are at least 5 years old, but should be available on the racks. Speaking of Mira Nair, what did you think of "Fire"and "Earth"? I rented Lagaan and was disappointed. |
| Suna | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 01:24 PM
Monsoon Wedding was wonderful! I have to admit that I watched Kamasutra more than twice :). Now now, don't get ahead of yourselves. It was more because I was mermerized by the girl's beauty (now again, hold your horses :) and the lavish sets. After living half of my adult life in the west where everyone has to be disgustingly thin to be pretty, this girl is simply gorgeous! She reminded me of those carvings in the Ajanta caves. Luscious and curvy.....Paschim: you don't know what you're missing :). Mississippi Masala (lost track of the p's) was good as well. For someone who knows little of the history of Africa, this was a good teaser. It did lead me to read more on the continent. Anepalikt, I will have to explain cricket one day to you :) or more..aamir khan's physique. :). |
| Nepe | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 02:05 PM
Dilasha, Great thread indeed. ‘Masoom’- one of the few good and commercially successful Hindi movies that stopped me from making a sweeping generalization that the viewers of Hindi movies are not ready for good movies. Another movie in the same line was Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Arth’. Great story, cast and not to mention Kaifi Azmi’s terrific ghazals- Jhuki jhuki si nazar, Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho- so fittingly integrated. ‘Monsoon Wedding’- what can be said about it. It is a perfect collage of life in an unslowed motion. It is a strong ‘chadkan’ to the formula of Bollywood movie too. In contrast to the Bollywood formula of movie, every character in ‘Monsoon Wedding’ is the ‘hero/heroine’. Aren’t the tent man Dubeyji and the housemaid Alice not the ‘hero/heroine’ of the movie, or are they Aditi and Hemanta ? And hey, how many of you, the aspiring eligible bachelor non-resident Nepali, identify with Hemanta ? ‘Kamasutra’ did not fulfill my expectation. And let me assure that my expectation was not what I think you think I am thinking. It has everything Sitaraji describes. But the flow of the movie is not smooth, or so I thought. In any case, Shekhar Kapoor and Mira Nair rock. And allow me also to add that I see Bollowood as a fantastic paradox. It thrives on making low quality movies. |
| DWI | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 02:26 PM
Shekar Kapoor is certainly among the best breed of directors. Among others, in Hindi movies, I liked the direction of Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai and Ashoka. The first two were widely praised, so they don't need any further ovation, but Ashoka wasn't a big hit. But look at the direction, the camera angles and the editing aspect of the movie. The swift movements of frame and their transitions are so elite, they can top Ron Howard or Steven Soderbergh and Ridley Scott (Gladiator)'s style. The Gladiatorisque transitions, motions and even silence were applause worthy. I wonder if the director has any new movies in his bag. Its not easy to make art movie, but its even harder to bring the essence of art movies into the commercial ones. Yeah, Dilasha..Shekhar is very good, but he has elite group of competitors now. |
| ashu | Posted
on 21-Sep-02 08:49 PM
Anepalikt, "Fire" and "Earth" were made by Deepa Mehta and NOT by Mira Nair. Sitara, two years ago, we at the Kathmandu Film Archive showed the movie "The Cup", to much popular acclaim in Kathmandu. I just love that Bhutanese movie. Dilasha, as for SK, though his has been a life full of tragedies, but he always has been a comeback guy. He gave up a career in accounting in London to be in films in Bombay. And he spent long spells in Bombay without getting the kind of roles he wanted. An affair with Sabana Azmi went nowhere, and, later, his marriage ended in a bitter divorce. In the '80s and the '90s, except for the commercial success of his fantasy movie "Mr. India" (starring Anil Kapoor) another long spells of no filmi work left him modeling part-time for a clothing company. The Bombay "filmi" press had written SK off as another has-been director. A few months ago, I was reading Indian writer Shoba De's memoirs, and she had negative things to say about SK. SK's career seems to have perked up soon after he married (in about '96 or so), the much younger and voluptupus Suchitra Krishnamoorthy, an Indian pop singer who now has given up her career to be a full-time wife. I was surprised when the movie Elizabeth did not win a single major Academy award, even after being nominated in quite a few categories, including the Best Picture. ------------- Merchant-Ivory movies are great in part because they often work with a first-rate scriptwriter -- Ruth Prawar Jhabvala, a Poland-born writer who grew up in London and spent more than 20 years in India, married to an Indian architect. Jhabvala's stories -- especially her latest collection "east unto upper east" -- are a delight to read and re-read. ********* That said, in Nepal too, there are some good directors coming up -- slowly but surely. India-trained Nepali Tsering Ritar Sherpa's feature-film "Mukundo" remains a promising beginning. Likewise, Nabin Subba's "Numafong" (a movie about romance in a Limbu village) is another carefully-crafted movie that will now take part in the prestigious Fukuwoka Film Festival in Japan this October. And for the past two years, whenever I run into him, I have been urging Dipendra Gauchan (he of "Ujeli" fame) to give up all these "bikase" documentaries that he makes for INGOs and NGOs and instead concentrate on making a full-length feature film or two. Dipendra says "yes, yes" and then vanishes to exotic countries like Ethiopia and Laos -- to shoot documentaries for Save the Children and so on. That said, when are we going to see some Nepali women as film-directors too? Perhaps Ms. Udas at CNN would like to make a cross-over to film-making career someday. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| anepalikt | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 08:24 AM
Thank you Ashu for setting me straight:) |
| ebony_firefly | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 08:50 AM
nice thread.. yeah !shekhar kapoor is a director of international repute,and also mr.shyamalan(guy who directed sixth sense).. lets hope four feathers adds a feather in the cap of south asia. blac_ |
| SOULFREE | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 09:58 AM
ahhh!! Reviews are not really exciting about "four feathers", but I am planning to spend my six bucks this afternoon. Afterall I got to watch Kate Hudson..... don't I?? ;) Talking about Shekhar Kapur, He is one of my favourite directors for sure. I loved masoom. I remember, I was a kid when I watched Masoom, and I cried like a baby. I still feel like crying when I hear the songs from Masoom -- "Lakadi ki kaathi", " huzur is kadar", and above all " tujhse naraz" -- Then came "Mr. India" -- I laughed so hard in the movie that I cried (again). That movie was so funny. Then came "joshilay" (a cowboy movie) and "dushmani" (some regular hindi masala movie with manisha) -- both of them uncredited him as a director, due to the fight with the producer. Then came Bandit queen, one of the movies that really moved me. Can you believe shekhar kapur had to go to prison for Bandit queen? -- after BQ, he moved to Britain, and made Elizabeth. Cate Blanchette was great in the movie -- and now comes, Four feathers.... after cate its kate... (kate hudson was great in Almost Famous -- I love that movie) -- There are some of the great hindi movies which don't look like dimaag kharab art movie, -- yet it is not like regular commercial movie... 1. Lagaan was Great... I loved the Pace of the movie. It moves so smoothly. Almost at same speed for 3 hours. That movie was real fun from the first minute. Its not really fun if you don't understand Awadhi language -- not good in subtitle. 2. "Is raat ki subha nahi" -- Its an awesome movie about one fateful night, this guys life becomes hell when he mistakely punches big time DON in the crowded bar. 3. "jaane bhi do yaaro" -- a cult movie, black comedy -- funny, witty and dark. Nasiruddin shah, om puri at their best. This movie is considered as classic comedy movie in hindi movie history. 4. "Drohkaal" -- Nasiruddin and new guy "ashis vidyarthi' -- A great movie about terrorism. 5. "terrorist" -- Great movie -- I think it was in English though. 6. "Guna" -- classic kamal hasan movie -- He swept all the awards for his performance. 7. "Pushpak" -- kamal hasan again in a silent movie? By the way, kamasutra was okay -- not a classic mira nair movie. without sex scenes and nice cinematography, the movie was nothing. Earth was okay too but Fire was great. How about Salam Bombay??? "the cup"??? great one |
| Dilasha | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 11:01 PM
Wow! Such enormous response, insights, and recommendations of movies from friends of Sajha made my evening quite delightful! Thank you all, it was nice reading all of them. Yes! I watched The Four Feathers on Friday. I even skipped the “oooooh so tempting” momo party my friend had organized. (Just to watch a movie? one might ask, but oh well, couldn’t resist kyaa that’s why) so I called my buddy and asked him “hey, you wanna go see the four feathers? It’s directed by Shekhar Kapur” and his first response (I have to tell you this coz it’s so funny) was “Dilasha, I can watch any movies, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, Italian but please, for the lord of the lords, I can’t watch an Indian movie coz you know how much I hate watching them”. I told him it’s an English movie, only the director is Indian. Then with a deep sigh he said, “Oh I didn’t know that. With those hindi movies having English titles these days like Company, 1942 A love Story, how am I supposed to figure that out?” Anyway, so we ended up watching it. Honestly, the movie didn’t turn out to be good. Not that I expected a lot out of Kapur since this is just his second or third international project (in such a grand scale) so he’s still fresh as a bud not yet fully bloomed so to speak but, he could’ve done better. Perhaps a few more movies might help him establish a good impact on the International audience. First of all, it was a total miscast. Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson were not suitable for the roles they played. The African guy Djimon has a meaty role instead and he’s the one who steals the audience’s attention more than the other characters. The character of Heath Ledger in the later half of the movie reminded me of John Walker Lindh. Poor story, lack of strong screenplay, uneven tone or narrative (that made me go “ufffff” watching certain scenes) are some of the factors for such a disappointing result. And at times, I felt as though I was watching an English version of the Kurukshetra war or something. Visually, some parts are spectacular like the battle scenes and the shots of the desert that are breathtaking. The ending drags on a bit making it lousier. It’s all about a British guy in a regimen who’s engaged to a girl and doesn’t want to go to the war because of fear of losing his life hence quits the commission due to which his friends send him white feathers that signify “cowardice”. Then later his fiancée breaks off the engagement as she’s also not happy with his decision which eventually makes him go to the war but alone as his friends are already fighting in the Sudan. Then a series of disguises in the Sudan take place as he goes from one place to another then finally he ends up being captured by the tribes there. He rides on a camel and fights like a crazy man and eventually returns to England with a “see, I’m not so coward after all” attitude and returns all the feathers. I personally wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone for theatrical viewing simply because, believe me it isn’t worth. Well, despite the bad turnout, I still have hope for Shekhar Kapur for he is like I said earlier an extraordinary director who, with the right team of crew members can go great lengths so let’s not write him off with just his second Hollywood movie, for as long as there’s salt in the shaker, there’s always a possibility to make the food more delicious if not now then perhaps in the next run. |
| Dilasha | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 11:24 PM
Logical sense ji, yes every scene of Masoom is memorable! I'm planning to watch it again sometime soon. Nepe ji, Arth was indeed one of the best movies that Mahesh Bhatt ever made. and the songs are so melodious that they never fade away. I wish he focussed more on quality, anyway all the other movies after that (besides a few) were just disasters. Ashu, it's nice to know that some of our fellow nepalese are emerging as "good" directors. With proper training and skills, I'm sure they could very well succeed. I haven't had the luck of viewing their movies perhaps in the future...and I do agree that Dipendra Gauchan is one heck of a talented guy. He left a very good impact with his "Ujeli" and some other "message giving ads" especially the one where the old man in the village tries to trick in calculation when the woman comes to buy grocery and his lil' grandaughter finds out his mistake and another one where the little girl cries out from her aangan to her father in the paddyfields "baa ho baaa, jhatta au shahar bata dai ko chitti aacha, jhatta au jhatta", those short educational programs were very well made and I heard it was him behind that whole program. What else? Monsoon Wedding was pretty good and Lagaan didn't impress me that much despite having my favourite actor. Well, this much for now my fingers are gettin sore! :) |
| Biswo | Posted
on 22-Sep-02 11:52 PM
Dilasha, I missed this thread before, but hey, didn't know this was about movie. Yes, I also went to see "The Four Feathers". While watching the movie, I couldn't keep my minds from two other great movies of past: "The Lawrence of Arabia" and "The English Patient". This movie draws so heavily from these two previous movies. Equally protracted at times, equally boring at times, but overall, the movie is still good for some of its artistic merits. I liked technical aspects, and the detail portrayal of ancient wars. But since I am against colonialism of all kinds, it was very difficult for me to have any sympathy for the protagonists while watching the movie. Those portrayed as 'savage' were not 'savage', I keep on telling myself:-) |
| Suna | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 06:44 AM
For those who love movies on the British era in India, a few books that might please you as well: Far Pavilions Shadow of the Moon Both by M.M.Kaye What makes the books very interesting is the fact that the author lived through those times and, if I'm not mistaken, was born in Baluschistan, Quetta which was part of India and now Afganistan. (Personally Far Pavilions was much more intriguing for me.) |
| SOULFREE | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 07:35 AM
I agree movie was a miscast and what a drag after that "kurukshetra" battle scene. But, I was really surprised by Heath Ledger's performance. He might be miscasted, but his hard work was visible on the screen. Even physically, he did every thing from falling off the camel, jumping on the running horse, roaming in the desert etc. Kate Hudson was wasted, poor girl. I went to watch kate more than anything, and she looked beautiful, until she opened her mouth and spoke. couldn't sekhar kapur find any british girl, who could speak "british English"? Wes Bentley was okay. "Lawrence Of Arabia" was a classic, A greatest of them all. Four Feathers is nowhere near it. |
| VillageVoice | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 08:35 AM
Hi Dilasha - thank you for starting what is already a great thread. I couldn't resist the bait - mind you, it's 9:31 a.m. Monday. Much has already been said about Sekhar Kapoor, and much eloquently too. Quick additions. As someone who discovered the parallel cinema as a young rebel, I was later disillusioned with the movement and now share Soulfree's remarks that they are "dimagkhane art movies" - even Nasuruddin shares that viewpoint now. O what a mightly fall. But they were fun as long as they lasted - Akrosh, Chakra, etc. They were extremely enriching -- learning about life-as-it-exists in bombay ghettos, the psychology of an adibasi woman. Then came a turning point. I read a letter to the Editor in the Times of India - sometime in the mid/late-80s. It essentially protested Door Darshan's decision to telecast Art films as Sunday Movie. The writer argued, certainly most eloqouently, that s/he was swamped by Chakra's, Akrosh's six days a week. There was no escaping them. And once a week -- just once a week - he wanted to given in to dream merchants. Dance and sing with good-looking heroes and heroines in the park, travel to London, live in expensive houses, drive fast cars. That was kinda revealing to me. It also was instructive of the overall fatigue to the so-called art movies. Of course, I didn't lose interest in serious cinema - i still haven't - but i was happy that directors like Sekhar Kapoor came up, and they brilliantly put together the elements of serious cinema - in making you at least think - and entertainment - love birds running round the trees, singing to each other. What followed was pure fun, without quite being flippant. Masoom, Arth, and there were some Omal Palekar starrrers - I just remember one of them with Tina Munim - based in Goa. Logical Sense, your description of the scene of the little boy standing at the railway station is superb. You say you get goose bumps each time you describe the scene. Well, I got goose bumps reading it. You haven't done too bad there. Yes, our own Deepandra Gauchan is quite a director. And I am not least bit surprised that I have met some very, very accomplished producers in the US who talk highly of him. "He's as good as they come" (To quote a BBC producer). But much as Ashu, I hope he makes a feature film or two. Never mind, if he's reluctant to give up on his lucrative bikase movie circuit. And thanks to you, Ashu, also, for your occasional postings on the entertainment scene back home. |
| dirk | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 09:41 AM
Suna, Quetta, Baluchistan is in Pakistan and was a part of the British Raj. I also really enjoyed Far Pavillions. Talking about British movies with "Desi" theme...how about "Buddha of Suburbia" starring Rosen Seth, " My Beautiful Laundrette" and "Sammie and Rosie Get Laid". Were excellent. Shekhar Kapur is truly a great director. Masoom was also one of my favorite flicks of my childhood. |
| ashu | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 10:22 PM
Village Voice and Dilasha, No problem. Happy to be sharing news and views from the Nepali entertainment/media world whenever I can, even though I am neither in entertainment nor in media in Nepal. I do read Kamana magazine from time to time, though!! And yes, I read only the articles in it :-) That said, in the last one year, I have noticed that two things in Nepal are getting better and better in terms of sheer technical expertise. One is the TECHNICAL quality or increased slickness of all these fashion/beauty contests that take place in Kathmandu. The biggest of these contests are well-managed and, as an event, really porfessionally done. More and more they are stunningly choreographed, with advanced systems of sounds, lights, visuals and all that. Second is the quality of Nepali music videos: with local production companies tying up with creatives in London and Bombay, Nepali music videos now have a lot of oomph, energy and technical razz-mataaz (influenced all the more by MTV and Channel V) that wasn't quite there even last year. Nabin K. Bhattarai's latest song -- shot on Kathmandu's billboards at night -- is an example of this increasingly sophisticated trend when it comes to making music videos. And on a Friday night, the Rox Bar at Hyatt Regency -- with young people dressed up in black and smoking cigarettes and all that until 4 in the morning --resembles one of those deliciously decadent bars in New York London or Paris (or for that matter, Sanghai?). The Rox hasn't reached to the level of "Coyote Ugly" yet, but it may very well go that way soon. To my utter amazement, there's a lot going on here -- under the surface and in between the sheets, so to speak. I can now only understand -- all the more now -- how Samrat got those ideas for all his sex-drenched stories. Why, a certain Deepak Mishra-esque character even works in my new office building :-) oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| U_2 | Posted
on 23-Sep-02 11:49 PM
Hey, anyone knows whatever happened to that cute little girl from Masoom film? I know Jugal, the Masoom boy, tried a couple of films and failed, the big sister is now an established actress. But where has that little girl dissappeared? |
| Suna | Posted
on 24-Sep-02 06:40 AM
Dirk you're right! Why did I write Afganistan? :0) There is a reason :). |
| watever | Posted
on 26-Sep-02 08:54 AM
Ahem!!... Ok not to poke in the midst of this great ongoing movie philosophical talks but I just wanted to write... :) Dilasha your first msg on Shekhar Kapur... good one I really liked it... there was something in the way you described I guess I couldn't help but read.... it was truly very good... and for the first time, of all the times I had read ashu's responses, I like the ones he wrote here.. I am amazed myself (note: I am not starting some stupid who likes who controversy here.. just stating my opinion so DO NOT dwelve into that arena!! thanks :)) |
| paramendra | Posted
on 26-Sep-02 06:14 PM
Bandit Queen: A powerful screenig of the caste dynamics on the sub-continent largely denied by the intelligentsia who move out west. The character itself is outstandingl. Phoolan Devi really was something. She was a statement. Was sad to learn of her assassination in Delhi. Her mother bemoaned: "Wo thakur logon ne akhir mar hi diya re." There was a case pending against her. MP Phoolan Devi. A legendary name I had heard when I was not even 7. Just like Indira. These symbols matter. The irony of borrowing the movie at an American college library! The English Patient: The most powerful scene: the guy comes back with help, and she has already died in the cave. "I have always loved you." And the guys breaks into loud tears. Also the way the story got written. This plane accident from World War II. The rest was research done at the British Library and imagination. Madonna is on record saying she wished she were loved like that! And the love story is one of, well, to say the word, adultery. The first time they make love, the accompanying seeming violence. Clothes torn. Bathtub. The woman is understanding of how her husband must feel. After all, he crashed the plane hoping both of them will die. He does. Love that understands, but goes for it anyway. |
| Dilasha | Posted
on 26-Sep-02 06:40 PM
Thank you VV, and watever and thanks Suna for reccommending the books. I will definitely take Far Pavillion off the shelves after i'm done with Such a long journey. Gosh! seems like i need to watch The English Patient again coz i can't vividly remember the story although I do remember the actors the deserts and the planes but not the whole plot. btw, has anyone read Anil's Ghost? I wonder what kind of review it's gotten. |
| paramendra | Posted
on 26-Sep-02 06:44 PM
Anil's Ghost |