The enigma of Talaash – Reema Kagti’s next with Aamir Khan

Everything about this film is shrouded in smoke – Dhuaan was a very apt early rumored title that has now been changed to Talaash. Written by Reema Kagti (director of Excel Entertainment’s Honeymoon Travels) and Zoya Akhtar (writer and director of Luck by Chance and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), the film boasts of an interesting cast with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor (last seen in 3 Idiots) but also includes Rani Mukherjee. Rani and Aamir were last seen together in Mangal Pandey years ago!

Bodyguard – Salman and Kareena

The first long song promo is out! Desi Beats is a catchy enough number but it does have some energetic choreography:

Here is my analysis:

1. Salman is looking quite youthful and fit – best looking Khan today.
2. He is actually dancing to the beat, following the choreography and playing to the galleries splendidly.
3. The backup dancers are shirtless, while Salman has a vest on and shows us his biceps!
4. Kareena is almost a glorified extra with little to do – but at least she indicates she is romancing Salman by looking at him or coming out from behind him.
5. Salman is so focused on the choreography that we get no indication he is even aware that Kareena is sharing the song with him! Reminds me of the kid who memorizes his lines so painstakingly that he forgets to add the expressions as he recites.

Thunderous start – the Game of Thrones!

I was and am a fan of George R R Martin’s series that begins with the Game of Thrones. The book was hard to put down and waiting for every next one was torture until he sort of went to sleep for 4-5 years as we waited and waited. Now the next one is due to be out in July, and mine’s been pre-ordered at Amazon. What better timing that this for HBO to start a miniseries on book one! I am not much of a TV watcher, but HBO was ordered and the DVR fired up. However I could not wait and watched along!

Shankar’s Endhiran

Music is about to release shortly, stills are available!
Download song samples:
Arima: http://www.mediafire.com/?c2swqqob24rqgxb
Opinions?

Is My Name is Khan timely or out of sync with the times?

A specter is haunting the world, the specter of radical Islam! Yes there is centuries of history behind this, and we can do all the ‘they did, we did’ that we want, but don’t you think at some point someone has to stop and say “This is here and now!! I do not care about the Crusades or the Shaka, Hun, Kushan and Moghul invaders. Why? Because we are supposed to learn from history, and not treat it like a vendetta record book.”

My Name is Khan – theatrical trailer, Sajda song!

The dust has settled on the MNIK theatrical trailer that was unveiled a couple of weeks ago and another promo “Sajda” has come out recently. So here I am to share my thoughts on both!

First up is the theatrical trailer:

It is 3 minutes long and seems to reveal most of the story. Here is what people have pieced together. An autistic boy, the young Khan played by Tanay Chaddha, (Asperger’s is part of the autism spectrum of disorders) is told by his mother that people are either good or bad based on the deeds they do. Cut to the grown up Khan telling us that he is different, but he is VERY SMART! The way he taps his forehead as he says it makes that scene for me.

Amitabh: All I am sayin’ is give Abhi a chance

Today I present a column from guest writer and friend Kunal! Here are his heartfelt questions to Mr. Bachchan, Sr., after watching the promotional material of PAA.

Amitabh: All I am sayin’ is give Abhi a chance

I have seen Amitabh and Abhishek working in quite a few films. and though, I agree that Amitabh is at a different level altogether but what really baffles me is the fact that he doesn’t even give better role to Abhshek. If BnB had Amitabh in a better role, Sarkar had Amitabh as hero, and in Sarkar raj, Abhishek was not only having lesser role, but was also bumped off at the half time. Now, I can understand that BnB was YRF, Sarkar was RGv, but what about Paa now?

Update on MNIK – bits of gossip really!

As I was waiting for the MNIK shoot in Healdsburg and listening to chatter around me, a few things came up that are worth recording.

1. A lady showed up – turns out she was the former mayor of the city and she said about a year ago someone reported that some Indians were driving around her house! Later they showed up at her house, told her they really liked her house and would like to use it for their film. They took interior pictures and recreated a set in Mumbai for the film. Then they came to Healdsburg to shoot the exterior shots.

2. Another lady was there and told us her friend leads the Choir. First they wanted children in the choir, she gathered children then she was told that they would prefer teenagers. A song was picked and she told the MNIK folks to make sure they get permission to use it. Later they called her and said how about Amazing Grace. She said – no, the kids practiced that other one, so make sure you have permission. They kids were too far away to hear what they were singing, there were some strings but no real orchestra or any background music. They were dressed formally and it all looked quite professional.

3. Some people asked the name of the film, the name of the “famous” (is he really like the Brad Pitt of India? – that is what the local newspaper had reported) lead man, and the name of the film. When I told them, a gentleman found it strange that a guy named Khan was acting in a film named Khan! He had to be told that Khans were like Smiths and Joneses in India! I was actually quite surprised at how little American people know of the world that is not American.

4. Some of the extras came and chatted with those of us on the other side of the tape – the regulars thought the film looked interesting and the actors were doing a good job.

5. Karan Johar seemed mostly at the monitor and all the shoot nitty gritty was being handled by some AD.

6. They brought in the most enormous white balloons – turned out these were lights and the semi-opaque white was to diffuse the light – the balloons were helium filled I think because they would rise or could be lowered by cables.

7. The policeman on duty loved the Indian food and Chai that they were told they could have!!!!
Who wouldn’t?

Diverse genres from Bollywood this Friday

LINK

Four films based on different themes and subjects are going to release this Friday.