Lose hope not, idiots! Hirani returns with signature style

Raju Hirani will never make you cry. He'll tell you the truth, give you life as it is, and sprinkle a bit of his magic on it. 3 Idiots is that magical touch. The issue is simple: overambitious parents, peer pressure, IIT or IIM...it's everyone's life story. What the idiot says is 'why take life so seriously'.

"I love Aamir's take on life in the film; we worry so much about our future that we forget to live today...how true," said city-based writer Mrinalini as she walked out of the theatre with a big smile on her face. This (the smile) is my first in a long time, she says.
Pardon the cliche, but 3 Idiots was a much-awaited film. And what a year-end big bang we've been treated to. One of the biggest releases worldwide — 1,766 cinemas, 4,000 prints across 32 countries.
To add to the excitement, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra has announced the release of film on the internet. In eight to ten weeks, you'll be able to download 3 Idiots legally!
Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's book Five Point Someone, the film is fresh and funny. "You can't draw a parallel with Munnabhai or with the book, but what you can make out is the spontaneity of the actors who've played their parts well. Nowhere do they look old or ragged. Moreover, the humour is not forced and nor were the emotions. The story flowed gently and makes a point without preaching," adds Mrinalini.
For Aditi Srivastava, vice-president of INIFD, it's a must-see for all parents. "The movie packs in a message, and I could relate it as a parent — the pressure kids go through, how mugging up is not everything. There is more to life; one needs to grow and develop their own personality," she said, along with her husband Sanjay and son, giving the film a thumbs-up.
While the super hype worked, Twitter has critic Rajeev Masand saying" "It falls short of Munnabhai standards, yet 3 Idiots is a broad, massy entertainer; pushes all the right emotional buttons. Melodramatic yet feel-good."
"Outstanding. Proud to be an Indian because we can make movies like this. That's three in a row for Raju," tweets music director Vishal Dadlani.
But here's the best by writer Shridhar Raghavan: "Deadliest movie I've seen this year. 80 per cent Hrishikesh Mukerjee, 20 per cent Manmohan Desai, 100 per cent all heart. Hirani's best."
So what's the consensus? Watch it. For fantastic performances, Hirani's flawless direction, Shantanu Moitra's melodious music and a story with a soul.

»»  read more

Of good Girls and Vamps

Meet Shelle, the man whose works have attracted millions in search of 'timepass' at bookstalls and libraries across India Her kohl-lined eyes are serene and dispassionate. A huge bindi adorns her forehead and her lips are a glossy red. Though vile-looking nails pierce her body all over, she retains her serenity. Had she not been a face on a book cover, the maiden would most definitely been the ever-suffering bahu in a 1980s Bollywood family drama. The same bahu whose conniving mother-in-law will try every trick on the book to make her life miserable. Tea cups will be flung on her face, her cooking skills mocked and then she will be made to wash mounds of dirty clothes.

So you see she is not just a face on a book cover. For Mustajab Ahmed Siddiqui (aka Shelle), a resident of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, she is an inspiration. A prototype on whose mould countless other cover girls of Hindi pulp fictions are created. "She is an icon. I have based her on all the heroines of Bollywod films. Their stoic sufferings are reflected in her eyes," says Shelle.

If you frequent railway stations across North India, you couldn't possibly have missed Shelle's women. The stare at you from those ubiquitous book stalls, they lie abandoned in station benches dog-eared and defeated. Giving the ever-suffering heroine stiff competition is the seductress in hot pants, crimson-lipped and mascara-eyed. She is an antithesis to the heroine, the chalk to her cheese. "In our days you only had heroines and vamps. No grey characters. The heroines were paragon of Indian virtues while the vamps were corrupted by Western lifestyle," Shelle laughs.

By his days Shelle means the good old 1970s, when he started painting covers for Hindi crime fictions. "I was an art teacher before. In 1971 I was approached by one of the publishers to paint the cover of a book and I haven't looked back," says Shelle.

Since then Shelle's artworks have graced the covers of more than 4000 Hindi pulp fictions.

And it wouldn't be presumptuous to say that he has contributed a lot in making the likes of Anil Mohan, Ved Prakash Sharma and Surender Mohan Pathak bestselling authors. "As much as I would like to, I don't get to interact with the authors much. Generally the publishers give me a briefing and I follow instructions. But nowadays I insist on lengthy interactions with the authors," says Shelle. The paintings are 12"X18" in size and are three times the size of the printed books. Shelles usually uses oil paint, with cuttings from magazines and posters to add to a collage feel. "They are scanned later and then the book titles and blurbs added. Technology has made our life a lot easier," says Shelle.

Technology, however, has spelled doom for the market of Hindi pulp fiction. "People are so used to gadgets and internet now that they don't need to fall back on these books for entertainment," says Shelle.

However, thanks to Chennai-based Blaft Publications, Shelle's works have found new avenues. They have bought out a collection of 25 postcards for Rs 295, Heroes, Gundas, Vamps & Good Girls, which offers us a closer look at his artworks.

»»  read more

The human touch

Dr Atamjit Singh is honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award for his play 'Tatti Tavi Da Sach'I'M of course, elated. But there's a kind of pressure attached to the award which I'm dealing with," Punjabi playwright Dr Atamjit Singh is his usual unassuming self, as he accepts congratulations for the 2008 Sahitya Akademi Award. Dr Atamjit has been chosen for the award in Punjabi language for his play 'Tatti Tawi Da Sach', based on the martyrdom of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. The award, smiles the writer is a great honour, "many a time, I have seen many great writers lose their creative prowess after receiving an award, it's entirely my feeling, but the fear persists, and I don't want that. I want to continue writing with more passion and creativity, so please pray for me,'' Dr Atamjit asserts that he's never written for any awards. "But it would be wrong to say, that I never expected it. Yes, I never worked for it and sometimes luck also plays its part,'' Dr Atamjit is the Principal of ASSM College in Mukandpur, and is passionately involved in the entire process of teaching.

Dedicating the award to his father SS Amole, a Punjabi writer of great repute, Dr Atamjit recalls how his father had a deep desire to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award, "it's something he shared with me one day and so this one is for him. It was his birth centenary in 2008, and sadly no one remembered to celebrate it, and I want to with this award.''

As for Tatti Tavi Da Sach, Atamjit corrects that the play is not religious, as believed, but a strong political and cultural play. "I looked deep into history to understand his martyrdom and he was one person who never related himself to any cast or sect,'' Dr Singh talks about the political and religious aspects of Guru Arjan's death. "He gave his life for human dignity, multi-culturalism and secularism,'' Dr Atamjit hopes that we look beyond religions and sects, towards a more wonderful and equal world.

»»  read more

'Osama' kicks off Day One of Haryana International Film Festival

The Second Haryana International Film Festival got off to a colourful start at the DAV College for Girls in Yamunanagar on Friday. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Tourism Kumari Selja was the chief guest on the occasion.A cultural programme by students of the college, showcasing Haryanvi culture, formed part of a gala opening ceremony.

The main attraction of the day was the screening of 'Osama', a film from Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference after the opening ceremony, Selja said organising such a major event without any financial support from the government was appreciable. Festival director Ajit Rai said events like these would help in the growth of the entertainment sector.

DAV principal Dr Sushma Arya, too, spoke on the occasion. Among others present were film director, producer and writer K Bikram Singh and filmmaker Ranjit Kapoor. Inaugurating a five-day film appreciation course as part of the festival, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shiv Raman Gaur said the government would take all possible steps to make the festival a regular event.

Speaking on the occasion, Course coordinator Prof Manmohan Chaddha highlighted the importance of cinema.

Actor, director and filmmaker M K Raina inaugurated the special section, 'Cinema against fundamentalism and war'. The section began with Oscar Award winning film 'No man's land' directed by Danis Tanovie. K. Bikram Singh's 'Tarpan' was screened too. While 'Chintuji' by Ranjit Kapoor was screened in the Grand Haryana Promises section, Shoaib Mansoor's film 'Khuda ke Liye' was telecast in Focus Country Pakistan section. The children's section had Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Blue Umbrella'. Charlie Chaplin's film, 'The Great Dictator' attracted a large number of people.

»»  read more

Go GIRL!

Divya Kumar zooms in on Adnan Sami and Jermaine Jackson for their new album. It's a tribute to the Mumbai terror attacks, and also a goodbye to Michael Jackson. While it's common knowledge by now that composer and singer Adnan Sami along with pop king Michael Jackson's sibling Jermaine Jackson are taking out an album on the same, news is that Divya Kumar is shooting their, 'Ek Ladki Deewani Si', which will be out on T-Series soon and another number called Let's Go To Mumbai City. "The video has Jermaine and Adnan landing in Mumbai and exploring the city which full of life, a cultural melting pot. Jermaine and Adnan breathe the Mumbai air and go about meeting Mumbaikars.

The video captures them dancing with street kids, taking in the festive atmosphere of the city, the rain et al," says Divya, who is also the creative director of T-Series. Taking an inspiration from Michael Jackson's "They Really Don't care About Us" track, the video has been shot all over Mumbai. This is the first time after the death of the legendary star, Michael Jackson, that his elder brother would be seen in an album and that too in an Indian album. The song, Let's Go to Mumbai City, has been  choreographed by Remo D'Souza. In addition to this, the song, Ek Ladki Deewani, is also being directed by Divya and stars Adnan in the lead. A romantic number, this one has all the elements of love and romance.

»»  read more

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Chandni Chowk To China

Akshay Kumar as a jokey kung-fu master. Deepika Padukone in a dressy double role — two sisters, one good, the other very, very bad. Original, never-before locations in China.

Warner Bros' first big Indian production, and the first big film of the year, opened with a resounding thud. It left the studio deafeningly silent about its other in-the-pipeline projects, and Akki in a tailspin — CC2C set him on a downward spiral that hasn't stopped.

Slumdog Crorepati

Some lines are lost in translation in the Hindi version of Slumdog Millionaire, but kinetic speed is kinetic speed in any language.

The incredible adrenaline rush of Danny Boyle's film, created from old Bollywood tropes — lost-and-found, and love-conquers-all — set in a familiar city, told in a new way,

made stars out of two unknowns, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto. It also, um, made money.

Dev.D

"Har phikr ko dhuein mein udata chala gaya." That seemed to be the motto of this latter-day, lily-livered, soaked-in-self-pity Devdas, who takes refuge in a haze of smoke and booze and a good-looking broad after dumping his ladylove.

The man is a wimp; the women are spunky and out there. Terrific performances from the cast — Abhay Deol, Mahie Gill, Kalki Koechlin — and note-perfect direction from Anurag Kashyap makes Dev.D one of the top films of the year, if not the decade.

Blue

Akshay Kumar again. Repeat after me,Rs 100 crore. Yes, you heard right. Rs 100 crore. This is the amount of money pumped into this soggy underwater adventure with an old ship and sunken treasure.

What you get for your buck — Akshay trying to be suave in dark glasses, Sanjay Dutt looking corpulent, Lara Dutta in bikinis, and lots of sleepy sharks. And, oh yes, Kylie Minogue doing an unenergetic bump-and-grind. No bang.

»»  read more

What are Bollywood stars doing this New Year?

Beaches, mountains or just spending time with family and friends - Bollywood celebrities are all set to take a break from tinseltown to usher in the New Year. While Sushmita Sen and Shilpa Shetty are heading to the waters, Mugdha Godse and Minissha Lamba will be with their loved ones.

Sushmita Sen: I am going to Goa or the Kerala backwaters. I haven't decided yet. I can't go out of India because my younger daughter doesn't have a passport yet.

Shilpa Shetty: (I'm) really excited about the Mediterranean cruise we are taking with the family, my first ever, making it even more special. I will be out at sea for the next two weeks...(I) will be bringing in the New Year on the ship.

Jaya Prada: I will be in Hyderabad with my mother. I believe that New Year or any other festival is the time to be with your family. And next day, like all the previous years, I will be going to the Tirupati Balaji temple before returning to work.

Fardeen Khan: We are going to the mountains this year. I'm off on a romantic holiday in Shimla for five days with my wife (Natasha) to celebrate New Year. I haven't been there earlier; so I'm looking forward to it.

Mughda Godse: This New Year's eve I'll be working and spend the rest of it with my family.

Celina Jaitley: I will be performing at the JW Marriott in Mumbai which means that I am making money this New Year.

Minissha Lamba: This New Year I'm going to be with my close friends.

Manoj Bajpayee: I will be in Delhi with my family. I will welcome 2010 with them at home. I will chat, dance, play music and eat...I'll do everything that makes one happy.

Sukhwinder Singh: I'll be home with friends to welcome the New Year. I'll sing and dance and be merry in general. I don't like going out because on New Year, all places are over crowded. Fun is when you are with friends and nothing is better than home.

Purab Kohli: I plan to be in Mumbai this New Year as it has been eight years since I've been spending this time here...I'm looking forward to a great party in 2010.

Rannvijay: I am going to my hometown Jalandhar after a very long time. I'll be spending my Christmas and New Year there with my family and friends.

»»  read more