Indian Movies Thread IV

[Guest]

Bodhi maybe I am confusing Kukunoor with somebody else but he has made some good movies in the past.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-rajesh_g+Oct 18 2006, 12:09 PM-->QUOTE(rajesh_g @ Oct 18 2006, 12:09 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Bodhi maybe I am confusing Kukunoor with somebody else but he has made some good movies in the past.
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Yes Rajesh ji....he has made good movies. Even this movie is "good" if we ignore the subte messages...

[Guest]

<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Though I haven't seen the movie yet ignoring the message is like giving green signal to conversions as described in the earlier msg on movie.
Here is another instance of hypocracy:
Gandhigiri mein bhi chuna
Inspired by Lage Raho..., MNS activists clean up jail
Sanjeev Shivadekar
Oct 17: Gandhigiri goes to the head...literally! »

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists arrested in connection with street-fighting with Shiv Sena workers last week chose to do some Gandhigiri when they were lodged in the Santacruz jail on Monday.
The activists took up a cleanliness drive inside the jail when they found that the barracks and toilets were too filthy.
All 14 arrested activists including MNS students' wing president Aditya Shirodkar, party general secretary Shirish Parkar and MLA Bala Nandgaonkar took part in the drive.
Apparently, the activists were inspired by Bollywood blockbuster Lage Raho Munnabhai, the movie which party president Raj Thackeray had asked party members to watch.
The activists, who were lodged for a day after they were arrested on Sunday, cleaned the barracks and toilets of the jail's second floor.
Shirodkar, an arts graduate who went behind the bars for the first time, said: "The premises where we were kept was not clean. To make best use of the time, we decided to clean toilets and barracks."
Party activist Sandeep Deshpande said: "I suggested Nandgaonkar that we clean the jail premises. He liked the idea and we started cleaning. Soon others joined us."
Ironically, the street-fight between Sena and MNS started last week after Deshpande was beaten allegedly by Sena workers who had accused him of tearing a poster displaying Sena Chief Thackeray's photo.
On October 10, workers from both the parties were engaged in a street-fight over tearing of posters. The police arrested 27 workers from both the sides for the rioting.
Sandeep Dalvi who heads the party's Andheri unit, pointed that the activity undertaken was a great success. "Impressed with our work, six inmates from the same jail, offered to join the MNS after they were freed," he said.
The jail is in the premises of Santacruz police station.
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>When contacted, the concerned officials said on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to media said that they were not aware of any such activity inside the jail.</span> <!--emo&:devil--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devilsmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='devilsmiley.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[ramana]

RajeshG, HM Patel was my father's room mate in London before the war. After their return to desh they lost contact -he went to ICS and fatherr was a lawyer in Madras and then in Hyderabad. In 1977 when HMP became Finance Minster in Janata Govt, and was on a visit to Hyd, he sent an ofifcial car and invite to my father to meet him at his guest house. My father always recalled that fondly.
His daughter runs Amul.

My objection to the term "gandhigiri" is its being portrayed as a form of goondaism and rhymes with 'dadagiri'. Are they trying to blur the lines?

[Guest]

<!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> I think misperception could be due to lingo limitations. Rather movie's msg is to leave 'dadagiri' and start 'Gandhigiri' and convert urself from criminal to socially acceptable figure by initiating social engineering change. Here is something more:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>How Gandhi Got His Mojo Back  </b>
by Swati Gauri Sharma
 
In India and the West, the legacies and teachings of prominent historical figures are all too often lost among pop culture, new technology, and the media. But a new hit movie in India has somehow managed to make Indians shift their focus from Brad Pitt, who is adored there, to the most important figure in modern Indian history -- Gandhi.

Gandhi's sudden popularity among all ages and cultures in India brings to an end a long period in which his fame and influence had faded. While Hollywood holds a similar significance in people's lives as Mumbai-based Bollywood, the most popular branch of the Indian film industry, and has more money, resources, and global reach, it has not been able to create the same kind of response as Bollywood was able to generate for a historical figure.

Until August, when a comedy with Gandhi as a central figure was released all over India, most of the people who spoke about Gandhi and his values were alive when he was shot in 1948. Now, all generations have re-embraced the father, or ``Bapu," of the nation.

In the movie, titled ``Lage Raho Munna Bhai," gangster Munna Bhai meets Gandhi and instead of indulging in his usual ``dadagiri," meaning bullying, he endorses Gandhi's teachings of non-violence and battles with his enemy by giving him flowers, rather than punches.

``Gandhigiri," a term coined by the movie and a play on the word ``dadagiri," means to use moral force and kindness to make a point or fight injustice. College students in Lukhnow, who in the past held many violent protests, decided this year to practice ``Gandhigiri" and pass out flowers instead of screaming angry words. On a smaller level, Reuters India reported that a girl, Shweta Polanki, broke up with her boyfriend when he made whistling noises to get the attention of a waiter, a gesture that is belittling and disrespectful, according to ``Gandhigiri."

Elsewhere in India, thieves who stole goods from a poor man decided to return them after watching this movie. The governments in many states have declared the movie tax-free, so moviegoers will not be charged tax when buying a ticket, and the leader of the Congress party, the ruling party in India, has urged members to watch the film.

The influence of Gandhi on the lovable character of Munna Bhai has caused all generations in India to remember the teachings of Bapu. The actor who played Munna Bhai, Sanjay Dutt, said that Gandhi, ``looking down from heaven, must be happy to see a nation reawakened."

A reawakening was necessary because before this film, the man whose picture is on many major public buildings and on India's currency was in danger of being forgotten. In the face of India's unprecedented technological growth, nuclear arms, and the growing influence of Western culture, Gandhi's relevance had slowly dissipated. Adding to that was the effort of Congress's rival party, Bharatiya Janata, which ruled from 1998 to 2004, to lower the significance of Gandhi, who was a Congress stalwart. This movie made it possible for people to let go of their party loyalties and simply focus on Gandhi's teachings.

It is difficult but not impossible to imagine Hollywood bringing the views of a historical American figure like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr. into such focus. Here, movies have been made portraying leaders such as John F. Kennedy, and the recent ``Good Night and Good Luck" demonstrated the power of Edward R. Morrow's words. But none of these movies appealed to the general public the way ``Lage Raho Munna Bhai" has.

One that did is ``March of the Penguins," which was both educational and a box-office hit. The Academy Award-winning documentary was about the yearly journeys of penguins in Antarctica, and was targeted for all age groups. Similarly, the strength of ``Munna Bhai" was that it appealed across the board, from people who have college degrees to illiterates. In India, most movies are made for families. The best praise a movie can get in India is, ``It's an all-out family movie."

Hollywood, and the media overall, hold inestimable influence in our world today. Many people care more about what Tom Cruise's daughter looks like than the war in Iraq. Hollywood could do so much for the general public by making entertaining yet informative films about historical figures that would touch every generation.

What America needs is a film that encourages people to take up Gandhigiri, Kinggiri, or Kennedygiri. If it worked for Bollywood, it could work for Hollywood.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

Any reviews/recommendations from IF-members on new movies?

Anyone seen the '<b>Umrao Jaan</b>' remake? Haven't seen earlier version and don't have intention of seeing current one either - however circumstances different than 20 years ago, so might be dragged into it <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Any opinion on <b>Don</b>? Shahrukh's miles behind from Amitabh. Boman Irani's as usual fits into any role offered to him. Compared to Don original missed Pran, Shetty and some other characters who are usually the bad guys. Priyanka Chopra's as bad(or good?) as Zeenat. The newer version of the old hit '<i>Khaike paan banareswalla</i>' was a torture to watch and listen. The title song (sung by Shaan) is a bit different - nice change. Theme music too is a bit catchy; and so is Sunithi Chauhan's rendition of '<i>Yeh Mera Dil</i>' (original by Asha B)

The movie in first half is carbon copy of original Don where the only bright spot was Kareena (hey, it's my personal opinion FWIW) in guest appearence. In second half, the story changes and ends a lot differently than the original Don.

All in all, not exactly '<i>paisa vasool</i>' - but good time pass.

[Guest]

<!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo--> UN all praise for Lage Raho Munnabhai
[ 11 Nov, 2006 1055hrs ISTPTI ]


RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates

UNITED NATIONS: Bollywood blockbuste Lage Raho Munnabhai which resurrected Mahatma Gandhi's ideals through Gandhigiri , has become the first full length Indian movie to be shown in the United Nations auditorium and has won praise from diplomats, staff and journalists alike.

The Sanjay Dutt starrer, produced by Vinod Chopra and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, was shown last evening as a part centennial observation of the first Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi.

Besides providing fun, the 145-minute blockbuster has renewed interest in the philosophy of Gandhi at a time when it is needed most in the conflict ridden world.

[Guest]

<b>The Papdits</b>
Innertube
A Docu-comedy about a family from Kashmir and the humorousinteractions they have with with unsuspecting Americans.

http://www.cbs.com/innertube/player.php?ca...&format=&auto=1

[Guest]

Hey I liked don. Good twist in the end. Now keeping in with cureent trend, I am sure Don sequel is also in making.

Didn't like janeman much, but liked the song 'Humko malum hai'. good departure from current trend.

Also watched Departed yesterday. Good timepass movie if you like cop-gangster drama cum action.

Now eagerly awaiting for Dhoom2

[Guest]

All friends i talked to discouraged watching don.

I am waiting for Dhoom2 also..

Kabul Express sounds promising.

[utepian]

People:

What do you think of movies potraying crooks and various abominable characters sympathetically? Bollywood routinely does that - in them even terrorists have a heart of Gold. Hollywood is not behind too (Godfather?). But while watching a movie, people are rooting for a bad guy, don't you think something is wrong?

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->But while watching a movie, people are rooting for a bad guy, don't you think something is wrong? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That is why I have stopped watching Indian cinema, where it projects its okay or its better to be a bad guy. Being a good guy is not a good thing. That is why, people are rooting for Lalu, even whole world knows he is corrupt beyond imagination, involved in number of known scam and still minister and openly saying he wants to be PM and people are cheering him. That’s its self tells how low ethics is and low self esteem and I think as a society it’s a sign of depressed negative society. (Need some term to define this mentality?)

[Guest]

Personally I dont have a strong opinion on this and its hard to come up with any general comments on this. While Mahabharata for ex I would be rooting for Bhishma Pitamah and then when he falls its perfectly natural to say, well he sided with adharma and thats what happens. IOW there aint any black & white stuff but at the same time it is only dharmic to oppose what one thinks is adharmic. I have seen this attitude amongst all desis i know.

[Guest]

Its not to say bollywood project bad guy as sympathetic. few movies might do so but there are others who show them as inhuman and not just 'bad'.

Many movies have been made about corrupt politicians of bihar.
Everybody has right to say what he wants and you can't fault with that. To say people have sympathy for Lalu because of films is totally ridiculous.

I also hated(and still do) Lalu but what he has done with indian railways also cannot be ignored inspite of fodder scam.

as rajesh correctly said everything is not white and black only.
There are bad guys in society as well as guys who took to bad ways because our corrupt sysytem forces them to do so. And Bollywood is mirror of our society and if don't like bollywood change the society, I am sure bollywood would change automatically.

[Guest]

<!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> Movies r 1 of the popular forms of media. I attended 1 film festival and 1 of the speakers was Adoor Krishna who said that if u want to bring revolution, u have to translate it on ground. As long as these sell, movies will keep on doing what these r doing irrespective of ur, mine and their feelings.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-utepian+Nov 13 2006, 01:49 PM-->QUOTE(utepian @ Nov 13 2006, 01:49 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->People:
What do you think of movies potraying crooks and various abominable characters sympathetically? Bollywood routinely does that - in them even terrorists have a heart of Gold. Hollywood is not behind too (Godfather?). But while watching a movie, people are rooting for a bad guy, don't you think something is wrong?
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Utepian,

Zee's about to (or already has?) start a series on "Ravana" and I'm looking forward to same. I'll be rooting for the story, the epic and not necessarily the hero here which would be Ravana. Mahabharat appeals to me more than Ramayana because it shows as to how there are various shades of grey and everything's not black-n-white.

It may be just me, but people general are able to distinguish between right and wrong and between reel life and real life. I'm sure there are isolated cases of people imitating Bollywood/Hollywood and doing stupid things. An example would be Amjad Khan's 'Inkaar' (70s or early 80s) where a kid was kidnapped and held at ransom - in our town, two teenagers kidnapped their own kid brother and it ended in a tragedy.

Most times stories are picked up and made into a movie where heros are some sort of Robinhood kinda thief or some villian who's on side a do-gooder. In some old Hindi movies wealth creators (Shethji types) are bad guys or capitalism is bad!!

Some Bollywood types have a <b>consistent</b> pattern of producing movies to make political statements or spread negative psy-ops...example Mira Nair. Her movies run because she advertises as to the kind of threats and pressures she's had to deal with to make her movie. Next time she creates some trash, ignore it - sure way to sink the movie and money.

Talking about terrorist with heart of gold, one movie I really couldn't get it was 'Dil Se'. A educated individual (Shahrukh) falls for a girl (Monisha?) who he's hardly met or known and then blasts himself with her at some suicide terrorism mission.
Pretty pissed with that director/producer there.

Sorry for an hodge-podge of items thrown out on this - perhaps someone else can expand or elaborate.

[Guest]

Movies like Sarfoorsh expose people and make clear differentiation.

Dil Se, Mission in Kashmir or Fiza gives confused message.

[Guest]

Not regarding the topic and I thought dil-se the movie (mani ratnam ?) was real shoddy and dragged on and on without a point but the song chal-chaiya-chaiya was great. Kind of like mere-sapnon-ki-rani-kab-ayegi-too. The music and dance sequence on train worked really well.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Movie Remake of Mahabharata Series</b>  A Bollywood movie will aim to recreate the magic of a 1980s blockbuster Indian television serial based on an ancient epic Hindu text that portrays a clash of dynasties and the victory of good over evil.
Ravi Chopra, the director of the legendary series Mahabharat, which ran for 94 episodes between 1988 and 1990, is getting behind the camera again to make two, three-hour films with special effects he says will rival those produced in the West.

"This is something which I always wanted to do because it's a great epic and was made into a hit serial which international audiences should get to see on the silver screen," Chopra, 60, told Reuters.

"The film will be made with great special effects like those people saw in The Lord of the Rings."

The Mahabharat TV series was inspired by the epic Mahabharat, one of two Sanskrit epics of ancient India, and was one of the biggest television hits in Indian broadcasting history.

The most sacred Hindu text -- the Bhagavad Gita -- forms a part of the Mahabharat, a tale of how two branches of a royal family fight over their kingdom.

<b>People were glued to their television sets and streets emptied of people as its one-hour long episodes were aired.

Trains were delayed at stations as passengers refused to board during broadcasts, while TV sets were installed at weddings to ensure guests turned up.</b>

The tale, one of the world's longest written epics, has been translated into different Indian languages and its commentary on goodness, charity and prudence is read out to many Indian children by their parents.

"The people loved the television serial and now they should also taste the same at the cinema. I will make it a world-class movie but will not digress from the Indian spirit which the Mahabharat has," Chopra, son of the legendary Bollywood filmmaker BR Chopra, said.

"I will start shooting the film in 2008. I am still finalising the script and then I'll select the cast."
www.hindustantimes.com/ne...6,0011.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Not regarding the topic and I thought dil-se the movie (mani ratnam ?) was real shoddy and dragged on and on without a point <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Dragged, I went out atleast 6-7 times for snacks and walk <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

So IIFA awards would now be known as <b>Bollywood Oscars</b> just like Indian film industry is known as <b>Bollywoood</b>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6166532.stm
<b>Bollywood</b> star Amitabh Bachchan has said that the International Indian Film Academy Awards - commonly known as the <b>"Bollywood Oscars"</b> - are now a massively important part of the Indian film industry.

I am sure BBC has tagged on 'Bollywood' because I have read Amitabh Bachchan criticising the term Bollywood.