Natarang – Mesmerising, charming..

Natarang released on the 1st of January 2010 and I have been a fool to have missed it for such a long time. While I watched overrated duds like ‘Lalbaug Parel’ and ‘Mee Shivajiraje Bhosle Boltoy’ on the first day itself, I somehow missed this movie despite the fact that it starred one of my favourite actors - Atul Kulkarni.

Atul Kulkarni plays Guna, a poor labourer who barely manages to keep the food on the table for his family. He is enamoured by Tamasha     (Folk Art) much to the chagrin of his father. Tamasha was considered to be an immoral form of act in those days. When his only source of income is taken away from him,  He goads his friends into starting a theatre troupe. He assumes the responsibilities of a writer/lyricist. Soon, they realise that their Tamasha would not draw crowds unless they have a female lead. So,they scrounge into the nearby villages for a female lead and finally manage to convince a dancer. The Dancer puts forward a condition that the troupe should also have a Nachya (A Pansy character) who will provide comic relief and also will be a crowd puller. Nobody is willing to play the character fearing the consequences and due to the stigma and the social taboo attached to eunuchs.

Finally, a reluctant Guna, has to play the Nachya and he takes it up as a challenge. Then follows his struggle to gain acceptance in a society which identifies actors with the characters they portray.

             Atul Kulkarni’s transformation from the heavily built Guna to the slim and slender Nachya is astounding. It is said that he gained and lost 16kgs in 42 days for the role. But what is more noteworthy is the ease with which Atul Kulkarni switches from the rustic Guna to the graceful and elegant Nachya. He pumps the testosterone levels in the first half and then drowns everyone in oestrogen in the second. He captivates you and while you’re still gawking at his physical transformation, Atul Kulkarni moves on and mesmerises you with his acting.

Kishore Kadam is also brilliant as Guna’s manager, Pandoba. Sonali Kulkarni is also charming as the female lead. Guna’s wife, Darki has a half baked character and she complements it with an equally listless performance.

The musical score is simply outstanding especially “Atta vajile ki baara” (It’s midnight) and “Apsara Aali” (The Celestial Nymph has arrived) which make you want to get up and dance.

This is a must, must watch movie. I rate it as one of the very best of the Marathi film industry and it easily makes into my list of recommendations..!!

Take a bow, Mr. Kulkarni..!! :)

The Litterateur’s languor

A Writer’s Block is supposed to affect a writer. I am, at best,  a Non-Writer. I have a blog and I like to think that I am blogger. So, I surmise I have the ‘Blogger’s Block’ then because I no longer contribute to the poor creature.

I was always pretty regular with my posts in the Blogosphere. I never scrounged for ideas they just came to me. But for the last few months, I have just not been able to type anything that’s even remotely sensible. Not that it has bothered me too much, blogging was always just another hobby but somewhere deep down, I guess it matters. The bar on the right hand side which shows the number of posts per month reveals a drastic downward curve and leaves little to the imagination.

Still, I have so many ideas and they all just fail to manifest and become a post. The drafts section has about 18-19 incomplete posts with some being very stimulating to be the mind, they just don’t make it to the blog somehow.

The fact that I haven’t done anything in months that could be termed as ‘activity’ is one excuse I can offer. I haven’t stopped reading though. On the contrary, I have been reading some seriously ‘serious stuff’ off late almost as if to make up for my lack of contribution to a very relieved blogosphere.

I have been thinking of writing a mean review of some of the landmark movies that have released this year or perhaps about some book that I have read recently. Or perhaps, rant about politics or just fume over the ‘Blogger’s block!’

Or write trash, which comes naturally!! :D

Faiz revisited...

 

आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल,

मध् भरा हर्फ़ कोई, ज़हर भरा हर्फ़ कोई,

दिलनशीं हर्फ़ कोई, कहर भरा हर्फ़ कोई,

आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...

 

हर्फ़-ए-उल्फत हो कोई, दिलदार-ए-नज़र हो जैसे,

जिससे मिलती है नज़र, बोसा-ए-लब की सूरत,

इतना रोशन की सरे मौजा-ए-ज़र हो जैसे,

सोहबत-ए-यार मैं आगाज़-ए-तरब की सूरत,

हर्फ़-ए-नफरत कोई शमशीर-ए-ग़ज़ब हो जैसे,

आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...

 

ता आबाद शहर-ए-सितम, जिससे तबाह हो जाएँ  

इतना तारिक, के शमशान की शब् हो जैसे

लब पे लाऊँ तो होंठ सियाह हो जाएँ 

आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...

- फैज़ अहमद फैज़

 

 

Urdu-English translation:-

Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal

(My mind is groping for a word today,)

Madh bhara harf koi, zeher bhara harf koi

(A word as sweet as wine and as bitter as poison)

Dil-nashin harf koi, qeher bhara harf koi

(A word that bewitches but is full of rage)

Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...

(My mind is groping for a word today...)

 

 

Harf-e-ulfat koi dildar-e-nazar ho jaise

(A word as desirable as the lover herself)

Jis’se milti hai nazar bosa-e-lab ki surat

(Whose glance is like a kiss on the lips)

Itna roshan ke sare-mauja-e-zar ho jaise

(As radiant as a sea of gold)

Sohbat-e-yaar main aghaaz-e-tarab ki surat

(In the company of a lover, where love is blossoming)

Harf-e-nafrat koi shamsheer-e-ghazab ho jaise,

(A hateful word cuts like a terrible sword)

Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...

(My mind is groping for a word today...)

 

 

Ta abad shahre-sitam jis’se tabah ho jayein

(A word that could destroy this city of sorrow forever,)

Itna tariq ke shamshan ki shab ho jaise

(As dark as the grave,)

Lab pe laoon to mere honth siyah ho jayein

(So dark that my lips turn black,)

Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...

(My mind is groping for a word today...)

 

- Faiz Ahmed Faiz

 

P.S. I have translated parts of the Poem, but a lot of credit goes some prior translations on the internet and a certain Sikander Fayyaz who was patient enough to sit through agonizing trial and error session(s) .

The Plight of the Indian ‘Picasso’

                 

While the papers were going gaga over Sachin’s stupendous feat, it also modestly reported the MF Hussain story. While the story did not gain the mileage it should’ve, it was yet another defeat of the secular India that our leaders had fought for. The Hindu Taliban won again as we continue our steady march towards becoming a Hindu Rashtra where minorities cower and dare not meddle with the Brave majority.

It’s time our bourgeoisie intelligentsia wakes up, shrugs off it’s mask of nonchalance and takes up the cudgels on behalf of a 95 year weary,  old man who is too tired to fight his own countrymen. It’s time the isolated voices unite and become a movement requesting the return of the one who was once hailed as the ‘Picasso of India’ by Forbes. The Government could have convinced him easily. Shamefully, they chose not to ‘hurt sentiments’ again.

                

Nudity has been a part of India’s iconography since centuries. Besides, what good is art if it does not provoke or trigger a debate? But then, the country of Hussain’s choosing is equally worse. He would be allowed to paint as many naked Gods and Goddesses as he wants, but can he paint an Arab woman in the nude? Or can he roam famously barefooted in Qatar? Will he have gushing fans in a land where artistic freedom is still a foreign concept? And will have any outraged fan to stand by him if he rubs the Qatari Royalty the wrong way?

Still, Hussain’s rejection of India is a shameful indictment of a nation that has treated it’s most famous face so callously. Thousands of Indians give up their citizenship willingly every year to become citizens of U.S., Canada or Australia and we have no shame in claiming them as our sons and daughters every time they make it big. Hussain, on the other hand, walked barefoot into the greatest of International galleries and made the country proud each time. And we shunted him out of the country. I shudder to put myself in his shoes. We don’t deserve someone like MF Hussain. He could’ve so easily and deservingly been Bharat Ratna. (India’s Jewel)

Shame.

Sach00!! Sach00!!

This is a post I had written on the day Sachin scored ‘The’ Double..! For reasons even I don’t know, I did not post it. So reader, please imagine you’re reading this the day after Sachin broke the record.. it’ll might make more sense then..!!

***

And so finally somebody broke Saeed Anwar’s 13 year old record!! And it had to be Him!

Just a couple of days ago I spoke about how Sachin makes Indians proud and brings the country to a standstill and how he has ruled the hearts of millions. How an entire nation breaks into an applause everytime the little master dances down the track to hit a six. Or how everytime a billion hearts stop beating when he is on 99. Or how everyone, young and old, forget to breathe when Sachin is on song. Or how, all of a sudden, every person in Bombay seems to be in a great mood..! Or smile when people say, ‘Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting, because even God is busy watching!’ Today, Sachin, did all of that once again.

           

Although I have so much to write about this breathtaking display of batting, I have run out of words! It’s impossible to try and explain Sachin in words..

Take a bow, Master..!! :)

An Open letter to – The Saviour of Saviours…

Disclaimer :- Bloggers are liable to the content they publish and therefore, I will use some easily guessable monikers to save my behind. Besides, I hate to ‘hurt’ public sentiments..!

***

To

The Goonda of all Goondas ,

The Führer of Bombay oops, Mumbai,  The King of the Great Warrior Clan- The SS (what an apt acronym!), To the Great Remote Control wielding Tiger, Beholder of our destinies... I prostrate myself before you..!!

                                                                                                                         

I am Ayyappan Pillai. I am a nobody. An Indian by Citizenship, Tamilian by birth and a Maharashtrian by domicile. I hate to disturb your afternoon siesta by writing this letter about a trifling issue. But these Middle-Class values just don’t seem to die.

Not long ago, your Son was talking about how he needed to change the image of violence attached with the SS and how he needed to work in the rural pockets of Maharashtra and gain their trust as well. I heard him extolling the benefits of welfarist politics and about resorting to the SS’s original ‘80% Social Work and  20% Politics’ motto.  Well, he is not the first politician to do a volte-face nor would he be the last, but your Son had briefly won my admiration and a silent acceptance. But now, He seems determined to wrench your political legacy (Of Hatred, Violence and Intimidation) from your nephew.

I can, therefore, understand the ‘Patriotism’ behind your Son’s opposition to the Pakistani players taking part the IPL. And everyone knows your penchant for digging up pitches and the Government also took your threat to poop on the seats seriously. But even I, your most ardent fan, was pleasantly surprised to know that you always were referring to the seats of the movie theatres. What a ruckus it created, Sir! Every newspaper was lauding your parochial politics. We always knew that the Khan was always a loudmouth, and a migrant loudmouth at that. The exercise proved beneficial for the both of you sir, The Khan’s movie became a raging hit and your Party’s sagging fortunes were revived.

I was also pleasantly surprised when you opposed the inclusion of Australian Players in the IPL as their countrymen were guilty of beating up the citizens of our country. Well, that sounded a bit rich coming from you Sir, as you have beaten more of our Countrymen than the Aussies ever will..! Besides, an IPL without the Pakistanis, The Australians, The Bhaiyyas, Muslims and the Madrasis would no longer be the (I)PL, perhaps you should rename it as well..!!

You claim to speak for the Marathis and the Maharashtrians but you seem to have targeted the most prominent and loved Marathis. Would you allow Sachin to play in Bombay, because Sachin is also guilty of being an Indian. And Sachin has made the Marathis and more so The Indians, more proud that you can ever!! He too, is guilty of bringing Bombay to a standstill by smashing the Aussies but the difference was that Bombay was always too thrilled to stop – And watch Sachin bat..!

At a time, when the whole world is moving forward at a dizzying pace, Sir, you with your parochial politics, are doing no good for the people of Maharashtra. Rather than scaring away the investor or bullying them with frivolous demands like Marathi signboards, we should find ways to woo them. Look at Mr. Modi, once he too indulged in exploiting people’s fear but soon he realised that it serves only a limited purpose. Setting up the odd Vada-Pav stall would do no good for the Marathi Manoos or to the state’s economy. It’s high time you realise that Bombay is in Maharashtra and not otherwise..!!

- Ek Maharastrian Manoos

Tahaan – A Delight..!!

I was intrigued by the movie long back when I saw it’s trailers. The star cast was impressive and the plot was interesting as well. Set in the backdrop of Kashmir, it was the story of a small boy and his pet donkey. I managed to miss the movie, but with so much left to catch up when it comes to movies and books, it is not difficult to forget one movie. Until recently.

            Perhaps, it was Friday, when the name of the movie cropped up. A friend casually mentioned that the protagonist of the movie, is my Dentist’s son. I happen to be one of the Dentist’s regular patients (Sigh!) My Dentist is a very handsome chap so his son in the movies was not something unimaginable. Predictably, I went home and googled ‘Tahaan’. It was indeed my dentist’s 8 year old son in the movie.

               I picked up the title the very next day. And was very excited about watching a movie I had long forgotten about. The prospect of watching Sarika, Rahul Bose, Anupam Kher and Victor Bannerjee was mouth watering. And of course, it featured my Dentist’s son! The title of the movie intrigued me. Tahaan in Marathi means thirst. I could not recall what it meant in Hindi or Urdu. Upon googling it, I realised that it meant ‘Merciful’ in some languages and in Bengali it meant ‘Tolerance’. In the end, Tahaan turned out to be the Kid’s name.

                                Tahaan’s mother (Sarika, expectedly brilliant performance) sells his pet donkey to a businessman make both the ends meet. The movie revolves around a distraught Tahaan trying to get Birbal, his pet Donkey, back. (Apt name for a donkey too!) Tahaan believes that his life’s purpose is to get his donkey back and would do anything for it.

 

 

 

The Kid (Purav Bhandare) was a revelation. He was so cute and so vulnerable at times, that you almost reach out to him to protect him from this world. Innocence , sensitivity was like second nature, when he cried, I smiled benignly almost as if to say, ‘Kid, don’t worry nothing’s going to happen, Indian movies have happy endings!’ Aah, how I wish I was a child again..!! :D