Movie Preview: The Hunger Games (2012)

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Imagine this scenario for a movie:

A 16-year old female lead.

Then, add in a love triangle that will last 4 movies. The usual love triangle which won't really resolve to one side even though she kind of did choose one guy at the end of the first movie but oh wait he disappears at the beginning of the second one so she now loves the other one and so on.

Okay, that was a bit exaggerated. Let's just keep the love triangle model.

Th---NO, THERE ARE NO VAMPIRES IN THIS STORY! This isn't Twilight or True Blood or The Vampire Diaries (even though True Blood is kind of awesome).

But the love triangle does help in drawing the tweens and the teens - the most wanted movie audience (and the reason why the world has to accept the unnatural success of the Twilight series or Justin Bieber).

Instead of vampires, add in a futuristic world where two tributes (1 male and 1 female) from every district (assume 12 in total, and all part of a country called Panem where these twelve districts and its residents are pretty much slaves to the residents of the Capitol (Panem's capital)) are chosen from all teenagers in the district to fight in an arena till the last remaining survivor. And then make this an annual event.

In conclusion, imagine that this death-match and everything preceding it is filmed and showed on live television to the entire country.

Oh, and the 16 year old female lead from the first line? She has just been added as a tribute to this year's games.

Welcome to The Hunger Games. The reality show you don't want to be on.

March 23, 2012.

The Hunger Games is a trilogy of very, very popular books written by Suzanne Collins. If you can't wait till the movie comes out, check them out at amazon.com or flipkart.com

I am Hazare - film in the making?

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With India and the world going 'Anna'holic, a daily tabloid's headline today read - No Movies..... we're watching Anna. And why not? This is the most riveting reality show I've seen in my 26 years. 

I was surprised Bollywood (not even Ram Gopal Verma!) still hadn't announced a film on this subject, until I read this piece today. I'm sure Hazare saab (who's himself a huge movie buff) will see many more directors lining up scripts inspired from his movement.  

So let's see who could be the potential heroes, heroines, directors, for the film titled, 'I am Hazare'. 

Our protaganist, by no means, can be any Khan - Shahrukh is better off in a die-hard romcom flick. Salman has narrowed down his choice of films lately (following Aamir's footsteps). He, anyway, only fits the 'Dabangg' bill. Aamir who lets his actions speak louder than words, won't be able to do so much talking like Anna Hazare, after five days of fasting. He would end up staying indoors and sending his people for mass rallies ;) We'd rather keep him for the 'brainstorming' department. (May be a director? we'll come to that later). Moving on to Ranbir Kapoor. It's tough to relate to his chocolate-boy image for a role as staunch as this one! So he too stands rejected. Our scrawny, lean-framed Imran Khan will barely last after five days of fasting (Oops! Did I just count him in the list of actors?) Amitabh Bachchan is too popular to be playing a common man (yes, I'm completely ignoring his Navaratan tel ad). His son Abhishek Bachchan, who looks as common as any other common man, seems like a sane choice (remember him in Guru?) But Ajay Devgn seems to be putting up a tough fight here for the role. (I, last week, saw him in Singham. His character in the film is of an honest cop, who goes beyond his call of duty, to help his people. His entire village (and the entire police force, eventually) in turn, stand up for him, in time of need. Quite similar to what we're seeing for Mr. Hazare. He sounds like the best choice to play Mr. Hazare. (Not to forget how fabulously he portrayed Shahid Bhagat Singh!)

Now for the heroine, Kiran Bedi, who has been furthering this movement, with no less enthu than our hero, dear Anna. Katrina, the most searched Indian actress on Google, would only be a dampener for a film and a role like this. Deepika and Sonam lack the punch and energy required. Let's leave Priyanka and Kareena for more glamourous roles like Don, Dostana, Kambakht Ishq. Finally and thankfully, Kareena has gotten over her size zero chant. Rani won't actually be a bad choice given some of her great performances like Yuva, Saathiya, Dil Bole...., NOKJ. But I'd place Vidya Balan a notch higher. After films like Paa, Ishqiya, she can safely and sanely be entrusted this role.

Director? Before Ram Gopal Varma gets up tomorrow morning and tells the media he's thinking of making his next film on movement Anna, let us all come together and pass an anti-RGV (regularly generating virus) bill to stop him from doing so ;) Do we need another Aag? Mahesh Bhatt would need a sultry actress and at least a 10-minute steamy scene to consummate his film. Unfortunately, that wouldn't find any place in a film like this. So the project would have to be shelved even before it begins. Yash Chopra wouldn't be able put together a film without the romance, music, dance in the rain, chiffon saree elements. While the first two are digestible enough to be accommodated, the latter two would raise hell among the audiences. Sanjay Leela Bansali's obssession with blue would only invite and incite the censor board. So lets keep him at bay. Ashutosh Gowarikar-Aamir? Now, with the kind of caliber they've exhibited individually with films like Lagaan, Swades, Jodha Akhbar, Taare Zameen Par, Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke, this seems like a solid duo for a subject as magnanimous and stoic as this one!

Who knows the prediction might just come true? :-)

Shammi Kapoor: Reminiscing the glorious past

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He was a rage decades before I existed. There aren't any films of him I've seen (which is a shame, being a Bollywood buff) but I certainly remember him for his fun, energetic numbers - Aaja aaja main hoon pyar tera (Teesri Manzil), badan pe sitaare lapete hue (Prince), Oh haseena zulfo vali (Dil Vil Pyar Vyar), aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche (Brahmchari) and his immensely popular Yahoooo (Junglee).

When the internet company Yahoo! opened its office in Mumbai several years ago, Shammi Kapoor was invited by its co-founder Jerry Yang. At the launch, Kapoor was pleasantly surprised to hear the band playing his Yahoo song made famous years before the internet existed, and so called for his famous cry of "Yahoo!". Later, Mr Yang told him how inspired he was by the Yahoo song and the way the actor had used the word in his inimitable style in so many of his films. (Source BBC).

An Internet buff, here's his personal web page where he wrote about the Kapoor family - www.Junglee.org.in


The film industry tweets,

“the flamboyance and joie de verve of the Industry lost!" Amitabh Bachchan.

Hema Malini - "A very sad day for the Hindi film industry.The film fraternity has lost one of the most loved actors and a much adored human being today, Shammiji.I had the most wonderful opportunity to work with him in the films - Andaz and Meera. He was a live-wire on and off the sets. The beloved Shri. Shammi Kapoor will be forever in the hearts and minds of every actor and film enthusiast as today marks the end of a youthful era."

Saira Banu - “It is a terrible shock. Shammi Kapoor was a wonderful human being. He is eternal.'

Anupam Kher- “Shammi Kapoor ji was one of d 1st Youth Icons from Cinema. He liberated actors from being stereo types. Will miss his STYLE and SUBSTANCE.”

Mahesh Bhatt - “The narrative of Shammi Kapoor will not end with his passing away. His movies will continue to enchant the future generation."

"Shekhar Kapoor - “The great iconic Shammi Kapoor who defined an era n influenced music, dance n song even today has passed away, leaving a hollow vioid.”

Farhan Akhtar - “Mr. Shammi Kapoor. Never before - Never again. Thank you for the wonderful cinematic memories and life lessons. RIP.”

Madhur Bhandarkar - “Sad to hear the demise of Shammiji,the YAHOO of Indian Cinema. Ur charmful exuberance & full of life style will forever be missed by all of us, RIP.”

“Gonna miss @shamsheraj. Teesri Manzil changed the thought of cinema-a suspense thriller with the greatest music! His each take was flawless! There's never gonna be someone as magical as him on screen! Its a personal loss. He inspired my music a lot. The Elvis on India,” singer Shweta Pandit.

“Mr. Shammi Kapoor, RIP. You danced like nobody was watching,” Music composer-singer Vishal Dadlani.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) - movie review

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Jab jab dard ka baadal chaya 
Jab ghum ka saya lehraya
Jab aansoo palkon tak aya

Jab yeh tanha dil ghabraya

Humne dil ko yeh samjhaya

Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai
Duniya mein yunhi hota hai

Yeh jo gehre sannaate hain
Waqt ne sabko hi baante hain

Thoda ghum hai sabka qissa
Thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa

Aankh teri bekaar hi namm hai

Har pal ek naya mausam hai
Kyun tu aise pal khota hai
Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai

I don't know if it's Javed Akhtar's lyrical miracle or Farhan's spell-binding voice, but this piece is m-a-g-i-c-a-l and stunningly beautifully woven around the title. The timings and the ambience couldn't have gotten better!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, (though a maturer version when it came to characters and treatment) kept taking me back to Dil Chahta Hai - cheer some threesome, bromance, hola-day, fun, nagging girlfriends, life, love! ZNMD could've easily been pigeonholed as a trite timeworn romcom but thanks to Zoya's realistic depiction of characters and consuming screenplay, the film holds sway.

Farhan, the clown of the lot (but also the reason why the film unfolds the way it does), is adorable and so much more likeable than in his last - Kartik calling Kartik. (Zoya was partial enough to give him some of the best-est dialogues). Abhay Deol charms as usual (though I wouldn't place this among his best performances. May be I'm just getting overcritical after films like DevD, Oye Lucky...., Socha na Tha? Hritik gets it right every time, even without dialogues. Its just his eyes, I guess :-) Katrina, for a change, doesn't feel like an accessory to glamour things up! Naseeruddin Shah leaves an impact for whatever little screen time he gets.

Musically, Señorita and Ik Junoon at the tomatina fest are my favorites. (I've been to a lot of European countries but Spain is something I surely was missing!!). Visually, the song with white horses in slo-mo in the background is one of the best (can't to recall the words). Señorita apparently was recorded while the actors were told it was only a rehearsal! :-) Good job, nevertheless!


From the deep-sea dive to the sky-dive, from Hrithik to Farhan, from the tomatina festival to Senorita, from the shayaris to the music, from Costa Brava to Andalusia, ZNMD is an undeniably unforgettable trip.
Twice on the theater and eagerly awaiting a DVD watch!

For those who'd like to revisit the shayaris, here goes:

Pighle Neelam Sa (after the trio’s deep-sea dive)
Pighle neelam sa behta ye sama, neeli neeli si khamoshiyan, 

na kahin hai zameen na kahin aasmaan,

sarsaraati hui tehniyaan pattiyaan,

keh raheen hai bas ek tum ho yahan,

bas main hoon, meri saansein hain aur meri dhadkanein,

aisi gehraiyaan, aisi tanhaiyaan, aur main... sirf main.

Apne hone par mujhko yakeen aa gaya.

Zinda Ho Tum (climax)
Dilo mein tum apni betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Nazar mein khwaabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise aazad rehna seekho

Tum ek dariya ke jaise lehron mein behna seekho

Har ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni baahein

Har ek pal ek naya samaa dekhiye

Jo apni aankhon mein hayraniyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Dilon mein tum apni betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum


This post is an entry to the Reel-Life Bloggers contest organized by wogma.com andreviewgang.com