Dear Bollywood, Have You Gone Mad?

I walked through Loew’s theaters about a month ago and was surprised to see Indian Cinema posters in the aisles. Kareena and Saif for the movie Kurban, what a match! I thought it might be some twisted love story and boy was I wrong.

I’m not one to read reviews , I feel it spoils the movie. So off I went with my husband, excited to catch our first Bollywood flick in theaters since our wedding. I wanted to convince him that a three hour spicy cinematic was just what we needed on our Saturday evening outing.

So the movie began with a quick developing romance between the two, great. They move into a new town in New York where they are greeted by a quiet Muslim family, great. The family turns out to be women oppressing lunatics who take no shame in honor killings- WHAT?!

So here is where my disappointment began. I’ve seen Bollywood movies which build on the sad and untrue sterotypes of how other’s see Muslims since the so called “War on Terrorism.” Though I thought perhaps over some time, plots would evolve and Bollywood as big as it is would use it’s influence to create tolerance and understanding between groups- not breed scare and hatred.

Throughout the rest of the movie, the story became all the more cynical. Older characters tried to preach the so called “justification” of suicide bombers, Saif Ali Khan himself played the most wanted bomber on the scene.

Everyone says that as Muslims, we have to create a movement to build tolerance and friendship among other groups. That our image has been tarnished due to people who take the name of religion in their wrong doings. Fine, as Muslims we’ll stand up. But how effective will we be, for instance in India, where Bollywood is driving us against the grain.

In a country where there is a history of clash between religions and peace between the Hindus and Muslims is still a long time coming- what justifies an image of a cynical portrayal of Islam? For the sake of stirring up controversy to drive box office hits Bollywood has aimed to duplicate the tension that already exists.

I can appreciate flair and creativity in movies, however when it is used to exploit the difficulties of recent global agendas, I am not in favor. Stand up Bollywood for all of the good things you can bring to the table. Grasp a difficult situation and use your stage to promote peace and tolerance. Make our three hour spicy cinematic worth the watch on a Saturday evening.

Top 10 Most Expensive Films in Bollywood, well at least for the time being..

By Amreena Khan/Thaakat Foundation

 Since big budget is the mantra for success nowadays, let us have a look at the Bollywood biggies whose budgets have touched the skies!

10. Jodhaa Akbar – Ashutosh Gowariker’s gargantuan epic based on Mughal emperor Akbar’s life and his relationship with his Hindu wife Jodhaabai costed about 40 crores. Elaborate sets, huge war scenes and Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai as stars push the budget upwards.

 9. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham – Karan Johar’s multi star studded film had Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, SRK, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. The film was shot in the US and UK, apart from India, and with designer wear and huge sets, it was one of the most expensive movies made during its time. It had a budget of about 42 crores.

8. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna – Karan Johar again, this time minus Kareena, Hrithik, Kajol but including Rani Mukherji, Abhishek Bachchan and Priety Zinta made the whole of his movie in his favourite location, Manhattan, in New York. Thus, the budget was bound to shoot up just like the New York skyscrapers, to about 44 crores. Though the film did not much on the lines of a story, but it did have a good music score, always a presence in a Karan Johar movie.

7. Om Shanti Om – Farah Khan’s comical and over-the-top take on Bollywood was a colorful extravaganza filled with technical mastery. With SRK and Deepika in lead roles, the film was famous for its songs (the one with 31 stars from the film industry) and its reincarnation theme. It cost about 45 crores, out of which a large chunk must have surely been allotted to the publicity campaign, which was highly extensive.

 6. Singh is Kinng – Vipul Shah’s comedy flick involving a happy go lucky sardar was shot entirely at foreign locations, with only some reverts to India. The hit jodi of Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar spelled magic at the box office. Snoop Dogg also sung a song for the film, which costed about 50 crores.

 5. Krrish – Rakesh Roshan’s sequel to Koi Mil Gaya was replete with stunts and special effects. The film also involved a lot of foreign shoots and was packaged by special effects people brought in from Hollywood. This Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra starrer cost about 50 crores.

 4. The Hero: Love Story of a Spy -This Anil Sharma film had Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta, and Sunny Deol was the most expensive film of its time. It did quite a decent amount of business, given the performances and the plot was nothing to brag about. It cost about 55 crores

 3. Kambakht Ishq – Mind-numbing storyline (or the lack of it), below the belt jokes, Hollywood stars with no roles to play but eye candy, and vulgar show of skin characterized this movie. But the shooting was in exotic locales and the start studded cast and the hugely extensive (and forceful) publicity campaign ensured that the budget touched 60 crores.

2. Ghajini – Aamir Khan’s remake of the smash South Indian movie made huge profits for him, raking in about 180 crores in revenue. The movie itself is a really bad remake of the awesomely made Memento. The movie cost about 65 crores, which will surely include the nationwide PR programme, which also involved some bizarre concepts like giving the signature Ghajini haircut outside theaters and the war of words between SRK and Aamir.

1. Love Story 2050 – Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are finally  at No. 1. Harry Baweja’s launch vehicle for his son Harman, was packed with blue sets, special effects and a robot called QT (who proved to be a better actor than Harman). We saw him dance (Harman that is), we saw him trying to act and we saw Priyanka Chopra in red hair. The film promised to be a sci-fi extravaganza but turned out to be a damp squid. But it cost daddy Harry a whopping 80 crores.

 

Top Ten Bollywood Songs: Summer Weddings 2009 Edition!

10. “Jee Karda” from Singh Is King­­­­

9. “Dhoom Taana” from Om Shanti Om

8. “Love Mera Hit Hit” from Billu Barber

7. “Teri Ore” from Singh is King

6. “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom” from Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

5. “Sadi Gali” by Lehmber Hussainpuri, remixed by RDB

4. “Bollywood Medley” from Mujhse Dosti Karoge

3. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson

2. “Marjaani” from Billu Barber

1. “Desi Girl” from Dostana

A Tribute To Bollywood’s Cowboy-Feroze Khan

 By Amreena Khan/Thaakat Foundation.

 

                  As a person who grew up during the era of 90s, you wouldn’t expect me to be a fan of Feroz Khan. You’d probably see me as more of a Khan Trio (Aamir, Salman, and Shahrukh) fan. Which I am. But I must admit, I do enjoy some of “Older Bollywood” too. Feroz Khan was one of my favorite actors from this older generation of actors. He had a sense of flamboyance, yet still so much class. You couldn’t help but be mesmerized by his antics and appearances.

 

Like most of the world, I was shocked to hear that Feroz Khan passed away, after his prolonged battle with cancer. It hadn’t even seemed that long ago that I found out about his illness. Cancer is always a hard thing to handle. But to handle it as a celebrity or public figure, just seems even more difficult. I can only imagine what the Khan family had been going through in such a tough time.  

 

Feroz Khan started his career in the sixties( Much before I was even born) with fun adventure movies like Tarzan Goes to India, he then moved to more stylish action and spy movies such as CID 909 and Tasveer . His peak came perhaps in International Crook as Police Inspector Rajesh. His trademark was that his on-screen name was often Rajesh or Rakesh.  Most of my generation will remember him from a more recent film, Welcome, with Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor and Mallika Sherawat which was his last appearance in Bollywood film. He was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year at an award ceremony, which caused an emotional reaction for many people in the Film Industry.

 

It makes me sad that I won’t see him at any award functions, events, or even films anymore. But I guess part of the battle is losing some, and gaining some. His son, actor Fardeen Khan certainly  has a reputation to live up to, but he’s in a league of his own, and he’ll get there eventually.

 

May He Rest In Peace.

The Six Degrees of Amitabh Bachchan

By: Amreena Khan

There is a popular game known as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. The premise of the game is to link any actor to Kevin Bacon in less than six links. I thought of making a Bollywood version of the same game. Who better to be the head of this game than the man who has pretty much worked with almost everybody from past and present, Amitabh Bachchan? So now…here goes the Six Degrees of Amitabh Bachchan. In honor of the man this game is named after, the first star we’ll link to the Big B is Kevin Bacon. Here it goes…..

Kevin Bacon starred with Kelly Preston in Death Sentence. Kelly Preston starred with Colin Firth in What a Girl Wants. Colin Firth starred with Aishwarya Rai in The Last Legion. Aishwarya Rai starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Khakee and other films, not to mention being his daughter-in-law.

Now we’d like to link a man from Hollywood who is a big fan of Bollywood-Will Smith to Amitabh Bachchan. Will Smith and Angelina Jolie both provide their voices for the animated film Shark Tale. Angelina Jolie starred with Irrfan Khan in A Mighty Heart. Irrfan Khan starred with Tabu in The Namesake. Tabu starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Cheeni Kum.

We want to see how one of the promising newcomers in the industry is related to the Big B- Neil Nitin Mukesh to Amitabh Bachchan. Neil Nitin Mukesh starred with Rimi Sen in Johnny Gaddar. Rimi Sen starred with Abhishek Bachchan in the Dhoom series. Abhishek Bachchan starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Sarkar and other films, along with being his son.

Now we shall link two of the giants of the industry who have never worked together- Aamir Khan to Amitabh Bachchan.Aamir Khan was directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi in Andaz Apna Apna. Raj Kumar Santoshi directed Sunny Deol in movies like Damini, Ghayal, and Ghatak. Sunny Deol starred with Dharmendra in Apne. Dharmendra starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Sholay and other films.

Now we want to link the woman who many believe is the female Big B- Madhuri Dixit to Amitabh Bachchan. Madhuri Dixit starred with Anil Kapoor in Beta and many other films. Anil Kapoor is the father of Sonam Kapoor. Sonam Kapoor was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Saawariya. Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed Amitabh Bachchan in Black.

It is time for the musical phenomenon to be linked with the Godfather- Himesh Reshammiya to Amitabh Bachchan.Himesh Reshammiya starred with Hansika Motwani in Aap Ka Suroor. Hansika Motwani starred with Hrithik Roshan in Koi Mil Gaya. Hrithik Roshan starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Lakshya.

Where Did These Stars Come From?

By: Amreena Khan/ Thaakat@gmail.com

Most of us know that stardom may come with luck and the right connections. Even though that may be the case for many of the stars in Bollywood, there are some have worked their way up the ladder of success. Here’s a look at some of some of those stars!

Shahrukh Khan
This may be common knowledge to most of you by now ; however, it still amazes everyone. The King Khan many struggles before being declared the Badshah of Bollywood. Before making his debut on the big screen in Deewana, SRK appeared in several television serials. SRK’s life story brings hope to all actors struggling to make it big. If he can do it then there is no reason someone else with the same amount of talent (and of course, luck) cannot

Akshay Kumar
This is one actor who has worked hard and has climbed a very long ladder to reach where he is today. But, prior to stardom, he has studied martial arts in Bangkok. And more surprisingly, his occupation at the time was a chef. Yes, you read right, the action hero we know today was the king of taste buds on a cruise ship!

Ritesh Deshmukh
Many don’t know that Ritesh also has a very serious side to him. Qualified as an architect, he has studied architecture in New York City. However acting was forever on his mind because, even while he was practicing architecture, he studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
John Abraham

To many people’s surprise, the dashing actor started off his career with media planning with a firm called “Time & Space Entertainment Promotion LTD” which closed down due to financial difficulties. Later on he joined “Enterprises Nexus”. It was when he was working at Enterprises Nexus that he got the chance to model; a model had backed out and his boss suggested he fill in. And the rest like they say is history

Shahid Kapoor

The young actor whose first movie, Ishq Vishk, was actually seen prior to his launch as a background extra in Subhash Ghai’s Taal (Kahin Aag Lage sequence). Also before making his big debut, Shahid was seen in a Pepsi advertisement alongside Shah Rukh and Rani. But wait there’s more! He also featured in some music videos!

Soha Ali Khan
Since she hails from a “filmi” family, you wouldn’t expect Soha to have thought of a career apart from movies. But we were wrong! After graduating from The London School of Economics and Political Science with a masters in International Relations, Soha worked for the Ford Foundation (charitable organisation in NY to promote democracy) and Citibank. Along with acting, she serves on the Advisory Board for a new public entrepreneur group, Res Publica. I bet that’s something most of you didn’t know!
Mallika Sherawat
She’s one of the most talked about actresses of Indian cinema today. However it comes to everyone’s surprise when they discover the nature of her first profession. Prior to pursuing her acting career, Mallika was serving tea and coffee on planes. Yes, she was an air hostess! This woman is forever full of surprises!

The stars described above show that it is possible to reach stardom through talent, hard work and sheer determination alone!

Slumdog Becomes “TOP DOG” on Hollywood’s Biggest Night!

By: Amreena Khan

The Oscars, The most awaited night in a movie buff’s life. Well, maybe just some people. But in any case, this year’s Oscars were definitely a history in the making for a various amount of reasons. But the most obvious one for us South Asians was the film Slumdog Millionaire which was based in the slums of Mumbai, and casted not only the finest and experienced actors of Bollywood, Irfaan Khan and Anil Kapoor, but some new faces like Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto, and of course the real stars of the film, the little child actors, two of whom were actually from the slums!

It was a big night for the film, which won in 8 of the 10 categories that it was nominated in; it was Slumdog Millionaire’s night at the Oscars. The film took home the coveted statue in nearly every category it was nominated in. Along with Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, the fairy tale film also won Best Sound Mixing, Best Soundtrack, Best Song ‘Jai Ho’, Best Director and to top off the night with Best Film.

The night began with Simon Beaufoy’s win for his script and in which he thanked author Vikas Swarup for giving him such good material to work with!Slumdog Millionaire’s technicians also took home 3 of the 4 categories it was nominated in Sound Mixing, Editing and Cinematography. India’s Resul Pookutty said, “I dedicate this award to my country. Thank you to the academy. This is history being handed over to me!”

But the award that any Bollywood music fan was awaiting was the award for the Best Soundtrack and Best Song. AR Rahman won for his awesome score. He said, “Before coming I was excited and terrified. The last time I felt like that was before my marriage.” He went on to say in Hindi mere paas maa hai and thanked his Mom for her blessings. He then spoke a few words in Tamil saying God is great. Next were the actual performances for the nominated song numbers ‘Jai Ho’ and ‘O Saaya’ and both were sung by the maestro alongside were dancers and drummers . Rahman was again honored with a win for ‘Jai Ho’, which had lyrics by Gulzar. He said, “All my life I have had a choice of hate/love. I chose love and I am here. God bless”

The night can really be summed up in these words by Mansi Trivedi, an online film journalist: “A.R. Rahman roared in smiles and shyness, grabbing his golden Oscar, looking away, thanking his mom, looking up, paying homage to his God and winning. Winning for creating harmony for Slumdog Millionaire. Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail rolled his eyes up at the lights and the stars that showered upon him as he stood on the stage looking at the world right in the eyes. Danny Boyle chuckled courageously mentioning Winnie the Pooh and the deserving team, shaking hands with the known and raising to the unknown, really high pedestal. Anthony Dod Mantle created the rhythm of cinematography, orchestrated a beautiful story in the benevolent bit of Bombay. Resul Pookutty sighed and again, looking down and up, thanking one and all, raising the Oscar and more.” Congrats TEAM SLUMDOG! JAI HO!

Thaakat’s In Love… With Bollywood

Most Romantic Indian Movies of All Time:

Men, tight on the budget? Make it a date night with Bollywood’s heart-warming flicks. Don’t forget to cook wifey a nice dinner!

1.Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge
2.Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
3.Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya
4.You, Me Aur Hum
5.Veer Zara
6.Na Tum Jaano Na Hum
7.Dil To Pagal Hai
8.Dhadkan
9.Devdas
10.Tere Naam
11.Raja Hindustani
12.Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein
13.Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
14.Saathiya
15.Mohabbatein
16.Dil
17.Aashiqui
18.Maine Pyaar kiya

Slumdog Millionaire and All the Hype!

By: Amreena Khan

With a fresh cast comprising of several awe-inspiring children, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Bollywood bigwigs Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, Slumdog Millionaire convinces you that maybe, just maybe, despite all its flaws, this world is a beautiful place. Based on Vikas Swarup’s novel ‘Q & A’, We discover that after appearing on the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ Jamal ( Dev Patel) was thrown behind bars because authorities questioned how a kid from the slums could manage to make his way to the million-dollar question. As he speaks with the police inspector (Irrfan Khan), Jamal takes us back in time to his childhood on the streets. It is from this instant that the movie becomes magical, as we become emotionally acquainted with the lives of two young and mischievous brothers who struggle to survive on the streets of Mumbai. Through little instances like running through a pile of poo in order to get the autograph of Amitabh Bachchan, you begin to fall in love with these children. As the story unfolds, we begin to realize that Jamal’s mission on the television show is not quite about the money – in fact, there is a youthful and honest romance with childhood sweetheart Latika (Freida Pinto) that needs to be saved.

In each and every frame, it’s clear that the cast and crew of the film completely embraced India and its culture, or it would be impossible to create such a film that resonates on wavelengths around the world. The fast-paced nature of the film, echoing the fast-paced Mumbai lifestyle works in its favor because you never once bother to check your watch and see how much time has gone by. A subject like children growing up in slums can easily become depressing, but the writer and director of Slumdog have crafted their script so well that there is never a burden of weighty emotions hanging over your head. The best part about it is that no matter where you are from in the world, you will fall in love with this film. It has something for everyone; the art-cinema lovers, commercial film buffs and even those Bollywood maniacs who need at least one song in their films.

Technically, the film is a masterpiece, with a brilliant background score, great cinematography and fantastic music by none other than musical legend A.R. Rahman. Along with Danny Boyle and co-director Loveleen Tandan, credit must go to writer Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty, Blow Dry) who manages to turn a potentially disturbing issue into an inspiring film that makes you believe in the world once again.

This film is a winner in all respects – it’s exciting, fun but above all it’s an incredibly moving account of a boy who fights to find a place in an extremely competitive society. In fact, the film moves you on so many levels that when the cast comes together for a dance to Rahman’s brilliant track at the end of the film, you desperately want to stand up and join in. The bottom line of the film is to dream big and keep fighting – Slumdog Millionaire certainly did, and the stunning result is for all to see.

So what does this mean for Bollywood? It should tell Bollywood is that Indian talent can succeed in the world market with a more international script that meets the needs and aspirations of a young audience worldwide.

Shah Rukh Khan & His New Muse

By: Amreena Khan

Shah Rukh Khan is known for never uttering a bad word about anyone. In fact, he is always full of praise and gratitude to God, his family, co-stars, friends and of course, his loyal fan base. The same is for his new muse, the twenty year old Anushka Sharma. In a recent interview, he was all praise for the debutant. “To be really honest, when I met Anushka I felt that she’s got an amazing amount of confidence, she’s a very pretty girl,” he said.

After working in the industry for over a decade now, Shah Rukh believes that working with the fresh new talent helps him improve his acting skills too.”I think I am from a different generation and maybe I am getting a little old fangled, maybe I am getting what people call stylized and mannerised in my acting,” he explained. He believes that Sharma helped him by being different. “I would say she has kept me on my toes and I think she has done a wonderful job because we really needed a new character for this film.”

The promotions had been cut down to a minimum for the last two weeks as the Chopra-Khan tag team did not feel it was correct to publicize their movie with such hoo-haa when the country was mourning over the latest 26/11 attacks.

What’s with the secretive lifestyle of Aditya Chopra, does he really exist?  Of course he laughs before replies, ” He’s always busy with work. He comes back home from work after midnight, at one o’clock maybe and plays games till five in the morning…I know him the best, but Karan knows him best of all”

SRK is always full of great answers, and definitely knows how to keep his audiences hooked! Well, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is now out ladies and gentlemen. So do watch it and see if SRK has done justice to his maiden solo release this year.