Happy birthday to Arshad Warsi.

Happy birthday to Arshad Warsi.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Arshad Warsi on 19th April, 2009. During the last few years he had featured in one successful bollywood film out of every four films released during that period.

His greatest recognition came in the role of circuit in the film Munnabhai MBBS and Lageraho Munnabhai. In both of these films he had played the role of the assistant of Sanjay Dutt and used his gundas to evict tenants and other persons when they were paid for doing so. Both the films were serio-comic in nature and in that respect Arshad Warsi’s comedy conception entertained the viewers.

In Munnabhai MBBS he used his muscle power to help Sanjay Dutt for giving exam on medical science and also for treating patients. In Lageraho Munnabhai, he compelled the academicians to give answers to Vidya Balan on questions related to Mahatma Gandhi on behalf of Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay Dutt knew nothing about the questions but due to the help of the academicians proved before Vidya Balan that he was a learned Professor. Arshad Warsi’s lips in the songs “lage raho munnabhai”, and “munnabhai mbbs” in both these films require special mention.

Arshad Warsi had been great asset to the bollywood industry for his comedy skills especially due to the fact that in the last few years the only type of films which did steady business includes comedy films. His performance in the film Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, with Sanjay Dutt and Isha Koppikar requires special mention. While Sanjay Dutt was an orthopedic surgeon in the film Arshad Warsi was an actor. He made an excellent submission in an artificial courtroom where the divorce of Salman Khan with Sushmita Sen was organized to impress Katrina Kaif. His comparison of Salman’s relationship with Sushmita Sen with a car whose break had failed and which dashed with every object on the road made everyone laugh. His lips in the song “saajan” along with Isha Koppikar, was equally impressive.

Similarly he had done a great job in the film Salaam Namaste with Saif Ali Khan in the role of a lawyer. Whenever Saif Ali Khan required legal assistance during fight against Preeti Zinta he took the help of Arshad Warsi and he gave a witty answer. His performance in the film Dhamaal was equally brilliant. He was one of the four friends including Ritesh Deshmukh, Javed Jaffery and other who went to Goa to get treasure. They were stopped at every point by Sanjay Dutt, the police officer who also went to Goa for the treasure. At the end of the film the money had to be given for the cause of orphan children.

Arshad Warsi was sublime in many films including Golmaal and Golmaal Returns and viewers expect the ever-smiling talented actor to continue his brilliant work in future also.

Review of Dasavatharam.

Review of Dasavatharam.

Kamal Hassan had always created anxiousness among viewers of bollywood films every time he had came up with new ventures. Because his acting went beyond dialogue throwing, his dancing, action stunts, make ups had all contributed in his films in the past.

The same thing had happened in the film Dasavatharam. Kamal Hassan had played ten different roles and in all those roles had shown his unique style of performance. Director KS Ravikiran had cast Kamal Hassan in the first story based on 12th century. R. Nambi was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, and never believed in Lord Shiva. King Koluthunga insisted R. Nambi to say namashivaye which he declined to say. So he was tied to the statue of Lord Vishnu and thrown into the sea and killed. His wife Kothai (played by Asin) also killed herself.

After the death of the first avatar, the next part involved Dr. Govind Ramaswamy, a biotech American Scientist who invented a bio-warfare weapon which was extremely deadly. As his superior officer wanted to sell it to wrongdoers he destroyed it. In the process the rest of the eight characters portrayed by Kamal Hassan came into being.

They included Keith Fletcher, a former CIA Officer, George W. Bush – the former US President, Chinese Martial Art Teacher – the fighter, Balram Naidu – Telegu Police Officer, Avatar Singh – a Punjabi Pop Singer, Krishnaveni Pati – an old woman, Vincent Poovagaran – the dalit activist and Kalifullah Khan, a tall Afghan.

Previously Sanjeev Kumar had the record of playing nine different characters in the film Naya Din Nayi Raat which he did efficiently. Kamal Hassan’s effort in the film matches the performance of the legend actor. It had been shown that Govind escaped with the bio-weapon to India and had been followed by Fletcher and his tamil-interpreter wife Mallika Sherawat. The rest of the characters Martial Art Teacher – the fighter, Balram Naidu – Telegu Police Officer, Avatar Singh – a Punjabi Pop Singer, Krishnaveni Pati – an old woman, Vincent Poovagaran – the dalit activist and Kalifullah Khan, a tall Afghan, etc., just followed them.

The performance of Asin and Mallika Sherawat was brilliant. The music of Himesh Reshamiya had nothing new. The camera work requires special mention in respect of the sequence related to tsunami. The film has all the elements of entertainment and will be a blockbuster.

Review of the film Videsh.

Review of the film Videsh.

Deepa Mehta experimented with Preeti Zinta in her new film Videsh. The viewers previously had watched Deepa Mehta’s films with the idea of getting any social message. She had done an excellent job in the film Monsoon Wedding and other films in the past.

Preeti Zinta in this film had married a person name Rocky and left his own family to settle in Canada. She went to Ontario in Canada and married Rocky through the rituals of settled marriage.

Unfortunately her husband being a cab driver, had the burden of taking care of her ill-tempered mother, confused old father, his brother who had a wife and two children. With that amount of headache on his shoulders he depended on Preeti Zinta as well. She worked in a factory which manufactured napkins to contribute for her family.

She was extremely ill-treated by her husband and the in-laws and found no space in life. Now she had the option of returning back to India to meet her parents and disclose about everything. She had a Caribbean colleague who told about a root by consuming which her husband could have gathered attachment for her. Even she resorted to the magic that could be created by King Cobra that was believed in fables.

None of the formula worked in any way. She was beaten up by her husband and almost led the life of a slave. There was no sympathy from any corner. Preeti Zinta’s performance was excellent by every ethical standard. Even Vansh Bharadwaj who played the role of her husband Rocky played the cruel role in style.

But the film was made only with the message of extreme cruelty existing in a foreign country which apparently is considered to be a paradise. There were hardly any relief scenes. There is every possibility that the viewers could get choked with such a serious subject-matter. Even there was no music which could divert the minds of the people.

The message of Deepa Mehta was excellent and she had shed light on a subject which is not known to many people. But the film did not have the pace that was evident in other films of Deepa Mehta like Monsoon Wedding. Viewers should watch the movie for the relevant message.

Effect of Jaikishan's death in the career of Shankar.

Effect of Jaikishan’s death in the career of Shankar.

Shankar Jaikishan dominated bollywood music for more than 25 years ranging from the late 40s to early 70s. Due to sad demise of Jaikishan in the 70s, the evergreen combination broke up and critics repent about the end of the contribution of the giant composers.

Shankar was very loyal towards the SJ Banner and continued to use it in films after 1971, when Jaikishan died and Shankar had composed the music himself. Jaikishan’s death was a big blow for Shankar who already was shocked about the demise of lyricist Shailendra in the late 60s, who had contributed for the tunes of Shankar. Shankar lost the big banners in the 70s, due to the death of Jaikishan.

For example Raj Kapoor shifted towards the music of Laxmikant Pyarellal from Bobby, in 1973, when Shankar was still alive and gave music in many films in the 70s. Raj Kapoor had never thought about any other composer in his entire career other than SJ, excepting films like Jagte Raho, where he had used Salil Choudhury or Ab Dilli Door Nahi, where Dattaram contributed, who was the assistant of SJ.

The big banner of GP Sippy went to RD Burman after the death of Jaikishan. SJ composed the music for the film Andaz in 1971. But RD Burman got the scope of composing music in films like Seeta Aur Geeta in 1972, Sholay in 1975, Shaan in 1980, Saagar in 1985, all were made under the GP Sippy Banner. Although Shankar continued to compose music in the mid-70s in films of Manoj Kumar like Beimaan or Sanyasi, but the big banner of GP Sippy was lost.

Shankar also lost the banner of Shakti Shamanta after 1971. Previously SJ composed music in Shakti Shamanta’s films An Evening in Paris and Pagla Kahin Ka. But after the death of Jaikishan, RD Burman got the scope of composing music in his films including Kati Patang and Amar Prem which were hit as well.

Whether the music suffered or changed after the death of Jaikishan is another question to be answered, but there is no doubt that Shankar lost most of the big banners in the 70s, after the death of Jaikishan in 1971.

Tabu's performance in Astitva was extraordinary.

Tabu’s performance in Astitva was extraordinary.

Tabu is considered as one of the most powerful actresses of the last 10 years. She had kept her mark in any type of film ranging from commercially successful films like Virasat, to refined commercial films like Chachi 420, to off-beat films like Machis.

In Astitva, she had played her role with such amount of perfection that her performance could very well be equated with any of the legendary performances of Shabana Azmi or Smita Patil. She married Sachin Kherekar who was a wealthy person.

But he used to stay abroad for most part of the year due to job requirements. Tabu had to stay for those months alone. Initially it was unbearable for her. After sometime she got a scope of learning classical music from Mohnish Behl who was a renowned classical singer in the film. Both of them got attached with each other.

It led to Tabu becoming the mother of Mohnish’s son. Initially when Tabu talked about it to her relatives, they advised her to get the child aborted. But for whatever reasons she did not do that. Sachin Kherekar considered the son to be his own and nurtured him.

After more than 20 years, Sachin Kherekar went through the diary maintained by Tabu and came to know about the affair. Also the fact that Mohnish Behl had given his entire property to Tabu had compelled him more to suspect his wife. When everything was disclosed he decided to divorce his wife and his son also humiliated his mother.
At the end of the film Tabu questioned the character of her own husband who had affairs with many women during his stay abroad. It could be excused just because he was a man. At the same time his incapability could not be made public. Tabu could not beget any child out of the marital wedlock with her husband.
Tabu even questioned the narrow-mindedness of her husband who could not even appreciate the truth of her husband who had disclosed it before him. Had he not mentioned it in the diary the husband would never had known about it. There were so many types of emotions that had be expressed in the film that unless the actress versatile callibre it would have been impossible to express.

Astitva can be considered as one of the greatest performances of Tabu who got a number of critics choice awards for her excellence in bollywood films. The viewers expect her to carry forward the rich legacy of powerful acting which was started by Shabana Azmi and Smita patil and carried forward by Dimple Kapadia.

Bobby Deol's efforts had gone unnoticed.

Bobby Deol’s efforts had gone unnoticed.
There are certain stars in bollywood films, who inspite of exhibiting their genuine skills remain unnoticed and unrecognized. Bobby Deol falls in that category.

Right from the time he had performed in films like Barsaat, to Soldier, to Gupt and even in Ek – the power of one, his action skills did not get appreciation. Neither was his deep voice being honored by the media.

He had exhibited European style of acting in films like Soldier, Bicchu or Badal. He kept his personality intact when he played the role of terrorists and whenever the question arose as to raising of his voice against the wrongdoers his style was very unique. In Gupt, his action stunts in the prison opposite the other prisoners were very impressive. If similar stunts were taken by Akshay Kumar or Shahrukh Khan, the media would have highlighted them. Just because it was Bobby Deol, the media was silent about it. In fact his performance in the film Ajnabee, opposite Akshay Kumar requires special mention. The action sequence where he fought against Akshay Kumar, he showed his individuality and addressed his action skills in style. Akshay Kumar played a negative role in the film and both the actors did well and entertained the viewers.

In fact the media also remained silent about the dancing skills of Bobby Deol. If his dancing skils are compared with his father Dharmender or elder brother Sunny Deol, critics will agree that he had done a more innovative job till now. He was sublime in the songs “soldier soldier”, “bechainiya”, “mehfil me baar baar”, etc. In some of them he had danced even better than the actresses like Preeti Zinta or Kajol, or Manisha Koirala.

Even his comedy skills in films like Chor Machaye Shor remained unnoticed. Whenever his films had done well, the credit had gone to the co-artists and whenever they failed the blame was shared by him. Taking that into consideration it can be said that his performance in the film Ek: The Power of one, was extraordinary. The scene where he was encountered by the police, he jumped from rooftop, landed on a lever of bulldozer and jumped on the top of a running train, an of the other superstars of bollywood industry like Hrithik Roshan or Akshay Kumar would have been proud about.

Although Bobby Deol never had the box-office of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan, he had fantastic potentiality and the producers and directors should exploit them to the fullest in the films in future. He is a great asset for the industry and should continue his great work.

Demise of Shakti Samanta.

Demise of Shakti Samanta.
Shakti Samanta, the veteran director and producer of successful bollywood films during the 60s and 70s died on 9th April, 2009. He is remembered for the evergreen romantic films he made in the 60s which had entertained the viewers to a great extent.

In the 50s, his film Howrah Bridge with Ashok Kumar and Madhubala did great business in the box-office. The music composed by OP Nayyar with songs like “aiye meherban”, “mera naam chin chin chu” entertained the viewers. The other black and white film included China Town with Shammi Kapoor and Shakila.

In China Town, Shakti Samanta did cast Shammi Kapoor in a double role, with one of the brothers being involved in smuggling activities in China Town. The other brother was used by the police to know the whereabouts of the other members of the gang. Ravi’s music was impressive with Rafi’s song “baar baar dekho” becoming super hit.

In the 60s Shakti Samanta came up with blockbusters like Kashmir Ki Kali and An Evening in Paris. From that time onwards Sharmila Tagore featured in nearly all his films. Shammi Kapoor’s rock and roll andaz was well balanced by westernized tunes composed by OP Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan in the two films. The hit songs in the films include “diwana hua badal”, “kisi na kisi se”, “tareef karun kya uski”, “isharon isharon”, “aji aisa mouka”, “aasman se aya farishta”, “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho”, “raat ke humsafar”, etc., sung by Rafi and Asha.

In the 70s, all the films of Shakti Samanta were big hits include Rajesh Khanna’s films Aradhana, Amar Prem and Kati Patang. Again romantic stories, picturesque shooting and melodious music entertained the viewers and films became extremely successful.

Shakti Samanta also experiments with films made in both Bengali and Hindi with Bengal’s superstar Uttam Kumar. The films included Amanush and Anand Ashram which were made both in Bengali and hindi. Sharmila Tagore acted well in both these films opposite Uttam Kumar. Shaymal Mitra’s music was also very impressive along with landscapes of Sunderban where most of the films were shot.

The experiment of making Bengali and hindi film on the same subject continued with Shakti Samanta’ use of Big B in the early 80s. The film Anu Sandhan and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat did fantastic business with the action sequences and powerful performance of Big B and Rakhee. Rakhee played the role of blind girl in those films.

Although Shakti Samanta was not known for perfection that was achieved by stalwart directors like Bimal Roy, he is remembered by film historians as one of the grand entertainers who had used soft romantic stories and picturised them with his own dreams. His films should be restored and preserved.