Sunday, February 27, 2011

Of General Post About Life and Grey's...


Every Sunday night, I try to take out some time to think of how of the week went by and how the coming week is going to be..and if am in mood, write a blog post of what comes out of the day dreaming..
Anyways, the past week at office was somewhat bad..I got a somewhat not so good feedback for a project.. and frankly, I didn't feel bad at all because I know my mistakes, I know I am not so good a worker but what I felt bad was that it made me think I am somehow not fit for the corporate culture.. if somebody else was at my place, he would have at least went and asked for clarifications as to were the lacunae that were there.. but I didn't feel like..I don't like to question things that people think of me..If they don't like me I cannot change their opinion..I have been repeatedly told by every one in office that I need to come out of my shell and stop being such a pushover..but I can't change myself so easily..Is it that easy to let go of your self? I kept on thinking that I am not suited for this life ahead..Will I be able to survive? All I wish for is a life near the sea shore with me having not to work at all.. and if I was creative, I could at least think of doing something else but alas! am not one of them..
And I am not talking to my sister who fought with me on who-will-remind-dad-to-call-the-guy-to-repair-the-computer.. it's been 3 days..theek hai..yeh sab to chalta rehta hai.. khud itna sadti hai aur mujhe bolti hai ki main sadu hun...huh!
I was at home during the weekend..saw no movie...wanted to see Tanu Weds Manu but couldn't find anyone to go with..if it was a good movie, I could have gone alone but it's a fun ligh watch and it would be creepy to go alone for this kind of film no? Instead I saw Guzaarish again on TV today..what a movie ya.. simply amazing..I just want to go inside the screen and experience the sets..what beautiful sets..what amazing photography.. what pretty costumes!! and after that I saw Mirch..one of the very few films celebrating a women's sexuality.. the first two stories are hilarious especially Konkona and Prem Chopra one..Ila Arun is fab..the last two are somewhat okayish..overall a light hearted watch..
And also saw two episodes of Grey's.. how can a show be so good ya..Mark is back with Lexie :) Bailey got drunk..haha..loveeee her.. and she has found a new guy for her too...and Arizona came back from Africa but Callie shut the door on her face..and Teddy is marrying a sick guy to cure him as he doesn't have insurance..what a lady!! and Christina is finally getting back on track..she went fishing with Derek who is trying to heal her brilliantly..she caught a fish and cried like anything..what scene ya :( I hope you come back soon Dr. Yang..we miss you totally :( And Alex and Meredith were talking about themselves that only 2 of them survived..they had thought that out of all only 2 will stay till the end - Christina and either of them but look at life..Christina is out, Izzie is out, George is dead.. and Alex and Meredith remain..will watch more..
So enough for the day..will write more later...
Bye.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Of Disappontment with 7 Khoon Maaf and The Fascinating Seventh Murder


I can't help but feel a bit disappointed after watching 7 Khoon Maaf. It's not that I hated it. It's a nice film, perhaps if any other director would have made it, it would have been appreciated but coming from the house of Vishal Bharadwaj, it is sort of underwhelming. Based on the book Susanna's Seven Husbands by Ruskin Bond, 7 Khoon Maaf is the story of Susanna who is perhaps, one of the most unlucky persons to get such terrible husbands, not once, not twice but six times. Vishal uses a very simple storytelling way, each husband is introduced, his flaw is revealed and then Susanna kills him. So very early on, you get to know how the film will pan out. Kaminey was appreciated because of the fact that it did not treat the audience as a duffer. Vishal used a somewhat complicated style in Kaminey to let the audience figure out for themselves what is going on. However, 7 Khoon Maaf adopts a very cliched style. Yes, some of it is expected given the nature of the roles but perhaps he could have executed it in a better way. As in like, time travel that was done beautifully in Kill Bill. Or perhaps, he could have delved more into Susanna's character as to why she only kills her husbands? why does she simply not leave them? And how does she cope with them? There was this scene in which her servant tells the story that she never changes her path and narrates the instance when as a kid she killed a dog who came into her way. Or her love for snakes. I wish they had put some more scenes on her psychology. The film was dragging in a few places and wish it could have been crisper.
But there are some good things to be spoken about in the movie as well.
Priyanka is fabulous. I just love her..however, in some scenes I felt she was struggling a bit..but still, all of it is forgiven..she has truly evolved as an actress..starting from Andaaz to 7 Khoon Maaf..hope her choice of films remains good.
It was very interesting to see the Forensics Lab, a fascinating new place which is hardly shown in our movies..
Vivaan Shah is excellent. how silently he pined for Susanna..his Sahib.. wonderful actor..
Vishal makes superb characters and does extensive research..like the scene in which Susanna marries for the sixth time, she has a Bengali wedding.. after that, we see that she wears red and white bangles that are a mark of a married Bengali woman..
He also leaves a number of pop-cultural references..as in Susanna's favorite book is 'Anna Karenina'.. and when Arun comes back, we see on the table a book "The Seven Wives of Bluebird". Early on we see that a book called Looking Ahead is found in the bag Susanna when Arun is opening her stuff. Or the music that was playing in the background just before Wasiullah urf Musafir was killed..haven't been able to look who was singing but am sure Vishal was referring to some great singer..and of course, he uses newspaper clippings, radio, and TV news headlines to tell us which year we are in.. I got reminded of Midnight's Children.. a brilliant idea to let the audience figure out which year..I am sure I am missing out on some others!
Out of the husbands, the least I liked was Annu Kapoor and John Abraham..rest all were nice.. that scene in which Neil points his amputated leg at Susanna, was fabulous. I thought he is going to kick her..anticipation..brilliant scene..
Or that scene, in which John's college bandmate says something like "pehle Sony ko becha aur ab T-Series ko becha..vo O Mata banake bech rahe hai" it was hilarious.
Aur that scene in which Arun says, "Bharatiya ladkiyon ko guitar bajane vale pasand hai..yeh to gaata bhi that."
I also like Naseeruddin Shah turning a thief..that was a surprise!
Even Irrfan Khan played a perfect sadist poet..what poetry he versed.. and how different was he in real life..just terrific that scene in which he keeps on slapping her.. makes you cringe.
But perhaps the best of all was the seventh murder.. she finally embraces Christ and drinks his blood..she realizes that in spite of all her flaws, Yeshu will embrace her with open arms..her final redemption would be confessing to the one who knows it all..that was perhaps the most haunting scene of the movie that kept playing in my head after I came out..and what place is that when she tells Arun that she will drink his blood in the sea with the waves splashing with the sun setting behind. Pondicherry I think..wonderful cinematography!! I wish there was more of such stuff.. that makes us think!!

And special mention of the music..Darrling is one of the finest songs that we will see this year! But I totally loved Bekaran (what picturization!!) and Awara (haunting)

Here is what one review said..the full review is here. I completely agree when she says that there was no need to kill the husbands.. a better treatment would have ensured the film some rationalization!

I suspect one of the key intentions of the director was to look at woman’s quest for love and the disappointment she faces from men for a variety of reasons. We can no doubt see that Susanna is not just looking for love, she is looking for a love that’s perfect. Her first marriage (with Neil Nitin Mukesh) is an arranged one (her father had wished for this union) and she deals with her husband’s insecurities (perhaps resulting from the awareness that she did not ‘choose’ him). The second marriage, which promises youthful happiness and pleasure, is of her choice and she happily agrees to change herself for him (suggested by her ready acceptance of the name Susie for his Jimmy). But here is a man whose directionless youthfulness is his undoing. He cannot appreciate her self-effacing gesture for he has lost his own self in drug-induced hallucinations. Wasiullah Khan (Irrfan Khan), with his poetic sensibility, carrying an air of hurt humanity seems to be the answer till she realizes that his sensitivity remains tied to his intellect never deigning to come down to his physical or emotional self. The Russian husband is the possibility of a stranger or outsider providing love but not knowing a person has its own pitfalls. By the time the outsider is discarded, some disillusionment has already occurred. So this time when Officer Keemat Lal (Annu Kapur) offers a Teddy Bear (romantic love) with one hand while hiding a Viagra (lust) in the other, it is not difficult for Susanna to call his bluff. The possibility of young innocent love (Arun) is no longer available to her for she has already eaten of the apple, so to say. With the sixth husband it’s no longer a question of love/lust/pain/betrayal; it is a question of life and death and Susanna chooses life.

Now the same material with a lighter treatment and it may have been possible to understand it better at least on a symbolic level. You would now have Susanna only as a tool to examine this quest without any individualized, detailed characterization. Her various marriages would have been attempts to find love and the killings would not have been literal but a mere discarding of possibilities that failed. The episodes with various husbands could have acquired more meaning. The climax of the film – that is brilliant in its conception – would then come to life – it took Susanna almost a lifetime, but she finally realizes that the perfection or truth she is looking for is impossible to find in the material, male-dominated world. It is in religion that she finds the last and final husband, for Christ can not only offer eternal love, he’ll offer it to an imperfect being like her.

The reason Saat Khoon Maaf sends out confusing signals is because Susanna’s motives are unclear and muddied. That takes the force out of the narrative, giving it a rambling quality. Her husbands also come out more as stereotypes than individuals. Vishal Bhardwaj saves his film from becoming a sensational thriller and has all the right intentions but he has not succeeded in making Saat Khoon Maaf either a narrative or stylistic treat.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Of Trolls, Christina, Break Ke Baad and 7 Khoon Maaf..

Hmmm.. my Internet was not working for two days, so wasn't able to put a post that I wanted to write and now I have forgot on what I wanted to write about..
Anyway, I got the worst feeling today..someone in an email to me said "Stop trolling around" and "ruffling feathers of people".. total crap.. I felt terrible.. I know I have been screamed at before a lot..but seriously a troll?? it is the worst insult as a person if one is considered a troll.. please am not a stalker..

Anyhow, Grey's Anatomy :( I have seen 7 episodes of Season 7 and I love love that show.. Christina please start behaving like your normal self..please come back.. I miss the bitchy passionate Christina who always had the fire in her.. always ready to be the best cardio-thoracic surgeon.. Even Burke did not do this to you..please come please back..and please don't blame Meredith for what all happened.. Isn't she your soul mate? And Callie and Arizona broke up..I am sad for Callie :( And please Mark stop sleeping with everyone of Shepherd's wife and sisters..Lexie is the best girl in the world you can ever get..
I also saw Break Ke Baad and Do Dooni Chaar ( which deserves a proper post!!).. Break Ke Baad is one of those movies you can sleep walk.. it is not bad.. it is not very good either..perhaps I missed the emotional connect with the movie..but yes, it was different.. a girl instead of a guy who is wary of commitment..such a beautiful place they have shot.. and I loved that scene when Aaliya says "Maybe I am not meant for love".. it reminded me of myself as I also feel that I am not meant for love and incapable of being loved.. and I also liked it when Aaliya's mom says "you are not special that people love you, you are special because people love you despite what you are".. I still believe that I Hate Luv Storys was one of the best love stories that I saw last year..

Meanwhile, my current favourite song is Darling from 7 Khoon Maaf.. I just love the line "public mein sansani ek baar karne do" :) Just 3 more days..Bhai yeh picture ka intezaar main What's Your Rashee jab release hui thi tab se kar raha hun..Phew 1.5 years!! Hope it is not like What's Your Rashee?!


On a personal note, I have been even more disturbed for some issues but I try to show that all is fine..I am caught between two things..I try not to think of it and let fate decide what is in store but how much will I procrastinate..Will write more about it later..

 It's raining outside.. February Rain.. the rain gods obliging the lovers.. I love the pitter patter of rain drops..
Tata.. catch you later..

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Of Change From Abhay Deol to Akshay Kumar..


In the last year, I have turned from Abhay Deol to Akshay Kumar!! From my favourite actor to the actor I hate most!! Sigh!! I remember doing that weight scale in April last year while going to Saataal at New Delhi Railway Station and I did one yesterday at Regal Theatre in CP (I still have both the cards as in the photo below). Yeh kya ho raha hai?? Weight increased by 2 kilos, I have seen my waist increase by an inch, my pants getting tight, my eyesight has has weakened, just got a new spectacles (-3.25 and -2.25) I get breathless after I take stairs to reach office at 5 floor, my hair has turned even more grey (already had grey hair, now according to mummy, it is even more grey who scolds me even more for not putting oil, I use oil everyday but mummy wants to put so much more!!) I have started to forget birthdays (I never forgot them come what may!).. I don't remember mobile numbers now.. Sigh..the side effects of sitting all day with no physical exercise..toh yahi hoga na!! Buddhe ho rahe hai sab.. imagine 23 years ka buddha!! Auro (of Paa) ki bimaari hamein lag rahi hai..Will do something about it.. but of all people Akshay Kumar???? Even Emraan Hashmi is better than Akshay!! Khair chhodo..





Saturday, February 5, 2011

Of Song about Yeh Saali Zindagi..No Pun intended!!

Sudhir Mishra's next (of the Hazaaron Khawashien Aisi fame) Yeh Saali Zindagi is making waves all over.. I just love its song sung by Shilpa Rao where Chitrangada Singh features..such awesome lyrics.. it is the lyrics that give a song its ultimate high.. so true of the following lines..how we want things to be but life has some other plans for us.. Will watch it soon!!!

Zindagi pe tera mera kisi ka na zor hai

Hum sochte hai kuch wo saali sochti kuch aur hai
Ye zindagi ye saali zindagi...
Hum chahate yahan hai saali jaati kahin aur hai
Lamhein aur lamhon ke beech ye tedhe medhe mod hai
Ye zindagi ye saali zindagi

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Of Long Time No See Posts and Thanks to Followers...

I had taken two days off from the office. My 4-day sabbatical is coming to an end. I don't know I am not feeling depressed but I am feeling very angry. No not at the office or thought of going to work but very very angry at some faceless person. Who that person is I don't know :(

Anyways, the purpose of this post is haal chaal..since 4-5 posts and I haven't been told about what is happening.
The last week was quite hectic-work-wise. I worked on 26th January also because of work. I am a bit slow in work and add the fact that already we get limited time for certain projects, mere se to ho hi nahi pata..
So, there was something at home, so applied for leave.

Things aren't very well at home. They are just fine. Papa is very tense because of some issues. 
I had planned so many things that I will do this, I will do that but somehow it didn't plan out, so 4 day weekend was not much of a success, except I managed to watch 3 films - We Are Family, Phas Gaye Re Obama and 127 Hours. I was at home only. Bas aur kuch ho nahi paya because there are some guests at my place, so my mom had to go with them, so no one at home, so I had to stay and phir paani ki  motor chalana, shaam ko doodh lana, vagareh vagareh sab karna hota hai.

Anyway, the post I had written on Dhobi Ghat..a lot of people are coming on the blog, while searching for the words - my muse, my whore, my beloved. I felt nice at least some people liked that line otherwise as Shobhaa De writes on her blog that it is one of the most ridiculous lines about Mumbai she ever heard, although she liked the film. But I like that line. I have an opinion, and you may disagree with it :)

Meanwhile, I had to buy a gift for Aastha for her birthday. I bought Dork by Sidin Vadukut and A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammad Hanif. I wanted to buy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro - The Book or The Diary of A Social Butterfly by Moni Mohsin but both were out of stock. But these two I hope she hasn't read them! and a funny thing happened, when I asked for this butterfly book, that Texsons Bhaiya said vo to aap ne pad li hai. I felt nice. although I haven't read it but was happy that he knows a little about my choice. He always tells me whenever there is a new Salman Rushdie book out. And he knows my frequency of reading..so it feels nice. I just love book shops..although my reading had drastically reduced in the last year, I feel at home in such shops. I wanted to open a library when I was in Class 9..can still do that but...

Also, I myself have started Cuckold!! finally had got it last birthday.. and I am totally loving it..the story of a King whose wife loves Krishna, so what does he do when he has God for competition..some magical lines are there..such as
Perhaps thinking about someone was the same as loving...
To see in flesh, that's the only way you can fall in love. Not by seeing a carving or a statue or a painting.

I will write more later.

One more follower today. I felt nice. Mannat.I don't know who she is but feels nice when there are people who look forward to your blog!! 6 followers (out of which 3 are not active, so left are 3)..and there are 3 more people who read anonymously. I know them..and a few are just once in a long long time types..so a big big thanks to all of you who read and bear this mediocre blog.

There are so many things that I have to write on..currently, at least 5 posts are pending of which I have thought of. Will write more later. Cya!!