Mythology in Hindi films

When Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, now better known as Dadasaheb Phalke (1890-1944), the father of Indian cinema, made his and India’s first silent feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913), he thereby introduced the genre of mythological cinema in our country. Having been inspired by the English movie, The Life of Christ, which he keenly watched, he decided to bring to the silver screen Indian gods and goddesses and the stories associated with them.

Mythology has been a popular source of entertainment and instruction for Indian masses for millennia as besides the Ramlila and the Krishnalila which have been enacted year after year are numerous religious functions, festivals and rituals rooted in mythology. This keeps the interest of people in mythology interminably alive so that even today many films and teleserials continue to be based on it.

Drama incorporating interesting episodes has repeatedly been drawn from not only great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and the Puranas, but also world’s other literature including the popular Arabic and Persian classics, which too embody magic, supernatural elements or miracles and instances of divine intervention.

The cardinal premise of all such stories, which promote virtuous conduct, has been the triumph of good over evil.

The multi-talented Phalke, who was an artist, architect, photographer, playwright, printer and magician, followed his above mentioned first film with more mythological silent movies like Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), Satyavan Savitri (1914), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janma (1919), Kalia Mardan (1922) and Bhakta Prahlad (1926) and the only talkie, Gangavataran (1937).

All these movies were replete with awesome spectacular and magical scenes supported by impressive special effects, which Phalke created successfully and which tickled the fancy of his audiences and readily won their enthusiastic approbation.

Following Phalke’s example many other Indian film producing companies also came up with a host of more mythological movies, sourced from the epics, as also many devotional films predicated on the lives of certain God-realised saints. Such movies also depicted surprising preternatural and magical elements-in both the eras of the silent movies and the talkies. Films like Hatim Tai, Sindabad the Sailor, Alladin’s Lamp and Thief of Baghdad too were made showing flying carpets, ‘Sulemani topis’ or vanishing caps, by wearing which a person became invisible and other magical innovations.

Outstanding Hollywood filmmakers who acted as role models for Indian producers and directors too had a tradition of creating films based on epics and Biblical themes right from the start of cinema. They even remade several landmark movies in the 1950s and the 1960s when their guiding axiom was that ‘’A good epic never dies, it just gets remade’’.

In India also many of our successful mythologicals were remade several times. The most popular teleserials- Ramanand Sagar’s 74- episode Ramayana and B R Chopra’s 94-episode Mahabharata, both of which retold anew the stories contained in the eponymous epics and which millions of people watched irresistibly in the late 1980s, are sterling examples of this trend.

In the 1940s when Hindi cinema was at its peak, films depicting with finesse certain episodes from the Ramayana were made. Vijay Bhatt’s Bharat Milap (1942) and Ram Rajya (1943), in both of which Prem Adib and Shobhana Samarth (Kajol’s maternal grandmother) featured as Ram and Sita, were great hits of this type.

In Ram Rajya a group of people celebrating Rama’s return to Ayodhya sing the chorus, ‘’Aaya Ram Rajya’’ with a veiled allusion tol ‘Ram Rajya’’, the term used by Gandhiji for re-establishment of a rightful rule. Incidentally, this was the only film a good part of which Gandhiji saw when he was convalescing in 1945.

Some of the other milestone mythological movies turned out by the Hindi cinema in its nearly a century long journey were Seeta (1934), Gopal Krishna (1938), Sampoorna Ramayan (1961), Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) and Har Har Mahadev (1983). In many mythologicals the former wrestler and muscleman, Dara Singh played the role of Hanuman to the amusement particularly of children as an entertaining and comically inclined superhero. The late character actor, Jeevan too appeared in a large number of films as a ‘’Narayan, Narayan’- chanting Devrishi Narad, who would appear suddenly on a scene and equally speedily disappear.

Miracles extended to films of some other genres such as Tansen (1943), a historical-musical in which leaves sprout and flowers blossom on plants in a garden as Tansen (K L Saigal) sings raga Bahar and again musical instruments in Akbar’s court start playing by themselves as the legendary singer renders a dhrupad. In Amar, Akbar, Anthony (1977) two beams of light travel from the eyes of the statue of Sai Baba in the Shirdi Temple to the blinded eyes of a woman (played by Nirupa Rai) and instantly restore her vision.

Audiences anticipate and accept miraculous happenings like restoration of good health of someone terminally ill or return of vision in sightless eyes like in the example cited above. They also wish the virtuous protagonist to receive divine help in a tortuous situation and feel relaved when this actually happens.

The long - prevalent belief of various communities in our country has been that a man’s fate is predetermined by some inscrutable law of the supreme power or God who has created and is running this universe.

The Hindus and followers of other faiths of Indian origin believe in rebirth, and the casting of destiny on the basis of a man’s Karma or good and bad actions done in his previous life or lives. In his new incarnation he is again supposed to be granted some freedom and discretion to act and thereby get either credit or discredit added to his past account, as it were.

Miracles happen and prayers are answered in cinema as in life. Recall the case of Babar, who prayerfully offered to surrender his own life in exchange for his critically ill son, Humayun’s good health.

The scheme, by which such things actually take place, is ineffable and defies analysis. It is, however, generally believed that the all-merciful God relents in exceptional circumstances and bestows a grace or concession on the deserving affected or afflicted person.

While some persons may interpret this by the logic of cause and effect, the believers will devoutly regard it as a gracious grant of a divine boon

Modern Avataras Of Age Old Sari

The new  generation of  designers are taking care that the age old sari - Sita's legacy  and Draupadi's pride -  does not die out, by bringing in innovations, that would have scandalized our grandmothers  Yes there are  different ways of carrying the traditional six yard cloth and how to make it more stylish. Shamita Singha, who was present at the Lakme fashion preview, says  " I love the elements of youth and fun in  saris of modern designers. In fact, I plan on wearing them to parties as often as I can". In case of the sari, upcoming and even established designers are giving the traditional garment more modern interpretations to suit a young clientele, whom they feel are not averse to  accepting of such change.  Yes there are  different ways of carrying the traditional six yard cloth and how to make it more stylish.

Sabyasachi  the eminent fashion maestro says, " In my recent collection, I have showcased the chhotu sari, which is not really a new concept because women in tribal areas wear them. The only difference is that I have removed the pleats so that it just becomes easier for the youth. It's important to create a blend amongst the traditional and the commercial. The chhotu sari helps the women flaunt their shoes." Sabya's chhotu sari has been made in khadi and the silhouettes are also Indian.

Stylist Priya Agni  says, "I think it is imperative to innovative with the sari. Unless we are not hampering with the aesthetics  of the six yards it's fine. I used leggings and strong shoulder pads, because I wanted the sari to be more western. Another way of wearing a sari would be to drape it around in cowls."

Fashion designer Anju Chotrani too has modern ideas of combining sari with western dress and explains, "Wearing a sari with a long  jacket is very Western. Also with a long Kurti. Interestingly, the blouses don't stop at the waist these days, they are long and stretch like a kurti.

Also long ruffles over the edge of the pallu make the sari look like a Victorian gown. Trousers or a skirt replace the traditional 'ghagra' (skirt) and the sari is pre-draped using various notches that can be adjusted to accommodate weight gain".

New designer Masaba Gupta's saris were pieced together in such a way that they made perfect sense for everyday wear for the young or experimentalists. With thick black and white stripes and a green border, they were styled well giving it that needed young , Indo-Western silhouetteRitu Kumar the leading fashion expert   is of the opinion that the sari has been recently often innovated to make it more appealing for daily wear. She says, " I recently draped a sari totally differently, the pleats were stitched, the pallu more like a scarf around the neck and the blouse fits like a corset."

Puneet Nanda of Satya Paul is trying to make the same basic structure fresh for new clients. His pop art line of saris, most recently, sported by Bollywood celebs like Jacqueline Fernandes and Mughda Godse, have sold like hot cakes. "People are bored with the traditional designs they find in stores, they want something new and exciting," Nanda explains the reason for the success of the line. "We tread a fine line when creating pop art. An image of Ganesha or other gods might work as pop art in New York, but here it will be interpreted as misusing religious images."

Nanda has also launched a line of pre-constructed saris to capture the working woman, who has no time to patiently drape six yards of fabric. According to him "Personally, I prefer the original structure because it's hard to improve upon a garment that isn't even stitched. But our pre-constructed saris are practical and meant for women on the go. We've avoided the use of the zipper form because that leaves you with just one size. By using strategically placed notches, the sari can be adjusted, because women tend to go through cycles of weight loss and gain."

Monica and her design partner Karishma Swati recently unveiled their own festive collection of hand smocked and silk macramé saris which were traditional in their look and fabric but very contemporary in their presentation.  "The sheer magnitude of what you can do with a sari is amazing," says Monica.

Fashion designer Anamika Khanna, who feels that saris should be made innovative, broke the mould when she showed a range of muslin saris in hues like lime green, magenta and saffron. The saris were draped unconventionally and instead of a ghagra underneath, she teamed them with pajama pants and all parts of the outfit were in one colour only.

Butterfly pallu saree is a type of designer saree where the pallu narrows downs to the shoulder with cut work. The style is being inspired from the Bollywood film industry. The work on the shoulder can be of pearl and kundan which adds a fusion look to the designer saree.  Sharara saree - It is a style of saree which looks like a sharara. It has two flares and the second flare makes it looks like sharara. The sharara saree is very heavily emblazed with work of zari, zardosi or thread work on the bottom or second half of the flare. It is worn on special occasions like weddings and bridal functions.  A thin fabric saree with a belt highlights your curves.  Belt can be of a fabric or leather emblazes with embroidery or stone work. Adding a glam belt to the attire gives a fusion look to the attire. It can be worn on any party wear occasion or festivals.  Lehenga saree - This is another experiment of designers. This kind of designer saree has a flare in the end but less than sharara flare. This style is getting popular among Modern Indian brides. This gives a fusion look to traditional lehenga choli.

Neo- saree is another experiment with saree. This designer saree is a saree with a reduced height and is above the ankle. You can team this saree with a strapee sandal or juttis.  Net saris are trying  to get a toehold this wedding season, vying for attention with ethnic silks, finds   fashion  designer Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

Bling still rules, but understated elegance is back in saris. "Heavy silks are preferred for the wedding ceremony but women want cotton-blends for the smaller functions. Kotas with kalamkari, cut-work and intricate borders are dressy while remaining easier to handle in the heat," opines designer Mamata Reddy of Kalam Creations.

Yes    There are many modern  avataras for the age old sari.

Mallika Sherawat

MALLIKA SHERAWAT’S HANDMADE JALEBIS FOR EVERYONE!

It was a festive evening at Puranmal Juhu, as the air was full of anticipation and excitement, with Double Dhamaal’s Jalebi Bai Mallika Sherawat expected to visit and herself make jalebis for everyone!! The glamorous actress arrived at the eatery in full enthusiasm and straightaway went  to the jalebi frying counters and started making piping hot jalebis!!...Also making jalebis with her was director Indra Kumar, and the duo fed each other, along with everyone present, including media persons! After the fun feast, Mallika went on to speak about her much awaited comedy film and the sizzling item number Jalebi Bai,” I had a blast dancing to Jalebi Bai. I want to thank Induji for giving me such a amazing platform and role with his sequel to the hit Dhamaal...the entire cast and crew was so much fun to work with!” Indra Kumar’s comedy sequel film Double Dhamaal, produced by Maruti International in association with Reliance Entertainment, is a much anticipated comedy film starring the previous Dhamaal team- Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Ashish Chowdhry, Ritiesh Deshmukh and Jaaved Jafferi, with Mallika Sherawat and Kangana Ranaut.

Neha Hinge

Bollywood Happened Just By Chance : Neha Hinge

If fate would have willed, smart and beautiful Neha Hinge may have made her debut with Madhur Bhandarkar’s film Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji, but now she is all set to make her bow with Madhur’s friend Joe Rajan’s maiden film as a director- Luv U Soniye in which she has been teamed in the romantic lead opposite none other than Tanuj Virwani, the handsome and dashing son of actress Rati Agnihotri.

Neha confesses that she is in films today only because she had won the crown of Miss India. “When Madhur selected me as Bombay Diva, which was a part of the Miss India pageant, he told me that he would sign me on for his film Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji, but it did not materialize for reasons best known to Madhurji”, quips Neha.

How did Joe Rajan discover you I ask Neha. Pat comes the reply, “It was Madhur who had suggested to Joe that he should cast me in his film Luv U Soniye, when he told Madhur that he was all set to make his debut in films as a director with his film Luv U Soniye. Joe signed me on as the leading lady of his film even without me giving any audition. On hindsight, I think that whatever happens in life happens only for the better, because nothing can be better than a film, with which you are making your debut with a title role.”

The reason she decided to make her bow with a new production house like that of Joe Rajan and not wait till a big banner like say that of Yash Chopra offered to launch her, is that she had to start somewhere. “All that I can say with due respect is that Yash Chopra is Yash Chopra but all of us have the capacity to reach that place slowly and steadily, since Rome was not built in one day. Joe is one director, who knows exactly what he wants from his actors. Joe lets us give variations in our expressions and besides being creative, also takes ideas from each and every one on the sets, from the spot boy to the light boy.”

Neha confesses that it was not at all difficult for her to portray her character effortlessly, because in the first place, she plays a sweet and cultured young girl, who loves her family and always makes it a point to fight for what is good. To let her get into the skin of her character, Joe asked voice teacher Joy to help her now the technicalities of modulation of her voice and also subjected Tanuj and her to exercises,  which helped them build up chemistry between both of them.

Neha confesses that she is not at all a trained actor and it was for the first time that she faced the camera on the sets of Luv U Soniye. “I am the face of Pantaloon. I confess that on the first day of the shooting, I was quite scared and nervous but started enjoying the process of acting, when I got its essence. It is amusing, but the fact is that though I was nervous while giving the rehearsal, I was okay when the take was on. My first take was what you’d call in film parlance a one take”, gushes Neha.

Neha is a software engineer, who has worked for two years in Accenture, Pune and though Miss India was something that she had always yearned to be, Bollywood is something that has happened just by chance. “Though I concede that I did not ultimately act in his film, the fact that a director of the stature of Madhur Bhandarkar selected me for a part in his film Dil To Bachcha Hai ji was, by itself, a big pleasant surprise to me.”

Neha admits that her parents have always treated her like a son. “My father told me to go ahead and avail of the opportunity when the offer to act landed in my lap. Though I had heard horror stories about the casting couch in the film industry, I realized that it is not the case when I started working. I now know that it is only women who want to be exploited, get exploited in Bollywood. If you are strong, no one on earth can force you to do something that you do not want to do.”

What is your take on exposure? I ask Neha point blank. “As an actress, I certainly would love to look glamorous on the screen. I am quite confident about my body and am even ready to flaunt it.  However, if it is not required, I am not game for exposure. I am okay as far as lip-locks are  concerned and also can look hot, but please no Mallika Sherawat kind of role in films like Murder for me, because I do not want to get saddled with that kind of image as far as I am concerned.”

Neha confesses that she had turned down an offer some time back when the producer asked her to appear in a bikini in his film, because the role was not at all appealing enough for her to say yes. “If it is shot aesthetically like it was on Priyanka Chopra in Dostana or Kareena Kapoor in Tashan, I do not mind at all appearing in a bikini,” asserts Neha.

When I ask her whether she fell in love with her co-actor Tanuj while the shooting of the film was on, Neha signs off by stating that she is still single and her search for the Mr Right is on and adds, “You should not mix your personal life with your professional life.”

Review of Green Lantern

'Green Lantern' is one of the densest DC comics about mythology and number of characters is concerned.It is understandable therefore that this adaptation of Warner Bros. begins with an introduction explaining the basics of this intergalactic patrol known as 'Green Lantern Corps' responsible for maintaining order in the different sectors in which the universe splits.The amount of exposure and repeated explanations bother adult films-yes 'Robin Hood', I know you are in "Nottingham" - forgive one that points to children.

A few minutes after passing the Earth, the first transition of many, we see Hal Jordan ( Ryan Reynolds ) in a flight test.A series of flashbacks of his father, also a pilot, could have the dramatic effect of 'Top Gun' but more reminiscent of 'Hot Shots' (Locademia Pilot) without provoking laughter was the intention.The humor works sometimes but less frequently than expected.

After Jordan inherits the ring and a lantern agonizonte alien (Abin Sur), is transported to the planet Oa.The recreceación of this world and its inhabitants is truly spectacular and the millions spent on special effects is warranted.The voice of Geoffrey Rush to Tomar-Re and Michael Clarke Duncan to Kilowog, brings charisma and credibility to their characters.The problem is that its shares are very short.Who steals the film is Mark Strong , with Sinestro's most memorable presence of the same.Jordan's short training, learning to harness the power of the ring to realize devices and their interaction with the aforementioned aliens is very interesting.

When we want to continue exploring and learning more green lantern, the story is refocusing on Earth, a series of scenes that know "already seen" The superhero coming to the penthouse to take his beloved ride through the air (Superman) , the villain holding a busy spoiling (Spider-Man, etc.).Absent is the freshness that director Martin Campbell was injected at the time of James Bond and Zorro.

Saving Strong, the rest of the performances range from acceptable to forgettable. Ryan Reynolds suficientemtne it does not seem right to ridicule in his green mask but can not quite sell the character.We're always aware that it is Reynolds the actor appears on screen. Peter Sarsgaard does a proper job as Hector Hammond, the shy, resentful scientist infected by Parallax, the entity of fear here reduced to a generic monster "essences." Tim Robbins and Angela Bassett are totally wasted in inconsequential roles. Blake Lively does not so bad but Carol Ferris has the worst dialogue.His relationship with Hal goes back and forth without being able to interest in the least.

Indeed, the story and the script's weakest link.What could be the exploration of a fascinating universe like Star Wars is reduced to a "message movie" for kids.If the remake of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' repeated ad nauseam the ecological message that humans "can change" here it comes down to "we can overcome the media" .Without exaggeration, the word "fear" is mentioned twenty times: "You are afraid of being afraid," said Jordan in a moment.

In the last third of everything is accelerating and it sounds very forced.After Jordan does a lousy job convincing "Guardians" (the council of elders of Oa) to help us - it was better not to argue that the threat would become much more powerful if it was destroying the Earth instead of saying that humans are not so bad? - released a short, anticlimactic final battle with Parallax.

Technically there is nothing to criticize. The 3D is very high points in the introduction and the subsequent scenes but the rest interplanetary -85% - not very deep.This is typical of the conversions later: The CGI work but regular camera shot is flat.

In short, I became very similar to 'Thor' : A character who has parental trauma, Freud would be a picnic to mature and prove he is worthy of the power generated by an object.The Asgard and Oa were much more interesting place than Earth.The romance in any of these is entirely convincing and connect with the characters is difficult.The children will be more satisfied.

The secret scene after the credits promise a sequel brighter.

Peepli Live Movie Review 2010

Pipili is a small coastal town near Orissa is famous for its crafts sconce. The notional 'Budhia' played by Raghubir Yadav shares its name with Budhia Singh, the worlds youngest marathon runner from the Indian state of Orissa.

Peepli Live is a new Hindi movie, which is produced by Aamir Khan. Written and directed by Anusha Rizvi in his first experience as a director, the film stars Naya Theatre Company member Omkar Das Manikpuri as Raghubir Yadav, Shalini Vatsa Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Malaika Shenoy together with a number of newcomers. Peepli Live, distributed by UTV Motion Pictures, will be released August 13, 2010.

A satire on farmers 'suicides' and subsequent media and political response, Peepli Live competed in the Sundance Film Festival, the first film in India to achieve this endeavor. However, because of offensive language in the film, got a 'certificate of adult A' in India. The film was taken from German specialty distribution company Rapid Eye Movies for a special screening at the Berlin International Film Festival. Peepli Live reportedley has recovered it's cost is the first release. Live Peepli currently has a rating of 9.2 on IMDB.

CAST
* Omkar Das Manikpuri as Natha
* Raghubir Yadav as Budha
* Malaika Shenoy as Nandita Mallik
* Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Rakesh
* Shalini Vatsa as Dhaniya
* Zafar Farookh as Amma
* O. Vishal Kumar Deepak Sharma as
* Naseeruddin Shah as Minister of Agriculture


It 's a miracle that a script like' Peepli Live 'has been transformed into a movie and a commercial version. And 'certainly surprising that a mainstream film as Aamir Khan has decided to invest money in a film that puts the spotlight on serious issues like the plight of Indian farmers. And, of course, congratulations to the journalist-turned-director Anusha Rizvi Penning down for a story that focuses on rural India and its problems at a time when most Bollywood directors are busy lure audiences with comedies and dramas NRI mindlesss designers. According to one report, 200,000 farmers have ended their lives since 1997 and has said that rising debt is the main cause of suicide by farmers. Anusha's directorial debut follows this theme in 'Peepli Live' - albeit as a satire. The film is also a look at how the media and politicians use these tragedies for their TRP and votebanks respectively. The real problem is dying under their rat race. Located in a small village, the film follows the family situation of a farmer. Natha (Omkar Das) and Budhiya (Raghuvir Yadav) are brothers who had taken a loan against their land. Their only source of livelihood is put under the hammer when they fail to repay the money.

Trying to seek the help of a local politician, whose job is to serve the people. But he sent them away saying that the government gives compensation to the families of those farmers who commit suicide. Initially, the brothers ignored the suggestion, but Budiya Natha persuaded to sacrifice their lives for the good of the family.

It 's time of elections in the region and the owner of a local newspaper sends its reporters Rakesh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) - who would not otherwise want to move from her comfort zone in search of stories - to the village. Rakesh learns of Natha decision to end his life and relationships it. The news created a sensation in political and before it can be brushed under the carpet, someone to lead the story Nandita Nath Malik (Malaika Shenoy), a journalist from the English Channel elite. Grab the opportunity and dashes off to the news Peepli TRP promising. Once the report has flashed a barrage of reporters arrived at the village and there began a media circus as every journalist sensationalise races at the problem.

Rakesh, who actually presented the story, becomes a mere puppet in the hands of Nandita and when he tries to tell her of the death of another farmer, refuses to report as you do not see it as a reminder of the TRP for the channel. The irony is that nobody - whether journalists or politicians - seek to know why Natha decides to commit suicide. In reality, nobody is interested in solving the problem because they have their own agendas.

'Peepli Live' is a satire that shows the reality behind the houses of media, politicians, bureaucrats and their apathetic approach to the problems. But the script is written in a way that makes the audience laugh. India offers itself as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but the film shows the miserable condition of farmers who continue to end their lives after living in extreme poverty. A report says that the highest level of farmer suicides has been reported in Vidarbha, Maharashtra - reportedly, 4,000 farmer suicides per year. In recent times, the farmer suicides in Chhattisgarh have been hogging the spotlight and in Punjab.

The first time director Anusha has not only written a taut screenplay, but also carried the story effectively. It seems that the film is his attempt to enlighten the audience on the social dilemma that our country is facing and his experience as a journalist is clearly visible in his narrative. Actors - by Omkar Das, Raghuvir Shalini Vatsa and short tempered as a wife of Nath Dhania Malaika Shenoy and Vishal Sharma - are too bright. If Omkar Raghuvir and bring to light the plight of farmers, Shalini, a M. Phil from Jawaharlal Nehru University, should be applauded for his role with such ease and perfection. Malaika and Vishal fits the bill of English and Hindi respectively reporter channel. Anusha blends the miseries of farmers and subsequent reactions of politicians and media seamlessly into 'Peepli Live' and that makes it a must watch.real villages are so few and far between in Bollywood movies which I think is a bold move if a director decides to make a film about the problems of farmers' in the country.

But with rookie director Peepli Live Anusha Rizvi, who also wrote the story, gives a good story. Aamir Khan, film producer, said that the film is not about suicide of farmers' and he's right. The problem here is beyond farmers 'suicide'. The film tackles the growing gap between India and how it is shining over others. It 's also a tribute to hero Rizvi of Premchand Hori from' Godan ', whose fate remains unchanged even if the faces that represent the forces continue to change. The policy response and the media frenzy surrounding the suicide Natha to evoke much laughter, but the pathos of the story makes the film transmits its message successfully.

Peepli Live begins with the story of the farmer Natha simple mind (Omkar Das Manikpuri), who spoke to commit suicide of his brother Budha (Raghubir Yadav) when they lose their land to the bank after failing to repay its debt. Budha convinces his brother that their families will be eligible for government relief has many advantages for families of farmers who kill themselves. Their conversation is heard by a drunk local journalist, who writes a story in his newspaper. Soon the hunger for news of TRP channels within the story, because as a TV reporter says "the case to cover a live suicide comes once in a while." Natha impending death becomes a national obsession.

Natha is a new situation: every movement is monitored by cameras prying. Can not even go to the bathroom without the cameras following him. While the interviews beam channels and exclusive live with friends in the village Natha, nobody has the time to ask if he actually died. The film has big Bollywood star Aamir but who is behind the screen as a producer. Rizvi sought actors Habib Tanvir's Naya Theatre group Theatre and did a real job.

Actors such as Omkar Das Manikpuri (Natha), Raghuvir Yadav (Budha), Shalini Vatsa (wife Natha's Dhania), Farrukh Jaffar (mother Natha's), Malaika Shenoy (TV reporter), Vishal Sharma (TV reporter), Nowaz (a journalist from newspaper ) and Naseeruddin Shah in a small role as a shrewd politician, Salim Kidwai, I'm so comfortable in the skin of the character actor and character merge into one.

Raghubir puts on a show seasoned and Jaffar, who played the mother in the old Umrao Jaan Rekha is amazing how strong the mouth, the mother Beed smoking. Shenoy, Sharma and Nowaz are satirical representations of the pressures of journalism in India.Rizvi also brings in Badwai local villagers in the cabin and the roles are brilliant and authentic.

The legacy is represented by Habib Tanvir and his daughter Nageen passionate interpretation of the popular song Maati Ka Chola Chattisgarh. For those interested in fusion music, the film offers two numbers Indian Ocean Des Mera Zindagi Darte If I enjoy and applaud.

Flanders Bollywood Destination

Shooting abroad really came into its own a little over a decade ago, but the film
that got filmmakers thinking of heading westwards was Raj Kapoor’s Sangam in the early sixties.

Among the other old films which brought plenty of foreign locales alive on the silver screen were Pachhi’s International Crook, Shakti Samanta’s ‘An Evening In Paris’ and Great Gambler, Manoj Kumar’s ‘Purab Aur Pachhim’, Brij Sadanah’s ‘Night In London’, the Sameer-Simi starrer ‘Pasand Apni Apni’ and the Rajesh Khanna starrer, ‘Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka’.

But as film budgets grew bigger and bigger, producers and directors became more and more lavish and began to cross frontiers to give their viewers (and their stars, of course!) free foreign trips, so to say.

Today, it’s not just films but television serials too which are heading overseas. In a bid to promote tourism, tourism boards across the world are luring film and television producers by offering attractive incentives. Among these are securing permissions for shooting in locations, discounts in accommodations and also offer cash incentives.

To promote Flanders as a new Bollywood Destination, Tourism Flanders hosted a reccee for leading Bollywood directors and producers such as Suresh Naidu, Ravi Chopra, Mukesh Bhatt, Mohit Suri, Ramesh Sippy from the Indian film industry to the destination for 5 nights.

The trip included visits to the historic cities of Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp - including parts of the scenic countryside Meetings with the filming commissions and tourism offices at the respective places were also held.

Best Bollywood Movies of 2009

Bollywood releases more than one hundred movies every year but only few of them become super hits.

Bollywood is the biggest revenue generating film industry in the world after Hollywood. Bollywood is the biggest film industry in Asian and Indian cinema industry. Bollywood movies are produced in Hindi and English language but mostly in Hindi, some movies also launches in South Indian Tamil and Punjabi language too. Bollywood actors and actresses are also performing their talent in South Indian film industry and as well as in International film industry Hollywood.

Hollywood directors are and producers are also taking a keen interest in Indian cinema because great Indian population inside and outside the India. Slum dog millionaire was the biggest hit movie in year 2009. This movie won 4 golden globe and 7 Oscar awards, which is a world record for Indian film history. Here the list of top ten best Hindi movies released in 2009.

1) Blue: The cast of this movie consist on top Indian celebrities; Blue songs also become top on chart blustered.

2) Luck by Chance: This movie was produced by local producers. The film is about the journey of an actor who arrives in Bombay to make it big as a film star in Bollywood film industry.

3) Kites: This movie was the mixer of Hollywood movie “A Running Kite” the leading role of film actress was done by a Mexican actress Barbara Morie.

4) Wanted: This is an Action and thriller movie which is also based on a Tamil action movie.

5)Jail: This is a movie about how a gangster breaks the prison and save his life from government agencies.

6) Wake Up Sid: Wake Up Sid! Is a funny and romantic movie, filmier on teen age boys and girls of Indian society.

7) All the Best: This movie is based on a famous Punjabi crime novel, where money is every thing for everyone.

8) Acid Factory: Acid Factory is a action and thriller movie about the war between two underworld gangs.

9) Dev D: This is a fantasy movie about a character who becomes a famous thief around the India.

10) Three Idiots: This is a funny and romantic movie in which three lovers are doing very foolish activities to impress their girls

Horror movies of Bollywood India

Bollywood celebrated the diamond jubilee of its existence only a couple of years ago. When we look back, we can justifiably feel proud of its achievements over the decades. The number of feature films which have rolled out of Bollywood studios over the last 77 years runs into nearly forty thousands.The sheer volume of this corpus is overwhelming. Even quality-wise, some of our films have won laurels in international film festivals. Our films have now a thriving overseas market.

Our filmmakers have tried their hand at almost every genre of feature filmmaking. We have, for instance, made love stories, romances, quasi historical films, mystery thrillers, action films, biopics, family dramas, et al. Perhaps the only genre where Bollywood has yet to make its mark is the horror film. We have not yet produced anything that even remotely approaches. ‘The Exorcist’ or ‘The Mummy’ in portraying the dark and indecipherable forces of evil which are supposed to exercise baneful influence on human affairs.

Among our present filmmakers, RGV is considered to be most skilled exponent of the eerie. Now, before we proceed further, we must have a glance at Mr RGV’s track record in producing films with a sitting virtually paralyzed with horror in their seats. It is a mixed bag, to be truthful. Mr RGV hails from Andhra Pradesh, so he started his career by making films in Telugu, some of which were also dubbed in Hindi. His film ‘Raat’ (1992), originally made in Telugu with the title ‘Raathri’, was a horror film. There was, however, nothing original about it. In fact, it was a rehash of several old films, and it failed to impress the audience.

His ‘Deyyam’, made in Telugu, was also a flop. But his film ‘Kaun’ (1999) in Hindi was a box-office hit. It was a horror movie with Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai in the lead. But his ‘Jungle’ (1999) was again a flop. He recovered lost ground with ‘Boot’ (2003), another horror film which was a moderate success at the box office. But the films that followed ‘Boot’-- ‘Vaastushastra’, ‘Darna Mana Hai’, ‘Naina’ et al- were disappointing. They failed to create the creepy-spooky effect which is so germane to a horror film.

Bollywood has produced not many horror films. And the few it has made have hardly left any impact on the audience. In 1955, Amiya Chakarvarty made ‘Badshah’ with Pradeep Kumar, Usha Kiron and Ulhas in the lead. This film, based on Victor Hugo’s novel ‘The Hunchback Of Notre Dame,’ was not exactly a horror film. But the hunchback in it was supposed to be the scariest sight. The film was, hoever, considered an amateurish attempt and the audience did much like it.

In the 70s, the Ramsay Brothers were the wholesale purveyors of the so-called horror films. But, unfortunately, their methods were so crude and childish that the viewers, instead of flinching in their seats with fright, kept greeting the cackling witches and horned demons in their films with derisive titters.

They started with ‘Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche’ (1972). Thereafter horror films came from the Ramsay camp like assembly line products from a factory. But none of these films- ‘Purana Mandir’, ‘Band Darwaza’, ‘Veerana’, ‘Dak Bangla’, ‘Purani Haveli’ and many others- made any impact on the viewers. When one after the other their films began to bomb at the box office, they wisely thought it was time they closed shop and called it quits.

Perhaps one of the reasons why our horror films often fail to impress the audience is that most of them are crudely desified versions of foreign films. While adapting a foreign film to Indian ethos, our scriptwriters and directors often end up messing up things. With the result, most of our horror films appear to be so outlandish that the audience hardly ever feels related to it. In short, such films have scarcely any relevance to Indian realities. The viewer feels no affinity with characters he sees on the screen. They seem to him inhabiting a world with which he has no connection.

Both English and French literatures are rich with writers who have written horror stories and novels of epic proportions. We have hardly any horror story writer whose creations merit serious attention.In the 40s and 50s, the horror-cum-adventure films we made were mostly based on Arabian Nights Tales. Thus, we had films made on ‘Alladin And His Magic Lamp’, ‘Ali Baba Chalis Chor’, ‘Sindbad The Sailor’, et al. Or, films based on mythology, in which every now and then demons, ghosts, and giants in outlandish outfits made their appearance, laughed uproariously before speaking in a booming voice to the hero or the villain.Frankly, we have not yet produced horror story writers of the caliber of Bram Stokar, Stephen King, Peter Straub, Shirley Jackson, M.R James et al.

The 11th Hour a call to action

A review of the film “The 11th Hour” and a call to action for renewed environmental responsibility.

As it opens with a barrage of violent images of natural disasters, human industry, explosions, and animals running to and fro, the documentary The 11th Hour starts off with a rather grim image of the way things are. Though the images that follow throughout the rest of the film often seem a bit disjointed from the talking heads that describe the state of the planet, the film ultimately communicates the interconnectedness of all things and mankind’s responsibility for our environment.

In many ways, The 11th Hour seems to be a remake of An Inconvenient Truth with Leonardo DiCaprio stepping into the shoes of Al Gore in order to reach the younger demographics. If that alone were the case, the strategy works brilliantly, for as the film points out, it is an exciting time to live because this generation is the one that gets to change the world, and the young minds are the ones that will carry it out. Of course, Leo brings his point home with a few fellows a bit more long in the tooth than he is, including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, and journalist Paul Hawken among other reputable minds.


Regarding age, one of the first points made in the film is that humankind is relatively young in relation to the rest of the planet. This puts the theme of the film in a sharper focus when we realize that life will continue on the earth regardless of what we do. The question is if the earth will be able to sustain human life for much longer. At the rate of population growth and pollution over the last few decades, the chances do not look good.

It is a much more humbling view of our role on the planet when we realize that the planet does not exist for us, but we are merely occupants of it. And though our predominant cultural mindset would have us believe that it is our economy and technological progress that matters most, the film points out the importance of realizing our actual place in the world and our connection with all things.

The film goes on to account for our use of fossil fuels and the many levels of detriment that it is doing to the ecology of the planet. Of course, the seemingly simple use of oil is bolstered by the deforestation, mass species extinction, the growing number of natural disasters, depletion of oceanic habitats, and, of course, the scourge of global warming. In actuality, the first hour of the film plays like a horror film.

However, the third act offers a glimmer of hope. At this point of the film, it seems like the entire cast changes from physicists and journalists describing the bleakness of our situation to architects and engineers who are addressing the problems. The truly encouraging aspect of the film is that the ideas they present are not merely concepts, but activities that are actually occurring. Through solar power, wind power, fungal research, geothermal heating, architectural integration, and other incredible steps forward, these ecological designers are developing new technologies based on the principles found in nature instead of our historical method of going against nature. As drastic as the first part of the film is, the end is truly inspiring.

As Mr. DiCaprio says, “Global warming is not only the number one environmental challenge we face today, but one of the most important issues facing all of humanity … We all have to do our part to raise awareness about global warming and the problems we as a people face in promoting a sustainable environmental future for our planet. ”

Though the film proposes some great solutions to the problems we face, they are all crammed into the last half hour. The inspiration found in the film to grasp a new social responsibility and rethink our technologies is only a stepping point. Fortunately, the concept alone has offered a path to follow at the end.

The DVD of the film offers a special feature that further addresses some of the steps toward a solution, but greater than that are the networking websites that have taken on the same name. The 11th Hour Project (http://www.11thhourproject.org/) connects organizations, businesses and individuals to one another, resources and information to create a sustainable world. We work to change public perceptions about climate crisis from hand wringing hopelessness to engaged, hands on problem solving. And The 11th Hour Action Group (http://11thhouraction.com/) was created, in connection with the film, to help individuals and communities take sustainable action on the local, regional and national levels. By providing a means for people to share their ideas and solutions within our framework of sustainability goals, we hope to encourage others to take similar steps.

While The 11th Hour did not make as much of a stir at the box office as An Inconvenient Truth, the films were in production at about the same time. The synchronicity in the messages should tell us something. This is a call that must be answered. Fortunately, the responses are creative, peaceful, inspiring, and joyous.

Labh Janjua