Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol) (released in 1995)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was a major hit film, early enough in Shahrukh's career that it gave him a big jump. The movie was an incredible success, remembered even today. It was also an a huge event in the career for director Aditya Chopra. The movie is also much appreciated by critics, marked among movies that are worth seeing in any top movie list. It also won a huge number of awards, almost a clean sweep of the popular awards:

Filmfare Awards:
1996 Filmfare Best Movie Award: Yash Chopra
1996 Filmfare Best Director Award: Aditya Chopra
1996 Filmfare Best Actor Award: Shahrukh Khan
1996 Filmfare Best Actress Award: Kajol
1996 Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award: Farida Jalal
1996 Filmfare Best Comedian Award: Anupam Kher
1996 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award: Anand Bakshi, Tujhe Dekha
1996 Filmfare Best Screenplay Award: Aditya Chopra
1996 Filmfare Best Dialogue Award: Aditya Chopra, Javed Siddiqi
1996 Filmfare Best Male Playback Award: Udit Narayan, (Mehndi Lagake Rakhna)

The movie was also acclaimed for its music, with the music by Jatin Lalit and some great singing by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan. The shooting of the movie, in the scenic beauty of Switzerland, and then in the fields of Punjab were in the line of the movies by Yash Chopra, and supported by some excellent cinematography by Manmohan Singh.



The movie spans across 3 countries and 2 continents. The movie starts in England where aj Malhotra and Simran Kaur (Shahrukh Khan and Kajol respectively) are living in London, with Raj being like any normal London boy, drinking, out with friends, and so on, and spoiled by his father Anupam Kher. Simran has a domineering father, convenience store owner Chaudhry Baldev Singh (Amrish Puri), who is very conservative and would not really want his daughter to have all the freedom of a girl living in London. He would want his daughter to get married to a traditional Indian man, and finds a suitable arrangement with the son of his friends. Simran finally agrees to this, but wants to first travel with friends and see the world.
In the trip, Simran bumps into Raj, who is also on a trip. She does not like him, seeing him as a uncaring person, but there is a situation in which both of them have to depend on each other. They start loving each other, but have to separate at the end of the trip. When Baldev gets to know about this from Simran, he is very angry since he considers that Simran has broken his trust, and flies off to Punjab with the family for marriage. What does Raj do ? How does he manage to persuade Baldev and marry Simran ?

Songs and lyrics from the movie:

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Ghar Aaja Pardesi (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Mere Khwabon Mein (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Tujhe Dekha To (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna (link)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – Ho Gaya Hain Tujhko (link)

Jodhaa Akbar - A watchable movie

I will state this right at the beginning, Jodhaa Akbar is a watchable movie. Keep in mind however that the movie started at 5:25 PM and I walked out of the hall at 9:10 PM, so this is a long movie. On the plus side, whenever I start getting bored in a movie, I keep on looking at my watch or fidgeting, and I did not do much of that, so the time did get spent (I can recall some movies that seemed to go on and on). Quite frankly, when I walked into the hall, I was not expecting anything great (maybe even bad), but the movie turned out better that I thought.
Leave aside the story of whether Jodha was married to Akbar or not (more for historians), and forget about learning much of a history lesson from this movie. For all the talk about having been made after much discussion with historians, I did not come away from the movie having learned something new. I did feel that Aishwarya Rai was okay in this movie (she always looks beautiful, but the debate has always been about her acting abilities, and she seemed to have done nicely in this department in the movie). Hrithik seemed a bit young for the role (maybe too much of watching Mughal-e-Azaam where you have developed an image of a wise and old Akbar), and to a lot of people, the concept of Hrithik playing Akbar seems a bit incredulous. I however was easily able to rationalize this, after all Akbar was young once, and must have been impulsive, emotional, and so on, and Hrithik managed to convey these emotions well.
Ashutosh Gowariker had done well in making this movie, and since the movie has been tagged as being about the love story between the young Akbar and the defiant Jodhaa, the love angle has been covered (at 3.5 hours, one feels that it is a bit too long). The movie has some great music, by A R Rehman (and the music feels so different from the type of music that we hear nowadays - the Sufi song Khwaja Mere Khwaja is incredible, and even the ode to the emperor, Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah sounds nice (must have been a lot of hard work to choreograph such a massive song)). Lyrics are by Javed Akhtar, and the movie has plenty of people other than Hrithik and Aishwarya, Sonu Sood, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Suhasini Mulay, Raza Murad, Ila Arun & Punam Sinha. Sonu Sood seems a bit wasted, since they spend some time on him in the beginning, and then he vanishes for most of the movie except for 2 scenes, one in the middle, and one at the end. Raza Murad has a great voice, and used for full effect for the short role that he has. Ila Arun somehow does not impress, given that she does not seem menacing enough.
The movie is a love story through and through, combined with the evolution of an emperor from a young child to a strong-willed yet compassionated ruler. Jalaluddin Mohammed is the child king, protected by Bairam Khan. However, after one a battle, Jalauddin shows his compassionate nature by protecting a defeated king, and also exercises his kingly nature by asserting his independence from Bairam Khan and sending him on the Haj. As part of political intrigue, he is offered the hand of young Jodhaa, a Rajput princess, and he accepts it as a political gambit. She is not in the least bit amused, and sets conditions on the marriage. In addition, she refuses to consumate the relationship till she is in love with him.
And so the romance begins; Jalaludin falls in love with her early on, her beauty, her defiant nature and pride, she takes a bit more time (easily seen when she spies on him when he is bare-chested doing sword practise and almost swoons); they have their misunderstanding at the end of which the proud Shahenshah of Hindustan pleads with her to come back, and she keeps on refusing. However, they keep on falling further in love, and she teaches him a great deal about being compassionate and a great ruler.
As a sideshow, you have court intrigue, some battle scenes (with excellent photography - imagine following a canon ball as it emerges from the canon; but it also seems like the scenes were shot to impress, and do not convey the general direction in which the battle is progressing), and some excellent camera work (I particularly like the scene in which Akbar is shown at the dargah in Ajmer, with a tree behind him). Overall, a movie that you can see, but Mughal-e-Azaam it is not.

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal: Disappoints

Quite a few of you would have seen 'Chak De' and been impressed with the overall tone of the movie, the way that a coach tries to overcome his history and blend a team together inspite of their individual differences, egos, and ambitions. And the result is gripping, with a good dose of patriotism possible. Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal seems to suffer on this count. The movie, even though set in the United Kingdom, tries the same logic with a disparate team of people, hard up, trying to make a last ditch attempt to pull themselves up and win a championship on which their team depends. However, even though I liked the thought of the movie itself, given that there did not seem to be much of a market for movies that explored the sports theme without much of a romance, villains, and other commercial aspects. After all, how often do you get to see a movie looking at South Asians based in London, and with no reference to going back to India, or with a romance, but purely based on the life of people in that location ?



And this brings me to a fact that is the killer of the movie; and when I mean killer, I don't mean in a positive way. Any movie that shows Indians in a foreign land has to have some element of racism thrown in, so you have almost (in fact all) goras being inherently racist, and this movie has that element in a very strong way. And to counter this, you have the South Asians grouping together, being inversely racist in their own way. Hard to think that this is the England who had a cricket captain pf Indian origin. And yet this is the central message of the movie; you have no future unless you are with your own, anybody who rebels against this culture seems to be seen as betraying your own culture. Kinda hard to see how you can integrate in another country unless you are able to get away from me, my own and be able to be open to integrate with people from other cultures. After all, Indians have always prided themselves in being able to integrate people from other cultures.
The story could have been so good; After all, here is this old club, now on hard times, called Southall United Football club, whom Arshad Warsi is trying to keep alive. However, the local council sees a large stadium, and wants to appropriate the location to build a shopping area; they could not have tried this if the club was winning, but it does not, and no one would care if this happened.
So now Arshad Warsi has to get the club players (an assorted mix of characters such as Raj Zutshi who are butchers, and other real life people when they are not playing football) to win the league, at a time when nobody would give them a chance at winning. They manage to guilt an older player Boman Irani to be their coach, and he reluctantly agrees. They also rope in Bipasha Basu (Arshad's cousin) as the team physio. For Bipasha, this must be the most non-sexy role that she has ever done in her career.
And so on, they lose the first match handily, with the natural recriminations among team members that happen in a losing team. What they need to do is to get a natural up-and-coming striker such as Sunny (John Abraham) into their team. But he is trying out for a good team, and won't even look at Southall United. His own parents consider him a traitor for not playing for Southall United, with his dad telling him that he will eventually see the edge of racism, which he does when he is not considered for better club. And then he joins Southall United, and starts bringing them up the league with wins, even though he does not get along with Arshad Warsi (and of course, during the whole movie he has a self-confident smirk on his face). He also starts developing a romance with Bipasha, and the scenes where Arshad realizes this and get uncomfortable are cute.
However, Dileep Tahil, who is a sports commentator and also working for the local council, gets John a contract with a new, much better club, at a much higher price and John switches. He gets abused from everybody for being a traitor, but really can't understand why he is being vilified (after all, he is born and brought up in England, and would consider any club to be a natural club, not necessarily a club populated by South Asians).
And now, the team is without their ace striker. So what happens ? DO they lose or do they win, and what happens to John ? Interesting questions.
Boman's role is good, but could have been better. The location is Old Trafford stadium where be brings the team members and shows them the super-stars and their dressing room is inspiring, but there are few moments in the movie that capture and hold attention. And I never could understand why they needed to have an item song in the movie ? It would be almost like the producers said that there should be an item number, and this seemed like the best time to have one. The movie is directed by Vivek Agnihotri, music is by Pritam Chakraborty and lyrics by Javed Akhtar


Videos of songs from the movie:

Billo Rani



Halla Bol



Hey Dude




Lyrics:

Billo Rani (Singers: Richa Sharma,Anand Raj Anand)

Shaher Mein Dusri Koi
Nahin Tujsi Billo
Billo Bolle Billo Billo
Jho Bhi Dekhh Yehi Pooche
Hain Yeh Kiski Billo Wahh

Har Aadhathi Jagathi Hain Qayamat Kho
Har Kadam Par Thu Girathi Chale Beejli Billo

Aha Aha Aha
Hoe Hoe

[Ishq Karke Tujse Deewana
Bethab Hua Barbaad Hua
Bhool Gaya Aapna Bhi Naam
Jab Naam Tera Isse Yaad Hua]2

Yeh Hain Jho Majnu Hayee
Innhe Kya Mein Samjho Tauba
Roz Hoojathe Yeh Hain Kisse Na Kisse Pe Fida
Arre Haannn
Aaj Iss Ke Peeche Hae
Peeche Kal Uske Peeche Tauba
Kya Theekana Hain Inka Kab Hojaye Kab Lapatha
Inki Mohabat Resham Ka Jaal Hain Haee
Deewangi Bhi Inki Eak Chal Hain

Hoo Billo Raniii Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaaan Dedhoooo

[Ishq Karke Tujse Deewana
Bethab Hua Barbaad Hua
Bhool Gaya Aapna Bhi Naam
Jab Naam Tera Isse Yaad Hua]2

Ohh Last Night Is Crazy Ohh Ohh

Lachakti Bahon Ke Iss Gulshan Mein
Pholon Jaise Iss Thaan Mein
Hon Pagal Hie Karde Iysi Khusboo Hain

Chamakthi Aankhon Ke Inn Tharoo Mein
Hooton Ke Inn Gulzarro Mein
Ohh Deewana Karde Iysa Jadoo Hain

Hon Teri Baatein Lejaye Mere Dil Kho Phirbhi
Maina Manno Inhe Hon Maina Manno
Teri Aankhein Dekhaiye Mujhko Sapna
Warna Sacha Jano Inha

Offooo
Rahon Mein Tunne Mujhe Rokha Hain
Iss Mein Koi Na Koi Dokha Hainnn

Hoo Billoo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Billoo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaaan Dedhoooo

Ohh Last Night Is Crazy Ohh Ohh

Keh Aab Thak Duri Samaj Na Ayena
Ghoom Le Ohh Chahe Sab Duniya
Aye Hum Sa Pe Mi Na Mili Hain Tumka Kahin
Keh Billo Dhak Dhak Iye Maan Dhadkat Hain
Thanma Aye Agni Bhadkat Hain
Jab Jab Lagawat Hon Tum Dhumka Kahin

Hon Teri Niyat Hain Ghoonti
Man Hain Papi Harjayi Thu
Beyimaan Thu
Teri Chahat Mein Janu Raja Kya Hain Mujko
Bholi Nahin Jaan Tu

Haan Bheas Banayi Premi Khasa Hain
Thu Bhawra Tho Ras Kya Pyasa Hain

Hoo Billo Rani Hoo Billo Hoo Billo Hoo Billo Rani
Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoooo Jaan Dedho Jhee Karre Iymaan Dedho
Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho
Hoo Billo Rani Kahon Tho Abhi Jaan Dedho



Hall Bol (Title Song; SInger: Daler Mehndi)

Halla Bol
Aage Dhol
Karta Jha
Goal Pein Goal

[Go Go Go]3

Hum Kaun Hain
Hum Kya Hain
Duniya Kho Dikha Ye Gein
Rokhe Jho Parbat Bhi Hamein Tab Rok Paien Gein
Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Bhaje Gein Dholl

Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Kareinge Gein Goal

Halla Bol
Aage Dhol
Karta Jha
Goal Pein Goal

Hum Kaun Hain
Hum Kya Hain
Duniya Kho Dikha Ye Gein
Rokhe Jho Parbat Bhi Hamein Tab Rok Paien Gein
Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Bhaje Gein Dholl

Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Kareinge Gein Goal

Buurrrrrrr....

Koi Rokhe Chahe Baiye Se
Koi Rokhe Chahe Daiye Se
Baiye Se Daiye Se Baiye Daiye Baiye Se
Hon Hon Hon
Koi Rokhe Chahe Baiye Se
Koi Rokhe Chahe Daiye Se
Par Hum Tho Hawake Jhonke Hain
Bachkeee
Par Hum Tho Hawake Jhonke Hain
Chalte Hain Sayye Sayye Sayyy

Kheleynge Jaano Dil Se Aur Sab Ko Harraiyenge
Rokhe Jho Parbat Bhi Hamein Tab Rok Paien Gein
Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Bhaje Gein Dholl

Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Kareinge Gein Goal

[Go Go]4

[Hue Hue Hue Hue Hue Hue]2

Huy Huy

Jho Chale Tho Eak Thalwar Hain Hum
Jho Rukhe Tho Eak Deewar Hain Hum
[Dum Dunnak Dum Dunnak Dum Dum Duunak Dum]
Jho Chale Tho Eak Thalwar Hain Hum
Jho Rukhe Tho Eak Deewar Hain Hum
Jheetak Ne Liye Rukh Leth Hain
Jheetak Ne Liye Rukh Leth Hain
Gaiyron Kho Dethe Haar Hain Hummm
Maidan Mein Koi Hon Lekkin Hum Hi Chayein Ge
Rokhe Jho Parbat Bhi Hamein Tab Rok Paien Gein
Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Bhaje Gein Dholl

Hey Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Dhana Dhan
Dhan Kareinge Gein Goal

[Go Go Go]5

Halla Bol
Aage Dhol
Karta Jha
Goal Pein Goal

[Heyyyy Yaaaa]2

Goallllllll... Goal



Hey Dude (Singer: Javed Ali)

Bandh Kafan Hum Sar Pe Chale Hain
Khake Kasam Hum Ghar Se Chale Hain
Saar Jho Uute Hain
Nahin Jhuke Gein

Dekhle Duniya
Dekhe Zamana
Bade Ga Bhari
Saamne Aana
Ham Tho Hain Ziddi
Nahin Rukhe Gein
Himat Bhi Hain
Thaqat Bhi Hain
Aur Jheet Ki Chahat Bhi Hain
Thqrao Ge Tho Mit Jao Gein
Ke Hum Log Hain Deewane

Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Meee
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me

[Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey]3
Hey Hey Hey Hey Heyyyyyyy

Jabse Thamanna Jag Gayi Hain
Dil Mein Hummare Aag Lagi Hain
Aag Yeh Humne Khud Hi Lagayi
Dihan Mein Hain Bas Eak Nishana
Kehdo Diya Hain Karke Dikhana
Aar Par Ki
Aab Hain Ladayi
Jo Thaan Badan Jo Jaan Hain
Sab Jheet Par Khurban Hain
Hum Kaun Hain
Hum Kaise Hain
Nikkle Hain Hum Nibhane

Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Meee
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me

[Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey]3
Hey Hey Hey Hey Heyyyyyyy

Aabse Humara Dil Kehta Hain
Jagwalo Kho Dikhade
Hum Jho Bhi Chahe Kar Sakte Hain
Karle Jho Hum Iradhe
Hum Aandhiyon Kho
Muthi Mein Leinge
Hum Tho Sammandaron
Par Chale Gein
Hum Yeh Kareinge
Hum Yeh Kiyye Hain
Jitne Bhi Khudse Waade

[Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey]3
Hey Hey Hey Hey Heyyyyyyy

Baand Kasam Hum Sar Pe Chale Hain
Khake Kasam Hum Ghar Se Chale Hain
Saar Jho Uute Hain
Nahin Jhuke Gein

Dekhle Duniya
Dekhe Zamana
Bade Ga Bhari
Saamne Aana
Ham Tho Hain Ziddi
Nahin Rukhe Gein
Himat Bhi Hain
Thaqat Bhi Hain
Aur Jheet Ki Chahat Bhi Hain
Thqrao Ge Tho Mit Jao Gein
Ke Hum Log Hain Deewane

Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Meee
Hey Dude Dont Mess With Me

[Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey]3
Hey Hey Hey Hey Heyyyyyyy

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom: What a waste

What a waste. To have some super-stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek and Preity Zinta, along with lesser stars such as Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta in a movie that is simply unwatchable seems such a big waste. YOu can think of the movie as a musical, but even musicals have a story worth mentioning.
So let's do the story bit now: 2 strangers Rikki (Abhishek Bachchan) and Alvira (Preity Zinta) wait for their respective trains at Waterloo station in London. A fairly crowded place, they end up unwillingly sharing the same table at the cafe. When Abhishek, who is pictured as a fun-loving Punjabi youth from small-town Bhatinda in Punjab tries to flirt with the more middle-class and oh-so-sophisticated seeming Alvira, she tries to ward him off by moving her ring to the ring finger and claiming that she is engaged. So, naturally, so as to not lose face, he also has to claim that he is engaged, and Abhishek dutifully does so.
Now they need to invent stories about how they met their fiancees (Lara Dutta and Bobby Deol as the fictional fiancees); so Rikki met Anaida (Lara Dutta) at the Ritz in Paris the same night as the crash of Lady Diane (10 years ago), while in another implausible story Alvira met a handsome and suave Steve Singh (Bobby Deol) when he saved her from a crushing death under the falling statue of Superman. And being a lawyer, he helped in the case against Madame Tussauds for negligence and mental agony and whatever else happens in such cases. so, these fictional accounts took a fair amount of the story.
In a seemingly strange twist, as these 2 different by class and society people talk at Waterloo station, they seem to be moving closer to each other; even though Abhishek does not show any change (he does not become classy or suave), and Alvira remains her snotty self (except for the episode of doing what the other person wanted them to do where she runs up a down escalator). Anyhow, this incongruity apart, they exchange numbers.
They meet up again, in the guise of a wrong number, and arrange to meet at a disco. Now that they have the pretense of having fiancees, they have to arrange for some and so out come Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta (do these qualify as double roles since they also played fictional fiancees?).
And so Abhishek hires Laila (a call girl) to be his pretend fiancee (she is not suave and sophisticated by any criteria) and Preity threatens and eventually gets Bobby (a character more bumbling than confident) to play her fiancee. Once at the club, Preity and Lara make cat's eyes at each other and be nasty to each other. At the same time, there is a dance competition going on in which these 2 couples take an active part (and are obviously the best dancers). Bobby in the meantime has fallen head over heels over Lara Dutta.
Thankfully the final act happens where Bobby goes to Abhishek and eventually tells him the truth. And you have a second generation dosti sequence between Dharmendra's and Amitabh's sons in the same kind of bike with a side car with both of them going to Preity's flat so that Abhishek can woo her. And after some small drama, he does woo her; a happy ending for them, and a happy ending to the torture that I was going through.
And where was Amitabh Bachchan in all this? He was supposed to play a guest appearance, and he does this by being dressed in a feathered dress and singing the title song (nice song), but it popped all through in many different occasions and times and with a Punjabi touch, getting irritating by the end.
And there you have it. How could Shaad Ali (having made Saathiya and Bunty & Babli) have made such a film. This could have been a great film, getting into the characters, showing how the couple moved closer, showing some depth into the characters of Lara and Bobby. Instead the movie had essentially 3 total scenes as described above, with caricatures of Bobby and Lara, and nothing showing of the small town character of Abhishek except for tone of voice. Disappointing to the end.

Refer some videos related to the move at YouTube

Provoked: Tale of a battered wife

I was watching Provoked just a couple of days back, and after thinking it over a few times, came to the following conclusion. It is a good movie overall, but I somehow felt that the movie was itself not provocative enough to elicit the desired horror of torture against a spouse. On thinking about the movie again, the focus seemed to be more on the cause of getting Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai) out of jail and free from her sentence. The movie focused on the incidents in her life, regular torture (emotional and physical) at the hands of her husband, burning of her husband by fire and the subsequent legal punishment. But the focus of the movie was more about the argument that her regular torture caused her to snap and finally kill her husband. I guess that was the intention of the movie, but the other cause of marital violence does not get covered enough.
The movie was impressive to some degree, especially given that nothing gets very highly melodramatic, and the legal case was interesting, giving an insight of the British legal system. So what was the story all about ? This was about a Punjabi girl, Kiranjit Ahluwalia who marries an Indian man settled in England. She comes with a lot of hopes and wishes, similar to what a newly married girl would want. However, her hopes over a period of time get crushed. Her husband mistreats her, beating her, subjecting her to sexual exploitation, emotionally abusing her. She is submissive against his nature, and does not get any support from family to protect her (in one evocative scene, her husband mistreats her in front of her mother-in-law, and does not face any kind of reprisal). Her only support is her 2 children who are the treasures of her life.
The mistreatment continues, and in the most controversial part of the movie, she decides not to take further punishment (and maybe pushed over the edge), she burns her husband by putting a gasoline soaked run on fire where her husband is sleeping. Her husband is now in intensive are while she is being investigated; when he dies of complications, she is faced with a murder charge. And this is where the legal system is faced with a puzzle. She has committed the crime of murder, and no society can easily afford to let people commit deadly violence (unless faced with a life threatening situation, such as self-defense). Accordingly, she is sentenced to life in jail, with not much recognition of her abuse. In an advanced society such as the United Kingdom, it must be real puzzling to have a marriage continue with so much unhappiness; rules and laws against such violence are pretty strong.
The remainder of the movie is about her time in jail, about her close friendship with her cellmate and the attempts of a women's organization to get the legal system to recognize
her torture and its effect on her state of mind, in essence, that she was 'provoked' to commit this crime.
I was somewhat puzzled after the movie, in terms of a message. The movie depicts a real-life situation, and caused a change in the way the law looks at marital violence and its trigger on emotions. At the same time, taking the life of a person (unless in a legal way) is a no-no. If a marriage is beyond the point of return, or there are circumstances which cause such kind of trauma, then it is better to separate (although I am pretty sure that this is not a easy step at all). I wonder what other people who saw the movie thought about this?

Hindi Movie: Purab aur Paschim

Now, a lot of people may not have heard of this movie. It was coming as a re-run on TV a couple of hours back, and it is a brand of movies by Manoj Kumar that mix in a large amount of patriotism with a masala plot, and make it a total entertainer.
This was the third movie in a line by Manoj Kumar on patriotism (made in 1970), the first 2 being Shaheed (on Bhagat Singh) and Upkaar (on the farmer-soldier building block of the nation). The movie is based on Manoj Kumar going to Britain, and seeing how the Indian community over there is totally detached from the cultural traditions of India, and look down upon India. This shocks him, given that he is the son of a freedom fighter. He meets a former freedom fighter who turned traitor (Pran) and his family (who are totally westernised). He falls in love with a blonde Saira Banu, who is also totally western, down to her short skirts.
He slowly starts to change their attitudes, and gets them to come to India on a visit. There, they live in a small town, and Pran meets with his family, whom he has deserted. Pran is the bad guy in the movie, totally corrupted by the 'western influence', and remains bad to the end (when he kills his own grandfather).
The movie is essentially about promoting Indian culture, and does not too bad a job at it. It is helped by some extremely successful songs, available here.
Songs like Purva Suhani Aayee Re, Om Jai Jagdish Hare, Bharat ka Rahnewala Hoon, and Koi Jab Tumhara Hriday Tod de, were extremely successful, and remain hummable.

Video of songs:

Om Jai Jagdish Hare



Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet Sada



Twinkle Twinkle



Dulhan Chali o Pehan Chali



Koi jab tumhara hridaya tod de