Showing posts with label Story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Story. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Love Aaj Kal - a different love story starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone (released in 2009)

Love Aaj Kal was a love story released in 2009, produced by Saif Ali Khan as his first movie as a producer, and paid him rich dividends, becoming a fairly big hit. The movie starred essentially 4 people in 2 parallel love tracks (separated by a generation), Rishi Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and a Brazilian newcomer, Giselli Monteiro. The music of the movie was also well appreciated, with songs such as Twist, Chor Bazaari, Dooriyan, and Aaj Din Chadheya becoming big musical hits. The music for the movie was by Pritam (lyrics by Irshad Kamil). The movie was directed by Imtiaz Ali (who also had a previous big hit in the form of Jab We Met).
The movie was a story of breakup and meeting, set in a very modern generation, where people concentrate on their careers, and contrasts this with a storyline that was set a generation back, where the person would do a lot for love, and base their decisions and their actions on love (and in the end, the conclusion of the movie is that the power of love still makes people do things even when they feel that they are driving their own decisions).






The movie is the story of Jai and Meera, who are a modern couple in London, and parallel to this, the movie also tells the story of Veer Singh and Harleen (from the past). Jai and Meera (Saif and Deepika) are in London, where they meet and become a couple. However, they have career needs that they realize will take them in different directions, with Meera interested in conservation, taking her to India, and Jai being an architect, working for the Golden Gate firm in San Francisco. They decide that they cannot be together, and have a separation party, deciding to move on with their own life. They do however, decide to remain very much in contact, and with the power of modern communications, it could be that they remain very close to each other. When Meera is leaving, Jai comes in contact with Veer Singh, who is surprised that Jai is letting Meera go like this, and tells him the story of how he fought for Harleen (in a sepia tinged story), whom he liked but did not get a chance to speak to much.
Now, Jai and Meera are living their own lives, with Jai involved with a blonde in London, while Meera has received an offer from her boss, and finally decides to accept his romance. In between, Jai pays a visit to Meera and they have a lot of fun together, but things get serious when Vikram (Meera's boss) proposes to her; Meera is confused because she still has feelings for Jai, and she and Jai have an argument (with Meera telling Jai that they should stop being in touch with each other).
And then Meera marries Vikram, still confused. Jai comes there, and in a remarkable coincidence, he gets an offer from the Golden Gate. In the meantime, Meera realizes her marriage was a mistake, and tries to get in touch with Jai but realizes that he is incredibly happy over going to San Francisco and does not say anything more to him. He enjoys his stay in San Francisco, but over a period of time, this excitement starts falling and he starts to feel depressed. It takes a mugging for him to realize that he is actually missing Meera, and he rushes back to Delhi even though he knows that Meera is married. When he reaches here, he realizes that Meera and Vikram are no longer married, and he has an emotional reunion with Meera at her site.

Love Aaj Kal - a different love story starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone (released in 2009)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Black - starring Rani Mukherji and Amitabh Bachchan (2005)

Black that released in the year 2005, amidst tremendous hype and expectations, managed to set a new benchmark for Hindi films. Partly based on the true life story of Helen Keller, the film was tremendously appreciated by the critics and the general public. Hailed by many to be a cult film Black won numerous awards for all those who were associated with it.

The film begins with Michelle McNally (Rani Mukherjee) a blind, deaf and mute woman visiting her former teacher Debraj Sahai (Amitabh Bachchan). Debraj is shown to be in a hospital struggling with the deadly Alzheimer’s disease. The film then goes back to Michelle’s childhood. Michelle’s world from a very young age has been a world that is devoid of sights, colours, sounds and noises. With the passage of time, she becomes a prisoner of this soundless and sightless universe that makes her violent, hostile, and almost animal like. Her parents, Paul and Catherine are at their wit’s end trying to control their eight year old daughter whom they are unable to understand and who is unable to understand them. Into this helpless situation enters Debraj Sahai, a slightly eccentric man. He takes it upon himself to bring Michelle into the light.

Initially he has to use harsh methods as Michelle has become uncontrollable which meets the disapproval of the little girl’s father who asks him to leave. But Debraj asks for twenty days from Catherine to prove himself and stays on. By the 20th day, as he is about to give up, a miraculous break through happens and Michelle is able to come out of her dark world. Impressed by his success the McNallys decide to keep Debraj as Michelle's teacher. Michelle is a fast learner and is very soon able to expertly sign. Debraj even convinces the Principal of a college to grant her the chance to pursue Bachelor of Arts degree, the first deaf-blind person to do so at that university. Michelle moves away from home and lives with Debraj and one of her servants.



Over the next twenty years she struggles to gain her degree. As Michelle face many ups and downs in life, we see the beginning of Alzheimer affect Debraj’s brilliant mind. He is shown forgetting the way out of Principal’s office. Debraj leaves Michelle when one night she forces him to kiss her on her lips as she has never experienced passion and wanted Debraj to be the one to teach her the meaning of this word like so many others. The film ends with Michelle gaining her B.A. degree and her visiting the institution where Debraj stays. She shows him her degree and a glimmer of recognition appears in his eyes. The film ends with a complete role reversal as Michelle takes it upon herself to reacquaint Debraj with the meaning of words that he has long forgotten.

Cast of movie Black:

Amitabh Bachchan - Debraj Sahai
Rani Mukerji - Michelle McNally
Ayesha Kapoor - Young Michelle McNally
Shernaz Patel - Catherine McNally
Dhritiman Chaterji - Paul McNally
Nandana Sen - Sarah McNally

Movie Information:

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Anshuman Swami
Written by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhavani Iyer, Prakash Kapadia
Music by Monty Sharma
Cinematography Ravi K. Chandran
Editing by Bela Sehgal

Black - starring Rani Mukherji and Amitabh Bachchan (2005)

Awards:

Black made an all-time record at the Filmfare Awards by winning eleven awards.

National Film Awards (2006)
Best Feature Film in Hindi
Best Actor - Amitabh Bachchan


Star Screen Awards (2006)
Best Film
Best Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Actor - Amitabh Bachchan
Best Actress - Rani Mukerji
Best Supporting Actress - Ayesha Kapur
Best Cinematography - Ravi K. Chandran
Best Editing - Bela Sehgal
Best Sound Recording - Anup Dev
Best Background Score - Monty Sharma

Filmfare Awards (2006)
Best Movie
Best Director - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Actor - Amitabh Bachchan
Best Actress - Rani Mukerji
Critics Award Best Movie - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Critics Award Best Performance - Amitabh Bachchan & Rani Mukharji (each)
Best Supporting Actress - Ayesha Kapur
Best Editing - Bela Sehgal
Best Cinematography - Ravi K. Chandran
Best Background Score - Monty Sharma


Video of Song:

Haan Maine Chhu Kar Dekha Hai



Haan Maine Chhu Kar Dekha Hai (link)

Lyrics:

Haan Maine Chhu Kar Dekha Hai

mausam ki adalaa-badali mein
pavan gulaabi ho jaati hai
(haan mainne chhuukar dekha hai) - 2

raat sarakakar chalate-chalate
bilkul aadhi ho jaati hai
(haan mainne chhuukar dekha hai) - 2
mausam ki adalaa-badali mein

garam gunaguni dhuup se baat ki hai mainne
paani ke bahane mein hansi suni hai mainne
sab kahate hain dip bujha hai
lekin baati so jaati hai
(haan mainne chhuukar dekha hai) - 2
mausam ki adalaa-badali mein

bin dastak ke aaye jo vo pyaar suna hai
bin bole man khole vo adhikaar suna hai
lamhon ki ungali thaam ke
yaadein aangan mein aa jaati hain
(haan mainne chhuukar dekha hai) - 2

thandha thandha rang buundon ka
mulaayam rang hai phuulon ka
chubhanevaale rang pahanakar
dulhan saj-dhaj ke jaati hai
haan mainne chhuukar
haan mainne dekha hai

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Sharaabi - The neglect of a child (Amitabh) (1984)

Time and again a successful actor-director pairing is able to turn even the most conventional, oft narrated story into a classic. Prakash Mehra and Amitabh Bachchan had this magical quality about most of their films. Even the mundane became special. Sharaabi, released in 1984 turned out to be one of the biggest hits of this pairing. Superb acting, wonderful songs and a taut screenplay helped to tell a story that was nothing out of the ordinary. It touched the hearts of millions of people and helped to take Amitabh Bachchan’s already flying career to even greater heights.

Bachchan plays the role of Vicky, a rich kid born with gold and diamond studded spoon in his mouth. But he is also a sad rich kid as his father Amarnath (Pran) has very little time for him and the poor kid has no mother. Longing for his father’s love, Vicky seeks refuge in the comfort of alcohol from a very young age. By the time he reaches adulthood he is a full-fledged alcoholic whose mornings are spent guzzling the best whiskeys and nights spent the very same way. His only emotional anchoring comes in the form of Munshiji, a superlative Om Prakash, who loves him like his own flesh and blood. It is due to the presence of this man in his life that despite his alcoholism, Vicky is able to retain an innate goodness about him as is illustrated by the way he helps out those employed by his father.

The other beacon of light in his otherwise dark existence is a small time singer by the name of Meena (Jayaprada). Amarnath wants Vicky to marry a rich man’s daughter but Vicky refuses to do so, seeing in this his father’s attempt to increase his wealth. Amarnath too does not want Meena as his daughter-in-law suspecting her to be a gold digger. One day father and son have a huge showdown where bitter words are exchanged and Amarnath turns Vicky out of the house, challenging Vicky to fend for himself without the support of his father’s wealth. Vicky walks out gladly with the ever loving Munshiji. In his struggle to earn a living he loses this beloved guardian and that marks the turning point of the story as he gives up alcohol for good. Vicky’s reconciliation with Amarnath and the latter’s acceptance of Meena forms the climax of the story.


This movie deserves as much kudos for Amitabh’s acting as for Om Prakash’s sensitive portrayal of Munshiji. They are each other’s perfect foil and add a touch of simple pathos to the story. A special mention must be made of the scene in which a heartbroken Vicky swears to go off alcohol as Munshiji dies in his arms. Jayaprada too is very good as Meena as is Pran and the rest of the cast. Bappi Lahiri’s music is very good and has hits like De De pyar de. Finally Prakash Mehra deserves a huge round of applause for giving us a wonderfully entertaining and heart touching film.

Songs and lyrics from the movie:

1. Log Kehte hain (link)

2. Jahan Chaar yaar (link)

3. Manzilein Apni Jagah Hai (link)

4. De De Pyar De (link)

5. Mujhe naulakkha Manga De Re (link)

6. Inteha Ho Gayi Intezar Ki (link)