Hyderabad Blues!

I desperately need a getaway. Would love to pack my bags right now and head off somewhere all on my own! That would be funnn! Why alone? Coz my idea of a trip doesn’t really match with anybody’s around me. Just the other day, I was planning a trip with a friend and realized that there are very few places I would really want to go to.

- Villages bore me. The silence and the laidback life is bearable for a day or two, at most. By the third day, I’m at my wits’ end.

- Goa is done to death. Despite being a water sign, I’m so sick of beaches now, I might just throw up if I go to another one!

- Hill stations are pretty annoying. Go to any one of them, you’ll see the same stuff. And thanks to global warming, even they don’t have lower temperatures anymore. Forget snow.

Hyderabad somehow is a very tempting option. I’ve been there before…but it was a family trip. So one day was spent in visiting Ramoji Film City, another one for parks, lakes, another one for snow park, and so on! The entire trip was pretty much a waste. Not to forget all the weird stuff people bring on their way back. I remember PuLa Deshpande’s ‘Mee Ani Majhe Shatrupaksha’ where he says that there is nothing in this world that you cannot get in Pune or Mumbai. How true!

What fascinates me about a city is its history, the cuisine, the markets (not for shopping, just love the noise!), the museums. I would give anything to stand atop a building and watch the Charminar in the moonlight, all decked up in yellow lights, surrounded by traffic! Or eat lip-smacking Biryani at the Taj; or walk aimlessly and endlessly through Laad Bazaar – a street bursting with bangles! Hyberabad has some of the best buildings I’ve ever seen.  Such beautiful architecture; whether its Golkonda Fort, Makkah Masjid, Qutub Shahi Tombs, or the Falaknuma Palace…grandeur is perhaps too less a word to describe it.

Its amazing how a place can draw you in itself, making you feel like you belong there. Hyderabad did that to me and I'm eager to go back and indulge in its opulence.

Movie Recommendation - Masoom

Cast: Naseruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Urmila Matondkar, Aradhana, Jugal Hansraj.

Release Year: 1983.

Director: Shekhar Kapur.

In the early 80’s, Shekhar Kapur, a failed actor decided to venture into direction. And I’m glad he did so. ‘Coz the result was a beautiful, heartwarming tale – Masoom. Most people think that the movie is ‘lifted’ from Erich Segal’s ‘Man, Woman and Child’. Yes and No. Shekhar Kapur had read the book and narrated the idea to Gulzar, who then wrote the entire screenplay without referring to the book.

Set in Delhi, Masoom tells the story of D.K.Malhotra (Naseruddin Shah), Indu (Shabana Azmi) and their kids – Pinky (Urmila Matondkar) and Mini (Aradhana). Indu and D.K's perfect marriage falls apart when D.K learns about his illegitimate son from an affair with Bhavna (Supriya Pathak). Since Bhavna is now dead, the child Rahul (Jugal Hansraj) is sent to Delhi by his guardian to stay with the family. Rahul develops a bond with the girls, as well as his father, but gets the cold treatment from Indu. Masoom is about the innocent child, caught in the crossfire, finding a family.

The performers shine in their respective roles. Perhaps that’s what makes the film so real, and believable. Naseruddin Shah gives an evocative performance as the dull D.K; while Shabana Azmi leaves no stone unturned to show Indu’s inner conflict, as she alternates between coldness and her maternal feelings towards the boy. One of the best things about her performance is that she conveys a lot (and I mean A LOT!) through her silence, and there many such moments in the film. Urmila Matondkar, Aradhana and Jugal Hansraj are a complete delight. Neither hammy, nor underplayed. Just perfect, and innocent. A welcome change from the 70’s movies where child actors were so over the top or today’s movies where they are portrayed to be far more mature for their age.

Masoom gave us one of the most memorable soundtracks by R.D Burman and Gulzar. Tujhse Naraaz Nahi Zindagi tugs strings at your heart, Do Naina Aur Ek Kahaani is perhaps the most underrated lullaby ever, as for Lakdi Ki Kaathi… I’d read this in one of Gulzar’s interviews – ‘Nobody can write better nonsense than me. That explains why Lakdi Ki Kaathi is so popular!’ :D

Scenes to watch out for:

#1: A scene where Mini is watching TV, and Pinky is unable to study due to the high volume. So damn real! And their argument is so cute! Anybody who has a younger sibling knows what I’m talking about!

#2: When D.K. and Rahul return from Nainital, the girls go out to the door jumping. Indu gets up, a broad smile on her face, starts combing her hair, and stops midway when she realizes she is not on talking terms with D.K anymore. Her expressions are something to watch. Its amazing how somebody can portray so much without saying a word.

Why not to miss this movie:

Because it’s a beautiful story, adorned with outstanding performances. At times, the film is so good, it almost seems real. 

Its been a week since my last post. Sincere apologies. My boring schedule has kept me busy and will continue to do so for the next couple of weeks as well. 

5 Quick Thoughts:

- Baby Afreen breathed her last. RIP darling. I wonder if that demon of a father will ever be punished. Makes me think what kind of a society we live in; where mothers are worshipped and daughters are killed; some even before they are born.

- Famine in 9 districts. And people in Pune still need lessons on water conservation. 

- I am watching IPL5. I wonder why!

- Learnt to make (edible) Batata Vadaa. Wish I could have some control on eating it as well!

- There is a stack of books that I must attend to. Super Guilt.

Movie Recommendation - Mandi

Cast: Shabana Azmi, Naseruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Saeed Jaffrey, Neena Gupta, Ila Arun, Soni Razdan.

Release Year: 1983.

Director: Shyam Benegal.

There are numerous Hindi films with a brothel as the backdrop. While some chose to show elegance and grandeur (Devdas, Umrao Jaan); others chose to show the sleaze and underworld connections (Chandni Bar).  But Shyam Benegal’s Mandi is different. Comprising of a huge ensemble cast and a healthy dose of black comedy, Mandi is unlike the other films.

Rukmini Bai (Shabana Azmi) is a madam runs her brothel with a strict hand, assisted by the bored-to-death servant Tungrus (Naseruddin Shah). Rukmini Bai is overtly protective about all her girls, especially the coy, yet rebellious, Zeenat (Smita Patil), who is always confined to learning music and dance, rather than attending to the kotha’s customers. Problems arise when she finds herself struggling against the hypocritical moral police, lead by Shanti Devi, who threaten to throw them out of the town, in order to keep the city ‘clean’. Her landlord, Mr. Gupta (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) offers a place outside the city, in exchange of the current one. The town’s mayor Agarwal (Saeed Jaffrey) finds himself stuck in the middle since he cannot afford to disagree with the social activists, and has to rely on Rukmini Bai to hide his secret. Other characters squeezed into the film include a mute girl (Sreela Majumdar), who is sold to Rukmini Bai by her husband; Agrawal's son, who is madly in love with Zeenat; a pervert photographer (Om Puri); Shanti Devi’s assistant (Pankaj Kapur) and of course, the brothel girls (Ila Arun, Neena Gupta).

Mandi focuses on the nature of relationships amongst all its characters, where double-crossing, betrayal are everyday affairs. Rukmini Bai’s love-hate relationship with Tungrus is perhaps the most complex of them all. Tungrus is ferociously loyal towards Rukmini Bai, doing everything as she says, word-to-word, yet yells at her when he’s drunk. Naseruddin Shah pitches in a classic act as the droopy, exhausted Tungrus. Shabana Azmi’s portrayal of Rukmini Bai is delicious. Her body language and the Hyderabadi intonation are to die for!

Scenes to watch out for:

#1: When Mr. Gupta comes to see Rukmini Bai for the first time. You see Shabana Azmi shouting instructions at one instant and managing a coy smile at the other. Also, its amazing the way Rukmini Bai cannot stop herself from looking into the mirror, whether it is in the middle of a prayer, crying, or even an argument!

#2: Again a scene between Gupta and Rukmini Bai, where he is offering her money to leave the place, and she is telling him to raise the price. Look at the way she says, “Paan khayenge?”

Why not to miss this movie:

Shabana Azmi’s performance. Need I say more? ;)

The Big Fat Indian Wedding? *Sigh*

There are people who get married. And then there are people who are actually happy about getting married. How lame. Today I realized that I kinda have a problem with the latter type, no matter how close they might be. Dimwits who think that suddenly the world is revolving around them. I committed the aghori paap of going shopping with one such dame today.

“Hii kashi ahe?”

“Changli ahe. Ghe ata patkan.”

“Nahi evdhi pan kahi khaas nahiye. Ti dusri dakhvaa. Haan, hii?”

“Bakwaas.”

“Mala avadli baba. Hich ghete. Ka nako…ti dakhvaa jara...tu pan kar na shopping!”

“Can you finish up like real quick?”

“Whaat? Its my big day, okay?”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

Four hours. Four precious hours wasted. And more than half the shopping is still remaining. Aarghh.

I don’t get this. Am I the only one who thinks this way? But seriously, what is the whole point of inviting a thousand people, (half of whom you haven’t even seen in your entire lifetime), splurging money, creating such a hullabaloo and turning a four hour ceremony into a four day extravaganza? No. I’m not against rituals. What I have a problem with is turning a private ceremony into a public one. And as if a day wasn’t enough, there are all kinds of other add-ons like mehendi, sangeet, blah, blah, blah!

Personally, I see marriage as a means to throw love out of the window! You start taking the person for granted; differences start showing up, egos too. ‘Happily Married’ is quite an oxymoron. I don’t understand the need to put a label on everything. ‘I now declare you husband and wife’ and all that crap! Just keep it simple, silly!

Song of The Week

After posting Aandhi as this week’s movie, can the song be any different? So song of the week is Tere Bina Zindagi Se Shikwa. I’m sure this song features in the top ten of every Pancham fan. The way the songs opens – with the santoor playing – grabs your attention. And then the lyrics do all the talking!

I’d read an interesting piece of info on this song a few years back in one of Gulzar’s interview. He’d gone to Pancham’s house when Pancham was composing a tune for a Durga Puja album with Gauri Prassano, one of Bengal's top lyricists. Gulzar saheb was so struck with the tune that he started writing a song for it. When Prasanno had left, Pancham asked him, “Now what do we have to compose?” and he replied, “Yeh gaana karenge.”

So the original tune was retained for the mukhda and a new one was created for the antara. When Gulzar saheb tried adding dialogues in the lyrics, Pancham had scolded him saying, “Do you have any understanding of sur or taal? You put in dialogues wherever you want. Its not done!” but eventually, the dialogues were retained!

* Kaash aisa ho tere qadmo se chun ke manzil chale

Aur kahin duur kahin

Tum gar saath ho

Manzilon kii kamii to nahi *

Song: Tere Bina Zindagi Se

Film: Aandhi

Music: R.D.Burman

Lyrics: Gulzar

Vocals: Lata Mangeshkar & Kishore Kumar