In The Shadows Of The Mind With Gali Guleiyan...

mind. 

A Beautiful Servant. 

A Dangerous Master. 

With this premise in mind, an international feature film and psychological thriller has been crafted on the Indian forefront by debutant writer/director Dipesh Jain helmed by the critically acclaimed actor who needs no introduction, Manoj Bajpayee. 

Set in the walled city of old Delhi, Gali Guleiyan is better known globally as 'In The Shadows' for it has been premiered and praised at a total of 23 film festivals including the ones at Busan, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and back home at MAMI, before being released in India today (7 September 2018). 

A league apart from the rest, Gali Guleiyan is a classic piece of parallel cinema exploring dark themes of psychological isolation and parent-child disconnect, that form for an introspective outlook. 

Backed by an ensemble cast of power-house performers Ranvir Shorey, Neeraj Kabi, Shahana Goswami, Ashwath Bhatt, Arbaaz Khan, and of course, Manoj Bajpayee who is the protagonist Khuddoos, Gali Guleiyan also features debutant Om Singh, as Idris, a child who comes from a broken home. 

Touted by Manoj himself to be his career's toughest portrayal, Bajpayee believes that skill and mastery of the toughest craft i.e. acting is what sailed him through. 

Set in the dark alleys of Old Delhi, the setting of the film is predominantly claustrophobic with a dilapidated house complete with dusty corners and cobwebs all around forming for a dark premise on the outset and setting the tone for visual appeal. 

The ambiance on the outside resonates with the makeup of the psyche as Khuddoos and Idris are pawns for lost-and-found. 

With a gripping narrative, the trailer too compels to witness the film on the 70mm screen as it is rare that we get to witness the theatrical brilliance of such prominence exploring realistic themes. 

Ahead of its release, Manoj Bajpayee and Dipesh Jain paid a visit to Cinepolis at The Janak, Delhi for a rendezvous about everything Gali Guleiyan. 

The team at Cinepolis prepped for the occasion by keeping a wall of fan mail ready for Manoj to browse through and appreciate the gesture. 

During a concise and brief interaction with Stir Your Souls, Manoj Bajpayee believed Gali Guleiyan to be such a dramatic narrative that won't leave the audience even after the screening ends and they head home. 

In fact, Dipesh also commented on Manoj Bajpayee being an institution, commending his professionalism, commitment, and humility, all at the same time. 

Would you like to know the first thought that came to Manoj Bajpayee's mind after being narrated the script of Gali Guleiyan - In The Shadows? Also, the makeover that he underwent, both on a physical and psychological scale for becoming Khuddoos... 

Here's what Manoj had to say about working with debutant Dipesh Jain, praising his creativity... 

A tete-a-tete with Manoj Bajpayee was a string of analogies, comparing acting to mathematics - both being complex yet beautiful frontiers. 

Another analogy stemmed from Manoj quoting the showman of Bollywood, legendary Raj Kapoor, on being asked to choose a favorite among all portrayals spanning his illustrious career. 

On a lighter note, Manoj also shared his camaraderie with Gali Guleiyan co-star Ranvir Shorey. 

As a conclusion, Manoj Bajpayee commented on the way his personality has developed over the years, being in the Indian film industry. 

As a matter of fact, and in concurring with Manoj, I believe that Gali Guleiyan has proved its mettle on foreign lands, earning accolades and appreciation all the same. Hence, the Indian audience should also see for themselves and appreciate the effort put in by the cast and crew, all the same. 

Having seen this piece of cinematic merit, I would encourage my readers to go on a movie date with #ManojBajpayeeAtCinepolis at the Janak which offers an evolved entertainment experience thanks to its four screens and a seating capacity of 740, Real D 3D technology in two and 100 percent digital projection in all its screens. :)

A Flying Jatt Comes To TV...

As a Blogger, I have had multiple rendezvous with celebrities pursuing their careers in various fields, ever since I began blogging in April 2013.

Be it luminaries from the field of science and research or able leaders of the likes of our former President, Kalam Sir, or top-guns of global technology firms such as Microsoft and Google, or top-notch sportspersons, Sachin Tendulkar and Vishy Anand, or celebrities from our most-loved and diverse Indian Film Industry, beginning with Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, the caravan hasn’t stopped, and why should it?

Another addition to such rendezvous was when the star-cast of A Flying Jatt flew down to Delhi in August at a Media Briefing, grooving to the quirky track from the upcoming flick that gradually became talk-of-town - Beat Pe Booty.

Witnessing Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez and Nathan Jones in person taking the fun factor up a few notches, amid loud cheers, was a delight! :)

Now, that Zee Cinema has come up with the World Television Premiere of this flick, scheduled for tomorrow night, I thought I must tell my readers some reasons as to why A Flying Jatt makes for a decent watch.

The movie is about our Desi Superhero Tiger Shroff. The other lead and supporting actors in the movie are Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones, Amrita Singh, and Kay Kay Menon. Remo D’Souza is the director and choreographer of A Flying Jatt, and Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms is its Producer. The story is about Aman (Tiger Shroff), a meek boy.

Accidentally, the boy acquires superpowers and becomes a superhero. But he doesn’t realize the presence of his powers and thus doesn’t know how and where to use them. Despite gaining superpowers, the boy is terrorized of heights.

He is quite an obedient boy and abides everything his mother tells him. He is deeply concerned about society, nature, and environment. He is an Indian Superhero and the story moves around the fundamental issue of pollution. In severe crisis, it is our hero who steps forward to save the town.

Now, we all know that there is always a fight between good and bad, in whichever scenario, right since the conception of our planet. On the same lines, in this movie also, we have a powerful villain against our superhero.

The villain Raka (Nathan Jones) is an ill-willed person who intends to aggravate the damage caused by pollution in the city. So when Raka decides to harm the innocent civilians by using pollution as his weapon, our superhero decides to fight him and save the people and his city.

You must meet our desi superhero and watch the movie to see the interesting outcome when this good fights against evil. A Flying Jatt is all about this. But, there is a lot more that will compel you to watch this movie on Zee Cinema on 22 October at 8 PM. A few of those compelling reasons are as below:

1. A Flying Jatt presents India’s first flying Superhero

Our Desi superhero is India’s first Flying Jatt. Besides this superpower, our hero  can also display some jaw-dropping martial art moves. And, of course some incredible dance moves.

2. The story of a Superhero and a Supermom

Against the regular tradition in most of the superhero movies so far where the superheroes lose their parents to an accident, there is a twist in A Flying Jatt. Our superhero has a supermom who maintains superb control on her son. She never forgets to remind him of his duties. The supermom is a typical Indian mother that scolds her son every time he shows reluctance to use his superpowers for good.

3. Superpowers and Super Dance Moves make our Superhero extraordinary

We all know about Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman but our Flying Jatt has an extra edge over all other such superheroes. It is all about his killer dance moves. While saving the world, he is also setting the dance floor on fire with the same vigor and zeal.

4. Our Superhero is the youngest among all

In comparison to Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan who also had special powers in movies like Krrish and Ra.One respectively, Tiger Shroff has an extra edge, yet again.  It is his age that sets him apart from all others. He is just 26 and has  grabbed  a superhero movie as his third film. On the other hand, Baadshah SRK and Greek God Hrithik had a longer run in films and had a long career preceding their superhero ventures.

5. A Jatt who Flies

Flying Jatt is about a superhero who decides to protect his city against all odds. At the same time, he also believes in helping mankind as it is his prime duty and religion. This is a unique combination of religious sensibilities and a humane outlook in saving his city.

6. Superhero by accident

He is not born with these superpowers. Rather it is a serious accident that results in this. That is why he becomes a superhero by accident. Otherwise he is a true superhero by heart, having tremendous courage to fight against any evil to save people of his city. Although he is scared but he is resolute to save his city. And that gives him a lot of inner strength and courage.

7. Chores and the ‘चोरs’

The boy has to be quite humble and polite at home. He is an extraordinary superhero but at home he is as ordinary as anybody else. He is a boy-next-door. In fact, at home he has to perform all the chores as any other child would do. He has to lend a helping hand in cleaning the house. He also has to buy groceries and other necessary items from the market.

8. A superhero with a conscience

Our superhero believes in giving back to society rather than keep expecting from it. He would do anything in this regard. He is a savior and protector by default. Additionally, he is against pollution and destruction to nature.

9. A superhero with a child’s heart

Whatever intense job he has to perform in the normal run, he is a child at heart. That uniqueness sets him apart from all others.

10. He is coming to meet you

Now when he is coming home to you, don’t shy away from meeting him. Rather welcome him with open arms and a warm heart. He has already decided to meet you and save his beloved city of Amritsar. Watch the World Television Premiere of A Flying Jatt on Saturday, 22nd October at 8PM on Zee Cinema. Be there to welcome him, and share your excitement on social media by tagging Zee Cinema using @ZeeCinema on Twitter and https://www.facebook.com/ZeeCinemaChannel on Facebook.

What's All This 'Tamasha' About?

Just yesterday, while browsing through the myriad channels on television and being bored by News, enough to switch over to the Movies, I landed on &Pictures, aiming to publicize a premier by its HD twin, proclaiming thus - &picturesHD – India’s premium mass Hindi movie channel keeping its promise of #HDfirst will premiere ‘Tamasha’ on Saturday, 30th April at 8 PM. 

At the back of my mind, it occurred to me that we had made a beeline for the multiplex when Tamasha had released, partly because I was intrigued by its upbeat trailer and partly motivated by the sea of positive reviews surrounding it.

The 'Dream Film Trinity' so as to say, comprised of the impeccable direction of Imtiaz Ali,  and brilliant portrayals by heartthrobs Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor had come together to conceptualize and present to us, another stellar masterpiece - Tamasha.

The choice of story line, the essence of which, seemed to connect, is what made me decide that we had to book our tickets to watch this one on the 70mm screen.

A person who seemed vexed by the socially bounding limitations of conducting oneself and the notion of conforming to which, seemed to distress him. Battling the loss of self as opposed to the 'baffling yet befitting' social norms is a concept that I buy, and thus, I was made to identify with the 'Tamasha' that our society has made out of itself, nowadays too.

Now that the film is all set to make an appearance before Indian audiences yet again next week, I was prompted to give my readers some reasons to tune into &Pictures HD on a relaxing Saturday night, at prime time! :)

What’s All This ‘Tamasha’ About? :)  

 ~~~ 

At Constant War With The 9-to-5 Monotony 

Imtiaz Ali had very candidly revealed once that the concept of the film comes from the fact that the talent in most people is not tapped to their full potential if they fail to discover and pursue the life-path that suits them best. One such individual is Ved (whose character has been enacted by Ranbir Kapoor), who is trapped in a world which is not suited to him. He brings to celluloid, an inner fight between acceptance of societal norms and pursuing one’s passion. We relate to his dreariness, that which we sometimes conveniently refer to as ‘schedule’.

Travel Makes The World Go Round! 

Imtiaz’s films are known to revolve and revel around the fact that travel and exploration can be a game changer in one’s life. And, Tamasha is no different. It is interesting to see how the movie explores new countries centered around love as the core theme coupled with many twists and turns. The exotic locations of Corsica, Tokyo, Delhi, Shimla and Kolkata blend into the movie beautifully and give the movie a myriad-hued palette.

Mona Darling Brings Don Along! 

The characters in the movie come alive and how! Deepika as Mona Darling and Ranbir as Don are very fresh to watch and are the pulse of the movie. The bohemian, starry eyed Don and the fashionable Mona Darling are no less than a treat to witness. Together, they set out to explore the picturesque French island with the dreaded yet exciting star signifying Terms and Conditions Applied of course!

Emulating Soul With A Funky Undertone 

When the Oscar winning composer A R Rahman agrees to curate the music for the film, it is like the cherry to the cake. Irshad Kamil's lyrics touch the soul and add a new dimension to the story. From ‘Matargashti’ to ‘Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai’, the songs evoke a series of emotions in the audience’s hearts. The music, accompanied by its amazing visuals has definitely been enacted to impress.

Bollywood’s Dream Team… 

One cannot help but stand amazed at the brilliant chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Even apart from that, Tamasha’s Ved comes across as Ranbir breakthrough performance in a long time. Deepika’s impeccable portrayal and her ability to make us fall in love with Tara from Tamasha is once again applauded. Add to it, Imtiaz’s sheer artistic excellence and it is bound to be magical!

 ~~~ 

I am surely excited to watch Tamasha, once again, this time on my television. All thanks to #HDFirst at &Pictures HD, I was able to list out my favorite nuances about this 'Tamasha', through this blog-post.

You'd also be watching along, next Saturday, won't you? Meanwhile, do tell me about your favorites below while we await the World HD Premiere of Tamasha on &picturesHD on Saturday, 30th April at 8 PM! :)

Vincent Van Gogh : A New Way Of Seeing

Vincent Willem van Gogh or simply Van Gogh was a luminary of his times. An artist who believed - "Art is long, life is short".

'Vincent Van Gogh : A New Way Of Seeing', a documentary true to its name, provides to the audience a new way, a new vision to glance at van Gogh's life and his works.

The one-and-a-half hour long narrative clearly portrays the artist in van Gogh and prompts the audience to have a tete-a-tete, to discover the man behind the masterpieces, to explore his struggle to conquer art.

Last week, I had the chance to delve deep into the short but eventful life of such an illustrious painter, through my wins in two separate Twitter Contests being held by PVR Live and Book My Show on their respective timelines.

The documentary takes to narrating a phase-by-phase account of van Gogh's life, his childhood, the attempts at procuring an education, moving out to various cities in Europe and finally finding solace in the sentiment of artistic expression.

The filming captures the essence of the letters Vincent often wrote to his brother Theodore van Gogh, addressed lovingly as Theo, throughout. It is through these letters that the audience is introduced to the ideology behind most of van Gogh's works, one letter at a time.

It is in Theo, that Vincent found a supportive friend, who was always by his side, to inquire of his health, his art, and his being.

After his brother’s death, Theo worked hard to bring to the limelight, Van Gogh’s works and publish his letters. So much so, that both the brothers are even buried together, by each other's side.

Most of the narrative also focusses on van Gogh's multiple creations and the associated interpretations with each, with the many officials at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, by the audience's side. Two works, The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers, are discussed extensively.

The artists of today discover a mentor in Vincent van Gogh, the artist.

Theodore’s great-grandson Vincent Willem Van Gogh observes his family history and admits that van Gogh's efforts as an artist went mostly unnoticed and unappreciated during his lifetime.

The documentary, under the able direction of David Bickerstaff and a heartfelt portrayal by Jamie de Courcey shows that perseverance, determination, and true love for art were greeted by success, and van Gogh's art won hearts.

Bhopal : A Prayer For Rain...

2 December 1984.

Union Carbide Corporation.

Methyl Iso Cyanate.

Bhopal.

Madhya Pradesh.

~~~

30 Years.

Three Decades.

A Deadly Poison.

A Living Death.

~~~

The fateful night of 2-3 December 1984 left an indelible mark and countless scars on the face of humanity for generations to come.

To be mute remnants of a dark night in the truest sense of the word, for the perpetual suffering it had rendered to innocent civilians of the state capital of Madhya Pradesh - the 'heart' of India.

To be struck with those horrific facts and figures - when counting the number of bodies doesn't hold much significance - for each day, they're dying as they live through, pass through another day...

~~~

Touted as the world's worst industrial disaster, the Union Carbide India Limited Plant is where it all began.

40 tonnes of toxic MIC gas spewed death to kill thousands in their slumber on that night of December 2, 1984.

~~~

The 'Bhopal Gas Tragedy' as it is infamously called, is a heart-wrenching chapter in the history of India.

And, it was well necessary that this incident, be brought into the light, for the Youth of the Nation and the Indian audience at large, to garner understanding, of the What-When-Why-How of a lethal legacy.

~~~

With this idea in mind, Bhopal : A Prayer For Rain was born.

Director Ravi Kumar, teamed up with Ravi Walia of Rising Star Entertainment, to bring to us, the sorry - state of Bhopal, owing to the corrupt, and negligent officials at Union Carbide, backed up by the business - minded CEO, Warren Anderson

A Still From Inside The Cineplex.

~~~

The filming and presentation of a disaster of such gravity calls for an equally sensitive portrayal and direction by the actors and the Director alike.

And, Mr. Ravi Kumar has done just that.

Each of the actors on board, deliver their part effortlessly.

I could feel the sense of helplessness for the poverty stricken common man, Dilip, (portrayed by Raajpal Yadav) to continue working in such life-threatening situations as Carbide's.

I could hear the local journalist Motwani's (Kal Penn, inspired by the real life Bhopal journalist Mr. Rajkumar Keswani) earnest efforts to spread awareness on the 'time-bomb' that was ticking away in the heart of India.

I couldn't help but request the American journo, Eva, (Mischa Barton) not to leave.

I could sense the haunting despair in the widow Rekha's (Fagun Thakrar) eyes.

I could see how Roy, as a Security Officer, was pressured to comply to unwillingly compromise with the safety standards.

I couldn't help but condemn Chaudhari's corrupt ways. He made sure to check that the air - conditioning was deliberately shut off, even when MIC had to be maintained in freeze temperatures!

As for the liaison officer Shane, and the CEO Anderson (Martin Sheen), who form the key villainy, along with the CM of the state, they had a choice, to make.

Any antidote was not even given consideration as according to Anderson, only washing with water would suffice!

For them, Human Life Was Cheapest.

~~~

Apart from honest, true-to-the-frame portrayals, the pace at which the incidents unfolded, was steady.

The connect was established, one after another.

How Dilip, a rickshaw driver, landed a job at UCC... 

How we were shown the rusty pipes and faulty machinery, the Tank 610, waiting to spell disaster...

How the lady's husband, a dear friend of Motwani's, lost his life to one drop of MIC, thus widowing her.

The lady who gleefully used to sport a new Sari, every week, owing to that man's respectable position at the factory, was now rendered in White, for the rest of her pitiable life.

How Motwani's efforts took the fast track, after he lost his friend to MIC - with 'Cherry Red' Blood.

How corruption had an upper hand, all this while, be it the key Indian official, Chaudhari at the Factory, or the liaison officer 'bribing' the Chief Minister.

The most hard - hitting of them all were the concluding moments of the film, wherein the tragedy unfolded, in a gruesome manner.

How Dilip lost his wife Leela, sister, son, Raju and himself to the lethal demon...

That too, at the time of his sister's wedding ceremony, for whom he had decided to make do with risks threatening his life, all the while, at Union Carbide.

The menace of Dowry and Poverty together, weighed heavy on Dilip's life.

How that dead man's soul haunted Dilip in the last moments of his life, with his ID badge in his hand, saying,

तू तो उसी दिन मर गया था, जिस दिन तू ने मेरी Uniform पहनी थी...

as it were his title that Dilip was promoted to, when he died of that accidental drop of MIC falling on his arm...

The final scenes of the Hamidia Hospital, with bodies strewn all over the city, down to present day, when the civilians are shown suffering of the perpetual illnesses, bestowed upon them by MIC, can prove to be a gut - wrenching sight, not meant for the faint hearted.

~~~

 Bhopal : A Prayer For Rain, is hard-hitting, to the point, and serves as the perfect medium for spreading awareness about the one incident, that has crippled us, as Indians, for generations to come...

The portrayal of the series of events is gripping, requiring you at the edge of your seat...

The performances are top-notch, with each actor seeping into the skin of the character, effortlessly...

The facts presented before the rolling of end credits, are soul-stirring and draw a parallel between reality and what has been successfully portrayed in the film.

The entire movie, is one, which ought not to be missed, as what happened in Bhopal, 30 years back, could happen elsewhere too.

The tragedy led to new laws to tighten regulations, but audits still elude many.

That Night...

A 'Plant' Ensured That...

It Made People 'Choke'! :(

That Night...

Union Carbide didn't unite, rather split the entire city of Bhopal into pitiable conditions...

~~~

~~~

The Goons Of Calcutta - Gunday - A Movie Review...

~~~

The Story Of Two Boys...

Boys Who Become Refugees...

Refugees Of The Indo - Pakistan War Of 1971...

Resulting Into The Formation Of Bangladesh...

Refugees Who Become Gun Couriers...

Gun Couriers Who Become Coal Bandits...

Coal Bandits Who Become...

Calcutta's

Most Loved

Most Celebrated

Most Reckless

Most Fearless

Most Powerful!

A Story Of Two Happy - Go - Lucky Comrades Who Come To Be Known As

GUNDAY!

Two Make Merry In The City Of Joy!

~~~

Two orphans who become 'Gunday' to survive in the cruel world where they have none to guide them and all to humiliate and exploit them - both mentally and physically.

In the course of life, the basic difference in their natures i.e. Bikram (Ranveer Singh) being calm like a diamond and Bala (Arjun Kapoor) being impulsive & aggressive like burning coal - leads them through lots of twists and turns and taking viewers on a roller - coaster ride of emotions...

The film also depicts the reality of life - innocence and blind faith mostly push a person into trouble - many a times - like their love for Nandita (Priyanka Chopra) and trust in Himanshu (Anant Sharma) led them to face many downs in their lives.

Director - Writer Ali Abbas Zafar has conceptualized and executed some of the scenes well.

• When Nandita stirs Bala's conscience saying that he could never win her as he was very different from Bikram and as she moves out, there is a mirror in front of Bala reflecting his image. The song Saiyaan has heart touching lyrics and follows right after.
  
  
  

'इन गुंडों के तेवर कुछ अलग हैं।'

• This fact reflecting on their attitude is depicted very well right from their childhood when they find a way out to feed themselves.

By stealing coal from a train, selling it to their ex-employer - a shopkeeper, earning Rs. 2 from him for 20 kg coal whereas the market rate was Rs.2 for 10 kg coal and... 

Bala says...

'पैसे उठा के हाथ में रख!'

To which the shopkeeper is baffled...

'रख दो दादा। इसके तेवर अलग हैं!'

The shopkeeper hands over two Re. 1 coins to Bala, out of which he returns one, keeping with them only Re. 1 and says...

'ये उस कप प्लेट कि भरपाई जो उस दिन टूट गए थे!' 

...For the porcelain cups and saucers they had broken the other day and as a punishment for which they were slapped and thrown out.

...And plants a thrashing on the shopkeeper's cheek.

'आगे से कप प्लेट टूटने पे एक छोटे बच्चे को डांटने से पहले इस छोटे का बड़ा सा झापड़ ध्यान में रखना।'

And our child - heroes exit the scene, equating and settling their score!

• The crack slowly starts appearing in the comrades' relations...
  When Bala burns down Bikram's share of factories in a fit of rage...
  And Bikram's face from their joint portrait gets burnt down as well.
  
  ~~~

Coming to the dialogues...

• Bikram's signature 'अंगूठा लगवा ले!' is positioned at the right instances which lays appropriate weight to the scene.

However, a turning point comes when Bala prompts him to say 'अंगूठा लगवा ले!' and he says 'झापड़ लगवाएगा क्या?' instead.

Those of my readers who would have watched the movie would be perfectly able to recall when, why and in which circumstances.

To those who haven't, I would not like to break the suspense.
One line of advice - 'Go Watch It!' 

• 'किस्मत कि एक खूबी है - कि वो पलटती है - और बहुत जल्दी पलटती है!' - Says ACP Satyajit Sarkar (Irrfan Khan) - pointing to the crux of the web he had woven to end B & B's regime!
  
  ~~~

The music score of the movie is fitting for various moods and situations in the flow of the feature is elevated by appropriate compositions by Sohail Sen (of 'What's Your Rashee?' fame) and fitting lyrics by Irshad Kamil.

~~~

Gunday, as a film from YRF is a mix and match of Sholay (depicting a fraternal bond between two comrades determined to conquer the world sans any oppression), Zanjeer (displaying a cop's cool and strategic outlook towards countering the outlaws) and Kala Patthar (with inputs from Yash Ji himself - Adi wanted to shoot in the coal mines of Dhanbad - which happened in Gunday!)

~~~

The most important parallel in the movie is drawn between instances from Ramayana and stills from the film.

Nandita compares herself to Sita and Bikram to Ram and Bala abducts him saying - 'सीता हरण तो आप भूल ही गईं मैडम!'

Also, when in the climax, both the friends unite, symbolizing 'भरत मिलाप'.

~~~

All in all, Gunday is a gem from the house of YRF and deserves a 3.5 Stars from my side!

Looking forward to your agreements to my opinions and deviations from it, as may be the case.

Gunday Is A Must Watch, I Opine!

~~~