Have been reading reports of the terrible tragedy Mumbai suffered - all over the electronic media and in the blogosphere. Sitting here 5000 miles away it is difficult to completely grasp the gravity of the situation but even if I was in closeby Pune which was completely unaffected I'm sure it would have made no difference. Once again the spirit of Mumbai and the Mumbaikar has shone through and the city is slowly (or maybe prettty quickly) returning to normal. On this occasion, I remember and find it apt to quote a poem by the Late Harivanshray Bachchan that I studied while in high school:
Need Ka Nirman Phir Phir, Neh Ka Ahvan Phir Phir
Yeh Uthee Aandhi Ki Nabh Mein Chha Gaya Sahasa Andhera
Dhooli Dhoosar Badalon Ne Bhoomi Ko Is Bhaanti Ghera
Raat Sa Din Ho Gaya Phir Raat Aayee Aur Kali
Lag Raha Tha Ab Na Hoga Is Nisha Ka Phir Savera
Raat Ke Utpaat Bhay Se Bheet Jan Jan Bheet Kan Kan
Kintu Prachi Se Usha Ki Mohini Muskaan Phir Phir
Friday, July 29, 2005
Friday, July 22, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Parineeta
Overall an excellent movie. Parineeta means "The Married Woman" - a fact I discovered only during the movie. Kind of helped me appreciate it all the more. The story albeit simple is a pretty well-acclaimed classic but where the director Pradeep Sarkar scores is in its sensitive yet well-paced handling. Nowhere (except at the fag-end ... "Tod Shekhar Tod" ...) can you sense a trivialisation of issues (unlike Munnabhai MBBS, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's previous work); at the same time your patience is not tested by ultra-sentimental and hyper-emotional scenes.
I will not dwell too much on the story here, but just briefly describe what I appreciated the most. Lolita (Vidya Balan) is the central character - the married woman, the Parineeta. Her lifelong love is Shekhar (Saif) - a love while strong and pure, is unexpressed in words and almost taken for granted to the point where it is never acknowledged until the arrival of a third angle Girish (Sanjay Dutt). In one moment of realization, unknown to the rest of the word Shekhar makes Lolita his Parineeta. But things take a turn, Shekhar is convinced that Lolita has given in to circumstances (which I wont describe here) and decided to wed Girish. He condemns her and decides to move on with life and get married. On the day of his wedding Girish arrives to finally let him know that Lolita had in fact refused to marry him(Girish) because she has already accepted Shekhar as her husband. What happens next is obvious (even trivial). But herein lies the essence of the story.
The strengths of the movie are many, primarily the direction - the portrayal of the 1950s Kolkata is immaculate. While the obvious indicators are minimal - the Victoria Memorial, the Hooghly Bridge and the Goddess Durga make only momentary appearances; it is in the other minute details - the characterization and the picturisation that the director has been able to bring out the true spirit of Kolkata - a tribute to him and the entire cast.
The songs while stopping short of being great are very very good. "Piyu bole" is melodious and hummable while "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" is truly enjoyable - Rekha is amazing.
Finally, the starcast. Saif delivers another extraordinary performance. While I believe his role in Hum Tum though good was not worth a National Award there is no doubt that Saif's star is on the rise and since 2001 he has been the biggest hit in Bollywood consistently. He portrays the rich, young Bengali babu perfectly but the movie in the truest sense belongs to the Parineeta - the beautiful and hugely talented Vidya Balan. She has literally walked into a very demanding role with utmost ease. Nowhere do you find her making an effort - she looks most natural. Sanjay Dutt is good only in parts and probably looks a tad too old for the role. The support cast is excellent.
In the end, a comparison with Devdas is inevitable - both being Sarat Chandra's novels. Parineeta in my view scores hands down over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus. While the main reason is that Parineeta is simply a much better and positive story, the relatively light-weight starcast has also been a plus-factor. Devdas it seemed was made to showcase Aishwarya, Madhuri and Shahrukh and was resultantly much too elaborate even gaudy. In Parineeta the actors fit into the characters so smoothly to result into an almost perfectly underplayed product.
I will not dwell too much on the story here, but just briefly describe what I appreciated the most. Lolita (Vidya Balan) is the central character - the married woman, the Parineeta. Her lifelong love is Shekhar (Saif) - a love while strong and pure, is unexpressed in words and almost taken for granted to the point where it is never acknowledged until the arrival of a third angle Girish (Sanjay Dutt). In one moment of realization, unknown to the rest of the word Shekhar makes Lolita his Parineeta. But things take a turn, Shekhar is convinced that Lolita has given in to circumstances (which I wont describe here) and decided to wed Girish. He condemns her and decides to move on with life and get married. On the day of his wedding Girish arrives to finally let him know that Lolita had in fact refused to marry him(Girish) because she has already accepted Shekhar as her husband. What happens next is obvious (even trivial). But herein lies the essence of the story.
The strengths of the movie are many, primarily the direction - the portrayal of the 1950s Kolkata is immaculate. While the obvious indicators are minimal - the Victoria Memorial, the Hooghly Bridge and the Goddess Durga make only momentary appearances; it is in the other minute details - the characterization and the picturisation that the director has been able to bring out the true spirit of Kolkata - a tribute to him and the entire cast.
The songs while stopping short of being great are very very good. "Piyu bole" is melodious and hummable while "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" is truly enjoyable - Rekha is amazing.
Finally, the starcast. Saif delivers another extraordinary performance. While I believe his role in Hum Tum though good was not worth a National Award there is no doubt that Saif's star is on the rise and since 2001 he has been the biggest hit in Bollywood consistently. He portrays the rich, young Bengali babu perfectly but the movie in the truest sense belongs to the Parineeta - the beautiful and hugely talented Vidya Balan. She has literally walked into a very demanding role with utmost ease. Nowhere do you find her making an effort - she looks most natural. Sanjay Dutt is good only in parts and probably looks a tad too old for the role. The support cast is excellent.
In the end, a comparison with Devdas is inevitable - both being Sarat Chandra's novels. Parineeta in my view scores hands down over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus. While the main reason is that Parineeta is simply a much better and positive story, the relatively light-weight starcast has also been a plus-factor. Devdas it seemed was made to showcase Aishwarya, Madhuri and Shahrukh and was resultantly much too elaborate even gaudy. In Parineeta the actors fit into the characters so smoothly to result into an almost perfectly underplayed product.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Wimbledon
Very enthralling match - the Women's final - 2 veteran Americans, Venus and Lindsay producing some marvellous tennis to give us one of the best women's finals in recent memory- particularly after the farce at Roland Garros ... and last year's mismatch between Serena and Sharapova. This is the real stuff ... reminiscent of some of the great finals that the Williams sisters played in the 2002-03 period ... Still anybody's game at a set-all and on serve in the third ...
Lindsay got off to a great start ... though Venus fought back she took the first set and had a chance to serve out the match but Venus fought back with seven straight points and I was happy then because I want to see a longer match ... but now I think I'm supporting Lindsay again ... because she is the older player and this could very well be her last realistic shot at Wimbledon ... probably at any major .. Come to think of it she could be the oldest player to win since Martina Navratilova in 1990 !!
Update: Venus in trouble on her serve ... is the end near ??
10:56 am Central Time Venus broken but breaks right back !!! Great game continues ... We could be here for a while
11:00 am Central Time Sad !! Lindsay has an injury and has to take time-out !! Just when she was almost 5-2 up in the final set ... we are back on serve still ... and this could still go wither way after the break ... Venus looking remarkably and unusually calm and composed ... gotta say she is the favorite from now on ...
11:06 am Central Time Lindsay is back and fighting but Venus appears much the superior player now .... Great pity if the match is decided due to injury ... as it looks like 4-4 now ... taking away nothing from Venus though ... great match
11:10 am Central Time A great point a couple of errors ... Lindsay is back on top ... this match never ceases to surprise ... one game away from a hugely-deserved win ... can't help feeling it is going to be Venus's superior physical ability vs Lindsay's will-power now ... after all she surely wants this MUCH more desperately than Venus at the age of 29 ... in close situations like these it is often the one who is mentally stronger that wins ... could be Lindsay's game after all ... Venus exploiting Lindsay's injury going for her body all the time ... still too close to call Venus at 4-5, 30-15
11:14 am Central Time Lindsay has match point and Venus saves it ... no nerves there !!
11:16 am Central Time 5-5 and this could well go on to be a classic in the mold of the Graf-Sanchez match of 1995
11:25 am Central Time Again Lindsay has a chance on the Venus serve at Deuce ... every point is crucial from now on in ... and nervous times for the server !! Thats the way to beat it ... hit an ace !! Only Williams third of the match
11:27 am Central Time It is 6-6, no one letting down ... this is now the longest ladies final in Wimbledon history
11:29 am Central Time (Time zone implicitly assumed now): We are likely to go on and on here ... Lindsay leading 7-6 and for the first time Venus looking a bit ruffled ... vow ... really difficult to bet on this one now ... thought Im tending towards Lindsay ... gut feeling ... and even difficult to predict what the final score will be
11:33 What a dejavu !! Again Lindsay had 15-30 on the Venus serve and after a mesmerising power-filled rally it is 7-7
11:38 It seemed like that rally would be decisive - so it might be !! Venus having the better of some great power rallies - and though Lindsay fights Venus now has the break ... but this has been tennis of the highest class - especially the last set and in particular the last 2 games ... this is the longest third set in the history of the Championships
11:42 All over ?? Now Venus with 3 match-points !!
11:44 Indeed it is all over !! Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 in a classic final and a most magnificent comeback performance against a valiant 29-year old lady ... Really no losers in this one !!
With 3 Wimbledon titles now, Venus can have some legitimate claim to consider herself above the plethora of one-time (or 2-time) winners ... and hope to get closer to the levels of champions such as Steffi Graf and Martina Navaratilova
Lindsay got off to a great start ... though Venus fought back she took the first set and had a chance to serve out the match but Venus fought back with seven straight points and I was happy then because I want to see a longer match ... but now I think I'm supporting Lindsay again ... because she is the older player and this could very well be her last realistic shot at Wimbledon ... probably at any major .. Come to think of it she could be the oldest player to win since Martina Navratilova in 1990 !!
Update: Venus in trouble on her serve ... is the end near ??
10:56 am Central Time Venus broken but breaks right back !!! Great game continues ... We could be here for a while
11:00 am Central Time Sad !! Lindsay has an injury and has to take time-out !! Just when she was almost 5-2 up in the final set ... we are back on serve still ... and this could still go wither way after the break ... Venus looking remarkably and unusually calm and composed ... gotta say she is the favorite from now on ...
11:06 am Central Time Lindsay is back and fighting but Venus appears much the superior player now .... Great pity if the match is decided due to injury ... as it looks like 4-4 now ... taking away nothing from Venus though ... great match
11:10 am Central Time A great point a couple of errors ... Lindsay is back on top ... this match never ceases to surprise ... one game away from a hugely-deserved win ... can't help feeling it is going to be Venus's superior physical ability vs Lindsay's will-power now ... after all she surely wants this MUCH more desperately than Venus at the age of 29 ... in close situations like these it is often the one who is mentally stronger that wins ... could be Lindsay's game after all ... Venus exploiting Lindsay's injury going for her body all the time ... still too close to call Venus at 4-5, 30-15
11:14 am Central Time Lindsay has match point and Venus saves it ... no nerves there !!
11:16 am Central Time 5-5 and this could well go on to be a classic in the mold of the Graf-Sanchez match of 1995
11:25 am Central Time Again Lindsay has a chance on the Venus serve at Deuce ... every point is crucial from now on in ... and nervous times for the server !! Thats the way to beat it ... hit an ace !! Only Williams third of the match
11:27 am Central Time It is 6-6, no one letting down ... this is now the longest ladies final in Wimbledon history
11:29 am Central Time (Time zone implicitly assumed now): We are likely to go on and on here ... Lindsay leading 7-6 and for the first time Venus looking a bit ruffled ... vow ... really difficult to bet on this one now ... thought Im tending towards Lindsay ... gut feeling ... and even difficult to predict what the final score will be
11:33 What a dejavu !! Again Lindsay had 15-30 on the Venus serve and after a mesmerising power-filled rally it is 7-7
11:38 It seemed like that rally would be decisive - so it might be !! Venus having the better of some great power rallies - and though Lindsay fights Venus now has the break ... but this has been tennis of the highest class - especially the last set and in particular the last 2 games ... this is the longest third set in the history of the Championships
11:42 All over ?? Now Venus with 3 match-points !!
11:44 Indeed it is all over !! Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 in a classic final and a most magnificent comeback performance against a valiant 29-year old lady ... Really no losers in this one !!
With 3 Wimbledon titles now, Venus can have some legitimate claim to consider herself above the plethora of one-time (or 2-time) winners ... and hope to get closer to the levels of champions such as Steffi Graf and Martina Navaratilova
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