Zindagi Zindagi Kya Tera Roop Hai!

The One with DBH & WUS Reviews

2009-11-10T01:17:49Z

I am convinced that the world is conspiring against me this exam season with all the films releasing at the wrong time. Or maybe its just me blaming the world for my procrastination....whatever it may be I am sure you guys are just interested in the review part.

I finally got around to watching Dil Bole Hadippa when it released on DVD soon because honestly for me it was nothing to on the day of release, especially since Wanted too priority. As for Wake Up Sid, its definitely been on my 'must see' list since I heard of its existence .

Dil Bole Haddipaa
Yes I was brave enough to watch Rani Mukerji’s so called ‘comeback’ venture Dil Bole Hadippa a couple of days ago. Some maybe be reading this with a raised eyebrows when they look over the words ‘brave’ and ‘comeback’ so I better explain. Brave because that is what it takes for me to endure a YRF outing these days. Before they were just commercial success mongers but at least they had decent storylines and gave us films like DTPH and DDLJ, but now they’re just desperate success mongers who’ve forgotten what good or even decent scripts look like so indeed it took a lot of braveness for me to make the decision that I should check out their latest outing DBH, even if it is months after the release. (And I won’t lie, the gorgeous Shahid posters were the real insensitive!). Now to the comeback. Well I think it was a premeditated term used by the media. Firstly because a comeback is when someone comes with a bang and proves all that they lacked, well that’s what it means in my dictionary, so you can’t call it a comeback until you’ve seen it. So as for the ‘comeback’ part of my opening sentence, well you’ll have to read on to find out if I would really class this as the comeback of the talent that gave us films like Black and Saathiya.

To be clear I won’t go into the ‘what is it copied from’ dialogue as it’s just so vague to decide since several sources say several things. In my mind it resembles She’s The Man starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Bynes which was a Hollywood movie based on a Shakespearean play. So let’s leave that argument here and move on. In addition I’ll also leave the story line for you to read and know for yourself if you don’t already do so, but let’s be realistic you probably do.

Now to the fun part! Honestly I was cringing in full swing when I read the cast of this film because frankly its one odd coupling. But thankfully the romance was left to quite a minimum for a YRF production which usually boasts of a high romance quota, so I didn’t have to cringe throughout the duration of the film. On the contrary the film was comic at the core and for comedy you require simply two sensational actors which we all know Rani and Shahid are individually. Put two amazing actors on screen in a hilarious situation with witty lines and you get CHEMISTRY! Yes that is what I call chemistry my friend! To me chemistry is no sizzling scene in the rain or on top of the swiss alps. For me chemistry is how an actor reacts of another. And that is what Rani and Shahid did brilliantly throughout the film!

Shahid delivered yet another knockout performance! Many said that he’d been quite sidelined because the story focussed on Rani but I would have to disagree because an actor like him managed to hold his ground and demand attention in light of a female orientated script.

Rani on the other hand was sensational in the comic sequences. I have always believed that she rocks at comedy and it was great to see her do that after a while. However her styling was a bit over the top. I mean the curls were just too obvious, coupled with the make-up and outfit. But then again, what am I complaining about, I should have expected over the top styling when I am watching a Yash Raj film. However despite her pulling off the comic sequences well I have to add that the maturity you see on her face, that of a lady who’s experienced life and its ups and downs, was very contradictory to the young and foolish Veera she played in the film. I truly wish an actress of her calibre would read and consider her scripts way more carefully before accepting them because gone are the days when we can accept a 30+ SRK playing a college boy. All in all no way would I cast this to be her comeback. Afterall this is the woman who gave us Black and made us see the potential of Indian actresses in a whole new way, so for her to win back that same acclaim and ‘awe’ from her viewers will be no easy job attained by one average entertainer however a small thing as reading scripts properly and not blindly saying ‘yes’ to YRF will surely win that acclaim and awe back for her in no time!

Now to the other departments. Firstly the screenplay was remarkably impressive. There were no dull moments, the flow was natural and not forced. More than anything the interval timing couldn’t have been better! Usually in Indian cinema we try to end with a climax of a somewhat mellow dramatic sequence in the first portion of the film but it was a good call to bring the interval portion at the height of a discovery. It made audiences hanker for more and literally wait at the edge of their seats for the film to resume. However I cannot commend in the same way to the direction department.

There were several flaws which the director ought to have picked up on but I will speak about the most obvious of them all, RANI’S VOICE MODULATION! Yes I do not like writing in capitals but this one was so obvious it had to have been picked up. I mean what were they thinking! I sat there gobsmacked at the stupidity of the people who’d put this film in front of me. It’s as bad as RNBDJ’s Suri not recognising SRK with just a tiny moustache shaven off. I really think Yash Raj needs to go and get the mental capacity of their audiences reassessed because in actuality we’re not idiots. Nor are we deaf that we’d not hear a female voice behind Rani’s beard and think that other characters ought to do so too!

I’ll cool on the insults for now because it seems to be just me banging my head against the wall, afterall I cannot turn back time and command Anurag Singh to have his ears wide open during the shoo. So let me continue with my review on a more positive path and commend the cinematography and art direction which were sensational! At last Yash Raj found that leaving India for a film is not the only option and grasped the full beauty of Punjab on screen. However is it just me or is Punjab the only state that YRF have the obvious need to depict, I mean I love Punjabi culture and it is without a doubt of the vibrant states but a bit of variety wouldn’t hurt every now and then. Small tip of Adi Chopra, try Marathi, South Indian, Bengoli or any other beautiful culture of India! Variety after all is the spice of life. Not to mention this is a production house that targets the Western Indian audiences who would enjoy being re-educated about the range of cultures all embedded in one beautiful nation, I know I would!

Coming to the music, I have to say that I am not the biggest fan of the soundtrack but seeing the songs on screen did make me warm up to them. Picturisation of Ishq Hi Toh Rab and Disco Wale Khisco are to be commended on.

Now to wrap it all up in one conclusive paragraph, the part that I hate. Firstly I would recommend to all those who were very apprehensive at the sight of this film to give it one shot in your most bored moment because it has a few good laughs honestly and you do enjoy the color treat and Shahid’ amazing looks are just a bonus! The film honestly is quite aptly made however the one mistake that ruins the whole thing as mentioned above (Rani’s voice modulation) makes the film look bad as a whole. Let this be a lesson to all makers that a tiny mistake like that could cost you the success of your film and since it is the main thing critics and audiences pick up when seeing the film I would think that it’s safe to say that it is the only thing that stopped this film from being appreciated to its full potential. However at the end of the day its one good time pass of a film. Sure its no ‘Wanted’ in my books but its definitely not anywhere near as the latest outings of YRF (baring New York) so go on and give it a shot, you may just survive this latest offering by YRF.

Wake Up Sid

I am constantly amazed at the ability of cinema to compel you to reflect on your own life and situations in it. It marks the work of a great story teller and an as impactful performer when this rare moment happens, and yes rare this moment is. In recent times I really cannot think of a film in Indian cinema that has compelled me to reflect, compare and contrast myself and my situations from that which are on the screen before me. In my opinion such moments are rare in Indian cinema because it predominantly stands for dealing with very distinct and specific issues when it comes to ‘realistic cinema’ and when not realistic its the ideal piece of cinema to let you escape. All in all its not known to tell stories of relatable individuals but instead character larger than life or those in a situation that is larger than life, so relating to their is out of the question. However this rare break comes once in a while and Wake Up Sid is one of these moments.

When I did read Taran Adarsh’s review on India-fm I was particularly intrigued at his comparison of WUP with Farhan Akhtar’s DCH which to me is a cult film. However I could see his logic in comparing the film with DCH once I’d watched it myself. Like Farhan, Ayan Mukerji also has created and displayed characters who are extremely real! You can almost point fingers out and find someone exactly like Sid and Ayesha. They are real people! I know that sort of a ‘duh’ type of a sentence but that’s all I’ve got to say on that point and that is that these characters are real!

20 yr old Sid’s world is not much different to most kids his age. I know certainly that it’s no different to my world. A world where I think I am invincible, where I do as I please, little worry or hurry to grow up and living in the moment. The scenes where you see Sid aimlessly lounging in his room or pressing buttons on his laptops, or taking random pictures of random objects seem to be like take out of lives of 20yr olds exactly! In fact it sounds like every other day in my life. (Of course I do get inspired every now and then and give being a lawyer a shot and its going quite smoothly so far despite my express need to be lazy and procrastinate haha..) However Sid gets a rude awakening when college ends and things don’t go as planned. In fact Sid didn’t have any plans, the only plan he had was to never make plans and live life the way he had so far but sadly the cruel outside his happy world has other plans, plans to wake up Sid! At last! How he takes this rude awakening in his stride and transforms from a boy to a man is the rest of Wake up Sid.

As usual I feel the need to re-iterate my expectations and pre-conceived notions about this film before I can successfully critique. Expectations came in different shapes and sizes. I was apprehensive as it is a Karan Johar production which means overdone makeup, wardrobe, unrealistic characters and not much sense much like Dostana etc. But then these expectations were balanced with one name and one name only, Konkona Sen Sharma. I kept reminding myself that an actress like Konkona wouldn’t do an insane role or film. So that kept my hopes at a decent level.

However I would be lying if I said that I was overjoyed to hear that Konkona would be sharing screenspace with Ranbir. I really didn’t think they’d work as a couple as their maturity and age level difference is quite evident in their facial features. Luckily to my surprise Ayaan Mukerji was one step ahead, a rarity for Indian makers, and actually when onto explain that she indeed is meant to be a much more matured person then him in their respective characters. Phew!

In fact that was the film’s biggest strength, the fact that the maker gave some of the tiniest things a lot of importance and was very thorough in his film making process. Attention to detail. For example, you see Ranbir buying a shirt in the Kya Karoon song in the shopping centre, and immediately in the consequent scene you see him partying in the same t-shirt. That is continuation my friend! (Last time I witnessed such defined continuation was in Socha Na Tha where you see a clothing piece hanging in Abhay’s room which he’d worn in a previous scene).

Now coming to the critique...truly I do not have any. Usually when I am watching a film a lot of things will pop out and annoy the heck out of me but with WUS I just sat and enjoyed every moment of it. The performances, the flawless screenplay, the thought provoking and well thought out script. More than anything it was not over-the-top production like Karan’s productions are. Infact it was realistic make up, clothes and most importantly, a Desi location! See Karan that wasn’t too hard! The best part of it all, you saw characters repeating clothes! I don’t think that ever happens in Indian cinema’s history. Now I don’t know whether Karan went bankrupt for a day or did he just have an epiphany that in real life people don’t walk around in new brand names every day, we in fact do repeat clothes as weird as that sounds! See what I mean by no critique, even such minor details were taken care off for once!

To top it all off you had two of the most sensational actors the country has seen performing two of their best performances till date. Ranbir’s naturalness astonished me in each and every scene. Actually I still remain astonished at how natural the guy is! Its like for the duration of the film Sid and him were non different. You simply forget that its Ranbir behind that character, all you care and know about is Sid. In addition there is Konkona who’s talents my words are not enough to express. All I can say is that in my opinion she is the best we’ve got today in terms of female leads in Hindi cinema.

So all in all I think this is really one of those times that I stumped by a film. I really don’t have anything to criticise! Its just a simple film, with simple characters but combined in an extraordinarily perfect manner! Ayaan Mukerji take a bow because indeed you’ve achieved something that no one has in my books in the year of 2009 and in general you’ve given a film of such a calibre that even some of the established makers of the fraternity a yet to attain. Oh gosh that’s sort of embarrassing as well as exhilarating at the same time that I don’t have anything bad to say. I swear this is a first for me! And so it goes without saying that this is one of those films that is a must watch. Its more than just award worthy, critical acclaim worthy or commercial success worthy. Wake Up Sid goes beyond all these forms of praise and truly is credible enough to be edged in our minds forever.

The One With Whats Your Rashee Review

2009-11-05T13:31:13Z

What’s Your Rashee?

Superstition has a place in all cultures however when it comes to Indian culture it seems that even in the 21^st century many still abide by the rules of superstition rather strictly. Offcourse they have evidence to support their belief hence I don’t intend to contend any of it however it’s a concept that’s lesser explored onscreen despite being inherent to Indian cultures. Until recently when Oscar nominated maker, Ashutosh Gowrikar decided to explore the concepts of rashees or star signs as known in the west.

I can probably safely say that everyone at somewhere or some place has read their own star sign’s inherent qualities and its prediction and even though he or she doesn’t believe in it accuracy they have pondered and reflected on its judgement later on. What’s Your Rashee? is the story of one such individual, Yogesh Kumar Patel played by Harman Baweja, who despite having no extensive knowledge in the workings of star signs decides to meet prospective brides from each star sign. Why use such an unusual way to select brides you ask? Well our charming Yogesh who’s well educated and soon to permanently settle in Chicago has been tricked by his family to return to India and get married by a date already decided for him. You see the marriage of Yogesh would mean that according to his grandfather’s will he’ll come into his inheritance on the day of his marriage which in turn for his family would mean that they can pay off the debts of his elder brother by using that very inheritance. Now it’s a pretty wild concept but our boy Yogesh is such a kind hearted and family loving guy that despite being so well educated and accustomed to life in the west stays to his Indian ways and goes all out to find himself a Desi bride in a designated time so that no harm comes to his family. Read on to find out how the Jodha Akbar maker deals with this complex yet highly intriguing tale of love, life, superstition and destiny. (Note: do not except a short and summed up review of a film that is 3.5 hours long)

Personally I should put a disclaimer before this article and that is that I truly am not a fan of Gowrikar’s past work. Not as much as the general public any way since Jodha Akbar is a film that bored me within the first 10 mins making me fast forward the rest of it to complete in just 40 mins rather than the 3hr+ length it was destined for. The same goes for Lagaan which sadly didn’t shake me to the core like it did to others. However I do have a different take on Swades which is one of my all time favourite films. So naturally I have a very mixed opinion of Gowrikar and thus very mixed expectations from WYR. He gets it right sometimes in my eyes but not all the time. Sad to say that WYR falls neither in the right or wrong category according to me.

The film has the backing of a Gujrati novel so one really can’t decide what Gowrikar’s inputs were and what wasn’t unless they’ve read the original however what one can say with surety is that as a maker Gowrikar should have known what is best for the screen and what is relevant to the screen. The relevance part needs to be given particular specific attention because the insane lengthiness of WYR could have be very much easily prevented had some unnecessary side stories been removed. Honestly they were nothing short of excruciating! Especially when such an intriguing tale is put on the hold for mindless sideline stories which contribute nothing to the bigger picture. Whilst on the topic of length it may be wise to state that some reviewers found the use of all songs to be a major contribution to the lengthiness I would have to disagree as I think that removing the extra non-needed side line stories would have made the film far less tedious. The soundtrack was very intelligently crafted to give us more insight to the character in question than the dialogues hence they were infact significant to the overall picture, I would argue, compared to the storylines on the sideline which were nothing more or less than pure rubbish!

However length bothered me less than Priyanka’s overacting in certain characters. Firstly I couldn’t handle her as Sanjana (Aquarius) as she was trying way too hard to sound foreign and ended up sounding just plastic! I.e. fake. I cringed every time she uttered a single dialogue as Sanjana and coincidently Sanjana had many of those, actually I am cringing as I type this as I am recapping her portions in my mind!

Then there’s the as annoying Nandani who drove me up the walls! I know she was meant to be one crazy and passionate young girl but I also know that she was not meant to be so darn un-stand-able. Yes the youth are passionate and over excited to get life rolling and live it on their terms but that all can be portrayed rather un-annoyingly.

After that I would say Kajal’s the next annoying character in line as Priyanka’s try-hard-act to be cool and hip was nowhere near of being subtle.

Lastly there’s Mallika who’s not as annoying as the rest but some dialogues of Priyanka’s as Mallika were just plain pretentious!

Although, Priyanka wasn’t terrible as all of the 12 characters, to my surprise. She was stand-able in particular as the suppressed Anjali, the empowered Raajani, the wounded Hamsa, the independent Pooja and the young Jhankana. Sadly despite creating history by playing 12 different characters Priyanka really did not impress me for the many flaws I pointed above. The actress really needs to work on her understanding of characters and her dialogue delivery as 9/10 her lines are very pretentious, its rather obvious that she’s acting and it has nothing natural about it.

In addition I had a lot of issues with Priyanka’s styling in several portions especially the unneeded skin show in Cholis. This is a latest trend in Indian cinema that I cannot fathom with skirts going lower and lower and cholis becoming the size of a bra and dupattas basically not fulfilling their purpose. All I’d like to say is that if you want skin show use western clothing but please do not butcher pure Indian clothes which are authentic and historical. There’s a fine line in looking glamorous and looking desperate to show skin and outfits in Sau Janam and Sue Che were crossing the line extremely especially since in Sau Janam skin show was really inconsistent with the character. It just looked like a desperate attempt of the maker to hold the audience’s attention because I am sure even he knew given the length that half of them would be napping by then!

Harman on the other hand I think delivered his best performance till now. The actor has been receiving quite a hard time from audiences and critics alike however a star always emerges after a battle and history gives evidence to this. Harman’s acting has sheer hard work and dedication behind it and more than anything he’s one with the character. An absolute natural. Maybe it’s the fact that Yogesh’s character’s age and situation may be relatable to Harman considering he too is a young man who seems to be quite close and dedicated to his family. Or perhaps the fact that he has a lot to prove to the world makes him work harder whilst a person like Priyanka has already proved quite a bit (however in my eyes nothing yet) so she can afford to research less and not work on small aspects like dialect. I’ve also though that a truly hardworking person will pay more attention to his failures than his victory and Harman is exactly that because in WYR the conviction and hunger to prove him turned into a fantastic performance. The unsuccessful run at the box office may just fuel the hunger even more and who knows what we’ll witness next time he’s on screen!

Moving on from performances to song sequences. My expectations were in abundance as I simply love soundtrack so I’ll comment on my favourite songs only. First being Dhadkan Dhadkan. I have a fetish for theatrical numbers and was even more enlightened to find out that Dhadkan Dhadkan was stage number on screen that too choreographed by Terence Lewis! The song was as I imagined it and nothing short of it, LOVED IT! Next up I enjoyed the picturisation of Bikhri Bikhri as it synchronized with the feeling of the song very well all thanks to fantastic work by Priyanka and Harman, subtlety is the key to success and in this song the subtlety was in their eyes. Thirdly the sets in Maanuga impressed me thoroughly but it was reminiscent of Love Story 2050 which is a nightmare offcourse is a nightmare we all share and not in fact a real movie! Lastly Chehre Jo Dekhen was impressively picturised conveying the complexities of Yogesh’s decision very well.

Apart from songs I have a couple of scenes that particularly stay with me much after the film concludes:

· Jhankana saying thank you to Yogesh – for its shear feel

· Yogesh speaking to Anjali after she attempts to smoke – for its sincerity and background philosphhy

· Yogesh’s interaction with Pooja in the clinic – for its naturalism

· Yogesh telling Kajal what he really would say if she was late – for its realism

All in all WYR is a borderline film. 50:50 is its exact ratio as it has the same amount of pros and cons. I encourage you to watch it at least once but yes do set out a whole day its lengthy one. Watch it for Harman, watch it for some unique portrayals by Priyanka, for Sohail Sen’s music and for an intriguing story, flawed but none the less intriguing!

The One With My First Baby Shoot

2009-10-14T23:45:34Z

Having worked at a family portrait studio for 2 years I know the good, bad and ugly side of kids and their combination with cameras. So naturally I was very nervous before this shoot as its my first shoot with a baby. But luckily Krishav (baby featured in the pictures below) was the most happiest baby ever and was the camera's best friend on the day. So here's presenting my second official shoot for a mother and son. Would love some opinion on these as its not often I do family shoots as I am more of a glamour photographer.

Preview:

Rest at my portfolio in HQ version. http://www.flickr.com/photos/prathnaphotography

The One About My Photography Portfolio

2009-10-09T02:18:00Z

In the past couple of weeks I've finally found a definite calling for photography. After I received my Sony A200 DSLR in December I started getting more and more into this brilliant technology that has the power to capture a moment. Recently I've started compiling a portfolio of my work to showcase to public at large. This ofcourse took a lot of courage as like any artists I am never satisfied with my work which leads to days of wasting time. But none the less I've take the brave step at last and am posting today to promote that portfolio and more importantly showcase another arena of art in which I take an interest as uptill now this LJ has been dedicated to my Fanart predominantly.

So here's a sneak peak:

All my photography can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/prathnaphotography I do hope to get your input, comments, criticisms etc

The One with Way too Many Icons!

2009-10-01T05:36:12Z

Since its lecture recess, which isn't a holiday but meant for catchup, I sort of went crazy with icons! Yikes don't know what I'll do with these all but I was having way too much fun to stop so here they are. (to find out who's in them take a look at the tags)

Preview:

Credits/Disclaimer
- I claim NO textures used and NO pictures used
- Do not use textless icons as bases
- Crediting is required
- Commenting is not required but is LOVE!!
- Thank you for your inspirations Divya, Laura and Cici
- Thank you http://roseclear.net/icontable/ for the Icon Table Generator that was simply heavely!

Amrita Rao

1	2	3	4	5

6	7	8	9	10

11	12	13	14	15

Diya Mirza

1	2	3	4	5

6	7

Salman/Dus ka Dum/Wanted/London Dreams/Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya/Tumko Bhool Na Payenge/Main Aur Mrs Khanna

1	2	3	4	5

6	7	8	9	10

11	12	13	14	15

16	17	18	19	20

21	22	23

Shilpa Shetty/Kajol/Lara Dutta/Ayesha Takia

1	2	3	4	5

6	7	8

Tollywood – Allu Arjun/Illeana ‘Dcruz/Nitin Reddy

1	2	3	4	5

De Dhana Dhan/Luck/Tere Mera Ki Rishta

1	2	3	4	5

6

The One with Arthur Icons

2009-09-30T01:20:42Z

Absolutely gushing over Prince Arthur (aka Future King Arthur aka Bradley James) these days thanks to the return of Merlin! For those who are aloof to what the heck I am talking about, I am talking about BBC's 'Adventures of Merlin' which is a TV series based on the Arthurian legend but with special focus to the character of Merlin. And if you haven't seen it do give it a shot because its just such a sensational series!

Anyways this season just looks mindblowing from the short preview they ran at the end of the season premiere. I am seeing Arthur in a whole new light and Merlin is looking as adorable as ever. The soundtrack is working a special magic on me this season so I did a bit of impulsive buying on Ebay yesterday and ordered myself a CD! Gah ebay is evil!

As usual crazy fangirl screams aren't my way of going 'ga-ga' over something I like (well lets just say its a one way but not the only way) instead I prefer to gush whilst making icons so here you go!

{30 Prince Arthur Icons}
{2 Prince Arthur Wallpapers}

Preview:

Remember:
- textless icons are not bases
- crediting is NOT optional
- commenting is appreciated

The One With My First Ever Icon Tutorial

2009-09-25T11:56:51Z

I have to state somewhat a disclaimer before I publish this tutorial and that is that I am simply posting tthis because of some very kind people's request and not because I consider myself any guru of icon making. So by no means is the flawless means of getting the end result.

This is very basic icon tutorial so it is probably only useful to beginners and not to so much to the already established artists.

<<<<Tutorial Begins >>>>
Software used: Adobe Photoshop 7
Photo used: http://i35.tinypic.com/sy9tvo.jpg
Texture used : http://i38.tinypic.com/1z4czv9.jpg Thank you Worship_Elle aka Wandena

1. open canvas size of 100 x 100

2. resize your photo and position as you please.
I've chosen to position mine as such:

3. Go to 'Images'-> 'Adjustments' -> 'Curves' and click 'Auto' and then exit by clicking okay.
Screenshot of Curves tool:

Your image should now look like:

4. Go to 'Images'-> 'Adjustments' ->'Selective Color' and in Red set 'Cyan' to -100% and Yellow to 100% (leave the rest unchanged)

then exit by clicking okay.

5. Go into Selective Color again and change the following to this:

Red “-100, 0, +100, 0”

White “+100, 0, -100, 0”

Neutral “+29, +29, +26, 0”

you icon should now look like:

6. Duplicate your layer with the image and set the duplicated layer to 'Soft Light' and adjust Fill to 50%

your icon should like:

7. You may choose to Flatten Image to merge all your layers if you want to make the next steps more easier also you can sharpen the image if you wish.

8. Next is the insertion of the texture. place the texture over the layers and set to 'Lighten' and set Opacity and Fill to 79%.

you are now officially done and your icon should look like:

9. (optional step) if you wish you can also merge all your layers by Flattening Image and then set the whole thing to 'Desaturate' as I think think this design works great in Black and White style too! You should get something that looks like:

I truly hope I have been of some assistance to you. And just to wrap I'd like to say that the secret to good coloring is the ability to play with your 'Selective Color' tool. Every image is different so you need to experiment a bit with the tool and you'll get used to its tones and results thus enabling you to know what suits best for the image you're working with.

Lastly, this tutorial took a LOT of effort and a genuine effort to many who've been asking me here at LJ and at other forums for tutorials so I would really appreciate that you share the tutorial only with my permission and if not with permission well at the least with credits and link back to think journal. Hope I am not asking for much!

Oh and lastly lastly! Haha...please do not forget to comment about what you think about my first tutoria, feel free to tell me what I did wrong or ask questions if something is unclear, I'll be more than glad to help you out.

Thanks again guys and hope you enjoyed it! .

The One with 50+ Wanted Icons!

2009-09-23T21:07:33Z

You know the classic Hindi film line 'tum mere dil aur dimaang mein chaaye ho' I really thought it could never be possible but looks like all is possible when Salman Khan is concerned haha...Believe it or not he's taken over my household with Wanted release! Either we're(my sister and I) rewatching Wanted, talking about it or recaping on good-ole-sallu-films! Our long lost love for Sallu has been revived and all I can say to everyone is that DO NOT miss Wanted! Skip DBH by the sounds of the reviews haha..although I am bias as you can see haha..

On a more serious note here is my review for Bollyspice.Magazine. And all I'd like to say to Pokiri fans, rest easy as your classic has not been destroyed in the remake process!

Anyways as obsession dictates here are 50+ Wanted icons! Yes I know I am crazy to have gushed over it so much to make so many icons. its all I did yesterday and it was almost like an evil spirit had possessed me and I couldn't let go for Adobe!! Haha..so here's the results. Hope you guys like it and please do comment as your words mean much more to me than you can imagine!

Preview:

comments and credits are always 'Wanted' :)

The One with 40 New Icons

2009-09-20T22:55:01Z

I am sure all icon creators will agree with me that when we create we forget the tediousness of uploading them all but what to do, once you get into the mood its hard to snap out. Hence the following update of 40 icons! As usual my creations feature my current obsessions, actually in the case of this update since its so delayed its obsessions that I had about 2 weeks ago haha.. featured are Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Jennifer Winget, Sukriti Khandpal, Kulraj Randhawa and the Punjabi film Tera Mere Ki Rishta starring Jimmy Shergil & Kulraj Randhawa.

{Preview}

Bipasha, Priyanka, Amrita, Kangana and Kareena

Riddhima's From Dill Mill Gayye - Sukriti Khandpal & Jennifer Winget

Tera Mera Ki Rishta (Punjabi film) Featuring Jimmy Shergill & Kulraj Randhawan + Kulraj Randhawa Photoshoot

Please Credit and Comment :)

The One with Misc Icons

2009-09-01T02:05:40Z

Been a while since I created icons and when I started I couldn't stop. I thought best to post as I create or else I'd end up uploading 100s at ones and we all know what a pain that is!

23 Misc Bollywood Icons

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The One About Bollyspice and Amrita Rao

2009-08-29T07:19:08Z

When I commenced my voluntarily work at Bollyspice.com I never imagined attained all the things that I have in my time there today. I not only get a chance to write, which is a hobby in itself, but more importantly I get to write about something that I love! Which is cinema! Writing for Bollyspice is a great way for me to not groom and further utilise the writing skills but also attain a rare break from writing about legal issues which is what I do on a daily basis. I get to express my opinions as a critic of movies and music, I get to write features on issues of cinema and aspects of cinema that interests me, I get to promote films that I think deserve the limelight and the most special off all these things is being given the chance to form contacts in the industry and get to know some of the people I admire.

Over my short time at BS I have interviewed many stars whom I personally felt the need to promote and feature such as Pravin Dabas of Monsoon Wedding, Shilpa Shukla of Chak De India, Naakul Mehta of Haal E Dil, Kalki Koechlin of Dev D, director of Ghajini Mr A R Murgadoss, the director of my favourite film, Rules, Parvati Balagopalan, my most favourite choreographer of all times Terence Lewis of Naach fame and the list had grown endless as I continue to aspire to get in contact with all those lesser famous but far more credible individuals of our industry whom I have a special interest in. However my latest triumph has given me the most pleasure. She's someone who've I admired for the longest time for her simplicity, for her morals, for her talent and most importantly for her intelligence. Amrita Rao. Before I move onto say why I am gushing about her so much let me tell you that people aren't what they seem. Many a times I have encountered celebs/people who have totally repelled me of themselves simply because of the offscreen persona which I hadn't imagined them to have. But Amrita Rao was no such person. She was even more sensational, intelligence and articulate than you see on screen. So without further adue I'll post my exclusive interview with my most favourite female artist in all of Indian cinema, Amrita Rao!!

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"To be successful, be patient and learn to rise with your head high when you fall" - Amrita Rao
By Prathna Tiwari - BollySpice.com
27 Aug 2009

Writing an introduction to describe Amrita Rao can easily be regarded as a task that is next to 'impossible'. The actress has just been so versatile in her still young career that it makes it impossible for me to define her with catchy phrase or line. She's transformed from the 'sharmilee' type of characters to a tomboy, to a suspicious housewife, to a village belle, to a widow and now recently has changed as always like a beautiful chameleon to adopt yet another persona for her latest outing Shorkut, one that may I say describe the Amrita that I see the most, and that is a superstar! Today in an industry crawling with her contemporaries she holds her head high as she glides amongst the filmi crowd where she's one of the most well respected young artists we have today, having worked with some of the most prestigious names like Rajshri, Shyam Benegal, Farah Khan, John Mathew Mathan, and of course Anil Kapoor.

She continues to steadily climb the steep leader to success with the ease and elegance that you see her carry on screen and as she reaches new heights she pauses to give me one her most candid interviews yet!

The response everywhere for your latest avatar in Shorkut - The Con Is On has been huge with every headline and newspaper reiterating it many times, how does it make you feel receiving this sensational response to what some may call an 'image make-over', and more importantly was this conscious decision of changing your style?

Yes, I am grateful to the media and my fans who received the so-called make-over in good spirit. To be upfront, it wasn't a makeover of any kind as such. I am pretty much chic in real life. It's just that Manish Malhotra who has styled leading ladies of Bollywood, decided to style me in Shortkut. With Manish anything looks fabulous. If I had to consider walking the grand finale for Manish at Lakme Fashion Week before Shortkut, no one would have raised eyebrows. It is just a false perception due to my previous roles that people have of me being just a simple girl. When I started off with modelling, my job was to be coquette more often than it is now!

How important do you feel it is for an actress to keep on top of her looks and appearance in this field?

Beauty must be skin deep and not superficial. Re-invention of your personal sense of style, be it a change in hair style, clothes or body size is a must every year. An actress should not allow her outer appearance to be her deciding factor for her success in Bollywood. I am totally biased towards keeping your skin glowing, eating healthy, drinking loads of water, sleeping on time to preserve your youthfulness but am against plastic surgeries of any kind. We shouldn't let cosmetology become the be all and end all of our life.

We've got quite a lot fashion gurus who've been very critical of your appearance in the past, do read such article if so how do you take on board all these opinions?

Fashion gurus are entitled to their opinion. But to date no fashion guru has ever criticized me to my face and it wouldn't bother me. I guess it's a part of their job to evaluate social icons and means of increasing their possibilities of signing on one such icon. It has happened to me in the past where people make statements and later approach me for business. It's funny and weird.

Till date, you've adorned so many styles for your characters from Sanju in MHN, to Poonam in Vivah, to Kamla in WTS and now to Mansi in Shorkut, which character's style do you think best represents your actual off-screen style?

Well, I am very versatile and experimental when it comes to a role in films. However, in reality Amrita is a down-to-earth girl who has no qualms in life with a youthful sense of style. I represent the youth of the 21st century. In fact Poonam was the toughest role for me to portray as in reality I am very well educated and forward in the way I think.

Coming to your films now your last out-and-out hit was Vivaah. After that you saw partial success with Welcome to Saajanpur, what do you think has gone wrong with the last few films?

Success can't be judged by box office ratings or critic statements. Success for me is defined by the quality of the role I play. I decide upon doing a film when I am convinced that the script will add value to my learning process and I will be able to emerge as a stronger performer. Every actress goes through a phase of hits and flops. It's a matter of destiny and I am not resentful for anything. I am sure God will be gracious enough the next time around.

Your role in Welcome to Saajanpur was given a lot of acclaim all over and even earned you the best actress award at Stardust Awards, did you expect such a response to the character of Kamla?

Well, I knew what I was in for, and I was happy that a decision that took me almost 6 months reaped concrete results. Again it was quite a challenge as I am not the village kind of girl and I so efficiently, if I may say so, got into the skin of Kamla and almost forgot who Amrita Rao was. Hard work always receives acclaim and your time has to be right.

Many would say that Indian cinema has become much bolder than what it used to be, how true do you think this is and how do you deal with role which are offered to you that are demanding in such a way?

Well, we need to move with the times, especially when Bollywood is no longer confined to Indian boundaries. We are making a powerful impact at international red carpet events and our performers are being taken seriously. I guess one person's cup of tea could be another person's cup of poison. Luckily for me I have never had to consider exposing beyond a socially acceptable level as leading directors/producers see more potential to me than skin show. If a role required me to be sexy, I would be more like Priyanka Chopra in Fashion. But I am not open to doing vulgar acts of lustful display of affection.

Specifically what do you need a role and script to encompass in order for you to literally 'jump' at the offer?

An unconventional script, co-stars with potential and an open-minded director. Not to forget, the moolah too! (Smiles)

How competitive do you feel Indian cinema is today, especially for actresses?

It entirely depends upon an individual's personal perspective. Competition exists in all walks of life and it is how you apply the of rules of competition to your professional life. Yes, Bollywood has seen quick entries of new faces and quicker exits of the same faces. Once upon time it was only actresses who belonged to filmy backgrounds who had an easy ticket in Bollywood. Today, the scenario has changed with Bollywood becoming more global in its' outlook. I guess every producer/director today is looking at actresses who are versatile and don't only profess skin show. No matter how tough the competition gets, only the best survives. Once SRK told me an actor needs 40 films, a mix of hits and flops to be termed successful.

Your take on the following contemporaries of yours:
a. Kareena Kapoor - another industry person
b. Priyanka Chopra - professional and multi-talented star
c. Katrina Kaif - lady with luck and beauty
d. Deepika Padukone - well marketed actress with a local flavour
e. Sonam Kapoor - trusted friend and down-to-earth colleague

Moving onto life off-screen, how do you cope with controversial issues that constantly surround you such as the link ups with your co-stars Shahid and recently Harman?

Controversies are a part and parcel of any industry that is directly related to entertainment and glamour. It is the duty of the media to inform the fans of what their favourite star is doing on a daily basis. I personally prefer to stay away from any sort of speculative news that misleads my fans. Shahid and Harman are two of my favourite friends who I would definitely be working with in the future. I am glad our friendship is not affected by such news and in fact it shows that the audiences think we make a fantastic pairing.

The latest of these controversies is related to cricketer Irfan Pathan, what do you have to say about this latest news piece?

In fact what is astounding is that, Irfan and I have never even met or spoken till date. I guess he sees a fan in me and I completely appreciate that. But hey Irfan if you are reading this, I do love cricket and we should catch up someday!

Whilst on the topic of relationships what does Amrita Rao look for in her ideal man?

Umm... my ideal man is a man who is an embodiment of imperfection. Perfection as I have experienced previously leaves no scope for personal growth and discovery. My ideal guy has to be a man who honours his word and possesses thorough etiquette and a good sense of humour. I am also very particular on the way a man presents himself in society as a sophisticated sense of style always is like the icing on the cake.

Moving onto the near future, what's next for you in terms of releases?

Well, I would like to be discreet about my future projects due to statutory obligations. However I assure you, Amrita will live up to her image of being a lucky mascot who delivers the hits in 2010. I am in the process of closing a few big banner projects with leading actors of the industry. I guess it's about time I prove to my fans that it's not only Shahid and me who make the eternal jodi, but also a John Abraham or a Neil Nitin Mukesh or a Ranbir Kapoor would equally complement me on the big screen.

Lastly, any special message to all the fans reading this today!

I have not disappeared anywhere. I am just taking my time to consider the right projects. To be successful, be patient and learn to rise with your head high when you fall. Till later, keep it safe and sexy!

It seems that we didn't even have to dig the secret to her success out from all those words, she's said it right there for you guys! "Be patient and learn to rise with your head high when you fall. Till later, keep it safe and sexy!" Well, Amrita we hope that you keep your charming self safe and sexy till the next time we catch in your busy schedule! Here's wishing this superstar all the very best as she continues to spread her magic in the world of cinema!

http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/3286-to-be-successful-be-patient-and-learn-to-rise-with-your-head-high-when-you-fall-amrita-rao.html <a href="http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?sid=18637&m=1&c=1" target="_top"> <img src="http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=18637&m=1&tp=1&d=s&c=1&f=b&v=1.4" width=468 height=60 border=1></a>

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I do hope you enjoyed the interview and do go to the site and leave comments or here. Additionally I encourage and hope you all will be adding 'www.bollyspice.com' to your Bookmarked pages because its fantastic portal for all fans of Indian cinema. We receive exclusive info for some of the biggest upcoming projects, we have a range of features ranging from 'hilarious' ones to more critical pieces of assessment on cinema. Exclusive reviews are added each weekend by your favourite authors and the best part about relying on these reviews is that its GENUINE! Its written by a genuine fan of cinema like me or you and not a bias individual who's sponsored by a certain production house or star. Lastly its a great place to get to know some of your favourite stars as we've had interviews with some very prominent people in recent times such as Imran Khan, Abhay Deol and Sonam Kapoor. So definitely add it to your list of 'must daily visits' and you won't be disappointed.

Additionally if you're an enthusiastic fan of cinema, love to write and showcase your opinion then Bollyspice might be of additional use to you because we are forever scouting for new blood to join the team! We love enthusiastic people who love cinema and that's the only criteria! If you think you want to give it a shot just leave a message here and I'll take care of that :)

The One From When I Was Sick

2009-08-27T02:28:49Z

Bad health indeed makes you do strange things. Whilst I should be sleeping or studying for my Admin Law test tomorrow I decided to endevour on the ridiculously long yet satisfying journey of creating my very own mood theme featuring of course none other than Siddhu. So 2 or so hours later here I am! Hope its presentable! Thank you sooooo much Divya for your guidance and sиuввℓγ - Mood Theme Tutorial!

In additon there's a new banner featuring some of my favourite leading ladies. Kangana and Katrina are two ladies whom I hated with pleasure for the longest time but recently I have found a new found respect and adoration for these ladies. Shruti despite being not quite the fantastic actress impresses me with her care-free and non-wanna-be style as well as with her fantastic voice. Ayesha Takia and Genelia you could say are alll time favourites. I remember when I watched Bommarillu which was my first Genelia film I thought to myself 'who is she and why is sooooo damn good' She totally outshined Siddhu in that movie and that I can say proudly haha...Last but not the least there's Neha Dhupia and Dia Mirza. Dia is one actress who despite being so underated has never sunk below the level. Not to mention she is 'the' fashionista of B Town who never wear anhything wrong! Neha Dhupia is just a lot of fun and carries herself fantastically. To come out sleazy B grade films and even attain an inning into Hollywood is no joke! The girl definietly has brains! Not to mention I simply loved her crazy act in SIK, her fantastic role in Chupke Chupke and Ek Chalis Ki Last Local.

Well after that long explanation and tedious process of creating this mood theme I really must get under the covers and put my head on the pillow or else I will have no hope of ever recovering! Argh my chest is about to break into pieces thanks to the constant coughing that has now bruised all my muscles in chest...yes if that isn't painful than I don't know what is.

Many creations await to be uploaded and I shall get to them first thing when I find a moment to myself so look out for them. Last but not the least do leave a comment about what you think of the banner, the mood theme and anything else you want to talk about!

Ciao for now!

The One About New York

2009-07-06T06:05:31Z

Thought provoking cinema is rather rare in the world of Hindi movies. Sad but true. We're all about escape which is great for most of the the time but it doesn't hurt to once in a while use this ever-so-popular medium of communication to convey some very relevant, justifiable and thought provoking issues to your audience. Director Kabir Khan and writer Aditya Chopra created this rare opportunity with their latest outing New York.

Its rather amazing to read Aditya Chopra's name as the writer of the film when the credits roll for the shear fact that this is the same man who's given films of a completely different genre and made a niche for himself in such a genre. He's list of works as script writer include some of the biggest commercial ventures in recent years such as Bachna Ae Haseeno, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Laga Chunari Mein Daag etc etc and let me say reading that list of films would not have led me conclude that he's skills were capable of writing a story of such a genre but surprises I always welcome and that is what New York is. The same man who wrote the horrendous script of RNBDJ where I was required to believe that a wife wouldn't recorgnise her husband simply because he dressed differently and shaved is capable of writing a film posing one of the most relevant conundrums of the 21st century is a surprise in all aspects! However I must move on to New York as this is it's review and sadly not one of Aditya Chopra's filmography.

So New York, New York, New York....where to begin? The film leaves with you with so much to think about, so much recapture in your brain that its rather difficult pulling your thoughts together to form a conclusion about what you've just witnessed but nevertheless I'll try to get my thoughts in order for your sake!

Click Here to Read The Rest of My Review

The One About Kambakkth Ishq

2009-07-05T06:45:23Z

Its not uncommon for the more hyped about films to be the most dissapointing of them all. For me at least it isn't. It happened with KANK, it happened with Saawariya and now its happened with Kambakkht Ishq. Well to tell you the truth I didn't expect anything phenominal from KI except for maybe good entertainment but it turns out the film fails to provide even that.

Oh how I crave the days when Bollywood was able to make good comedy with witty and realistic lines, real life characters and most importantly a gripping story and screenplay. When you think good comedy you think Andaaz Apna Apna or Hera Pheri but for your sake I hope you don't go in the cinema holding any of these films as your yard stick because you just might come out in tears of dissapointment.

Read on to find out why!

The One With 30 Billa Icons

2009-06-21T20:42:52Z

So I am completely smitten by the Telugu remake of Javed-Salim's amazing script of Don and as tradition dictates smitten = lots of icons! So here's 30 icons of Billa featuring Anushka Shetty, Prabhas and Hansika Motwani. You may notice that a predominant number of them are in black n white and thats simply because most things just looked better to me in Black n White. Hope you enjoy the update!

Preview:

30 Icons of Billa featuring Prabhas, Anushka and Hansika (Telugu)

The One With The Siddharth Layout

2009-06-21T01:44:49Z

It always surprises me to reflect on the layouts I've used and the fact that not a predominant amount feature Siddharth as one would assume and expect me to feature. What an interesting discovery about myself haha..as you can I have too much time on my hands hence why I am pondering on such things. Anyways well here's the new layout ta da!!! Thanks Minty Peach as usual for having exactly what I wanted. I knew I wanted to go for dark because its been a while and I knew I wanted this picture from Siddh's upcoming Telugu film 'Oy' to be used and vola! MP had exactly what I had imagined! There's a link to them in my links section so be sure to check it out and be sure to leave a comment about what you think of this layout! Thanks!

THE ONE AFTER RE-THINKING

2009-06-20T23:55:23Z

Yeah yeah I know what you're thinking..Didn't I say that was leaving. Well turns out I miss the interaction I had hear too much. Having a site is cool an all but soo boring when no one talks to you etc etc hahaha..yes call me a whiny but thats true. So I decided I'd do my best to be at both places. What the heck yeah!

So un iis over giving me plenty of time to finish my half done sets and upload them. I was a bit hesitant but got around to it eventually. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy them and I do hope to here from you all1

Preview:

Dev D

Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam

Hansika Motwani

Amrita Rao | Anushka Shetty (South) | Emraan Hashmi | Farhan Aktar |Jackky Bhagnani

Sonam in Saawariya

Lara, Trisa, Tabu, Mugdha, Imran, Desamuduru & Oy

Sonam & Abhishek

The One With Updates!

2009-04-26T10:37:39Z

Huge Update!

View the lot @ http://www.creatively-chaotic.com/

The One With My Last Entry

2009-04-21T04:20:23Z

Well it is with both saddness and excitement that I announce that my days of LJing are now over! Only because at last I took time and effort out to launch my official blog! http://www.creatively-chaotic.com/ I hope to see you all there!

The ONe about Fashion

2009-04-16T10:53:13Z

At last I took time out to watch the film that was all the rave last year and people went as far out as to rank it with films like A Wednesday and Rock On!. And I am pleased to inform that yes it did live up to my expectations.

It is not everyday that I like a Madhur Bhandarkar film and I must say that my opinion on the guy hasn’t taken a complete u-turn yet but I will admit to this that he is a good film maker. Although I have always felt that he tries so hard to be known as the ‘reality film maker’ instead of letting it naturally come to him, the title of the ‘reality film maker’ is what he likes as oppose to actually feeling the passion for the subjects he explores. The fact that he cast himself in the film and made a junior artists regard him as ‘Madhur Bhandarkar the reality film maker’ in a scene, compels me to rest my case. However this left aside I seriously can say that this film is something he can absolutely be proud of without a doubt!

The rants and raves about Priyanka Chopra are half justified and half not. She performed outstandingly without a doubt. But then who wouldn’t in such a well written role that is just full of scope in an out to be captured by any artist. So in that I would say she got lucky and was smart to make the most of the role of a lifetime. However I felt that the role of Meghna Mathur required a younger and fresher face. In fact I thought Mugdha Godse should have been in her role instead. The actress showed ample talent, was typical model material to suit the role and above all was fresh and young and in her it was evident that she carried a spark to take on the world! Sadly for Priyanka we already know her as a supermodel and a complete knock-out so seeing her go from a no-body to a somebody was hardly believable. To me she looked like the supermodel then and there sitting in her so called middle-class Chandigarh house. So essentially I felt Priyanka and Mugdha casting should have been swapped around .Priyanka’s face has this certain maturity about it and because she’s so well established she has this wisdom about her persona which would have been very handy in portraying the supportive and grounded best friend who literally knew what was best for Meghna. I really think Priyanka would have pulled off that intelligent role well and the basis of that opinion is her performance in Don which I think was much to a similar nature and one that I really enjoyed.

So basically I have already talked about Mugdha indirectly but will stress once again how talented this newcomer is. She’s stunning and her looks are versatile. She can be intelligent, she can be ditsy, she can traditional and she can be modern. So naturally I am expecting to enjoy her performances in roles of all shapes and sizes as I feel she possibly can pull anything off with her looks and talent. The fact that she took on board such a limited role but substantial role for her first film and didn’t get greedy about quantity and focused on quality also goes to show that the girl indeed has brains hence making me more and more excited about her future. Sadly I felt her scope was limited and really was craving to see more of her .

Kangana poor girl I feel has been absolutely type casted in the role of the absolutely screwed up young girl! What a shame! I don’t know whether its her image off-screen or her debut film, but it seems no writer can see beyond that, except of course the writers of her Tamil film Dhaam Dhoom who thankfully cast her in a much different role that was thoroughly enjoyable. Despite that I think this film in comparison to Gangster really shows her growth as an actor. You can really objectively compare, as the characters are quite similar, and its so evident her dialogue delivery has seen a major improvement. Sure she is amazing in her dramatic portions but the scene I felt that would have been most challenging for her and the scene that I felt was her best work in this film is the scene in the bedroom towards the climax where she is convincing Meghna to take on Sameer’s offer for the show-stopper position. Absolutely natural and heartfelt this moment was!

And that brings me to the next actor I absolutely adored in this film, Sameer Soni who plays the character of Sameer. This actor is someone whom I first saw when I was a kid in the film ‘China Gate’ which I believe was his first film. He had a certain spark and charm about him and despite being in a cast of legendry actors like Amrish Puri he managed to still stand out. However after that he sort of disappeared. Recently he’s started re-emerging and it was an uttermost delight to witness his performance in Fashion. Not only was his character so loveable but his performance was natural to the core!

Chitrashi Rawat was a scene stealer for the few scenes she was in and I was very annoyed she wasn’t in the rest of the film. I really enjoyed the fact that she was someone who physically was so tiny but in herself encompassed so much power that she controlled a group of 6-7 foot heighted girls (taking the assumption that models are generally quite tall)!

Arjan Bajwa was a delight to see on screen and like Mugdha and Kangana I felt he was forgotten about at portions but whenever he was there he was there 110%! Looking forward to his future projects without a doubt.

Fashion I think was a great concept however predictable it was. The predictability was the only let down but the full proof script was what made it so amazing. I can only wish it teaches our youngsters that they should consider twice whom they declare as their role model in today’s day and age as everything is not what it seems in the inside as it looks on the outside. However the movie also left me in some what of a conundrum as to what to make of the lives of all the superstars i.e. ex-models that we have in our industry today like Sush, Ash, Lara, Priyanka, etc…They achieved things much beyond Meghna’s achievement of Panache brand ambassador and if Madhur really is the self proclaimed reality film maker then does this evil world of fashion reflect the journey these girls, who are now idols of millions, made for success? Definitely a thought that i will ponder upon for quite some time.

All in all two hours and forty-five minutes well spent and for anyone out there who is hesitant about trying this film which at sight does seem to be an overrated topic amongst the audience, chuck your hesitance away and you might just be surprised as I was.

The one about Dev d

2009-04-15T07:47:56Z

SPOILERS AHEAD || stop reading now if you like surprises!!!

After a long time I am putting aside special time to review a film. I guess after a long time I have felt that I need to spread the word about a particular film. That’s the reason I blog about movies after-all, so that even if one person reads this entry I can convince them to watch one film that I feel is a must-see.

So now to Dev D. This is one of those films that is so amazing in my mind that its extremely hard to put the feelings into words. I am afraid I’ll miss out or won’t be able to convey how amazing I found the film. So just bare that in mind when reading.

Luckily I don’t have to go into the storyline since I am expecting you all to be familiar with the epic story of Devdas basically the Indian equivalent to Romeo and Juliet (not story line wise but popularity wise)

So if the story is the same why bother watching and why am I calling it so amazing? Well firstly I hate the original story and that is the reason why Dev D worked for me because Anurag Kashyap decided to fill every moment, every scene, every situation and every character with realism, naturalism, and most importantly logic! The lack of logic is what made Devdas so unbearable and the presence of logic is what makes Dev D so credible!

What are the tweaks that I speak off you ask? Well firstly Paro (Parminer, played by Mahie Gill) is not a love struck puppy. Nor is she the ideal daughter that every mom in the audience would want, she’s flawed like a normal human being, like you and me. She’s a outgoing, crazy girl of the 21st century who will get what she wants but only on her terms and not on anyone else's. Her relationship with Dev is not one like the original Devdas where she treated him like God but one that is normal. It has lust, it has anger, it has frustration, it has jealousy and even though it may be hard to see at times but without a doubt there existed unconditional love. But most importantly Paro does not loose sight of her self in this love story. Not for a minute does she forget who she is, what she deserves and what she will not tolerate.

Now to Devdas. Personally I always thought that he is a egoistic *inappropriate word* whose eyes see no-one but himself and like Paro once says in the film he is not capable of love and he should simply marry the mirror in his bathroom because that is all he sees, himself. This proves to be a major tweak in the love story made Anurag Kashyap because the reason behind the falling out of Paro and Dev’s love story is not their parents or their social status but Dev himself. His jealousy and his ego take over him so much that logic and love have no meaning whatsoever in his mind anymore however to him his heart is broken.

Of course with such a grey shaded main character you don’t expect to see the movie going anywhere but that is the journey of Dev D. It is the journey of the transformation of a egoistic and passionate young boy to a logical and balanced young man. Yes I revealed it, Dev D has a silver lining unlike Devdas. Dev actually does do something about his life! The ending we all wanted for Devdas is finally given to us by a maker who we would have never pegged to go against the wind and deliver a happy ending.

Okay I saved the best part till the end, Chanda, Chandramukhi or Lenni. By far the most amazing character I have witnessed on screen in a long time. She’s a girl whose fate was not as peachy as yours or mine. In a time when she needed a family the most her father abandoned her and her mother did much the same. But like all girls in the 21st century can, she pulled herself up from the darkest corner of her life. Sure she didn’t go to the brightest corner afterwards but certainly didn’t sit around sulking and wasting her life. She took matters in her own hands and came into the drivers seat of her life’s car. What a refreshing change! Oh and did I mention she also doesn’t treat Dev as God like the original did! Thank God!!!

Lastly are their any bad points about the film? Well the starting is speedy and just what you want however post interval the speed does slow down a bit but when the subject matter in front of your is so intriguing you hardly mind but some with little patience may.

In conclusion, genius is the only way to describe Dev D. Its like Anurag Kashyap read my mind and fixed everything I hated about the original. The lack of logic, the lack of empowerment in the women and the lack of a realism. Take a bow Mr Kashyap you’ve outdone yourself and have pushed the barriers of Indian cinema!

The One about Dill Mill gayye

2009-04-13T20:05:12Z

Okay its it not often that I blog with random rants and raves, funny because the blog was created for that, but today I am making and exception and simply don’t care about the format this entry may take, okay I care a tad bit, but that’s it!

So for those who weren’t on the scene earlier let me make a confession, yes I am an avid Hindi soap opera audience despite the bad scripts, inconsistent characterization the world most tackiest lines. But I sure you I only watch the better of the lot and the only one that I follow avidly is Dill Mill Gayye, or as its fans like to call it, DMG! (Well I lie, I actually do watch Kis Desh…but that’s another story altogether!)

Anyways so to the new Dr Riddhima, Jennifer Winget. I was perhaps the most glad person alive when Shilpa was replaced! Had anyone ever seen a more pretentious actress! I think not! So at last with Sukriti came I hole heartedly started liking the character of Riddhima, really tough to like a show when you lead character annoys you but I guess Karan was the saving grace!

I have no quite made up my mind about what to make of our Jen, that is what I’ll be nicknaming her. Firstly because the damn sound department decided to dumb with weirdos, for the lack of a better word, voices for 45% of the show and then the other 45% was a song so that left 10% which was filled with dialogues between other characters! Argh! I want to hear her voice when she acts!! No way can you make up your mind about someone when you haven’t even heard their real dialogue delivery!!!

So yes this is just venting entry about the trauma creatives put us through when they replace leads, and to top that they hardly give them enough credible footage in their first episode so that to make audiences 10 x more anxious about the fact if this actress can do justice to their favorite character!!! AHHHH!!

Okay now that that’s out of the system I can happily go to uni hahah…Ciao!

the one with about why I love these movies

2009-04-09T06:54:21Z

There are many films over the years that I have encountered that have stayed with me which have been beyond words and today after getting countless feedback from friends and family about how much they appreciate recommendations I make here I decided to sum up in just a few words some of the films that for me have been cinema’s finest moments. Ward of warning, these films cannot be slotted in any category as such. They are fantasy, typical Bollywood, art house cinema, blockbusters and even box office disasters so don’t be surprised at the list in the least bit when it goes from a all time favorite to a film you may not have heard of. Here goes:

Film: Bommarillu
Cast: Siddharth, Genelia & Prakash Raj
Why I Love This Movie: For its sheer simplicity, inherent Indian/family values and consistent characterization and these attributes are encompassed in a power performance packed journey!

Film: Aaja Nachle
Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Konkona Sen Sharm & Kunal Kapoor
Why I Love this Movie: A film about dance, music and an eternal love story. All things larger than life encompassed in a film that is the ideal way to escape reality!

Film: Rang De Basanti
Cast: Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Kunal Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni & Sharmann Joshi
Why I love this movie: One of the most intelligently crafted films of my time! I am yet to spot a single flaw in the screenplay, direction and performance and have seen it possibly 100+ times!

Film: Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
Cast: Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka, Pooja Bedi
Why I love This movie: A film about the youth was always encompassed into a unintelligent amateurish love story in the 90s but JJWS took audiences on journey of a life time about the importance of family, friends, hard work and honesty.

Film: Ru Ba Ru
Cast: Randeep Hooda & Shahana Goswami
Why I Love This movie: Call it an adaption or a rip off but RBR remains to be a film that couldn’t be more than perfectly appropriate for the modern life style where time is of the essence and the small things in life that once brought us happiness is long forgotten!

Film: Socha Na Tha
Cast: Abhay Deol & Ayesha Takia
Why I love This Movie: It remains as the true master piece of Imtiaz Ali;s! Never has such a simplistic and realistic storyline been written about love, life and fate! Here is an example of how cinema can perfectly depict human life yet still remain to be an ultimate path of escape.

Film: Welcome to Sajjanpur
Cast: Shreyas Talpade & Amrita Rao
Why I Love This Movie: The genius mind of Shyam Benegal has proven over an over again to be beyond the average cinegoers understanding by WTS remains to be without a doubt the most finest piece of cinema I have encountered! If only one out of the millions of makers in the Hindi film fraternity could learn from this film how cinema can grasp and challenge some of the inherent issues of society and yet remain as entertaining as WTS was then awareness of such issues would cease to be an issue plaguing society.

For now that is all, hopefully I can return later and add more films on this list!

THE ONE WITH SILLY PERSONALITY TESTS -

2009-02-25T02:53:18Z

So I am supremely bored even though there is technically a million things I should be doing. Oh well..came across these and decided to waste time hehe..

You Are 26% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.
In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

You Are 69% Creative

You are beyond creative. You are a true artist - even if it's not in the conventional sense of the word.
You love creating for its own sake, and you find yourself quite inspired at times.

How Creative Are You?

You Are a Pundit Blogger!

Your blog is smart, insightful, and always a quality read.
You're up on the latest news, and you have an interesting spin on things.
Of all the blogging types, you put the most thought and effort into your blog.
Truly appreciated by many, surpassed by only a few

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

Your Career Type: Artistic

You are expressive, original, and independent.
Your talents lie in your artistic abilities: creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art.

You would make an excellent:

Actor - Art Teacher - Book Editor
Clothes Designer - Comedian - Composer
Dancer - DJ - Graphic Designer
Illustrator - Musician - Sculptor

The worst career options for your are conventional careers, like bank teller or secretary.

What's Your Ideal Career?

You Would Win Best Director

You are a mastermind with a great plan. You can visualize what you want in life.
You are good at leading people and helping them do what you want. You are an excellent coach and teacher.

You are a hard worker, and you're willing to see a project to completion - no matter how difficult it gets.
You have the both capacity and drive to be an amazing director. Most importantly, you have the vision that's needed.

What Would You Win an Oscar For?

tTHE ONE ABOUT BILLU

2009-02-22T12:00:26Z

Today has been a movie marathon day for me. I guess i realized that I had to end the holidays with a bang and watch the two movies that I have most anticipated for in the recent months. Actually three. Delhi 6, Billu and also Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam (Telugu) which hopefully I will be watching very soon.

So back to the topic of this entry, Billu or earlier titled as Billu Barber. A Priyadarshan movie rarely disappoints me. Kyon Ki being the only rarity that I can recall. So naturally I was expecting a well spent 2 and half hours and indeed it was.

It was so refreshing to see someone use Irfan Khan in his full potential, as a lead actor in a commercial flick. Rather than as the scene stealing supporting actor. Talent has no boundaries so just because he's so talented does not mean he should only be doing roles like that from The Namesake. Thank you Priyadarshan for understanding that. In addition Priyadarshan also is to be congratulated for bringing Lara Dutta back into the limelight. A truly talented actress who left me in awe of her work from her very first film in further pleasantly surprised me in Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost which according to me is her best performance till date thus you can imagine how excited I was to see her returning to the Gao setting and even more excited because this role didn't consist of character clashing skimpy sari blouses like those she endorsed in MSAMD.

Getting back to Billu. Well its a simple story about a simple man and how his life is turned upside down when a childhood friend, now a superstar, returns to his village. His struggled for the life he has today and now with word in the town that he's superstar Sahir Khan's best friend everyone wants to befriend Billu the barber. The story has a very simply track which starts off by showing what is life Billu leads, what is the life that Sahir creates for him unknowingly when he shows up and how Billu deals with these changes whilst still maintaining his dignity the best he can.

Simplicity has always been Priyadarshan's strength. That is the main reason why regardless of there being no groundbreaking social message or out of the world script his films still stand out at the box office and in the heart of the audiences. He truly is an entertainer. A great script, great relatable character and moral to take home with you at the end of the day. What else would you want? Or and ofcourse the chart busting songs and the big names he tends to acquire with such ease.

Irfan Khan could not have been more perfect for the role of innocent, truthful and helpless Billu. The actors talent like I said before doesn't limit him to just powerful or out there roles. When a person is talented they can do anything with ease and that is what Irfan proves. Lara Dutta is perfect in the very nice supporting role she's been given. One commends her for not turning it down which many would have done since it is not a very extensive role in terms of screen space however working with Priyadarshan under the Red Chillies banner definitely cannot hurt an actresses career especially when regardless of the talent that oozes from the girl she isn't getting as far as one would like her to get. Shahrukh Khan is in an adorable role and one simply loves him as usual. The characterization simply leaves you with no other choice!

All in all Billu is a complete entertainer and refreshing storyline. The only flaw perhaps is the rushed climax where Sahir comes to meet Billu and his family, perhaps a more prolonged dialogue sequence and better scripted end where we really get to know where Sahir and Billu friendship will now go would have been better. There is slight acknowledgement of it but for someone like me who loves detail I would liked more. What will Billu do now? Will he move back to his old Gao like Sahir suggested? If so what will he do there, how will life change with Sahir back in his life and the whole world knowing? What will Sahir do to return the many favors Billu did for him to get him to his stardom? yes many questions and no answers. perhaps it was an open ending? Who knows. regardless it remains a pleasant watch and a great entertainer for this season. Definitely give it a watch!