Raees

Movie Review (Hindi)

I am happy to write that I enjoyed this movie. Seeing the last few duds, barring Dear Zindagi, I was a little nervous. But Shah Rukh did well. A bootlegger with a heart of gold who ultimately has to pay for his crimes.... Shah Rukh aces at playing grey characters. Again he is not the typical Raj but matures into a man who knows his mind. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, his nemesis, fits his role beautifully as he does every role. 

There was no let up in the story telling and that pleased me. The songs as usual were placed there for whatever reasons, known only to the director, Rahul Dholakia. Mahira looks pretty, though I hope to see her showing off her acting prowess sometime soon. 

Hoping to see more of movies packing punch.

Movie Review (Hindi)

Haraamkhor (Unfaithful)

I was truly impressed with the movie. Not just the story which needed to be shown but the acting, the direction and the camera. There was no slickness about the movie and that was precisely what made it so real. Hats off to Nawazuddin for taking on the role of a village teacher which gave it added credence.

So many relationships were touched upon with such a lot of truth:
Sapna (played by Shweta Tripathi) comes from a broken family. Her father has been a single parent for a long time and has been in a relationship.
Sapna is in love/infatuated with her married teacher. The teacher takes advantage of this and carries on an affair with her.
A class friend is in love with Sapna and looks upon the teacher as a rival. He is helped and guided by another friend. These two young lads are our eyes and ears most of the time.
Sadly the movie ends on a tragic note. Sapna, however, comes to terms with her new mother.

Thanks to the producers for going ahead and making this movie. I do hope director Shlok Sharma continues to direct movies based on relevant themes with such rawness so as to make the audience uncomfortable.

Dear Zindagi

Movie Review (Hindi)

I know I am a little late in catching this movie but I had been waiting. Somehow I knew I wouldn't be let down and when I finally watched, I wasn't. Let down, that is.
Shah Rukh Khan apparently played an extended cameo. Whatever that means. But he shone in it. I think he does a good job of playing characters close to his age. Patients are bound to fall in love with this psychologist.

Alia Bhatt plays a young talented cinematographer with aplomb. Her independence, ambitions and her relationship issues come out beautifully. Director Gauri Shinde indeed has the pulse of today's youth.

So we see broken relationships with parents and boy friends, single woman roughing it out in a big city, looking for good job opportunities, living a bohemian lifestyle, relying on a close circle of friends. These are what most young women face in today's world.
If only solutions could come in the form of the handsome and humorous Jehangir Khan!!

Just a small question --- Why this title?

Looking forward to Gauri's next...
BTW thanks to the producers for backing this movie!! 

Dangal

Movie Review (Hindi)

As with every movie that revolves around a protagonist who rises against odds or conquers all obstacles in her/his path, this story besides being all this also has three protagonists -- A middle aged man and two young women - a father (Mahavir Phogat) and his two daughters (Geeta and Babita).

In the heart of Haryana where patriarchy is phenomenal, a middle aged wrestler has the guts to push for his daughters to succeed in an arena which is a male bastion, namely the wrestling arena. 

Dangal, the movie, is a success from the word go. Several reasons for this:
Aamir Khan is the ageing wrestler;
This is a real life success story;
It is about girls winning over boys despite social stigma;
This is about Sports. 

So lots of reasons why this film should be a runaway success.

Let me also mention the biggest reason--- A story well directed, edited and with competent actors.

Kahaani 2

Movie Review (Hindi)

This is said to be the prequel to the original Kahaani, though other than Vidya Balan's name I see no threads tying the two. But nothing is impossible in the world of the movies!!! 

Director Sujoy Ghosh has hit the jackpot with these two films. I only hope he comes out with something radically different in the next. Would love to see Vidya Balan again, though in a totally different avatar.

What was good was that I enjoyed the movie just as I had enjoyed Kahaani. The twists and turns were tantalizing enough to keep me glued as to the outcome. 

Arjun Rampal was quite convincing. I am impressed with what good directors can achieve. But Jugal Hansraj??? That Masoom boy is now a cold blooded villian! Well done! 

Travel Tales

Trip to Sanganer, Rajasthan

More on my trip to Sanganer... 

I found men hard at work on carving intricate designs on wood. Each of these would go on to create the delicate prints we find on the Sanganeri textiles. 

A glimpse of some wooden textile printing blocks

 

 

Trip to Sanganer, Rajasthan

On my recent trip to Sanganer in Rajasthan, I learnt several things. One of them was the Art of Paper making. 

1.Small pieces of hosiery cotton

2. The tank where the cloth pieces are immersed in water

3. The pulpy cloth in water where pink colour is added

4. The pulp lifted in a wire mesh tray

5. The tray turned upside down

          

The sheets of paper now look like this.

                 
 6. This press removes excess water from the paper

7.Another round in the roller press ...
 
 
And the sheets look like these!!

8. Screen printing now creates magic!

9. Add petals to the paper while it is pressed!!

10. The excess paper goes back to the pulp stage,

11. The final products!!!