Man of disguises Hides his love in another Should love conquer all?
I picked this video up in a random impulse moment at the library. It, along with Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, was laying on the "return" counter. Knowing that anything worth watching has been recently checked out, I went for it.
The film was distinctively different. I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing. Any film that opens with a scene in a space station, that also isn't about NASA, can be a bit perplexing.
To sum up the story line, it's something like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam with a dash of the surrealism in Moulin Rouge. Complete with both a fake dwarf and real ones, my personal highlight of the film is our friend Salman punching the lights out of a few guys in Times Square while dressed in a dress. The halter cut was a nice touch. lol.
In other news, Akshay Kumar is definitely growing on me. I had seen him in Namastey London earlier this year and enjoyed his performance. I haven't seen any of his action stuff but he seems to have reasonable facility as the "jilted lover" which isn't easy to play gracefully.
So, final vote, see it. Cyrano de Bergerac type storylines are always a hit. It's terribly melodramatic but when is that a bad thing? And, this movie features the cutest little baby you've ever seen.
There's a nice little piece in Newsweek about current rumblings in the Indian film industry. In some ways, it's kind of sad to hear that folks are going the way of Hollywood. Gangsters and film families are way more interesting...
In other news, Night Shyamalan has one more mess up before he's on my "Do Not Watch" list. lol. I hope he doesn't bankrupt his producers with this latest venture.
It looks like the old Rimi Sen post is picking up some heat. First there was the "just toeing the line" comment:
It's not that Indians think dark skin is ugly - they just think that it's not "ideal".... it's personal choice, not racism.
PS: Riya Sen and Bipasha Basu have dark skin and one of the most beautiful women in the world!
*sigh* I've said my fair share of embarrassingly ignorant things so I'll let this one go unchallenged. I know I'm an outsider but when people call Bips "dark" I'm like, WTH do they call Johnny Lever?!?
Moving on. The discussion dissolved into this comment which sincerely made my jaw drop.
as a black woman speaking (half nigerian, half antiguan), i can't help feeling that we are the least desirable people on earth...i can't think of many beautiful celebrities who are 100% black.
I was still waiting for the punchline when I read this part:
i am surprised to learn that a third world country (india) is THIS advanced and can make very well-made movies.
I don't think that's the punchline but it sure was funny. (Not "funny ha ha" either.)
but africa (except north african/arab africans) and carribeans (expcept indian descended carribeans) isn't very beautiful and advanced and the traditions is not very nice too. the black african western culture is really bad too
The commenter takes a few moments to describe black Western culture (as relayed by Southern rap, no doubt) and she's still not done. To sum it all up:
i wish i can say that i am black n proud, but then i would be a hypocrite.
Damn.
*moment of silence*
*another moment of silence*
I'm not the type of person to dis someone for being honest. If that's where you are in your emotional journey, then that's where you are. Granted, from time to time you have to assess whether or not where you are is where you want to be.
So, the primary reason I'm still up typing this when I should be easing my sleep deprived self into bed is because of the comment that followed which launched a petty personal attack on the previous commenter and included these choice words:
You being a black woman, I feel bad for you. You will never find a man.
Excuse me, WHAT?! I'm willing to tolerate some level of ignorance but I do mean ignorance, in the dictionary sense of the word: lack of knowledge, education, or awareness
I do not tolerate insult. Did someone just walk into my house, insult one of my guests, and try to sucker punch me at the same time?!
NOT COOL.
Lakeesha may not be down but I'm black, proud and will lay the smackdown.
As for the essence of her comment, most of which has been discussed here, the point about there being no 100% African celebrities is moot. (Un)fortunately? America is the entertainment capital of the world and most black Americans are "mixed" so that's the look you see on screen. Likewise, "the look" for Indians in America is brown--mochalicious brown. Well knownIndiansuperhotties in the US probably wouldn't get hired for lead roles in Bollywood because they're *gasp* "dark". So no, there's not many African celebrities but I don't think that's for lack of beauty. Miss World 2001 was Nigerian. It's more about of lack of proximity. Djimon Honsou's done reasonably well but he came to Hollywood via Paris. When the resources are there, the faces are there. End of story. Celebrity is an indicator of little more than a good publicist. Check out the website Jamati to see more African celebs if you like. [Random aside: the handsome fellow in the photo is a staff member from Invisible Children in Uganda. Check them out.] Thanks for commenting lakeesha. Don't let the cyberbullies send you into hiding. Sing along with India Arie and holla back.
I know this isn't really up to snuff as far as come-backs are concerned, but here's the extent of my "review" for JBJ which I watched this summer. I didn't make it past the haiku.
WTH? Old man your outfit is cool but the movie is still lame.
You know you're in for trouble when people say, "Can you take him now?" but I did it anyway. How could you say "No" to this precious little face even if he hasn't been properly socialized and in the past 6 hours:
He FREAKED out at being closed in his travel crate
Howled at not being let out of the car IMMEDIATELY after it stopped
Got it on with one of the sofa cushions
AND growled at me when I attempted to remove the cushion from his *clutches*
I haven't even gotten to feeding time yet. *sigh*
I'm sure after a few more tutorials from the Dog Whisperer (and a bag full of meat-substitute treats) he'll know who his mama is! *grrr*
Last week during my volunteer stint at the ABFF I was able to sit in on a few films in between shifts and to be honest, most of them didn't keep my attention.
I always like getting interesting emails. Here's one that requires your help good readers. Your knowledge could help one more Indian film fan sleep at night...
Hey, T-Hype:
Occasional reader of your fine blog here with a question you might be able to help me with. A couple weeks ago my wife and I were doing the tour of the ruins in ancient Ephesus, near Selçuk, Turkey. From a distance, we kept hearing the same bit of music played over and over down the road by the big ticket ruins. When we finally made our way down there, we saw they were filming a Bollywood movie – or trying to. The poor production assistants were having a rough time keeping back the increasingly impatient crowds; they eventually caved under the pressure and the crowds swept in like a flood, effectively terminating the shoot for awhile. Attached is a photo I took of the actors, hoping to somehow identify them later. Any idea who they might be? No doubt they’re big stars in India, in which case it might be fun to know who they are. Thanks for your time and any info.
Cheers.
I'm thinking it's pretty obvious the hero is from the South. In fact, he looks familiar but I can't place him at all. Is Velu still reading? Any details?
Boy have I been absent from blogging! I'd like to say I have some unusually interesting changes to share but not so. Instead of watching more 'phillums', I've gotten sidetracked by Chinese study, screenwriting/production, and actually reading...books...on paper. *gasp!*
Until this evening, nothing's been of enough interest for me to bother writing about. This weekend, my church hosted a regional conference for Exodus International. Exodus is basically a clearinghouse of information for churches (and synagogues for that matter) who minister to people leaving a homosexual lifestyle.
This conference was my second Exodus event and I'm glad I was there. There's something so amazing about being surrounded by people who are chasing after what God has for them. Praise and worship is always super intense because for a lot of folks who come to the conferences, it's not only a 'safe place' but the first time they've realized wholeness in Christ doesn't equate with stereotypical gender norms. I love what one of the leaders said, "The opposite of homosexuality isn't heterosexuality---it's holiness." Word.
I met a guy at the annual conference I went to who was a post-operative MtF transsexual who worked as a stripper for a few years to save up for his surgeries. I met him a few months after he'd had his breasts removed so he wouldn't be called "ma'am" quite so often. On first sight, I thought, "That guy's really gay" but after having shared a meal with him and being priviledged to hear the circumstances of his life and his transformation process, I'm thoroughly convinced he's one of God's great showpieces. After spending all of his young adulthood living as a woman, (and a fairly cute one--I saw photos!), he decided to call it quits. His transformation was a long arduous process, still yet to be completed, but his hunger for God's truth despite the trappings of his physical body is an inspiration to me time and time again.
I was thinking about all of this driving home this evening when the song Liberator by my friend Jason Eskridge came up on my mp3 player. I couldn't help but think how absolutely perfect a theme song it is for some of the folks I've met through Exodus and what a theme song it's been for my life.
[*If you like the song, you can download it from Jason's MySpace for free. Just drop him a message and let him know I sent you! :)] your hand of freedom reached into my situation breaking my binding chains and granting me liberation
‘cause I once was bound to myself the worst of penalties I couldn’t escape from my sin until you rescued me
you are my liberator your love set me free you are my emancipator with your blood you bought me now I am free free
and I’m not going back to that place again where my mind and body are enslaved to sin
through your life and your death and your life again you’ve taken this dead man made me breathe again
you are my liberator your love set me free you are my emancipator with your blood you bought me
you are my liberator your love set me free you are my emancipator with your blood you bought me now I am free
I absolutely could NOT hold in my laughter when I saw this image! It seems a church in Chandler, Arizona is "Bringing Sexy Back" for the next three weeks.
In truth, I have no problem with the church at large addressing sex BUT it does give me tramatic flashbacks to every half-hearted attempt I've had to sit through in the past. Even more frightenting, I'm reminded of my high school sex ed teacher insisting that she should demonstrate how to use a condom with a banana as the model. [NONE of us were up for that level of excitement during the school day.] Oh the trauma!!!
Read the story here or just visit the series website: HowSexyAmI.com. [There's a 'sexy quiz' on there. You know you want to!]
[This is part II in the "Mini Khan Visits Nashville" series. Part I is here.]
M.K. and I rolled by Fisk University one day after work. I made sure he had a good view of Jubilee Hall which is on a ton of historic registries and was the very first permanent building on campus, completed in 1875, just 10 years after the Civil War ended.
I was sharing this bit of history with M.K. adding how Jubilee Hall was built after the Ku Klux Klan had burnt down the military barracks that originally housed the students.
"The spire on the building was used as a watch tower to give warning in case the Klan tried to raid the---"
"Everyone here is so dark!" M.K. interrupted.
"Um, Fisk is a black university M.K."
"Why do black people need their own university? I think what they need is Fair an--"
*enter angry mob* "THAT'S THE GUY FROM THE COMMERCIAL!"
Suddenly, our campus trip was going downhill. Who knew there was a "Colorism Across Cultures" workshop this week?! It seems a few students were aware of our hero's insensitivity to the darker skinned among us. The result:
No, I did not kick him while he was down! I was stepping in to stop the violence. You know, "Guests are as gods" and all that.
On the way home I told Shahrukh that if he needed money or something, all he had to do was ask. Geez. There's no good reason why a guy like him should be endorsing such insulting products. [reposted here]
So, I'm halfway through a fairly craptacular week--'loose bowel' syndrome anyone?--and lo & behold! I arrive home this evening to see my roommate had left this in the hallway:
Apparently, that's the motto of Hollywood moneymongers these days when it comes to Bollywood.
Unbeknownst to me, prior to the reading of today's NYTimes, Sanjay Leela Bhansali will hereafter have the distinction of directing the first Bollywood film produced by a Hollywood studio. Sony Pictures is footing most of the bill for Bhansali's next flick Saawariya.
That's serious business. Studios are notoriously risk adverse. I guess they figure there's enough people in India that if even 20% of the population checks the film out they'll be ok? Naturally, if everything goes as planned, more studios will probably jump on the Bollywood bandwagon. I have only two words for that: HRITHIK ROSHAN. Recognize.
As for Saawariya, it features everyone's favorite stalker boyfriend, Salman Khan, and the smoky-voiced Rani Mukerji. If nothing else, judging by Sanjay's previous work, I expect fabulously indulgent cinematography, more than enough reason to see the film without bothering with the storyline. ; )
Talk amongst yourselves. [Click the photo to go to the NYTimes article.]
Presenting Unk's Walk it Out courtesy of the great American theater choreographer Bob Fosse: (At least fast forward 2/3 of the way through. I sware they're doing the Bankhead Bounce!)
Korean dramas are Bollywood lite!--Similar story elements sans song and dance.
Not so long ago a reader suggested that I check out 풀하우스--Full House, a 2004 K-drama that featured K-pop star Bi. I warned myself to stay away, instinctively knowing that Bi was merely a "gateway drug" to all sorts of unimagined subtitled substances.
Enter Exhibit A, Kim Sung Su, aka the man on the left. Seriously, he looks good fromeveryangle. How I love a man in a sharp suit--which was his entire wardrobe for the series. *sigh*
Furthermore, judging by this guy, the secret to cloning attractive men was discovered in a laboratory in Korea. (Yes, that's a different person.)
So, as of this Thursday, I will be on vacation. Thank GOD! During the course of my travels visiting family & extended family, I plan to spend a day in the NYC kicking it with Ms. Makhijani, Filmiholic and Totally Basmatic.
We're having lunch down at Saravanaas then rolling through "Curry Hill." If time permits, I may organize a dance around trees or stand in the middle of Times Square waiting for the wind to blow through my hair.
I'm way past due to leave Nashvegas! Posts to follow...
I was prodded by another blogger to record my thoughts about The Call, the major gathering at LP Field this past Saturday, 07/07/07. Initially, I hadn't planed to post about it. Two days later, I'm still having difficulty describing the experience.
I have never been one to spend an entire day in the summer sun, to spend extended hours in prayer, to willingly fast from food. None of those things sound like fun to me and as a general rule, I like fun.
Still, I woke up at 430 a.m. on Saturday because I had a feeling that if I didn't, I would be missing something I needed to be a part of. Around 615 a.m. I met up with a few friends and we made our way to gather with a few thousand other believers at Centennial Park a walk of prayer and repentance. Walk we did.
The silence was absolutely astounding. As far as my eyes could see before me and behind me were people filling all four lanes on Church Street. The image is burned into my mind. There were hundreds upon hundreds of people, many of whom had gotten up extra early to park at the Titans stadium then walk the nearly three miles to Centennial Park just to participate in the Repentance Walk--another 3-miles of walking. [Side note: Thank You to the folks from OutLoud who served water. Be blessed! A lot of people were severely thirsty by the time we reached that area.]
In some ways, it's a miracle anyone showed up at The Call. There was very little media promotion for the event. Other than the organizing team, no one even knew who would be there besides Lou Engle and a couple of the other folks and musicians he often ministers with. No schedule of events or performers/speakers was released. The Call was simply billed as a solemn assembly, a time of "prayer, fasting and repentance" and no less than 50,000 people showed up.
I don't think that I can do justice to all that I saw and heard in those 12+ hours I spent at the stadium so I'll simply list some of the things that stood out the most:
Every ethnicity was represented, not only in the crowd, but on the stage in the leaders that were chosen to lead the assembly in prayer.
The Call began as a day of prayer for America should--with the prayers of indigenous (First Nation) leaders. The prayers began with repentance and went from macro to micro:
Historically immoral legislation--Native American policies, slavery
Prayer for specific minority groups--Jewish, Latino, Asian, Afr.American, Native
Current immoral legislation--abortion, pornography
There was a lot of really great music and NONE of the artists were announced. (This was the biggest un-concert I've ever been to!)
The diversity of audience members was really cool. There were definitely some neo-punk styled kids there. I saw at least two families who appeared to be Mennonites. There were tons of hippie types and a few bikers complete with leather vests. Then there were ordinary-looking middle American folks of all ages--families, singles, youth groups--and all ethnicities.
It was HOT! By midday, the organziers assigned volunteers to take cases of water from their own supply and pass them over the rails from the field into the stands. Dasani bottled water was $3/20 oz. and the stadium does not accept credit cards(!)
The experience was absolutely life-changing for me. There were quite a few things I set straight on Saturday and I know my life will be better for it.
A few folks stayed behind in Nashville--I think they'll be here until Tuesday--holding prayer and worship sessions in the grass behind the stadium (near the river). They'll leave Nashville later this week and pile into a couple of buses, several cars and vans and start trekking across the US to San Francisco 1967-style. They call themselves The Cause. Obviously Pure Life Revolution will continue doing its thing here in Nashville. If they decide to do another Stand, I'll be right there with them.
Also, Bound4LIFE made a really big impression on me. I couldn't help but think how my immediate family is missing two members because of abortion. No more!Bound4LIFE is a grassroots prayer mobilization movement targeting the ending of abortion, the increase of adoptions and the reformation of government and society through spiritual awakening.
I could say more but I don't think it would explain very much so I guess that's it.
Join us at Hustler Hollywood downtown on the corner of 14th & Church, from 4 – 6 p.m. the rest of this week (until July 6), for a time of silent prayer.
People often ask, “Why are you protesting?” Well we’re not. We’re praying. The state of the American church is quite abysmal.
At the same time, it absolutely wouldn’t be fair of me to write something like this as if I’ve never veered off the path, as if I’ve walked around “humbly, in prayer and seeking God’s face” all the days of my life. Anybody who’s known me long enough would throw up a ?!?!? to that.
This is all something I’ve just recently begun to understand the importance of. Y’all, God no more desires to be disrespected than we as individuals do! He’s calling and He wants his name back.
Then, on 07.07.07--while several million citizens of the world will be gathering in front of electricity guzzling devices to watch another several million gather under several million watts of lighting to power up audio systems that release several hundred decibels worth of noise pollution while local spectators release concentrated pockets of carbon dioxide into the air in order "to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis" --the entire nation is invited to join us at LP Field in Nashville for The Call, a time of fasting, prayer and worship. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Not quite as illustrious, I know, but there won't be any commercials. ;)
Let those in the world do what they’re gonna do—“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” [I Cor 5:12]—but let those who call themselves by the name of Christ do what God says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” [2 Chr. 7:14]
Cause we’re crazy like that, I guarantee LP Field will not be quiet. We're gonna bring the ruckus.
Love death did not part Love wealth can not buy, but who loves Hamesha?
Hamesha actually made me shout at the television, You play too much! an expression my people are sometimes prone to overuse but on this occasion, was most appropriate. One hour into the film and the only thing I’m thinking is, “This is a HOTT mess!”
Aside from Saif’s billowing scarves (12 at last count) and Kajol’s copious headbands, I really can’t get down with revenge suicides. Am I the only one who thinks that boys who threaten to kill themselves over you should be promptly reprimanded? I mean, talk the fool off the cliff and everything but don’t actually go out with him. Sheesh! What’s he gonna threaten you with when he wants sex and you have a headache? But I digress…
So as far as costuming goes, the ‘90s are in full effect in this film. Billowing poet shirts and a-line cut dresses were quite the rage at that time. Likewise, the soundtrack is saturated in Kenny G-esque saxophone riffs and a couple of synthesizer tracks that sound like they were lifted from a Cranberries song.
Ok – the second half: No Saif did NOT get beat in the face with a stick (!), jump up, run down hill, catch up with a speeding car, jump on top of it, tussle with the driver, get thrown off the car, run down the side of a cliff to grab (yes grab!) the car before it fell into oblivion being choked all the while, to then have to defend himself in a fistfight against Prince Cujo!!! WTH?!? Well, at least old dude got his come-uppance.
By the second half, the music is just too much. It’s out of control y’all. One more soaring string ensemble followed by the sinister synthesizer track and somebody was gonna get a letter in the mail! I think the most fascinating thing about Hamesha—perpetual killing a la Indian combined with the revenge/rebirth a la Karan Arjun aside—is that the film required very little acting from any of the stars.
Frighteningly enough, Hamesha has led me to the conclusion that the makers of this film will be reborn 100 births as men in love with sub par films. Ha ha!
[Side note: Is anyone else perplexed as to why fashion didn’t change a bit in 22 years?]
Thanks to Filmi, I had one more reason to procrastinate at work today...
The rules are as follows:
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. 2. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. 3. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog. 4. If you fail to do this within eight hours, you will not reach Third Series or attain your most precious goals for at least two more lifetimes.
Right-o! on #4. I don't even know what that means... Here goes:
When I was in high school, I used the word "random" so much--as in, "That's so random!"--that became my nickname for a while.
I once had a man ask me, why--as if he didn't believe me--hadn't I gone to a better college if I had spent two summers boarding at Choate on academic scholarship. How frickin' random!
Since age 11, I've always had really close friends who are Asian. (Korean, Taiwanese, Lao, Filipino) I didn't get get good with chopsticks until college though!
Whenever I speak Mandarin to Chinese people they make this face. I'm not sure if they're surprised or if my pronunciation is just that bad.
I've had a passport since 2000 but never used it.
Of the few places I have been, Montreal holds a special place in my heart. It was there I had my first (and last) taste of malt liquor. Boomeranganyone? I have since deduced that my bladder is about the size of a small tangerine and therefore, overly responsive to diuretic side effects...
When I would hang out in the projects with my cousins as a kid, the other girls wouldn't let me play double-dutch because they said I couldn't twirl right and, being coordination-impaired, couldn't jump in either.
That's ok. Those girls probably still live in the projects and I'm absolutely positive I can take any of them on a snowboard!
Fortunately, Filmiholic didn't tag any of the other bloggers I know. That would have been bad since I can only think of 6. Guess I'm stuck at Second Series and stuff. *Dang it!*
Successful liar meets her match: a man who needs lies to find true love
First of all, let me just say, Ajay Devgan doesn't walk y'all. He struts. Furthermore, as irreplaceable as Hrithik is in my hierarchy of actors, there's nothing like some brown skin! (Ok, ok. Tan would probably be more accurate. Let's not nitpick.) On to the film...
As I have been informed, Chori Chori was Rani's first comedy attempt and it works. Truthfully, her character in Bunty aur Babli is similar in many ways--fun, squeaky-voiced (!) and mischievious. Ajay, on the otherhand, moped around the film looking appropriately depressed and being a bit (too) mean at times. While a scowl is the most necessary accessory to a proper strut, I don't believe I've ever seen Mr. Devgan with any other expression on his face. It's bothersome. It really is.
Anyhoo, the first few moments of the film really had me wondering whether or not I was gonna make it. Grown women who call their stuffed animal "my best friend" when not calling them by their given name (Jonathan!), are a little unsettling to me. But maybe it's just me...
I liked the storyline though. It was different. In some ways, it's the reworking of an arranged marriage: two people who had no more than passing interest in on another, suddenly find themselves thrown together with a wedding planned out and--because this is Bollywood--they do indeed fall passionately in love. Rani's character is a hustla baby! I love how she turns everything around on the ex and gets a free lunch out of it. And for some ridiculous reason I found her homeless, wino surrogate parents rather amusing.
For a film of 2 hours and 15 minutes, 8 songs is a sure clue that the writers ran out of material. That's ok. File it under cotton candy. It was a nice return from my viewing hiatus.
[I just looked through my blog drafts and found this thing lying around and figured it was worth a post...]
Love brings out baba's hate. Not able to cope, daughter hyperventilates.
A bad haiku for a bad film.
If I had to watch Amisha hyperventilate one more time, I was going to smother the director.Was her character supposed to have asthma or did she just cry that hard all the time? It was so distressing I couldn't even be happy when she and Hrithik got together at the end. Because I'm such a firm believer in therapy, I wanted to force her fictional character to sit down and talk through the trauma before trying to start a new life with the man of her dreams.
Aap Mujhe Achache Lagne Lage had the potential to be good. It had an unusual turn on the genre, the stakes were remarkably high--life and death--for both characters. If the writers (somebody!) had taken more time to give the characters some emotional depth maybe Where is her inhaler?!? wouldn't have come to mind so often.
Additionally, I love a good action sequence as much as the next romantic film viewer but a man can only take so many beatdowns before the movie turns into an action film. Hello! We girls did not watch this movie to see Hrithik get beatdown and random unknowns get shot, nor did the fellas sit through this to see Amisha looking crazy for half the film! Boo. Boo. And boo!!!
...films I borrowed from friend Susan? Just finished Chori Chori (2003) last week. It was a nice 'Welcome Back.'
I've also started Hameshaa (1997) and I don't know if I'm gonna make it y'all! Between Kajol's unibrow extraordinaire and Saif's Fabio hair--complete with perpetually billowing scarf--I may pass out in exhaustion from fugliness if I don't hyperventilate in response to the continual puffs of directionless air onscreen. Reviews en route... [Kajol is making the exact face I make when watching Hamesha!]
To me it’s unconscionable that you can’t give an aspirin to a child in school without parental consent, but they can have major surgery without parental notification.
--State Senator Robert J. Letourneau of New Hampshire in response to the legislature's decision to repeal a law requiring teenage girls to notify their parents before having an abortion. [link]
Word? I said the exact same thing to the school nurse--in far less articulate terms--when she refused to give me ibuprofen for cramps back in 1994 because I didn't have a permission slip...
Truly, I would have preferred my hero, Hrithik Roshan, be the lead in this one--the guy is supposed to be a choreographer after all!--but we'll save him for the film about the super hott Bombayite who comes to New York and discovers hip-hop through a profoundly beautiful spoken word artist and choreographer who--you already know--is black. (Hmm. I need to get to work on that...)
Exhibit A: The citizens of Yorkshire, UK, enjoying Bollywood week with free dance lessons in the park. Everybody say, "shava shava!"
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) were held over the weekend where many of Mumbai's glitterati, including the ever-glamorous Abhiwarya, graced an audience of 12,000 with their presence. However glamorous they may be, let it be known, the award for most glamorous male star went to none other than Bollywood Boyfriend #1! ;) [New York needs to step it up y'all!]
The title is my description of the Esquire article describing the Bollywood Movie Awards. The article, "Booray for Bollywood" is terribly funny even if it is a bit unkind.
I'm pretty sure the pop artist described is Raghav but I'm awfully curious to know which actor did the fugly striptease. Beth and I vote for Salman. If you know the answer, please let us in on the secret...
I need to ask Danny who his tailor is. I want the hook up! [Seriously, anybody know where I can get a Babli-esque kurta? Holla!]
I wonder what we're supposed to be aware of? That celibacy exists? Of who is a practicing celibate? Is involuntary celibacy covered or only free-will abstinence?
I'm not hatin. I'm just sayin. I only brought it up 'cause it made me giggle. :) [Never fear, I'll do some proper posts once my wireless gets hooked up at my new place!]
Several years ago, through my then boyfriend, I discovered Gary Valenciano, Filipino pop star extrodinaire. He has a beautiful voice. Ballads might be what wins him awards but dancing is what made him a household name. He performed here in Nashville this weekend and did a couple of routines with his 18-year-old son Gabriel. Um, wow. ("My daddy can pop-and-lock better than your daddy!") It was fabulous fun.
Early on, in my "Gary V. discovery" stage, two songs in particular stole my heart: Sana Maulit Muli (Tagalog) and Could You Be Messiah. The first is a love song about loss. The second is about a guy who's grappling with whether or not to accept Christ. I've been a fan ever since. (Love stories and Jesus--Ha! Does anything else matter?)
The last time Gary & co. (wife Angeli, et al.) were in the area, I had a chance to share a meal with them. They are such fabulously approachable people, very humble and very kind. It's so strange to think that they get mobbed when they're in the Philippines! It was nice seeing them again and seeing that their graciousness had nothing but increased in the past four years.
If nothing else, check out the video of Gary and Gab. Very cute. (Yeah to house music remixes!) It's a brief taste of the show they gave Sunday night.
Just when you thought there was nothing good to watch on the internet...
Check out this toddler wrestle a cobra. I'm not sure what language they're speaking but all I'm saying is where's the Department of Child Services when you need them?!
I don't even like Jerry like that but the news still made me kinda sad.
I guess it's because he's like the mascot for my college years. I have this memory of him hemming up one of the speakers at convocation. Dude said something smart and Jerry like picked him up off the ground. That and crowd surfing. He would crowd surf every now and again. Very amusing stuff.
I haven't had enough time to squeeze in any 3-hour viewings as of late. I'm already past the point of withdrawal, so it's easier to be at peace with myself. At any rate, I've resolved to filling my filmi cravings with movie music.
eMusic will forever be on my Good List for their 25 free downloads promotion. They have a nice collection of international music. I got some sweet tracks from Mali, the Israel and--you already know--India. They actually have a seperate category just for Indian Filums.
I tried not to overdose. Seriously, there's 4100 albums filed under Indian Film. I grabbed a couple of tracks from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, skipped that fabulous cult-classic Disco Dancer, but most certainly got my Dil Se on. If you like that old skool, super raw, pre-master mix string orchestra sound, definitely check out the tracks from Mother India and Kabhi Kabhie. ;) I might have gotten my Bluffmaster tracks from there too or it could have been some other unpaid location. Hmm, my memory fails me...
Anyhoo, just thought I'd share the love! I miss my cotton candy.
Eye candy might not be the right classification for this one but at the very least, true R&B fans should find this slightly amusing. This is what America has done to Asia--specifically Korea.
BONUS My imeem tracks from Rain. If that first track doesn't make you wanna dance, I don't know if we can be friends! LOL. [The girl he's singing with--Ai--used to be a backup dancer for Janet Jackson. She's Japanese. Anybody know which language this track is in?]
If like me, you eschew cable television and/or have aged out of MTV, you may have missed the first two seasons of Run's House, a reality show following the mostly ordinary lives of 1/2 of the pioneering hip-hop group Run D.M.C., his wife and five kids.
Outside of the fact that the family lives in a mansion and Run's brother, Russell Simmons stops by every now and then, the fact that the family has more than 2.5 kids makes them unusual. The fact that Run is an ordained minister and didn't buy his mansion with money from the church makes them remarkably unusual. ;)
Anyhoo, I've only seen one episode of the show so I'm not quite sure how I came across this article the other day. It may have been the headline: Death Comes to the Reverend that got my attention. And this quote that stuck with me:
I told them, ‘This is what life is about. I may be famous, I may be rich, I may have bling, but tragedy comes to my door just as it does anybody else’s, and that’s a message that cannot be pressed hard enough in today’s society where celebrities are so much on a pedestal.’
Basically, Run and his wife Justine found out mid-pregnancy that their child had omphalocele, an often fatal condition which causes the baby's organs to grow outside its body. They decided not to share the news with their kids or the MTV crew and staff. The baby was born prematurely and lived only two hours.
MTV asked if the family wanted the cameras turned off. Their answer: no. “How could I let the TV cameras in when me and my family were out bowling and laughing and not let them in when we suffering and grieving? Life does not work like that,’’ Simmons told NEWSWEEK.
Wow.
“We knew of families that had similar bad news before their babies were born and everything turned out fine,’’ says Justine. “We had our faith, and our faith told us that God could give us a miracle and this baby could be a healthy baby born with no problems. That’s the attitude we took.’’
A faith that cannot withstand sorrow, cannot stand at all. I agree wholeheartedly with their decision. There's another quote in the article about not wanting other people's negative opinions about their choice to weigh them down. I'll not engage a discussion on the morality of abortion here but I will say this: I applaud their courage and tenacity at weathering the storm and seeing it through, rather than seeking an artificial resolution.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how to keep it real as a Christian, particularly as a modern protestant. I belong to a denomination that ascribes to no particular outward signs of holiness. We don’t wear any particular headgear, hold no food restrictions and from the best I can tell, most of us look normal.
Our services are quite another matter. We hail of the Pentecostal persuasion. Not quite Jesus Camp, but we’re no hymn singers either. For the uninitiated, I imagine it might be a bit much but I don’t go by “hype” for nothing. I generally bring the same level of energy to a “religious” gathering as I would in other areas of life.
So herein lies the rub: All of my closest friends are Christians. They’re the only people I’ve felt like I could share all of my life with. I’ve always believed secular folks would dismiss any conversation that began with, “Can I just tell you how awesome God is? When thus and sohappened…” linking causal effect with an immaterial yet personal being. Perhaps I’m maligning the mass hordes of intellectual and worldly persons I’ve yet to meet. Question of the month: Do I want to know the answer?
The past few months have increasingly brought me into working relationships with non-Christians, some of whom hold other faiths. Rightly or wrongly, I’ve been censoring myself. I’ve been stifling my “God rocks!” commentary. He does. :) And I’ve lost some street cred with myself. Me and I are asking Myself what’s going on. [I’m still sorting through that.]
As for the intellectual hordes, are you among them? I would imagine, though I might be wrong, that God talk makes little difference between faiths unless someone were making a point to highlight areas of theological difference. This is also a point for discussion. The floor is open.
In a pretty bold & crazy move on the part of the producers/distributors of Americanizing Shelley, Nashville has been chosen as the opening city for the film and in a surprising second act complication, I've been volunteered to help American Pride Film Group get the word out to the man on the street:
The opening weekend for Americanizing Shelley is happening in Nashville and RIGHT NOW and the film needs YOUR support!!!
The film opened on Friday at Carmike Thoroughbred 20 in Cool Springs. As you film buffs know, opening weekend plays a MAJOR part in the success or failure of a film so fellow Nashvillians, if you're going to check out the film, go see it NOW!
As for you major metropolitan folks, DC, LA, San Diego and the San Fran can catch the film next Friday, May 4th.
Also, you absolutely MUST watch the video for Dancin' in the Clouds sung by Steve Azar and the film's lead Namrata Singh Gujral which features the only Hindi lyrics in country music! Who knows, this could be the beginning of a trend...
...which with this week's turn of events in VA can't be taken for granted.
I've been meaning to post about not posting for a couple of days now but this little nudge from Ennis did the trick:
Where did you go? Fug* never takes a holiday, and Bollywood keeps churning out things that need commentary. Where is t-hype?
Awww. t-hype is on lockdown y'all. The only way this month could get any busier is if I was getting married. Now accepting applications. ;)
*The truth is, Bollywood Fuglycan't take a break. So long as costume designers malign our favorite stars, there is work to be done!
For the next eight days, I'll be volunteering at the Nashville Film Festival. This Friday, my kids at the B&G Club have their movie premiere. Saturday I've got to snap some photos for work of a service project called Operation Compassion. Monday is the annual dinner for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and I'm responsible for a ton of PowerPoint stuff. This ain't no small time affair either. Vince Gill is performing after dinner and it's at this hoity-toity little facility.
Then there's this film that I mentioned earlier. I got a phone call from one of the producers and we had a great chat about film in Nashville. It appears that we're getting the film extra first in that Nashville will be the first box-office opening for the film on Friday, April 27, at Thoroughbred 20 in Franklin. That's a pretty bold & crazy move on the part of the producers/distributors AND--in a fabulous second act complication--I've been enlisted to help get the word out on the street: Americanizing Shelley is opening in Nashville and we need to make sure the box office numbers are strong! Opening weekend plays an enormous part in the reputation of the film and, more importantly, in the film's theater longevity. We're doing everything short of standing outside Sri Ganesha passing out flyers! Kumar, you're doing that right? ;)
Truthfully, I've really been wanting to write a review on Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage because it was seriously the worst movie I've ever seen. On the thumbs up side, I never did write any notes on Mother India, The Namesake (10 hott points for Kal Penn's shaved head) or Namastey London (*tsk*tsk* Punjabi pink is not for everyone).
Hopefully after I find another place to live at the end of May (!) I'll have more time to devote to my beloved Bollywood.
Until then I find rest in the fact that my new associations have positioned me a mere 4 degrees of separation from Life Goal #29: Meet Hrithik Roshan.
Laws of attraction Deliver easy success And love left unproved
First of all, anytime a cute, girl-next-door type snaggs the devotion of a supermodel-of-the-year type, that's an instant 5-stars in my book.
If you've been reading the blog for a while, you may remember when I borrowed this and several others from friend Susan. (2 down, 4 to go!)
I came to the film with no particular expectations and was pleasantly suprised. It's awfully silly. I couldn't help but like it.
I kept thinking, "Git it granny!" when she started breaking down the rules. A girl's gotta have a plan! LOL! There was nothing unusual about the rules. It's all been said before. In fact, I agree with them all which is not to say that their foolproof. Complimenting anyone even if it isn't true can leave a nasty trail you'll have to deal with later. Furthermore, ignoring only works for supermodels, et al. Your average semi-nerdy guy would be happy to get a little attention at least.
Anyhoo, it is worth noting that this movie featured a vigorous tongue tussle between the two leads considering the fuss that was made over a half-baked kiss in Dhoom 2. Despite the film's alternative storytelling structure (3rd person/mockumentary), it's extremely easy to follow and all the more entertaining because of it. I loved watching all the peripheral characters fold into the main storyline by the end. It was a nice concept.
If you like fun movies, grab this, your comfort foods, and enjoy the watch.
So, I spent Friday night at another Vandy SACE event. Normally I try to restrict myself from fraternizing with undergrads, as one must generally act one's age and I'm trying desperately to shed any lingering displeasure I have about my apparent adulthood.
However, when I saw that garba lessons were on the agenda, like R.Kelly, I told myself 'age ain't nothing but a number'. Unlike R.Kelly, my denial of the truth did not result in robbing (or otherwise desecrating) the cradle but rather, in calve muscles still searing with pain two days later.
Once I got a couple of basic steps down, I was like, Bring it on! Part of my delusion was probably fortified by having been asked, "So, what year are you?" more than once. Ha! My eye creamdoes work! (Side note: On Saturday, I went to get my nails done and the nail lady is like, "Are you still in high school?" WHAT?! Maybe I just need to up my game.)
Anyway, it was cool to experience cultural dance instead of just watching it onscreen. It's also interesting to note that I found it much easier than any of the West African workshops I've ever taken. I am now one step closer to accomplishing life goal #41: Be an extra in a Bollywood film. ;)
In other news, Akshay Kumar is definitely growing on me. I had seen him in Namastey London earlier this year and enjoyed his performance. I haven't seen any of his action stuff but he seems to have reasonable facility as the "jilted lover" which isn't easy to play gracefully.
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