expressão

expressão: Permission

2008-12-31T20:17:00.000+05:30

expressão: Ban hai!

2008-12-31T20:15:00.000+05:30

2008-12-28T20:57:00.010+05:30

Jodi bann gayi!

It an occasion for me if I ever enter the premises where the 70 (and now usually 35) mm reel tries to hold on to our attention for 3 long hours.

Self obsession apart, Am eager to write about something that has come to me as a reason to cheer and feel happy about.

Another reason to write is the flood of negative e reviews and thumbs down I got before watching it. Shahrukh & the DDLJ director (that’s what Aditya is for me) were enough of a reason to head back on my own will to cinema hall after almost 7 years. And this is not an exaggeration.

Getting back to the point, in direct words, Surinder Sahni is simply me, like he is anyone amongst crores of us who LIVE a LIFE in India. He desires like me, like us.

Rab ne bana di Jodi is a tale love in practical terms

He needs love like us. He wants happiness for his love like we would want. He speaks like us.

All through the 3 hours that I sat, I just waited to see when Sahni finally wins Mrs. Sahni.

I expected lots of sub-ploys before they were unfolded but I didn’t believe they would actually come out to be true. I never knew Sahni would himself cleverly judge the entire episode. I never expected him to ‘test’ his wife by making RAJ propose to her. Mrs.Sahni’s initial decision to run away with Raj was not expected by me but then I believed…after all she didn’t love her husband.

This whole criticism about Shahrukh’s obvious similar looking twin appearances can be done by ONLY those who went and saw ONLY Shahrukh Khan in the jodi.

Those who saw Surinder ji, can never identify him with Raj. Taani has never spared an extra thought for her husband, who only faces him at the dinner and even then she is looking at her food mostly. A girl who NEVER got time to be with her husband, never even shared the same room with him and who has just lost her lover can not be expected to know or even dream about Surinder ji and then….Surinder ji as Raj.

The quite, sober, always head down, slowly walking Surinder ca never be a flamboyant, extrovert, munh-phattcan be compared according to me. Raj. So they

(The I has to come because I want to tell)

The climax really hooked me throughout as I couldn’t stop laughing at Surnder ji dancing in his sports shoes and loose fitting trousers and ‘specks’. But that HAD TO BE the real test.

Few scenes, like the bike and gol gappe vaala didn’t have any logic in them but then, why do we go to watch a movie? Because that’s the fantasy we wish to live.

For those who are critical of Shahrukh must watch this one as you will observe how much effort has gone into being ‘Raj’ and also ‘Sahni’. I personally believe that there are better actors than Sharukh but there is only one superstar and that’s Shahrukh. Comedy hasn’t come so easy to him. But in these 3 hours he will make you smile even in tears. And that’s not so like Shahrukh.

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le jayenge has always been my all time favourite and not even Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi can surpass it, but with this film Shahrukh has taken a leap like Chak De…at least for me.

On a technical note, I really liked the cinematography. Ravi has used Jib and Crane shots at a lot of occasions up to their optimum use. The dollies used to slowly take us closer to the actors, effectively made us feel for him.

Anushka, with her simple make up and almost one hair style throughout looks beautiful and real and believable. Though her Phulkari suits were little overdone as not even an Amritsari mutteyar wears them so often.

This extraordinary story of an ordinary jodi has been a prefect blend of the real us decorated with some fantasy robe.

I escaped speaking about few other drawbacks but here my motive is only to make people watch the positive side as well….

At the end, I didn’t have to think much but I was HAPPY, CHEERED AND ELATED AND the goal was achieved.

Love you, Shahrukh!!!

Permission

2008-12-25T19:48:00.003+05:30

Well, this time I didn't expect it.

After months of wait I was ready to courier my film to those who had made it possible. My dear friends in Pakistan. I mean it.

Being aware about the high prices to courier anything to Pakistan I googled many Indian International Courier Services. ing down to 3-4 of them I made long calls clarifying everything I wanted to know.

where I was met by similar questions and expressions. What to courier? Where? Oh! Weight? Ohk! When?
This was before 26/11.

I had decided to send few gifts as a token of my gratitude to my friends. What they would be, I wasn't sure of. But I had a general idea. They would be some books or handicraft bags or something useful in their hobbies.

The first courier company blatantly refused and told me 'We are not s to send anything to Pakistan'. I was gen no reasons. May be they were not required.

The second company asked me in detail what else besides the film? I just made up my mind and gave a list of gifts I had planned. 'Ma'am, we can't send anything besides papers.'

Papers!!!

He meant documents. 'If you want to send anything else you need an HS Code for it'
I heard this for the first time. He added ' Do you know about it?' I guess, he already expected me not to know.
'Its a code given my the Import Export Ministry. If your commodity falls in one of their category, we can send it. Otherwise not.' I had no idea where to find it. Thankfully he himself told me an official website where to look for it. Confirming my doubt that he knew I didnt know. This company offered me reasonable tariffs, if only I could manage to go through the laid cumbersome procedure.

Glad with this help I immediately searched it but my happiness was limited. With thousands of categories and sub-categories and above it the sea of codes, I gave up.

The last option was a popular International Courier Company. I had used it services once but was avoiding it because f its high prices. But It was the only one left, I could depend on.
I had to compromise somewhere.
With the price they quoted I could easily send courier to London twice or even thrice. But that doesn't matter.

Surfing their website I realised that a parcel from India goes to Dubai to finally reach Pakistan.
It explained everything about the high prices and an omission of 'Oh & Ohk' in their questions.

Ban hai!

2008-12-25T19:02:00.000+05:30

Finally something triggered me to write about it.

Had been many days since I spoke to him. That human need to communicate took me to the Cyber Cafe. I was relieved that I had this one near my home. It offered international calls at rates less than normal ISD rates. And it was reliable as well. Specially, keeping in mind the place I was calling to and who (me) was calling.

I am used to the curious and often suspicious looks evoked when I ell them where I am calling. Usually I avoid talking to the ISD booth owners fearing any weird and unwanted questions from them. Although I am not obliged to answer them.

I approached this one after a fairly long time. Initially I had planned to make a call to my cousin in Germany. Two attempts to call her reached her voice mailbox giving me a chane to 'utilise' my money to call where I had actually been n to. So I took that opportunity, I saved money, to call up my friend in Karachi.

I hurridely dialled the phone no. as I didnt need to look into my Phone conatct book. The bell rang on the other side making me even more restless. Before I could hear a 'Hello' from Karachi, I heard alarmed human voices in the adjoining room. I could clearly hear one man saying ' Yeh kaha dial kiya hai?' (Where is this no. being dialled to'?)

The lazy ISD owner, as I supposed him to be the one, suddenly turned around his chair without getting up and peeped to his left. I could see his face again, now. Another person, probably his assistant, came rushing and stood beside him with a register and a pen in his hand. Probably he kept the records. The lazy man had a kind of surprised and I wouldn't mind to say, worried look on his face. He asked me firmly, 'W I was calling?'. The look on his face immediately made me understand the gravity of the situation. I had been used to suspicious looks but this was more than that. It was fear. And I was prepared for it.

After initial few m of tension I immediately gave a confident reply, pretending an inncoent look, 'Karachi'.

'Vaha call nahi kar sakte.' (You can't call there) replied the same man in an authorotative manner. He finally got up. I was prompted to ask. 'Why?' He just said 'Ban hai.'

I am still not sure whether he i 'Ban hai' or'Mana hai' in his low voice but both had the same effect on me.

For years I had believed the hostility with our nieghbour was limited to the political or bureaucratic class. At max. it only boiled down to apolitical bodies promoting people to people contact.

Introspecting later on about that I wondered if this was our new form of 'home-security' or a fear syndrome gripping our nation?

But for the first time ever it hit me personally, individually. I was stopped. Not allowed.

The tone of 'Ban hai' actually asked me, 'Oh, so you want to call there? what for? how can you have any contact there? only terrorists live there?'

Date: Dec.25,2008