Another movie post - Dil Chahta Hai...

Its the only movie of which I have seen all 4 shows. No, No, not on the same day. Am not that crazy. To add to that, I have seen it countless no. of times on TV. Last time being three days back - when I caught the last 20 mins.

Since then, I have been oscillating between - to-blog-about-it-or-not-to-blog-about-it. Mostly because, I have just put up a post on movies (Jerry Maguire) and people might find it repetitive. But then I realised, all of 2 people read the blog - thats me in the morning (all fresh and happy) and me in the evening (jaded and tired) and both of them wont mind reading about it - so what the hell. Here goes.....

DCH did not send the cash registers ringing. Nor was it a cult movie. I mean, it did not start a revolution - a la Rang De Basanti, or motivated a whole lot of parents naming their son Raj a la DDLJ or make people teary eyed going ga ga about joint families a la HAHK. But there is a freshness about the movie which just does not fade away. So, in true corporate style (saying this as I am blogging from the office-influence rubbing off), what are the take aways -

1. New and improved Saif - Before we got Parineeta, Hum Tum, Salaam Namaste, Omkaara there was DCH. Somewhere, on the sets of DCH he discovered uber coolness and perfect sense of comic timing. Fortunately, both have stayed with him ever since.

2. Aamir's goatee - What do we say about him? Who would have thought that after playing the unforgettable role of village hero Bhuvan in Lagaan - in the very same year he himself will break the mould and reincarnate as SCST (super-cool-stud-types) Aakash. His hair style gave all barbers an excuse to give a lousy hair cut (sir, ekdum aamir khan types baal kaata hai) and made goatee the new in-thing.

3. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy - Did they do any movies before DCH or they were just too busy getting a PhD in advertising jingles? Truly, they are a gift to music. We have heard them in a whole lot of movies ever since but DCH is where their cliched sun rose for the first time.

4. Friendship - Friendship has been the object of many movies (Sholay is the first one that comes to mind) but Farhan handled it in a really realistic way, something I connected with instantly. Friends having fun at college and playing pranks, Friends having an argument, Friends crossing the line, Friends walking away for something which can be resolved with a simple sorry, Friends still feeling the connect despite all differences and distance, and Friends being friends again (thank fully), albeit in a different more mature more understanding way.

5. Farhan Akhtar - I could not believe this was his first movie. I am no expert in movie making - for that matter, not really an expert in anything. I am an MBA - what did you expect. Bloody &*%(*^*&^&^. Go take a walk. But really - such finesse in story telling! He strengthened my faith in Genes (He is the progeny of Honey Irani and Javed Akhtar). I just hope, mine start showing their effect sometime soon. Its been 26 years already. Start working... dammit!!

Well, can go ranting on and on. But then work would suffer and you would suffer too - reading more of me. So will stop.

If you think of something I have missed - feel free to add.

Coming soon - A post on Mumbai - the city I love to hate but (OK, I confess) would probably hate to leave now.

What am I talking about -

1. I dont understand what it really really means...

2. Its written by someone who died way before I was born..meaning its not really contemporary..

3. I am not a big fan of the author. Infact, I have not read anything else that the guy has written. This on top of the fact that the guy was a prolific, influential and well known author who wrote poems, plays, books et al.

4. Its not sung by my favorite singer. Infact, its sung by a motley group of classical singers mixed with some filmi types. Odd combination no....

5. I hear it in the oddest of place - darkened hall, 100's of unknown people around me... me in a relaxed mood and they make me specially stand up to listen to this...

You guessed it right. Its the National Anthem.

The point is despite reasons 1-5, I get goosebumps when I listen to the anthem. It makes me want to sing along - actually sing along loudly, saluting the screen alongside, doing a march past (while standing at the same place) and when it gets over - shout slogans like "Bharat Mata ki jai" and what not. But I refrain so that people around me dont think that they will be spending the next 2.5 hours sitting next to a total freakshow (what to do - I am please-everyone, dont stand out, merge in the background types) .

But I do singalong. Ofcourse, the mute button is firmly pressed. It immediately puts me in a good mood, refreshes the hell out of me and most of all makes me proud to be an Indian.

PS: Last time, I heard it - I felt all of that and more. Why - coz the movie that followed was not one of those David Dhawan types (which, by the way I enjoy) but a totally rocking Chak de. Its a must watch. For a more convincing pitch - go here. It convinced me for sure.

Jerry Maguire...

Watched it yesterday night. Let me add here - have watched it atleast 7 times before this. But the beauty of Cinema - it always throws up new angles, new thoughts and the energy to actually get off your ass after a fairly heavy day at work and blog about it.

I wonder, how could Cameron Crowe fit in the following in all of 139 mins:

1. Best breaking up scene (quiet) - When Renee Zellweger breaks up with Tom Cruise. She starts with "Its my fault"; you throw your head back, think "not another woman taking it on herself while actually saying - "Its you, moron!! your f^&*^%g fault", saying out loudly "bah" and getting up to get something from the fridge. Just then, she launches into a monologue which makes her sound totally believable, makes you shake your head in agreement and curse yourself for thinking bad things about Renee. All else is OK but how could think bad about her - she is Reneeeee.... havent you seen Bridget Jones's series.

2. Best Breaking up scene (loud) - Unlike the first one, this keeps you hooked. Atleast, kept me hooked. (Does it mean - I like my women loud and feisty and balls-kicking. No, I have only one pair and I dont think I would like a tinge of blue color on them). The best part of the scene is - the split second change of emotions - While Kelly Preston is haranguing Tom for losing out on a contract, Tom realises he wants to break up. In a second, kelly feels she has done the wrong thing and does not want to break up. In the next second, she feels this cant be happening to her and she will be losing (in case you have not figured yet - she is super competitive, really hot chick who has never been dumped). Next second, she is over him, angry and punches the hell out of his face and gives his balls theblue tinge (which i re highlight - I dont like on mine)

3. Best Father - son bonding scenes - Will have to say scenes coz the relationship evolves. From friendly banter in the car (Renee and her son go to drop Tom at the airport. Tom and son play a game of "Did you know....") to keeping secrets and soulful listening (when Tom drops over at Renee's place and is totally broken) to the utterly touching hug that the son gives Tom when he is taking Renee out on a date to the Morning - over the breakfast-eating cereals bonding. I think its truly amazing.

4. Best Friends - Again an evolution. Starts with Cuba Gooding saying "Show me the money" and Tom saying "You are all I have got" to venting out anger (by both Tom outside the airport) to complete care and love that a friend deserves.

5. Best making up scene - Setting - Tom and Renee have broken up. He, the dud realises that he cannot live without her, comes running back to a house where a bunch of divorced women are chatting about "how empty their lives are". Tom walks in, says Hello and hajjaar other stuff. For me, its the line of the movie. All Renee says is "You had me at Hello...."

It just makes me wonder, how could Cameron Crowe fit it all in 139 mins. Have I said it before. Am I repeating myself. Yes, you dud - coz am still wondering. Why, even our coffee guy Karan Johar needs triple the time to talk about any one of the above.

Bottom Line - If you have not seen the movie - watch it.
If you have, watch it again. You will enjoy.

Tag along....

I am good at a lot of things. Just wanted to add another item to the list - "Being irritating".

To accomplish this - I have set an easy target - Smoochy. And the plan of action is to "start a tag chain". Ironically, the objective of the tag is to - write about -

5 most irritating TAGS ever -
1. 5 things you love / hate about your job - except Salary, job content, boss, coworkers

2. 5 things you love / hate about the Indian cricket team - except Sachin, Saurav, Dravid, Kumble and Chappel

3. 5 things you would do if you became Mr Universe / Ms. Universe - except eradicating poverty, illiteracy et al

4. 5 people / items you want to have around when you get stranded on an island - except Monica Belluci or the Calvin Hobbes collection

5. 5 most irritating tags ever.

Go on, smoochy - take it out, let it rip, show the world. We are all watching.

What defines me......

The other day, I went and watched Salman Khan and Govinda starrer Partner. Before you close the window - this post is not about the movie.

Then, same day - late night Star Movies or HBO was showing Hitch - the Will Smith starrer that Partner is a rip off of. Before you get really interested and lean forward to read, this post is not about Hitch either.

Slight digression - a friend of mine has predicted that Will Smith will be the first Black US President. I thinks its quite possible. What do you guys think? Disclaimer again - this post is not about politics either.

Okay okay - am getting to the point.

Somewhere in the movie - Eva Mendes, Will Smith love interest is narrating an incident to him about something that happened to her when she was a kid. And she says, "It kinda defines you - doesnt it". Meaning - the incident had such an impact on her that those 15 minutes shaped the person she had become.

It kinda got me thinking. I dived into the recesses of my past to look for something similar. And came up with no equally jolting, mind altering events. However, there was this small incident which in its very subtle way, altered one aspect of my personality. If you have read till this far, I am assuming you are interested - so here goes -

Once upon a time, there was this kid. Let call him Tom. He had a slight bent towards academics (credit goes to sundry temptations given by parents if he did well). He also had two friends - no prizes for guessing the names - Dick and Harpreet. Turns out - they also had a similar bent of mind. Basically, they were all maggoos (nerds) and mostly the parents were to blame. TDH had been in the same section since class first. Till Class V - end of the year class ranks were as follows -
Rank 1 - Dick or Harpreet (depending on whose parents were better at whipping their progeny's ass)
Rank 2 - Dick or Harpreet (depending on whose parents were better at whipping their progeny's ass)
Rank 3 - Tom
Bottom Line - Tom was always third.
Hidden Bottom Line - He was a satisfied third Class VI

2nd term results are out - Marks are as follows:
Rank 1 - Dick - Marks - 729
Rank 2 - Harpreet - Marks - 728
Rank 3 - Tom - Marks - 727

Tom's class teacher calls him to her room. They talk, something dawns on her, she asks Tom to call his parents for a PTA. Tom - the intelligent class Rank 3 bugger that he is - thinks she is going to praise his ass off. Goes home and arrives at the school with parents and co.

Scene - Meeting room
Teacher, Parents and co, Tom sitting around the table

Parents - (thinking - what has he done again)
Tom - (thinking - wow ...my ass is going to get praised and this is strategically the right time to ask for Media - the new video game)

Teacher - to P&Co - your son has done well again. Am sure you are really happy
P&Co - (thinking - thank god - no class fights discussion) (smiling)- Ya - he works really hard
Tom - external - nice studious smile (Internal - Media - My beloved video game - here i come yippeeee)

Teacher - But i wanted to discuss something else also.
P&Co - (thinking We knew there was something !!!!! Toooooom Grrrrr) And What is it ?!?
Tom - (thinking O shit - does she know about my crush on her - Dick, you told her, I am going to immobilize your dick - Looking to bolt)

Teacher - I looked at his past record. While he has been doing well, he has been consistently coming third in his class. And the troubling bit is - He is happy about it and totally satisfied. (Looking at Tom) Dont you want to come first Tom?
Tom - (looooong sigh of relief) - Well I want to but..... its oK (thinking what crap conversation is)

The meeting went on like that but Tom had mostly switched off. Uninterested as if this was a non issue and the teacher by calling the PTA and discussing this was jeopardising his chances of getting Media.

No, after this meeting Tom did not become the ass hole maggoo. Did not become the rat that he has probably become now. And still did not want to come first in the class.

One minor change - Year end results - Rank status -
Rank 1 - Dick (celebrating)
Rank 2 - Harpreet (celebrating)
Rank 3 - Tom (celebrating)

But this time - there was a subtle shift - somewhere inside along with the old happy feeling of coming third - there was feeling part two - slightly sad that he had not come second or even first. For me, that was the start of (no - not becoming the rat) but actually visualising and believing that I could come first.

And I did in class VII and VIII.

IX onwards I started taking active interest in the female species. A lot of FIRSTS happened there. But that is for another post.

So... what defines you?