Friday, July 20, 2007

Cheeni Kum and Shivaji

Both are of two different languages. Both belong to two different genres. But, one thing is for sure. Both will entertain you to the fullest.
If that was the beginning of this post, the reason for this post, after a gap of quite a few days is also the same. The films made me write this stuff. Both have been done with a lot of humour and laughter factor in them. Though the movies came after a few days gap from each other, I watched them one after the other, on two consecutive days. Lets talk about the first movie first.
Cheeni Kum,( this is the first movie since I watched it first!) the Amithabh Bachchan, Tabu starrer is a laugh riot just because it has a lot to offer in terms of soft humour. It comes in the way of simple sentences uttered by the duo. If Nishabd was a dampener, this one is quite a hit because of its fun factor. (I am not trying to compare the two films anymore since I have not watched the other movie yet) Amitabh is very good as the cook come the sixty-plus romantic. And one starts liking Tabu from the first frame itself.
And yes, I couldn’t control myself from becoming the victim of her acting and the scripting after listening to the conversation of the couple about inviting her to the comedy show. The scene starts with Amitabh (Buddha in the movie and as Tabu calls him, Ghaas Poos, the veggie) calling her for a coffee in his restaurant thinking he can apologise for making her feel uncomfortable in an earlier situation. Finally he calls her to a Comedy Show the next evening. For that she just jumps out and starts telling that how could he think that she will come if he asks her to, and all the men are similar, and so on. Suddenly, at the end of it all, after making Buddha repent for what he offered, she asks what time she should come there. I just could not ignore the magical way how the script writer has worked for that at least. First things first, the story, the script, the music, and the acting, all are par excellence.
Sexy is too sexy by the way. The child who is suffering from blood cancer makes you laugh, think, cry. Director has used the character and the artist very well in the movie. The artist is also brilliant. (Sorry, couldn’t collect the information about her, though you can see her in quite a number of TVCs, Think one is the paint ad with the granny and the chocolate wall!) The best friend of Buddha, the above the age thinking and the sad moments of her suffering and passing away are beautifully narrated. Though I was first attracted by the song Jane Do Na in the movie, which is a remake of the song Jote Joteyali in Geeta, a Kannada movie of 1980s, (I have posted an article on that subject earlier). I think the movie and its storyline, acting, and everything made me love the movie.
Now, let’s talk about the southern superstar’s super movie. Rajanikanths’s Sivaji.
Rajani Saar and his super star image go hand in hand. And, the first kiss was amazing, No, I’m not trying to say that Rajani has tried to imitate Imran Hashmi here. I am talking about the first movie that I watched of Rajani, Rajani in and as Sivaji is very good. The picturisation, the Rajani style, everything appeals the mass audience. I think the 3 and a half hours of the movie just takes you with it. It’s the Rajani factor, that’s attracting you and the tremendous humour and the tinge of laughter factor intertwined in almost all the scenes till the climax that’s what attracts you. One thing I must say is that though the language is a factor which might make you not go to the movie, then you should go and watch the movie today itself.
I think there’s a lot to tell about the movie, but I think, walking into a theatre and watching the movie is better than explaining about it!

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Kalavaara Trek...

There's a lot to tell about the expedition we had to the Kalavaara Betta, last week. Yes, its exactly a week since we went there. But, the memory and the moments are still in the heart. No, I am not being too emotional here. The climb to the top of the hill was fun, though tiring. But believe me, it was one among the best I have ever had.
I am not new to this kind of treks. But, I will tell you thing, the pictures below will tell you how much fun we had. It was in fact the first, official expedition I did, for my channel. So, it was a free fun! I had to file a special capsule (story, programme) on the expedition to that hill. This place, the Kalavaara Betta or the Skanda Giri as it is called sometimes, is some 70-80 kms from Bangalore. So, its a beautiful place for a one day trek for the Bangaloreans.
(Will come back later to get more details about the trek for you!)