MIRCH : the Film

(Photo courtesy : Wikipedia )

MIRCH : A film worth watching.

Humour, pathos, suspense, sexuality...in short, an aesthetic feast. Wonderful performances from all concerned (Arunoday Singh's a revelation !): Raima, Konkona, Ila Arun, Boman Irani, Shreyas Talpade, Shahana Goswami, Sushant Singh...an ensemble cast who complement each other to perfection and compliment the director's faith in them. Tisca Chopra in a brilliant cameo. Great cinematography, amazing dialogues, intricate and compelling sets, visual delight in the form of costume selection and sweeps of landscape and especially the presentation of "Kaare kaare badra".

Those who interpret the 'A' certification as offering a lot of lurid sexual excitement would be in for disappointment. Sex is a character by itself and one that infuses vibrant life into the characters, stories, dialogues, landscapes, sets and scenes. The film, however, is more than just four stories. Each is a carefully executed little gem. My personal favourite is the third one, I have to confess. And I can't recall Raima looking as exquisite as she does in this one.

I was especially taken by the director's careful use of colour (black & white vs rich colour) to separate the connecting narrative to the stories narrated. It is evident that a lot of hard work has gone into making the film since it translates into considerable visual subtlety.

Music has been used sparingly but to excellent effect, speaking for the characters when it would not do to say much for themselves. I just can't get over Shankar Mahadevan's "Kaare kaare badra"...it is the song of the moment, walking about the corridors of my heart-heavy mind.

And I hope people don't find gender issues in the film. The complexities of a human mind have been evocatively portrayed and I personally feel that sexual biases would mar the intended empathetic depth of the viewer. Just go with the flow of the film and it should please you. If uncertain, just remember, the direction is by Vinay Shukla.

Well then, what are you waiting for ? Go watch it !

Striking back

Ok, so there was a strike yesterday. There was violence before that. People were hurt, people were killed. Our BEd pre-test exam got postponed by a day amidst unprecedented controversy and widespread resentment.

My question : Would the tragic hero want his memories to be sullied by people (who didn't even remotely know him) recalling his name as that person who was (in)directly responsible for turning the course of that one day totally awry ?

I don't think so.

Koffee, anyone ?

What is it about 'Koffee with Karan' that makes even the most reticent of celebrities open up like they've been waiting all their lives for this one hour's worth of national showtime to share the deepest secrets from their innermost being ? And how is it that Karan Johar has this incredible effect on everyone...someone as forthright as Kareena to someone as discreet as Bipasha ?

I have been thinking. And I suppose the answer's really simple. Everyone can distinguish between a genuinely interested and concerned friend as opposed to a garrulous busybody. We all feel like sharing the most intimate secrets of our life but are scared of being judged as arrogant, vulnerable, whimsical, eccentric, volatile, vicious, biased etc. In short, we are afraid of being our own spontaneous self. And yet, these celebrities are opening up on National TV ! That speaks much for the goodwill of Karan in the industry. He doesn't really belong to any camp. He's genuinely interested in other people, be it their trials and suffering or their little joys and jealousies. All that distinguishes them as individuals.

And people understand that. Especially in Bollywood, where acting is as much of a survival skill in everyday life as it is a professional activity. He's nice to everyone not because he's on a chat show but because that's him. The stars see the Karan they themselves know as a person before them and they give up their inhibitions and armour of diplomatic restraint and no longer feel the need to tread the tactful middle path. Indeed, there's the feel of a typical living room adda going on, one where you are being your simple self, turning on the logical and rational democratic citizen in you instead of prickly, pried into, peeped on and perennially paparazzied !

It strikes me that some people have to enrol in a PR course while it's as easy as breathing or eating or singing to a few lucky ones.

Thank you, Karan. I'm glad that you ask so many questions (especially for the sensation that is the rapid fire round !). But also for the fact that you know when it's right to stop. And let go.

I wish there were more sensitive people like you around these days.

For those interested, this site contains videos of all former episodes.

Friends

It's nice to have some friends with whom you can be yourself. Just sit back and listen to them and that in itself makes you happy. School and college friends usually comprise this elite category but it's rare to also have ex-colleagues with whom you are still in touch and long to reunite with, from time to time.
When we were young, there were friends and best friends. Now I feel enlightened. After many tests and trials, I feel I'm lucky to have friends at all. The world nowadays being what it is, that is cause enough for celebration. At the end of the day, there are few people who would actually be there with you, any time of the day and night. To just listen without judgement. I myself have few friends to whom I would be so attached. But yes, I am lucky to have quite a few.
Those of you whom I have never been able to open my heart to (you know whom I mean), thank you for being there. I'm glad you're my friends.