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Piya Bole, Parineeta (2005). Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan, play best friends - in this story set in pre-independence (early 20th century) India. The film is based on a short novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (the same guy who wrote Devdas).
Like a lot of his stories, and other Bengali literaure at that time, the primary propellant of the plot is the clash between love and ego (or self-respect, if you may)! Of course, there is the class difference (she is poor, he is rich) and the evil father (his father wants him to marry a rich girl) - but - it is her refusal to compromise her own dignity by defending herself against false accusations - that thickens the plot.
If you have no idea what I am rambling about, watch the movie. If you have already seen it and are wondering, why I am telling you all of this? Well, I wish I could be a bit more like Vidya Balan’s character (Lolita)! If someone accused me of something I didn’t do (hello, parents!), I not only defend myself (while yelling) but also fling accusations right back - reality-tv-style! Not that this happens a lot to me (at least not the lover accusing me of marrying someone else), but next time, I will try to maintain a poised silence. If you don’t trust me enough to believe me, fuck you. If my conscience is clean, that is all that matters!
ps - The song is beautiful. Stick till the end for the cute rain scenes!
Bachana Ae Haseeno (2008). Ranbir Kapoor and Bipasha Basu share their first kiss in an elevator, all wet from walking in the rain. Totally cute!! Even though she is older than him (32 to his 28 - which is further accentuated by his boyish looks/attire), I think they make a beautiful couple! Too bad he turns out to be an ASS and breaks her heart! =/
Taal Se Taal Mila, Taal (1999). Composed by A.R. Rahman (do I even need to tell you that?)
The vocals are by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan and the lyrics by Anand Bakshi!
ps - Do watch the the cute video, featuring Aishwarya Rai, here. And if you want stills, from the video, go search in the archive!
Priyanka Chopra and Booby Deol in stills from Barsaat (2005)!
Do check out her more recent photoshoot for the promotion of Kaminey (2009) with Shahid Kapoor!
Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma in a still from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi! For some reason, I feel, no one counts Anushka Sharma (who made her debut with this movie) as an upcoming force to reckon with! Not that I am pitching her against Deepika and Sonam her more ‘glamourous’ colleagues in the film industry, but Anushka definitely has all the qualities to be the next big Bollywood heroine!
She is a great actor, she dances superbly, she is versatile (can be girl-next-door or glamourous depending on the role), and is super sweet and humble in interviews! I am a big fan!
Aisa Des Ha Mera (Veer Zaara, 2004). Composed from the melodies of the late Madan Mohan and recreated by his son Sanjeev Kohli. Vocals by by Udit Narayan and Lata Mangeshkar, Gurdas Mann (who makes a cameo in the video) and Pritha Majumder.
Shahrukh Khan gives Preity Zinta, a visitor from Pakistan, a tour of his state (Punjab, India) in this beautiful song from Veer Zaara (2004). The song ends with Preity saying that despite the assumed differences between the two hostile nations, her country - with its customs, culture and people - is just the same as his!
ps - Once again, if you are impatient, start at 1:58 for the short-lived rain part!
pps - Also, see the other Veer Zaara videos with rain in them:
And the stills:
1) Shahrukh and Preity eating sugarcane in the rain!
2) Preity imagining Shahrukh holding her in the rain (as the news of her wedding to someone else arrives).
Be it Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, or Guzzarish - Sanjay Leela Bhansali always goes the extra mile to ensure that Aishwarya Rai looks even more amazingly beautiful than she already is!
The song Silsila Ye Chahat Ka (Devdas, 2002) not only highlights Aishwarya’s beauty but also brings out her innate elegance, as she pines for her (long-distance) love (Shahrukh Khan)!
ps - Oh and start at 3:19 for the rain part!
Random Bollywood Info
Devdas (2002) marked the Bollywood debut of Shreya Goshal as a playback singer. She sang all the songs for Aishwarya Rai’s character (Paro/Parvati) in the film. She also won the National Film Award for best female playback singer for her very first film!
Aishwarya Rai (the soon to be mum) and rumored-ex boyfriend Vivek Oberoi, create slow motion rain-magic in Dheere Dheere, Kyun Ho Gaya Na (2004)
The vocals are by Shankar Mahadevan, of the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (who happen to be the composers for the film’s soundtrack)!
This video of this song, with its beautiful blue palette, almost feels like it belongs in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film!
Check out a gorgeous composite of stills from the video here!
Aishwarya and Abhishek, all drenched and dramatic, in a scene from Kuch Naa Kaho (2003)!
LATEST BOLLYWOOD NEWS
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is pregnant. For Real. No rumor this time! This news was made official by soon-to-be grandfather, Amitabh Bachchan on twitter:
“I am going to be a grandfather soon. Aishwarya is expecting. Thrilled and happy”.
I don’t know why, but I am oddly excited! Boy or girl, Abhishek and Aishwarya seem like they would make wonderful parents. I totally think, he would be the fun parent, while she would be the strict one!
Zoobi Doobi from 3 Idiots, 2010. Vocals by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal. Composed by Shantanu Moitra. If you haven’t done so already, do see the video featuring Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan!
