Bollywood Blues

Bollywood THEN and NOW. Raveena and Akshay in Tip Tip Barse vs....

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:20:12 -0500

Kareena - 3 Idiots

Bollywood THEN and NOW.

Raveena and Akshay in Tip Tip Barse vs. Kareena and Aamir in Zoobi Dobbi.

My top 10 favorite Deepika Songs!

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:16:00 -0500

My top 10 favorite Deepika Songs!

Piya Bole, Parineeta (2005). Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan, play...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:21:11 -0400

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...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:47:26 -0400

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...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:35:00 -0400

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...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:19:00 -0400

Barsaat (2005)

Barsaat (2005)

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...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:04:00 -0400

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...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:22:00 -0400

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:

1) Ye Hum Aa Gaye Hai Kahan

2) Main Yahan Hoon

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...

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:42:19 -0400

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...

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:21:46 -0400

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...

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:29:00 -0400

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!

Tum Se Hi, from Jab We Met (2007) Vocals by Mohit...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:58:00 -0400

Tum Se Hi, from Jab We Met (2007)

Vocals by Mohit Chouhan.

Composed by Pritam.

Lyrics by Irshad Kamil.

Featuring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor.

Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra - rumored exes - posing for a...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:28:27 -0400

Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra - rumored exes - posing for a photoshoot!

Zoobi Doobi from 3 Idiots, 2010. Vocals by Sonu Nigam and Shreya...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:22:00 -0400

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!

Using blue tarp to shield themselves from the rain, Shahrukh...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:11:00 -0400

Using blue tarp to shield themselves from the rain, Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta munch away on ganna (sugarcane) while traveling on a bullock cart! The video is coming soon!

Vivek Oberoi and Lara Dutta in a playful song with cheesy-cute...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:01:37 -0400

Vivek Oberoi and Lara Dutta in a playful song with cheesy-cute choreography, Chori Chori Chhora Chhori (Alternately - On the Roof, In the Rain), from Masti (2004). The vocals are by Shaan and Sneha Pant and the music is directed by Anand Raj Anand.

Rain doesn’t always symbolize the beginning of a romance -...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:40:00 -0400

Rain doesn’t always symbolize the beginning of a romance - often times rain is also used to highlight tense and strained relationships. Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh showcase the latter in this still from Band Baaja Baaraat (BBB), 2010.

Sidenote

I refused to watch this film at first, but, was pleasantly surprised by it, when I gave it a shot (after my friend literally forced me). Both Ranveer and Anushka are very talented and the story, though predictable (what’s new), is well handled and cute!!

Kapoor Overdose (well, not really)!! Shahid Kapoor and Sonam...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:28:45 -0400

Kapoor Overdose (well, not really)!! Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor run in the rain! A still from the upcoming 2011 film Mausam, directed by famous actor - and Shahid’s father - Pankaj Kapoor.

Akshaye Khanna falls in love at first sight with Madhuri Dixit...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:23:00 -0400

Akshaye Khanna falls in love at first sight with Madhuri Dixit in Mohabbat, 1997. The song is a Qawwali - Ankh Uthi Mohabbat Ne Angrai Li (alternatively Unke Nazro Ne Aisa Jadoo Kia) - by the renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan!

Stills from Jo Haal Dil Ka, Sarfarosh (1999). Aamir Khan and...

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 08:50:07 -0400

Stills from Jo Haal Dil Ka, Sarfarosh (1999). Aamir Khan and Sonali Bendre.