I RESPECT YOU

“The feeling came from the melting drops from the rain...
The moment has come close to my heart…
But when I looked back and think of the few meetings we had….
I cherish the moments…
And bcoz it’s not easy to say…
I’ll send the message through the wind...
I Love you…
more than that I Respect You.”
I came to Hyderabad with many dreams. The greatest one was to become a producer and I was so passionate to fulfil it. But even after a lot of struggle I couldn`t do justice to it. Everything I did seemed lacking. I started being so insensitive about some important things in life.
But then suddenly I began to feel a strange connection with the city and also with my work.

What lay at the core of this connection?
This exciting new city, my new apartment (blahhh i am sure this is not the reason) my unusual independence or it’s because of the people I met?
What has this city given me that makes me sad when I want to leave it? Actually the answer had been quite apparent it had been in front of my eyes just a few steps ahead of me, but I had not noticed it. Someone truly said “You’ll realise one’s importance when you go away from them.”

When I had first come here I had my goals straight. My strength was production and production only but now I know that the joy of achieving these goals is meaningful only when shared with someone else. Sometimes while running after our goals being engrossed in one particular thing we lose sight of many things that really matter.
Only now do I see that my straight love for this city and to some extent work is actually because I met someone, though I already knew her by her name, my first friend, I guess because I thought we have mutual friends so indirectly we are also friends.
.
A stranger, a team head, a new mate, a companion, just someone. As everyone says that we learn from our past experiences so I was so sure that in this new beginning I am not going to make “Friends” or to be very apt “Close friends” but things never goes according to what we think. After meeting her I got to know she surely knew how to enjoy her life. The positive attitude for all things, the way of handling things, the way of making me understand things made me think over my past decisions. And I’m glad I changed my minds. It shows “Miracles happens”

When I look back I wonder if the joy of being in Hyderabad would have been the same without her thoughts, I look back at the lonely sad nights made less lonely and sad because I know she is there.

Many will laugh and gossip about this, but does it really matters? What matters to me is what I feel. No one can understand till the time they experience it on their own. From the very first day she was there to support me; I took time to believe it, and it’s just because it’s hard to find people who will do anything for their friends and sometimes even neglecting their own problems.

How come you are on this planet? This is what I asked to my friend. In this mean selfish world it’s so tough to have friends who will do their best to make you smile.

It has meant so much
Having you as a friend
You will always be a part of me
Until the end

When times are tough
You are always there
It has brightened my world
Just knowing you care

Since we met
Our friendship has grown
While you're in the world
I will never be alone

I feel blessed to have met
Someone like you
And to have found a friendship
So special and true

It is said that “a friend in need is a friend in deed. There may be many friends at the time of prosperity. But most of them desert at the time of adversity.” It was just a quote for me but now I have experienced it. Friendship multiplies our joys and divides our grief’s. Your life is blessed, if you have a faithful friend.
Life teaches you a lot many things some directly and some indirectly. And in this case I have learned that we should value our friends because this is directly an indication from God that “I exist”.
To be very clear I’m not being emotional, it’s just the respect that made me write this. I know very well that what she has done for me and is doing, in this life I can never do something for her.


I don't think you will
Ever fully understand
How you've touched my life and made me who I am
I don't think you could ever know
Just how truly special you are
That even on the darkest nights
You are my brightest star
You've allowed me to experience something very hard to find
Unconditional love that exists

You are an amazing person
And without you I don't know where I'd be
Having you in my life
Completes and fulfils every part of me.

In the end, I just want you to know that I Respect you to the power of infinity. I might not be able to help you but I PROMISE that I’ll be always there for you.

Your SMILE matters to me the most.

Thank you so much Sarah Deepti Swaroop.

Ek Thi Daayan Review

Ek Thi Daayan—kahan thi Daayan?

Director: Kannan Iyer

What really is Ek Thi Daayan: an out-and-out horror film, a creepy paranormal thriller or a twisted psychological drama?

Do ghosts/spirits exist? What about black magic? Is it a myth? Does it really work? Last year, films like RAAZ 3 [a fading actress indulges in black magic to settle scores with an upcoming actress], TALAASH [the spirit of a dead woman kills the perpetrators of the crime] and more recently, AATMA [the fight between a woman and her dead husband over their child] took the spectator into the world of aatmas and spirits. EK THI DAAYAN may come across as yet another fare that talks of ghosts.

Our country is pierced with superstitions, fallacies and invalid beliefs. We have heard tales of witches. Myths such as daayans can be good looking, their feet are turned inwards, their power lies in the plait [choti], so on and so forth end up making the spectator believe in stories surrounding evil, paranormal, supernatural and mystical powers. EK THI DAAYAN makes you react to the rituals/practices that have existed since time immemorial, but, I'd like to clarify, it does not glorify the practice.

Bobo [Emraan Hashmi] is India's leading magician. But unknown to even his girlfriend Tamara [Huma Qureshi], Bobo's life is falling apart. His constant hallucinations leave him with no option but to seek psychiatric help. Going through hypnosis, a terrifying story about his childhood surfaces involving a evil power called 'Daayan', who has not only destroyed his family, but also promised to return to haunt Bobo.

Bobo chooses to ignore it and move on with his life. Just when his career and love life is at full throttle, enters the irresistible Lisa Dutt [Kalki Koechlin]. Bobo is convinced that she is the daayan.

There is something out there that is inexplicable, that is beyond the realm of human comprehension that EK THI DAAYAN taps grippingly. Director steps forward to offer something radically different in this genre and for those who believe in daayans -- even those who don't -- will take to the plot instantly because Kannan's storytelling is lucid and graspable. The flashback portions in the first hour are noteworthy, with Emraan revisiting his childhood. At the same time, director ensures that there's a love story running parallel to the main story.

Thankfully, EK THI DAAYAN is not the standard horror fare and the storyteller does a volte face in the concluding reels. The suspense -- when it unravels -- is sure to hit you like a ton of bricks. However, the film tends to get a bit predictable at this point and the pacing too slows down soon after the interval, but the scare quotient and the twist towards the final stages more than compensate for the shortcomings.

Emraan Hashmi nails his character. He carries the film on his broad shoulders, bringing plenty of soul to his character. This is amongst his finest works, undoubtedly! EK THI DAAYAN marks Konkona Sen Sharma's meeting with the horror genre and given her acting experience, she delivers a terrific performance yet again. After portraying the part of a small-town girl in her first two films, Huma Qureshi exudes coolness and confidence in this new avatar. Kalki Koechlin looks perfect for her part, but her character tends to get a bit confusing towards the final moments.

On the whole, EK THI DAAYAN is an imaginative and appealing supernatural thriller. The film is placed in a relatable world, with myths about witches expertly intertwined in its absorbing screenplay, something which a spectator can effortlessly identify with. Exceptionally novel and attention-grabbing, it's a first of its kind. Watch it for the sheer novelty it puts on display in its genre!

Ratings: 3/5

Don’t take your brains…else Zombies will eat your brain

Go Goa Gone

Director: Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.

When I first saw the trailer of Go Goa Gone, I was NOT impressed. And I was sure that I’ll not watch it, because first the concept can’t work with the Indian audience and secondly I was so sure that the directors will not be able to do justice to the concept and they failed.

The intro part of the three main leads was also a flop, it seems like I have seen this thing hundreds of times. The first 20 minutes of the movie are kinda forgettable, but I guess, necessary — same old one-liners, same old activities — one bad boy duped by his girlfriend, the other losing his job and then the two of them piling on the nice guy and off they are to Goa.

The fun starts only when we have our first sighting of the zombies. Like all zombie movies, they have a SILLY explanation for why there are zombies. Usually, zombie-fests are blamed on military experiments and viruses imported from some godforsaken, but here they just put it on to a drug, which is apparently the baap of cocaine and other such substances and screws you up pretty good.

The message is simple: Drugs turn you into a zombie.

Saif Ali Khan as Boris, alternating between a Dilli accent and a Russian accent, is in very good form. In a scene where he interrogates and intimidates Kunal Khemu’s character while checking for possible signs of the zombie virus, both actors shine as they play off each other. Having said that, Go Goa Gone is a fun watch. There are plenty of innocent-sounding, slow-exploding one-liners, which are funny.

Also, the background score and the sound design is kinda weird. And the weirdest part was showing of pics of Soha Ali Khan as the real love. Dumb. It’s a pity then the writers don’t know what to do with the script post intermission. So they’re persistently pursued by swarms of zombies through forests and beaches and an abandoned home. Because these monsters inspire neither fear nor laughs, the film’s extended climax doesn’t feel merely convenient.The directors should have atleast thought of a better climax.

Ratings: 2.5/5

It’s all about the SONGS! - Aashiqui2

Aashiqui 2

Director: Mohit Suri



How Aashiqui 2 qualified to be called a sequel of Aashiqui? Going by the dictionary definition, a sequel means, ‘something that takes place after or as a result of an earlier event.’ Aashiqui 2, is neither. Started as an interesting story idea -- troubled artists, dynamics in a relationship -- eventually got buried under the waste of random motifs.

Rahul Jaykar (Aditya Roy Kapur) is a singer fighting his demons, with the help of good pal. Aarohi Shirke (Shraddha Kapoor) is a girl who worships Lata Mangeshkar and wants to be a singer. For reasons that are never explained, Rahul's constant companion is alcohol. But he is not so used that he can't spot talent: he hears Aarohi sing in a shady Goa bar, and knows she is the next best thing. Then back to Mumbai, why and who had problems with Rj and why are they harming him?? Not explained… the songs make you forget the script. As the story moves, the sript loses the interest the only thing that will ask you to sit is the songs. The film is obviously meant for a youth audience, which is probably not the easiest segment to trick. But now day’s even youth looks for sensible love story. The climax was the biggest blah..flop..and impractical. Giving your life for the sake of your love is not call TRUE LOVE it’s called as Stupidity.

Still on the music front, new talents have come up with super awesome singing. I am still addicted to the songs and I don’t remember the story.

Ratings: 3/5

Happy 100th Anniversary -Bombay Talkies

Aim: We love Cinema

Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar & Anurag Kashyap

Four directors, four stories, one film, is there a common link? Maybe. One of the characters in each of these stories is extremely influenced by some aspect of Bollywood – old Hindi film songs (the street child who is a gifted singer), acting (a talented theatre actor who never really pursued his dream), dancing (a small boy aspires to become a dancer like Sheila) and stardom (Vijay who comes all the way from Allahabad to meet Amitabh Bachchan), each of them has his or her own USP and they play to their strengths.

As you read the names – Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap, it is evident why these directors can actually attract audiences at the ticket window. With each one of them being successful in delivering commercial hits, Bombay Talkies offers them a platform to indulge and explore another side of their creativity. It’s delightful to see Karan Johar recognize that his core strength is relationships and not mush. KJo steps away from his usually colours and glossy sets to tell a very real story about a married couple which stumbles upon the realization that they have actually been living a lie. Each actor Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem essay understated performances with flair and sincerity.

Dibakar Bannerjee’s story about a failed actor who gets a chance opportunity to do a bit role in a Bollywood film is a captivating tale. Two remarkable scenes that stand out; first, where Nawaz practices Big B’s famous dialogues before he realizes that his little role hardly has any lines to mouth and second, the last scene where he doesn’t have a single dialogue but his histrionics speak louder than any other line in the whole film. Siddiqui’s face conveys many emotions as he runs home to his daughter after his performance.

Zoya Akhtar’s little child star is pushed by his ambitious father to learn football because that’s what boys should be doing. Our 12-year-old however aspires to become a dancer like Sheila (Katrina Kaif in ‘Tees Maar Khan). It’s a heartwarming story as an kind elder sister understands her kid brother’s dreams and they are oblivious of the implications that this unusual choice of vocation might have. It tells you age doesn’t matter, everyone is attracted to cinema.

Anurag Kashyap’s protagonist travels all the way from Allahabad to meet Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai because his ailing father believes that will save his life. Vineet Singh is spot on as the fan desperate for a glimpse of the superstar. He gets even the little nuances right like, calling Big B, “Amita Bachchan” instead of “Amitabh Bachchan”. Kashyap’s story is an honest tribute to the Shahenshah of Bollywood. But was it suppose to be??? Wasn’t it a tribute to Indian Cinema?

The stories, each roughly thirty minutes in duration, have no common link, except for a shared love and celebration of the movies. ‘Bombay Talkies’ is an engaging watch. You may have a favorite amongst the four stories, because yes, this is cinema, and it touches different chords in different individuals. But there’s no denying that Bombay Talkies is a breath of fresh air – a wonderful gift to audiences on the 100th birthday of Indian cinema. Bombay Talkies is a format that needs to be praised for its concept. The sequencing of the stories works and the pace is swift, never showing signs of lethargy.

Ratings: 4/5

Result: Hence Proved

The Reluctant Fundamentalist-Review

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Watched on: 19-05-2013

Directed By: Mira Nair

Based on a honored novel , this schematic film interweaves two narratives in 2011 Lahore. The film is a blunt, slow and pretentious work of art. It's about the dramatic rise and fall of a Pakistani migrant in the US. The 130-minute narration meanders for the first hundred minutes and rapidly picks up pace during the last thirty minutes in a very melodramatic manner.

The film begins with an intimidating situation, where an American professor at Lahore University is kidnapped. The CIA with the help of Bobby ,an American journalist, tries to search out information about the kidnapping through Changez Khan, also a professor,in the tense atmosphere of a cafe frequented by student activists. Bobby’s task is to discover whether Changez was involved in the kidnap of an American visiting professor at the local university.

The second strand centers on Changez insisting upon telling his life story as a pro-western upper-class Pakistani, educated at Princeton, drawn into the world of western capitalism as an economic analyst specializing in corporate downsizing, and in love with an American conceptual artist. Suddenly 9/11 makes him question all his values, and he returns home to become a lucid exponent of anti-capitalist ethics and principles. But does this make him a fundamentalist or a spokesman for terrorism? But where Nair is wonderfully spot on is when Changez, hopeful of a great future in the US, takes his first tentative steps into his workplace and, almost simultaneously, a life-altering romance. The film unfurls in a non-linear manner and that layers the narrative with series of incidents that are predictable. With the protagonist being on an even keel, the script does not investigate deeply into his psyche, but operates functionally on the situational complexities of the plot; hence it is unable to involve the audience emotionally.

Ahmed's portrayal of Changez's transition from a practical and efficient business analyst to a patriotic professor in his country is superficial. The intensity of neither his humiliation nor his pain reflects in his manner. This is evident in the two scenes that could have changed the equilibrium of the film. The first scene is where he disagrees with his boss to sack the editor publisher of a publication in Turkey and the other scene is at the art studio, when he is angry with his girlfriend Erica when she displays her indulgent art exhibits, but this is what I think.

Performances are solid but add little beyond their characters' stereotypical American reactions to Changez's decisions. Om Puri as Changez's father is a fascinating personality, but his limited screen presence is a shortcoming Shabana Azmi as Changez's mother walks through her role nonchalantly. Imaad Shah as Sameer, a student activist, appears comfortable on familiar grounds and is noticeable.

The only plus point in the movie is its soundtrack. The film kickstarts with the qawaali and brilliantly sung "Bijli aaye ya na aye" steals the show.

Mira Nair has taken great pains to ensure the authenticity of the settings. The smooth flow of the visuals, though appealing, is often broken with the unsteady hand-held camera work. So the rapid edits, especially during conversations, are jarring.

So on the whole, Mira Nair tried to show the same old concept but with a different touch.

Ratings: 3/5