tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post3792576595317380003..comments2023-11-10T08:26:51.182-06:00Comments on Beth Loves Bollywood: about as subtle as a brick bat - and equally painful, too: In Custody/MuhafizBeth Loves Bollywoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05540154833326987567noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-37144314576650794812009-11-26T08:33:01.344-06:002009-11-26T08:33:01.344-06:00Hi Beth,
Haven't seen this film. But I'd ...Hi Beth,<br /><br />Haven't seen this film. But I'd like to recommend a film called 'Basera' (Home) to you -- Shashi Kapoor, Rekha and Rakhi. To me, the film was surpising and disturbing in many ways. Won't tell you much about it, I'd like to know how you find it.<br /><br />Take care.manythoughtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14459671954976738325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-52605086941412584662009-11-09T13:41:54.809-06:002009-11-09T13:41:54.809-06:00Waah, I actually lub this film!Waah, I actually lub this film!Pituhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02438422220019928853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-56217344578175483872009-11-08T08:25:52.711-06:002009-11-08T08:25:52.711-06:00Hi Bawa
The last part of your comment was really ...Hi Bawa<br /><br />The last part of your comment was really interesting although I feel maybe you have translated the Punjabi wrong. In Punjabi/Hindi/Urdu/etc the expression i think you are transliterating is 'Mujhe bhook lag rahi hai'.. 'lagna' as a verb doesn't exactly mean to be stuck to, i think maybe a better transliteration would be 'I am feeling hunger'? which also reveals quite a bit about the mindset, which i think was the point you were trying to make. :)Ghazalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17760375212016370592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-49607812540164164872009-11-06T01:58:29.635-06:002009-11-06T01:58:29.635-06:00The problem for me with such outlooks is that I do...The problem for me with such outlooks is that I do not think that the central theme is real (is urdu really dying?), which takes away much of the impact of the film. The actors are great, one could expect no less from such a cast but the main story somehow leaves me a bit flat.<br /><br />Here is one example of "dying Urdu poetry" written as a ode to the language itself<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BhwdvM_RaI<br /><br />As for the David Mitchell post, the reply by Bidney would sum up some of my objections to his facile, reasonable sounding, but totally prejudiced view.<br /><br />Perhaps that is because I now live in a corner of a world where a dying or dead language has been successfully revived and I think it is to the enrichment of all.<br /><br />Language is not only a means of communication, it also provides unique concepts and thought processes. When we lose a language, we also lose a whole way of thinking and life.<br /><br />I use this example. In English you are "I am hungry = a state of being"<br />In Spanish it is "I have hunger = something that you acquire"<br />In Punjabi "Hunger has come and stuck to me"bawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14772313690591638108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-15808886495499310202009-11-04T07:49:28.400-06:002009-11-04T07:49:28.400-06:00100th Shashi post! That certainly calls for a cel...100th Shashi post! That certainly calls for a celebration. I think you should concoct the "perfect" Shashi movie using scenes/songs from his actual movies as ingredients.Shalinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13254643642104251964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-4289157007165881142009-11-03T21:28:12.353-06:002009-11-03T21:28:12.353-06:00I liked the movie back when I saw it but mainly be...I liked the movie back when I saw it but mainly because we knew poets/writers in India that reminded me alot of Nur. It's actually a favorite of theirs mainly (I think) because they see their art - whether it be poetry, plays, music - to be dying forms that not many people appreciate anymore. I am a dunce when it comes to symbolism in movies so maybe that's why I didn't feel it was all that heavy handed.<br /><br />As far as the Shashi post goes I vote for any of the Shashitabh movies as those always seemed to have brought out the best in both of them.Sanket Vyashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00410998671085464946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-91137432197634441332009-11-02T11:26:05.993-06:002009-11-02T11:26:05.993-06:00Interesting that you say the film is heavy-handed....Interesting that you say the film is heavy-handed. I haven't seen it, but the novel makes its points with finesse--Desai's middle name is nuance. That said, I find her work unremittingly depressing (have you read Baumgartner's Bombay?) The only rememdy is pie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-52239175352420567952009-11-02T01:02:52.941-06:002009-11-02T01:02:52.941-06:00Considering how much I was dreading this, it didnt...Considering how much I was dreading this, it didnt turn out to be all that depressing! The message, of course, spells doom and gloom for Urdu but I think the whole point of using a decaying poet was to show that it was, at least partly, the fault of the language practitioners. As to why the language was worth saving - it was once "the jewel of the royal court"! For the rest, I think they expect us to know about the rich tradition of Urdu poetry and literature.<br /><br />The best part of the film, for me, was that I didnt get the feeling that this was a film made by an outsider looking in into India - a feeling that I get in all the other "M-I in India" films (except <i>Shakespearewallah</i> where the story is mostly about a British family). This one reminded me of <i>Sardari Begum</i> in its social context and the Urdu speaking mileu (it was about a singer and not a decaying art, though!).Bollyviewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17270927806254662068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15977843.post-78177511045975648132009-11-02T00:51:04.122-06:002009-11-02T00:51:04.122-06:00Great funny post Beth, I definitely feel the film ...Great funny post Beth, I definitely feel the film was just presenting the story rather than going deeper and commenting on the eroding Urdu poetry, and instead it uses heavy handed symbols to make up for that! So i went "ohh look" instead of "Hmmmmmm" but loved Shabana and Shashi's performance, and my mum told me that when he came over to my neighbour Rita's house, he was that big, as i was a bit shocked at his lumbering (ashamedly i say Jabba-esque) movement! But alas he's looking good at the recent Mumbai Film Festival! How unrelated are my ramblings! Lol just wanted to say it was a good timepass thinking-ish film!Rumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10104185865100510017noreply@blogger.com