Packing. No time for movies.*


The suitcase is on the bed, the lists have been made, and the laundry is done, but the staring at piles of clothing continues. I am bad at packing, always worried I'm bringing the wrong things. But the second Pan-European International Bollywood Blogger Meeting waits for no one, least of all the Auslandskorrespondentin, an honorary title I have taken the liberty to bestow upon myself in order to feel slightly less guilty about my halting German. Updates from the field will begin by March 5 or so, and look for lots of coverage of the actual PEIBBM in Munich March 7-9 here, at Babasko's, and on the German-language blogs listed in the links. Many apologies to readers who are more interested in actual movies than in the socializing that occurs around them - can't blame you for that - because far-flung friends, museums, old buildings, and cakes will take precedence over computer time for the next few weeks.

I have, however, found the time to ask other people to write about movies. Behold Amrita's list of recommended Shashi films! Having just found out she's a high priestess in the cult of Shashi, I asked her to tell me some of her favorites, and she graciously replied in a jiffy. A preview:
And this is why Shashi Kapoor is so awesome. There aren’t a lot of actors out there who can bring out the amazing so consistently for so many years and do the movie star thing so well, especially when they’re asked to be a lean, mean, roller-skating machine.
Teehee. Brilliant.

* But "Lucky Lips" can be fun (and Salman-free) packing music, I've discovered, with its 60s girl-group choruses and Spice Girls-y choreography and outfits. (Although in real life, high school girls in tiny skirts and knee socks should probably not shimmy through a gauntlet of sailors.)

Comments

Sanket Vyas said…
Bon Voyage on your trip & watching Bollywood with friends is half the fun! Growing up I was always torn between my 2 movie idols - Amitabh & Shashi & the movies they were both in are some of my all time favorites.

So I would like to add to your list ~ 'Namak Halal', 'Silsila' and the absolute rollicking insanity that is 'Suhaag'. Also, I adore the songs from 'Chor Machaye Shor' but have yet to see the movie itself.

Cheers!
Thank you! I agree completely - watching in groups adds considerably to the experience. I watch so many movies by myself, not only because most of my friends in town aren't into Bollywood but the two that are are in doctoral programs and have no time to play.

I've seen Namak Halaal and loooved (and was baffled by) its loopiness. The others you name are absolutely on the list to watch. :)
veracious said…
To quote my old German studybook title: Es macht Spass!

Or, you know, have plenty of fun. :)
Anonymous said…
To add to that awesome Shashi list:

* Shyam Benegal's Kalyug, which is a retelling of Karna's tale from the epic Mahabharata in a contemporary business setting. Shashi plays Karna, and quite well too, I might add.

* Jab Jab Phool Khile -- not a great movie, but has some good music and visuals of Kashmir. Worth a dekko. This one got remade (sort of) as the considerably worse Aamir Khan starrer Raja Hindustani.

There are also a few others worth a try, like Fakira (where he plays a Robin Hood type), Pyaar Kiye Jaa (which features a hilarious Mehmood performance), Waqt...

"Although in real life, high school girls in tiny skirts and knee socks should probably not shimmy through a gauntlet of sailors."

Not in St.Petersburg in winter, at any rate. We could even get Napoleon and Hitler to give expert testimony (although not on the miniskirt thing), but what's the use? Girls will be girls, I guess :)

~r
Anonymous said…
Oh, and I forgot to mention: Have a great trip! :)

~r
Sanni - Thank you! Wish you were coming too! I definitely need that book. I just bought a workbook today that must be aimed at ten-year-olds - it has stickers. It makes me veeery happy.

celluloidrant - I had a very hard time with Jab Jab Phool Khile, and the further I am from having watched it, the angrier it makes me. I saw Raja Hindustani fairly early on in my Bollywood watching and might have to revisit it someday...or not.

Fakira was fun but forgettable, and Waqt is sitting on top of my tv waiting to be watched!

Indeed, the winter that blows mightily later in that movie is nowhere to be seen when they're dancing through the streets in their miniskirts, is it? Ah, another reason to hate Lucky. Yay!

And thank you!
Anonymous said…
auf wiedersehn, beth! totally with you on the jab jab phool khile hate btw. not to mention - ugh! - raja hindustani which took away even the one thing that made jjpk tolerable: shashi.
Have a fun trip! Am wildly awaiting the news and pix!
Saikat said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
indiequill - We soooo have to have a North American or English-speaking or whatever Bollywood meetup. And JJPK is sooooo vile - the more I think about it, the more I hate it. Except Shashi, of course, and I even like Nanda. And the little baby goat (or is it a sheep?). Clearly I need to watch Raja Hindustani again just to be horrified.

Shweta - Thank you! There will be many, no doubt. :)
JJPK IS vile- it is against everything I beleive in in human nature :( Though honestly, "Juari" (also w/ Nanda) and "Awara" (w/ Sharmila), try their best to make look Shashi bad.
Shweta and other JJPK haters - do read Post-Punk Cinema Club's review of it, which said everything I wish I had said. I love their take on it. And since when is trying to make Shashi look bad a viable filmmaking strategy? Bah! :)
Anon said…
This comment has been removed by the author.

Popular Posts