Tag: Desis

“Taal” (1999) starring Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor, & Aishwarya Rai

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This Bollywood film (which Roger Ebert mentioned) is a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n roll. Manav (Akshaye Khanna), the son of an uber-wealthy family (raised overseas) falls in love w/ Mansi (Aishwarya Rai), the beautiful/shy daughter of a talented rural musician/teacher. He nervously follows her and her girl cousins around and snaps pictures (don’t do this, kids). Mansi’s father warmly welcomes Manav’s father, brothers, and business associates to his house. Though reluctant at first, Mansi decides to give Manav a chance to get to know her. Their first date (or meeting, as Bollywood often uses) is a sunrise yoga lesson high up in the hills.

Their relationship is mocked by Manav’s extended family; when they go to the city, Mansi and her father are humiliated (having to wait outside for hours, then insulted verbally). Mansi has a strong relationship w/ her father; both are humble, straight-forward, but also very proud. Vikrant Kapoor (Anil Kapoor), a slightly older record producer, discovers Mansi’s knack for singing/dancing and helps her climb the ladder of success. As Vikrant exlains, he takes songs from the villages and turns them into hits (remixes). Manav tries to make amends, but Mansi ignores him. In time, Vikrant, finds himself developing feeling for Mansi, too.

Taal (meaning “rhythm” in Hindi) is a must-watch for its hit soundtrack; the music (composed by a young A.R. Rahman) is considered “timeless!” I thought all the songs were great; I esp. liked Ishq Bina (featuring Sonu Nigam), Taal se Taal (sung by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan), and the remixed version of Ishq Bina Ishq Bina (sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sukwinder Singh). Early in the film, it’s fun to see Rai w/ almost no makeup and wavy (natural) hair; she looks fabulous nonetheless! The ’90s hairdos, bright colors, and funky styles the back-up dancers/singers wear are a blast from the (recent) past. There is simplicity, innocence, and a flow to (most of) this story. The woman at the center of the story isn’t given much agency; Mansi goes along w/ what Manav or Vikrant have planned. The movie was shot in some unique locations, incl. Toronto, Ontario and Niagara Falls, NY.

“Padmaavat” (2018) starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, & Shahid Kapoor

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from this movie.

Set in medieval Rajasthan, Queen Padmavati is married to a noble king and they live in a prosperous fortress with their subjects until an ambitious Sultan hears of Padmavati’s beauty and forms an obsessive love for the Queen of Mewar. -Synopsis

I didn’t know I would have to suffer THIS much just to see Shahid Kapoor’s spectacular abs! Seriously, this is one Bollywood movie (directed/co-written by Sanjay Leela Bhansali) which deserved the controversy it got- it’s misogynistic, Islamaphobic, and homophobic. One army is shouting and riding through a desert carrying green flags w/ a white crescents (just like the flag of Pakistan). There is a scene of many men all wearing white thobes and turbans doing namaz (prayer), then yelling and picking up weapons to fight in the next moment. The stereotypes are so blatant, this movie could be considered dangerous (esp. given the tensions between Muslims and Hindus in Modi’s India)! For those of you who watched Game of Thrones, there is a murder scene very similar to the killing of a lesser Lannister cousin by Jaime in Season 2.

I’m sure some of you’ve heard re: the characterization of the medieval sultan, Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh); he is violent (even w/o cause), lustful (incl. for power/lands), obsessive, and animal-like (eating raw meat w/ his bare hands). In stark contrast, Maharawal Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor), is peaceful, loving (having eyes only for his wife), calm, and honorable leader. I learned that one of my fave veteran actors (who has worked all over the world), Naseeruddin Shah, is a maternal uncle of Kapoor! Yes, the actor has both Hindu and Muslim heritage; this is not unusual when it comes to some of Bollywood’s film families.

In the early 1300s, an arrogant/confident prince named Alauddin marries his cousin, Mehrunissa (Aditi Rao Hydari), and plots to take the throne of her father/his uncle- Jalaluddin (Raza Murad). None of the Muslims in this movie are portrayed as good, aside from the luminous/sad-eyed Mehrunissa. In one memorable scene, a warrior named Malik Kafur (Jim Sarbh), kills two hardened soldiers with balletic/swift strokes of his knife. Unfortunately, he spends most of the movie pining after Alauddin like a love-sick teenager.

When Mehrunissa is close, Kafur is jealous. In one scene, he is washing Alauddin while they sit in a big bathtub (talk about homoerotic undertones)! In the original story (written by a Muslim poet), Malik Kafur was both a fighter (respected general who fought in many successful battled) and a lover. In Ridley Scott’s Alexander, he has a handsome male companion who hails from somewhere in the Middle East; this was based on records uncovered by historians. In this case, Malik Kafur’s homosexuality serves as a running joke and makes Alauddin seem like even more of a freak of nature.

The princess (of what is now Sri Lanka), Padmavati (Deepika Padukone- sporting an unibrow), is first seen frolicking in the woods w/ a bow and arrow. This might bring to mind Diana (the huntress in Greek mythology) or Katniss from The Hunger Games trilogy. She attempts to shoot a deer, but ends up wounding the King of Chittor- Ratan Singh! He admits that it was his fault- he was staring at her (struck by her beauty, not just her arrow). Padmavati takes care of the king (in the cave where she lives- no reason why) while he recovers. This section of the movie reminded some viewers of Wonder Woman.

Of course, Padmavati and Ratan Singh fall in love; the actors portray this well. She gives Ratan Singh handfuls of pearls (which he had been searching for at the request of his queen). The marry and go off to his kingdom, where his first wife, Nagamati (Anupriya Genka) is put on the back bench. When the court priest- Chetan- is caught spying on the king and queen; he is promptly banished. Chetan ends up working for Alauddin, convincing him that in order to succeed, he must have Padmavati by his side! This is one character I wanted to see a bit more of, along w/ his motivations.

The middle section of this story drags on… and on; the viewer is bombarded w/ scenes of dust, desert, marching armies, as well as the opulence (of the Rajputs). Honestly, I couldn’t judge who had the better costumes- Kapoor or Padukone! Eventually, Ratan Singh invites Alauddin to share a meal and talk alone (w/o any men or weapons). When Alauddin asks to see Padmavati, Ratan Singh is deeply offended and says no. Alauddin says that he expected to meet both the rulers. Padmavati convinces her husband that, in order to appease Alauddin (and maybe save the kingdom from war), she will let him see her. Before Alauddin can get a good look, a curtain is pulled down, hiding the queen. This makes the sultan very angry; he vows to get Padmavati to come to him! Alauddin invites Ratan Singh to his tent for meal, then kidnaps him. Though Nagamati pleads w/ her not to, Padmavati insists on going to rescue her husband (w/ his two best soldiers by her side and 800 attendants).

The movie opens with some disclaimers, one being that it is not endorsing jauhar (Wikipedia: “the act of mass self-immolation by women in parts of the Indian subcontinent, to avoid capture, enslavement and rape by Islamic invaders, when facing certain defeat during a war.”) As some of you may have guessed, jauhar is closely connected to sutee (“bride burning”)- the custom of a Hindu widow being burned to death on the funeral pyre of her husband. Kaushik Roy said that the jauhar was observed only during Hindu-Muslim wars; John Stratton Hawley states it was present before them and was likely started by the actions of the Greek conquerors.

Well, in the last act of the film, jauhar is most obviously valorized! After the fight between Alauddin and Ratan Singh (where the good king is shot in the back), the girls and women (incl. ones who are pregnant) inside the fort are seen dressed in their finest (bridal) red outfits. They are led by Padmavati, who defiantly declares that Alauddin’s army will not defeat them. They walk in a slow procession for some time- too long- and bravely walk closer… and closer to a huge wall of fire. No one looks nervous, scared, or even hesitates for a second- that can’t be realistic!

New Series Trailers: Turn Up Charlie, Delhi Crime, & Ramy

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Turn Up Charlie (Netflix) – This show is now streaming!

This show stars British actor Idris Elba; he worked as a DJ in London & NYC for years in his 20s & 30s.

Delhi Crime (Netflix): March 22nd

NYC-based writer/media critic Aseem Chhabra (who I’ve been following since 2005) posted re: this show on IG. He “loved the first two episodes,” which were directed by his Canadian friend (Richie Mehta). The cast includes Rasika Dugal (Bombay Talkies) and Shefali Shah (who some of you will recognize from her memorable co-starring role in Monsoon Wedding). The show focuses on the Nirbhaya rape case of Jyoti Singh. I’m guessing that most of the actors in this show are theater veterans.

Ramy (Hulu): April 19th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Ek09B9YaY

You may have seen Ramy Youssef’s stand-up before. In his 1st series, he plays a young man (NOT unlike himself) who is a first generation Egyptian-American exploring the challenges of being a Muslim in today’s world. His mother is played by internationally-acclaimed Israeli Arab actress, Hiam Abbass (The Visitor; Blade Runner 2049). Mo Amer (another stand-up comic) who is a Palestinian-American/refugee is part of the cast; he has a Netflix special (The Vagabond) that is funny and educational. Dave Merheje, a Canadian-Lebanese stand-up featured in Comedians of the World (Netflix), also has a role; he just won a Juno award this week. Indian-American actress Poorna Jagannathan (The Night Of; Gypsy) is also listed in IMDB for 3 eps; she is a friend of one of my writer friends (from my NYC days).

Movie Trailers & Interviews (March 2019)

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (now on Netflix) – Directorial debut of Chiwetel Ejiofor

A boy in Malawi helps his village by building a wind turbine after reading about them in a library book.

The Wedding Guest (in limited release March 1st) -Starring Dev Patel & Radhika Apte

Review from Vulture

Yardie (in limited release March 15th) – Directorial debut of Idris Elba

Set in ’70s Kingston and ’80s Hackney, Yardie centres on the life of a young Jamaican man named D (Aml Ameen), who has never fully recovered from the murder, committed during his childhood, of his older brother Jerry Dread (Everaldo Creary). D grows up under the wing of a Kingston Don and music producer named King Fox (Sheldon Shepherd). Fox dispatches him to London, where he reconnects with his childhood sweetheart, Yvonne (Shantol Jackson), and his daughter who he’s not seen since she was a baby. He also hooks up with a soundclash crew, called High Noon. But before he can be convinced to abandon his life of crime and follow “the righteous path”, he encounters the man who shot his brother 10 years earlier, and embarks on a bloody, explosive quest for retribution – a quest which brings him into conflict with vicious London gangster Rico (Stephen Graham). -Studiocanal

Need a Laugh? (Netflix Comedy Specials)

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The Standups

S1: Fortune Feimster 

If you’re seen Chelsea Lately, you MAY have come across this unique comedian (Southern-raised, tall/plus-size, & lesbian). Feimster (who has MANY years as a stand-up_ parodied WH Press Sec. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on several eps of Chelsea Handler’s (Netflix) talk show. She has a V strong stage presence, her life stories are fresh (yet also east to relate to), and her delivery is confident. 

S2: Gina Yashere & Aparna Nancherla

Yashere (though now living w/ her partner in Brooklyn) is a proud British-Nigerian immigrant woman; she worked for MANY yrs as an engineer before becoming an actress/comedian. You may have seen her on some eps of Comedy Central’s At Midnight. “Hollywood didn’t know what to do w/ me,” the comic (now in her mid-40s) says at the opening of this V funny/smart set. FYI: Yashere lived in LA for a time several yrs ago; this could be seen as a comeback for her career. Her delivery is V strong and confident; she knows who she is and doesn’t pretend to be otherwise (which is probably why mainstream/Hollywood comedies wouldn’t suit). I think this comedian is TOO good for MOST of the roles out there for black women; Yashere knows it, too. On the stage, she is a MUST-SEE; maybe I can see her live one day! 

Nancherla MAY be familiar to some Gen X/Y-ers in the DMV area; she grew up in NoVA and started her career at open mics in DC (incl. SubDrift- I’ve been going in the last 3 yrs or so). I haven’t seen her in person, though have several acquaintances and pals who have; they are V proud of her success. Nancherla (who is in her mid-30s, BUT looks younger) might be best known as the ramen blogger on S2 of Master of None; she also wrote (along w/ Hari Kondabolu) for the TBS show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Nancherla’s style and delivery are unique; she calls herself an introvert, awkward, and anxious. In the the last section of her routine, she utilizes PowerPoint (it’s V funny though). Unlike Kondabolu, her Indian heritage is NOT part of her comedy; this could be seen as a plus to some, a minus to others. Her comedy is V smart and unexpected, at times, making her a must-see!  

The Comedy Lineup

Ep. 1: Michelle Buteau

I’ve heard some (hilarious) interviews w/ Buteau on several podcasts over the last 2 yrs. She recently turned 40 and talks re: aging, relationships, and many universal topics. Some of the humor comes from her marriage to a Swedish (white) man, who sometimes doesn’t get the nuances of (black) American life. 

Ep. 5: Phil Wang

I’d NEVER heard of this 25 y.o. British-Chinese comedian before, BUT was V impressed by his routine! The big glasses are NOT for show- this guy is quite smart, observant, and socially aware.  I esp. liked his quick, self-deprecating delivery. An outsider in many nations, he uses a BIT of Mandarin (to poke fun at himself). Wang’s British (white) anthropologist mother traveled for work to Indonesia, where she learned that life could be a BIT rough. She decided to learn martial arts; her teacher was Chinese (Wang’s father). 

Ep. 6: Sabrina Jalees 

I’ve been following this Pakistani-Canadian actress/comedian for several yrs on social media (Twitter & YouTube). She is settled in NYC w/ her partner and their young baby (who she talks about in this routine). After she came out, Jalees was ostracized by some relatives on her Pakistani father’s side; however, things mended quickly (b/c they missed having her in the family). She is more confident, bold, and sure in her comedy (than what I recall from before). I hope to see more of her in the future; I think she has a LOT of potential. Jalees (who is in her early 30s) also dances and writes, aside from stand-up.