Slumdog Millionaire Sweeping the 81st Oscars

The 81st Oscar Academy Award ceremony was special for all Indians. The first reason was that Slumdog Millionaire, based on Mumbai’s Dharavi-Asia’s largest slum, was the major contender for the Oscars. Most of the star cast of this globally acclaimed movie were Indians, including its leading lady, Freida Pinto. The second obvious reason was the 10 nominations for this film at the Oscars, which include 3 Indians-A.R Rahman, Gulzar, and Resul Pookutty. On the morning of 23rd February, India rejoiced at Slumdog Millionaire’s win at the 81st Oscars. Bagging 8 Oscars, the film turned the global spotlight on the talent of Bollywood.

The person who made us proud the most was none other than A.R Rehman. This music maestro from Chennai bagged two Oscars- one came for the best music score and the second for the best song “Jai Ho” which he shared with the lyricist Gulzar. Although, Rehman is one of the world’s best-selling recording artists, his win at the Oscars will take the Indian music on the international stage even more prominently than before. Another Indian who made us proud the same day was Resul Pookutty who won the Oscar for the best sound mixing. His win further emphasized the fact that there is no dearth of talent in Bollywood. If given a chance, Bollywood too can make a deep impact on the whole world.

The global acknowledgment of the excellence with which Slumdog Millionaire has been made changed the lives of all the people associated with the film. While Anil Kapoor and Irfan Khan walked the red carpet at Oscars for the first time in their lives, the leading lady, Frieda Pinto got the opportunity to be the cover girl of Vogue Magazine. Labeled as the new style sensation, she has also bagged a role in Woody Allen’s next film. The success of the film also changed the lives of two child artists- Azharuddin Ismail and Rubiana Ali Qureshi. Both, presently, live in Garib Nagar Slum, an area surrounded by open sewage, rubbish and narrow alleys of shanty homes. While Rubina lives in a small room, Azhar lives with his family in a makeshift cloth shelter. They both can now hope for a better living as the Maharashtrian Government is planning to give them apartments from a specially reserved batch of government properties.

However, the success of Slumdog Millionaire at the Oscars may prove to be a threat for the Bollywood producers. Like Danny Boyle and Christian Colson, there are many big Hollywood production companies that have already expressed their eagerness to make films in India. The presence of extraordinary talent coupled with low cost may prompt many international producers to try their luck in India. This could be a major blow to the Indian producers who may not be able to shell out as much money as their counterparts.

Delhi 6: A Kaleidescope Showing The Vibrant Colours of Delhi City

Star rating:

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Divya Dutta, Om Puri, Gulshan Grover

Producer: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Music Director: A. R. Rahman

Cinematographer: Ravi K. Chandran

Have you ever wondered why Rakesh Omprakash Mehra chose Delhi 6 as the title for his newly released film? Well, with the deep intention to portray the multifaceted old Delhi city and its inhabitants in his new film, Rakesh Mehra chose this title, as Delhi 6 is nothing but the postal code of the old Delhi city, consisting of the Red Fort and the Chandani Chowk area.

The film has been directed marvelously, showcasing every aspect of the old Delhi, starting from the narrow lanes and crowded areas to more serious issues like caste, untouchability, Hindu-Muslim tensions, and treachery of priests and politicians. The story revolves around Roshan (played by Abhishek Bachchan), an American born who brings his ailing grandmother (played by yesteryear beauty Waheeda Rehman) to Delhi. He falls in love with Sonam Kapoor, a middle class Delhi girl, who has set many dreams for her. From there the story takes us to the chaos that is created by our strongly held beliefs. Rakesh Mehra has been successful in depicting how sometimes our beliefs can make our lives so miserable. However, it also brings into light the aspirations of every modern Indian soul. Delhi 6 is Mehra’s third directorial venture and may also win him accolades just like his two previous films, Aks and Rang De Basanti.

Abhishek Bachchan was just apt for the role of Roshan. However, the real show stealer has been Bittu, a sweet, modern Delhi girl, played by Sonam Kapoor. If papa Anil Kapoor is basking under the success of Slumdog Millionaire, the daughter is not lagging far behind. In spite of the movie being Sonam’s second, she just looked perfect. There is no doubt why all big brands are opting for Sonam Kapoor over the likes of Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, and many more. If you see her in Delhi 6, you will know that another star kid is there to make it big. Delhi 6 is special for it also brings together father-son duo on screen one more time. Yes, the film also stars Amitabh Bachchan. They were last seen together in Sarkar Raj.

Delhi 6 has already started receiving good response from the audience owing to its great music score, composed by Oscar Awards nominated A.R Rehman. The song, “Masakali” starring beautiful Sonam is already a chartbuster for its fluttering mood. Overall, the music album is a perfect amalgamation of many hues from the world of music- be it Sufi, Indian classical, hip-hop, or folk.

Shahrukh Khan’s Home Production Billu is All Ready to Hit The Jackpot – Movie Review

Star rating: 

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Irfaan Khan, Asrani, Lara Dutta, Ompuri, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone

Producer: Gauri Khan

Director: Priyadarshan

Music Director: Pritam

Lyricist: Gulzar, Sayeed Quadri

Amidst all the controversies surrounding the use of the word “Barber”, the Priyadarshan’s Billu hit the theaters today. Initially titled “Billu Barber”, the film is a story about a simple man (played by Irfan Khan) who works as a barber in a small village. Produced by Shahrukh Khan’s wife, Gauri Khan, the film underwent a change in its title following the objection of the Hairdressers’ Associations of Mumbai to the use of the word “Barber” in the title. In fact, Shahrukh Khan, who has made a guest appearance in the movie, has gone a step further by planning to invite barbers and hairstylists across Mumbai for the premiere of “Billu.”

I wanted to watch the movie solely because of its brilliant story and of course, Irfan Khan. Known as one of the most talented actors currently in Bollywood, Irfan Khan has marked his presence by doing a multitude of characters. This time, he played the character of a small town barber who lives with his beautiful wife, Bindiya (played by Lara Dutta) and two cute kids. Both Irfan and Lara have been brilliant in portraying the life of an ordinary couple. They know how to live happily even without enough money and all luxuries of life. The entry of Shahrukh Khan in the movie as a superstar was simply awesome. The special dance numbers featuring King Khan with Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone can keep everyone glued to their seats. Priyadarshan has once again hit the right chord by being able to create a lively comparison of a simple village life and the glamorous life that of a movie- star.

It is not only the story of Billu that catches your attention, but also its music. Composed by Pritam, there are 15 tracks with a combination of both originals and remixes. This is the first ever Bollywood movie, where a composer has tried all styles, ranging from bhangra to rap, sufi, folk and also the western style. So, if you are a music lover, the film is a retreat. Also, there are a dozen singers, including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, KK, and many fresh voices in the film. In particular, the song “Marjaani” sung by Sunidhi and Sukhwinder, and the soulful sufi number “Jaaon Kahan” sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan are the two most attractive songs in the album. However, in totality, the music of Billu could not match up to the levels of “Jab We Met”. You may love them in the theater, but once you are out, you may not even remember their tune.

Dev D: The Modern Day Interpretation of The Classic Novel “Devdas”

Star rating:

Cast: Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, Mahi Gill, Parakh Madan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Music Director: Amit Trivedi

Lyricist: Shellee, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Shruti Pathak, Mani

The classic novel, “Devdas” by one of the greatest Indian novelists, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay has always found a special place in Bollywood. This is the reason why there have been so many interpretations of this love saga in the tinsel town- beginning with the movie where KL Saigal played the intense character of Devdas to movies starring legendary Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan as the leading protagonist. Now, has come another interpretation of “Devdas” in the form of Anurag Kashyap’s Dev D. While the previous all films had the same title “Devdas”, this just released film bears a modern name. In fact, the title “Dev D” is apt to the film’s modern day backdrop. Written and directed by Anurag Kashyap and produced by UTV’s Ronnie Screwvala, this movie presents free thought, exuberance and recklessness of today’s youth.

The movie has been extremely well-written and may be liked by audience for being completely different from the other movies made till date on this classic novel. You may be shocked to see some of the intimate scenes between Dev (played by Abhay Deol) and Paro (played by a budding star, Mahi Gill), as such a thing has never been tried before in any of the previous Devdas movies. However, as it is a modern Devdas, such things may find acceptance with today’s generation. Even the character of Chandramukhi (Chanda in Dev D) played by Kalki Koechlin has been portrayed in bold shades, including an MMS scandal that turns her into a hooker.

However, unlike in previous Devdas movies, Chanda in Dev D leads a double life- that of a hooker and a student quite smartly. However, the scenes between Dev and Chanda were not at all impressive when compared to those between Dev and Paro. Also, Abhay’s indulgence into drugs post Paro’s marriage was sometimes becoming too unbearable to watch. The drugs chapter was, in fact, quite surprising, as it came from the maker of “No Smoking”. With Dev D, Kashyap has definitely tried to go a bit too far. While the movie can really displease those who have liked the old versions of Devdas played by Dilip Kumar and KL Saigal, it can be a great entertainer for today’s youth that is influenced by conflicting values, sense of independence, and to some extent, being rebellious.

To make the film appeal to today’s young generation, the entire star cast, including Abhay Deol was present at Al’s Tattoo parlour in Bandra. The music of the film, which too sounds rebellious just like the movie, has been composed by Amit Trivedi. With this film, Abhay Deol has come a long way. He has simply been splendid as Dev. The two young girls also pulled their characters quite well.