Rain is synonymous with sensuality and episodes 9, 10, 11 revisited Shringar Rasa/ Erotica in Hindi films. Episodes 12 and 13 were more subjective and gave a peep into the character’s state of mind while episodes 14 and 15 were about perceptions and interpretations. No romance is complete without heartache and longing that emerges from separation so episodes 16 and 17 focused on desolation and yearning.

We don’t like to attach logic to rain but there is something called a Rain-maker who actually visits locations deprived of rain and guides them how they can benefit from the reason and there have been films where the Rain-maker/ Barishker has been used as a metaphor to transform dry and dreary lives of the protagonist, interesting stories that add more intrigue to the concept of the monsoon dealt with in episode 18.

Nature affects us more strongly than we realize which is why we are usually impatient and angry during the summers and in a reasonably good mood during the winters and the monsoons so if episode 19 analyses why the downpour makes us submit more easily in the rains than in normal circumstances, episode 20 establishes why filmmakers prefer to project tragedies in the backdrop of thunder and storm for greater impact as in episodes 20 and 21.

My favorite song for today is ‘Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si…’

My favorite scene:  When Neetu Singh runs out of her home to meet her beloved in Priyatama borrowing Asha Sachdev’s umbrella.

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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There are many moods and shades to the season of monsoon in Indian movies and I have been writing and speaking on this extensively on the subject for the past few weeks. For those who missed reading the blogs or checking the same on the Youtube here is a quick recap of what has been addressed so far.

Episodes 1 and 2 dealt with Erotica, episodes 3 and 4 with Anxiety associated with torrential rains in a dramatic narrative.

Commitment to the attraction is the first and probably the most difficult step in romance and majority of our songs in films address to this state of mind the hero/heroine when they struggle to express themselves. Both are shy and unsure but when the attraction is mutual expressions finds a way and then love blossoms as in episodes 5 and 6 leading to unabashed romance in the rain as in episodes 7 and 8.

My favorite song for today is ‘Zindagi na bhulenge hum barsaat ki raat…’

My favorite scene: When Shaban Azmi walks with an umbrella from her college to her home, books in hand thinking of her beloved in Swami.

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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From Bharat Bhushan’s ‘Zindagi bhar na bhulenge hum barsaat ki ek raat…’ to Kishore Kumar’s naught y ‘Ek ladki bhaagi bheegi si…’ there are so many moods and colors of the rain, I remember a drenched Kareena Kapoor walking the street and singing ‘Bhaage re mann..’ in Chameli. I remember Shradha Kapoor and Tiger Shroff dancing to ‘Cham cham…’ in Baaghi and also during the ‘Baarish …’song in Half Girlfriend.

It was on a rainy night that years ago Aamir Khan had kissed Karisma Kapoor in Raja Hindustani and it was again in the rains that Pankaj Kapoor sitting in a tiny shop in the hills had spotted a Blue Umbrella blown away by the wind. It was in the rains that Vyjantimala arrives at a crucial decision of her life in Chottisi Mulaqat and it is for the rains that Dev Anand goes on a hunger strike in Guide.

So rain is a metaphor used by the filmmaker to at times instill faith and at inspire courage. Depending on the situation and the character rain was at times a reason to resolve conflicts and at times evoke submission and no matter what the consequences in the narrative the audience always celebrated these musical rain moments.

My favorite song for today is ‘Paani re paani tera rang kaisa…’

My favorite scene: When Raakhee is told she has to marry her sister’s beloved in Sharmilee and sings ‘Megha chaye aadhi raat…’

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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Film: Indu SarkarDate: 27 July 2017

Director: Mahesh Bhatt

Writer: Anil Pandey/ Screenplay Sanjay Chel/ Dialogues

Music: Anu Malik

Stars: Kirti Kulhari, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Anupam Kher

Ratings: 2 stars

First thing first, there is absolutely nothing in the film for there to be such a hue and cry about it. It is not as if the screenplay is about to reveal some dark secrets about the emergency that we don’t already know.  

Some of us have been through the turbulent 21 months and recall the horrors; others have read about it or watched it on television/ Itihaas Gawah Hain recapping the milestone moments. Over the last 40 years there have been many films made on the subject, the most effective in my opinion being Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi directed by Sudhir Mishra.

Let me clarify that this is not a film about a political leader rather it is a film about an orphan Indu/ Kirti Kulhari finding her voice in a politically oppressive environment. Raised in an orphanage Indu writes poetry and nurses dreams of empowerment but is advised that marriage is the best solution for her so she now aspires to become the perfect wife to her ambitious bureaucrat husband.

Madhur Bhandarkar has always served a slice of life in all his films. In Corporate he traveled you into the business world and in Fashion he unmasked show business. In Satta it was the political world and in Heroine he exposed the film world. This time he chooses to focus on an era rather than a profession and that makes all the difference.

Unlike some of Bhandarkar’s earlier films Indu Sarkar is neither eventful nor insightful. It lacks the spunk of Page 3, the emotion of Chandni Bar or the research of Fashion. Granted it is a story of 40 years ago but the narrative could have been contemporary and upbeat. Indu Sarkar is carelessly edited and shoddy in presentation with no eye for details.

Some questions remain unanswered: 1.Agreed that Indu is in search of her voice but does Bhandarkar have to take it literally and make her stammer? 2. Whoever said that styling your hair adds to your self-esteem? 3. If Indu is such an inspiring poetess how come she does not pen more motivating verses? 4. In 1977 most educated women in big cities were working so for Indu’s mentor to suggest she aspire towards making a perfect wife is terribly regressive.

As the Chief worried for his mother, Neil Nitin Mukesh is competent so is Kirti Kulhari in the role of Indu, a pity that her expressive voice is lost in the stammer.

I rate Indu Sarkar with 2 stars.

@bhawanasomaaya

In the olden days every time it rained the Doorrshan for some mysterious reason only aired two songs. The first where a drenched Shatrughan Sinha sings ‘Barkha rani zara jham ke barso…’ and the second, Basu Chatterjee’s ‘Rimjhim gire saawan…’from Manzil where Moushumi Chatterjee and Amitabh Bachchan walk down Marine Drive hand-in-hand drenched in Mumbai’s slashing rains. I have watched this song a million times but still stop to watch it every time it plays on the television.  It is a perfect image of torrential rain in Mumbai city.

Over the decades as satellite channels came in there were many choices of rain songs and that included ‘Lagi aaj sawan ki…’ from Chandani and ‘Ko ladka hai…’ form Dil Toh Pagal Hai both directed by Yash Chopra

My favorite song for today is Barkha raani zara jham ke barso …

My favorite scene: When Shah Rukh Khan takes an impulsive decision to marry Kajol on the story night in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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Amitabh Bachchan and Smita Patil surrender to the monsoon madness in ‘Aaj rapat jaiyo…’ in Prakash Mehra’s Namak Halaal. The song is a celebration of carnal desire just in the way ‘Koi ladka hai…’ in Dil Toh Pagal Hai is about adventure and to hell with medical complications, in this case, a fractured ankle. Karisma Kapoor is bed ridden for an injured foot but cannot resist a jig when the music comes on!

A trend setter of sorts is also ‘Kaate nahin kattey…’ in Mr. India where Seema (Sridevi) sways seductively, allowing her saree to fly with the breeze. Her abandon is a robust admission to desire while Akshay Kumar’s ‘Dekho zara dekho barsaat ki jhadi…’ in Yeh Dillagi is a spontaneous reaction to the moment, a physical and an emotional release!

Probably the most romantic rain song was composed by RD Burman in 1942 A Love Story shot by Vinod . Posturized on Monisha Koiral and Anil Kapoor it is an ode to the monsoon and to poetry.

 My favorite song for today is Aaj rapat jaayen toh …

My favorite scene: The climax scene when they win the match and it begins to rain in Lagaan.

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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It’s interesting how perceptions alter with time. Some years ago, a shy Jaya Bhaduri taking shelter inside a cave and singing ‘Bol re papi hara…’ in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Guddi was heart rending. With time we accepted Kajol dancing with a towel to ‘Mere khwabon mein jo aaye…’ in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

I’m of the opinion that Zeenat Aman’s ‘Hai hai ye majboori…’ draped in a clinging saree in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan was the beginning of the rain sequences. Zeenat invites Manoj Kumar to join her in the rain but he has to appear for a job interview and resists her advances but she is too tempting and he eventually relents but is still self-conscious.

There are so many instances when rain was not a part of the original scene but the song composition was so evocative that the choreographer and sometimes the music director suggested shooting it as a rain sequence for greater effect.

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On top of my rain favorites is ‘Kaali ghata chaye mora jiya ghabaraye…’ from Bimal Roy’s Sujata, the story of a Harijan girl brought up by a Brahmin family. Self assured in her simplicity she spends major part of the day attending to household chores. One such day, the sky line changes color and the clouds thunder! Sujata runs to her room and throws open the windows to allow the showers into her life. The close-up shot of Nutan smiling at the clouds and expressing her desire for a companion is refreshing and sensitive.

Equally endearing is Mitthu (Shabana Azmi) in Gulzar’s Namkeen, when she sets out for her morning stroll shrouded in a flowing black shawl, shot amidst swaying trees and dew drops Asha Bhosle’s mesmerizing ‘Phir se aiyo barkha bidesi …’ is among the memorable lyrics of Gulzar.

My favorite song for today is Kaali ghata chayen …

My favorite scene: Kareena Kapoor guiding Aamir Khan to deliver a baby via skype in 3 Idiots.

For more on the #Monsoon Magic tune in @927BigFm Monday- Thursday all week.

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