Today is Meghna Gulzar’s birthday and before I tell you her story, I have to tell you the story of her illustrious parents Raakhee and Gulzar.  In the sixties, Gulzar was introduced to director Bimal Roy who briefed the young writer about his song situation. Walking home that night and staring at the lonesome moon in the sky, Gulzar conceived his first song ‘Mora gora aang lay le’ from Bandini in 1963. The song was a super hit and Gulzar had made his entry in films.

Around this time, a beautiful girl from Calcutta arrived in Bombay to be launched by Rajshri Pictures opposite Dharmendra in a film called Jeevan Mrityu that released in 1970. The film was a big success and the hazel eyed actress was flooded with offers.

Film industry is a small place where everyone is connected to everybody and it was a matter of time that Gulzar met Raakhee and there was instant chemistry. Gulzar was attracted to Bengal, be it culture, food or women and Raakhee was drawn to his voice and words but more important, his stability and after a brief romance, the two were married.

To be continued

Film: Durgamati

Date: 11.12.2020

Director: G Ashok

Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Arshad Warsi, Mahie Gill

Rating: 1 *

In the year 2018 director G Ashok released his bilingual film Bhaagmathi in Tamil and Telegu. A year later, he was ready to cast the Hindi remake of Bhaagnathi with Bhumi Pednekarplaying centre stage. 

The film opens in Delhi where they decide to put a CBI inquiry on the Water Resource Minister, Ishwar Prasad/ Arshad Warsi. The officer investigating the case is SatakshiGanguly/ Mahie Gill and her prime candidate for interrogation is Ishwar Prasad’s Personal Assistant, Chanchal Chavhan/ Bhumi Pednekar, an IAS Officer now detained in jail for the murder of her fiancé Shakti/ Karan Kapadia.

Chanchal is released from the jail and driven to a far-offlocation not for an encounter inside a haunted mansion far away from civilization. The two nights spent at the mansion have ominous tales to tell and are a replay of all Bollywood horror films, so there is the predictable forbidding gate, then an old, scary watchman resembling a ghost, sprawling unkempt rooms, distorted paintings on the walls, dust layered mirror, broken chandeliers hanging from the ceiling making eerie music, creaky windows, rain, storm, lightening, a lady walking with the candles asking ‘kaun hai’, screams, shrieksand cut to…

Mental Hospital or was it a secluded ward in the central jail and the climax hosting a press conference and a sting operation followed by some clarifications in the concluding scene are an embarrassment.  Everything – the characters, the locations, the art design, message, the concerns are pathetically artificial, unconvincing and illogical.  The narrative fails to evoke any emotion, leave aside in the audience. Yes, some questions do hammer in your head in case the director wishes to answer.

One, who in their right mind in present times makes films about the mystery of the missing precious idols robbed from the temples and sold at astronomical prices? These films got outdated in the seventies.

Two, where is this extra-ordinary jail that provides Bhumi Pednekar with fitting costumes and other facilities to maintain her shampooed hair and lipstick?

Three, the haunted mansion which has not been dusted or cleaned in decades, which has no provisions for electricity, food or petrol nearby is overnight setup with multiple cameras and computers by the CBI, miracle isn’t it?

Four, what kind of a mental ward is this where ministers can trespass without permissions or security to interact withpatients and spend as much time as they like?

Granted that it is a make-believe world of creative liberties but even the mainstream cinema is accountable for some reality check to make a narrative palatable. But Durgamatifails in every endeavour. What’s most disappointing is that three talented actors – Mahie Gill, Bhumi Pednekar and Arshad Warsi are wasted in a senseless, meaningless film that could easily have been dubbed rather than remade in Hindi.

I rate Durgamati with 1 star.

Is @bhumipednekar & @ArshadWarsi starrer Durgamati worth the watch? Check out @bhawanasomaaya's Review to know. pic.twitter.com/BfAeas96q7

— 92.7 BIG FM (@bigfmindia) December 11, 2020

Bhawana Somaaya

Wonder Woman 1984 is all set to release in Indian cinemas on December 24 in English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu. Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role is Warner Bros. Pictures follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking Wonder Woman.

 Says director Patty Jenkins says, “This is a classic tale told through a great Super Hero with and it’s an incredibly epic journey”.

 And since we are on to wonder women how can we miss the launch of Priyanka Chopra endorsed Bumble, the women-first social networking app that will empower women to navigate new rules of dating. The campaign spans across various touch points including five unique digital films, conceptualised by The Script Room, which capture different stories of virtual and socially-distanced dating. Bumble kicked off the campaign with the first film, ‘For your eyes only’ last week, which will be followed by others slated to release throughout this month. Additionally, Bumble has partnered with a robust set of influencers across India to support its community to make the first move and forge meaningful connections as well as out of home (OOH) branding in shopping malls in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.

There is no stopping the OTT platform and ample opportunities for artistes, but the intelligent ones are weighing their options before giving the nod.  Jio Studios in association with Gold Mountain Pictures, has roped in the not easy to please Randeep Hooda to essay the role of a police officer in its web series – Inspector Avinash, a cop thriller based on real life events of super cop Avinash Mishra. Helmed by Neerraj Pathak, the show marks Hooda’s debut in the web series space and he is looking forward to this Uttar Pradesh saga, says he believes in the vision of the filmmaker.

Manoj Bajpayee, on the other hand, is a pioneer who got popular with his Family Man and has now signed up Dial 100 produced by Siddharth Malhotra and starring besides him, Neena Gupta and Sakshi Tanwar. To be directed by Rensil D’Silva it is another story of courage and conviction.

On to fearlessness, how can I not mention Makrand Deshpande, the lone ranger to open up his new play Gandhi at Prithvi Theatre. Deshpande says that while India celebrates 2 October as Mahatma’s birthday the universe celebrates it as non-violence day.

Those obsessed with year end listing have come up with an unusual list of winners, for instance, Yahoo has in the Covid year announced Sonu Sood as the ‘Hero of the Year’ Sushant Singh Rajput as ‘Most Searched Personality ’and Rhea Chakraborty the ‘Most Searched Female Celeb’ the rest of the list is so crazy that I had to stop here.

For all those who think that showbusiness is all glamour and ho hard work, you must visit a filmset to know how hard our actors work particularly for an action and dance sequences. We have all heard of how Madhuri Dixit rehearsed for fifteen days to master the ‘Ek do teen’ number in Tezaab. Choreographer Saroj Khan had to beg her to leave and rest but she would not. During the making of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aishwarya Rai rehearsed her ‘Limbuda’ dance till her toes were bleeding but her smiling face on the screen does not reflect her anguish. Even Hrithik Roshan was burning in fever when he shot his signature step for Kaho Na Pyaar Hai but he did not give up till he had delivered to perfection. And now comes the news that Varun Dhawan who suffered from knee injury recently was sliding down on a patchy floor despite choreographer Ganesh warning him not to and which is why I look forward to watching ‘Teri Bhabhi’ on screen.

Actually, it is not just action and dance but every decision you make that affects your career. After Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992 a star is born in the form of Pratik Gandhi and everyone assumed that Pratik will now star in a Gujarati film but he has surprised everyone by giving his nod to a Gujarati romantic comedy. Vaahlam Jaao Ne directed by Hardik Gajjar that addresses the past to make the future better and in the process the couple is unafraid to rock their present.

So Ranbir Kapoor decided to pledge his organs on the National Organ Day, said “I’m hoping that by me taking this action it will make a difference to one person, and the cycle continues”.

It has because immediately, Alia Bhatt spoke about the importance of the awareness of such an action. Years ago, Amitabh Bachchan pledged his eyes after death and soon Jaya, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan pledged their eyes as well. Crusade in film fraternity for sure begins at home.

There was a time, when in Hollywood every actor was attached to a cause/ NGO nobody in Indian show business were as yet aware to social consciousness. Over the years everything changed and today, every actor has a social purpose. For John Abraham it is protection of animals, in fact, this year, John Abraham sent a letter urging e-retailer Quikr to stop trading in live animals and it is because Abraham has teamed up with PETA India to push for a ban on animal circuses, speak up for Mumbai’s “dancing” monkeys, and star in an ad urging everyone not to keep birds in cages. He also adopted a community dog, his beloved Bailey; urged authorities to stop illegal pig slaughter in Goa; and put a football jersey on the auction block to benefit PETA India’s work to help animals. If birds are suffering in cages, puppies are being cruelly sold, or animals are in danger anywhere in the world, you can count on him to come to the rescue.

Film: Darbaan (Guard)

Date:04 December 2020

Director: Bipin Nadkarni

Writer: Bipin Nadkarni, Rakesh Jadhav

Cast: Harsh Chaya, Sharib Hashmi, Sharad Kelkar, Rasika Dugal

A family nurtures a caretaker like a member of the house and a caretaker rears his son like his master, sounds confusing, well that is the intention of the story.  Darbaan was to be theatrically released on 3 April 2020, but postponed due to COVID and is finally streaming on ZEE5 platform today. It marks the debut of director Bipin Nadkarni in Hindi cinema.

An adaptation of a 1918 short story Khokababur Pratyabartan, written by Nobel Prize winner Rabindra Nath Tagore, it is a tale of one mansion and three generations. First generation is, Bade Babu/ Harsh Chaya who is into coal business and recognizes diamonds. Bade Babu brings home a young lad, Raichand/ Sharib Hashmi to look after his son Anukul and Raichand becomes a part of the family.

A few decades later, Anukul/ Chotte Babu/ Sharad Kelkar calls upon Raichand now retired in his village to look after his two-year-old son Siddhu and again, Raichand becomes a part of the family. The plot is simple so is the treatment. Time and again we deliberate on the importance of content in movies. We emphasize the need to think and write out of the box ideas but I am of the opinion that if content is original it is always impactful.  And original content surrounds our day-to-day life it is just a matter of recognizing it.

The hero of Darbaan is Gurudev Tagore’s story, a simple story of trust and submission. Lovingly shot in soft dissolves on picturesque locations, it has melodious music from Amartya Bobo Rahut and Raajeev Bhalla supported by lyrics from Manoj Yadav, Siddhant Kaushal and Akshay K. Saxena.

Yes, the pace is a deterrent because everything moves on an even keel without drama or excitement and the one scene where they artificially try to infuse hysteria in the market place is an eye sore.

There are no negative characters but they go through difficult times and perspectives change. All the actors – Harsh Chaya, Sharad Kelkar, Rasika Dugal, Sharib Hashmi deliver sensitive performances but the actor to win your hearts even though invisible on the screen is Annu Kapoor with his sensitive narration.

Darbaan is a film you can comfortably watch with your entire family and caretakers on Zee 5. I rate Darbaan with 3 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya

The Saviour: Lord Krishna saved Gokul from Kalianaag, infants from Puthna, his own life from mama Kansa, childhood friend Sudama from poverty and sister Draupadi from disrobing, our virile heroes are forever rescuing their sister, bhabhi, mother and beloved from physical and emotional abuse. Their presence in the film is to play the ultimate saviour.

The Karmic: Sri Krishna recalls all his previous births; he remembers breaking the bow as Lord Ram, he is intuitive and senses his surroundings, a facet frequently explored in stories on reincarnation be it Dilip Kumar/Madhumati, Sunil Dutt/Milan or Shah Rukh -Salman Khan/Karan Arjun.