Kabul Express...

Indian Cinema: Arrived...
A feather in the cap for Indian Cinema: Kabul Express...

Not a great movie, not a classic, not even worth a second watch (some may feel)... however, its different!

Watch it... humor in terror...

Kannathil Muthamittal - An excerpt

Movie: Kannathil Muthamittal
Director: Mani Ratnam
Scene: Sujatha (A short story)

The Story: A 9-year old adopted kid, Amuda, is told about her adoption by her parents on her 9th birthday. After two scary attempts to run away from her home in search of her 'mother', her father decides to take Amuda to riot-stricken Sri Lanka and try to meet her mother. The father, a writer, is giving a speech to a packed house to tamilians in Sri Lanka...

The Scene: Bored by the speech, Amuda wanders off the auditorium. There is security around, poicemen all around. She crosses the road and playfully walks along a foot-path with blades of grass she has picked up. She finds a lame young man sitting on a wheel-chair. She playfully walks upto him,

Amuda (A): 'Hi!'
Lame Man (LM): 'Hello!' (With a stern face, just about to show a smile...)
A: 'What are you doing?'
LM: 'Nothing!'
A: Realizing he also speaks her tongue, 'You are also a Tamilian?!'
LM: 'Yes...'

Amuda plays around, realizes that the Lame Man has a diary with him... takes it and opens it. She finds poems written...

A: 'My dad's also a writer, he also keeps writing such poems... Bore! I do not understand anything.'
LM: 'Is it?', seeming interested, 'What's his name?'
A: 'Thiruchelvan, but writes under mother's name... Indra! Actually, she is not my real mother... just the one who's bought me up! Have you heard about him?', with extra pride, 'He is really famous! He is giving a speech... there, across the road in the auditorium. House full... people are clapping after every sentence!'
LM: 'Impressive!'
A: Realizing the bizarre tamil accent, the typical one from a Lankan, 'Why do you talk Tamil like this?!'
LM: With a meaningful smile, 'This is also Tamil!'
A: 'Hmm...'

Indra now sees her ahead on the walk-way... Shouts for her...

Indra (I): 'Amuda... '
A: Looking at the Lame Man... 'That's my mom... always worried. She fears that I will run away again!'

Amuda runs towards her mother... meets her,

A: 'Amma, that guy there. He is also a Tamilian, nice man. I was talking to him only... He is also a poet, but not as famous as father...'
I: From a distance, 'Thanks, Sir! Did she trouble you? She talks a lot... Sorry for the trouble!'

The Lame Man just smiles back...

A: 'Uncle, please do come to our house if and ever you come to Madras... We will have fun. You can meet my father... Address is: Flat 3, Ground floor, Poongavanam Society, Royapettah, Chennai - 14! Do come...'

The Lame Man smiles and begins to move forward on his wheel chair... Amudha and indra turn back, when Amudha realizes that she still has his diary with her... in a jerk, she turns around murmuring ...

A: 'Oh! Amma... I have to give his diary back...', and breaks into a sprint...
I: 'Amu...', Indra shouts out for her in reaction...

A convoy of government cars come around the corner... the Lame Man stands up... runs across and jumps on one of the cars... and BOOM! A huge blast, Amudha flies backward... glass pieces wounding her face... Indra falls down in shock!

Guru

Listening to: Jaage hain...
Movie: Guru
Director: Mani Ratnam
Music: Rahman

Jaage hain der tak hamein,
Kuch der sone do...
Thodi si raat aur hai,
Subah to hone do!

Aadhe adhoore khwab jo,
Poore na ho sake...
Ek baar phir se neend mein,
Woh khwab bone do!

Gulzar saab... what would poetry be without you!

Check out... Rahman at his lowest pitch... and with a little more keenness, starting 04.27 mins ... Rahman goes to a super-high pitch heard faintly in the far background...! Gets clearer after 05.06 mins...

Sneak peek: Can already hear this music at emotion-wrenching scenes of the movie...

Tune in to:
Themes of Subhash Chandra Bose

Swades - We, the people...

Listening to: Yeh jo Des hai tera
Movie: Swades
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Music: Rahman

A 'Bass drum' and probably the metal ring of a drum rim... a slow rythm starts... add a string layer and vocals... Shehnai starts as if on cue, and... just when you get comfortable with the melody, almost on a half beat Rahman oozes out...

Something about Rahman, he just sounds too damned patriotic...

Tune in to:
Maa tujhe salaam, Vande Mataram
Aazadi, Subhash Chandra Bose

Rahman, Ratnam and Sachin...

Three names that keep me hooked up to the world of entertainment...

Watch out for more...

E! Talk...

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